Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter

Shoutouts:

Walker-of-the-shadow-path: "Moving Oleta" is from Reba's newest CD, "Room To Breathe". And I have no clue where I got the inspiration for Snape/Petunia.

~

~

~

Thoughts For The Dead

~

~

~

It was three days before Petunia could get herself out of bed. She just had no energy to drag herself from the cot. Mourning had zapped all life force from her.

Her husband and son were her last connections to the safe world of Muggles. Now that they were gone, she was completely a witch again.

Plus, she felt like an incredible heel, calling out Snape's name just minutes after learning that her husband was dead. She had loved her Vernon to bits, and had supported him through everything, even in his neglect of Harry. And Dudley, her baby, had been the light of her life.

But had she really been happy these past few years? She struggled with herself over this question more than anything else in her recovery. Her life had been pretty mundane, even with Harry coming, and there hadn't been much passion or fire in anything she did. Her life had consisted of cooking, cleaning, and little else.

"I'm just thinking that way because I'm in mourning," she told herself firmly the day she left the hospital wing. "I'm just upset. That's all."

She made her way down the stairs unassisted, to the disapproving glare of Madam Pomfrey. She had last come down these steps to pack up her trunks before her parents took her home. Lily had watched her pack, silent. The last time they ever glimpsed each other at the school was when Petunia was in the car, and Lily had given her a crisp good-bye, still stinging at what Petunia had said the day previous.

Oh, yes, she had regrets. Hundreds of them. Leaving the school, not listening to Snape, abandoning Lily, treating Harry like dirt, never telling her family that she was a witch…

Her eyes smarted at the thought of her deceased family, and suddenly she realized that she was almost completely alone in the world. Her entire family and one old friend dead, her other friend and her boyfriend estranged, and her nephew, her last remaining relative, who hated her guts.

Her whole life had been one downward spiral since she had left the school. She was 43 and had nothing to show for her years.

She crumpled up against the wall and sobbed.

~

~

~

~

Luna sat in the Ravenclaw common room, which had been dubbed The Eagle's Nest since before she had come here. Her quill was poised to do her Charms homework, and yet she couldn't bring her hand down to the paper.

She could still see the scar outlined on her hand. Not long ago it had born the legend: "Remember your mother".

Remember? How could she forget the horrible explosion that had disemboweled Diana Lovegood, left to be found by her 9-year-old daughter? How could she forget the following days, fearing for her father's sanity?

She scratched her quill against the parchment before she realized that all the ink had dried up. She dipped it in her inkwell and started writing.

She stopped when she saw what she had written.

"Someone help me."

She brushed it with the feather, but the ink refused to erase. She rolled it up and went to the window. She dropped it and watched it flutter down to the Quidditch field below. Lonely, disregarded.

Just like she was.

She needed to get out of here, and quick. She needed something to make her feel better; something to ease her mind.

She needed her mother.

She slammed her book shut and shoved them in her bookbag. She sprinted across the length of The Eagle's Nest towards the portrait hole. She shoved it open roughly, savagely, so the portrait squawked in pain and indignance. But she didn't care. She just kept running.

"Luna?"

She stopped in her tracks at the sound of her name being spoken. The last person she wanted and the first person all at once.

"Yes, Ronal—Ron?" she said.

"Where are you running in such a hurry?"

"No where in especial," Luna said, making a successful attempt at her usual mystic tones.

"Well, I'm heading down to the kitchens for a snack. Harry and Hermione are already there. Wanna come with?"

Luna raised her eyebrows, and Ron couldn't believe that those words had just left his mouth. He was inviting Luna to go somewhere with him. Luna, the girl who had creeped him out all last year, who'd had a fit just three days ago.

Who had looked so beautiful sleeping three days ago…

"No, I cannot," Luna said. "I have to go somewhere."

"Where?"

Luna fell silent.

"Are you just trying to get away from me?" He didn't know why that thought angered him suddenly.

"Of course not, Ron!" Luna yelped.

Ron was taken aback. Luna was suddenly slipping out of her characteristics these days. "Well, where are you going?"

"I cannot tell you."

Ron sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever. I'll see you, Luna."

He turned his back and started to walk away. He had not taken five steps away when…

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I guess…I don't need to be there as urgently as I thought I did. Would you still like me to come with you to the kitchens?"

"If you want," Ron said, trying to sound offhand.

