Disclaimer: All characters are property of J.K. Rowling and are being used
without permission. No attempt has been made to copyright this work. This novel
is purely for the entertainment of the author and readers and is not being used
for profit of any sort.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
INFERNO
Hermione's birthday arrived a few days later. The time had flown by for Harry. His days had been packed with classes, Quidditch practice, and Legilimency lessons and he was amazed at how quickly the weeks were passing by. He was starting to wonder if this was how things were going to be from now on.
He put those thoughts out of his head as he focused on his current task. Ron and Ginny were helping him organize her surprise party in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny had decided to abandon the usual red and gold decorations and went for a turquoise theme, which she said was Hermione's favorite color.
Once the decorations were done everyone hid and waited for Hermione. Neville had convinced her to stay after Herbology class to give them more time. When they stepped through the portrait of the Fat Lady, the room was filled with the near-deafening sound of "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMIONE!!"
Hermione's face was a mixture of shock and happiness when she saw all the people that had appeared. Her previous parties had been small personal affairs.
Harry handed her the small gift-wrapped box that held her present. "Happy Birthday, Hermione. Hope this isn't all too overwhelming."
"Uh..no, not really." she said as she opened the gift. The small ornate gem inside gave her another little shock.
"Oh...Harry. It's so nice. You didn't have to --"
"I know I didn't have to," Harry interrupted as he gave his dear friend a hug, "but I wanted to."
"Alright, time for my present now." Ron said as he stepped up. He was hiding something behind his back. "It took a little while to find this, but I think you'll like it." Ron revealed a small book with a tattered leather cover. The front and spine had been decorated with faded, but ornate, lettering.
"Is that...is that what I think it is? Hermione stammered.
"Yes indeed. An original copy of This Olde House Elf, by Bardo the house elf."
"This is so rare." Hermione gasped as she ran her hand over the cover. "It's the only book written by a house elf ever published. Oh, Ron. Ron, THANK YOU." Hermione said as she planted a firm kiss on Ron's cheek.
"How on earth did you find that?" Harry whispered to a very scarlet Ron while the other guests presented their presents to the birthday girl.
"Let's just say there are some benefits to being a prefect and the friend of a certain house elf." Ron whispered back.
"Ah, I see. You must have had a lot of trouble getting it."
"Of course I did, you didn't think I was going to let you show me up did you?" Ron joked quietly with a nudge of his elbow."
After all the presents had been opened the party continued well into the night. The Gryffindor common room was alive with the sounds of laughter and games of exploding snap. Ginny and Dean had snuck away into a corner at some point. Harry had quite a difficult time keeping Ron from interrupting them. Hermione might have gotten upset about his behaviour if she hadn't been busy adoring the Sparkle Flower plant Neville had given her.
Eventually, Professor McGonnagall showed up and put a polite, but stern, end to the festivities. After the cleanup effort, everyone gave their last congratulatory messages and headed to bed. As he hugged Hermione goodnight Harry noted that he had never seen Hermione smile so much in one night.
He also noticed for the first time how pretty she was when she smiled.
***
Weeks later the lawns of Hogwarts were covered by a fine frost, an early sign of winter moving in to reclaim its territory for another season. Quidditch practice had become more of a chore for Harry in the chilly winds, but the team was definitely working well together.
Harry's weeks had continued to be very busy. His days had been filled with classes and practice, and his nights were swamped with homework and Legilimency studies. The small book that the Dumbledore Doppelganger had given him had actually turned out to be very useful. Harry could now easily tell when the clone was lying to him. All he had to do was look up the impressions he had gotten in the table of commonly used deceptive thought tactics. It didn't take him long to memorize the patterns, and his success rate in thought interpretation was very high. Max still asked him about that research paper every now and then, but Harry still wanted no part of it.
It was now time for the first Hogsmeade weekend, and Harry was glad for the break. N.E.W.T. studies had been hard on all the sixth and seventh year students, and everyone was eagerly anticipating some good-natured mischief in the wizarding village.
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped onto High Street the town was already pretty lively. The place was full of students and adults enjoying all that the village had to offer.
The trio spotted Hagrid and Professor Grok down the street. The scene was almost comical, with Hagrid's massive bulk dwarfing the tiny Professor Grok. Even though Professor Grok was small, he and Hagrid were definitely the two most threatening figures in the village. Many people were deliberately trying to avoid them. Harry and his friends quickly walked up to meet the two instructors.
They were a little shocked when they got there. Terry Boot and Malcolm Baddock were hanging upside down several feet in the air, held by some invisible force. Professor Grok was smoking a pipe. Next to him was a sign that read "Such is the penalty for rule-breaking."
"Yes, I caught these two fighting." the goblin said when he noticed the stunned looks on their faces. "According to the Hogwarts rules, they must be punished for such behaviour. I do not see what all the fuss is about though. Goblin children beat each other all the time, it builds character."
"You two should go make yer rounds now." Hagrid said to Hermione and Ron, drawing their attention away from the unfortunate prisoners. "Make sure the third year Gryffindors aren't gettin' inter trouble."
"Okay, Hagrid." Hermione said as she grabbed Ron by the arm and led him away. "We'll catch up with you later, Harry. Give Lupin our regards."
Harry waved to his friends and walked further into Hogsmeade. Just outside of Honeydukes Harry saw Remus Lupin. It had been many weeks since Harry had laid eyes on the man, and he looked very weary. His hair was even greyer than Harry remembered it, and his forehead definitely showed more wrinkles. Even with the obvious outward signs of stress though, Lupin's eyes were still warm and alert and the wide smile that appeared when he saw Harry seemed to melt years away from his face.
"Good to see you again Harry." he said as he gave Harry a very firm hug that nearly lifted him off his feet.
"Same here, Lupin."
"Let's go inside. I'm dying for some chocolate."
Harry and Remus went into the sweet shop. It was filled with Hogwarts students and adults of all ages. Most people were having a bit of trouble navigating the crowded aisles, but Lupin had no problem manuevering himself into the chocolate aisle.
"I always have trouble deciding what to get," he said as looked over the selection "the chocolate frogs are fun but sometimes a simple block of white chocolate is just what the doctor ordered. Ah, I see they have a new brand of Pepper Imps! Padfoot used to love these. I tell you, there's nothing funnier than a big black dog that breathes fire."
Harry laughed as he envisioned Sirius barking fire at birds on the Hogwarts grounds. It was a bittersweet moment though, memories of his godfather still made him sad.
Lupin seemed to sense Harry's trouble and put an arm around his shoulders. "He's not gone, Harry. Not really. As long as you remember him, he'll always be with you."
"Does it...get any easier when you get older, Lupin?"
"Oh no, Harry. It never gets easier. But as you get older you do gain a certain perspective on things."
They spent nearly two hours in the sweet shop. There were a lot of new sweets to try, and they kept running into people that were esctatic to meet the famous Harry Potter. After they were done in Honeydukes they decided to head to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. On the way they spoke quietly about recent events.
"Max has had us looking around, searching for clues as to what Voldemort might be up to. I've dug up a couple of leads, including one at Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts?" Harry asked, surprised.
