Author: Magiquill9
Chapter 7: Return to HogwartsShips: Harry and Ginny, Hermione and Ron, Bill and Fleur, and Lupin and Tonks.
Chapter Synopsis: Harry and Ron head to Hogwarts to meet with Dumbledore, and hopefully rescue some of the staff members along the way.
Story Summary: HBP raised as many questions as it answered. How can Harry find a horcrux? How can he destroy the horcruxes? Everything was laid out, and we were about to jump off the cliff. Here's where the cliffhanger ends and the adventure begins. Join Harry and friends as they struggle to lead the wizarding world out of despair, fight the good fight, and put an end to the evil that is Tom Riddle.
Disclaimer: Once again, I apologize for chapter six being so short, but I hope you do enjoy chapter seven. I've been thinking about this chapter for a while, so it should be long, detailed, and to your liking. Well, I guess chapter six wasn't that short, I ended up editing it because I forgot about Harry's trip to Gringotts. Ah well. Anyway. Please keep on reviewing. It keeps me going. So here, for your entertainment, I submit to you chapter seven: Return to Hogwarts.
Ron let go of Harry's arm and they tumbled onto the couch in Gryffindor Tower. They both looked around, and Harry pulled out the map.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."
With a tap from his wand, the map began to come to life, illustrating the grounds of Hogwarts. Ron tapped Harry and Harry turned to look at him.
"Harry, we aren't supposed to be able to apparate into Hogwarts. How did that happen?"
Harry shrugged. "We'll figure it out later. There isn't time right now. We need to get to Dumbledore's office, and then we need to try and rescue the teachers. Hopefully Dumbledore will have a good idea. And we may just be able to apparate out, since it looks like we were able to apparate in." Harry suggested.
"Maybe," Ron said, still sounding doubtful.
"Well, let's go. Dumbledore's err McGonagall's office. Let me check the map."
"Well, the coast looks clear. We've got three death eaters in the dungeons, two up in the North Tower, five in the Great Hall, one in the Hospital Wing, one on the seventh floor, and it looks like two of them are trying to get into the headmistresses office. It looks like it isn't working though. It was probably sealed off."
"So fourteen death eaters in all?"
"Right."
"Any we know?"
"Well let's see, we've got Malfoy, Mulciber, Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy again, Snape, Pettigrew, Macnair, Lestrange, Lestrange, Lestrange, Alecto, Amycus, and, a question mark? That's weird. Hmm. Well there's your list."
"How about professors, who do we have?"
"McGonagall is in the dungeons, along with Sprout and Pomfrey it looks like. Flitwick is in the Room of Requirement believe it or not. He and Vector both. Hopefully they'll be able to help. Trelawney is in the North Tower. She's with the question mark and Snape. And Hagrid is… Hagrid is in the Great Hall. That looks like that's it."
"What about Slughorn?"
"Probably left for the holidays."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
"Well, are you ready Ron?"
"I've been ready for a long time Harry. Let's get this over with."
"Ok then. Let's go."
Ron and Harry donned the invisibility cloak, Harry cast silencing charms on their feet, and the two made their way out the portrait of the fat lady after checking the map to see it was clear. They headed towards the headmistresses office. It was slow going. Twice they had to stop and wait because a group of death eaters past. Peeves flew by them as well, but he didn't notice them, he was too busy concentrating on other things. They slowly made their way to the office and when they reached it, Harry put a finger to his mouth, signaling for Ron to keep quiet. Here was where non-verbal spells would pay off. Harry inched his way slowly towards the pair of death eaters next to the gargoyles, trying to get in. Harry noticed that it was the Lestrange brothers. Harry motioned for Ron to cast a stunner at the one on the right, non-verbally, by pointing his wand at the man Ron would hit, and pointing to his head. Ron got the message. Harry tapped Ron's foot and they both cast their stunners. It hit the Lestrange brothers in the back and they both toppled forward, stunned. They dragged them into the shadows so they wouldn't be spotted easily, and then Harry walked towards the gargoyles, wondering how he would get in.
"Got any ideas Ron?"
"Nope. Try the passwords."
"May as well. How about… lemon drop?"
The gargoyles sprang to life and almost seemed to usher Ron and Harry inside before closing behind them. The spiral staircase took them into the office, and Harry was welcomed by Dumbledore's portrait.
"Ah… Harry, how good to see you. And Mr. Weasley as well. What a pleasant surprise. How can I help you gentlemen?"
