A Love Worth Fighting For

Chapter 10

The Forbidden Forest

Disclaimer: I'm running out of stupid things to say cries so I guess I... just... don't... own... HARRY POTTER! cries again

Star in a Daze: Hey y'all! Chappie 10 is IN THE HOUSE! PAR-TAY! Lol. I'm so hyper! Go Star! Here's your chapter Dave! I hope you like it and it meets your "standards" oh and thanks for the compliments and I know I spelled the words wrong AND I know that he lost in the third year... I forgot while writing that chappie! This is the rated R chappie for... inappropriate scenes! J/K! That's not until later... it's still PG 13 Well please R&R!

They had been hiking for hours. Hermione looked like she was about to faint so Harry picked her up and carried her. Katrina, on the other hand, was full of energy and was up right beside Mad Eye, talking rapidly.

"Okay, this is where we stop". Said Mad Eye suddenly. Harry shook Hermione awake, because she fell asleep on his shoulder. Hermione groaned and stood up. Harry smiled at her and turned to Mad Eye. "Now it is time to set up the tents. I will be alone and so will Harry. You two girls will share the larger tent". Hermione looked at Harry and then stepped forward.

"Umm, Professor Moody". She said timidly. "Would it be okay if Harry and I share the large tent? I don't feel safe without him". Mad Eye looked her up and down.

"Miss Potter, can I trust these two alone in a tent?" He asked Katrina.

"Yes, Harry respects Hermione, even when she doesn't want him too. She told me so". Hermione blushed a deep crimson and turned away. Mad Eye raised his eyebrows and then laughed.

"Fine, but you kids better be good. If I hear anything unusual then you'll be split up... if you're caught". He winked at Harry and then tossed him a tent. "Hear put this up". Harry grabbed the tent and used magic to put it up.

Once a fire was made and the tents were put up they sat around the fire and talked.

"Okay". Mad Eye began. "Tomorrow you will be up and dressed at eight am. You will hunt for your breakfast. Not live animals, but I will hide a breakfast tray in the woods and you will have to use clues to find it. I will put a spell on it to make sure nothing other than you three can touch it. Now time to go to bed". Harry, Hermione and Katrina went into their tents. Harry unrolled his sleeping bag and laid it next to Hermione's. She smiled and moved in close to him so that her head was on his chest.

"Good night Hermione". Harry said. "I love you"

"I love you too Harry, 'night". Harry and Hermione fell asleep with their arms around one another.

"Harry, Harry wake up". Hermione said. Harry groaned and rolled over to see Hermione crying. "Harry, I heard their voices. They're outside". Harry stood up and grabbed his wand. He kissed Hermione on the cheek and opened the tent. He stepped out side. There were three men in black cloaks talking just off of the camp site.

"Petraficus Totalus". Harry whispered. The three men fell to the ground and Harry walked over to them. He pulled off their hoods.

"Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy". Harry said scathingly. It was them, well their fathers. Harry grabbed their wands and tied them against the tree closest to them.

Harry walked over to Moody's tent and opened it. He shook Moody and he woke with a start, pulling his wand out from beneath his blankets.

"Relax Mad Eye, it's just me. But you might want to see this". Harry walked out and showed Mad Eye the three men. Then he went to his tent to get Hermione, but she wasn't there.

"Those bastards. Those fucking bastards". Harry walked out of his tent and went over to Malfoy. "What the fuck did you do with Hermione?" Harry said. "I want her back right now". Malfoy laughed.

"Yeah, right, like I'll give the little mudblood back". Harry kicked him.

"Don't you ever fucking call her that again. Now where the fuck is she?" Malfoy spat at Harry's feet. "You made the wrong decision there buddy". Harry raised his wand.

"HARRY!" Harry heard a scream. "HARRY, I'M OVER HEAR, COME, PLEASE". Harry looked at Mad Eye and then ran over to where the voice was coming from. Harry looked everywhere but couldn't find her.

"WHERE ARE YOU HERMIONE?" Harry yelled.

