Behind Closed Eyes

by Sarabhi

Hermione and Ron's sixth year at Hogwarts. Will they admit to themselves or each other that they desire more than friendship? Will they even have time to consider a romantic relationship as the closest friends of Harry Potter?

44. Chapter 44

The Characters and situations of Harry Potter depicted in this story are the legal property of J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, and AOL Time Warner, and have been used without permission. No copyright violation is intended. No profit is being made off this site. It is for entertainment purposes only.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hear it in my head like an evil mantra from a demon on my shoulder, "Don't read stories by that Sarabhi girl...She pulls you in with a chapter a day, then she'll leave you hanging for three or four months with NOTHING!" Well, if any of you have said this or thought it, I can not blame you at all. Are there reasons behind the time it took to post this chapter? Yes. Will I bore you with them to try and ease my conscience? No. All I ask before you begin reading this final chapter is this: Please, please, please...if you have any anger or frustration at how delayed this chapter has been, send me personal hate emails, draw a picture of me and use it as a dart board...whatever you need to do...but please, please, please don't hold it against the chapter itself. I really want everyone to read and enjoy! This is the last chapter, so I'd really love to have lots of reviews giving your thoughts on it. There will be an epilogue to follow it, which will go in the chapter 45 slot. Well, here's chapter 44. Please read, enjoy, and review.

Chapter 44

The air in the secret cave was cold and damp. The only sounds were the dripping of moisture onto the stone floor, shuffling footsteps, and three different rhythmic breathing patterns. Soft, quick breaths…shallow breaths…and deep, purring breaths… There was also a distinct smell hanging heavily amid the semi-darkness. It was the smell of dirt and stone… But for Ron… it was the smell of renewed hope.

Moments ago, Ron's insides had been squirming with the thought of not being able to find her…or of finding her without that beautiful pink color of life on her cheeks. But here he was, hand in hand with her…

Ron glanced down at the bushy-haired brunette at his side. Not only were her cheeks flushed, but her hands were warm. She was walking steadily; her wand lit and held out in front of her, as was his. She was very much alive…

Hermione lifted her head to him with anxious brown eyes. She offered him a small smile before facing forward once more and taking a deep breath. "Egon?" She prompted.

Ron's footsteps faltered for a moment at the sound of Hermione's voice in the eerie black cave. They had been tracking this Wemic for a good ten minutes in utter silence, and Ron had forgotten that this creature had yet to tell them his story of 'The Great Scarred One.' Nor had he told them where this cave would lead them exactly. Hermione seemed to trust this beast, but Ron wasn't so sure. The Wemic he and Harry had seen earlier had been helping Rastaban and Crabbe…Death Eaters. What was the Wemic's name? Aloysius? He had even warned the two Death Eaters of a "presence" to be wary of… Why would this Wemic be any different?

"Egon…" Hermione continued when there was only silence from the massive beast before them, "Where does this lead? What did you mean by the Great Scarred One? Is it…Harry? Does this lead to Harry?"

"I do not know." Egon replied deeply, and with great calm. He didn't turn around or even slow his pace.

Ron's mouth quickly went dry, "You don't know?" He asked incredulously. "What do you mean you don't know? Do you not know if this leads to Harry…or…do you not know where this leads?"

"I should start from beginning of story." Egon replied.

"Yeah, alright." Ron said, "And while you're at it…why don't you start the story with why the hell we should trust you."

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, squeezing his hand tightly.

The Wemic stopped and was momentarily quiet before replying calmly. "I have told you. To left is Wemic grotto and to right are black robed men. My path is safest."

"Ron, just let him tell his story." Hermione said pleadingly. Ron released a reluctant sigh before nodding at the Wemic, whose massive torso was turned around just enough to peer down at Ron with his bluish-yellow eyes.

"I found Great Scarred One…one who goes by name Harry…on grounds outside." Egon began, resuming his sauntering, yet somehow quick, pace, "I assumed he would not have trust for Wemic, but he told me he had story to tell Wemic called Egon. I tell him I am Egon, and he tells me dark secret."

"Harry told you a…secret?" Ron asked, his suspicion of this creature growing slightly. Egon's tail swished, sweeping the floor of the cave, but he ignored Ron's question as they all continued along the tunnel.

"Great Scarred One ventures high into castle in search of female youngling and instead overhears Dark Lord's dark secret. Dark Lord did not tempt my father with immortality…"

"Immortality!" Hermione exclaimed. "I hadn't considered that…But then, why else would your father consent to the Wemics helping Voldemort?"

Ron wasn't exactly sure what this exclamation meant, but he decided to remain silent in hopes that Egon's story would begin making sense of some sort.

"My father never consented. He was never given chance. Voldemort killed my father after capturing his voice in enchanted orb." Egon continued.

"I'm sorry…did you say he captured your father's voice?" Ron asked, his hopes of this story or cave leading them anywhere dwindling.

"Spirit Orbs." Hermione said softly, "I've heard of enchanted orbs that capture certain aspects of a person…their scent…their memories…their voice. But they can only be enchanted by capturing the dying breath of the one you wish to imitate. So…"

"Wait…" Ron interrupted, "Egon… Harry told you that Voldemort killed your father in order to steal his voice? Why would Voldemort want your father's voice?"

"Don't you see?" Hermione continued with that airy voice that meant she had somehow figured out everything, "Voldemort, or anyone for that matter, would simply have to place their hand upon the Spirit Orb in order to speak with the voice of Basilius. With the voice of the Wemic's chieftain, Voldemort has the entire clan at his fingertips." Hermione finished with a fascinated look that soon turned to confusion, "But how could you not have known? You wouldn't have seen your father since his death…"

"Dark Lord tells me and my kind that Chief Basilius was to live in castle." Egon stated, "Then he makes me messenger to fool me. I was only allowed to speak with my father through closed door. Dark Lord says it is because Chieftain is ill and must stay away. He has me deliver false messages to and from my father's voice. Since my cub years, I have been taught to always follow path of Chieftain. So I did. I was foolish."

"You were just trying to be loyal to your father." Hermione said softly.

"I had to tell story to you first, female youngling." Egon said, still walking down the tunnel, "The Great Scarred One did great service to me and brethren by telling me of dark secret. But now I must tell my nation that I am their new Chieftain…and we will no longer follow Dark Lord. They must follow me."

"But what about Harry?" Ron blurted out. He didn't want to seem insensitive to this beast's family problems, but Ron really needed to know where Harry was.

"I told Great Scarred One that because he showed me kindness, I would help him save his friend." Egon began, "He wanted to come with me, but I told him it would be best if he waited on grounds. He consented."

"So, is that where you're taking us?" Hermione asked.

"This tunnel leads to grounds. But I do not know where Great Scarred One will be waiting." Egon replied.

"Is that an opening up ahead?" Ron asked, squinting his eyes enough to barely make out the outline of a breach in the seemingly never-ending stone walls.

"Yes." Egon replied.

"Nox." Ron whispered, "Hermione, you too." He added as their steps quickened.

Hermione looked up at him and nodded, "Nox," she whispered, submerging them into semi-darkness; a chilling breeze had begun streaming through the tunnel along with a now visible pool of dim moonlight.

Still hand in hand with Hermione, Ron picked up his pace as Egon lowered his body and began quickly prowling toward the exit. Once they reached the opening, however, Ron couldn't see a thing due to the massive beast filling up the entire gap.

"Egon can you…" Ron began, but a low growl rumbled deeply sending a chill through him. The growl seemed to have filled the entire space. Egon then took several quick steps back, forcing Ron and Hermione to run backward a few yards.

"What are you growling for?" Ron asked as Hermione gripped both hands around his arm.

There was no reply, but Ron was sure he saw a pair of yellow-greenish eyes staring into the cave from the opening.

"Moritz…get back to your post." Egon commanded powerfully.

There was another growl, and Ron realized that it was not coming from Egon, but the body that belonged to the eerie pair of eyes still piercing the darkness of the cave. Ron instinctively positioned himself in front of Hermione.

"Helping prisoner… why Egon…you've never disobeyed Basilius' orders." Moritz's deep voice growled.

"It is Chief Basilius to you!" Egon growled back before continuing a bit sadly, "Or…it was. But he is dead. I am Chieftain now. We are no longer helping Dark Lord. We are helping younglings."

There was a pause of silence in which Ron thought perhaps Moritz simply wasn't going to respond. But, then there was a low rippling growl as Moritz entered the cave fully. Egon had to take a few more steps back to allow his massive form entrance. At the sight of Moritz, Ron reached behind him to grab Hermione's hand. The cave was so dark, even with the bit of moonlight shining in. Ron could only see Moritz's eyes and his teeth, which seemed to be shining. Of course, he and Hermione were now a good twenty feet away from the exit because of the amount of space needed to accommodate the two beasts.

"You would choose a human youngling over your nation's immortality?" Moritz asked with his cold and mocking voice, which made Ron trust Egon, with his deep soothing voice, a bit more.

"Voldemort was lying to your nation!" Hermione shouted suddenly, causing Ron to jump.

Ron turned his back on the two Wemics to face Hermione. He couldn't see her very well, and was tempted to relight his wand, but he preferred feeling less exposed to this new Wemic guest.

"Hermione…please." Ron pleaded under his breath, but he was ignored.

"Voldemort can't even make himself immortal, though he's tried." Hermione continued, "He is manipulating you…using you!"

"Silence, youngling!" Moritz growled; Ron turned to face him with his wand ready, pressing himself against Hermione, who was shaking a bit. Ron was sure it was more from anger and frustration than fear.

"Egon, do you hear words of youngling? She says Wemics can be used and manipulated by humans. She is like most of her kind, who see themselves as superior to all creatures. No doubt she lies in order to get immortality for herself!"

"You are wrong, Moritz." Egon stated calmly. "And it is because your own heart is black that you can not see the pureness of hers."

"What profound words you speak, cousin." Moritz uttered low in his throat. Ron supposed this was meant to be a whisper, but it seemed to rumble throughout the cave. "But my heart is not black. It is red with lifeblood, and I want lifeblood to course through me and our brethren forever…and that is why I let nothing stand in my way!"

"What do you mean by this?" Egon asked sternly, his tail now still and arched slightly.

"I mean…" Moritz began, "I claim Bishvajit." At this Ron saw Moritz throw a small object to the ground, which made a sound like a small pebble bouncing along the stone floor.

A low and powerful growl was Egon's response to this strange statement from Moritz. Ron turned slightly, keeping one eye on the two Wemics, and whispered over his shoulder.

"What does bishy-whats-it mean?"

"How should I know?" Hermione whispered back.

"You're…you're you!" Ron whispered tensely.

"Younglings…" Egon began in a steady voice as Moritz's growl began to grow. "Run." He stated evenly.

"Run?" Hermione squeaked. "But wh-"

Just then a great roar erupted from Moritz as he leaped forward, claws ready. Before Ron knew exactly what was happening there was an awful sound of Hermione screaming, two massive bodies colliding, teeth gnashing, and claws scraping the stone floor and ripping taut flesh.

---

Hermione felt herself being dragged toward the breach in the cave. Her back was still aching from the injury she had gotten in the Forbidden Forest after being knocked to the ground by Malfoy. But she was forced to press her back against the cave wall to keep from being bombarded by one of the two beasts, now biting and clawing at each other without mercy.

Hermione truly didn't know what Bishvajit meant, but judging from Egon's response, it wasn't good.

The two Wemics were so fiercely fighting with one another; Hermione hoped that she and Ron would be able to reach the cave's opening without being killed. It seemed to be taking them forever, inch by inch, as the beasts continued to make the most awful sounds.

"Almost there…" Ron whispered over his shoulder.

He was right. The opening was just a couple of yards away. Hermione could see the trees, damp grass, and fog. Although the sight evoked a fear in her from the memories of her journey through the Portkey, it looked like a haven as compared to this… She heard one last booming roar from Egon before she and Ron finally exited the cave. The air was humid and cold, and it seemed to slap them in the face as soon as their feet touched the marshy ground. And the fog…it seemed denser than when she had first arrived through the Portkey. There was ten feet of visibility in front of them at best. However, upon looking up, Hermione could just make out the form of the castle to the left. Jagged mountains loomed high to her right, and a mass of trees was just ahead.

"We need to find Harry." Hermione whispered fiercely, taking the lead and tugging on Ron's hand. "We'll be seen on the grounds. Let's take cover in the trees."

She pulled Ron toward the trees. As they neared them, Hermione noticed that the branches and trunks were even thicker than those of the Forbidden Forest. They ducked into the forest's low-hanging branches to find something quite amazing. No fog. Along the perimeter of the forest, the field was not visible whatsoever. There was simply a thick white mass surrounding the trees. It was as if the forest was enchanted to repel the fog.

The forest, itself…was beautiful. There was no fog overhead, so the bright moonlight of the full moon shone through the tops of the trees freely. The ground was covered with bright green leaves and there were beautiful purple flowers budding around the tree trunks.

"Wow…" Hermione breathed before looking up at Ron. He wasn't looking down at her, however. Instead, he was looking about them nervously with a furrowed brow.

"Ron?" Hermione asked tentatively, prompting him to look down at her with his piercing blue eyes.

"We can't stay in here, Hermione." He blurted out, pulling her to him with one strong hand and raising his wand with the other.

"Why not?" Hermione asked, her heart beginning to pound faster and faster. Mostly from fear…but there was also the small thing of being pressed warmly up against Ron, whom she had so recently thought gone from her life forever. She couldn't keep herself from wrapping her arms around his waist and clinging to him.