"It seems like some of your classmates may be up to something. Snape reluctantly told me that there's a lot of information getting to the Death Eaters about the new defenses at Hogwarts, but he says he doesn't know who's providing it. We're pretty sure all the instructors are on our side, so that leaves one of the students."
"Probably a Slytherin."
"Maybe. Dumbledore has Phineas and the House ghosts keeping an eye out."
Lupin didn't say any more on the topic as they arrived at the Three Broomsticks. The place was packed nearly to capacity, but they were lucky enough to get a table in the back near the bar. Harry had a bit of trouble squeezing into his chair, but his small frame fit comfortably into the corner.
"Here you are gentlemen." Madam Rosmerta said loudly as she brought them two butterbeers. Harry thought she was still unusually pretty for a woman her age. "Sorry if it's a little tight back there, Harry." she said with a warm smile before she disappeared back into the crowd.
"So how have you been doing, Harry?" Lupin shouted once they had been seated. The noise level in the place was incredibly high with all the talking and dancing and drinking going on.
"Er...good. And you?" Harry shouted back.
"I've been, good, too." Lupin yelled with a lopsided smile. "I take it you're enjoying your time away from Severus?"
"Immensely."
Lupin let a loud barking laugh. "I bet. Say, is that Dedalus Diggle over there?"
Harry looked where Lupin was pointing and saw a man in a violet top hat heading for the door.
"I think so, looks like he's leaving."
"I have to go chat with him for a second, Harry. Be right back." Lupin headed into the crowd and disappeared as he pursued Dedalus. Harry took a few long sips of his butterbeer while he waited.
Suddenly, Harry could feel a prickling sensation in his scar. Voldemort had to be up to something, and Harry figured now was as good a time as any to try to establish a mental link with him. He sat calmly, taking deep breaths and focusing on the bond between himself and his enemy. Harry lost all sense of the ruckus going on around him. The images of the dancers and flagons of butterbeer slowly faded away, replaced by images of thatched houses. Harry could see people walking along a street. He could also see storefronts, very familiar storefronts...
It was Hogsmeade. Voldemort was in Hogsmeade!!!
Harry broke out of the mental connection and fell out of his chair. His scar was burning fiercely now. Something big was going to happen, soon.
"GET OUT!! GET OUT!!" Harry yelled as loudly as he could, but no one paid him any attention. He tried to get into the crowd, but he was pinned between the table and the bar.
"What is bothering you, Potter?" Professor Grok had apparently seen Harry on his way to get refills.
"Voldemort's here! We have to get everyone out!" Harry shouted into the goblin's ear. "No one can hear me though!"
Professor Grok didn't argue with Harry. He hopped onto the table and stood motionless for a moment. Suddenly the room got very dark, as if all the light in the room was being forced out. The only source of illumination left were the goblins glimmering yellow eyes...two small, but incredibly bright eyes. The entire building fell silent. Then the goblin spoke, in a growling voice that gave Harry chills. "LEAVE...THIS...PLACE!!!"
The next thing Harry heard was a cacophony of loud cracks and screams as people either disapparated or ran out of the Three Broomsticks. Even Rosmerta ran out of the back door. Within seconds the entire room was clear.
"Was that what you were looking for, Potter?" the goblin said in an amused tone as the shadow that had filled the room receded.
"Uh...yeah. That was just what we needed."
"I will go and alert Hagrid. You find the rest of the students and spread the word." Harry had no chance to reply before Professor Grok disapparated.
Harry ran out of the Three Broomsticks. He was glad to see that word of Professor Grok's display had reached the streets. "There's a mad goblin on the loose!! Everybody run!!" one man was shouting as he ran out of the village. Others were following suit. Harry could see Ron and Hermione down the street and ran toward them.
"What's wrong Harry?"
"Voldemort is here! Get everyone out. He's going to try to burn the village!"
Harry could see the indecision on their faces. He knew his friends wanted to join him, but as prefects they had other responsibilities.
"Be careful, Harry." Ron said, realizing that he would have to leave Harry to face the danger alone.
"I will. You do the same."
Harry ran from his friends and continued to scream out warnings. "Get out of the village! Voldemort is here!" Most of the people seemed to be more concerned about the news of the goblin though.
Harry saw Madam Rosmerta a few yards ahead of him. She called to him when she saw him.
"Harry! What's going on? What was that gob--"
Rosmerta never got a chance to finish her sentence. Suddenly, Zonko's Joke Shop exploded in a bright purple flash. Flames and debris flew everywhere. Harry was thrown to the ground by the shock of the explosion. When he got up, Zonko's was being consumed by a raging amethyst fire and Rosmerta was on the ground.
She wasn't moving.
"Rosie!!!" Hagrid had appeared from behind a building with two frightened looking Hogwarts students in tow. He rushed to her side, ignoring the strange fire. He grabbed her limp body and brought her away from the flames. In the distance the sound of another explosion rocked the ground. Harry turned to see the post office was now on fire as well. Harry hoped that the Hogwarts students were safe.
Another man had approached Hagrid and Madam Rosmerta. Harry recognized him as the bartender of the Hog's Head. "Hagrid, I'll take her to St. Mungo's."
"She's not movin', Aberforth! Rosie, Rosie wake up!!"
"Hagrid, get a hold of yourself man!! You have to help get things here under control."
"Sorry, Aberforth." Hagrid seemed to be getting his mind back into focus. "Thank yeh."
The bearded bartender took Rosmerta's charred body from Hagrid and hurried down the street. Hagrid stood and wiped his eyes, then he rejoined the battle against the purple fire. The two students that had been with him quickly ran out of the village towards the lake.
Many people were trying to put out the eerie flames with their wands, but flame-freezing charms and water were having little effect on the growing inferno. The noise level increased with a multitude of loud cracks as people apparated out of the village. Some people were even fleeing on broomsticks. Harry noticed that there were also people apparating into the village, and he recognized them. Kingsley Shacklebolt was there, and over to his left was Mundungus Fletcher. In fact, there were many members of the Order of the Phoenix helping the injured and assisting with the fires. But how did they get there so fast?
Then Harry saw something strange. Slender gray snakes were slithering out of the burning wreckage. As he watched them come to him closer he could see that perched atop the head of each snake was a pair of bright glittering orbs. Harry knew he had seen those lights before. The lights he had seen on that foggy night on the way to Hogwarts had not been fairies or a figment of his imagination.
They had been eyes.
"Ashwinders! It's the eggs! Find the eggs!" Hagrid's booming voice carried easily over the sounds of carnage. He quickly ran in to the nearest building with a speed that defied his size. He returned seconds later with two large bright red eggs in his hand, which he quickly threw far into the street. The eggs exploded violently, and several fully-grown snakes appeared out of the flames. "Freeze 'em! They're in the attics or the basements! Freeze 'em before they blow!" Hagrid's message was heard by the other members of the Order and they quickly got to work. Harry could hear something else though, something faint but very familiar.
It was the distinct silky sound of Parseltongue.
