Embracing His True Self
Chapter 98
Harry had not felt closer to Hermione before until now, he'd used her to fit in, her personality had been unpleasant and pushy as children and he disliked it. For the most part, growing up sucked, but when Hermione and he had met again after he left Hogwarts…it had been good for them. They'd become real friends, although not as real as this moment. He probably shouldn't have been as surprised as he was that Hermione knew.
It had nothing to do with Luna and her seer abilities, although a lot of people will probably question that. That's only if you didn't know how Luna's abilities work. For instance, the whole Neville thing, Luna said he'd move, and find someone over there. He didn't because a cure for the Longbottom's had been found, and they'd focused on them for a bit. However, long term the plan had held on, but with one extra person added in, Hannah.
When he had asked if Hermione would find out, he'd meant then and there. Each action we take, changes the future, in so many different ways. If asked the same question, over and over again, there would be a different answer. When Luna spoke, Hermione would have run, he confessed a deep curiosity in what had changed that made Hermione want to stay.
It was one question he hadn't asked her, to be fair, he was just grateful he wasn't going to lose her.
It explained Hermione's secretiveness, her going back and forth shopping when she said she was going to her parents. She'd never been a very good liar, so even if Barty wasn't smart, he'd have still picked up on it. This whole time she'd been pregnant worrying about her life because she was and what it meant with her knowing the truth.
"Barty really should have been told before me," Harry said, as both of them turned back into the front of the Manor.
"It's not like he can say anything, given the big secret he's been hiding," Hermione pointed out, sighing softly, even just deciding had made such a significant difference to her peace of mind.
Harry laughed, "Oh, you've got that right, how long do you intend to milk it?" Harry teased, still chuckling, oh, he was so happy. Between Hermione, Luna and Neville…it seemed he wasn't losing anyone after all. Go figure, he'd been so sure he'd lose them if they all knew.
"Are you kidding? I'm going to be reminding him of this when we're both old and grey," Hermione said smugly.
Harry cocked his head to the side, "I don't get it, Mione…why?" why was she sticking around? It surely went against everything she was? Guiding them to sit down at the outside bench, the smell of lavender and honeysuckle blooming under their noses.
"You wanted me to be a better friend, this is me being a better friend," Hermione said softly, brown eyes fond and happy. "I'm happy…Harry, in a way I didn't think I would ever be. I thought…I thought Ron was the best I'd ever get in life. However, Barty…he makes me feel so alive, so happy, I'm not just content with mediocracy…and the best part is…he makes me feel like I can do anything, be anything…Harry it's the most amazing feeling in the world…with him I forget everything…" happy tears in her eyes, why the hell should she give that up? Her children would have a happy life, a pureblood name, money, and a father who would love them fully.
"Ron would have dragged you down, I never understood what you saw in him," Harry admitted, smiling at her, Barty did love Hermione. "He can't stand anyone intelligent; he spent our entire childhood making you miserable…are your parents that way? Children imitate what they know."
"They're not…unhappy," Hermione protested but it was a subdued one, "The only real time I see them acting like a couple is on holiday. The rest of the year they work so hard…I wouldn't say they were miserable, plus they're both intelligent and have the same career."
"Might add to their misery, that," Harry said wryly, "Not much to talk about except teeth." And if that was a front, they were putting on for Hermione during the summer...she might find her parents relationship different as an adult. Who knows? Maybe they were happy, but it was clear Hermione had copied her parents when it came to Ron but had found better with Barty.
"They are happy," Hermione refuted it, but she couldn't help but frown in contemplation. "They're going to be so excited to hear the news."
"Did your parents never consider having more than you?" Harry asked curiously.
"Oh, no, I was a surprise baby, and they said I was so perfect that they didn't feel the need to have another child." Hermione said, her tone dry. She wasn't a child anymore though; she understood the underlying meaning. They hadn't planned on having any children. She didn't want any of her children to be as lonely as she and Barty had been, so she definitely wanted at least two.
"A lot of the purebloods can't seem to have more than one child…" Harry mused thoughtfully, "I'm sure Barty will be over the moon if you have two." They were lonely he reckoned, unable to make friends because of the lack of social interaction.