"Um Professor? You do know that Hogwarts has been captured right?"
"Yes, being a portrait, I am able to hear things you wouldn't expect. It is most unfortunate. But that's not why you are here. Why are you here Harry? What's wrong?" Dumbledore's eyes, still twinkling in a picture, were full of concern.
"Well, aside from the fact you're dead-"
"Yes, a most terrible loss, I am sure. I must apologize, I had no idea that-"
Harry couldn't believe that he was discussing Dumbledore's death in the same tone they would discuss the weather. But when Harry heard Dumbledore had no idea, Harry pounced on it.
"I told you not to trust Snape!"
"Professor Snape Harry. And may I ask why you have grown even more hostile toward him?"
"He murdered you Professor."
"Did he really? I don't know much of what has happened. My memory goes about as far as finding the cave that I believed Tom had hid a horcrux. I can't remember anything past that. Incidentally, how did that go?"
Harry snorted. "Not very good Professor."
"Indeed? Tell me what happened Harry."
And so, Harry began to retell the tale of the night Dumbledore had died, starting with their trip to find the horcruxes. Harry couldn't help leaving in a bit of his ideas about Malfoy and Snape, and how he had been right all along. Dumbledore just seemed to nod and encourage Harry throughout the tale, and noticed that he seemed to look almost sad. Particularly when Harry spoke of Malfoy and Snape. Must have been because they turned out bad after all, thought Harry grimly. Dumbledore shook his head at the end of Harry's tale and thought to himself for a moment. Harry began to think of what else he needed to know, such as how to destroy a horcrux, how to know if he found one, and if he himself was one.
"That is an interesting story Harry, very interesting. Almost thrilling I might say. Which reminds me, I do still need to recount that thrilling tale of how I destroyed my hand don't I? I have left my pensieve in the care of my brother, Aberforth, and left in it the memory of when I destroyed my hand for you to view at your leisure. Please talk to him; he is a very valuable source of information, not to mention my brother. He should be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year actually… He did promise…" Dumbledore mused.
"Professor, sorry to shake you out of your thoughts, but I have some questions for you."
"Alas, I would have thought I had given you all the answers Harry, they were right there, right in front of you. But I suppose not, we shall become teacher and student once more. I would offer you a lemon drop, but I'm not exactly sure where they are."
"My question Professor?"
"Oh right, of course Harry, I apologize. Go on, what would you like to know?"
"Well, how am I supposed to know if I found a horcrux, and how am I supposed to destroy one for starters."
"Speak to Aberforth, he will tell you. It is all in the pensieve as well. It is much easier if you find the details for yourself there. Next question."
"Am I a horcrux? Or is my scar?"
"Hmm," pondered Dumbledore. "I had thought of this, especially in your second year, when you spoke parseltongue. I had asked Professor Snape if you were in fact a parselmouth, and he proved to me that you were, in a way I would have rather wished not happen, but nonetheless achieved the desired result. I wondered what exactly happened that night, the night Voldemort lost his powers, and transferred some of them to you. I thought it possible that Voldemort had in fact given you a piece of his soul, the piece that had been torn to kill your mother. It would have answered a lot of questions I had. But I couldn't be certain, and I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily. I thought I had the answer when you traveled to the ministry in the body of the snake. My little instrument seemed to confirm that you were not, in fact, a horcrux. It told me Voldemort was present in the snake when you were there. It then told me that two Voldemort's were present. That intrigued me. I was almost sure that I was right about my horcrux theory, but I was still not positive. I later turned out to be correct, and in fact two pieces of Voldemort's soul had inhabited the snake at the same time you were there, and so I naturally decided that Nagini had been made into a horcrux."
"But that doesn't explain why I have some of Voldemort's powers, such as parseltongue, if I'm not a horcrux."