"Thank you." Luna ran to him and grabbed his sleeve, pulling herself so that she was right next to him. He noticed this and pretended he didn't.

~

~

~

"Winky's not working anymore, Harry Potter and Hermes!" Dobby exclaimed proudly.

"Betcha Winky loves that," Harry whispered in Hermione's ear. They were sitting on the floor of the kitchens, amid the hustle and bustle of elves overachieving their cooking work.

Hermione shot him a playful glare. "That's good, Dobby. Making an expecting mother do hard labor is a crime against humanity. Or elvenry, if you want to point a fine point on it."

"Which everyone knows that Hermione loves to do," Harry said quickly, earning himself a jab courtesy of Hermione's elbow.

"Dobby has heard that Harry Potter and Hermes love each other like Dobby and Winky do," Dobby said. "Is Hermes going to have Harry Potter's children soon?"

"Whoa, Dobby, slow down," Harry said, putting up his hands. "We've only been dating since late August. Bit early for that, don't you think?"

"Y-yeah," Hermione said, her face suddenly bright pink. "I mean, we're not even married. We're only 16!"

"16! That's old for a house elf, miss. Dobby is 20 years, and should have had 3 more than this coming one!"

"It's not quite so old for wizards, Dobby," Harry said, rubbing his temples.

"What's not so old for wizards?" a new voice asked, as Ron climbed into the kitchen, Luna at his heels.

"Dobby thinks that I should be having Harry's babies starting now," Hermione said.

"Well, that's understandable," Luna said. "After all, elves generally have a baby a year starting at about 16—"

"As Dobby was just saying, miss!" Dobby piped up. "Who's you, miss?"

"I'm Luna Diana Lovegood."

"I'm Dobby, Miss Looney!" Dobby grinned at her. "Is you with Weezey, Looney?"

"I'm Weezey," Ron said dejectedly.

"I'm his friend, I hope," Luna said. Harry, Hermione, and Ron all stared at her.

"Like Hermes and Harry Potter?"

"No, just friends, Dobby," Ron interrupted quickly.

"Oh, Dobby doesn't understand wizards and witches!" the house-elf moaned.

"Dobby, you is rude, you is!" a house-elf yelled from the corner. "You's best be givin' them their food and goin' back to you's wife!"

"Dobby can stay as long as he likes!" Hermione piped indignantly.

"Miss Hermes, Dobby wishes you wouldn't!" Dobby squeaked. "House-elves gets mean when one of they's own breaks rules or is disrespecting the masters!"

"Oh, honestly, they infuriate me sometimes!" Hermione fumed.

Harry laughed and slung his arm around her. "Calm down, Hermes."

Hermione smiled wryly. "So, Dobby, how is Winky doing?"

"Just wonderfuls, Hermes!"

"Picked any names for the baby yet?" Harry asked.

"Hatty for a girl, Potty for a boy!"

"Pray God that it's a girl," Ron muttered.

"I want a baby girl," Hermione said suddenly.

Harry, Ron, Luna, and Dobby all looked to her.

"When I get older, and married, I want to have a little baby girl. Emma Demi. Emma because that's my middle name, and Demi for my mother."

"I want a girl, too," Luna said. "First, at least. Phoebe Diana. Or Selena Artemis."

Hermione and Luna looked at each other for a long moment. Finally…

"Those are pretty names," Hermione said.

"Yours is, too," Luna said.

They gave each other rare, small smiles.

~

~

~

~

"Petunia?"

Petunia jerked her head up, startled.

"Severus!" she gasped, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I didn't hear you coming. How long have you been there?"

"I just arrived."

"Oh. Um…well. I'd…better be going, shouldn't I?" she said nervously, picking herself up.

"I was sorry to hear about your family," he muttered.

"Hmm? Oh, oh, that. Yes, well I…I can't be in bed forever, can I?"

"No, I suppose you can't."

There was an awkward silence.

"Oh, I want to thank you for showing me the Penseive," Petunia said. "I'm sorry I never asked you about it before. Y'know, my stubborn attitude has ruined my life lots, hasn't it? I mean, if I hadn't been such a donkey, Lily and I wouldn't have been estranged. I could've graduated; I could've worked in the Ministry. Maybe you and I would still be together." She sighed. "Well, "woulda, coulda, shoulda", eh? I'll just have to deal with the fact that I'm alone."

"I don't think…you're quite as alone as you believe you are."