"Harry and I…we saw Wemics earlier." Ron began, "These trees belong to them. There's even a tree-guarder…or something…His name is Aloysius, I think. Anyway, the trees are probably full of them."

"But…well…" Hermione murmured, looking from the enchanting beauty of the forest to the eerie white wall surrounding it. "It's just that there are probably Dementors running wild out there. Along with Death Eaters…and…well, Wemics aren't bad creatures. They're really very peaceful."

"Peaceful?" Ron asked, pulling away long enough to look down at her with a sort of nervous smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "Hermione, that Moritz cat is trying to kill your dear friend Egon as we speak, and he probably would have chewed us to bits if Egon hadn't been with us."

"Yes, but…"

"And that's not to mention the rest of the beasts that are following Voldemort!" Ron added tensely, still holding her to his chest with one arm.

"But Ron…" Hermione began, but before she could finish, she felt Ron's hold tighten upon her back as he somehow lost his balance and they both began falling backward.

A gasp and a thud later, Hermione found herself lying haphazardly across Ron's knees in the middle of two trees and amid a bunch of bushy, yet startlingly soft, undergrowth. She was also looking into two dark and twinkling eyes and a heart-shaped face, topped with a short cropping of silver and red hair.

"Tonks?" Hermione and Ron blurted simultaneously as they quickly re-situated themselves to a kneeling position.

"Shh!" Tonks whispered, holding one finger to her brightly painted lips. She was dressed in a black suit. Hermione had never seen anything like it. The pants, which looked as if they were made from dragon hide, were skin-tight, tapered at the ankles, and tucked into thick leather boots with thick straps. The coat had long, tight leather sleeves that covered half of Tonks' hands and buttons that went all the way up the torso, ending in the middle of her neck. Her wand was held tightly in her hand, and she had that stony, serious look Hermione remembered from that day at Grimmauld Place when Harry had burst a hole through the ceiling.

"Yes, it's me." Tonks began in a low voice that wasn't a whisper, but that Hermione had to strain to hear nonetheless. "Merlin's beard, Hermione, it's great to see you… Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, really." Hermione said, taking hold of Ron's hand. "Thanks to Ron…well, and Harry…" Hermione gazed up at Ron for a mere second, before her mouth went dry. "Oh! Harry! Tonks, we've got to-…"

"Forget about Harry for a second." Tonks said sharply, her eyes squinted at Ron, whose mouth was hanging open at Tonks' remark. "Mr. Weasley, I can not believe that you took this mission upon yourself! Are you mad? Do you know that your mother is in the Hogwarts Infirmary? Do you know that-…"

"Mum's in the hospital?" Ron croaked.

"She fainted flat out in the floor of Dumbledore's office!"

"Dumbledore's office?" Hermione asked in confusion, as Ron's face went a bit pale.

"He called us to his office as soon as Ginny and Hagrid brought the news!" Tonks said, "The search and rescue team then set out immediately."

"When did you arrive?" Ron asked with a strange look in his eyes as his hand tightened around Hermione's.

"The Order arrived no more than an hour ago."

"What kind of search and rescue is that?" Ron whispered harshly. Hermione saw something flash in Tonks' eyes at Ron's response. "Do you know how long it took Harry and I to get to this Merlin-forsaken island? And no one was here! Hermione could've been-…" Ron took a sudden deep breath and blew it out shakily, looking to the ground.

"Listen here. I will tell you what kind of search and rescue party that is!" Tonks spat, "It's the party that took 3.7 seconds to group at Dumbledore's office after the call was sent. It's the party that then immediately flooed to a coastal Wizarding station in Germany so that we could fly our brooms over the ocean to this fog-bath!"

"You flew brooms?" Ron asked incredulously. "What in hell'd you do that for?"

"A wizard cannot apparate to places he's never been," Tonks began, "No one from the Order'd ever been to Wyk! This island's not hardly big enough to piss on, so of course it's not connected to the Floo Network. It's one hundred percent Muggles…or so thought…so it's not connected to the Portkey Network either."

"I arrived by Portkey…" Hermione began softly, almost frightened to cut in, but Tonks soon interrupted.

"The one Malfoy used was specially made; you have to know exactly what location you're preprogramming before you just up and-…"

"Alright, fine!" Ron blurted out suddenly; Hermione saw that his brows were fiercely furrowed. "Thank you for coming, really, but we can't sit here. Harry's out there somewhere, and who knows wha-…"

"Ol' Wings is with Dumbledore." Tonks interjected.

"Dumbledore came?" Hermione asked, a feeling of renewed hope spreading through her.

"Yes." Tonks said shortly, "Along with Arthur, Kingsley, Hestia, Emmeline, Mad-eye, Lupin, and Whitman."

"So where is everyone?" Hermione asked quickly.

An awkward look formed on Tonks' face before she responded. "Well, there was a sort of problem. The party had to split up a bit."

"What sort of a problem?" Ron asked apprehensively. "A big problem?"

"Uh…I would say it's more of a 'giant' problem." Tonks responded.

"Oh no…" Hermione groaned. A feeling of dread washed over her. "Is he hurt?"

"Well, no…" Tonks began, "He just sort of…made a trip into town."

"What?" Ron asked, looking completely lost. "Who's in town?"

"Grawp." Hermione stated. A look of comprehension came over Ron's face.

"I heard a Wemic talking about a giant earlier." Ron began, "Harry and I wondered if it were Grawp. But how-…?"

"He followed me." Hermione said. "He was trying to save me…but he connected with the Portkey in the process. The Wemics didn't receive him very well."

"Yeah. I don't think the Muggles received him very well, either." Tonks said with a sigh. "Arthur, Hestia, and Emmeline have gone to apprehend him and hopefully send him back to Hogwarts. Now that we know the exact location of this island we can hopefully send him by Portkey."

"And the Muggles?" Ron asked.

"The operation will involve some Memory Charms on the Muggles; one of Hestia's specialties." Tonks answered.

"And what are the other Order members doing?" Hermione asked.

"Everyone's with Harry, 'cept Kingsley and Whitman." Tonks began, "At the onset…Kingsley, Whitman, and I split up to scout the place. As awful as your kidnapping was, Hermione, it has brought us to the place the Order and many other Wizarding agencies worldwide have been searching for."

"So, can the Order members see the castle?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Tonks nodded, "Harry was able to share the secret of the location with Dumbledore by using Occlumency. Dumbledore then cast a spell on all of us to pass the information. That's when I saw the castle. I can't believe Voldemort went twelfth century; I mean with the embattled parapets and the-…"

As Hermione listened to Tonks' criticisms of Voldemort's castle, she could've sworn she saw a swiftly moving shadow in her peripheral vision. It was to the right of Tonks' head…But as soon as she saw it…it was gone.

"I think we should get to Harry and Dumbledore." Hermione stated evenly, interrupting Tonks. "Now. We need to go now."

"Hermione?" Ron asked worriedly.

"Hermione, did you see something?" Tonks asked, peering around their foliage refuge into the dense forest.

"No. Yes…I mean…" Hermione stammered, "Where do we go to get to Harry?"

Tonks raised one curious eyebrow at Hermione, "Well, our best bet is to follow the tree line. That way we won't be getting too far into the forest, and neither will we be walking out in that blimey-…"

"You should not be here."

Hermione felt as if an ice-cold bucket of water had just been poured over her at the sound of the low bristly voice coming from above her head. She, Tonks, and Ron all stood up with their wands outstretched and pointing at a large muscular chest. It was a chest decorated with a necklace of stone discs and a bright red tattoo. As Hermione's eyes traveled up the chest, she saw two glowing eyes.

"Holy shit!" Tonks exclaimed in a half-croak. Hermione turned a warning stare upon her before addressing the Wemic.

"Um…sir…we know that we probably shouldn't be here, but we really need to-…"

"You should not be here." The Wemic repeated evenly. "I, Aloysius, Guarder of the Trees, will see you back to your imprisonment, youngling."

"Oh, I don't think so." Tonks shot back suddenly regaining her composure. "We were just about to leave, and for your and your trees' benefits, I suggest you allow us to do just that."

Hermione's mouth dropped open at Tonks' boldness, and she swore she heard Ron make a muffled swear under his breath.

"Dark Lord wants youngling in castle, and by order of Chief Basilius I follow Dark Lord's orders." Aloysius replied as his feline nostrils began to flare.

Tonks puffed and shrugged, "Well, you can tell Chief Basilius to just-…"

"Uh! What she means is…" Hermione interrupted before Aloysius' eyes could get anymore squinted. She then took one deep breath before continuing very quickly, "Voldemort killed Basilius, which made Egon chief, but now Egon is fighting Moritz so he hasn't been able to tell the nation that he's chief…And I don't know why Moritz wanted to fight but it has something to do with the word Bishvajit and I think-…"

"Bishvajit!" Aloysius breathed before a deep growl began to rumble in his throat.

"Bless you." Tonks said with a raised eyebrow. Surprisingly, the beast didn't seem to hear this remark.

"Youngling," Aloysius began, as he peered down at Hermione with stoic eyes, "Where do you hear these words?"

"Egon helped me escape." Hermione replied. The Wemic narrowed his eyes.

"Mr. Aloysius," Ron began, "Could you possibly explain that…Bashjavit word to us?"

The Wemic looked down at Ron, his eyes narrowed, and began slowly, "Bishvajit is claimed by member of my nation when he wishes to dual Chieftain to death. Stone of war is thrown, duel is fought, and survivor takes throne. It is meant to be used against unlawful or cruel Chieftains."

"But, Moritz only wants to be Chieftain so that he can follow Voldemort." Hermione said quickly, "He thinks that will lead him to an immortal life, but he's wrong. Egon…he will win, won't he?" She asked worriedly.

Aloysius simply stared down at Hermione after these words. It wasn't an intimidating stare; if anything, the beast looked horribly sad.

Suddenly, the Wemic turned his head sharply to the side just before a booming roar pierced the brief silence, and another Wemic burst through the fog and entered the trees; a few yards away.

Hermione, Ron, and Tonks, who had all lowered their wands from Aloysius, were now aiming at the unidentified Wemic, now standing tall in the shadows. Ron had grabbed Hermione's free arm while Tonks' was attempting to shield both Ron and Hermione with her small body. However, this was probably unnecessary of Tonks because at the same time, Aloysius had made to stand in front of all of them, facing the unexpected guest.

"Moritz?" Aloysius asked in a strong, steady voice.

The Wemic began to take slow prowling steps forward, and as the dim moonlight hit the beast, Hermione took a sharp intake of breath. His chest was covered in blood, oozing from a large clawed mark, and it appeared as though he was missing part of an ear.

"Chief Moritz, Aloysius," Moritz sneered, "It is Chief Moritz." The Wemic then held up a necklace, covered with bloodstained glass beads.

Aloysius' expression was unreadable as he responded. "Chief Basilius is-…"

"Dead." Moritz stated harshly, now beginning to take slow, prowling steps toward them.

"And you then claimed Bishvajit over Egon." Aloysius said in a near growl. "You did not consult counsel. Duel had no viewers. Duel is void."

"No." Moritz growled back. "Aloysius, duel is not void. Counsel and viewers are not binding to Bishvajit."

"But it is Wemic tradition of respect for one's brethren!" Aloysius cried, taking a step closer to Moritz.

"It matters not now!" Moritz countered, angrily hurling Egon's beaded necklace over their heads, where Hermione watched it soar through the wall of fog into white oblivion. She distantly heard it hit the ground. "I am new chieftain, and your first order is to inform nation while I deal with younglings."

Aloysius remained silent for a moment as he and Moritz stared at one another, standing a mere two feet apart.

"I will take order." Aloysius finally said, stoically. "But younglings have done naught."

"Younglings are not your concern." Moritz stated with a sneer that plainly showed he was enjoying ordering the larger Wemic around. "Now take order and go."

Aloysius gave the tiniest of nods before turning and dashing into the trees without a glance back. Now Hermione really understood what Egon had meant when he informed her that Wemics always follow their chieftain. Moritz had not been chieftain for an hour yet Aloysius followed his order as a stream follows its course.

Moritz, however, stood his ground, turning his massive head full of course auburn hair to stare at the three of them.

"Ron, you and Hermione follow the tree line until you find some…wings, alright?" Tonks said in a surprisingly calm voice, keeping her eyes and wand on Moritz, who was now glaring at Tonks with a curious expression.

"But-…" Hermione began, but Tonks simply held up her free hand in their direction and shook her head.

"No one leaves!" Moritz growled. "I give orders here."

"Yes you do." Tonks said belittlingly. "And if I had fur and a tail I would probably follow them. But alas…"

Instantly, Moritz began to growl deeply, and his tail arched stiffly as Egon's had in the cave.

"Ron…NOW!" Tonks yelled suddenly, and then without warning she lunged toward the massive beast in front of them.

Moritz looked stunned for a mere second before he quickly dodged Tonks' lunge and bright red magic burst. Moritz then made to throw a seed from his seed-covered necklace, but Tonks was able to obliterate it with a quick spell before Moritz could even fully remove it. The two then began circling each other; Moritz was removing short sticks from a leather satchel around the base of his torso. He then began putting the sticks together, end-to-end, and Hermione realized it was actually a spear as the Wemic added a stone-tip to the end.

Hermione was watching the two circle each other so intently; she was completely startled when she suddenly felt herself being tugged in the opposite direction. She gasped so hard it made her throat soar, but she was more worried about catching her brain up to her feet which were running alongside Ron without her full consent.

"Ron, we can't leave her!" Hermione wheezed, having completely lost the tug-of-war battle with Ron. Looking over her shoulder as she jogged to keep up with him, Hermione saw Tonks do an amazing roll to dodge a grab from Moritz.