Harry ran as quickly as he could through the fleeing crowds and fiery rubble. He followed the sound of the strange snake language, as well as the increasing pain in his scar. The whole scene reminded him of the vision he had seen weeks ago. In the dream he had run through a then unknown town to confront Voldemort, but the dark hooded figure he saw as he turned the corner was too short to be the Dark Lord.
"Stay right where you are!" Lupin was already there and he was pointing his wand at the figure in black. "Put your hands up and turn around...slowly."
The cloaked man slowly lifted his arms, his wand still in his right hand. As the man's robes fell away Harry saw a shining silver hand holding the wand, and he knew instantly who it was.
"Pettigrew."
Peter Petigrew's pale face became visible as he turned around. It wasn't exactly the face that Harry remembered though, it was twisted and crazed.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Pettigrew cast the spell with such speed that Lupin didn't have time to cast a counter-offensive. Harry had just barely enough time to duck behind a post that took the force of the killing curse. Pettigrew turned and fled and Lupin took off after him. For a split second Harry thought he should stay behind, but he quickly dismissed that thought and gave chase.
Harry ran after them as quickly as he could. It was very difficult as there was flaming debris flying everywhere. The wooden houses of the village were going up in flames like kindling. After much ducking and dodging, Harry found Lupin standing in the street, frantically looking for his prey.
"Harry go back!" Remus said angrily when he saw him. "It's too dangerous here!"
"You need my help. You can't beat him alone."
"Yes I can. Peter could never beat me at anything."
"It's not just Pettigrew. I'm pretty sure Voldemort is possessing him."
Lupin's eyes grew large when Harry said that. "That's even more reason for you to turn back!"
"The longer you argue with me the further he gets. I can take care of myself. Come on, I know where he is!" Harry took off to the left, following the lingering mental connection he had with Voldemort. Lupin reluctantly followed. They found Pettigrew cornered by a heap of flaming wreckage. He was using his wand and his powerful magical hand to clear the way.
"Expelliarmus!"
Lupin's spell stuck their enemy and Pettigrew's wand rocketed from his hand and exploded into a thousand splinters when it landed in a nearby fire. Before Remus could cast another spell Pettigrew closed in on him with inhuman speed. Wormtail knocked Lupin's wand away and grasped his throat with his powerful silver hand. The dark figure lifted Lupin off the ground by his neck and turned to Harry with a victorious sneer.
"Now he dies too, Harry."
Harry didn't even think about what to do. He worked purely on reaction as he aimed at Pettigrew's wrist and cast the only spell that came to mind. "Diffindo!"
A thin stream of white light shot from Harry's wand and into Pettigrew's arm. The hooded figure screamed in a horrible mixture of Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew's voices. Lupin's limp body fell to the ground as the gleaming hand was severed. Harry rushed over to Remus and quickly cast a banishing spell on the hand just in case it was able to operate without the aid of its master. Lupin's neck bore a horrible hand shaped burn mark, and Harry couldn't see any sign of life in him.
The dark figure was kneeling and shaking violently. "You've lucked out...Potter. Next...time I will not depend on this pathetic...worm, and we will see how well you fare then. Oh yes, we will...see."
That was the last straw for Harry. A fury he had never felt before welled up in him as he kicked Pettigrew in the face. "Shut up! shut UP!! SHUT UP!!"
"Harry...please!" This time it was Peter's whiny voice pleading. Apparently Voldemort had abandoned him, but Harry didn't care.
"You killed him Wormtail. He was the last true friend you ever had and you KILLED HIM!! Are you happy now?!? ARE YOU?!?"
Harry couldn't help himself as the rage filled him. He kicked the small cringing figure again and again, each time he connected he felt so much better. Maybe if he kicked Pettigrew to death the sickening feeling would go away, even if it couldn't bring Lupin back. He could still hear Lupin's voice in his ears, "Harry, Harry"....
"HARRY!"
Harry stopped mid-kick as he realized he wasn't imagining Lupin's voice. He actually heard it. He turned around to see Remus Lupin struggling to get to his feet.
"Lupin...I thought you were--"
"Not...yet." Lupin whispered. "Thanks for saving my bacon."
Harry looked down at Pettigrew. He was writing in pain and moaning. "He's bleeding badly. We need to get him to a hospital." Harry found it odd that he was concerned for a man that he might have beaten to death just moments before.
"No." Lupin said in a raspy voice, rubbing his neck. "No, we should bring him to headquarters. We can take care of him there."
"How far is it? He can't stay like this for long."
"Not far at all." Lupin said quietly as he pulled a small card out of his pocket. He tapped the card twice then grabbed the whimpering Pettigrew by his robes. "Our ride is on it's way."
Sure enough, just a few moments later a large Persian rug descended out of the darkening sky and settled gently next to them.
"A magic carpet?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Not exactly. It's a teleporter rug. Kind of like a portkey. Come on, let's get him onto it." Harry and Lupin had to carry Pettigrew onto the rug since he had passed out from the blood loss. Harry had to do most of the work since Lupin didn't seem to have the strength. Once they were all on the rug its corner's lifted up, forming a pyramid around them. When the rug's sides fell back to the ground Harry found himself in a dark entryway. The paint on the walls was peeling, and the windows and doors were boarded up.
"Good lord, Remus! What happened?" It was Molly Weasley, hurrying down a hallway to meet them. The concern on her face turned to shock when she saw who was with them. "Is that...Peter Pettigrew?!?"
"Yes Mrs. Weasley. His hand is cut off and he's bleeding. Can you help him?"
"Of course I can, Harry. With a houseful of rowdy boys you learn a thing or two about first aid. Come on, let's get upstairs. Mobilicorpus" Pettigrew's limp body suddenly lifted up and began climbing up the stairs. Harry and Lupin followed.
The place seemed oddly familiar to Harry. As they went up the stairs, the decor changed from old and tattered to clean and shining. Mrs. Weasley led them to a comfortable room with a fireplace and a long table that she maneuvered Pettigrew onto. The upper floors had obviously been recently renovated, but the boarded windows and creaky floorboards reminded Harry of something. His suspicions were confirmed when he peeked out of a window and saw the smoking village of Hogsmeade beneath him.
"This is the Shrieking Shack." Harry said in amazement. "The Shrieking Shack is the new headquarters?"
"Mad-Eye thought it was best to keep it near you and Dumbledore." Lupin said as he practically fell into a chair. "There were other benefits, of course. Anyone that followed an Order member to Hogsmeade would just assume that they were heading to Hogwarts. Everyone still thinks the place is haunted too, which means most people go out of their way to avoid it. We still get the occasional thrill-seeker on the grounds, but there's no way to get in here without the proper keys."
"It's still a dreadful place," Mrs. Weasley said as she went to work on Wormtail's bleeding stump, "but at least there aren't any doxies or unpleasant house elves running around."
Suddenly, the fire in the fireplace burned brightly and a face appeared. It was Arthur Weasley. "Molly, Molly!"
"Yes dear?" Mrs. Weasley stopped her work on Pettigrew's arm for a moment.
"Do you have any idea where Harry is? We can't find him!"
"He's here, dear. Lupin brought him."
The fiery semblance of Mr. Weasley looked relieved. "Excellent! We'll be right over."
