Now here's a novelty. For once, I didn't lie! I actually wrote this whole chapter while on holiday. I always say I'll write but never get round to it – this time I did and darn proud of it, especially since any paragraph with Sirius or Wendy in it had to be rewritten about six times – I had her liking him then hating him then liking him again… ugh, nightmare. Also, most of it written while listening to Sweeny Todd, i.e., quite slowly, so there might not be so many mistakes (!). However, this chapter is quite important to the story, so I'm thinking that for the first time I might get a friend to beta it. Well, we'll see. Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: Forgot this last time! Apart from Harry Potter and all it's components belonging to J.K.Rowling, the prophecy used in this story belongs solely to Mr. Benjamin Brittan. Not mine!

Previously…

The last thing anyone saw before the centre of the ceiling collapsed was Harry, standing in the middle of a battlefield, facing over a hundred Death Eaters and the most evil wizard that had ever lived. Then, it all went dark.

Fifth Year? I Haven't Done My Homework!

Chapter 37

When the dust cleared the doors were blocked from view by a large pile of stone covering every area of floor that wasn't protected by the shield. The enchanted ceiling was completely gone – when they looked up they could see the ceiling of the classroom above. Luckily the walls had held firm, kept in place by the ancient protection charms on the castle.

Practically all the first and second years were in tears. Ron had transformed back into his original form at some point during the blast and he was standing with his arms firmly around Hermione, who was sobbing hard into his shoulder. Fawkes was on Dumbledore's shoulder and Mouxaile had landed safely on Sarah Pordell's arm.

Sirius had his arms tight around his twin, who looked up at him in complete shock before pushing him away. "You're… you… you switched?"

"Yes," said Sirius, as though the weight of the world was lifted from his chest in that one world. Wendy smiled and fell once more into his embrace. "Don't ever leave me."

"Never," he told her.

Ron let Hermione go, and turned to face the enormous pile of rubble that had moments before been the floor of the Great Hall. "Harry?" Hermione asked him. Suddenly everyone's attention was on Ron. Slowly he lifted his right sleeve. He saw the two scars, one straight down the length of his forearm, the other crossing his palm from the base of his thumb to his little finger.

~Harry?~

There was no answer.

#Flashback#

Ron took a deep breath, held his hand out in front of him and whispered.

"Cretus Cruor Duo Fraternis."

Nothing seemed to happen at first, but when Ron tentatively touched the tip of his wand to his hand, he hissed in pain as a bright red drop of blood appeared.

Despite the pain, Ron drew a straight line on his palm with his wand, the skin breaking apart in its wake. Blood poured as he held his hand out over the sink.

Harry looked at his own hand. Now or never.

"Cretus Cruor Duo Fraternis."

The straight line of bright red blood streamed as Harry offered his hand to his friend.

Ron looked up. Neither of them said a word, but at that point, an age-old power long forgotten through the centuries took over their will.

Their eyes locked, they slowly clasped hands.

---------------

Ron had no idea how he and Harry had got back to Gryffindor tower. Every muscle in his body ached, and his head was still pounding. He ran his finger over the cut in his palm even as he rolled over for the hundredth time.

Already, as the book had warned, it was no longer a cut, but a long thin scar, reaching from the base of his thumb to his little finger.

----------------

Ron lifted the sleeve of his school robes. Beneath it, they all saw clearly a thin white line, not a cut, nor quite a scar. It started just above his wrist and extended further than they could see beneath Ron's robes.

Harry swore.

"Language Potter," said Ron, smiling wryly. "It was there when I woke up. I'm rather surprised it didn't hurt, actually."

"So am I," said Harry. "Especially if it looks like that."

"Let's see yours then," said Ron, and Harry motioned to his bandage.

"I'd show you, but I'm forbidden to remove this."

"Owch."

---------------------

Harry shrugged uncomfortably. "Remus had a bit of an accident. I helped out."

Ron paled. "You mean… like your Dad used to do?"

"Er… I guess so, if you put it that way…"

"You idiot! You could have been killed!"