"OVER HERE". Harry looked to his right and saw a movement behind a tree. Harry ran over to it and looked around. He suddenly saw a small house elf with his back to Harry. He was taping Hermione's mouth and she looked at him with wide eyes. Harry picked up a large rock and threw it as hard as he could against the elf's head. It was knocked out cold. Harry petrified it and then ran over to Hermione. He untied her hands and un-taped her mouth. As soon as she was free she hugged him as hard as she could.

"Oh, Harry, I knew you would save me". Harry ran his hands through her hair.

"Come on Hermione. If anyone has a right to kill those three slobs it's you. They've been haunting your dreams for way too long". He took her hand and they went over to the campsite where Mad Eye was standing guard over the three death eaters. Harry looked at Mad Eye and then pointed to Hermione. He understood and then nodded. Hermione stepped forward and raised her wand.

"I can't do it Harry, I just can't kill another human being".

"Do you want Mad Eye too?"

"No, I want them to stay tied up there. I want them to die of natural causes. Starvation or eaten by a wild animal. I hope it's the more painful one". Harry nodded.

"Okay, come on Hermione. We'll go to the river and get washed up". Hermione nodded and followed Harry to the stream.

Once there Harry sat down against a tree and pulled Hermione into his lap.

"Hermione, I have a question to ask you".

"Kay".

"When you were in trouble, the ID bracelet that you gave me started to shine. Do you know what happened?" Hermione smiled.

"Do you remember when I told you that it would protect you when you were in trouble"?

"Uhhuh".

"Well, I placed a charm on it. Whenever you are in trouble I know and the charm's definition said that whenever the wearers true love was in trouble it would shine". Hermione smiled. "I always hoped that it would be me". Harry smiled and pulled Hermione into another hug.

"It always has been". He whispered into her ear. Hermione smiled.

Harry and Hermione sat there for about a half an hour and then went back into the camp.

"We're ba-a-a-a-a-ack". Said Harry with enthusiasm. Hermione laughed and Mad Eye just looked at them.

"Okay then, well, it's time to get breakfast going. I have already hidden it and it has the charm on it to keep animals away". Mad Eye said. He looked over at Katrina, who had just gotten out of her tent.

"Hey, what's going on? And who are those guys?" Katrina asked. Harry looked at Hermione and Mad Eye. The three of them raised their eyebrows and shook their heads.

"Okay, now back to breakfast. Here is your first clue: I can run downhill but not up. Your second clue is in a rut. I am a home for snakes and moles. I'm behind a place that cascades down rocky knolls. Now good luck".

Harry, Hermione and Katrina looked at each other.

"Okay, well I guess I'll have to figure this out". Hermione said, laughing. "Well, rut is like a cave, cascades means water falling, so it's a cave behind a waterfall, now, where is a waterfall?" Harry pointed north and the three of them walked over to a 50 ft high waterfall. Katrina looked up and gulped.

"Here is where I shine". Harry said grinning. "Accio SnowFire". The broom came flying towards Harry and he flew up the waterfall looking for a cave. He found one almost at the top and he slid in. He found an envelope taped to the wall and he grabbed it, brought it down and read the clue that was inside of it.

"You are far away, you might dread, but that's all inside your head. If you go to a triangle as the north winds blow, you will find the clue right under your nose. Oh my lord this is easy. All we have to do is go south until we find a triangle". Katrina looked at Harry, mystified.

"South? Don't you mean north?"

"Nope, South. The north winds go southern, because if it is up North, wind can't go anywhere but down, so it is South. We would go North if it said the 'North Wind' but it says winds so it must be south". Harry explained. Katrina nodded, still confused, and followed Harry and Hermione southern.

They walked for about five minutes until they came to a bare spot in the woods. Hermione looked around and said:

"This is in the shape of a triangle, but it is huge, how are we ever going to find the clue?" Harry looked thoughtful and then exclaimed:

"I've got it. Nose is another word for point. There are three points to a triangle. If we each go to one point, one of us will find the clue". Hermione looked at Harry with amazement.