Seconds later Mr. Weasley appeared upstairs with Ron and Hermione. They all looked extremely happy to see Harry alive.
A few minutes later there was a lot of noise in the old house as members of the Order returned. Everyone was surprised to see Peter Pettigrew splayed out on the table, but Lupin simply said he'd explain later. Many of the members of the Order were covered in burns and soot, but no one seemed to be seriously injured.
"Well, that was a hellish experience." said Emmeline Vance. Harry had met the witch last year when the Advance Guard had come to take him from the Dursley's. The usually stately-looking woman seemed rather haggard with her hair flying everywhere. "We got everything under control though, thanks to Hagrid here."
Hagrid entered the room, stooping to get into the short entryway. "Wasn't nuthin' special, Em. I just got word from Professor Grok, he says all the Hogwarts students got out safe and sound. A lot of the townsfolk got hurt though. No word on any...casualties yet."
"What's left of Hogsmeade?" Lupin croaked. He wasn't looking well at all, but he didn't seem to want to lie down and rest.
"We were able to find most of the eggs before they hatched." Emmeline said. "Still, there was a lot of damage done to all the buildings. Zonko's is completely burned to the ground. So are the post office, quill shop, and Gladrags. The town is still mostly intact though, it shouldn't take long to repair most of the damage."
"Ashwinders. I still can't believe it." Kingsley Shacklebolt said in his deep voice. "We caught Borgin with a dozen Ashwinder eggs in the Knockturn raid, remember? We should have known something was up then."
"You're not at fault, Kingsley. Anybody coulda made that mistake. I coulda figgered out that was what scared the thestrals last month too, but it just didn't make sense at the time. They're not dark creatures, they don' mean nobody no harm. They just like ter lay their eggs in dark dry places...stables and attics and such. A lot of wizards plum near ran 'em into extinction 'cuz of the threat of fires. Makes sense for Voldemort to use 'em, being a Parselmouth and all. He prolly let the snakes loose, then told 'em ter head ter Hogsmeade. They woulda had just enough time ter breed and lay the eggs."
Hagrid was going to continue but stopped when the man Harry now knew to be Aberforth Dumbledore entered the room. He looked even rougher than usual.
"Hagrid, I just got back from St. Mungo's. There's only one death reported. The healers couldn't do anything for Rosmerta. She didn't make it. I'm sorry lad."
"Oh..." That was all Hagrid said as the room fell silent. The news hit Harry hard.
Voldemort had killed yet another innocent person.
Rosmerta had been so friendly, so funny, so beautiful. Now she was gone, and the last memory Harry had of her was her limp burnt body. The thought brought stinging tears to Harry's eyes. He hurried out of the room, desperately trying to contain the sadness welling up in him. He found a dark room downstairs to hide in, and he cried. He hadn't truly wept since Sirius died, but now he found himself openly sobbing again. He had not been ready to face another death so soon.
"Harry...are you alright?" Harry recognized Hermione's voice, but he didn't turn around. He couldn't bear to face her like this. "Go away Hermione, I'm fine."
"No, you're not."
"I...I just didn't want anyone to see me like this."
"Oh Harry, you have nothing to be asham--"
"She died, Hermione!" Harry yelled, the emotion causing his voice to break. "She died because I failed! Another person is gone because I wasn't smart enough to see what was going on."
Hermione walked over and looked him in the eyes. "Harry, if it hadn't been for you it would have been a lot worse."
"That's not good enough!. I should have done better. I have to do better."
"What are you talking about Harry? You're making it sound like you're being held responsible for this. No one expects you to take on Voldemort alone."
"Actually, Hermione, that's probably exactly what's going to happen." Harry told Hermione everything. He told her about Trelawney's prophecy. He told her that ultimately, the responsibility for Voldemort's victory or defeat was on his shoulders. He told her that before it was all over he would either be an executioner, or another casualty of this war.
"But...but Trelawney's a fraud, right? She could be wrong."
"No Hermione, I think she hit the nail on the head this time."
"But you wouldn't kill anybody Harry."
"I'm not so sure about that anymore. I almost...I could have...killed Peter Pettigrew. I swear I wanted to."
Hermione just stood there, silent. Harry was sure she was at a loss for words, which was not a good sign. "I'm sorry Hermione. I seem to have a habit of putting emotional burdens on my friends."
"It's alright Harry. I understand. It...still doesn't change anything though. You are a great wizard and a great person. There's no reason for you to beat yourself up over this. You're the reason that none of the Hogwarts students got hurt. You're the reason that the other half of Hogsmeade is still standing. You're the reason that Peter Pettigrew was captured, alive. You did an exceptional job and, whatever happens, you won't be alone. We'll always be here for you."
Harry was overwhelmed. Once again one of his friends had shown more faith in him than he had in himself. He wanted to berate himself for failing, he wanted to take the blame. But Hermione's words and those soft brown loving eyes wouldn't let him.
"Thanks. I guess I...overreacted a little. Hermione, you can't tell Ron about the prophecy. Please. He wouldn't take it well."
"Harry, you can't keep this from him. He should know, and he should hear it from you."
"No, if he knew, he might do something drastic. You know how protective he is."
"Mmmm, possessive is more like it."
"Only when it comes to people he cares about. You know that."
"Oh, do I?"
"Come off it Hermione. We both know what's happening between you two, even if Ron hasn't figured it out yet."
Hermione looked at Harry as though he had slapped her on the face. Her expression slowly changed to something more sorrowful. "It would never work out Harry. We're too different, and he's just plain insufferable sometimes."
"And you aren't?"
Hermione pretended not to hear him. "Besides that, it would just be...weird. I mean, we're friends Harry. All three of us. I don't want that to change, and I KNOW Ron doesn't want to risk it either."
"Hermione, we'll always be friends. No matter what."
"I'd like to believe that Harry, but dating can change things. I found that out with Viktor."
"I refuse to believe that after all we've been through a little hand-holding is going to tear us apart."
"It's more than that, Harry. You and Ron are so close. You spend nearly every waking moment together. You need each other. I don't want to compete with that."
Harry was silent for a moment. He hadn't expected her to say that. He couldn't deny the truth of the words though. He was fully aware of the slight sense of emptiness he felt whenever Ron wasn't around. For the first time he realized that their dependence on each other could even be the source of Ron's reluctance to accept his feelings for Hermione.
"We're big boys now, Hermione." Harry finally said. "We can stand a little time apart. In fact, we probably need it."
Hermione pondered things for a few seconds. "Alright then, Harry. I'll make you a deal. I will tell Ron how I feel if you tell him about the prophecy."
"Hey, no fair."
"Take it or leave it." Hermione said defiantly as she crossed her arms.
"Fine. It's a deal. You'd better tell him the whole truth, I have ways of finding out you know."
"I'll tell him everything he needs to know, Harry."
Harry reached over and grabbed Hermione in a hug. She had made him feel so much better. "Thank you, Hermione."
"You are welcome. Uh...Harry...you can let go now." Harry realized that he might be squeezing her a bit too hard.
"I will, at some point." But he didn't want to let go. He didn't ever want to let go.