Harry flinched. Being scolded by Sirius was one thing, by Ron was another. He'd never admit it, but Ron seemed to have inherited his mother's unbeatable talent for telling people off.

"Not really. Werewolves aren't a danger to animals, remember? I used a stag form."

"They can't turn you into another werewolf – but what's to stop them tearing you to little pieces? Sorry, Professor," he added to Remus, who had suddenly gone even paler than before, if that was at all possible.

"Spare me the lecture," said Harry. "I've already had one – or two."

"That's not all," said Ron, shaking slightly. "I can't believe you'd be so selfish. If you'd have died, what do you think would have happened to me?"

Silence.

#End Flashback#

"He's still alive," said Ron. Hermione took a deep breath.

"Are you sure?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," said Ron. Suddenly he realised that at least three teachers had their wands out and were pointing them warily at Sirius. "Oh, back off, all of you," he said. "Sirius, stay close to me before someone blows your head off, for goodness sake."

"Can you take the shield down, Ron?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," said Ron again. "Tell them to stand back."

"Stand back, everyone!" Dumbledore told the students and teachers, his voice magically magnified to reach the whole hall. Ron raised his hands before lowering them, and the shield came down. The pile of stone shifted slightly, causing a few students to gasp and press themselves against the wall, but it did not collapse.

Ron bit his lip. Hermione took his hand with one of hers. He looked her. "Let's find him," she said. He nodded. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he yelled at the nearest stone block. It rose into the air revealing a pair of black boots. He felt Wendy's hand on his shoulder.

"Ron, use your wand, sweetie. I know you're afraid but you can't afford to lose all your energy –"

Ron met her eyes. "I'm not afraid," he told her firmly. But when he looked back at Hermione, she could see that that was a lie. There was fear in his eyes – terrible fear.

They started to clear away the rock covering the figure as Dumbledore called instructions to the students on the other side of the hall to pile the stones up gently and call if they found either Harry or Voldemort. Sirius remained close to Ron as ordered.

The man they'd found still had his face covered with a mask, and was horribly mangled. Hermione gagged and looked away. Snape came forward, looking even grimmer than usual and lifted the mask slightly.

"Duncan," he said shortly. "That's going to look bad on his ministry file." Ron looked at him, shocked. Had Snape just made a joke? The Potions Master shot him a glare and he decided not to comment. There were other things to worry about.

They found three more mangled Death Eaters before anything significant happened. Sirius and Ron moved rocks with such force that everyone except Hermione stayed well clear of them, but everyone lent a hand to clear the stone into smaller piles at the edge of the room. Fawkes could carry stones of all sizes one at a time, while even Mouxaile picked up pebbles in her tiny claws. Hagrid was the biggest help of all – he could carry two slabs half his size at the same time. He'd obviously felt completely useless while trapped behind the shield, and wanted to make up for it. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy as he mercilessly attacked the stone pile.

Ron pushed a large slab off the top of the nearest pile and came face to face with Ernie McMillan.

"Ron!"

"Hey," said Ron. "How close are we?"

"Clear away this lot and we'll have a whole corner."

"Oh, great."

"Malfoy's fainted."

Ron gaped. "What?"

"Couple of minutes ago. He just collapsed. The Slytherins are looking after him. Rather them than me."

"What was that, McMillan?"

Ernie's face paled at the sight of Professor Snape, but he repeated his story for both his benefit and that of Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall who'd joined them. Snape smiled as he turned to Dumbledore.

"The Imperious curse," he said. "I knew he was acting oddly."

"What, more oddly than usual?" Ron spat.

"Shut up, Weasley, and don't talk about things you don't understand. Lucius Malfoy must have died, Albus. The sudden removal of a long-term Imperious curse can do that do you." Professor Snape sounded like he was talking from experience, but Ron didn't care. Who cared about Malfoy when Harry was buried under a hundred tons of stone?

"What, you think Malfoy put an Imperious curse on his son? Come on – why would he need to do that?"

Hermione put a soothing hand on his arm. "It would explain the way he attacked us on the train, Ron."

"It doesn't explain anything! Malfoy always attacks us on the train, it's practically a tradition!"