Petunia gave him a wry smile. "Thank you, Severus. I think we've both been pretty unfair to each other, haven't we? Thank you for bothering with me again." She took his hand in both of her, and unconsciously noted how it suddenly warmed. "If we could be friends again, that would help me immensely."

"…Yes, of course."

"Good." Petunia wiped the last remaining tears from her eyes. "I'm going back to my dorm now. Later on I'm going to a wizard cemetery were my family is buried. I reckon my family is the only non-magic people to be buried there."

She gave him a small, wry smile and then walked away, leaving him staring after her, wondering where all the time had gone since 5th year, 1976-77.

~

~

~

~

Harry looked down at his magical watch and his eye nearly popped out of his head.

"Guys, I need to get ready!" he said. "My aunt and I are going to the cemetery in a little while with some Order members."

"Why didn't you mention anything?" Ron asked. "I'll go with you."

"Nah, you don't have to," Harry said.

"No, I want to. I haven't been there since the funeral last month, and I think…I think I should visit."

"Me too," Hermione said.

"You sure you're up to it?" Harry asked. Last month, Hermione couldn't even bring herself to enter the cemetery, instead staying in the church while Harry held her.

"Yeah. I think I should go, too."

"I'll go with you," Luna suddenly piped up.

All three stared at her.

"I want to visit my mother's grave," she said.

"Well, we better get going, then. We'll see you, Dobby. Tell Winky we say "hello"."

"Dobby will do that, sirs and misses! Good-bye!"

~

~

~

~

"You're assigned to go with us?" Harry asked incredulously, staring up at the towering form of Snape.

"Don't sound so enthused, Harry, Snape will think you want him to go," Tonks said sarcastically, grinning at him. She was standing next to Snape, her fingers laced around her wand. Remus stood next to her.

"It's just us three, Harry," Remus said. "But then, we weren't expecting you to bring Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna. We thought it would just be you and your aunt. You do know, Miss Lovegood, that your father is elsewhere on business?"

"I know," Luna said. "Professor Lupin—ouch!"

She suddenly grasped her side.

"What's wrong, Luna?" Ron asked.

"Just a stitch," Luna said, waving her hand. "I wasn't hit by a heliopath, if that's what you're thinking."

Ginny shook her head. She and Neville had joined the group after the four had arrived in the common room, bearing the news of their visit. "Luna, sometimes I just don't get you."

"Were you going to tell me something, Luna?" Remus asked.

"Oh, no, it's not important," she said, waving her hand.

"If you're sure. Well, then, grab hold." He put his hands on a statue, and the others followed suit.

And they were jerked along through the Portkey towards the cemetery at the Church of St. Mungo.

~

~

~

~

It was cool, and occasionally a chilly wind blasted through their cloaks. But the sun was bright, warming their backs and necks, and distorting their view of the graveyard.

They entered quietly, the only sounds the crunching of fallen leaves and grass, and the last few birds singing from the trees surrounding the area.

They split up to visit individual graves.

Harry wound up first in front of his parent's graves. He had never found the opportunity to come here, having stayed in the church with Hermione the previous time, so this was his first glimpse of their graves.

He crouched down in front of them. They were directly side by side, their gravestones bearing the Gryffindor symbol. Written underneath the lion were their epitaphs.

"James Richard Potter. Born March 21st, 1961. Died October 31st, 1989," he read under his breath. "Beloved son, husband, father, and friend."

Beneath the writing was a picture of his father. He knew that the wizarding world put the best picture of the deceased with the headstone, and he peered closer.

James was riding his broomstick, holding on with one hand. In his other arm he held a bundle of blankets, just barely revealing the tuft of black hair that was Harry. Holding onto the back of him, the wind blowing her hair off her face, was Lily.

He turned away from the picture and set his eyes on his mother's grave.

"Lillian Nicole Potter. Born July 14th, 1961. Died October 31st, 1989." So Lily was a Cancer, just like he was, with a birthday only 8 days prior to his, the 22nd. "Beloved daughter, wife, mother, and friend."

He supposed that either someone had overlooked the fact that she had a sister, or they had been told not to put it there.

The picture below showed Lily surrounded by her friends, who were throwing confetti in the air. She was blushing and holding newborn Harry, while James kissed her cheek.

Harry jumped suddenly when he felt a hand graze his shoulder. He looked up to see Petunia standing over him.