"He will be," Hermione said, beaming in delight. "I need to make an appointment at St. Mungo's,"
Harry cleared his throat, "You might want to tell someone else first," giving her a pointed look, had her parents truly made her so independent that she didn't understand social mores. Or if she really just didn't know how to be a partner.
"Who?" Hermione asked, before realization dawned quickly, "Barty, of course, yes, I should…shouldn't I?"
"And I thought I was socially awkward." Harry said dryly, causing Hermione to smack his arm in retaliation. "Hermione, I know your parents raised you to be…shockingly independent. The whole point of having a partner is so you don't' have to be strong all the time. That you can rely on them to make you even stronger, pillars to lean on in time of great stress. Haven't you and Barty discussed that? I mean you should have seen the look on his face when you had that party without…" not getting the chance to finish.
"He was very upset over that," Hermione said sadly, it had devastated her to find out she'd hurt him so much. Confused her too now come to think of it. "I didn't mean to upset him."
"And how do you think he'll feel if he finds out he's not the second person to know about this?" gesturing towards Hermione's stomach. He personally didn't see everyone's fascination with having kids, but to each their own he guessed.
"He's never to find out," Hermione said eyes widening, she did not want to see the look on Barty's face if he found out. "Promise me."
"I promise," Harry reassured her.
"Promise what?" Barty asked, joining them with three cups floating onto the table, "What did I miss?"
"Promising to help her run for Ministership," Harry said, lying through his teeth effortlessly. Not something that Hermione was capable of doing. "How do you think she'd do?" elaborating on his lie, and putting Barty on the spot. As he pressed the used pregnancy potion vial back over to her.
Barty's eyes widened comically, "She's be brilliant," he proclaimed, a grin spreading across his face just imagining her standing up to the Dark Lord. Not the results of standing up to him, of course, but just the fact she could.
"Uh-huh, Hermione says she has something she needs to say, so I'll leave you both to it," Harry said, standing up he pattered her shoulder. "I'll see you guys later; I'm going to go and see if Tom needs help."
Barty groaned, "What? Now? Seriously?" almost whining, he wanted to be there for that.
Harry refrained from smiling and telling him that he'd agree it was worth missing, there was nothing more Barty wanted than a family. He was trying so desperately to have that with Hermione, but she didn't need him the way Barty wanted to be needed. Luckily, babies would need Barty the way he needed to be needed right now. Which means Barty would be complete in a way he wished above all else.
"I'll give you half an hour," Harry told Barty, smiling at Hermione, before ambling off.
"Yes!" Barty said, scampering over towards Hermione, Harry laughed as he made for the front doors.
"What's going on?" Harry demanded to know, making his way through the bodies.
"Hey!" came the swearing complaint, shoving him aside, only to pale and choke on their own spit, "I'm sorry, My Lord," squeaking in sheer fright.
Harry glared at him, but didn't otherwise react, before making his way towards what seemed to have everyone's attention. The group were in a circle, worked up about something. He felt magic washing over him, just as he was about to step out of the crowd.
"Put it on," Harry turned to Tom, startled a little, as his partner handing over the cloak in question that he'd been asked to put on.
"What's going on?" why would he need a cloak to disguise him from Dumbledore? He wanted him to see who killed him. There was no way whoever it was, would get out of this alive…unless, he was doing it for shock affect. Shrugging it on, he clipped it up and put the hood over his head.
With Voldemort in front, they suddenly had no problem getting through, as they parted like the read sea. The hall was a chaotic mess right now, but they seemed to be rather synchronized, Harry wanted to laugh at the image of them all practicing until they got it right with threats of torture hanging over their heads.
They were in a circle, dressed entirely in black with their masks on their faces. It was a terrifying sight; he could recall the feeling all too well. Of course, he'd been a fourteen-year-old kid, and there had been a dozen adult wizards there. Dumbledore would probably be still thinking of ways to escape.
Only it wasn't Dumbledore he saw lying there, no, it was Colin Creevy.
He should have expected it.
"If he turns up missing or dead, you know they'll begin to believe it," Harry cautioned Tom.
"Do you feel sorry for him?" Voldemort asked, staring at him incredulously.
