Chapter 11
– Best Friends Can't Be Broken
"Diagon
Alley...has fallen," Voldemort said smugly. Finally, he had done
something right!
"Yes Lord Voldemort. You have done well."
Voldemort's spirits soared. If he were more in this man's trust,
it would be easier to manipulate him.
"Thank you My Lord,"
he replied with glee.
"Now we are ready." Voldemort did a
double take. What did that mean?
"Excuse me, but ready for
what?" Voldemort imagined the Cloaked Figure smiling under his
hood.
"It has been what we've been waiting to do for so
long." Voldemort smiled and laughed. The Cloaked Figure inclined
his head slightly.
"We're going to attack Hogwarts."
The
Cloaked Figure nodded his head, "yes," he confirmed. Voldemort's
heart soared. Finally! He had been waiting to do this for so
long.
"What about Dumbledore?" Voldemort asked.
"I
will deal with him," the Cloaked Figure said. "Believe me he
won't be in the way."
"He always is. The old fool,"
Voldemort sneered. Then he found pain beyond pain racking through
him. He fell on the ground and screamed. What had he done for this
Cruciatus Curse? He did not want to know on second thought.
"I
have the greatest respect for Dumbledore, Voldemort. He is ten times
your better."
"He is not greater than you surely?"
Voldemort asked as the pain started to recede.
"You might
say that," the Cloaked Figure said, and laughed. "No, my friend,
Albus Dumbledore has powers we can only scarcely imagine."
Voldemort
smiled and said, "But you keep the balance."
"Yes. I
do," the Cloaked Figure smiled, "but Dumbledore keeps his own
balance." There was something peculiar about that statement that
sent chills into Voldemort. But this was the Cloaked Figure he was
talking about. He had always done that to Voldemort. It was part of
his brilliance, the ability to inflict pain and imaginary
pain.
There was something else though. He almost seemed...mad
to Voldemort, possibly insane. Then again, anyone who had a high
respect for Dumbledore usually was slightly cracked.
"Hogwarts
is our final destination."
"It will be done," Voldemort
replied with respect.
Hermione just shrugged. "I can't believe you abandoned Diagon Alley." Harry sniffed.
"You know how contradictory you are right now?" Harry pressed. "First you do not want me to fight, but you want me to stay there." He smiled. "It is almost like you want me dead."
Hermione's face went red. "How dare you say-,"
"I am just kidding. But we really need to hurry."
"Where are we going?"
"Who do you think?" Harry snapped. "Dumbledore. This is the beginning you know?" he said as they raced up the Hogwarts grounds. It had really been a pain not being able to apparate directly to Dumbledore's office.
(A/N: Just so you know, I had them apparate out of Hogwarts once before. I am going to try to correct the mistake next.)
"Beginning of what?"
"The end," Harry said shortly. "It is Voldemort's final invasion." He looked off into the distance and said more to himself than anyone else, "It is coming."
Hermione stared at him curiously. "I respect you, you know. What you have to do, but it is just so hard to understand. I can't see you as a murderer."
Harry stopped in the midst of the pressing situation. "I know," he said quietly. "No matter what Hermione, I promise you, Voldemort will not kill me, and I will not turn to evil. I realize that now."
"Harry," she said and hugged him hard. Harry sobbed slightly into her shoulder and felt her sob. It was a strange moment, hugging in a mist, in the middle of the Hogwarts grounds. They were two friends who had seen so much death and destruction and were likely to see more that they wanted to hold for one last embrace before the world changed forever before their eyes.
"We have to hurry," Hermione finally said. Harry pulled back and nodded. "Come on," she said. Harry followed her up. He hoped that maybe just maybe, they could be friends again. Nevertheless, as Harry reflected, he realized that they had never not been friends. They were just going through a rough patch in the trying of war. Nothing could break apart friends, not even Voldemort. "Harry...I know," Dumbledore said quietly.
"How?" Harry asked quickly.
Dumbledore replied gently, "It is enough that I know." Harry smiled. Why would he have wondered? Dumbledore was so great that Harry would have been surprised if he did not know.
"So what do we do?" Hermione asked, tapping her foot quietly. Harry had never seen her so worked up against the Headmaster.
Dumbledore sighed and turned to the back of his desk. He leaned on it for a moment, deep in thought, and then he said, "We wait."
"What?" cried Hermione and Harry in unison. Was Dumbledore actually expecting to abandon Diagon Alley.
"There is nothing more we can do," Dumbledore replied sharply. "And now is not the time to do anything rash Harry."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "We are going to have to accept Death Eater control for the time being," Dumbledore continued.
"But the Order could-,"
"The Order does not have enough members to fight a fight like this."
"Professor," Harry began, "this is the end for Voldemort. It his final assault. This war will come to a close. You will win, I cannot see."
Dumbledore stroked his beard for a moment then finally surveyed Harry. "Harry, you still have a lot to learn. It is not important that Diagon Alley has fallen. What good would it be to send several Order members to their deaths, if only to reclaim a few shops?"