"Okay, let's do it". The three of them each walked to a corner and Katrina came running into the center of the triangle.

"Guys, guys, I found it". She shouted. Harry and Hermione ran over to her and they crowded around the parchment. "It says, If you want to get a rise out of it, look to the east, if you want to see it go to sleep, look to the west. It burns in the summer and burns in the winter, and if you look under it you shall be close to your dinner... hmmm that's hard". Katrina said thoughtfully. "I think it's talking about the sun, it rises in the east, it sets in the west you can get a sun burn in the summer, you can burn your eyes with it reflecting off snow in the winter. At around dinnertime it is at about a 135o so, ummmm... if... we go to the west we should find it., let's try 135 steps, or something, I dunno". Harry looked at his sister in amazement.

"Kay Kay, you are a genius". The three of them set off to the west. Once they walked the 135 steps they stopped, Harry looked at the ground and saw a white slip of paper. He opened it and read it.

"The thing you seek is very near. It is close to what you hold dear. If you take the thing you hold close, the one thing that is a ghost. You look for the sign that he is near and you will find your breakfast hear". Harry looked confused. "I don't get it".

"Neither do I". Replied Hermione and Katrina. Harry kept re-reading the note.

"Ghost, it's a ghost, close, a ghost that's close, we hold him dear. The only person that I know who would be a ghost is Sirius, but he's not a ghost, Nearly Headless Nick told me so". Harry looked down. "I wish he were here".

Harry walked away from the two girls he wandered around for a little while, until he tripped over a tree root.

"Dammit". Harry said loudly, followed by a line of curses. He started to get up, but then he noticed a small piece of silver under a leaf. He went over and picked it up. It was a silver necklace with a symbol on it that Harry recognized. He brought it over to Hermione and Katrina and showed it to them.

"I know that". Said Katrina. "A friend of Uncle John had this on. He was visiting for a few days after the fourth year of school. He said he was on the run". Harry looked at her.

"Do you remember his name?" He asked.

"Yup, his name was Black... ummm, I don't know his real name but I was told to call him Snuffles". Harry looked at her, amazed.

"Sirius, I knew I recognized this from somewhere. He wore it every day. I miss him so much".

"Who's Sirius, like how do you know him?"

"He was my godfather, I don't know my god mother but Sirius was the closest thing to a father I ever knew. I even think of him as my Dad. I call him that whenever I visit his grave". Hermione looked at Harry, surprised.

"Harry, I didn't know that". She said. She took his hand and smiled at him. "I didn't even know you knew where his grave was".

"I do. I had a private funeral for him. It was only Moony and I. We did it at the very beginning of summer holiday". Harry sat down.

FLASHBACK

Harry was standing beside Remus Lupin as the casket was lowered into the ground. He couldn't bare to watch the only person he ever knew as a father. He turned around and cried. When Sirius was being buried Harry turned back.

"Sirius". Harry called into the hole. He rushed over. "Dad, don't go dad, I don't want to lose you too". Tears fell from Harry's eyes as the dirt gradually covered the coffin. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up. Remus was standing there, with tears in his eyes also.

"Sirius loved you Harry, he always did. He always thought of you as a son, the son he never had. I'm sure that he is proud that you think of him as a father". Harry stood up and hugged Lupin with all of his strength.

"I miss him Moony, why did he have to go? Why couldn't he have lived? It's all my fault". Lupin shook his head.

"No Harry, it isn't your fault".

"Yes it is, if I hadn't fallen for the trick then there would be no reason for him to have left".

"But Harry, how would you have felt if you hadn't left? Just sitting there, wondering what happened. Sirius died the way he wanted to. Fighting along side the person he loved most". Harry looked at Lupin and wiped away the tears.

"I never knew he felt that way. I wish that I told him what I thought, what I still think. Sirius has always been there for me, I always looked up to him. I want him to come back. I want to kill the person who killed him. I can't even say its name". Lupin looked down at Harry.