"I've found your uncle and cousin's graves," she said. "I suppose it's too much to ask for you to see them with me?"

"I think it'd be better if we went separately," he said through gritted teeth. He didn't feel that her grief and his confused relief would mix too well.

He pointed towards Lily's grave. "Look at that, Aunt Petunia. "Daughter, wife, mother, friend". It doesn't say "Sister"."

"My parents were already dead, and I hadn't spoken to her for 10 years. I think everyone forgot she had a sister." She smiled bitterly. "No more."

She pulled out her wand, a 10 ½ inch Beech wand with a unicorn tail hair, the spoon attachment removed. She pointed to the stone inbetween the comma and the word "mother".

"Enscriban," she muttered.

The wand emitted a gold ball from its tip, and Harry watched as words were pushed aside as "Sister" was suddenly embossed on the stone.

She tapped the ground inbetween the two graves and muttered "Hanawa". Several pale lilies and violet petunias sprouted out from the ground.

"I saw your friend Hermione do it to the graves she was at and decided to try it myself. You can guess why I chose to plant lilies and petunias."

Harry suddenly felt his throat close up.

"I'll be on my way now," Petunia said, slowly backing away, then turning and leaving.

Harry stared after her until her felt someone else's hand on his shoulder. He leaned his head sideways and back to see Hermione. Her eyes were red, and thin, pink streaks marked where tears had run down her cheeks.

"You okay?" they asked simultaneously, and then laughed bitterly at their chorus.

"Your mother was pretty," Hermione said as she crouched, looking at the two pictures at the foot of either gravestone. "And it is absolutely terrifying to see how much you look like your father."

"If I had a Knut for every time someone said that, I'd never need to work in my life," Harry said.

"I don't look much like either of my parents, either set of them," Hermione said. "You could say I have Belle's hair, but mine's thicker and curlier." She sighed. "I still would so like to torture them for what they did to Mum and Dad. I'd learn an Unforgiveable if I had to. Yes, I'm very aware of the legality, or lack thereof, of those curses, but I just don't care. You feel the same way about Pettigrew, don't you, Harry?"

"Yeah." Harry's face suddenly warmed with anger. Just thinking of that pathetic little man made his fingers itch to choke something…strangle it…kill it…

His scar suddenly exploded with pain. He had a fleeting vision of cloaked, masked figures…a skull and snake.

"HARRY!"

Hermione grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Harry, your eyes went red…you looked like you were going to strangle me! Harry, is it…?"

"It's Voldemort," he said, loudly, firmly, so clear that everyone in the graveyard heard him and stopped whatever they were doing to stare at him, horrorstruck. "He's sending something…Death Eaters. I saw Death Eaters. They're headed for us."

Luna gave a small gasp. "Harry—ah!"

She was on the ground, clutching her ankle.

"I tripped," she said in explanation. "Harry, we should go. Now."

"No time, they're—GET DOWN!"

He grabbed Hermione and forced her onto the ground, and the others hit the deck as a stream of green light suddenly soared over the graveyard, inches away from where Ginny's head had been just a second earlier.

Tonks whipped out her wand from where she had stuck it in her pocket. Her entire expression, her whole body language, had gone from its usual cheerful, humorous mood to a rigid vigilance, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Lupin jumped up too, brandishing his wand, and Snape was soon to follow. In their current mood, no one noticed that he had moved in front of Petunia, with the fierce protective attitude of a guard dog.

Remus raised his wand. He seemed to be focusing in on something. His eyes narrowed and he breathed in deeply. It was almost like he was sniffing something out.

"Tonks," he whispered.

"Got it," she answered.

"On three. One…two…three!"

"STUPEFY!" they screamed together.

Identical red beams exploded from the tips of their wands into the surrounding woods, and there was a howl of indignation and surprise.

"10 of them. 8 now, we just took out two of them," Remus said. "They're trying to stay hidden."

Snape grimaced, and pointed his wand directly at a tree. "Colloportus!"

The tree blew backwards and apart, just as a shadowy figure ran from behind it to behind another tree.

"There!" Remus shouted, pointing his wand.

Harry whipped out his own wand, aimed it, and a split second before the words left Remus's lips, he screamed, "COLLOPORTUS!"

A shout of agony was heard, followed by a sickening thud and crunch.