"Hardly," Harry grumbled, vexed beyond belief, he had spoiled everything, of course he didn't feel sorry for him. "Oh, you don't think he's behind this…of course, he's not behind this, he doesn't know anything."
"Or we're to believe he doesn't know anything," Voldemort corrected him, "You know as well as I do that Dumbledore liked to use children to commit heinous acts."
Harry threw a doubtful look at the unconscious teen; he had changed drastically in the time since he saw him last. His hair had gotten longer, it was lanky and greasy right now. Other than a few scrapes on his face he didn't look injured. Which meant he was probably just stunned, "Was there no defences up at all?" finding it all too strange, if he didn't know any better, he'd say Moody actually survived what he did that day at the Burrow.
"Other than the basics on the leaflet sent out by the Ministry on how to 'best' protect your property, nothing." Voldemort replied, "Or the wards placed by landlords." It was added purely as an afterthought.
"He's a patsy," Harry said, "And an obvious one…" moving towards Colin, he began to search the unconscious teenager, but his pockets and everything were all ripped, signs than he'd already been searched thoroughly. "Any information we get out of him is going to be misdirected." Still kneeling before the wizard.
"Agreed," Voldemort acknowledged his point, "He might have some information that's entirely accidentally transferred, and fortunately, there are ways to get obliviated memories back."
"If there are any," Harry pursed his lips.
"This is just going to be a waste of time; his death is probably what the guy behind this wants." Harry said, standing up, "Even a single hint of doubt will have everyone suspecting this might not just be warmongering."
"Not if he shows up in the middle of a press conference." Voldemort declared, "And sees first hand just how protectively you react, to everyone there."
"And just who's going to be dropping him off and why?" Harry asked wryly. "The whole point of this was to do it on the downlow without anyone the wiser. Now there's doubts being raised…it's not going to be easy to pull off."
"Unless, it's done now, finish it before the distrust has a chance to breed." Severus stated firmly.
"Is it even possible?" Rabastan pondered. "We're down Rodolphus…" and he'd be gutted if he missed it.
"We already pushed it ahead by months," Harry said, his hand brushing over his face tiredly. "To do it this quickly, it's guaranteed to screw up…it would just be a matter of how screwed up it got."
"Not necessarily, if we did it in waves, it would work," Voldemort said, his strategic mind already laying out plan after plan after plan. "First more important, then second wave before inevitably the third."
"The second or third waves would need to be within the first week, could we do that?" Harry questioned, "Do you have enough people to do it yet? And control any crowd that gets rowdy?" he knew Tom would only use those that had been marked and not just those that follow them.
"The second wave, yes, but the third? Definitely not." Voldemort admitted, pursing his lips.
"How about allowing those that want to participate actually contribute? It's probably better if there were no Dark Marks anyway." Harry suggested. Moving closer, standing right next to Tom before adding, "A good leader will utilise every single person available I know a good few of the witches would be ecstatic to get to help, in a productive manner." Making sure nobody – except perhaps Severus and Rabastan – heard him.
"It's…possible," Voldemort said thoughtfully, nodding, "It will take some shuffling around, but, yes, it's doable." Already shuffling everyone around on the mental chess board in his mind, the third wave was the one most likely to get violent, and thus, he'd need his best around. Which meant the inner circle, but it was only a maybe at this point. He had the allegiance of everyone important, werewolves, giants, trolls, dementors, Veela's and dozen more. He would not underestimate humanity; he'd never make that mistake again.
They fought fiercely for what they believed in, when met with a full-on assault.
"You might want to prepare yourself for this," Severus told Harry, suspecting he knew what was coming.
Harry gave Severus a curious look, "Why? What's about to happen?" his head cocked slightly.
"You'll see," Severus replied, it wasn't something easily explained, but given that Harry hadn't flinched yet, regardless of what was happening…he doubted Harry was suddenly going to find his limit now. Not against someone he didn't care about…only then did he reckon his limit would be declared.
It was fortunate then, that Harry only cared about perhaps seven people in the world.
"If you say so," Harry replied, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I am." Severus replied.
