Guilt and Innocence

Hermione and Ron stood at the gates to the fortress prison looking up at its walls. It was one of those places that sent shivers down your spines no matter how many times you visited it. Hermione couldn't imagine what it would be like with the Dementors guarding it; it was already bad enough with Aurors.

They reached the gate and Ron pushed slightly ahead and handed the papers over to the guard. He looked them over before jabbing his finger at them to enter the building. Inside it was cold and the hairs on the back of the neck jumped up.

There were bars everywhere and from deep within came a howl that could easily have belonged to Remus during the full moon. Hermione shivered as she stepped closer to Ron. They were led by a guard into a small room. Sitting down they waited for whoever it was that was coming.

They didn't have to wait long before Chambers entered the room. He looked at the pair and took his seat.

"Okay so why have you gotten permission to release Prisoner X."

"Sir there was a prophecy and it stated that the only person that will ever be able to defeat Voldemort is Prisoner X."

"Miss there must be another way?"

"Well if you think you can find it go ahead."

"What she means is that we've spent the last five years trying to figure out another way, but the truth is the only other person that could have done it was Neville Longbottom and the prisoner took care of him."

"Who has been trying to figure this out Weasley?"

"The Order sir. We have to get Prisoner X out and get him to help us it's the only way."

"I can't allow that though and you both know it. He's strong and if he decides he wants to help You-Know-Who then we're doomed."

"That's what I said."

"Shut up Ron. Sir I know you're in charge and you have final say on all releases but I think we can get through to him, at least you must let us try to, if we can't convince him to help we're already doomed."

"You're just a school teacher girl, what do you know?"

"Oh boy, you've asked for it now."

Chambers narrowed his eyes at Ron and he just shook his head folding his arms across his chest sitting back in his chair. He'd been friends with Hermione for twelve years and even now the twenty-three year old was a force to reckon with, nobody ever asked her what she knew unless they wanted a lecture.

"What do I know! What do I know!"

Her voice was rising with each word and Ron hid a grin that was spreading up his face.

"I know a lot more than you do you stupid man. I know that for twenty five years people have been trying to figure out another way to defeat Voldemort. Dumbledore worked on it for years and he knew the only two people that could do it were Neville and Prisoner X. Neville didn't really have a chance but it was worth a shot but we couldn't even try that."

She took a breath and steadied herself.

"The Minster put the Order in charge of defence and I think that you're ticked off by that because you're the Head Auror and you have to take your orders from your men because they are within the Order. We have spent weeks trying to come up with another way and you know what without Prisoner X we might as well surrender because then we're sure to die."

"That's all very well miss but he's too dangerous."

"What and you think that we don't know that. He was my best friend and I helped to send him down, I know what he's capable of because I spent seven years of my life with him and I saw him train. He's the best wizard there is now that Dumbledore's gone and with him locked up Voldemort has won."

"Chambers listen we've thought everything through we really have and we know this is really dangerous but if we don't try people are going to hate us in years to come. We will be the ones responsible for giving Voldemort exactly what he wanted by leaving out our main weapon."

The man looked at Ron and back to Hermione and began to shake his head.

"Weasley I can't believe that you'd agree to this."

"I didn't. We voted on it and it came out seven to six and so this is our plan. You might as well agree to it because we're asking your permission now but if you refuse we can go around you, the Order has control over everything."

"You can have him. But there is something I want to know, what are you going to do with him? You can't just take him home he needs to be guarded at all times."

Ron shifted in his chair and shook his head.

"I'm sorry sir but that information is for Order members only we can't tell you without clearance you know that."

He nodded at the younger man but didn't let it drop.

"Just promise me that you'll have somebody guarding him at all times otherwise I will go to the Minster and tell him I don't think it's safe."

"Chambers you trained me well don't think that I'll let him go unguarded. Like Hermione said we're all aware of what he truly is, we've all worked with him, seen the way his mind works or at least use to work."

"Then I'll sign the papers for you."

He pulled them towards him and picking up his peacock quill signed his name roughly at the bottom and pushed the sheets back to the pair sitting there. Neither smiled just sat looking at each other and it was again Chambers that broke the silence.

"How are you going to convince him to help?"

"We'll have to talk to him but he's not going to listen to us."

"Ron we have to try. I think its best if we go in one at a time and talk to him that way we'll have two chances."

The man nodded at her but before either could stand Chambers cleared his throat.

"There is something you need to know then."

"What?"

He looked sombrely at the pair in front of him. He of course knew of their history with the prisoner everybody over the age of seventeen knew of the connection although it had become a great secret to the younger generation.

"He isn't how you remember him. He's bitter he hates all wizard kind and especially those he once considered friends."

"What do you mean?"

"Weasley he screams every night when he sleeps for your deaths. He hates you for abandoning him in this place; he still pleads his innocence after five years, its going to be hard."

Hermione caught the mans eyes and held them with her own gaze he couldn't tare himself from her no matter what he tried, he felt almost like she was looking into him but her voice was cold when she spoke.

"How could you have kept this from the Order?"

"I thought it best, you already have a large responsibility I didn't want you worrying about the prisoner."

"Is there anything else you have kept from us?"

The woman's voice was hard and he just nodded towards her.

"He doesn't make a lot of sense, most of the time he's in consent pain from his scar, I believe he sees whatever it is You-Know-Who is doing."

Hermione and Ron exchanged worried looks knowing they were about to face something horrible, their ex-best friend in a state of mind that wasn't that of his own. This was going to be the toughest thing either had faced so far in their troubled lives.