"Hermione, she's an Auror." Ron said, beginning to pant a bit as Tonks and Moritz became no longer visible through the thick brush. "She can handle herself. Besides, I'm getting you to safety. If we stayed back to help, how long do you think it would take the new chief to call for back-up?"

Hermione only considered resisting for a second or two before she decided to trust in Tonks' ability and concentrate on finding Harry and the others. But, Hermione also began to realize just how fatigued her body was from the events of the day. The cut on her back hurt; no question. But at the moment, Hermione felt the most pain in her legs and chest. It had to have been adrenaline that kept one foot going after the other because she had so little energy left. She was truly baffled at how she was continuing to run, and she was suddenly reminded of running through similar trees as these with who she thought had been Ron.

"How much longer?" Hermione breathed after she was sure they'd been running for at least ten minutes.

"Not long, Hermione…" Ron said, squeezing her hand tightly, "Tonks said we could just follow this tree line and-…"

Suddenly, Ron came to a complete halt. Hermione slammed into his back and nearly fell over. But, she didn't have to ask what Ron's sudden halt was for.

Just ahead of them…about twenty yards…a hooded figure in black robes stood… Was it a man? Hermione couldn't be sure. It was facing them, though its actual face was not visible. Two arms were hanging loosely at its sides, but were not visible either. It seemed to be hunched over slightly, and breathing heavily, for the upper body was rising and falling quite noticeably.

"Ron…Hermione…thank heavens." The figure said. It was a man's voice. But not just any man. Hermione recognized the voice and as she looked up at Ron's shocked expression, she knew he did as well.

"Professor Lupin?" Ron prompted uneasily.

"Yes." The figure spoke again.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a disbelieving look before they each raised their wands and pointed at the figure, who continued to stand perfectly still except for the rising and falling of his upper body.

"I know my voice sounds a bit different," The figure said, "But I assure you it is I. Look up…the both of you."

Hermione didn't look up as Ron did; she didn't have to. She had seen the full moon earlier. That was the reasoning behind the eerie voice coming from beneath the hood. It was Lupin's voice, but at the same time, there was almost another voice speaking. The second voice was deeper than Lupin's, and sounded as if there was hardly enough air for it to speak at all.

"You've been taking your Wolfsbane Potion, Professor." Hermione began, taking a few steps forward, despite Ron's attempts to stop her. "You can lower your hood if you'd like."

Hermione and Ron both watched as Lupin raised both hands to grab his hood. When the hands became exposed, Hermione heard Ron mumble, "Blimey," for which she pinched him hard on the arm. Although, Hermione was thinking something similar. Lupin's hands were long and clawed, and not the color of a human at all. They were almost blue. As he lowered his hood, Hermione saw for the second time in her life, a werewolf.

Lupin's face was that of a man-wolf, with yellow eyes and a long nose.

"So…" Ron began, "You can still talk and everything as long as you take that potion?"

"Yes." Lupin said. It was more than a bit odd watching a werewolf talk, especially when it was Lupin. "While Wolfsbane won't cure lycanthropy, it prevents the dementia that would otherwise accompany…this form…But enough about that. Thank heavens you are alright. Now, both of you need to follow me. Harry and-…"

Hermione had been about to take a step toward Lupin, but he stopped speaking so abruptly, she actually stumbled a bit. Lupin was suddenly standing very tall, with his arms bent oddly at his sides and his snout lifted into the air as if he were sniffing.

"Nymphadora?" Lupin said suddenly. He then began approaching Ron and Hermione quickly, and just when Hermione thought he might run into the both of them, he leapt into the air and over their heads, landing behind them so gracefully she barely heard his feet touch ground. He then took a few steps in the direction Ron and Hermione had come before stopping and lowering his head to sniff the ground.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a worried look just as Tonks burst through a bush a mere foot from Lupin's nose.

"Tonks!" Hermione gasped as Lupin lunged for her. He grabbed her around the waist with one long, scarred arm while she wrapped one arm around his bony, fur-covered neck.

"Remus, you know I hate that name." Tonks rasped, a long gash oozing blood running along the left side of her face. Lupin said nothing, but looked Tonks up and down quickly before lifting her into his arms and turning to walk in the direction away from whence Tonks had just come.

"Bloody Hell…" Ron breathed. "Hermione was right. We shouldn't have left you, Tonks."

Hermione was biting her bottom lip to keep her mouth from drooping open into a horrified gape as she and Ron hurried to keep up with Lupin's unusually long strides. From behind Lupin Hermione had a perfect view of Tonks' legs, which were hanging limply over Lupin's arm. Just above her left knee a rip had been made through her dragon-hide armor. It was surely ripped by teeth because Tonks' exposed leg had a semi-circle row of puncture wounds, bleeding heavily.

"Remus, it was a Wemic." Tonks said in a voice Hermione had never heard her utter. It was weak and raspy, and it gave Hermione a chill of worry.

"I know." Lupin said calmly. "I can smell it."

"I failed."

"You look victorious to me."

"No, Remus. He got away. He'll go straight to him. It will be my fault if we don't get these kids out of here."

"You did all you could. Besides, the Portkey is ready."

Tonks said nothing to this, but Hermione saw her hand grip the back of Lupin's neck. Her fingernails were painted silver, which nearly matched Lupin's hair. This made a lump form in Hermione's throat for some reason, but she didn't cry. She actually didn't think she could cry if she wanted to. It was as if the lump of tears was stuck in her throat behind a wall. She was immensely grateful for this wall because she was sure if it broke the tears would flood her mind and senses until she went as limp as Tonks.

Hermione shook her head to clear her mind of these thoughts. She looked to Ron, walking steadily by her side. He looked completely alert, with his wand ready and his blue eyes wide open. It was then that Hermione realized her hands were shaking and her feet were numb. It was quite cold on this island, but Hermione didn't think that was it. She was sure it was the lack of food mixed with the running, fighting, jumping, and fear she'd endured this seemingly never-ending day.

The question, 'how much further,' was resting on Hermione's tongue, but she swallowed it. How could she complain or seem impatient when Tonks had nearly gotten herself killed in order to give her and Ron a chance to get to safety?

"The tree line's ending!" Ron whispered urgently. Hermione's head shot up from staring at Lupin's hunched back. Ron was right. She could see a thick wall of white ahead of them, just beyond the trees.

"Yes." Lupin said quietly. "Keep following me, and be alert."

Ron and Hermione obeyed. They came to a halt with Lupin at the edge of the forest, and Hermione watched in confusion as Lupin looked all along the wall of fog. Left and right…right and left.

"He can see through that?" Ron whispered low after bending to Hermione's ear.

"Yes. Heightened senses." Lupin said suddenly. "Including hearing…Now come."

Ron grabbed hold of Hermione's hand as they followed Lupin out of the beauty of the forest and into the fog-wall. As soon as they exited, Hermione felt as if she had been draped in a drenched cloth of cold silk.

Whether the shock of the damp cold caused her to slow, or exiting the forest prompted Lupin to quicken, Hermione wasn't sure. All she knew was she was suddenly being dragged by Ron over the marshy ground. If Lupin had not been leading them, Hermione wouldn't have known which way was up. Because of the fog, she couldn't even see the moon any longer, although she knew it was there because she was chasing a werewolf.

They had not been out of the forest for more than five minutes when a large wall of rock loomed large before them. Lupin made his way around it into what looked like a small cove of jagged, black hills. And within the cove stood Dumbledore, Whitman, Kingsley, Mad-Eye, and Harry. Dumbledore, Mad-Eye, and Harry stood with their black cloaks whipping around their ankles, while Hermione was surprised to see Whitman and Kingsley in similar garb as Tonks. Dragon-hide uniforms.

As soon as they'd laid eyes upon them, Ron released his hold on Hermione's hand. She knew he understood what she had to do. Hermione ran straight passed Lupin and Tonks and into Harry's arms.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry…" Harry whispered as he hugged her tighter than he ever had before. The soar place on her back was throbbing with pain, but she paid it no mind.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for." Hermione said evenly. "If anyone should be sorry, it's me."

"Nonsense, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said softly, placing one hand on her shoulder. Harry released her and she saw him wipe one eye before she turned to look up at her Headmaster; she briefly noticed a small silver goblet of sorts in Dumbledore's other hand before he added, "No one among us has any fault for the events of tonight."

"Dumbledore's right." Mad-Eye growled, as he hobbled over to stand beside Ron. "Although there're two young men here that might have shown a bit more vigilance!"

"Alastor, come now." Kingsley began, with both arms crossed over his chest, "These men are heroes."

"Bah!" Mad-Eye grumbled, "Heroes are made when careless fools take chances…and get lucky!"

"Oh I dunno, Moody," Whitman piped up suddenly, "Give 'em a bit of credit, eh? Bluey and Hazza have shown they've got the steel bullocks it takes to be Aurors."

Mad-Eye made a huffing noise at this. "Whitman, I think you confuse bullocks of steel with brains of lead."

"Alastor, Edgar…please." Dumbledore began. Hermione saw that he had turned from her to peer down at Tonks' form, still limp in Lupin's arms. "Remus…I do hope this injury isn't a product of negligence in taking your potion as Severus instructed."

"No, sir." Tonks replied, as Lupin kneeled to set her on the ground. "This is the work of one of those cats."

"Ah." Dumbledore stated with a raise of his eyebrows. "Well, Poppy will have you fit in no time. Now, if everybody-…"

"Professor!" Ron burst out suddenly, "Severus is…I mean…Snape is here! He was in the castle!"

"Yes, I saw him too." Hermione added. She had almost completely forgotten. "But he helped me."

"Yeah…me too." Ron added, as if it almost pained him to say it. Harry was looking at them both with wide eyes.

"Of course Severus is here." Dumbledore said calmly. "But, please tell me he was able to help you in a most subtle way if in the presence of others."

"Yes, sir." Ron and Hermione said together.

"Good." Dumbledore said with a nod. "Now, will everyone please gather around the goblet? We've no more time to waste here."

"Right." Kingsley said briskly, stepping up to Dumbledore, who was now holding the goblet out in front of him a bit.

"I concur." Mad-Eye growled.

"Aye." Whitman replied.

Everyone gathered as quickly as possible. Hermione squeezed in between Ron and Lupin, who had once again lifted Tonks in his arms. Ron took hold of Hermione's hand and squeezed tightly. A sudden rumbling of excitement began to spin in Hermione's stomach as everyone reached out their hands for the goblet. She was going home. They would all be home in a matter of seconds.

Once everyone had at least one finger upon the goblet, Dumbledore raised his wand. He then placed its tip upon the Portkey, but before he could utter a word a sudden whooshing sound was heard from overhead. It startled Hermione so; the very hand she had placed upon the Portkey flew to her mouth as she gasped and looked to the sky.

Through the fog, she had made out a rider upon a winged horse flying in the direction of the castle. Before Hermione's eyes had even left the sky, she heard another whooshing sound. Harry had transformed into his Pegasus form in seconds and taken off in pursuit of the other horse.

---

"What in bloody hell is he doing?" Ron exclaimed as his heart began beating heavily in his throat. No one answered him as quiet chaos erupted among the small group.

Ron could have sworn he had looked into the sky to see someone fly by, as if on a broom, but he had seen no broom! Then Harry had taken off like a madman…or mad-horse. And now! Now, Ron felt as if he had been cursed with a body-bind as he watched everyone around him.

Dumbledore, who had picked up a jagged stone from the ground, had the most steely and unreadable expression Ron had ever seen him wear.

"Portus!" Dumbledore breathed, holding his wand to the rock. He then quickly handed the rock to Tonks, who had once again been placed on the ground by Lupin, who was standing tall and peering into the sky.

"You take this, Nymphadora. No buts; there's no time. It will take you straight to Poppy. Go. Now!" Dumbledore ordered.

At these words Lupin looked down at Tonks, who was able to give him a fleeting glance before she disappeared with the stone Portkey.

"Professor!" Ron shouted, suddenly able to move again. "What about Hermione?"

"This is for yourself and Miss Granger." Dumbledore said quickly, thrusting the silver goblet into Ron's hands. "I'm sending you both directly to the safest place in Hogwarts right now. My office. Go. Now!"

As soon as Dumbledore had given his order, he turned to Lupin, and grabbed hold of his arm. Ron was standing with Hermione, but neither of them made to obey their Headmaster as they continued to watch in silent trepidation.

"Was it Miss Weasley, Remus? Did you see?" Dumbledore asked. Ron felt a pain shoot from his heart to his brain at these words. Miss Weasley? Ginny?

"Yes." Lupin replied quickly in that strange double-voice. "Her scent was strong. She must be bleeding. I believe she might have wounded herself in order to attract that Thestral."

"Foolish girl!" Mad-Eye growled. "She must have asked the creature to track Harry."

"It would have been an easy task for one of those beasts to track the scent of a Pegasus." Kingsley added.

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a mere second before turning to Mad-Eye, Whitman, and Kingsley, who were all three standing to his side, listening intently with their wands in hand.

"You three come with me." Dumbledore began, "Miss Weasley won't be able to see the castle. Harry might stop her from running into it, but there will be Death Eaters about."

They all nodded as Dumbledore turned to exit the cove. As he turned, however, he laid his eyes upon Ron and Hermione, who were now staring at him in horrified silence. "I told you two to go!" He said evenly before turning back to Lupin, "Accompany these two to my office."

"Of course." Lupin replied quickly, but Ron wasn't sure if Dumbledore heard for they were gone from sight already, leaving Ron, Hermione, and Lupin alone in the cove.