Harry fell silent. It was true after all. What was so important about Diagon Alley? Was it really worth dying for?
"I still don't like to do nothing," Hermione said, realizing that Harry was in agreement.
"Nor do I," Dumbledore replied. "But sometimes we must put away our pride and do what is expected of us Hermione."
Harry grinned. "You still have the wisdom Dumbledore."
"It will be stolen in a movie I am sure," Dumbledore replied winking.
"Hermione he's right," Harry finally said. "If I'm killed their, but Diagon Alley is reclaimed, what good will it do us? A few more wizards can go shopping?"
"Harry's right," Dumbledore continued. "There is too much at stake right now to risk an operation like that."
Harry looked at Hermione, and saw a determination in her that he very rarely saw. She was ready to go to battle, even to death to honor her husband's death. However, he did not sense a thirst for vengeance that he, himself, felt, but rather a strong desire to help any way she could.
He leaned towards her and murmured, "Hermione, I know the way you feel, but there are plenty of other ways to show your worth, which I might add, you don't need to show. Dumbledore and I know how brave you are, all those times at Hogwarts and later. That is not our fight."
Hermione nodded in understanding, but still did not agree with him. That was fine, Harry figured as long as she did not go charging off to Diagon Alley as he probably would have at Hogwarts, he was fine with understanding.
"The best fight is always the one you can actually win," Dumbledore said. "I just hope we can win the war." He sighed and sat down at his desk, starting to fill out some paperwork. Harry took the cue and left with Hermione.
He chanced a backwards glance at Dumbledore and saw in the desk, an old man, weary, but determined. No matter what intentions he had, he knew Dumbledore wanted the best for the world. Harry was determined not to fail him because if he did, he failed the world as well. "He may say what he wants, but I don't like it," Hermione raged. "Do what is expected of us? I want to go take on Voldemort myself!"
"Hermione, remember in fifth year when I rushed to save Sirius?"
"Of course. You nearly got me killed," Hermione said and smirked.
Harry broke into an incredibly stupid expression and replied, "Are you trying to return the favor?" Hermione was drawn speechless. It was amazing that Harry could still do that out of a tense situation.
"I've learned from those mistakes," Harry started to say seriously. "I never want that to happen again." His eyes stared off into space, at a past he had tried to forget.
They sat in silence for a moment, reflecting all the wisdom thrown at them today.
"How are you doing?" Harry asked, breaking the silence. He had been looking for a good opportunity, but as he found out, there usually weren't good opportunities for discussions like this.
She sighed. "I am trying Harry, I really am. But I just cannot forget him. It feels like that would dishonor him!"
Harry looked at her, "He would not accept such dishonor. Hermione, he would like you to live a full life, not mourning him day and night." Hermione withdrew and trembled.
"I know," she replied and switched tones, "but can we talk about something else?"
"We can, but I am not a fool. Dumbledore told me it is best to help the pain by confronting it. It will only make it worse if we talk about something else." He put his arm around her, "I promise it will make it better."
She sighed with a ragged breath and looked down. "I know."
Harry didn't say a word. He knew how important this was for her to gather herself and did not want to prompt her. She closed her eyes for moment and began. "What I said in my speech was true you know. We have to fight to the end."
Harry nodded and let her continue, "But right now, I'm fighting a losing battle. Harry...I think that it is...I don't know...threatening to overcome me. And if I let it, I will collapse into a ball of despair. Part of me wants to too. To rid myself of the world and the pain, but the other part, the rational side of me says I can't. It says I must be strong."
"You already are strong," Harry whispered, looking at her. He could really connect with her. Sometimes his thirst for revenge threatened to overcome him, but he vowed never to let that happen.
She sniffed finally and continued, "I really miss him though, you know. How could I not? I mean, he's Ron isn't he? Our best friend right?"
"Right," Harry said without hesitation. He felt the grief washing off Hermione, and he accepted it for her, trying to feel strong. But he did not. He would never feel strong while a friend was in need.
"Ron was...one of the most loving men I have ever known," she sobbed, not really making much sense. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she still smiled. "The other one is sitting next to me." Harry smiled, but wasn't sure he got rid of his uncomfort. He hoped she meant 'loving' in a friendly way.
"I miss everything about him Harry. I miss his hair, his complaining, and his kisses. I look in the mirror and I realize that I will never know that again. I will never see my friend and husband again." She closed her eyes for a moment, and the tears flowed freely. She leaned over suddenly and kissed him.
Harry sat there frozen, disbelieving, but in a flash, he understood. She wanted a moment of love for a minute longer. She wanted to stay there and enjoy it. It was a kiss out of friendship, and giving Hermione one last chance to connect to Ron, even if it was through Harry. They broke apart and lied on the couch together, Harry stroking Hermione comfortingly, reflecting about their best friend, whom they could never know again.