*********************************************************************
Author's notes:
Ah, the flu damn near killed me, but here we are. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into this one (yes, I actually did shed a tear at one point). I hope everyone enjoys it.
INFERNO
Hermione's birthday arrived a few days later. The time had flown by for Harry. His days had been packed with classes, Quidditch practice, and Legilimency lessons and he was amazed at how quickly the weeks were passing by. He was starting to wonder if this was how things were going to be from now on.
He put those thoughts out of his head as he focused on his current task. Ron and Ginny were helping him organize her surprise party in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny had decided to abandon the usual red and gold decorations and went for a turquoise theme, which she said was Hermione's favorite color.
Once the decorations were done everyone hid and waited for Hermione. Neville had convinced her to stay after Herbology class to give them more time. When they stepped through the portrait of the Fat Lady, the room was filled with the near-deafening sound of "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMIONE!!"
Hermione's face was a mixture of shock and happiness when she saw all the people that had appeared. Her previous parties had been small personal affairs.
Harry handed her the small gift-wrapped box that held her present. "Happy Birthday, Hermione. Hope this isn't all too overwhelming."
"Uh..no, not really." she said as she opened the gift. The small ornate gem inside gave her another little shock.
"Oh...Harry. It's so nice. You didn't have to --"
"I know I didn't have to," Harry interrupted as he gave his dear friend a hug, "but I wanted to."
"Alright, time for my present now." Ron said as he stepped up. He was hiding something behind his back. "It took a little while to find this, but I think you'll like it." Ron revealed a small book with a tattered leather cover. The front and spine had been decorated with faded, but ornate, lettering.
"Is that...is that what I think it is? Hermione stammered.
"Yes indeed. An original copy of This Olde House Elf, by Bardo the house elf."
"This is so rare." Hermione gasped as she ran her hand over the cover. "It's the only book written by a house elf ever published. Oh, Ron. Ron, THANK YOU." Hermione said as she planted a firm kiss on Ron's cheek.
"How on earth did you find that?" Harry whispered to a very scarlet Ron while the other guests presented their presents to the birthday girl.
"Let's just say there are some benefits to being a prefect and the friend of a certain house elf." Ron whispered back.
"Ah, I see. You must have had a lot of trouble getting it."
"Of course I did, you didn't think I was going to let you show me up did you?" Ron joked quietly with a nudge of his elbow."
After all the presents had been opened the party continued well into the night. The Gryffindor common room was alive with the sounds of laughter and games of exploding snap. Ginny and Dean had snuck away into a corner at some point. Harry had quite a difficult time keeping Ron from interrupting them. Hermione might have gotten upset about his behaviour if she hadn't been busy adoring the Sparkle Flower plant Neville had given her.
Eventually, Professor McGonnagall showed up and put a polite, but stern, end to the festivities. After the cleanup effort, everyone gave their last congratulatory messages and headed to bed. As he hugged Hermione goodnight Harry noted that he had never seen Hermione smile so much in one night.
He also noticed for the first time how pretty she was when she smiled.
Weeks later the lawns of Hogwarts were covered by a fine frost, an early sign of winter moving in to reclaim its territory for another season. Quidditch practice had become more of a chore for Harry in the chilly winds, but the team was definitely working well together.
Harry's weeks had continued to be very busy. His days had been filled with classes and practice, and his nights were swamped with homework and Legilimency studies. The small book that the Dumbledore Doppelganger had given him had actually turned out to be very useful. Harry could now easily tell when the clone was lying to him. All he had to do was look up the impressions he had gotten in the table of commonly used deceptive thought tactics. It didn't take him long to memorize the patterns, and his success rate in thought interpretation was very high. Max still asked him about that research paper every now and then, but Harry still wanted no part of it.
It was now time for the first Hogsmeade weekend, and Harry was glad for the break. N.E.W.T. studies had been hard on all the sixth and seventh year students, and everyone was eagerly anticipating some good-natured mischief in the wizarding village.
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped onto High Street the town was already pretty lively. The place was full of students and adults enjoying all that the village had to offer.
The trio spotted Hagrid and Professor Grok down the street. The scene was almost comical, with Hagrid's massive bulk dwarfing the tiny Professor Grok. Even though Professor Grok was small, he and Hagrid were definitely the two most threatening figures in the village. Many people were deliberately trying to avoid them. Harry and his friends quickly walked up to meet the two instructors.
They were a little shocked when they got there. Terry Boot and Malcolm Baddock were hanging upside down several feet in the air, held by some invisible force. Professor Grok was smoking a pipe. Next to him was a sign that read "Such is the penalty for rule-breaking."
"Yes, I caught these two fighting." the goblin said when he noticed the stunned looks on their faces. "According to the Hogwarts rules, they must be punished for such behaviour. I do not see what all the fuss is about though. Goblin children beat each other all the time, it builds character."
"You two should go make yer rounds now." Hagrid said to Hermione and Ron, drawing their attention away from the unfortunate prisoners. "Make sure the third year Gryffindors aren't gettin' inter trouble."
"Okay, Hagrid." Hermione said as she grabbed Ron by the arm and led him away. "We'll catch up with you later, Harry. Give Lupin our regards."
Harry waved to his friends and walked further into Hogsmeade. Just outside of Honeydukes Harry saw Remus Lupin. It had been many weeks since Harry had laid eyes on the man, and he looked very weary. His hair was even greyer than Harry remembered it, and his forehead definitely showed more wrinkles. Even with the obvious outward signs of stress though, Lupin's eyes were still warm and alert and the wide smile that appeared when he saw Harry seemed to melt years away from his face.
"Good to see you again Harry." he said as he gave Harry a very firm hug that nearly lifted him off his feet.
"Same here, Lupin."
"Let's go inside. I'm dying for some chocolate."
Harry and Remus went into the sweet shop. It was filled with Hogwarts students and adults of all ages. Most people were having a bit of trouble navigating the crowded aisles, but Lupin had no problem manuevering himself into the chocolate aisle.
"I always have trouble deciding what to get," he said as looked over the selection "the chocolate frogs are fun but sometimes a simple block of white chocolate is just what the doctor ordered. Ah, I see they have a new brand of Pepper Imps! Padfoot used to love these. I tell you, there's nothing funnier than a big black dog that breathes fire."
Harry laughed as he envisioned Sirius barking fire at birds on the Hogwarts grounds. It was a bittersweet moment though, memories of his godfather still made him sad.
Lupin seemed to sense Harry's trouble and put an arm around his shoulders. "He's not gone, Harry. Not really. As long as you remember him, he'll always be with you."
"Does it...get any easier when you get older, Lupin?"
"Oh no, Harry. It never gets easier. But as you get older you do gain a certain perspective on things."
They spent nearly two hours in the sweet shop. There were a lot of new sweets to try, and they kept running into people that were esctatic to meet the famous Harry Potter. After they were done in Honeydukes they decided to head to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. On the way they spoke quietly about recent events.
"Max has had us looking around, searching for clues as to what Voldemort might be up to. I've dug up a couple of leads, including one at Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts?" Harry asked, surprised.