"Yes, Harry, quite right, it doesn't explain why you have some of Voldemort's powers. The only thing I can think of is that the killing curse, when it reflected because of your mother's sacrifice, created a sort of link between both you and Voldemort. Your scar was the outward representation of that link. And when Voldemort essentially died, the link was broken, almost like your Priori Incantatum duel in the graveyard. You won, since your soul was much more powerful than Voldemort's, and therefore Voldemort was forced to flee, but he left some of himself in that link, and therefore in your scar. That is the only other explanation I could come up with aside from you being a horcrux. But I could not bring myself to admit that you were a horcrux. It just couldn't be true. So, I came up with this, which is, in my opinion, the only other solution. I doubt that we will ever truly know what happened that night. That day, Hagrid took care of you, saved you from the ruins of your home, and brought you to me, so I could take a look at you. It had actually taken a lot more time than I had originally thought. We kept you for almost a whole day, while I wrote a letter to your Aunt and Uncle, trying to explain what had happened, but failing miserably, while Hagrid played with you, keeping you happy. You had been very distraught, even by a baby's standards. We checked you over, to make sure you were still all in one piece, and decided that you would survive. I then made the decision to send you to your relatives' house. I invoked the ancient magic I would need to keep you safe while in their care; because of your mother's sacrifice it was them who I chose. After that whole day pretty much flew by, you settled in for a decade of life as a muggle."
"I guess that makes sense," Harry stated slowly. "Ok, two more questions I think. Snape," Harry growled angrily.
"Professor Snape, Harry."
"Right, him. Why did you trust him? And please don't tell me, 'that is a matter between Professor Snape and myself.' I have to know. Also, why, if you trusted him so much, would he turn around and kill you."
"From what you told me Harry, it was either Severus kill me, or else he would be killed. I was already dying as it was-"
"You were already dying?"
"Yes, as you yourself heard me tell you, Lord Voldemort would not want to kill someone who went looking for his horcruxes right away, but kill them slowly, so he had time to find out why they were looking for them in the first place. That potion was killing me, it sounded like, and that would have been why I called Severus, and only Severus, as he had helped me after the incident with the ring. He knows of the horcruxes Harry, if not because Voldemort told him then because he deduced it. He is not without a capable mind."
"Ok fine, Snape isn't stupid, but why did you trust him?"
Dumbledore looked at Harry and sighed. "That is a question you will have to ask Severus. I cannot answer your question, not because I don't want to or don't know, but because it is a secret I cannot divulge. Only Severus can give that information away, it is under something similar to the Fidelius charm. I'm sorry Harry, I can only tell you to trust him."
"But how do you expect me to trust him when he killed you professor? I don't even like him; I hate him."
"I am not asking for you to like him Harry, I am merely asking for you to trust him. You are both on the same side. Like your godfather did before you, could you please just set aside your differences and trust one another. I know you can Harry."
"I'll think about it after I talk to him. We have a lot to talk about. It doesn't seem like you're giving me much choice," Harry grumbled. It was his allusion to Sirius that truly made Harry do it.
"You always have a choice Harry. But in this case, we must all stand together united; lest we become divided by our feelings and fall, separated. As I have always told you, Voldemort's ways of spreading discord and enmity are great; therefore we must all come together. Like the sorting hat has stated, the four houses must unite if you wish to stand a chance Harry. That means with Professor Snape, that means with Draco Malfoy as well."
"Malfoy! Why are you bringing Malfoy into this Professor?"
"He is a victim of circumstances, I believe you two will need to cooperate in the end. Everyone is a potential ally Harry. You will need as many allies and friends as you can get. And as he did not have it in him to kill a person, and I believe you yourself share that trait..." Dumbledore trailed off.
"I'll think about it." Harry couldn't bring himself to say a flat out no, Dumbledore was dead, and it was difficult to argue with a dead man.
"That is all I ask."
"Okay, that's the end of the questions. What about our situation now? We need to save the professors."
"Right, do you have a plan?" Dumbledore asked.
"Well I have my cloak and a map of the school."
"Excellent, I have seen that map on a few separate occasions; a remarkable piece of magic, that is. So where are all of your professors then?"
"Well, Flitwick and Vector are safe in the Room of Requirement, I figured we would go to them for help first before we did anything?"
"Naturally," Dumbledore murmured in agreement.
"Then we would need to go to the dungeons for McGonagall, Pomfrey, and Sprout."
"That sounds good so far," Dumbledore said.
"Then that leaves Hagrid in the Great Hall, and Trelawney in the North Tower. Trelawney is with Snape and a question mark, the map didn't know who it was. Hagrid was with like 5 death eaters I think."
"Very well. Harry, do you know how this map works?"
"Of course," Harry stared at Dumbledore incredulously. "I say I solemnly swear that-"
"I believe you misunderstand me. Do you know how it tells you who is where?"
"No," Harry said.