"They have to come out now; they can't ignore that," Tonks said. "You six," she waved her hand in the general direction of Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna. "Start heading for the Portkey. If you see a Death Eater, run. Don't attack except to defend. KEEP YOUR WANDS OUT. Go…NOW!"

Ginny and Neville took off first, both grabbing their wands. Ron grabbed Luna's arm and hoisted her up, and they jogged backwards, watching the forest, keeping their wands pointed directly at the trees.

"Hermione, go," Harry said, grabbing her shoulder and tugging her.

She wrenched herself free. "No."

"Hermione!"

"I know that Aaron and Belle are there. I just know it. I'm going to stay right here and kill them."

"Hermione, come on!"

"No!"

"Fine! I'm staying here, too! You're not going to die while I run!"

"They're here!" Tonks screamed, as the first figure left the safety of the forest, followed by two more.

"Ginny, run!" Ron shouted, catching up with his sister and giving her a shove. "Get to Hogwarts!"

"Ginny! Tell Professor Dumbledore—AAAAHH!" Luna screamed.

She suddenly fell to the ground. A gash appeared on her back calve, blood oozing out as muscle was exposed to the sun.

"Luna!" Ron screeched, skidding to a stop and running back to her. Blood was coloring the grass around her. "What'd they hit you with?"

Luna shook her head wildly.

Ron swore so badly that Ginny and Neville nearly stopped in their tracks. He pointed his wand at a Death Eater just leaving the forest and screamed, "BOMITUS!"

The Death Eater suddenly stood rigid. He shook convulsively, then dropped to the ground. Retching sounds were heard, as a disgusting mix of brown and white poured from his mouth.

"IDIOT!" Tonks screamed.

Ron ignored her. He was looking at his wand.

"I've never done that before. I've only read about it…"

"Ron, come on!" Ginny yelled from twenty feet away. "Hurry! Stupefy!" she screamed, along with Neville, as a Death Eater advanced towards them.

"Luna, can you move?"

Luna picked herself up delicately. "Ron, I—GAH!"

She fell to the ground again, this time holding her arm. A deep cut was appearing at the crease of her elbow. The blood from her leg was still pouring out at an alarming rate.

Without hesitation, Ron swooped her up, one arm under her knees, the other arm supporting her back. Unable to mask her surprise with her face, Luna sat in silence as Ron bore her on towards the Portkey.

~

~

~

~

"COLLOPORTUS!!" Harry screamed, pointing his wand at a Death Eater.

"Protego!" the Death Eater screamed in a female voice, and the jinx bounced off her. She brandished her wand. "Cru—"

"Finite Incantatem!" Hermione yelled.

The woman was blown off her feet and sent flying through the air. In a blur, Harry wondered why she hadn't exploded like the Bludger in second year. Reasoning that it was harder to blow up a person than a ball, he looked over to the woman Death Eater.

Her mask and hood had blown off with the force of the attack, and Harry saw a tall woman with curly, dark brown hair, tanned skin, and deep blue eyes.

Hermione strode over to the woman, stopping 5 feet from her.

"Why, hello, Belle, I was just talking about you."

Belle picked up her wand, but Hermione anticipated it.

"Immobulous!"

Britney suddenly froze. The only parts of her still moving were blinking eyelids.

"I heard that you did this to my mother. Not fun, is it, to lose control of your body? Can't talk, can't move…can't even scream."

Hermione brought her wand down, and the last words Harry expected to ever pass her lips rang through the graveyard in a deadly, clear voice.

"Crucio."

Belle began to shake uncontrollably as the curse hit her. She looked like she was trying to scream but couldn't.

"I heard you laugh when you did this to her. Hysterical, isn't it? An absolute riot. Crucio."

Belle's back arched a millimeter. The expression on her face was of such anguish that Harry almost felt sorry for her.

"You're going to feel what she went through, trying to prevent you from getting to me. Crucio."

A small moan escaped Belle's mouth. Her eyes screwed up, and red blood began to stream out from inbetween her closed lips.

"Hermione, that's enough!" Harry leaped forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back. "Stop it!"

"She deserves it!" Hermione screamed. "She did this to my mother while my father had to watch! She's getting her due!"

"Hermione, I…said…STOP!!" Harry finally managed to wrestle her wand from her grasp.

Another voice, from so far away, yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"

"HARRY!" Hermione shoved him down as a flash of green light soared over them. A devilish curse escaped the lips of the Death Eater.