"I'm not leaving Harry and my sister!" Ron demanded, removing his wand.

"Yes you are!" Lupin said harshly, holding out the goblet with his long, clawed hand.

"Was it her arm?" Hermione asked suddenly, in a small voice.

"What?" Lupin asked, sounding a bit agitated as he continued to keep the goblet held out for them to take.

"Harry's vision." Ron said, a horrible sick feeling overtaking him. "He saw Ginny amid jagged rocks with a bloody arm."

Lupin's yellow eyes seemed to stare through Ron for a moment as if he were thinking, before he shook his wolfish head and nearly growled. "Take hold of the Portkey!"

"Reducto!"

Ron and Hermione both fell hard onto the marshy ground as a silver dust burst into the air from Lupin's hand. Lupin made a sort of sneezing sound and squeezed his eyes shut as apparently, bits of what remained of their Portkey had blown into his eyes and snout.

Ron had nearly forgotten the utterance of the spell as he stared transfixed at the falling silver dust, but he soon looked up when he heard a gruff and scratchy voice.

"Look, Rat-tail." Dolohov rasped. "It's one of your dear old friends."

Through the fog, Ron could just make out the faces of Pettigrew, Dolohov, and Mr. Goyle. He stood from the ground quickly, raising his wand as he helped Hermione up, as well.

"I believe it was Wormtail, Dolohov, but Rat-tail may actually be more fitting." Lupin said in a growl. Pettigrew didn't respond, and Ron thought he looked a bit jumpy as he stood behind Dolohov.

"Look who else we have here, Antonin." Goyle said with a snicker. "Little Miss Survivor."

Ron's blood immediately began to boil, but he said nothing as he took a step in front of Hermione. Lupin hadn't moved, yet Ron could hear a steady growl coming from him.

"You mean Little Miss Lucky." Dolohov sneered. "Though, I don't think your cards are quite as high tonight. Only a poor apprentice wizard and a domesticated wolf to protect you…"

Ron was so angry, he could feel heat in his cheeks so warm, he felt his face must have been lighting up the foggy cove. But still, he made no comment or move. They were trying to provoke them, but it wouldn't work. He wasn't going to make an angry, mindless move, putting himself, Hermione, and Lupin in a greater state of vulnerability. They were already about twenty feet below the Death Eaters, completely exposed in their small cove, with only the fog for cover.

"You know, Goyle," Dolohov began, "Bella is quite good at exterminating hairy mongrels, perhaps we should call her over to-…"

Before Dolohov could finish his insult, Lupin had amazingly jumped ten feet into the air, grabbing hold of the jagged rock hill the Death Eaters were atop. The three looked temporarily stunned, which gave Lupin the advantage he needed to jump the rest of the way up the hill and onto the landing with the three men. Ron and Hermione could not see what was happening, but they could see lights and hear shouts and growls.

Without fully knowing what he planned to do, Ron grabbed hold of Hermione's hand and darted out of the cove, in the direction of the forest. They had been spotted, Lupin had left their side, and their Portkey had been obliterated. And for whatever reason, the forest seemed the safest place for them at the moment. A flash of Tonks' mangled leg settled itself in Ron's mind as he continued to drag Hermione uphill toward the trees and away from the flashing lights and growls of the brawl. His gut was telling him to go back to the fight and help Lupin, but his heart was screaming for him to keep Hermione in his sight and safe.

It seemed like another lifetime ago that he had been on the Hogwart's Quidditch field and heard Hermione scream his name through the mirror. But it wasn't a lifetime ago…it was that morning. He wouldn't lose her again. Not twice in a lifetime, and certainly not twice in one day.

Suddenly, green trees began to take shape in the distance. In seconds they were upon them and stepping out of the fog into the enchanted woods. As soon as their feet hit the leafy ground of the forest, the sounds of spells, shouting, and wind ceased so that Ron could fully hear the beating of his heart in his ears.

He wasn't about to stop once they entered the forest, but when he tried to continue their quick pace into the trees, Hermione stopped him by holding her ground. Ron stopped and turned to see her doubled over a bit.

"Ron, it's my robe!" She panted, "It's caught…"

Ron peered down at a section of Hermione's robe, which was indeed snagged on a small knob of a tree. "Hold on to me." Ron said as he bent to try and free the fabric.

Just as she began to wrap her arms about his neck, however, she made a gasping sound and disappeared back into the wall of fog.

"Hermione!" Ron shouted, hurdling over a bush and fallen limb back onto the marshy ground.

He held his breath and felt the blood drain from his face and settle into his feet at the sight in front of him. Dolohov was smirking at him, one hand holding Hermione against him, the other thrusting a wand at her throat. Not just any wand, either. It was Hermione's wand. Dolohov had his own wand held tightly in his other hand. A bit surprisingly, there was no sign of Pettigrew, Goyle, or Lupin.

"Let her go." Ron stated as steadily and strongly as he could. "Just let her go and duel me man to man."

"Any why would I do that?" Dolohov asked gruffly, yet with a hint of a smile that showed how much he was enjoying this.

"For one, it would be more honorable." Ron began, "But I know honor means nothing to you. So instead, you should let her go to save your hide. If you don't, I'll kill you right here and now."

Dolohov made a sort of coughing noise that Ron realized was a laugh. "Boy, if you could see mere pictures of the things I've done to wizards much more powerful than the likes of you, your knees would buckle."

Ron opened his mouth to retort, when he noticed Hermione doing something odd with her eyes. She was opening them wide and looking down at the ground and then up again. She started to mouth something when Dolohov tightened his grip around her neck, causing her to make a choking sound.

"What are you playing at, little girl?" Dolohov growled.

Without warning, Hermione raised her foot from the ground and brought her heel down hard into Dolohov's shin. He grunted and swore loudly, while at the same time loosening his grip enough for Hermione to drop to the ground, giving Ron a clear shot at Dolohov's chest. Ron quickly focused his anger into his wand, shooting a magic burst of blue light at Dolohov, who stumbled backward.

Hermione stood from the ground and ran to Ron's side. Dolohov still had both his wand and Hermione's, so Hermione crouched behind Ron, who knew in an instant what his next move would be.

"Lumen Contego!" Ron shouted, pointing his wand forward, while reaching down for Hermione's hand.

A bright white, transparent globe of light encircled Ron and Hermione, just as Dolohov yelled 'Crucio!'

A black light shot out of his wand, but when it contacted with Ron's shield, it turned a faint purple and ricocheted back toward Dolohov, who dodged it by quickly rolling to his left. Ron guessed that his protective charm had caught the Death Eater so off guard that he forgot how near they were to a small cliff. The cliff dropped into a similar cove as the one Ron and Hermione had recently retreated from, but the drop-off was a good thirty feet to a jagged, stone floor.

Dolohov missed rolling off of the cliff by a few inches, but as he stood quickly from his vulnerable position, just enough rock gave way under his feet to cause him to lose his footing. In seconds Dolohov was grasping onto the plateau by his bony, wrinkled hands…one of which was still holding Hermione's wand.

Ron lowered his shield and with Hermione by his side, approached the Death Eater. "Who's playing with high cards now?" Ron asked between clenched teeth, as he bent to retrieve Hermione's wand.

After prying it from Dolohov's fingers, Ron handed it over to Hermione, who looked quite relieved to have it back.

"Hand over your wand." Ron ordered harshly.

"It…it fell." Dolohov panted as his fingers began to slip a bit and more rocks began to crumble and fall down the sides of the cliff.

"Hand it over!" Ron shouted, lifting one foot and holding it threateningly above Dolohov's right hand, which was beginning to bleed from hanging on to the jagged rocks.

"I swear it fell below!" Dolohov shouted, before panting, "Please…help me!"

"Why should I?" Ron asked.

"I'll die if you don't!" He growled.

"Ron…" Hermione began, "We can't let him die…"

"Hermione, he was a second away from killing you." Ron stated. "Let's go."

Before Ron could turn, Dolohov shouted, "Little girl! You won't be able to live with the guilt! My blood will be on your hands!"

"Don't listen to him, Hermione." Ron said, grabbing hold of Hermione's elbow to try and lead her away.

"Ron!" She pleaded once more. By the look in her eyes, Ron knew he was going to have to save the bastard. Even if he could live with Dolohov's blood on his hands, Hermione really would be eaten by the guilt.

Grudgingly, Ron turned to Dolohov, and held one hand out for him. The man took it quickly, and Ron was able to pull him up from the rocks. Ron let go of him as soon as possible and was about to back away when Dolohov snatched something from within his robes…his wand. Ron knew what spell the Death Eater was about to cast, and he knew he was too late to stop it as he brought his own wand up in defense. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he heard the words:

"Avada…Ke-…"

"NO!"

Before Ron could blink or even take a breath, he saw a bright blue light shoot passed him and hit Dolohov square in the chest. The man's eyes went wide as he was blasted backward. Ron glanced down at Dolohov's feet, which were sliding off the edge of the cliff. He had time to reach out and grab for him, but he kept his wand pointed at the man, and his other arm down at his side as he watched him fall into the fog.

A gruff yell began, but was cut short as a horrible thud echoed up the cove. Ron lit his wand and peered downward, but as soon as he felt Hermione's arms about his waist he put out his light. He had seen below, but he wasn't about to let Hermione, who was already shaking from head to toe.

Ron pulled them back farther from the cliff's edge before sinking to the damp ground with her wrapped in his arms.

"You saved me, Hermione." Ron said softly.

"He was going to kill you." Hermione whispered in a shaky voice. "Right in front of me. You pulled him up, but he was going to…I didn't know what else to do…He was-…"

"Hermione, these men have no hearts." Ron began, rubbing a hand along Hermione's arm, "You saved my life just now, alright?"

"I love you." She whispered, kissing him lightly on the corner of his mouth.

Ron sighed, before holding her a bit tighter. "Hermione, I-…"

Just then, a whooshing sound filled the air above them, and a black horse began descending upon them. They each stared upward as Harry landed beside them with Ginny on his back. Ginny nearly jumped off of him and ran toward Ron and Hermione, embracing them both. Ron barely got a glimpse of a long cut down Ginny's right, upper arm before he was patting her soothingly and watching Harry transform into a human.

"Ginny, what were you thinking?" Ron demanded, suddenly remembering what his sister had done to get there, "Harry told you to stay at Hogwarts!"

"Ron, I've already half-chewed her head off," Harry said suddenly, kneeling beside his three embraced mates. "Now where's Dumbledore?"

"What?" Hermione asked in a slightly higher voice than normal as she quickly broke the embrace. "You mean you didn't…? You mean you haven't…?"

"Ah, hell." Ron swore, "You must've crossed each other's paths."

"Whose path?" Ginny asked confusedly.

"They went looking for you both!" Hermione exclaimed, standing from the ground, "Dumbledore, Whitman, Mad-Eye, and Kingsley! They're headed for the castle!"

"Lupin's out there somewhere, too." Ron added, as a cramp began to twist in his stomach.

"Well, where's the Portkey?" Harry asked, his brows furrowed. "We can at least send the girls back."

"No!" Ginny shouted.

"There is no Portkey, anyway." Hermione offered. "Dolohov blew it to bits."

"Dolohov?" Harry asked, raising his wand. "Where is he?"

"I blasted him over that cliff." Hermione said absently, motioning behind her with her thumb. Harry and Ginny both looked at her as if she'd just spoken a completely foreign language, but she was oblivious so they turned to Ron as if to ask, 'Is she mad?'

"I think he died instantly." Ron said, "But that's neither here nor there right now…Well, I guess it is there," Ron corrected himself, glancing toward the cliff, "But no matter. We've got to find Dumbledore and the others, and get everyone out of here!"

"Right." Harry agreed. "Listen, I think the girls should stay in the forest…hidden. You and I can fly over the area quickly. It won't take long to spot them."

"I'm not staying here." Ginny protested.

"Well, fine, because I'm not leaving you and Hermione in that forest, anyway." Ron stated evenly.

"What?" Harry asked.

"There's a long story of Wemic politics thatwe don't have time for right now, but believe me when I say the forest isn't any safer than the grounds."

"So you propose we set out in this fog by foot?"

"Why foot?"

"The three of you can't fit safely on my back."

Ron sighed heavily before giving a small shrug. "Then yes, I propose we set out by foot."

"Me too." Hermione said quickly.

"Me three." Ginny added.

Harry looked a bit annoyed for a fleeting moment before he nodded sharply and turned toward the castle. "Then follow me." He ordered, taking hold of Ginny's hand.

"Wait!" Hermione said suddenly, grabbing Ginny's free hand.

"What, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

Without warning Hermione pulled Ginny's torn shirt sleeve away from the wound, and cast some sort of spell that immediately closed off the cut.

"Wow, Hermione!" Ginny breathed turning her arm this way and that as Hermione dropped Ginny's hand.

"Now, that's only temporary. So try not to use that arm very much, alright?" Hermione asked; Ginny simply nodded as Ron took hold of Hermione's hand.

"Shall we?" Harry asked. The three obediently fell in step behind him.

"We're at least following the tree line." Harry began as they turned a bit east until the trees were visible. "That way we won't end up going in circles through this fog."

"We could always just use the Four-Point Spell." Hermione offered.

"Well, I also sort of like the idea of being able to run into the trees if necessary." Harry said calmly.

They walked a bit more until they began to hear bursts and shouts. It was immediately clear to the four that there were many battles taking place across the grounds. There were so many, however, and such an echo among the mountain-surrounded plateau…there was no way of knowing which direction the noises were coming from. One second it would sound as if the commotion were merely a few yards away in this direction or that, but then seconds later it would sound distant…barely audible.