"Are you sure about that? Don't ever have a child because you want to make someone happy…it just leads to more kids being miserable." Harry said softly, his voice sincere and filled with worry. "Not everyone wants to be a father and there is no shame or blame in that."
"It's not babies I find myself short tempered with…" Severus confessed, "It's teenagers, they're brash, loudmouthed, annoying and do everything in their power to wind you up and watch you go."
Harry cocked his head to the side, conceding his point, "I guess that will happen if you teach teenagers for so long, but teach your kid respect…it won't happen."
"And I do detest the idea of what Rabastan and the Dark Lord want to do," Severus sneered, "They might believe that giving her a choice makes it her own…but of course she would choose the better of two evils." Having a kid and doing unbreakable vows to survive or die. It was no contest; she'd pick the one that sees her survive. At the end of the day, he was not comfortable with it.
"I agree," Harry said, leaning against Severus, "But you would make a good father, I think, protective, you'd make sure they were intelligent. It's got to be something you want though. Personally, I don't understand everyone's desire to have children."
Severus smirked wryly, "Then you and the Dark Lord are truly perfectly matched." The Dark Lord was determined to live forever, and thus did not feel the need to have an offspring to pass on his lineage to. It would seem, that Harry wanted the same. He'd never seen him with children to postulate whether it was something Harry would take to, something he wanted. Or if it was something he was saying and trying to force himself to believe.
Harry laughed, but his attention was diverted when Colin Creevy came to, "Well, here we go…"
Harry wasn't laughing long, oh no, but he was riveted.
He watched Colin Creevy break without a single finger being lifted, while he was held aloft in mid-air.
The torture was all mental, whatever Tom was showing him, making him see, it was clearly the stuff of nightmares. The screaming sounded louder, more terrified than even someone under the Cruciatus curse made. It was difficult to watch, to listen to. Colin was a patsy, he didn't know anything, this was…unneeded.
Unnecessary.
He pushed those thoughts through their bond, it was alright to use this on the real culprit, not Creevy.
It was barely ten minutes later before the boy who had been levitating in the air, crumpled like a puppet with his strings cut.
"He knows nothing," Voldemort declared, unimpressed, staring down at Creevy as if he was something of an inconvenience. "Everything was delivered by owls, different every time."
"Shit," Harry sighed, he'd been afraid of that, "Did we leave a member of the Order alive?" muttering more to himself than anyone else.
"No," Severus was the one to answer, even Minerva McGonagall had been dealt with despite the fact she wasn't and never had been an official order member.
"Avada Kedavra!" and with that, Colin Creevey was gone, the Dark Lord left no loose ends. Most definitely not as close to winning as he'd ever gotten and mostly without much in the way of blood spilled.
"Fiendfyre!" and with that Harry's quick work reduced the Creevy boy to dust, and had everyone jumping out of reach, hearts pounding in fright.
"And Dumbledore?" Lucius enquired, wondering whether the man was to be retrieved or not.
"Nobody but us," gesturing between Tom and himself, "Can get near him." with the obvious exception of the House-elves but they couldn't pop with him. They'd made it literally impossible for them to do so. "Excuse me," the Death Eaters made a path for him, but just as he reached the door Harry grunted out as Barty barrelled into him, "What'da miss? Did I miss anything? Please tell me I didn't miss it?" hyper in a way nobody had seen Barty in a long, long time.
Then he saw the ash on the floor that had once been Colin Creevy and became under the mistaken impression that it was Dumbledore. The look on his face was filled with sheer disappointment and devastation, a moue of disquiet left his mouth.
Harry laughed, "You're just in time," he reassured him, he couldn't say he was surprised when Barty scrambled towards him, as always having his back. "Hermione headed back home?"
"She's pregnant!" Barty blurted out, unable to hold it in, clasping Harry's shoulders, thrumming with sheer exuberance. "Hermione is going to have our child in seven months! I'm going to be a father!"
"Whoa! Congratulations, why have you let her go off on her own?" Harry asked, turning to face him, he'd half expected him not to let Hermione out of his sight.
"And have her around for this? No way," Barty confessed, a faraway look on his face, "She knows, Harry, she's suspected for a long time. Luna…Luna said she'd take the kids and run…I don't understand."