"It was too far away; we could dodge it!" Hermione gasped. She grabbed her wand from Harry's hand.

"ARE YOU DEAF???!!! I SAID "GET TO THE PORTKEY"!!!!" Tonks's voice screeched from the east, as brilliant colors shot from several wands at once.

"Hermione, get going!" Harry yelled, grabbing her by her robes and tossing her back.

"You're coming, too! Both of you!"

"Both—"

"Accio Belle Granger!"

The Death Eater soared through the air as Hermione kept her wand pointed at her. With her free hand, Hermione felt for Harry's arm. As she felt it, she hooked her fingers around it and dragged him backwards, towards the Portkey. The last they saw of the battle was Tonks shouting something and her wand letting out a gold stream.

~

~

~

~

"Remus, look out!" Tonks shrieked.

Remus ducked just in time to miss an attack. He waved his wand and yelled, "Colloportus!" The Death Eater howled as he was sent flying backwards and slammed against a tree.

Furiously, another Death Eater whipped out his wand.

Tonks saw this and jumped out of the way just as the Death Eater yelled, "Crucio!"

The impending green light shot forward, heading for a new target.

Petunia.

Remus, Tonks, and Snape watched as it shot towards her, seemingly in slow motion. There was no time. They couldn't do anything except watch as her eyes widened in horror and shock, as she tried to steel herself for the blast.

There was a crunch of grass beneath shoes as someone took off.

There were two screams, one of horror and one of agony.

Snape had taken the hit.

~

~

~

~

Remus flung his hand, wand pointed, towards the Death Eater. "Stupefy!"

The Death Eater suddenly froze. His eyes, though not visible, glazed over, and his mind went blank. What was he doing here?

"Severus!" Petunia screeched, catching him before he could sink to the ground. "Severus, are you okay? Speak to me! Oh, God, not you, too…"

"I'm not dead, Petunia," Snape muttered through gritted teeth, trying to pick himself up. He paused tensely for a moment, and then stood up, looking slightly nauseous.

"Look out!" Tonks yelled, and both of them dodged another attack.

"Get going!" Remus yelled. "Get back to the Portkey, both of you!"

Snape grabbed the collar of Petunia's robes and shoved her in the direction of the Portkey. Her arms flew wildly and she took hold of his own robes.

"Come with me!" she hissed, and began to pull him backwards.

"Keep going, keep going!" Remus shouted, jogging backwards, Tonks at his side.

Petunia half-dragged Snape back. He seemed to be unwilling to go, his eyes focused on the Death Eater who had attacked. You could see a rage building up in his face, like he wanted to attack…and kill.

Petunia grabbed hold of the Portkey and they were jerked from view, closely followed by Remus and Tonks. Someone muttered something, and as the four of them were thrown onto the floor of Hogwarts, the Portkey sealed itself up and dissolved into thin air.

~

~

~

The four lay gasping on the floor for a few seconds.

"If that wasn't the worse time for a Death Eater attack…" Tonks muttered, the first to pick herself up. "This is just perfect. Severus, they know that you're on our side now, unless they are THAT thick."

"Spying was getting risky, anyway," Severus muttered, picking himself up and absent-mindedly hoisting Petunia with him.

Remus stood up just as someone rounded the corner. They were staring into the panicking face of Ginny Weasley.

"Professors, Mrs. Dursely, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office, quick! Hermione brought back a Death Eater!"

"Genius apparently isn't constant," Snape muttered.

"It was her mother, Belle!" Ginny yelled, smarting at the insult to her friend. "Anyway, you'd better get there quick, Belle's putting up a fight!"

Tonks was the first to take off, followed by Remus, Snape, and Petunia. Ginny led the way towards Dumbledore's office.

She stopped at the gargoyle and breathed the words "Sugar Quill". The gargoyle moved, and the five of them charged upstairs.

It was a strange sight to behold. Dumbledore and Moody were holding down a struggling Belle, while McGonagall shielded Hermione from the view of her mother. Harry and Ron had both her shoulders, trying to force her back.

Tonks whipped her wand around and said, "Descansas!"

A soft blue light shot from her wand and hit Britney. All of a sudden the twisting woman sat still. Her expression relaxed, and she sagged in her seat.

Dumbledore stepped backward, but Moody kept Belle pinned down by the shoulders.

"Miss Granger, please calm yourself or I'll have to place you in detention for a month," McGonagall said tiredly. "I assure you, you will have the time to confront Mrs. Granger later."

