Chapter 14: Whomped By The Willow

A/N: After reading the Half-Blood Prince, this fic will stay the same way, there will be nothing mentioned from the sixth book (well..except for maybe one or two curses). I also noticed some things that were wrong with my fic after reading the HBP (such as O.W.Ls not being held in their 6th year..oh well). This chapter could've been two or three, but I just wanted it to be one big one..Anyway, please read, review, and ENJOY!

Harry luckily made it up to Gryffindor Tower without anyone's notice. He quickly ran up the stairs to the dormitory and opened his trunk- finding the Maurader's Map. He tapped his wand at it and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," causing a seemingly invisible hand to write upon the blank parchment. He impatiently waited for the parchment to reveal the map after the introduction of the map's makers, then stared down at it. It appeared that there was nothing, but then he looked closer. There! But wait, the Whomping Willow? The dots representing the people were moving quickly, almost to the border of the map so they would no longer be shown. "They must be heading towards the Shrieking Shack..but why?" He frowned and had a terrible sinking feeling, because he was right about who he suspected the robed wizards to be. Death Eaters. And Jacoba was among them. The Death Eaters were Macnair, Avery, Nott, Dolohov, Rookwood..Bellatrix Lestrange..

A rush of memory and emotion hit him. He tried to get back at her before, revenge for what she did to Sirius- but he had failed. Dumbledore had saved him. "This is my chance. My chance to pay for what she did! No one can stop me now, they may be on the grounds, but apparently Dumbledore doesn't know it. And I'm not going to let Jacoba down, no matter how much she had made me go though after she broke up with me. I'd gone through this kind of thing before. I've been in situations possibly far worse than this. This is it!" he thought, fiercely.

But he had no time to plot for revenge, however, he had to go now. So he quickly grabbed his Invisibility Cloak but left the map behind, needing it no longer. He said, "Mischief Managed!" hastily, then literally leaped down the stairs from his dormitory, taking four at time, and ran through the port hole, Invisibility Cloak on him. He half walked and jogged, trying to act stealthy. He stopped and remained silent when the occasional student would pass him; once even Snape had walked by, making him somewhat nervous. "Shouldn't I tell him? He's part of the Order..but I never will trust him..what if he's really not on our side?" He concluded that he'd be doing this on his own. And finally, after what seemed an eternity, he had made it on to the grounds. He stopped the stealth act and ran full on; his cloak billowing in the wind as he ran, showing glimpes of him here and there.

He had finally reached the Whomping Willow, panting. He took the Invisibility Cloak off and set it aside. He wouldn't need it now. Then he drew his wand, cautiously walking around the Whomping Willow, as he didn't want to get attacked by the branches. He spotted the knot on the trunk that would freeze the tree- but it was impossible to reach it without being in reach of the tree- so he clenched his teeth, running as fast as he could toward the knot- but he didn't get to it in time. A branch had whipped him up and wrapped around his middle, coiling around him much like a snake. It thrashed him about violently, even hard against the trunk- hard enough to collide with his head and see lights dancing around in his vision. It was throbbing like mad.

But what was he letting the tree do this for? He'd escaped it before, he could do it now- but then, it had been Crookshanks that had touched the knot...He immediately tried to get his wand from his pocket, as he had stupidly not thought gripping it beforehand. With much difficulty, he had been able to get his hand into his pocket- and got it. He pointed his wand at the branch that was carrying him, and cried, "Incendio!" with instant success. The tree dropped him- he luckily was not so far from the ground.

With wand in hand, he quickly moved forward, making his way to the knot, saying "Incendio!" everytime a branch came his way. Once he reached the knot, he touched it, causing the tree to instantly freeze. He knew it'd unfreeze as soon as he let go, so he eased his legs into the tunnel entrance and slid in, taking his hand off the knot and going down. It seemed like an hour had passed when he finally reached the bottom, dust flying in the air as he hit the floor. He got up and muttered, "Lumos!" his wand now casting an orb of light.

He stood there for a minute, his eyes adjusting, then moved forward. All was silent, but he paused and saw footprints in the dust that covered the floor. He noticed no signs of a stuggle; it appeared to be that Jacoba had either been carried here or came along obediently. But what did that matter? He had to find her now. He walked cautiously, following the trail of footprints.