"Yes, but I mean how he just pulled his wand out without insulting us first. Remember? You thought it was weird too!"

Suddenly Ron felt like he was in a very small space. He was finding it slightly difficult to breath.

"Ron? Are you ok?"

"Yeah," he said quickly. "Yes, I'm fine – keep digging."

"See to Draco, Severus," said Albus, levitating two rocks at once.

"Are you all right, Professor?" asked Wendy as Ernie, looking terrified, led Snape to the spot where several Slytherins were bending over Malfoy. "I saw how much power that shield took out of you."

"Never better," said the old Headmaster. "Let us concentrate on finding Harry."

They found Lucius Malfoy next – his long bloodstained white-blonde hair visible even behind the mask with his hood thrown back and all his limbs bent at awkward angles. Sirius bent to touch his arm, his face a blank. "Still warm," he said. "Snape was right – he was under that lot for a while before he actually died."

"Weren't friendly with him then, were you?" spat Professor Sprout. No one bothered to put her right.

Ron couldn't resist giving the body a little kick before they continued. He tried to take a deep breath but it was difficult, his breath was becoming more and more strained. What was going on?

"Ron?"

"M'fine…"

"RON! Professor, he's collapsed!"

Dumbledore was immediately at Ron's side.

"Can't… breath… Harry's… trapped…"

"Keep digging!" Dumbledore told the others.

"But –" Hermione protested. 

"We have to get Harry out!"

Hermione clutched at Ron's hand. "Try to breath, Ron!"

It was getting harder and harder. It was like being underwater, no matter how hard he drew at the air no oxygen was running through his lungs. His chest felt tight and he was starting to panic.

"Professor! I think I've found something!"

Sarah's voice seemed to come from far away...

"Stand back – it's him!"

"Which 'him'? Who've they found?"

"Everyone stay BACK! It's You-Know-Who and Pettigrew, they've just got to dig a little further…"

"Let us help, it'll work faster –"

"Hold on, Ron…"

"Oh my God, he's ugly!"

"Leave the bodies! Get Harry out!"

"This one's still alive!"

"Stupify! There, that'll hold him. Move him over there and don't tell Black - I'm sure the ministry will want to talk to him later."

"RON!"

Ron could see little red stars spinning in a black sky. One by one they winked out until they were all gone – and everything went black.

Ron's hand went limp in Hermione's. She screamed. "Keep going!" Wendy yelled to the workers, running over to them. She checked Ron's pulse. "He's still there, Hermione."

Hermione's tears soaked Ron's sleeve as Fawkes fluttered over to them. Hermione stared at him through blurry eyes. "Can you help him?" she gasped. Fawkes' head lowered over Ron's throat, and he started to cry, the pearly tears soaking into the skin instead of rolling down either side. His chest started to rise and fall again, ever so slightly.

"Hold on, Ron…" she whispered.

"PROFESSOR!"

"Yes, that's him – all right, everyone back, we're going to get him out."

Wendy ran back to the scene – one of Harry's hands had been uncovered. It shone faintly when she looked closely. She smiled. The internal shields she had instructed Harry to create had come into play, protecting him from too much damage. As it was, the hand was bruised but not mangled like the other bodies they'd found.

Breathing hard, she pulled the nearest rock aside. Quickly Harry's whole arm was revealed, and eventually they'd uncovered his entire body. Gently, Professor Dumbledore turned him over, and nearly dropped him when he saw his emerald green eyes wide open. Harry took a deep, dusty, shuddering breath, and metres away, in Hermione's arms, so did Ron.

"Knew you'd find me," Harry said, and fainted.

Hermione left Ron lying on the floor with Ginny watching over him, and ran to Professor Dumbledore. "Is he going to be ok?" she asked.

"He's quite battered," said Madam Pomfrey, who had rushed over from checking Malfoy over, "and he was without air for quite a long time. I imagine that he'll suffer from severe magical exhaustion as well. He needs food, rest and several potions. Let's go upstairs."