"Well, it registers the person's soul, so to speak, and is able to identify this person based on their soul, and the magical signature is what is used to give the person the name that appears on the map. If you have a question mark, which means there is a magical signature, but none or very little soul. Who do you know that-"?
"Voldemort," Harry replied.
"Precisely, I believe he is trying to hear the prophecy from Sybill. She does not know it though, so it is useless. Now then, I believe you should send your patronus forms to the teachers to inform them they need to escape. Do you have a plan to escape?"
"Well, professor, Ron and I apparated into the Gryffindor common room-"
"Really?" Dumbledore looked intrigued.
"Yes, how did that happen, I thought we aren't able to-"
"To apparate or disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds, you are correct Harry, as I'm sure Miss Granger has repeatedly reminded you about that fact. That means the wards must be down. We can use that to our advantage. I am going to teach you how to communicate with your patronus, and we will tell the teachers to apparate to Hogsmeade, or another safe location. I don't believe Hagrid is able to apparate though, so you will have to rescue him. As for the rest, they are all quite capable of apparition. So then, you will summon your patronus." At Dumbledore's pause Harry and Ron cast Expecto Patronum and watched as Harry's stag and Ron's terrier burst from their respective wands.
"Now, you will point your wand at your patroni and non-verbally cast the incantation defero and then tell your patroni what you would like to say, and to whom they should deliver their message to. Try and keep it short, because the longer it is, the more difficult it is for them to take the message. When you are finished, just think defero again, and they will go."
Harry thought, defero, and said, 'apparate to Hogsmeade, Hogwarts wards down' and thought to send it to Flitwick and Vector. He let Ron send his to McGonagall, Pomfrey, and Sprout, because his patronus was smaller, and Harry didn't know if they could be seen. Hagrid and Trelawney, they would have to take care of on their own. Harry didn't want to risk Voldemort knowing that Harry was here at Hogwarts as well. A few minutes later, Harry and Ron saw different patroni coming back to them. Harry looked at Dumbledore to confirm whose patroni they were.
"The cat belongs to Minerva, the mouse is Filius', and the plant like one is Pomona's."
Their message was all the same: Thanks Harry and Ron, 5 of us in Hogsmeade.
One however, was different: Hagrid and Trelawney still there, wards now up.
"That didn't work well at all. Now they know the wards are down. Why were they down anyway?" Ron said.
"Professor Dumbledore took them down when we flew back to Hogwarts that night. They must have never been repaired. We need to get Hagrid and Trelawney. Professor, what do you think we should do now?"
"Check the map."
Harry looked, and saw that only Snape was with Trelawney, and that Voldemort had moved and was outside, restoring the wards. Harry and Ron knew it was their only chance to get Trelawney.
"Bye professor, we'll hopefully be back."
"Good luck Harry, Mr. Weasley."
Harry and Ron took off outside the office, noticed the Lestranges were still bound. The cloak was back on, and just for safe measure Harry cast an incarcerous and bounded the two of them with cords. They ran as fast as they could under the cloak to North tower, constantly checking the map. Snape was pacing outside the trap door. They checked the map; they still had time. Harry cast a Petrificus Totalis on Snape, non-verbally, just to get him back for that night. Harry let the cloak fall from his head a little bit, enough for Snape to notice, and then replaced it. They opened the trap door and found Trelawney, who looked the worse for wear, as if she had been tortured for a while.
"Professor, we have to get you out of here. Come on." Harry cast the disillusionment charm on Trelawney and grabbed her arm. Just to be safe, he also cast a silencio on her as well. He led her out the trap door and they ran back as fast as they could to Dumbledore's office, Harry kicking Snape along the way. He may trust him, but that didn't stop him from being a greasy git. They made it back to the office and sent Trelawney through the floo to the Hog's Head, after casting a Finite Incantatem, and telling her that the rest of the teachers were at Hogsmeade. Harry looked back at Dumbledore once they had returned.
"Well Harry, that went by rather smoothly, something that doesn't normally happen in our lives," commented Dumbledore.
"Yeah, now if we can just get Hagrid. How many death eaters in the Great Hall?" asked Harry. He looked at Ron, who looked at the map.
"Five: Mulciber, Crabbe, Goyle, Alecto, and Amycus."
"That's just great. Well, what do you think we do? We can get two of them, maybe three, but then the other two will make it an all out duel. And by then the rest of the death eaters will show up. We need a plan Harry, we can't just storm in there."