The footprints led through a hallway, and he walked along cautiously. He went through the doorway leading to the hall, and he had a sudden feeling of deja vu. Why was this all so familiar? It was then when he heard a movement in front of him and snapped back into the present, seeing a Death Eater smiling sinisterly at him. Before he could use his wand another Death Eater that had snuck up on him from behind hit him with the Reducto curse. He stumbled, and the Death Eaters paused to watch, and it gave Harry time to point his wand at the Death Eater behind him and yell out "Stupefy!" The Death Eater toppled over, and Harry leaped over him and ran back out into the room, the other Death Eater following him. Harry stopped abruptly and turned around, facing the Death Eater that was after him. He quickly said "Expelliarmus!" The Death Eater's wand flung through the air and into Harry's open hand. Harry then pointed his wand threateningly at the Death Eater, and said in a strained calm voice, "Now tell me where Jacoba is. And also tell me why you took her."

The Death Eater only cackled. "Wouldn't you like to know? Well, nothing you do will make me say, you'll find out soon enough for yourself!"

"Slepticus," Harry muttered, and the Death Eater fell over and gave a huge snore, overcome with sleep. "What did he mean?" Harry thought furiously. "And those two can't be the only Death Eaters, there has to be more of them around. I need to find Jacoba!"

He went back into the hallway, passing by rooms that were oddly familiar. "I've been in the Shrieking Shack before..but never in this part. How can I remember this?" he wondered, while walking slowly down the hall. And then it struck him. The dream he had had. He hadn't even thought twice of it since then. But how could've he dreamed about it? Could it be another of Voldemort's plans? One such as the one where he had believed Sirius was being tortured? "No...I can't think that. It's just something else.." But if it wasn't that, then he had a premonition and had Seer blood in him. That was less likely.

When he had gone to the end of the hallway and had found no one, he turned around and went to recheck the other rooms, but ran into someone with their back turned. The person turned around in surprise while Harry stumbled back. It was Jacoba!

"Jacoba," Harry said quickly, "I'm glad I found you- or really, you kind of found me. Now let's go, I don't want to run into anymore Death Eaters-"

"Don't worry about the Death Eaters, Harry, they won't come unless I ask them to," Jacoba answered.

Harry didn't get it. "What do you mean? Didn't they take you? You were screaming, a student told me so-"

"Yes.." she said, slowly, "but that was all part of an act. I had to get you to come, or rather- get away from Hogwarts so I could do this quick. It's not that I want to..I never would've if I didn't have to. You are such an easy person to get along with, so much easier than the people I have been around for the past few years."

"What people? And what are you going to do?" Harry asked. He couldn't think of where this was all going. He refused to think of it.

"They say you're intelligent," Jacoba said, ignoring the questions. "Maybe you are, but you're not showing it right now. Maybe you want to refuse the truth, Harry. Don't want to know where this is going."

"Maybe you're right," Harry said, cautiously.

Jacoba sighed. "I've led you here to kill you. And I obviously had to gain your trust to get you here in the first place- which I did. Why would someone so innocent as I want to do such a terrible thing, you wonder? Because it's a game of survival, and you just lost the game tonight."

"You can't kill me," Harry replied, trying to keep his voice calm but had gave away a slight panic note in his voice. "Voldemort can't- you can't."

"Maybe I couldn't if I could've had the life without the Dark Lord in it, but I must because the Dark Lord is in my life. Did I have the choice? Honestly? No!" Jacoba paused but then continued. "He killed my mum right in front of me. I was helpless, only being hardly three. And he laughed and let me live, only because he too knew how helpless I was!"

"What?" Harry was confused but shocked. "Your mum has been teaching at Hogwarts for the whole year."

"Harry," Jacoba said exasperately. "It was a spell. A clone of her. A complex spell that only a master can cast, but then, what power does the Dark Lord not have?"

And then Harry remembered something that Hagrid had said. He said he hadn't seen nor heard from her for thirteen years. And she wasn't being herself when she had come to school. It all made sense now! But there were still some things that didn't fit.

"I understand now, but how come he killed your mum?"

Jacoba was silent. Harry only waited for her to answer. She finally said, "Tom Riddle was my mum's dad. I guess he had had an affair with another woman or something before he was murdered by the Dark Lord. The woman is unknown, because she had left my mum when she was only five."

