Chapter V: Archer.

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Hermione was scared to her wits. However she tried not to show it. Ever since the final encounter between Harry and Voldemort, she had been terrified of them. And her past was too painful to be relived.

And her scars ran deeper than any cut she had received.

Seeing her distress, Liam hobbled and stood between her and the Death Eaters. He will keep his promise. Just as he had given it to her all those years ago.

"Liam will protect mistresses. Yes. Yes," twirled his staff and smiled at the dark clad men. "Mistresses must leave."

"We can't leave you, Liam," Luna said as she noticed Hermione's petrified expression. She couldn't even leave even if she wanted to without deserting her friend. She's the only friend she had left and she will not leave her.

"Liam can take care of it. Yes. Yes," Liam looked at the Death Eaters as if studying them.

"Foolish squib," one of the Death Eaters spoke as he stepped forward. "No one can defy us."

"Liam can. Yes. Yes," Liam poised for an attack. "And Liam will."

"Then prepare to die!" one of the Death Eaters suddenly attacked. Liam's swift movements caused the Death Eater of hesitate but before he could recover, it was too late.

Liam had struck the man with his staff with such precision and speed that Luna thought it was unnatural for his limping frame. But then, how did he help her escape all those months ago?

Twirling his staff, Liam's action imitated to Luna was... a monkey?

"Liam knows monkey staff. Yes. Yes," Liam smiled as he then tumbled with the same funny antics as a monkey would while attacking the Death Eaters.

Confused and disoriented, the Death Eaters cast numerous spells but was easily dodged by Liam. Sensing the danger, Luna grabbed Hermione's arm and hid from view. She could not apparate, not while her friend was still in shock.

"Hermione! Don't do this to me now," Luna shook her friend as she tried to remove her from her shock. Luna hadn't realized that Hermione still had nightmares of the Death Eaters and her shock was proof of it. She didn't have time to dwell on the problem. She needed to help Liam before he gets hurt.

But as soon as she turned, she found Liam right beside her, looking at Hermione in concern with the screams of the Death Eaters in the background.

"Damn," Liam breathed as he waved his hand in front of her face. "Her eyes are dilated. Her soul is hiding in the depths of her shell." Luna immediately noticed that his vocabulary had changed. His voice was serious and deep. And his demeanor had changed from the happy-go-lucky squib that she knew to this powerful being deep with emotion. But she didn't voice this out for Hermione's condition came first.

"Can you help her?" she asked. "Is there a spell that..." Liam suddenly smiled and nodded vigorously.

"Two ways to wake her. Yes. Yes," he said in his normal way. He took out the flask that Luna gave him and opened the cap. Luna gently held his hand and shook her head.

"She has a low tolerance to alcohol," she said.

"I know," he whispered and then smiled. "Water," he said to the flask and immediately, the liquid changed into the clear element that gave life. "Freezing," he added and then took a deep breath and splashed its contents to Hermione's face.

And her reaction was instantaneous.

"What the bloody hell!" Hermione shouted as she spurted the water that entered her mouth. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"It worked," Luna smiled as she hugged her friend tightly. "I'm so glad that you're back."

"Where did I go?" Hermione asked confusingly but giving in to her friend's embrace.

"You had one of your attacks," Luna whispered as she looked at Hermione to see if she was truly fine. Hermione, in the other hand, smiled sullenly and looked at her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said but Luna shook her head and took her arm. "Where are they?" she looked expectantly at Liam who had his back turned towards them.

"Eaten by Death," Liam said as he turned. "We go. Yes? Yes?"

"Yes," Hermione smiled as she suddenly hugged Liam, much to his surprise and pleasure. "But next time, try another method in bringing me out of my shock."

"The other method will hurt my cheek," Liam said with full certainty. "Come, we must go to house that screams before..." Liam never got to finish his sentence for he was suddenly enveloped by a green light and his eyes were lifeless.

"LIAM!" Hermione caught him as he fell and she and Luna dragged him away. "Help me carry him!" Luna checked for Liam's pulse but found nothing.

"He's gone," Luna said softly as she placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"He just fainted," Hermione said dismissing Luna's observation. "We can revive him!" Suddenly, Luna slapped her face to break her out of her hysteria. Looking at her friend in surprise, Hermione held her tears back. This was like the last time. And like the last time, she failed to save her friend.

"We must go," Luna said softly and Hermione reluctantly agreed. Easing Liam down, she caressed his head and smiled sullenly. Then, she gave him a soft kiss on his forehead, then his nose and then his lips.

"Thank you," she whispered and stood. With a last look at Liam's lifeless body, Hermione grabbed Luna's hand and they left as fast as they could.

**

A shadow in the dark saw the whole thing.

A Death Eater had escaped the clutches of the ravaging beast that came from the shadows while the one called Liam fought the Death Eaters.

Liam knew he was about to kill them but he stood still, protecting the ladies in his charge. If he would have dodged it, either one or both ladies would perish.

The shadow in the dark touched his forehead and traced the scar that had been his curse for all of his life. He felt the sorrow of passing friends and departed love ones.

He also felt the shattering of dreams.

And he also felt anger.

From under his cloak, he took out and elven bow made from broken dreams. Taking an arrow, he drew it as far back as possible and let it fly, striking the Death Eater at the back of his head.

He sighed went over to the body of the Death Eater and tapped his bow on the dead man's wand. And suddenly, all the spirits that was trapped within the wand had been released.

One by one, the spirits of the dead emerged but none of those were the spirit of the one called Liam.

Shaking his head in confusion, he then went towards the other Death Eaters and freed the trapped souls in their wands.

Once they were freed, cloaked man then walked towards where Liam's body lay. He decided that he should be given a proper burial. It was the least he could do for protecting the ladies from death.

But when he reached the place, he only found the tattered remains of a dirty cloak and clothes.

Shaking his head, the cloaked man hid his bow and walked back into the shadow.

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end of chapter