Chapter 12 – The End Approaches
"We still have quite a bit of planning yet to do My Lord. I have spent hours in the Pensieve remembering anything about Hogwarts that could be used for or against us."
"Very good Lord Voldemort. When will you be ready?"
"A week." Voldemort looked at the robe, hoping this was satisfactory.
"Make it four days and I'll be satisfied. Make it tomorrow and you will please me," The Cloaked Figure replied, sensing Voldemort's apprehension. This was a common practice of his and Voldemort saw how subtle a lesson there was in this. He did not accept whatever Voldemort deemed as a good job and tried to push him to the limit. It was as any good commander would do.
"I obey," Voldemort said, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach. "You must understand though, that this is a very important matter. We must not rush things!"
"I agree," the Cloaked Figure replied, "yet we must not give our enemy a chance to plan, but at the same time, plan adequately."
"You are saying?" Voldemort asked, again confused.
"You fool!" The Cloaked Figure spat. "I am saying you shouldn't waste time!" Voldemort blinked, but recovered fast. It was a truly obvious lesson; one that Voldemort could have figured out on his own, but he dare not say anything.
"How will they know of our attack anyways?" Voldemort asked politely.
The Cloaked Figure moved around slowly and spoke with a slight hiss, "Do not underestimate Potter or Dumbledore. They have the rare gift of reading between the lines of any situation. What will they think when they realize that every Death Eater is pulling back. Worse, if they encounter a Death Eater, who knows what information they will obtain. And do not forget about the spies, Voldemort. They are everywhere. Trust no one."
"You sound like a terribly acted paranoid old fool," Voldemort said, quite forgetting to whom he was talking.
"Yet who is more foolish, the man who gets stabbed in the back by someone he trusted or the man who killed a man who might be a traitor."
"Yet if he kills him he will never know," Voldemort responded, determined to find a flaw in this man's logic.
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Capture him and torture him," Voldemort said simply. "Make him give the information to you."
"There is one problem with make however," The Cloaked Figure said. "If you make that person say something, he will inevitably tell you what you want to hear which gets us nowhere. No Voldemort, better safe than sorry." Voldemort stared at him curiously and began to speak when he was interrupted.
"I will not betray you Voldemort," The Cloaked Figure whispered. "Now that we are at an end I can speak frankly." He sighed. Voldemort leaned forward expectantly. He had never been this forward with anything before. Usually lies and deceit were his lifeblood, but now...everything had changed apparently.
"Vivificus Auctorita," The Cloaked Figure mumbled to himself. Then he looked up. "Voldemort it was a lie."
"What?" Voldemort yelled, shaking the nearby trees. He leaned on one to hold himself steady.
"You were a liability," The Cloaked Figure replied simply. "I had to hold something over your head. No Voldemort, Vivificus Auctorita does not exist."
"So this means-,"
"Yes, Lord Voldemort. It means you are practically invincible." Tell the birds what they want to hear the Cloaked Figure thought to himself. Voldemort was the most easy to manipulate ever. He believed anything you wanted to hear.
"There will be nothing to stop us," Voldemort thundered.
"You are correct." The Cloaked Figure smirked. He wished he could see Voldemort's face when he realized how wrong that previous statement actually was. Harry Potter would be Voldemort's downfall and, like the phoenix, from the ashes would be born anew.
"Harry, they gave their lives to protect, and they did! As I told you, Nymphadora and the others died honorably and that stands!"
"I believe it," Harry said, "but I just do not believe it."
Hermione bit her lip and Harry knew she was fighting back saying how contradictory that statement he made just was. He ignored it, and continued, "I just don't believe it."
"Harry you, yourself are an Auror. What do you feel about death?" Dumbledore asked.
"I never have to worry about dying because I know only Voldemort can do it."
"Bad example," Hermione mumbled under her breath.
"Quite the contrary Hermione," Dumbledore replied. "They all just have different reasons to not fear death." He looked at Harry and Harry felt that he would not like Dumbledore's next comment, yet he knew that he would understand it all the same. "Harry they were Aurors. They did not fear death."
Harry shook his head and blinked back tears. "I just...don't want...," but he trailed off.
Dumbledore looked at him. Harry knew that Dumbledore could see right through him. "You do not want to hate him anymore than you already do."
Harry didn't say a word or move an inch. Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands on Harry's shoulder. "Forget about your troubles for an hour Harry," he said as he gestured out the window. "Do what you love." Harry smiled as the wind whipped through his face. It felt so good to be out here again. As usual, Dumbledore knew exactly what Harry needed. He should have been a Healer!
He did a quick loop and saw the goalposts dead ahead. He tightened his grip on the broom, and tried something he had wanted to do for a long time. This would require exact precision.
Mentally ready, he dove towards the goalpost and went right in between it. He held on to his head as corkscrewed out of the dangerous move. He looked down at the ground and spinning world. That was something he had to do again.