At one point they came along a stream flowing from the trees out into the middle of the grounds, and they decided that it was time to leave the security of the tree line. They would run straight into the castle before they caught sight of Dumbledore if they continued along this way much further. So, Harry suggested that they follow the stream into the middle of the plateau. This way, if trouble arose, they could run back along the stream, knowing it would lead them straight to the forest.

They had merely walked thirty yards or so along the stream's bank when a bright green light streaked through the air in front of them. Each of them ducked instinctively among some tall grass, which was growing along the banks.

"You missed him again, you fool!"

Ron and Hermione exchanged a brief glance before they each looked to Harry, whose face had gone completely stony. Harry had not seen Sirius' murderer since that day at the Department of Mysteries. Ron and Hermione then squinted their eyes to better see the two cloaked figures standing a few yards away. Hermione had one hand squeezing tightly to Ron's upper arm, but at the sound of the second voice, her hold loosened a bit.

"Well, what do you expect, Bellatrix? With that damn eye, he can dodge anything!"

"Oh, forget it!" Bellatrix seethed, "The Dark Lord is only concerned with two here tonight, anyway."

"Dumbledore has surely sent Potter back to Hogwarts by now. I say we regroup with Lucius and Rastaban."

"Severus, you almost sound as if you hope Potter has escaped!"

"Don't be so utterly ridiculous! I just think our services would be better spent handling those blasted Aurors."

"What has happened to your faith in the Dark Lord? He said he could still feel Potter's presence. The boy is here!"

"My faith in the Dark Lord is as strong as ever. I just…" Snape faltered a bit, and although Ron couldn't make out any details of the man's face, he was fairly sure he was quickly thinking of a convincing response. "If I'm to be honest…My true concern lies with you."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"Bella, should you really be fighting while carrying an unborn child?"

"If Potter dies tonight, nothing that happens to me or my child will have been in vain."

Snape remained silent after this comment. But even if he were about to respond, he would have been interrupted by a quick rustling of footsteps.

"Severus! Bella!" Called a voice, much too familiar for Ron.

"Lucius!" Bellatrix called, sounding a bit relieved to have the company of someone other than Snape.

"Look what we've found." Lucius said with his pompous tone. Ron squinted his eyes more to try and see who the "we" and what the "what" was that Lucius was referring to. The "who" was almost immediately made apparent.

"Rastaban, what is that you have?" Bellatrix asked with a bit of a maniacal sound to her voice, which told Ron that she already knew what it was. "A man? No… Let me see… A dog? No… Ah! It's a filthy, mangy, half-blood."

"Half-blood. Yes." Lucius sneered. "In more ways than one."

Ron had his suspicions as to who Rastaban and Lucius had captured, and they were confirmed when Snape lit his wand and shone it in Lupin's face. They had stripped him of his robe and cast some sort of binding spell on his body, which kept his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Ron saw that it was Lucius that had his wand jabbed into Lupin's side, keeping him bound and suspended a bit in the air. There was a trickling of blood running out of Lupin's mouth and down the hair of his chin. His yellow eyes looked weak and dazed, as well.

"We need to kill him quickly so that we can join the others." Rastaban said, "There's an Aussie and that Shacklebolt bloke fighting with Crabbe, Goyle, Draco, and Gregory."

"And what of Dumbledore and the boy?" Bellatrix asked almost hungrily.

"Nothing." Lucius stated evenly. "I'm sure they're hiding like the cowards they are, which is why we must keep searching."

"Right, so hurry up and kill the mongrel, Severus." Rastaban said.

"What?" Snape asked, sounding as if he really hadn't heard the other man.

"You heard him, Severus!" Bellatrix screeched. "What's the matter with you tonight? Rastaban has brought you the last of your worst enemies. Now kill him!"

"It's only right for the honor to be yours." Lucius said.

"Do it…" Lupin said suddenly. He still had that strange double-voice, but this time it was more hoarse than normal.

Ron couldn't believe his ears. What could they have possibly done to Lupin that would make him give up on life so easily, but then Ron realized something. If Snape refused to kill Lupin, the others would almost certainly realize Snape's loyalties. Lupin was giving Snape permission to kill him in order for him to remain a spy for the Order.

Ron could see that everyone was staring at Snape, who hadn't even raised his wand yet. Ron then realized that Hermione was squeezing his arm like crazy, and he knew that she was thinking the same as him. They had to do something. Just as Ron was getting ready to stand, Harry shot up out of the grass, wand ready, and shouted:

"Praeliumurus!"

As soon as the word left Harry's mouth, a circular beam of light shot out of Harry's wand and, in the blink of an eye, spread wide to form a lucid, silvery wall inches in front of him…ten feet high and wide.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were on their feet almost instantly, wands ready. Ron had never heard this spell before, and by the looks on Hermione and Ginny's faces, neither had they. Of course, the Death Eaters on the other side of the wall looked more shocked than the girls, but Ron was fairly sure it had little to do with the actual spell and more to do with four teenagers suddenly jumping out of the grass.

"Let him go." Harry said suddenly. Ron noticed that Harry's wand, aimed steadily before him, had a thin wisp of light connecting the tip to the shield. Lupin, still magically bound and suspended by Rastaban, looked even more miserable at the sight of Harry. His eyes held a sadness Ron was sure he'd never seen before.

The Death Eaters had their wands pointed at the four teenagers, and each of them wore an expression of shock and hatred. Although, Ron noticed Bellatrix's expression was more akin to amusement.

"Well, well, well…how lovely to see you tonight, Potter…" Bellatrix rasped, licking her lips a bit as she took a step in front of her brother-in-law. "I see you were hiding in the grass this whole time. We should've known to search as low as possible when looking for a dirtied half-blood."

"Let...him…go". Harry repeated, ignoring her insult. Ron was surprised at how calm Harry sounded and how still his hand was around his wand. Ron gripped his wand tighter, willing his hand to be as steady as Harry's; last summer at the Department of Mysteries a full fledged brawl broke out before the talking was over.

Although Ron could see everyone's warm breath lifting from their mouths in the chilling air, a layer of sweat covered his entire body. Glancing at Hermione and Ginny, Ron thought Hermione looked more calm and steady than his sister. Of course, she had been through more than any of them in the last twenty-four hours.

"Oh come now Potter" Bellatrix taunted, "you don't truly believe hiding behind your shiny little wall can possibly protect you from the Dark Lord's best servants, do you?"

"Harry has faced that bastard five times, and look who's standing before you!" Ginny shouted suddenly, her voice shaking with anger.

"Ginny!" Hermione warned in a slight groan.

Ron could've sworn he saw a tiny quiver pulling at the corner of Harry's mouth. As for the Death Eaters, they were now staring at Ginny with disgust, including Snape.

"How can you call yourself a pureblood?" Rastaban asked, disgustedly.

"I don't call myself a pureblood." Ginny retorted, holding her head high. "I call myself a witch!"

"I call myself a witch!" Bellatrix mimicked in a high-pitched voice that sounded nothing at all like Ginny. "Your little defensive spells will only get you so far, but dark magic has more power than any of you have ever known."

"Is it possible," Harry began darkly, "That if your dear husband had better learned his defensive magic, he would still be alive?"

"How dare you!" Bellatrix hissed, her eyes glossing over as she began to approach the wall, Lucius grabbed her with one arm to hold her back. She wrenched herself free, yet stood her ground, visibly shaking with rage.

"Yes!" She shrieked, and then more calmly, "…Yes…your precious Order did take my husband, but once we spill your blood, this dog…" She then turned and jabbed her wand into Lupin's chest, "…Will be the next victim…"

Lucius put a steadying hand on Bellatrix's wand, and guided it down from Lupin. "Now Bella," Lucius began in his cold drawl, "You mustn't get overexcited. We don't want you to kill off anyone just yet, and we all know how you so enjoy killing…dogs." At this Lucius turned his sneering face to look Harry in the eye.

Ron saw Harry swallow hard as his wand hand began to shake slightly. Ginny put her free hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Oh, too right you are, Lucius." Bellatrix began, her own shaking slowly being replaced by a mad glimmer in her black eyes. "I'd almost forgotten; it was, after all, such an easy task."

Harry was gripping his wand so tightly, his knuckles appeared as white pebbles against his hands, reddened from the cold. Ron knew the only thing between the four of them and a string of Killing Curses was the translucent wall shining before them, held by Harry's wand. The Death Eaters were aware of this too, and Ron knew Harry was itching to take a shot at one of them…or all of them. But that shot could cost the protection of Hermione…of his sister…

"Oi there!" Ron yelled suddenly. To his satisfaction, all attention was drawn to him, "I was thinking, I'm pureblooded and all…and that seems to be worth gold to you lot. So why is it that you blindly follow a mere half-blood? I mean, how ironic, a Weasley's blood is worth more than Voldemort!"

These words flew off of Ron's tongue like a hot knife slicing butter. He was a bit surprised with himself, but he dared not show it.

Although everyone, on both sides of the wall, wore expressions of shock, Lucius was the first to respond. He quickly took several steps forward, and pointing his wand at Ron, he spat with great loathing, "You revolting, blood-traitoring fool…Crucio!"

Ron barely had enough time to brace himself before a black light impacted with Harry's shield. After impact a tiny black ball of light seemed caught in the shield directly in front of Ron, who felt himself slowly exhaling a breath. However, he almost immediately snatched the breath back as the light sped to the center of the wall, and Harry's wand. As soon as it touched Harry's wand, Harry let out a low growl of pain, grabbing his wrist with his free hand, but also dropping his wand to the marshy ground.

The shield disappeared immediately; seemingly fading into the fog. The realization at their sudden vulnerability seemed to settle over Ron in slow motion, before dropping into Ron's stomach like a stone. Then, everything seemed to happen at once.

Hermione and Bellatrix were the first to act.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione shouted. The spell hit Snape square in the chest, who toppled over backward, as stiff as a board. Ron cursed under his breath, sure Hermione meant to hit one of the others, but when he looked at her, she only gave a short nod as if pleased with her work.

"Accio Potter's wand!" Bellatrix shrieked, pointing her own wand at Harry's, idle on the ground. The wand began to glide across the grass, but Harry rose from the ground and leapt forward, grasping it with his fingertips.

Bellatrix with wide eyes, and an unearthly grin, thrust her wand down at Harry's form, as did Lucius.

"Protego!" Ron shouted, aiming for Harry. He uttered his spell less than a mere second before the Death Eaters' curses. A faint blue light domed over Harry, as two red lights from Bellatrix and Lucius collided with the dome and miraculously exploded backward, knocking the two off of their feet.

Harry scrambled up and retreated to stand in front of Ginny. Ron snapped out of his bit of shock, and reached a hand out for Hermione. She came to him, grabbing his hand as they both ducked.

The fog and tall grass shielded them temporarily as Ron tried to form some sort of plan. Ginny and Harry suddenly ran forward, together, and were dueling with Rastaban and Bellatrix. Lucius was subdued by Lupin, who was no longer bound.

"Hermione, we've got to unbind Snape." Ron stated, preparing to make his way toward him. Ron could just make out a dark form amidst the grass and fog a few yards away.

"What? No!" Hermione whispered harshly, grabbing Ron's hand.

"Hermione, wha-…"

"I meant to hit Snape!" She began, "If he's unbound and doesn't help the Death Eaters, they'll know!

Of course, Ron thought, feeling a bit dim, but impressed with Hermione's quick logic.

"We must help Harry and Ginny." Hermione said.

Ron wanted to protest so badly. He wanted to tell her to stay hidden while he helped, but he wouldn't leave her. Plus, he had to show that he had faith in her. How could he look into her anxious brown eyes and refuse her to use the talents he knew she had as a witch.

"Right." Ron responded before raptly stealing a kiss from her unsuspecting lips. Gripping her hand tightly, Ron stood from the grass and started toward the fight.

The first thing to meet their eyes through the dense fog was Lupin's wolf-like body sprawled on the ground, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, his eyes closed.

"Professor!" Hermione breathed, rushing to his side, and grabbing one limp paw in her hand. "Professor, can you hear me?"

As Ron looked down upon the unconscious face of Lupin and then up through the fog at the dueling bodies of Bellatrix, Rastaban, Harry, and Ginny, he realized something that made his skin prickle.

"Ron, we've got to get him out of here." Hermione said, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Where's Lucius?" Ron asked.

"What?"

"Lucius and Lupin were fighting earlier. Now, where's-…"

"The f-forest…" Lupin mumbled.

"Professor…" Ron breathed, leaning a bit closer to Lupin's mouth so he could better hear his weakened voice.

"Track him." Lupin began, his yellow eyes staring into Ron's. "I…heard him…telling…Rastaban. He said if trouble arose…one of them…should get reinforcements…feline reinforcements."

"Ah, bugger." Ron muttered. "What about Harry and Ginny; they need our help."

"And imagine the help you four will need if you try and take on a herd of Wemics and Death Eaters." Lupin said, sitting up slowly; his voice growing a bit stronger.

"He's right, Ron." Hermione said.

"I know." Ron admitted, "Will you come with us then?"

"I…I don't think I can walk." Lupin said.

For the first time, Ron looked at Lupin's legs. They were covered in gray hair, yet there were large mats of hair and dried blood around his knees and shins.

"Don't worry about me." Lupin said, "Find Lucius…stop him."

Hermione was still gripping tightly to Lupin's paw, and looked as if letting go was the last thing she wanted to do. But, Ron knew Lupin was right. If they were to have any chance of catching up with Lucius, they would have to leave Lupin behind.