Hermione glared at Belle, but calmed down.

"Professor Snape, do we have any Veritaserum?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Unfortunate. There's so much I want to get from her. Such as who the traitor is."

"The only traitor here is Snape!" Belle exploded, pointing an accusing finger at aforementioned professor. "He's been betraying us all along, hasn't he, all for that Mudblood waste over there!" She turned her finger towards Petunia.

Snape yanked out his wand and pointed it at Belle. "One more word, Granger."

"Severus, do keep your temper, please," Minerva said, begging.

"She can remain imprisoned with us for a month," Dumbledore said placidly. "That won't be a problem."

"I hope you die in prison," Hermione snarled, staring straight at Britney. "The bowels of Hell are too good for you!"

"Hermione, please…" Harry begged.

"Alastor, if you would please escort Mrs. Granger here to the dungeons," Dumbledore said. "Severus, I'm afraid we'll have to find another room for your class. The Room of Requirement should suffice."

"This way, Granger," Moody growled. "Incarcerus." He led the bound Death Eater from the room.

"And now, Miss Hermione Granger," Dumbledore said, turning to her. "From what Harry has said, it appears you used the unforgivable Cruciatus Curse?"

"I don't deny it," Hermione said fiercely. "In fact, I used it three times."

"You're not gonna throw her in prison, are you?" Ron yelped suddenly.

"No, Mr. Weasley, I'm not. And she will not be expelled or suspended. In fact, I am amazed that she was able to perform it. I must ask, however, that she abstain from doing it again. If someone besides us sees her doing it, I won't be able to prevent her from being incarcerated. Can you do that, Miss Granger?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip. "If I see Aaron…I don't know if I can."

"I see. Well, then, at least abstain from it for the time being, and we can continue this discussion at a better time."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Very good, very good. And, Mr. Weasley, I'd prepare yourself for owls. The attack will be reported soon, and I feel your mother will be sending a great deal of mail."

Ron snorted. "Yes, sir."

"Oh, yes, and Miss Lovegood was sent up to the hospital wing, if you wish to see her. You may all leave now," Dumbledore said, waving his hand towards the door.

Petunia, Tonks, Snape, Remus, Ginny, Neville, and Ron were the first to leave, followed closely by Hermione, but Harry stopped in the doorway.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"The Cruciatus Curse…are there times when it's forgivable?"

"That, I suppose, relies on the user's point of view. I can understand Hermione Granger's perspective."

"There are times when you want to use it, aren't there? Take me, whenever I hear "Pettigrew" or "Bellatrix", I want to kill something."

There was silence, then— "I understand completely, Harry. When I think of 13-year-old Oleta Kelly Clark, top student in the school, and 81-year-old Oleta Dumbledore, locked in St. Mungo's…I understand perfectly. As I said to Tom Riddle in June, merely killing him would not satisfy me enough. And speaking of last June, Harry, we haven't talked about the prophecy in a while."

"It's all right, I don't need to," Harry said, holding up his hand. "The way I see it, Trelawney made a crackpot prediction and some Death Eater was fool enough to fall for it. Nothing is for sure and certain anymore, Professor. I can't rely on the fact that it was for real. However, I understand that whether it was predestined or not, I'm a part of this war and I'm going to play it out."

"You understand that I thought I was acting for the best by keeping this from you?"

"At first I was angry enough to kill you," Harry admitted. "But now…I don't know. I was wallowing in self-pity, I guess. Sirius would've given me a good smack upside the head if he knew. I'm not the only one who's lost people they care about. Hermione's parents, Ron's brothers…your wife."

"…Very well, then. I suggest you get off to bed now. Tomorrow, as you most likely realize, is Monday, with a 4-hour Charms lesson, and Defense Against The Dark Arts lesson equal in time. I understand Professor Tonks is very rigorous in her training program."

"Good. That's perfect. Good night, Professor."

"Good night, Harry."

~

~

~

~

~

That closes chapter 9! Wow, 33 pages! I amazed!

I like that last scene. Most people have Harry act like "Kill-that-evil-old-stupid-BLEEP-called-Dumbledore" but I wanted to make it so Harry understood that he's not the only person who's lost someone, thus I put Oleta and Hermione's parents into the story.

I keep thinking that I'm overplaying Hermione's anger at her parents. Does anyone else think so, or is it okay?