"It seems like some of your classmates may be up to something. Snape reluctantly told me that there's a lot of information getting to the Death Eaters about the new defenses at Hogwarts, but he says he doesn't know who's providing it. We're pretty sure all the instructors are on our side, so that leaves one of the students."
"Probably a Slytherin."
"Maybe. Dumbledore has Phineas and the House ghosts keeping an eye out."
Lupin didn't say any more on the topic as they arrived at the Three Broomsticks. The place was packed nearly to capacity, but they were lucky enough to get a table in the back near the bar. Harry had a bit of trouble squeezing into his chair, but his small frame fit comfortably into the corner.
"Here you are gentlemen." Madam Rosmerta said loudly as she brought them two butterbeers. Harry thought she was still unusually pretty for a woman her age. "Sorry if it's a little tight back there, Harry." she said with a warm smile before she disappeared back into the crowd.
"So how have you been doing, Harry?" Lupin shouted once they had been seated. The noise level in the place was incredibly high with all the talking and dancing and drinking going on.
"Er...good. And you?" Harry shouted back.
"I've been, good, too." Lupin yelled with a lopsided smile. "I take it you're enjoying your time away from Severus?"
"Immensely."
Lupin let a loud barking laugh. "I bet. Say, is that Dedalus Diggle over there?"
Harry looked where Lupin was pointing and saw a man in a violet top hat heading for the door.
"I think so, looks like he's leaving."
"I have to go chat with him for a second, Harry. Be right back." Lupin headed into the crowd and disappeared as he pursued Dedalus. Harry took a few long sips of his butterbeer while he waited.
Suddenly, Harry could feel a prickling sensation in his scar. Voldemort had to be up to something, and Harry figured now was as good a time as any to try to establish a mental link with him. He sat calmly, taking deep breaths and focusing on the bond between himself and his enemy. Harry lost all sense of the ruckus going on around him. The images of the dancers and flagons of butterbeer slowly faded away, replaced by images of thatched houses. Harry could see people walking along a street. He could also see storefronts, very familiar storefronts...
It was Hogsmeade. Voldemort was in Hogsmeade!!!
Harry broke out of the mental connection and fell out of his chair. His scar was burning fiercely now. Something big was going to happen, soon.
"GET OUT!! GET OUT!!" Harry yelled as loudly as he could, but no one paid him any attention. He tried to get into the crowd, but he was pinned between the table and the bar.
"What is bothering you, Potter?" Professor Grok had apparently seen Harry on his way to get refills.
"Voldemort's here! We have to get everyone out!" Harry shouted into the goblin's ear. "No one can hear me though!"
Professor Grok didn't argue with Harry. He hopped onto the table and stood motionless for a moment. Suddenly the room got very dark, as if all the light in the room was being forced out. The only source of illumination left were the goblins glimmering yellow eyes...two small, but incredibly bright eyes. The entire building fell silent. Then the goblin spoke, in a growling voice that gave Harry chills. "LEAVE...THIS...PLACE!!!"
The next thing Harry heard was a cacophony of loud cracks and screams as people either disapparated or ran out of the Three Broomsticks. Even Rosmerta ran out of the back door. Within seconds the entire room was clear.
"Was that what you were looking for, Potter?" the goblin said in an amused tone as the shadow that had filled the room receded.
"Uh...yeah. That was just what we needed."
"I will go and alert Hagrid. You find the rest of the students and spread the word." Harry had no chance to reply before Professor Grok disapparated.
Harry ran out of the Three Broomsticks. He was glad to see that word of Professor Grok's display had reached the streets. "There's a mad goblin on the loose!! Everybody run!!" one man was shouting as he ran out of the village. Others were following suit. Harry could see Ron and Hermione down the street and ran toward them.
"What's wrong Harry?"
"Voldemort is here! Get everyone out. He's going to try to burn the village!"
Harry could see the indecision on their faces. He knew his friends wanted to join him, but as prefects they had other responsibilities.
"Be careful, Harry." Ron said, realizing that he would have to leave Harry to face the danger alone.
"I will. You do the same."
Harry ran from his friends and continued to scream out warnings. "Get out of the village! Voldemort is here!" Most of the people seemed to be more concerned about the news of the goblin though.
Harry saw Madam Rosmerta a few yards ahead of him. She called to him when she saw him.
"Harry! What's going on? What was that gob--"
Rosmerta never got a chance to finish her sentence. Suddenly, Zonko's Joke Shop exploded in a bright purple flash. Flames and debris flew everywhere. Harry was thrown to the ground by the shock of the explosion. When he got up, Zonko's was being consumed by a raging amethyst fire and Rosmerta was on the ground.
She wasn't moving.
"Rosie!!!" Hagrid had appeared from behind a building with two frightened looking Hogwarts students in tow. He rushed to her side, ignoring the strange fire. He grabbed her limp body and brought her away from the flames. In the distance the sound of another explosion rocked the ground. Harry turned to see the post office was now on fire as well. Harry hoped that the Hogwarts students were safe.
Another man had approached Hagrid and Madam Rosmerta. Harry recognized him as the bartender of the Hog's Head. "Hagrid, I'll take her to St. Mungo's."
"She's not movin', Aberforth! Rosie, Rosie wake up!!"
"Hagrid, get a hold of yourself man!! You have to help get things here under control."
"Sorry, Aberforth." Hagrid seemed to be getting his mind back into focus. "Thank yeh."
The bearded bartender took Rosmerta's charred body from Hagrid and hurried down the street. Hagrid stood and wiped his eyes, then he rejoined the battle against the purple fire. The two students that had been with him quickly ran out of the village towards the lake.
Many people were trying to put out the eerie flames with their wands, but flame-freezing charms and water were having little effect on the growing inferno. The noise level increased with a multitude of loud cracks as people apparated out of the village. Some people were even fleeing on broomsticks. Harry noticed that there were also people apparating into the village, and he recognized them. Kingsley Shacklebolt was there, and over to his left was Mundungus Fletcher. In fact, there were many members of the Order of the Phoenix helping the injured and assisting with the fires. But how did they get there so fast?
Then Harry saw something strange. Slender gray snakes were slithering out of the burning wreckage. As he watched them come to him closer he could see that perched atop the head of each snake was a pair of bright glittering orbs. Harry knew he had seen those lights before. The lights he had seen on that foggy night on the way to Hogwarts had not been fairies or a figment of his imagination.
They had been eyes.
"Ashwinders! It's the eggs! Find the eggs!" Hagrid's booming voice carried easily over the sounds of carnage. He quickly ran in to the nearest building with a speed that defied his size. He returned seconds later with two large bright red eggs in his hand, which he quickly threw far into the street. The eggs exploded violently, and several fully-grown snakes appeared out of the flames. "Freeze 'em! They're in the attics or the basements! Freeze 'em before they blow!" Hagrid's message was heard by the other members of the Order and they quickly got to work. Harry could hear something else though, something faint but very familiar.
It was the distinct silky sound of Parseltongue.
Harry ran as quickly as he could through the fleeing crowds and fiery rubble. He followed the sound of the strange snake language, as well as the increasing pain in his scar. The whole scene reminded him of the vision he had seen weeks ago. In the dream he had run through a then unknown town to confront Voldemort, but the dark hooded figure he saw as he turned the corner was too short to be the Dark Lord.