When he finally righted himself, he saw a lone figure on the ground cheering. He dived down and came an alarmingly close distance to Hermione when he stopped. She gasped and started to giggle.
"That was one good move," Hermione said.
"Not good for the head though," Harry said and rubbed his now throbbing head.
"Well, sit down for a moment then to calm down. We can...talk."
After a few minutes of silence, Harry started. "So why are you here?"
"To see you. And..." but didn't finish, eyeing Harry to see if he caught it.
Harry looked at her with a stern expression, but then softened. "You want to think of something besides Ron."
"I have to," she said defiantly as if Harry had taken a shot at her. He held up his hands on then put them down to his knees.
"I want to forget the pain," she said to which Harry smiled. He held out his hand to help her to her feet. "I can help with that!" "Oh my God Harry!" Hermione screamed from way above the world. Harry grinned and looked at that amazing sunset. It looked even more amazing from a hundred feet off the ground.
"Hermione, hold onto your stomach," he said, and executed a barrel roll that sent them spinning dizzily over the Forbidden Forest. Hermione had her hands over her eyes. Harry grinned, "You know it makes it a lot worse if you close your eyes."
"I don't care," Hermione screamed as she giggled.
"What if I do this?" Harry said and dove towards the treetops. Hermione felt her stomach drop and looked. "Harry you bastard!" she laughed as they plunged towards the ground.
Then, and he did not know how it happened, he felt himself falling off the broom, and plunging towards the forest.
When they got up off the ground, for they were unhurt, Hermione asked, "You know you're an idiot. You didn't have to go that close to impress me."
Harry looked at her both playfully and irritably. "I didn't hit a tree."
"Then explain exactly how you fell," Hermione had her hands on her hips.
"I...don't...know," he finally said, gritting his teeth to which Hermione laugh. "Always like a pilot."
Harry looked around. "Come on, let's find a way out of here." He grabbed his broom, but Hermione held his hand. "We can't go up that way. The trees are too thick."
Harry looked up. "They don't look that thick to me! We can probably get through."
Hermione sighed and continued her argument, "No we can't Harry."
Harry looked at her, finally realizing what she wanted and blushed. "No," he said finally. "Last night, it was...just a remembrance of Ron. Nothing more!" Inside, however, he knew the truth.
Hermione studied him. "Harry, I just want to be rid of the pain."
"Well if that's all, count me out."
Hermione took his hand, "No Harry. It's not. Come on." She pressed up closer to him. Harry thought of Ron and knew this was not right. He looked at her face, her broken, yet still strong face, and sighed. He felt her coming closer, ever closer. He closed his eyes. Forgive me Ron he thought and melted into the kiss. "Slowly Nagani, slowly." Harry shot up immediately. He knew that voice; who wouldn't. He got up from Hermione, and slid over to where he thought he heard the voice. Things were so creepy in here now. Compared to then. Then being only a few hours ago.
He went over to the brush on the slid down quietly. There was Nagani, Voldemort's snake, and there stood Voldemort himself. Harry looked at himself and realized he was not dressed. He sighed, it was either go back and not see what Voldemort was up to, or stay naked and listen. How do I ever find myself in these situations Harry thought.
"Yes Nagani." Voldmort hissed. "Here they come." Harry gasped when he saw the Death Eaters appear directly at his side. Could Voldemort really do what he thought he was going to do? Harry never really believed it, but now he was sure. Voldemort was attacking Hogwarts!
Another man was talking now, "Men, you have your orders. Make the final plans tonight, and you will attack tomorrow." Harry gasped again. It was his mentor, the Cloaked Figure.
Harry was about to jump out, when he realized he could not win. He couldn't defeat a hundred or more Death Eaters and Voldemort at the same time. Especially not in his circumstances.
The Cloaked Figure looked over his way, and Harry had a feeling he knew where Harry was.
Harry didn't stay for the rest of the party. He knew what he had to do, warn Hogwarts that the attack would fall tomorrow. He stumbled around, desperately looking for the way back. His agenda right now was clear: he had to get back in time, but he still had to find Hermione, get dressed and-
But his part of his worry was over when he saw Hermione running out towards him. She, unlike him, was fully cloathed. "Becoming one with nature now are you?" Harry blushed, but Hermione shooed it away. "Harry, as of right now, there's nothing that you can't hide that I haven't seen." Harry conceded the point. It was true after all, they had had sex. He had to think about something else right now.
"Voldemort's out there," he said finally.
"What?" she asked, not quite registering the words.
"He's attacking," Harry said impatiently.
"What-,"
"We warn Hogwarts," Harry said. Then he sighed, "Again."
Hermione sighed, "Seems to be the order of the day."
Together, they sprinted off into the blackness of the Forbidden Forest. Harry hoped he knew which way he was going, because unlike before, he could see absolutely no holes anywhere in the treetops he could fly out of.
Together, for a few hours after sex with a woman, Harry figured was not a good thing at all.