Ron pried Hermione's hand away from Lupin and pulled her up with him as he rose from the ground. Ron glanced around briefly before nodding once at Lupin and turning to retrace their earlier steps along the stream. It would lead them straight back to the forest, and was no doubt the same path Lucius had taken.

Ron wasn't sure why, but all of his senses seemed to be heightened as he and Hermione walked toward the forest, hand in hand, along the stream. The fog seemed denser than ever, yet Ron felt as though he could see about fifteen feet in front of him instead of ten. The sound of the rippling stream, which had earlier seemed to glide downstream with casualness now sounded like a thousand hurried footsteps taking residence beside Ron's eardrums.

Their own footsteps were taken as quickly as they could without making too much noise. Every once in a while Ron would see a red, blue, or green light reflected in the stream…It was coming from the duel he and Hermione had left Harry and Ginny to deal with. What must they be thinking? They surely had no idea where he and Hermione had gone to, and if they reckoned they had retreated gutlessly…The thought of Harry dieing in a duel with the taste of his friend's betrayal on his lips was enough to make Ron hurry their steps a bit more.

"Ron?" Hermione whispered suddenly. Her tiny voice sent a chill over Ron and made him stop in his tracks to gaze down at her worried face.

"What is it?"

"Are you alright? You're sort of squeezing the life out of my hand." Hermione responded. Ron briefly glanced down at his white knuckles and long fingers clutching to Hermione's poor thin hand before he loosened his grip. He then pulled her hand to his lips and kissed its back lightly.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Ron said, winning a small smile from her.

"IMPEDIMENTA!"

The curse came from the banks on the opposite side of the stream, hitting Ron in the middle of his abdomen and knocking him five feet from Hermione, who let out a stifled scream. Ron felt as if every bit of oxygen in his lungs had been knocked out of them as he gasped for breath on the ground, but this was the last thing on his mind as a searing pain ran up and down his right arm, where a jagged rock the size of his hand had broken his fall.

Ron's eyes were having a bit of trouble focusing, but he managed to push himself up from the ground with his left arm. As he glanced about him for Hermione, he realized she was nowhere to be seen. Although, there was a figure approaching…crossing smoothly over the stream. Flying? A Dementor! It had to be, thought Ron. Long black cloak, floating almost gracefully…he had to conjure a Patronus!

"My wand…" Ron whispered. Looking around the ground frantically, he realized his wand had fallen from his hand with his fall.

"Accio wand!" Ron rasped, holding his right arm with his left hand, he could feel blood oozing between his fingers.

His wand didn't come, but he was answered by a low chuckle coming from the figure now standing where he and Hermione had been moments before. Dementors don't chuckle…and neither do they cast spells, Ron thought.

"I see by your eyes, Weasley, that Dark Magic amazes you." Lucius sneered, his long face and slick blonde hair coming into view as he took a step closer.

"You…fly?"

"Ha…no, fool." Lucius began, "It is an ancient self-levitation charm known by dark wizards."

"What have you done with-…"

"Your wand?" Lucius interrupted. Ron was going to say Hermione, but he then realized something that eased the pain in his arm a bit. Lucius must've only seen Ron from the opposite side of the stream. Hermione had caught some of the blast and was hiding amidst the grass. Please stay hidden… Ron willed silently.

"Yes, my wand." Ron lied.

"You must mean this…although I thought it a mere twig." Lucius said, holding up two thin, short pieces of wood. Ron felt a horrible sinking feeling wash over him, as Lucius added, "I'm afraid these second-hand items just don't hold up as well as…well, the very best."

As another mocking chuckle erupted from Lucius, Ron hastily knelt to the ground and snatched up the jagged rock that had broken his arm and fall, and threw it as hard as he could toward Lucius. It missed as Lucius moved swiftly to his left, chuckling all the while.

"Look at how utterly useless you are without your wand, Weasley!" Lucius laughed, "If only your Muggle-loving father were here to see you fight like a Muggle. How proud he would be."

Clenching one fist tight at his side, the other hanging limp and painful, Ron closed his eyes and used his anger to silently cast a powerful bludgeoning curse. As Ron opened his eyes, he felt as if a water tap had been turned on for a brief second to let a bit of his anger ooze out as the curse hit Lucius in his left shoulder. Lucius was sent sprawling unceremoniously into the cold water of the stream. Ron took this opportunity to look around for Hermione; she was still nowhere to be seen.

Ron was preparing to dart for the trees in hopes to find Hermione had made a run for it, but his heart stopped beating as he saw Lucius emerge, soaking wet, from the stream with a limp form in his arms.

"Thank you, Weasley," Lucius began, "You made the task of finding this Mudblood much easier for me. Tell me though, whose fool idea was it for her to hide in the below freezing temperatures of the water? It will be such a pity if she's dead. I'm sure she had a slew of vital information we could have extracted from her. Possibly with one simple word…Crucio!"

Ron was blinded with the white-hot pain coursing through him as he fell to the ground. The only thing he could see was the blue-tinted lips of Hermione's motionless form and the bloody wound on her forehead. She must have fallen into the stream after the Impediment curse burst them apart. But she couldn't be dead. How long was she in those frigid waters? Suddenly Ron realized through the fiery pain in his nerves that someone was screaming. Was it Hermione? He was being stabbed by thousands of knives…his internal organs felt like they were collapsing…and someone was screaming…himself. Ron couldn't hear the screaming anymore, and it was probably because his lungs did not have sufficient air. He wanted to say, "Let me die. Just kill me. Anything but this pain." But he couldn't form the words.

And then suddenly, the pain ceased. Ron was panting, gasping for breath, as he stared up into the fog. He couldn't move. A figure was suddenly peering over him. It was Lucius, and he was still holding Hermione…she was still unconscious.

"Is she dead?" Ron asked breathlessly, pushing himself up from the cold ground with his left arm; his right was of no use to him at all.

"Unfortunately for her…no." Lucius said with deathly calm. Ron felt a huge relief pour over him as he stood to face the Death Eater, who aimed his wand at Ron's chest. "But you and she will both wish for death before the Dark Lord is through with you."

Ron felt a sinking sensation in his stomach as he recalled that he had wished for death during the Cruciatus Curse. He would not let Hermione feel that pain.

Ron thought of many adequate silent curses to throw at Lucius, but with Hermione in Lucius' arms, it was too risky. Suddenly, however, the Death Eater thrust Hermione at him. Ron stumbled backward a bit and was forced to support her weight with one arm by leaning her against his chest. Before he could properly regain his balance, he felt his knees buckle against his will as he fell to them in the mud. Ron still had his arm wrapped tightly around Hermione's waist, but he wasn't prepared to feel a thick rope wrap itself around the both of them like a snake, squeezing the life out of its prey.

Ron looked up at Lucius, who was smiling cruelly and lowering his wand, apparently satisfied with the painful ropes he'd conjured. Ron felt as if the ropes were cutting ridges into his skin, but that pain was nothing compared to the burning of his right arm.

"Ron?"

Ron looked down at Hermione's pale face, lying against his shoulder; her eyelids were fluttering open to reveal the reddened whites of her eyes. The look on her face as she gazed up at him told Ron that she was also feeling the pain of the ropes, tightening with their every move.

"What…is…this?" Ron asked through gasps and gritted teeth.

Lucius looked as if he were fighting the urge to laugh. "The ropes will continue to tighten as long as you move. So why don't you just sit perfectly still? The Dark Lord surely wants the privilege of killing both of you, himself."

"Hermione, don't struggle, alright?" Ron whispered, lowering his lips to her ear. He felt her nod slightly against his cheek; Ron hoped his limbs, shaking from anger, wouldn't cause the ropes to tighten more.

Ron looked up at Lucius, with the intent of threatening the bastard, only to find the Death Eater looking about himself nervously. It was then that Ron felt it. The ground was…quaking. And Ron could hear something… thum-thum…thum-thum…

There was an odd moment when Ron and Lucius locked gazes of confusion. It was a brief moment, however, interrupted by a silhouette of a giant creature approaching through the fog from upstream.

"Finally!" Lucius rasped, approaching the Wemic, now standing tall and proud a few yards away. "I thought you dumb beasts would never come out of those damned trees!"

The Wemic didn't respond but approached Ron and Hermione, huddled on the ground, still bound by the painful ropes.

"Do younglings follow Dark One?" The Wemic asked.

"What?" Lucius asked, his brows furrowed. "Do they-…Does it look like it? Although, I suppose they're as good as his property." After these words Lucius began smoothing his robes and casting a drying spell upon them.

"Younglings do not follow Dark One?" The Wemic asked again, apparently wanting a more direct answer.

Lucius stopped his drying spell to look up at the creature with annoyance, "Did I not just answer you, fool? These two foolishly oppose the Dark Lord, therefore, must be dealt with. That is your job. Take them to the castle without being seen and lock them up. Then have another one of your beasts guard them."

The warrior nodded his head slowly in response, but instead of grabbing Ron he grabbed Lucius' wand with his saucer-like hand and wrenched it free before tossing it to the ground. Lucius looked completely shocked and angry, but before he could really react the Wemic grabbed Lucius by the collar of his robes. He then pulled him off of his feet to eye level.

"I follow Chief Egon, and Chief Egon says followers of Dark One are no longer welcomed in our home. He gave order to protect non-followers, especially younglings."

The Wemic then threw Lucius to the ground like a toy. Lucius lay completely still, his mouth open with the pain of having the air knocked from him. The Wemic reached up to his necklace, pulling a small, coiled shell from the rope. Ron watched as he tossed the shell at Lucius' form and a brown and black cage of stone and wood suddenly appeared around the man. The ground then split apart under Lucius, consumed him and his cage and re-closed, leaving no trace that the earth had just swallowed a caged human.

---

Hermione, shaking from the cold and her shock at what she'd just witnessed, cleared her throat. "W-what just happened?"

"Earth will take him to Wemic prison beneath trees." The Wemic said calmly.

"A-and your name?"

The Wemic peered down at her with one arched brow, "I am Oryin, son of Marius and follower of Egon." He said calmly before taking one long claw of his front paw and slicing through the thick ropes surrounding her and Ron.

Hermione settled on the ground beside Ron, whose arm was still held tightly around her. She would've stood, but wasn't sure that she could if she tried. Her clothes were freezing and wet, and the wound to her head was throbbing so badly it impaired her vision.

"But Egon is…dead, isn't he?" Hermione asked, holding one hand to her forehead.

"He was thought to be dead by Moritz." Oryin stated. "But Egon defeated Moritz after arising from cave."

"Oh, that's wonderful news." Hermione said with sincerity. "We need all the help we can get."

"Yes." Oryin began, "But I warn you, Wemics are gentle creatures by nature and only fight when we deem it completely necessary."

"I know." Hermione admitted. How could she push the beasts, when they had done so much for her already?

"Hermione," Ron said suddenly, rubbing one hand up and down her arm, "Give me your wand. We need to dry your clothes."

"My wand? But why do you need…My wand!" Hermione gasped, one hand flying to her mouth as she stood up from the ground. Before she could reveal the frantic feelings boiling in her stomach at the loss of her wand, she noticed something that made her stomach boil harder. "Ron! Your arm!"

"Don't worry." Ron stated firmly, pushing himself up from the ground awkwardly with one hand.

"Don't worry?" Hermione asked frantically, approaching him and leaning down to inspect the oozing wound. "I can see the bone!"

"Yes, but we don't have time." Ron stated, "We need to find Harry, and I would like to have at least one wand between us while we search for him. Lucius broke mine, so where's your wand?"

"I…I must have lost it in the stream when I fell unconscious." Hermione said, feeling completely useless. Hadn't she caused enough trouble already?

"Ask stream to bring it back." Oryin said suddenly with a look of slight confusion on his face.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Ask stream to bring wand back." Oryin stated more slowly as if talking to someone with little or no sense. When Hermione and Ron just looked at each other with blank expressions the Wemic shook his head in apparent disappointment of two such ignorant people.

The Wemic then walked slowly to the water's edge and knelt on his two front legs. He then removed a shell from his necklace of twine, and with his tanned hands held it beneath the rippling waves of the stream. While he did this, he closed his feline eyes and Hermione could've sworn she heard something…music? It was a faint whispering sound, like hundreds of tiny mermaids.

As Hermione watched this strangely beautiful ritual, she gasped as her wand began floating upstream, against the current, straight into the Wemic's hand. Oryin then rose from his kneeling position and approached Hermione, holding the wand out to her in the palm of his massive hand. It truly looked like a tiny twig until Hermione took her wand from the beast to hold it in her own small hand.

"Thank you, Oryin." Hermione said, smiling up at the creature. He merely nodded once in response. Hermione immediately began drying her damp robes as Ron cleared his throat awkwardly, shuffling one foot.

"And…my wand? I don't suppose-…"

"My apologies." Oryin said. "I can not fix broken wand, but I can tell you…Great Scarred One and youngling of ginger hair are there." Oryin then pointed one finger across the stream and toward the castle.

"Wha-…how do you know that?" Hermione asked.

"Your eyes do not see what mine see, youngling." Oryin said as he turned toward the direction of the forest. "Take care. You must go now." And with that he took off into the fog, disappearing from sight almost instantly, his massive steps falling silent on the marshy ground.

Hermione stared after him for a moment before turning to Ron and flinging her arms around his neck. She knew she was giving Mrs. Weasley a run for her money with this embrace, but she was so tired, cold, and frightened… Ron put one arm around her, but she felt him flinch and then tense up.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She whispered, pulling away. However she was pulled back into Ron's chest by his left arm, while the other hung loosely by his side. Tears threatened to spill from Hermione's eyes at the sight of his wound. She opened her mouth to insist that he let her tend to it as best she could before they continued, but Ron stilled her speech with his lips. Hermione had been so chilled for the last few hours, the soft warmth of Ron's mouth on hers nearly burned.