"My mum, Flora, was barely alive when she was found. She had only lived by the magic that ran in her veins. The person that found her was someone by the name of Lawrence, though her maiden name was Hagrid. They took her in as one of their own. Then my mum went to Durmstrang, had a normal life, even had a husband- but who my dad was I don't know. He ran away the night the Dark Lord came and killed my mum. This concludes that the Dark Lord had come to kill Flora only because she was blood related to Riddle. He spared me because he figured I'd be loyal to him after I'd seen what he had done. He was right. And now I have to return the favor and kill you for him, though reluctant as I may be."

Harry was lost for words. That was a lot of information. Voldemort having a half-sister? Jacoba having Voldemort as an uncle! And Hagrid wasn't related to them by blood- but because his dad must've had a sister who took Flora in. It was unimaginable.

"I'm sorry, Harry. But know that I have gotten this far- and if a murder is what I have to do to keep living, then murder it will be. It's such a small price to pay, don't you think?"

"You're crazy!" Harry blurted out. "You think you have to kill me to keep living? Why can't you just join Dumbledore's side? You don't have to do this!"

"You don't understand! Voldemort knows everything! I can't get out of this! And it's your life that will be no more, not mine!" Jacoba said hysterically. She had completely lost it. She raised her wand. "Avada Kedav-" But Harry was too quick for her and tackled her to the ground. He wrestled her wand from her hand.

"Now," Harry said, somehow being strangely calm, "I'll let you go and give your wand back if you can follow me back to the castle. We can go see Dumbledore and get this all sorted out."

"That isn't an option!" She said angrily. "Now let me go or I'll call the rest of the Death Eaters!"

"No you won't!" Harry said, fiercely. "If we go to Dumbledore both of our necks will be saved! Can't you see?"

"It's too late for that!" And with this Jacoba screamed, and a handful of Death Eaters lumbered into the hall.

"Bloody!" Harry cursed, then quickly stood up and pointed his wand at Jacoba saying, "Levicorpus!" She was lifted into the air upside down, as if she were held my invisible manacles on her ankles. "Sorry, but I'm sure your fellow Death Eaters will get you down. I would've helped you, but I can't unless you let me. Do you change your mind?"

"No," Jacoba snarled. Harry shrugged and ran right toward the approaching Death Eaters. He raised his wand and cried, "Stupefy!" to the one in the lead. The robed figure toppled over and tripped some of the others. But one of the Death Eaters aimed their wand at Harry and snarled, "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand was out of his grasp, but he still had Jacoba's. He aimed the wand at the Death Eater that had taken his wand and yelled, "Surprise! Sectumsemptra!" The Death Eater crumpled to the floor; dark liquid had blossomed from his chest. He would usually never use such a spell, but under the circumstances he was in- he would.

"Out of my way!" Harry called to the others. "You've seen what I just did to two of your mates, you'll understand that I could do the very same to you!"

The group hesitated for a moment, which gave Harry the chance to hit a few more of them with the Stunning Spell, but one of the Death Eaters had regained his composure and yelled, "Expelliarmus!" Jacoba's wand leaped from Harry's hand and into the Death Eater's, leaving Harry wandless.

"So what if you Stunned a few of our companions," The Death Eater that had taken his wand took their hood off to reveal Bellatrix Lestrange. "Nothing can help you now! You're defenseless Potter! And while I have you here, isn't it all the more convenient to torture you? Crucio!"

Harry screamed. It had not been the first time to have been hit with this spell, but it was still as painful as ever. He was trapped in white-hot flames, knives were stabbing his body over and over again..

"That will not be necessary," A harsh voice said. The curse was lifted, leaving Harry on the floor panting.

"Dumbledore! So you've come to save ickle Harry Potter's neck again, have you?" Bellatrix said nastily. But Harry didn't care. "Dumbledore's here now, everything will be alright..just like last time- except for the part of Sirius's death.."

"Yes, I have. I see Tom has failed to follow the Prophecy and tried to have someone else attempt to kill Harry?" Bellatrix's face flushed. It had been she who had failed to get the Prophecy the previous year and deliver it to Voldemort.

"Words mean nothing, Dumbledore! I failed that one time, but my loyalty never dies! Potter will die tonight!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to go through me first," Dumbledore said grimly.