"Stay right where you are!" Lupin was already there and he was pointing his wand at the figure in black. "Put your hands up and turn around...slowly."
The cloaked man slowly lifted his arms, his wand still in his right hand. As the man's robes fell away Harry saw a shining silver hand holding the wand, and he knew instantly who it was.
"Pettigrew."
Peter Petigrew's pale face became visible as he turned around. It wasn't exactly the face that Harry remembered though, it was twisted and crazed.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Pettigrew cast the spell with such speed that Lupin didn't have time to cast a counter-offensive. Harry had just barely enough time to duck behind a post that took the force of the killing curse. Pettigrew turned and fled and Lupin took off after him. For a split second Harry thought he should stay behind, but he quickly dismissed that thought and gave chase.
Harry ran after them as quickly as he could. It was very difficult as there was flaming debris flying everywhere. The wooden houses of the village were going up in flames like kindling. After much ducking and dodging, Harry found Lupin standing in the street, frantically looking for his prey.
"Harry go back!" Remus said angrily when he saw him. "It's too dangerous here!"
"You need my help. You can't beat him alone."
"Yes I can. Peter could never beat me at anything."
"It's not just Pettigrew. I'm pretty sure Voldemort is possessing him."
Lupin's eyes grew large when Harry said that. "That's even more reason for you to turn back!"
"The longer you argue with me the further he gets. I can take care of myself. Come on, I know where he is!" Harry took off to the left, following the lingering mental connection he had with Voldemort. Lupin reluctantly followed. They found Pettigrew cornered by a heap of flaming wreckage. He was using his wand and his powerful magical hand to clear the way.
"Expelliarmus!"
Lupin's spell stuck their enemy and Pettigrew's wand rocketed from his hand and exploded into a thousand splinters when it landed in a nearby fire. Before Remus could cast another spell Pettigrew closed in on him with inhuman speed. Wormtail knocked Lupin's wand away and grasped his throat with his powerful silver hand. The dark figure lifted Lupin off the ground by his neck and turned to Harry with a victorious sneer.
"Now he dies too, Harry."
Harry didn't even think about what to do. He worked purely on reaction as he aimed at Pettigrew's wrist and cast the only spell that came to mind. "Diffindo!"
A thin stream of white light shot from Harry's wand and into Pettigrew's arm. The hooded figure screamed in a horrible mixture of Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew's voices. Lupin's limp body fell to the ground as the gleaming hand was severed. Harry rushed over to Remus and quickly cast a banishing spell on the hand just in case it was able to operate without the aid of its master. Lupin's neck bore a horrible hand shaped burn mark, and Harry couldn't see any sign of life in him.
The dark figure was kneeling and shaking violently. "You've lucked out...Potter. Next...time I will not depend on this pathetic...worm, and we will see how well you fare then. Oh yes, we will...see."
That was the last straw for Harry. A fury he had never felt before welled up in him as he kicked Pettigrew in the face. "Shut up! shut UP!! SHUT UP!!"
"Harry...please!" This time it was Peter's whiny voice pleading. Apparently Voldemort had abandoned him, but Harry didn't care.
"You killed him Wormtail. He was the last true friend you ever had and you KILLED HIM!! Are you happy now?!? ARE YOU?!?"
Harry couldn't help himself as the rage filled him. He kicked the small cringing figure again and again, each time he connected he felt so much better. Maybe if he kicked Pettigrew to death the sickening feeling would go away, even if it couldn't bring Lupin back. He could still hear Lupin's voice in his ears, "Harry, Harry"....
"HARRY!"
Harry stopped mid-kick as he realized he wasn't imagining Lupin's voice. He actually heard it. He turned around to see Remus Lupin struggling to get to his feet.
"Lupin...I thought you were--"
"Not...yet." Lupin whispered. "Thanks for saving my bacon."
Harry looked down at Pettigrew. He was writing in pain and moaning. "He's bleeding badly. We need to get him to a hospital." Harry found it odd that he was concerned for a man that he might have beaten to death just moments before.
"No." Lupin said in a raspy voice, rubbing his neck. "No, we should bring him to headquarters. We can take care of him there."
"How far is it? He can't stay like this for long."
"Not far at all." Lupin said quietly as he pulled a small card out of his pocket. He tapped the card twice then grabbed the whimpering Pettigrew by his robes. "Our ride is on it's way."
Sure enough, just a few moments later a large Persian rug descended out of the darkening sky and settled gently next to them.
"A magic carpet?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Not exactly. It's a teleporter rug. Kind of like a portkey. Come on, let's get him onto it." Harry and Lupin had to carry Pettigrew onto the rug since he had passed out from the blood loss. Harry had to do most of the work since Lupin didn't seem to have the strength. Once they were all on the rug its corner's lifted up, forming a pyramid around them. When the rug's sides fell back to the ground Harry found himself in a dark entryway. The paint on the walls was peeling, and the windows and doors were boarded up.
"Good lord, Remus! What happened?" It was Molly Weasley, hurrying down a hallway to meet them. The concern on her face turned to shock when she saw who was with them. "Is that...Peter Pettigrew?!?"
"Yes Mrs. Weasley. His hand is cut off and he's bleeding. Can you help him?"
"Of course I can, Harry. With a houseful of rowdy boys you learn a thing or two about first aid. Come on, let's get upstairs. Mobilicorpus" Pettigrew's limp body suddenly lifted up and began climbing up the stairs. Harry and Lupin followed.
The place seemed oddly familiar to Harry. As they went up the stairs, the decor changed from old and tattered to clean and shining. Mrs. Weasley led them to a comfortable room with a fireplace and a long table that she maneuvered Pettigrew onto. The upper floors had obviously been recently renovated, but the boarded windows and creaky floorboards reminded Harry of something. His suspicions were confirmed when he peeked out of a window and saw the smoking village of Hogsmeade beneath him.
"This is the Shrieking Shack." Harry said in amazement. "The Shrieking Shack is the new headquarters?"
"Mad-Eye thought it was best to keep it near you and Dumbledore." Lupin said as he practically fell into a chair. "There were other benefits, of course. Anyone that followed an Order member to Hogsmeade would just assume that they were heading to Hogwarts. Everyone still thinks the place is haunted too, which means most people go out of their way to avoid it. We still get the occasional thrill-seeker on the grounds, but there's no way to get in here without the proper keys."
"It's still a dreadful place," Mrs. Weasley said as she went to work on Wormtail's bleeding stump, "but at least there aren't any doxies or unpleasant house elves running around."
Suddenly, the fire in the fireplace burned brightly and a face appeared. It was Arthur Weasley. "Molly, Molly!"
"Yes dear?" Mrs. Weasley stopped her work on Pettigrew's arm for a moment.
"Do you have any idea where Harry is? We can't find him!"
"He's here, dear. Lupin brought him."
The fiery semblance of Mr. Weasley looked relieved. "Excellent! We'll be right over."
Seconds later Mr. Weasley appeared upstairs with Ron and Hermione. They all looked extremely happy to see Harry alive.