When Ron pulled away, he kissed her once on the nose. "Let's go find Harry and the rest so we can get out of here."

"Ron, your arm…it will only take a few minutes…"

"That may be a few more minutes than we have." He replied with firmness. Hermione wanted to protest, but at the eerie silence of the night, she knew he was right. So, biting her lip, Hermione reached down for the hem of her robes, found a tear by her right ankle, and ripped a five-inch wide strand of fabric off the entire base of her garment.

She then straightened, looking up at Ron with an apologetic frown. By the semblance of a smile in his stressed blue eyes, Hermione knew he was following her thinking. She then quickly crafted a temporary sling for his arm with a few creative ties and twists she had learned from Professor Sinistra. She tried to be gentle, although Ron still flinched a few times from pain.

She then grabbed his hand and let him lead her a good ways downstream. Finally, they approached the site of the duel that had taken place between Harry, Ginny, and the Death Eaters. There was no one about, but there were plenty of signs to give horrible hints at what took place. The ground was singed in numerous places. There were small craters and debris of stone, wood, and earth littering the ground in broad circles.

Hermione felt too scared to move, but Ron's hand tightened around hers as he took them a bit further downstream where they found a small bridge of about ten feet leading to the opposite bank…Or at least, what used to be a bridge.

Apparently some powerful spells had made it into a pile of firewood, but with a quick Reparo, some of the holes were mended well enough for them to cross. They crossed quickly, hand in hand. The fight had obviously continued over the bridge…more singed earth and debris met them. Hermione felt as if she were walking in someone else's nightmare. A nightmare that continued to get worse… A stifled gasp caught in Hermione's throat, bringing Ron to halt beside her. On the ground, a few yards ahead, was a completely motionless robed figure.

"It's Rastaban." Ron whispered, "He looks to be unconscious."

"How can we be sure?" Hermione asked, her voice coming out in a squeak.

Ron gave a brief shrug before releasing Hermione's hand, approaching the body, and giving it a quick kick in the side.

"Ronald!" Hermione reprimanded.

"Yeah, he's out." Ron stated, as if he hadn't heard her. He then took her wand from her fingers as she stared at him, aghast. Conjuring some quick ropes, Ron made them to encircle the Death Eater.

"Just in case?" Hermione asked smartly, with a hint of a smile. Ron gave her a small wink.

Staring down at Rastaban's form, his cold, pale face…Hermione shook her head at the fact that she and Ron could joke a bit in front of such a site and in such a place.

"Why didn't they bind him, you think?" Ron asked as he grabbed Hermione's hand once more. She noticed he didn't offer her her wand back, but instead, held onto it tightly in the hand of his broken arm.

"They might not have had time." Hermione stated, a scared feeling welling up inside of her again. These feelings of fear seemed to come and go in this place, sort of like the visible surroundings. One minute, she would see something…or think she saw something…the next minute it would be gone.

Just as Ron took a step in the direction of the castle, pulling her along, a bright red arch of light shot into the sky, about thirty yards away. Before either of them could respond, there was a similar arch of blue…then a spark of black…another arch, this time green.

"Ron!" Hermione gasped.

"Come on!" Ron breathed, pulling Hermione through the fog. He wasn't going directly toward the fighting, but he was swiftly leading them in an indirect path to the castle.

There were some trees coming into view. It looked as though there were a few scattered to the right of the castle, along with the jagged black rocks and some sparse brush. Ron pulled Hermione quickly toward a particularly bushy circle of brush, where they quickly ducked. The castle loomed large in the distance, at least forty yards away. It took Hermione a second to realize that the fog wasn't nearly as dense around the castle as it was on the rest of the plateau. Of course, the density of the fog was the last thing on Hermione's mind. For there was a scene before them the likes of which she had never seen.

Dumbledore, his black robes billowing around his ankles, was dueling…and winning…against seven Death Eaters. Bellatrix, Jugson, Mulciber, Rookwood, Goyle Sr., Gregory Goyle, and Draco. Crabbe Sr. and Pettigrew were not present among them.

The shocking white of Dumbledore's beard made the surrounding fog gray before him. He moved with speed and agility, making every move seem effortless. Deadly curses were blocked like disarming curses thrown by third years. Massively powerful counter attacks were executed with one or two fluid motions of his wand…or with no wand at all. He levitated nearby rocks to use as projectiles while slinging stunning spells or conjuring shields…Seeing such power and grace flow from his every move brought tears of shock and amazement to Hermione's eyes.

"He's…beautiful…" Hermione said, more to herself than Ron. She then looked up at Ron, who was looking on the scene with furrowed brows.

"Where are the others?" Ron asked with a graveness to his voice that sent a chill of worry over Hermione.

"Everywhere."

"Bloody hell!" Ron rasped as Hermione grabbed at her heart and fell from her kneeling position to her bum on the wet ground.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered, her hand moving from her heart to her mouth. "Ginny!" She squealed under her breath.

Hermione wrapped her arms around her two friends that had suddenly appeared, kneeling behind her and Ron.

"What if we had been Death Eaters? You two are in a trance!" Ginny scolded, moving from Hermione to give her brother a swift hug. She then sat down in the grass with Hermione before muttering Protegotudo, which cast an invisible shield around the four of them to deflect any stray spells from the continuing duel before them.

"We're sorry, it's just that-…"

"Oh never mind!" Ginny said quickly, "Where have ya'll been?"

"Lupin sort of sent us on a mission to stop Lucius from recruiting help from the Wemics." Hermione offered.

"Well?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed. Hermione saw that there was a bright green glint to his eyes.

"The Wemics are on our side and Lucius is locked in their dungeons." Hermione assured, placing one hand on Harry's shoulder before turning to Ginny, "But it was so awful! Ron's arm has been-…Ginny! Your arm!" Hermione put a hand to her mouth again, at the sight of Ginny's cut.

Ginny quickly covered it with one hand, but not before Hermione had seen the blood. "Don't fuss, Hermione." She said with a slight eye roll.

"Ginny, you shouldn't be in the middle of all this." Hermione said harshly, "You should be hiding!"

"Well, what exactly do you call this Hermione?" Ginny asked motioning to the surrounding bushes before knocking lightly on the invisible shield she'd conjured, which made a soft bom-bom noise.

Hermione simply shook her head, "I knew that stitching wouldn't last." She mumbled.

"Oh, really, you sound like mum." Ginny replied.

"Bloody hell, you two!" Ron said suddenly, gaining a look of understanding and agreement from Harry, "We're sitting in front of Voldemort's castle watching Dumbledore row with half a dozen ninnies, do we have some sort of plan?"

"I tried to help him, but he knocked me out of the way with a stunner." Harry grumbled, staring after Dumbledore.

"Haven't you had enough fighting for one day?" Ginny asked, smoothing the hair off Harry's forehead. She then looked at Hermione and Ron, "Bellatrix and Harry immediately began dueling back over the stream. It was amazing. He used curses I never knew existed. I think he almost forgot about her having a baby."

"I didn't forget." Harry said firmly, "I would never harm an innocent child."

"Rastaban was there too, of course." Ginny continued, "I kept him at bay while Harry and Bellatrix's fight started getting out of hand. With me there, the idea of me being hurt gave him a bit more...motivation...if you know what I mean. Bellatrix actually retreated, but we couldn't track her immediately because there was Rastaban to deal with. Which, honestly, wasn't that difficult. The idiot called me something foul, and before I took a breath Harry had hit him with a curse so powerful, Rastaban fell to the ground like a stone. Bellatrix was barely visible at that point so we hiked up our robes and ran after her."

"And what of Lupin, have you seen him?" Hermione asked quickly.

Hermione noticed a short glance pass between Ginny and Harry before Ginny continued, "Someone hit him with a curse that was eating the muscles and tendons in his legs. Hermione, it was horrible. He was pulling himself along the ground to get to someone for help. Mad-Eye, Kingsley, and Whitman took him to Hogwarts and were supposed to come right back…with reinforcements at that. The thing is, that was nearly half an hour ago and no one's seen sight of them. Harry thinks Voldemort has put a charm on the island, which won't let anyone in. Luckily Harry said it's not in his power to keep us from leaving."

"Oh no…" Hermione breathed, a sick feeling coming over her. She glanced up to see how Dumbledore was holding out. He was still slinging curses left and right, but unless it was Hermione's imagination, he didn't seem to be moving as swiftly as before.

"If he'd only-…" Harry began, but he shook his head angrily, running his hands through his unruly black hair.

"If he'd only what?" Ginny asked, rubbing a hand over his back.

"He can't keep going like this. If he'd just let me help." Harry began, "It's bad enough that the lot of them think I'm over here hiding on my own accord, but actually being forced to hide while I watch him grow weaker…"

"So, he won't let you near him?" Ron asked.

"Didn't I say he stunned me?" Harry shot back angrily before looking down at his hands, "Sorry mate…I'm just going spare sitting here like this."

"Dumbledore knows what he's doing." Hermione assured, "I'm sure he…"

"Hermione?" Ron prompted at her sudden silence. Hermione couldn't speak, however. The words she'd been about to utter were stuck in her throat, along with the scream that wanted to escape.

Emerging from the side of the castle, around a few scattered trees that outlined the jagged mountains in the distance, Hermione saw seven black-scaled snakes slithering along the ground toward the duel.

"It is time!" Bellatrix's voice rang out loud and shrill in the midst of all the fighting as if stealing the glory from Hermione's suppressed scream.

Hermione's stomach tightened around a small central core of fear as the creatures began to rear back their slick black heads, the tops of which shone green. Two red-slitted eyes were alight on each face. They continued to rise on their bellies until they reached a height of seven or eight feet, at which time Hermione saw that the base of each snake was joined at the center of the hideous creature. There were seven heads, not seven snakes. It was a Hydra.

It seemed as if time stopped as everyone stared at the creature. Nothing moved save the rolling of the fog along the ground and the seven bright red tongues of the Hydra darting in and out of its mouths in a grotesque rhythm. Even Dumbledore had stopped to stare at the creature.

Suddenly, however, the Hydra dropped to its belly and began slithering along the ground toward Dumbledore. The wizard stood to his full height and with a rapid sweep of his arm, cast a spherical mushroom spell that blasted out from his wand in a wave of blue and green, quickly sending all the Death Eaters to the ground. Dumbledore then turned around on his heel and faced the approaching Hydra, but to Hermione's horror, he turned too late…Or so she thought.

Four of the seven heads struck out viciously toward Dumbledore, and they should have come in contact with the wizard. In fact, Hermione found herself blinking her eyes furiously in hopes of focusing her failing eyesight, but her eyesight wasn't failing. Dumbledore had disappeared in a cluster of red flames, leaving the Hydra recovering from its sprawled position on the ground where he had been standing seconds earlier.

"No!" Ginny screamed, shooting up from the ground and voicing the fear in Hermione's chest. Harry grabbed Ginny and pulled her back down beside him, covering her mouth with one of his hands.

The Hydra had heard them, however. Its heads had shot up for a split second after Ginny's scream, and they were now inches from the ground as it began slithering straight for them.

Before Hermione had time to stand and run or even catch her breath, Ron clutched her hand tightly and motioned for her to look above them. She then noticed that Ginny and Harry were looking up with their mouths hanging slightly open. Glancing upward, she saw it. A phoenix. A beautiful phoenix circling them overhead with feathers as bright as Fawkes but a wingspan nearly twice the size.

The phoenix circled them one graceful time, singing its beautiful song before it flapped its red and golden wings, sending a rain of red sparks down upon them. Hermione's immediate reaction was to cover her face with her hands, but when she felt nothing fall upon her, she looked up to see that the invisible dome of protection that Ginny had conjured was now glowing faintly red with added strength.

The Hydra had now stopped its charge upon them and was positioned about ten feet from them, its fangs showing in many of its heads as it stretched to its seven-foot height. The phoenix, however, was simply hovering above the dome, its tail feathers seemingly shining in the moonlight.

"It's him." Harry whispered, two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses.

"Dumbledore…" Hermione nodded, amazed that any wizard could have the animagus of a phoenix. She then looked up to Harry, and noticed something that caused a knot to form in her stomach. He was still pinching his nose with his fingers, yet his eyes were peering out from underneath his brow and staring at the Hydra…not the phoenix.

There were three wizards in the entire world that had magical animagi…that's what Dumbledore had said. Harry was a Pegasus…Dumbledore was a phoenix. And now, as Hermione looked at the Hydra, slithering around on the ground with its many red eyes…she knew.

Without warning, the snake let out a hiss before lunging for the phoenix. Dumbledore was quick, however. He dived to the right of the snake, missing being bitten by a few inches. The snake continued to take lunging bites for Dumbledore, who continued to dodge, clawing and biting with his sharp talons and beak when possible. Everything was happening so fast, each creature was so graceful in its own way that they barely made any noise at all as they fought. But then a beautiful, but heartrending, note filled the air as the phoenix fell to the ground. One of the heads had managed to sink its fangs into the base of Dumbledore's left wing. As soon as the bird touched ground, a cluster of flames enveloped it and it immediately transformed into the unconscious form of Dumbledore.

Hermione stood with wide eyes staring at Dumbledore's crumpled form on the ground. It wasn't until she felt Ron's strong arm around her that she realized she had nearly fainted.

"Hermione, what do you know of Hydra bites?" Harry asked, fiercely grabbing her arm. She looked up at his watery green eyes before shaking her head.