"And us," Another voice said. Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped over the other Death Eaters and walked into the hallway, standing alongside Dumbledore. While Bellatrix and Dumbledore had been talking for that short time, the other Death Eaters had been Stunned by the four of them. Bellatrix was the last Death Eater standing.

"Now," Moody growled, "What were you saying?"

Bellatrix cursed under her breath, then turned and ran to the end of the hall, casting the counter-jinx on Jacoba and holding on to her as she Apparated away.

Harry slowly got up; his knees were still wobbly from the Cruciatius Curse. Dumbledore stared down at him, his eyes gave away a slight amusement.

"So, Harry," Dumbledore said, "You came here by yourself with no one that knew but a student that you gave instructions to tell her to warn no one until nightfall? Naturally we took the spell off so she could tell us what was going on- after we had a word with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. But come along now, I'd like to hear what happened."

"We'll stay here," Kingsley Shacklebolt said. "Gotta 'round up these Death Eaters and throw 'em back in jail. I doubt they'll be running off too quickly this time."

"Yes, of course. Let's go now, Harry." With this Harry and Dumbledore set off out of the Shrieking Shack and back to Hogwarts. Once inside, they headed to Dumbledore's office. When they got there, Dumbledore said, "Jelly Slugs." The stone gargoyle leaped aside and let them on the spiraling staircase.

Once they settled themselves into their seats, Harry said, somewhat out of shock, "She's related to Voldemort."

Dumbledore gave a great sigh. "Yes, I already knew that."

"What?" Harry said, astonished. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What reason was there to tell? She gave you no harm, and even tonight she didn't."

"She could've killed me!"

"But she didn't," Dumbledore answered. "And you know it wouldn't come to be. It must be you and Voldemort in the end that have to face each other off."

"Yes..but if I would have known, I would've never gone into the Shrieking Shack thinking I had to save her!"

"Yes, perhaps I should have warned you before you went- but you were already gone by the time."

"I have a question," Harry said randomly. "How did the Death Eaters get in unnoticed? How did Professor Lawrence get by when she wasn't real? And how did I have that dream? It was like last year, when I was in Voldemort's head or something- but it wasn't the same."

"That is more than one question," Dumbledore replied. "But I will answer how the Death Eaters had gotten in. They didn't. Jacoba hexed the student into telling you that. All part of an act, as I believe she had already told you."

"Okay," Harry said, "But how did Professor Lawrence get in without you realizing it was a spell?"

"It is an ancient spell, one that you would never find in a book. Nonetheless, I am not surprised that Voldemort knew it. When you murder someone, you can take a part of their soul. The spell is intertwined with the broken part of the soul, making her very realistic in any way. Yet spells are never everlasting. The spell will slowly disintegrate the soul, once this happens, the spell wears off. Complex but simple in its own way." Dumbledore added as an afterthought, "In fact, the spell had worn off tonight."

"And before you reask, I would like to know what your dream was about." Dumbledore said while Harry was about to open his mouth. Harry told him exactly what happened in the dream, which is exactly what had happened tonight.

When Harry finished, he added, "It's like my brain was giving me a warning or something. A premonition, but I can't be a Seer, can I?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "It was something of a premonition, but I doubt that you'd be a Seer. I think it concerns something with your scar, but to what it is I wouldn't know."

"Hmm." Harry said. But there was something still bothering him. He blurted, "Will Jacoba die because she didn't kill me?"

"I don't know Harry, but she is at Voldemort's mercy. She was given instructions to follow and failed to carry them out."

"How could he kill her? She's innocent, it isn't her fault for her relation to him!" Harry said, angrily.

"It isn't like Voldemort to care of innocence, he only works by manipulation- and it works quite well, it seems."

"I guess." Harry sighed. No matter of what Jacoba had said, he didn't want her hurt. She was forced to do what she did, the cost was her life. He felt he would've done the same thing if driven to those consequences.

Dumbledore and Harry stayed silent for the remainder of the time. Dumbledore finally spoke a time later, saying, "It is very late, Harry, and I'm sure Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be eager of you to retell your story." Harry was unsure if he wanted to tell of Jacoba's relation with Voldemort to them, and as if Dumbledore had read his mind, he added, "You do not have to tell them the full story, Harry."

"Yeah. Er, thanks for saving me again- I guess something like this always happens at the end of each year, doesn't it?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Yes, I suppose so."