"Come on, I want to show you something". Harry followed Lupin to a grave stone, a few feet down from Sirius'. The names on the stone shocked Harry.

Hear Lies James and Lily Potter

They were loved by all
May their names live on in glory

Harry read this over and over. He couldn't believe that for so long he never had visited his parents' graves. He had never been able too.

Harry sat there, beside the graves for hours. It began to rain but he didn't care. He didn't want to leave. Finally, after about four hours Lupin came back. He had to drag Harry away from the graves.

"I go back there so often. To visit my parents, all three of them, I floo there whenever I have the chance. I guess I never told you this because, I'm not sure, but I know that I just couldn't". Harry looked up at Hermione and Katrina. Like him, they were both crying. Harry stood up and slipped the necklace on. "At least I have the memories; I would be lost without them".

The three of them sat there for a little while so they could calm down. Then, finally they finished their search. They found the breakfast just a few feet away from the place where Harry found the necklace. They walked back to the camp and saw Moody sitting there waiting for them.

"You are finally back". He said smiling. He gave them time to eat and then he made them tell the story of what happened deep in the forest. Harry told him and then Moody looked at them critically. "I can't believe that all happened. I didn't even make up the clues. I put a charm on a few pieces of paper and sent them out". Harry nodded.

The three of them heated up their breakfast and then talked to Moody, to see what they would be doing next.

"Well, you three are going to be looking for these three plants: wolfs bane, trillium, and crab grass". He handed them a picture of the plants. "This is what they look like. I want you back before nightfall". The three of them nodded as they set off again.

"We've been out here for hours". Complained Katrina, as they walked through the woods. I want to go back".

"Well, we can't until we have the plants, and all we've found so far is the wolfs bane. If we hurry, we could get everything soon". Hermione said. Her and Harry were ahead of Katrina by a few feet. They had been out looking for the three ingredients for about three hours. A few minutes later Harry spotted something.

"Hey, look, that's a trillium!" He said. He went over and picked it. "And there's another one". He looked around and kept picking trilliums that were on the ground. He handed one to Hermione. "Pour toi my lady". He said. Hermione giggled and she let him put it in her hair. He kissed her on the cheek and the three of them set off again.

After a few more hours the three of them found crab grass. Then they worked their way back to the camp. It was four o'clock in the afternoon when they got back.

"You found everything!" Moody exclaimed, obviously surprised.

"Uh, yeah". Harry said. "Did you think we wouldn't?"

"Well, I knew you would, but I didn't think you would so fast".

"We were out there since ten o'clock in the morning! You think that was fast! It was murder. We almost gave up! We were looking for six freaking hours!"

"Watch your tongue while you're talking to a professor, okay Potter"

"Why don't you watch YOUR tongue while YOU'RE talking to a professor"?

"I'm the only teacher here".

"You'd think that wouldn't you Alastor".

"That's Professor Moody to you Potter".

"That's Professor Potter to you Moody". Hermione looked at Harry, shocked and Katrina started to laugh. Moody glared at her but she couldn't stop laughing.

"Okay, Harry, come on". Hermione said. She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to their tent. "Oh my lord Harry, that was excellent! I loved the look on his face after you said that! It was hilarious... in fact, it kind of turns me on". She finished in a seductive voice. Harry smiled at her.

"Oh really? Well, I wonder what I'll do now. Maybe take a walk".

"Oh no you don't buddy". Hermione said. She grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him into her. She kissed him and he kissed her back. After a little while the two of them got up and left the tent, Hermione quickly fixed her hair and Harry quickly wiped the lip gloss off his face.

Katrina looked at them as they came out.

"Oh my lord, he is in a fit of rage and they still go off and make out in the tent". She whispered under her breath.

The four of them ate dinner and then went to sleep. The next morning they all woke up early and went back to Hogwarts.

Star in a Daze: Okay, I know that was a pretty bad chapter, no Ron, no anyone other then the people who I put in... obviously. Well, I hope you all like! I'll try to update soon! I luv you all ma reviewers! Please R&R! NO FLAMES PLEASE!