"He's…he's dead, Harry." Hermione whispered as the Hydra began turning to its true form. She knew from her studies that nothing could save a person bitten by the venomous fangs of a Hydra.

Harry continued to stare at her in horror and disbelief, but Hermione's eyes were now glued to the creature slowly writhing on the ground…black scales morphed into a black cloak…the thick body split into two human legs, while the heads began molding into a torso and arms. In seconds, Voldemort was lying beside the dead body of Dumbledore.

Hermione was still slumped against Ron's good arm, but as she regained her footing, she realized that she wasn't the only one recovering.

The Death Eaters across the grounds were standing up, brushing themselves off, and looking around as if they didn't know where they were. It was then that Hermione realized the powerful stunning spell Dumbledore had cast earlier was not in effect now that he was dead…and neither was the dome of protection the four teenagers had been hiding beneath in the bushes.

As Hermione stared at Voldemort, who was just losing the last of his scales, she heard a high-pitched scraping sound. Turning to the source of the sound, she saw that Harry had just raised his pant leg and removed a dagger from a small sheath secured about his calf. Hermione recognized the weapon at once. It was the dagger from Grimmauld Place.

"Harry, is that…?" Ron began, but Harry didn't bother answering. In fact, he had started running toward Voldemort's form before the broken words had left Ron's mouth.

"Harry, no!" Ginny screamed, running after him.

Hermione and Ron emerged from the brush as well. They ran a few steps forward, and Ron, reaching out his good arm, grabbed Ginny around the waist.

"Let me go, Ron!" She screamed, but her brother stayed his ground as Harry cast a red stunning spell on Voldemort, before the dark wizard had even stood from the ground beside Dumbledore. Voldemort let out a low grunt and faltered for a mere second…but this was the only second Harry needed to lunge for him, plunging the dagger into Voldemort's chest. Voldemort's black eyes went huge as gasps erupted from his nearby followers.

"No!" Bellatrix shrieked, sending a curse flying from her wand toward Harry. To Hermione's amazement, however, Voldemort waved his wand in front of Harry, who was still clutching the dagger that remained in Voldemort's chest, and deflected the curse.

"No one touches this boy!" Voldemort hissed toward his followers, "Take care of the others, but leave him to me!" With this he grabbed the handle of the dagger from Harry, pulling it from his own chest as he pushed a startled Harry to the ground, where he landed half on top of Dumbledore's body.

As Voldemort stared down at the confounded Harry, a hideous laughter began to erupt from him. A laugh that conveyed the fact that he was feeling no pain. The knife had left no mark, there was no blood…none on the knife…none on his chest.

"Lumen Contego!" Ron suddenly shouted, using Hermione's wand and shoving Hermione and Ginny behind him slightly as a slew of spells belted the shimmering shield surrounding the three of them.

The Death Eaters were shouting spell after spell, all the while taking steps toward them. Hermione knew that they would have loved to attack Harry, but at their master's command they were instead "taking care of the others."

Ginny was helping to reinforce the shield with a similar shield charm, but Hermione took notice of the dimming of the shield with each curse contacting it. Hermione could still see Voldemort, standing over Harry with the dagger in one hand and his wand in the other. It looked as if he were holding Harry to the ground with some sort of spell.

"Hermione, I've got to go to him!" Ginny shouted suddenly, her wand hand shaking and her cut bleeding red blood down her arm and torn sleeve.

"No, Ginny!" Ron said firmly.

"Hermione, you'll have to cast a wandless shield charm, alright?" Ginny asked shakily, ignoring her brother.

"Ginny, no!" Hermione said. "You'll never reach him before you attract the fire of the Death Eaters."

"Wait!"

Suddenly all fire stopped. Voldemort's harsh command cut through the air and fog. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were hunched under what remained of the shield charm, while the Death Eaters stood staring in confusion at their leader. Harry was lying completely still on the ground beside Dumbledore, as Voldemort held one pale, long-fingered hand above him…his wand and dagger were clutched in his other hand.

"I've changed my mind." Voldemort said with great calm, a slight smile at the corners of his thin mouth. He slowly wetted his lips with his bright red tongue, his black eyes twinkling.

"Yes, my Lord?" Mulciber asked.

"I can see by the look on their faces that our guests are uncomfortable." Voldemort replied, "I think they would much rather enjoy watching me kill their friend. And if not…I believe I'll entertain the idea of an audience. After all, I've waited so long for this moment."

Ron's arm went slightly limp to his side as the shield dissipated and he stood gasping for breath. Hermione threw her arm around his waist as he continued to catch his breath. He had held a shield strong enough to deflect a rain of Death Eaters' curses for a period of time much longer than Hermione could have managed.

"So…what should we do, my Lord?" Jugson asked, a wrinkle between his bushy eyebrows.

"What should you do?" Voldemort asked, the semblance of a smile leaving his mouth. "You? You, my followers, who could not manage to defeat one man with all of your powers united?" As he shouted this into the cold night he kicked his foot out to impact with Dumbledore's unmoving form. The old wizard's body shuffled with the blow before going sickeningly limp once more.

Voldemort blew out a puff of angry air before pointing his wand at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny and shouting, "Funis Morsus!" Three lengths of ropes shot forth from his wand and encircled each of them. Hermione gasped as she and Ron were somehow forced apart and made to stand shoulder to shoulder along with Ginny.

Hermione instinctively tried to jerk free, but soon discovered these ropes to be similar to those Lucius had encircled her and Ron with earlier. With every movement, they tightened. She could hear Ron grunting in pain as the ropes surely tightened around his fractured bone.

"Now!" Voldemort shouted, lifting his hand to the air, apparently releasing Harry from his hold. Harry began gasping for air and clutching at his chest as Voldemort laughed. "The three of you will watch as your friend dies here tonight!" Voldemort said before turning his eyes upon his Death Eaters, "And you! Lower your wands…stand back… You will watch as I begin a new era for the wizarding world!"

Hermione could only think one thought as she looked from Dumbledore's crumpled body on the ground to the by-standing Death Eaters to herself, Ron, and Ginny wrapped tightly in thick brown ropes… The prophecy. Hermione saw the events of the evening flash through her mind as if thumbing through a picture book. And each picture…each event suddenly seemed to Hermione to be an inevitable page in the fore-destined book of Harry's life.

How was it that a horde of Death Eaters and a crew of Order members could gather in a duel and in an hour be reduced to the two people the Wizarding world feared and loved more than any others?

"So…you admit…my life is…worth something, do you?" Harry asked between pants, suddenly pushing himself up from the ground and raising his wand to point at Voldemort.

Voldemort's maddened smile left his face as quickly as the feeling of dread went from Hermione's stomach to her throat. Voldemort and Harry took a couple of steps away from each other, each holding their wand on the other. Slowly, Voldemort's smile began to return.

"What is it, Harry?" Voldemort asked, one thin black eyebrow raised. "You have some parting words for us?"

"You seem to think if you kill me tonight, a new era will begin." Harry said, standing up a bit taller with each word. "That's putting a fairly big price on my head, wouldn't you say?"

"Harry, everything in this world has a price…a worth." Voldemort said, now beginning to circle Harry slowly, "And…every person in this world puts a different amount of worth on each thing. For example…" Voldemort stopped to peer down at Dumbledore's form. "This wizard was of some worth to you, for whatever reason. Probably because he made you believe you, yourself, had true worth…but nonetheless, the fact remains that to me…he is…or shall I say was…worthless."

"Then why did you fear him?" Harry asked.

"I never feared Albus Dumbledore!" Voldemort shouted, causing Hermione to jerk slightly, which made the ropes tighten a bit more. "He was a stupid fool, living his life by ideals that could never be! You live by those same ideals, as do many others, which is why your death will start a new era. With you alive, the people that see worth in your blood…the people that hold their hopes in you will have no more hopes."

Harry actually scoffed at this and shook his head slightly. "You know…you told me once that you valued bravery. So why are you so scared of dying?"

Voldemort continued to stare at Harry, but he said nothing.

"Death is the end of life, but it's not the worst of life." Harry went on, "And you know it!"

"What are you talking about, Potter?" Voldemort asked through gritted teeth, "Is this your way of stalling me?"

"I've felt sadness so great that I've almost wished for death." Harry said slowly, "So have you. You don't want to kill me to crush other people's hopes. You want to kill me to crush your own fear."

"You honestly think I, Lord Voldemort, fear you?" Voldemort asked with squinted black eyes.

"No…and yes." Harry said. "You're a stronger wizard than me. But from the very first time we met…sixteen years ago…you've had a fear of me. You didn't fear an infant, and you may not fear what you see before you now…but you fear what I will become."

Hermione was almost sure she could hear the very breath of everyone on the grounds staring at the two men facing one another in the midst of them all. She caught a glimpse of Draco with a strange pensive stare on his pale face. The silence was so great, and the power of Voldemort's black eyes boring into the green irises of Harry's sent a shiver down Hermione's spine so great she thought she felt the ropes tighten once more.

"You think you know much about this world when in truth you know so little." Voldemort said, beginning to pace once more. Keeping his wand on Harry, he lifted the dagger in his hands and peered at it thoughtfully. "Just as you thought you had found some worth in this dagger. Did you go searching the Black family heirlooms…or was it given to you…hmm…by Sirius? Was it a token left to you before or after he died? Does it hold fond memories for you? Stop your grieving Harry, it's no different than fear."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, swallowing hard.

"Don't you wonder why it drew no blood from me?" Voldemort asked. Harry said nothing, but Hermione knew he was at least as curious as her about the weapon.

"I'm afraid this dagger was a token to Regulus…" Voldemort began, "A gift from me. It holds no power against Dark Wizards…However…"

A cold sweat had begun to bead on Hermione's forehead…and it just so happened that one tiny bead had rolled down from her hairline to rest on an eyelash. Before Hermione could blink the droplet away, Voldemort disappeared, teleporting himself to stand inches in front of Harry. With one quick sweep of his arm, Voldemort slashed across Harry's chest with the dagger, sending a spray of blood into the air to fall in small drops on the wet ground.

Hermione gasped as Harry let out a low yell, falling to the ground on his back… a thirteen-inch gash on his chest visible through the torn front of Harry's robes.

"Harry!" Ron shouted over Ginny's wailing. With another slash of his wand, Voldemort released Ginny from her ropes. She fell to the ground in a heap of sobs, but quickly pushed herself up and ran to Harry's side. Ron was now grunting in slight pain as his relentless jerking to free himself had only caused him to be restricted more by the magical ropes.

Tears of fear, hopelessness, and helplessness were running down Hermione's cheeks as Ginny lay over Harry, sobbing uncontrollably. Harry was gasping for each quick and shallow breath he drew...and a faint line of blood was running down his chin from the corner of his mouth. Hermione glanced to Ron for some sign that everything would be okay only to see tears streaming down Ron's face, as well.

A slow laugh began to spill from Voldemort's lips as he stared down at Harry and Ginny lying only feet from Dumbledore's lifeless form. "Oh…the irony! It's too much, Harry…" Voldemort said between laughs. "The poor population of witches will rest easier after tonight. Young Ginny will be the last of them to die protecting you. Too bad she hasn't the blood of you, Harry. You won't be so lucky this time..."

"NO!" Harry shouted suddenly. Hermione blinked away her stubborn tears to try and see clearly. She couldn't wipe them away with her hands, which were pressed to her sides under the ropes. She would simply have to look on blurrily as Harry stood from the ground, shoving Ginny behind him.

Although Hermione was watching the scene through blurred vision, she could see the bright green light glowing brighter and brighter emanating from Harry's eyes…no not just his eyes…his entire form.

A bright green blazing light of raw power was erupting around Harry. Voldemort was taking steps backward, his wand still raised and pointed at Harry. The Death Eaters were more or less running backward and Ginny was refusing to stand behind Harry. She was instead standing to the side of him screaming his name over and over, her hair blowing around her face like long, red flames.

The green light seemed to be piercing through the fog now. Hermione could clearly see the castle, the trees, and the surrounding mountains. Then she saw it…Harry's vision. Ginny was standing there, outlined by the jagged, black mountains in the background…her arms out to her sides…one bloody…tears streaming down her face as she screamed Harry's name.

Hermione briefly wondered why Voldemort wasn't doing anything at all…only to realize that he was. He was shooting curse after curse at Harry, as were the Death Eaters, but the lights from their wands simply dispelled at the first contact with Harry's radiating green light.

Suddenly the ropes that were encircling Hermione and Ron, keeping them standing upright, disappeared and sent them sprawling to the ground. It was then, without the support of the ropes, that Hermione felt the gusts of power pouring from Harry like heat. She crawled to Ron, who was waiting on the ground with one arm outstretched for her, the other arm still held by the torn piece of Hermione's robes, which were now soaked with blood. He immediately wrapped his arm about her as they remained crouched to the ground.

As the light from Harry grew Hermione could no longer see Ginny or the Death Eaters or Voldemort. She had to turn her gaze away from them…away from the castle. She buried her cheek into Ron's shoulder and peered out to the east coast of the island. The fog seemed to be completely gone from the place and a warmth was settling upon her. Just before the flames shot across the peninsula in a wide circle of power, Hermione caught a glimpse of something shining on the horizon. Something beautiful…gold and red… It was the sun. The night had passed and the sun was rising.

Hermione felt a surge of peace fall over her as the green light blocked her view of the sun and plunged her into complete and utter darkness.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Please remember to review on this last chapter. Don't fret about the ending. The epilogue will leave you fully informed; I assure it. Most of the epilogue, which won't be very lengthy, is already written. So, I will have it to you within the next week. Thanks to everyone!