"Always the strategist Ron, some things never change," Harry said with a laugh. "Alright then, what do we need to do?"
"Take out five death eaters."
"Ok, well I have a plan, we go in, we find Hagrid first, check out their positions, and just let it go from there."
"That's not much of a plan Harry."
"We don't have enough time for anything better, just let the circumstances play it out for you, you can't prepare for a battle like chess, the pieces move more than once a turn."
"Yeah, I guess you're right Harry. You know, you make a pretty good leader, I think you'd make Dumbledore proud." Ron had no idea how much that statement meant to Harry, he was really lacking in leadership confidence.
"He's right you know," broke in Dumbledore. "You have an aura that just screams out to trust you Harry, it helps everyone else who have lost faith to regain it. I have noticed that. I feel somewhat safer when I am with you, if I am feeling weaker than normal."
"Thanks, let's just hope Hagrid is able to say the same thing. Let's go Ron, bye Professor Dumbledore."
"There is no need to tell me good-bye Harry, I expect I'll be seeing you shortly." And on that note, Harry left the office heading towards the Great Hall, Ron right next to him under the invisibility cloak. They made it to the huge double doors and noticed that it was open. They squeezed through the opening without anyone noticing them, and they looked around the room. Crabbe and Goyle were off in one corner, Mulciber was torturing Hagrid with the cruciatus, but Hagrid refused to scream. Alecto was seated at the Slytherin table, her back to the rest of the hall, and Amycus had his back to her at the Hufflepuff table. Crabbe and Goyle were both facing Amycus and Alecto's back. Harry motioned for Ron to stun Amycus and Harry would take care of Crabbe and Goyle. It would be a tough angle because they both had to stay under the cloak. If they pulled it off, Harry could then take off the cloak and go after Mulciber, leaving Ron to deal with Alecto. Harry and Ron both aimed their wands at their respective targets.
Harry held up his hand and counted down. Three, two, one, stun! Harry fired his first one at Crabbe, who fell back into Goyle, surprised, Goyle stared and blinked stupidly, before Harry took him down as well. Harry quickly cast a cushioning charm underneath them so it wouldn't be heard, and they seemed to float onto the ground without a sound. Harry smirked triumphantly. He turned to see Ron's progress and saw Amycus slumped in his seat. Ron had gotten him. Harry pulled off the cloak and headed for Mulciber, watching Ron head the other way and quickly stun Alecto. Harry watched as Mulciber taunted Hagrid, then saw him turn and stare, shocked, at Harry. Harry cast his stunner but Mulciber dodged.
"Think you can save your pathetic friend eh Potter? You have no idea how wrong you are. Macnair!" Harry watched as the Great Hall doors swung open, and he watched as Macnair walked in, Lucius Malfoy behind him. Pettigrew scurried in behind Malfoy as well as did Bellatrix Lestrange. She sneered at Harry, who returned it gladly. Ron was still under the invisibility cloak, and for that, Harry was glad for small miracles to say the least.
"So, if it isn't wittle baby Potter. You miss me baby?" asked Bellatrix, taunting him.
"Actually, yes I did," Harry responded, growing bolder by the second. "I needed a dummy to use for target practice."
"You'll pay for that Potter!" And they attacked, Malfoy coming from his right, Bellatrix from in front, Mulciber behind him, and Macnair on his left. Pettigrew just stood off to the side, watching hesitantly. Harry heard a shout and spun around, watching Mulciber collapse onto the floor, rigid as a board, courtesy of Ron's full body bind no doubt. Three on two, they could handle.
Harry heard Bellatrix scream in delight, "Accio Invisibility cloak." Harry would not let his godfather's murderer touch his cloak. Fortunately, neither would Ron. "Protego," Ron shouted, and the cloak stayed on him. He pocketed it and began dueling Bellatrix. Harry had his hands full with Malfoy and Macnair. He was dodging and firing spells, but it was no use, they kept him in the middle. Harry dodged a cruciatus curse and sent back its way a Reductor curse. Malfoy retaliated with another cruciatus, that Harry was unable to block. He found himself twitching uncontrollably on the floor and Malfoy laughing at him. He just made sure he didn't scream.
"Too slow yet again Potter. I don't know how you lived to see seventeen." But then, Ron banished a chair at Bellatrix, who ducked, and it slammed into Malfoy, freeing Harry of the curse.
"Alright there Harry?" Ron yelled as he dodged a flash of purple light from Bellatrix.