Suddenly Hermione heard a sob from behind her. Sarah had just pulled away one last stone to reveal the deformed body of a white owl. Mouxaile was flapping her wings agitatedly on Sarah's shoulder.

"Sarah…"

The little girl took off her cloak and wrapped Hedwig's remains in it. Mouxaile hooted softly. Hermione gestured for Sarah to give her the cloak, but Sarah shook her head.

"I owe it to him," she said quietly.

Hermione nodded. She understood.

"Let me help you, Albus," said McGonagall.

The Headmaster shook his head. "He's so light," he whispered. "Too light."

McGonagall sighed and helped Hermione and Ginny to levitate Ron off the ground. The two girls stationed themselves on either side of him to make sure he didn't bump into anything.

Wendy and Sirius walked over to Remus, then looked at each other. "I don't have a wand," Sirius admitted.

Wendy handed him her own, obviously to distraught to levitate her dead lover by herself. Flitwick and the other teachers promised the Headmaster that the other students would remain in the hall and the Ministry would be alerted as soon as possible. The Death Eaters that were, by some miracle, still alive, were stunned and levitated to the hospital wing even as they left the Great Hall.

The Entrance Hall was full of snakes, which made it a little hard to make their way to the marble staircase, but the snakes moved aside to make a path for them. Dumbledore stopped abruptly when one snake slightly smaller than all the others slithered up his leg, across Harry's torso and fastened itself around the boy's wrist, but then quickly resumed his pace when that was all that the little reptile did.

Eventually they made it to the hospital wing, where Harry, Ron, Remus and Sarah, despite all her protests, were laid onto beds at one end and the live Death Eaters at the other end. Madam Pomfrey took charge of Hedwig, placing both the owl's remains and the cloak in one of the boxes she used when students came to her with their dead pets.

Snape came in after a while carrying Malfoy in his arms in much the same way as Dumbledore had carried Harry.

After that they all stood in silence, unspoken questions hanging in the air as Madam Pomfrey set about diagnosing the Death Eater's injuries and making reports for the Ministry. Most of the teachers had joined them now. Some were staring at Harry – the others were glaring at Sirius, who had one arm around the red-eyed Wendy.

Finally, Hermione, sitting with her hand firmly encased around Ron's, snapped. "Stop staring at him, can't you!" she yelled at her teachers. "He's innocent."

"What?" Sirius was startled out of a trance. He hadn't even noticed the intense stares from around the room. "Oh, that. Pettigrew's back there somewhere," he gestured vaguely to the Death Eaters at the other end. "We'll sort it out when the Ministry get here, I suppose."

Hermione stared at him. "You knew about Pettigrew?"

"I'm not deaf, Hermione." Professor Vector gasped at Sirius' use of Hermione's first name.

"And you don't want to rip him to pieces?"

Even Wendy shifted slightly away from Sirius at this.

"Gosh, thanks Hermione."

"Hell, Sirius – I want to rip him to pieces!"

"Hermione?" The bed's occupant had opened his eyes unnoticed.

"Ron!"

Madam Pomfrey was immediately at the bed. "How are you feeling, Mr. Weasley?"

"Being able to breath is nice," said Ron, rubbing his throat as though afraid it might stop working again. "How's Harry?"

"Still out of it," said Hermione.

"Well, you can get up in a moment," said Pomfrey, looking as though it hurt her to say it. "I can't see anything wrong with you except the after-effects of suffocation."

"I don't understand," said Vector. "How did you suffocate?"

Ron looked around. Of those present, only Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid and of course, Wendy, knew about the blood bond between himself and Harry, and about Sirius' innocence – and Wendy, Sirius' own sister, didn't even know the details about that. Everyone else was either nonplussed, unconscious, or – Ron glanced over at Remus and felt moisture fill his eyes.

"Well..."

The door burst open. Standing there was the Minister of Magic and at least ten Aurors.

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Ha! Third cliffie in a row! Go me!

Well, fortunately for you, I'm still stuck on the Australian coast with no internet and no way of posting this chapter, so I'm going to have to continue writing the next chapter while I'm here. Then you'll get two chapters close together, or just very close. S'logical.

Love

~*Laterose*~