A few minutes later there was a lot of noise in the old house as members of the Order returned. Everyone was surprised to see Peter Pettigrew splayed out on the table, but Lupin simply said he'd explain later. Many of the members of the Order were covered in burns and soot, but no one seemed to be seriously injured.
"Well, that was a hellish experience." said Emmeline Vance. Harry had met the witch last year when the Advance Guard had come to take him from the Dursley's. The usually stately-looking woman seemed rather haggard with her hair flying everywhere. "We got everything under control though, thanks to Hagrid here."
Hagrid entered the room, stooping to get into the short entryway. "Wasn't nuthin' special, Em. I just got word from Professor Grok, he says all the Hogwarts students got out safe and sound. A lot of the townsfolk got hurt though. No word on any...casualties yet."
"What's left of Hogsmeade?" Lupin croaked. He wasn't looking well at all, but he didn't seem to want to lie down and rest.
"We were able to find most of the eggs before they hatched." Emmeline said. "Still, there was a lot of damage done to all the buildings. Zonko's is completely burned to the ground. So are the post office, quill shop, and Gladrags. The town is still mostly intact though, it shouldn't take long to repair most of the damage."
"Ashwinders. I still can't believe it." Kingsley Shacklebolt said in his deep voice. "We caught Borgin with a dozen Ashwinder eggs in the Knockturn raid, remember? We should have known something was up then."
"You're not at fault, Kingsley. Anybody coulda made that mistake. I coulda figgered out that was what scared the thestrals last month too, but it just didn't make sense at the time. They're not dark creatures, they don' mean nobody no harm. They just like ter lay their eggs in dark dry places...stables and attics and such. A lot of wizards plum near ran 'em into extinction 'cuz of the threat of fires. Makes sense for Voldemort to use 'em, being a Parselmouth and all. He prolly let the snakes loose, then told 'em ter head ter Hogsmeade. They woulda had just enough time ter breed and lay the eggs."
Hagrid was going to continue but stopped when the man Harry now knew to be Aberforth Dumbledore entered the room. He looked even rougher than usual.
"Hagrid, I just got back from St. Mungo's. There's only one death reported. The healers couldn't do anything for Rosmerta. She didn't make it. I'm sorry lad."
"Oh..." That was all Hagrid said as the room fell silent. The news hit Harry hard.
Voldemort had killed yet another innocent person.
Rosmerta had been so friendly, so funny, so beautiful. Now she was gone, and the last memory Harry had of her was her limp burnt body. The thought brought stinging tears to Harry's eyes. He hurried out of the room, desperately trying to contain the sadness welling up in him. He found a dark room downstairs to hide in, and he cried. He hadn't truly wept since Sirius died, but now he found himself openly sobbing again. He had not been ready to face another death so soon.
"Harry...are you alright?" Harry recognized Hermione's voice, but he didn't turn around. He couldn't bear to face her like this. "Go away Hermione, I'm fine."
"No, you're not."
"I...I just didn't want anyone to see me like this."
"Oh Harry, you have nothing to be asham--"
"She died, Hermione!" Harry yelled, the emotion causing his voice to break. "She died because I failed! Another person is gone because I wasn't smart enough to see what was going on."
Hermione walked over and looked him in the eyes. "Harry, if it hadn't been for you it would have been a lot worse."
"That's not good enough!. I should have done better. I have to do better."
"What are you talking about Harry? You're making it sound like you're being held responsible for this. No one expects you to take on Voldemort alone."
"Actually, Hermione, that's probably exactly what's going to happen." Harry told Hermione everything. He told her about Trelawney's prophecy. He told her that ultimately, the responsibility for Voldemort's victory or defeat was on his shoulders. He told her that before it was all over he would either be an executioner, or another casualty of this war.
"But...but Trelawney's a fraud, right? She could be wrong."
"No Hermione, I think she hit the nail on the head this time."
"But you wouldn't kill anybody Harry."
"I'm not so sure about that anymore. I almost...I could have...killed Peter Pettigrew. I swear I wanted to."
Hermione just stood there, silent. Harry was sure she was at a loss for words, which was not a good sign. "I'm sorry Hermione. I seem to have a habit of putting emotional burdens on my friends."
"It's alright Harry. I understand. It...still doesn't change anything though. You are a great wizard and a great person. There's no reason for you to beat yourself up over this. You're the reason that none of the Hogwarts students got hurt. You're the reason that the other half of Hogsmeade is still standing. You're the reason that Peter Pettigrew was captured, alive. You did an exceptional job and, whatever happens, you won't be alone. We'll always be here for you."
Harry was overwhelmed. Once again one of his friends had shown more faith in him than he had in himself. He wanted to berate himself for failing, he wanted to take the blame. But Hermione's words and those soft brown loving eyes wouldn't let him.
"Thanks. I guess I...overreacted a little. Hermione, you can't tell Ron about the prophecy. Please. He wouldn't take it well."
"Harry, you can't keep this from him. He should know, and he should hear it from you."
"No, if he knew, he might do something drastic. You know how protective he is."
"Mmmm, possessive is more like it."
"Only when it comes to people he cares about. You know that."
"Oh, do I?"
"Come off it Hermione. We both know what's happening between you two, even if Ron hasn't figured it out yet."
Hermione looked at Harry as though he had slapped her on the face. Her expression slowly changed to something more sorrowful. "It would never work out Harry. We're too different, and he's just plain insufferable sometimes."
"And you aren't?"
Hermione pretended not to hear him. "Besides that, it would just be...weird. I mean, we're friends Harry. All three of us. I don't want that to change, and I KNOW Ron doesn't want to risk it either."
"Hermione, we'll always be friends. No matter what."
"I'd like to believe that Harry, but dating can change things. I found that out with Viktor."
"I refuse to believe that after all we've been through a little hand-holding is going to tear us apart."
"It's more than that, Harry. You and Ron are so close. You spend nearly every waking moment together. You need each other. I don't want to compete with that."
Harry was silent for a moment. He hadn't expected her to say that. He couldn't deny the truth of the words though. He was fully aware of the slight sense of emptiness he felt whenever Ron wasn't around. For the first time he realized that their dependence on each other could even be the source of Ron's reluctance to accept his feelings for Hermione.
"We're big boys now, Hermione." Harry finally said. "We can stand a little time apart. In fact, we probably need it."
Hermione pondered things for a few seconds. "Alright then, Harry. I'll make you a deal. I will tell Ron how I feel if you tell him about the prophecy."
"Hey, no fair."
"Take it or leave it." Hermione said defiantly as she crossed her arms.
"Fine. It's a deal. You'd better tell him the whole truth, I have ways of finding out you know."
"I'll tell him everything he needs to know, Harry."
Harry reached over and grabbed Hermione in a hug. She had made him feel so much better. "Thank you, Hermione."
"You are welcome. Uh...Harry...you can let go now." Harry realized that he might be squeezing her a bit too hard.
"I will, at some point." But he didn't want to let go. He didn't ever want to let go.
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Author's notes:
Ah, the flu damn near killed me, but here we are. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into this one (yes, I actually did shed a tear at one point). I hope everyone enjoys it.