Harry's last weekend at Hogwarts flew past, leading on to the night of the final feast. He packed up his stuff before heading off to the feast with Ron and Hermione.

"I still can't believe it mate," Ron said, "How could Jacoba betray you like that? She liked you, I'm pretty sure of it."

"I s'pose she did, but she had to do it," Harry answered.

"Oh well, I reckon you'll find someone better out there- a lot of the girls around here seem to want a piece of you."

"That's all you can say to Harry? There's more to it all than him finding another girl! Honestly, Ron!" Hermione said, exasperated.

Ron only shrugged. "So? All I really care about at this point is the food. I hope Dumbledore finishes his speech quickly.

"I wonder if he'll mention the thing about Professor Lawrence?" Hermione said thoughtfully. Rumors had already spread throughout the school, some as far-fetched such as the rumor that she had flew on the back of a dragon because she was campaigning to let all dragons fly free.

"Nah, I doubt it," Harry said. "It would only lead to more questions."

"True," Hermione replied as they sat down on a bench at the table with their fellow Gryffindors. The Great Hall was decked out in red and scarlet, as Gryffindor had won the House Cup for their sixth year in a row.

Ron's stomach was growling loudly as if it were a monster by the time everyone was settled in and when Dumbledore had finally stood up. The Houses grew silent to hear his speech.

"I would like to congradulate Gryffindor for winning the House Cup for the sixth year in a row, leading with four hundred and thirty-seven points." There was applause, though little or none from the Slytherin table. "Ravenclaw came second with three hundred and eighty-two points, Hufflepuff third with three hundred and eleven points, and Slytherin last with two hundred and twenty-one points. I would continue on, but I will after our bellies are content."

"Hear hear!" Ron cried, then tucked in as soon as the food appeared on the once empty plates. He eagerly took two helpings of everything he could reach, then started to shove it all in his mouth.

"Keep on eating like that and you'll be wider than you are tall like Dudley," Harry teased. Ron punched him in the arm.

"Friends for so long and you both haven't changed a bit," Hermione said sternly.

"What are you complaining for? You still hang around us, don't you?" Ron pointed out.

"Only because I had the hope you both would grow up someday, but now I know that'll never happen."

The usual bickering continued, but Harry didn't mind for a change. He was glad that amidst all the tragedy with Voldemort's return they could still be the same. And he was content with that.

Once everyone had had their fill (Ron still eating a few desserts here and there) Dumbledore stood up again and said, "As you know, another year is done and over with. Some of you will be leaving, others will be staying inside these walls after another summer. Newcomers will come, and the whole process of learning will start over again! I would say that you can leave now, but I'd like to make one small announcement. It has come to my attention that a slippery person has cheated in the final Quidditch match, so Gryffindor has successfully won the Quidditch Cup again!" The Gryffindors all jumped up and cheered, the other Houses as well- all except for the Slytherins, who remained seated and sulking.

The next day the journey back home went by silently, Hermione and Ron did their Prefect duties and returned back to the compartment as soon as their shift was over. Harry and Ron played a game or two of Wizard's Chess while eating Cauldron Cakes, Hermione read a book and was occasionally chattering away with Ginny. Neville was in their compartment as well, he was mainly preoccupied with keeping hold of Trevor, but once in awhile discussing the odd topics concerning The Quibbler with Luna, who was also in their compartment.

When the they had finally reached the platform and everyone had gotten changed and had gotten their stuff, they set off to find their families, Harry finding the Dursley's quickly (Dudley was hard not to spot).

"See you soon?" Hermione asked.

"Of course," Harry said.

"We'll come to get you as soon as we can," Ron said.

Harry smiled. "I guess this is goodbye until then." The three of them hugged, then eventually parted.

A/N: Well, that's it- this story is finally finished! Hope you all enjoyed reading this- I'm just glad I got it done..I doubt there'll be any sequel to this, unless I get some sort of inspiration. So to all who took the time to read this somewhat lengthy fic, thanks.

-Nope, no sequel. I just wanted to put this back up because it's one of the few that I had finished (sometime a while ago I had deleted all of my fics). I hope you read this, if not, oh well. Actually, this is rather funny to read, since with every story I seem to improve. Also, I noticed the plot disconnects a bit in some areas..and the only part I really like in this is the Sorting Hat's song. I remember it took a while to come up with it. So I hope you enjoyed it too, even if I did write this a long while ago.