"Luna is a seer, not omniscient, she sees things, yes, but can only answer for the here and now, at that moment in time, if Hermione had found out she would have run in that reality she could see happening most. Luna once told me that the number of different futures for everyone can be…infinite. For one future, the possibilities could run on longer than she'd live. Other futures only have one thing happening, these are the things that can't be changed…or must if the case may be." Harry said, "It's not easy, Luna makes it look effortless…but even I couldn't make sense of the memories that I saw from her even to this day. Keep that in mind when you ask anything of Luna." He wouldn't want to have that gift, and thank Merlin she hadn't had since childhood, it would have driven her insane.
"So, she just went with the most likely future?" Barty said thoughtfully, sighing in quiet relief, he'd been absolutely terrified of letting his guard truly down. He hadn't wanted Hermione to figure it out, and all this time…he could have laughed again.
"Yeah," Harry nodded, stepping into the basement, walking passed the one he'd once upon a time woke up in. Terrified out of his wits but refusing to go down like a coward. Touching the bars reverentially, instead, he had found a family, a partner and freedom with the likes he'd never known.
"I can't believe she knows," Barty confessed, as they slid by the statue and down further into the long-term cells.
Harry stared blankly, but it was pitch black and Barty couldn't see that. "She was always going to know, Barty, Hermione is way too smart for her own good." There had never been any doubt whatsoever. This way it seemed she was sticking around. He wondered what differed from the vision Luna seen…and now, and what made her determined to stick to it.
"So, what you were just waiting for her figuring it out and leaving?" Barty asked, flicking his wand, and the globe of light lit the room up so they could walk down the stairs instead of shuffling.
"No, Hermione doesn't exactly run, she'll confront, kick ass then run," Harry said wryly, "She'd want answers, an explanation. She relies on logic a lot, she's learnt to be a Gryffindor sometimes but at heart she'll always be a Ravenclaw."
Barty smiled, "Too true,"
"Ready?" Harry asked, now at the door of Dumbledore and Tonks cell.
"What's happening to her?" Barty asked, giving a nod, as Harry wrenched open the cell door, Dumbledore seemed unconscious but Harry wasn't taking any chances. He viciously kicked Dumbledore in the side, causing a bellow of agony to emerge from the weakened wizard. He had known nothing but pain for a long time now.
"Her fate is in Severus' hands," Harry said thoughtfully, he reckoned she was going to be killed. Severus, if he ended up with a kid, would prefer someone willing to surrogate for them. Some people were darker than others, depending on their beliefs, their past, and everything in between. This place became a sanctuary for all of them, for acceptance and brotherhood. Severus joined for the acceptance and brotherhood but wasn't as capable of the same sort of deeds the others might. In other words, he was too soft to make the deal with Tonks, and Harry couldn't blame him…he'd be the same.
"It's time old man," Harry said, staring down at Dumbledore's dull blue eyes. "Time for that one last adventure." Recalling the time, the old fool said that 'death was just another adventure' or some bullshit to make it seem enticing to a lost eleven-year-old. Already getting him ready for the big sacrifice. Grasping a hold of that frail old wrist, he callously and with malice began to drag the old man out the cell.
"I'm going to enjoy this." was all Harry had to say.
Barty followed grinning insanity laughing while rubbing his hands gleefully.
He was going to be a father, and he was going to get to see Dumbledore brought down… "Is it my birthday?"
Harry rolled his eyes, and continued to drag Dumbledore up the spiralling staircase ignoring his grunts of pain.
A/n – and next time on Embracing His True Self… 😉 lol… you know I'm writing all this and I have no idea what wave 1, wave 2 or wave 3 would even be lol so that's definitely something I'm going to have to contemplate 😊 one wave is definitely self-explanatory but the rest are definitely going to be me talking out my behind 😉 well, it's weird but I am already missing this story mostly because I know it's ending, I guess. I should probably read stuff that's all about war and strategic manoeuvres unless you guys have a few suggestions? Both on what to read and ideas 😊 and who the culprit behind it is also a mystery to me 😉 like seriously hmm got one more chapter to go unless it remains a mystery, I suppose doesn't hurt to have some things remain unknown in a story 😉