"Hanging in there."
Harry got back to work on Malfoy and Macnair. Malfoy fired another reductor curse and Harry summoned a chair to take the hit, then dropped to dodge Macnair's spell, which was a violent purple slash. Malfoy was forced to jump out of the way and Harry turned his attention to Macnair. Harry threw an impedimenta jinx at Macnair, who ducked. Harry then fired off a series of hexes, with an immobulus, an incendio, and a langlock, to glue Macnair's tongue to his mouth. All three hit, catching him on fire, slowing him down, and preventing him from speaking. Harry turned back to face Malfoy.
"It's time we finish this. I am tired of wasting time. Avada Kedavra."
Harry ducked from Malfoy's Avada Kedavra and returned it with another sectumsempra, the spell he learned from Snape's potions book. Harry heard Malfoy scream and Bellatrix curse. After Harry ducked though, Macnair's full body bind hit him from behind. Harry dropped to the floor, but instantly was able to get back up. He looked at Macnair and saw that Malfoy's killing curse had got him. Harry smiled grimly and returned to the battle, two on two was much easier. Bellatrix began casting killing curses at Ron, who was becoming efficient at dodging them, and was actually holding his own. Harry was having a little trouble with Malfoy, but then had a sudden inspiration. He cast the spell, levicorpus. Malfoy was instantly upside down in mid air.
"Like having the spell you used on the muggles at the world cup back at you Malfoy?" Harry stunned him and let him drop unceremoniously on to the floor. Harry watched as Ron dodged one of Bellatrix's spells, and fired back a reductor curse, which hit her in the leg, making her fall to the ground. He stunned her and then turned around to free Hagrid. Harry ran over there to help. Hagrid looked like he had passed out form the torture.
"Hagrid. Hagrid, we're here. Wake up Hagrid, its time to get you out of here. Enervate. Hagrid!" It was then that Harry realized one of Bellatrix's stray curses had hit Hagrid. That was it for their friend. Harry just stared at his very first contact in the wizarding world, and let a tear fall down his cheek. Harry couldn't believe that was it. Hagrid would no longer be able to laugh with him, or envelop him in a giant hug. Harry just couldn't believe it. That was now two people Bellatrix had taken from his life. A fire flared up inside Harry he didn't know existed. A burning rage filled his heart. He hated Bellatrix about as much as he had hated Snape. He strode over to her and snapped her wand, her eyes filled with fear. Harry kicked her a couple of times, hopefully breaking some ribs, and pointed his wand at her, his arm shaking, but his wand steady nonetheless.
"You have taken too many people from my life. I don't ever want to have to see you again." Harry prepared himself to kill Bellatrix, but found he couldn't cast the killing curse. He just couldn't do it. It wasn't him. Harry knew he didn't kill people. He raised his wand though to cast an equally bad curse, the sectumsempra, but his wand flew out of his hands.
"So Potter, we meet again. And the weasel too. How nice."
"Malfoy." Harry stared at the pale blond boy in front of him, who was dangling Harry's wand and standing near a stunned Ron.
"What do we have here? Is that my Aunt Bella you were trying to kill? Now now Potter, you must play nice. You shouldn't curse a defenseless woman."
"Your Aunt is no woman Malfoy, she's a-" Harry couldn't think of a word strong enough to describe Bellatrix, so settled for a word he had heard Ron use.
"Language Potter. Manners too, my, my, aren't we forgetful. I see your giant friend is dead now too. About time." Harry's eyes blazed at the mention of Hagrid and he stared at Malfoy, about ready to kill him with his bare hands if he had to.
"You didn't seem so tough on the Astronomy Tower, Malfoy. What happened there? I thought you wanted to be a death eater."
"Don't talk about things you don't understand Potter. Even a pathetic half-blood like you should be able to understand what I am doing."
"Really? It looks to me like you're just biting off more than you can chew, and now you're having to suffer the consequences."
"I wouldn't be talking, you're the one who is incapable of suffering the consequences of your actions. Saint Potter never does anything wrong. Hah! Rubbish, you got Diggory killed, you got your mutt of a godfather killed, and you got that oaf of a groundskeeper killed. And, you don't even face up to it. It's never your fault. Always blaming it on someone else. But who are you going to blame things on now Potter? Huh?"
Harry's fury showed on his face, not only because he was angry at Malfoy, but because deep down, he knew Malfoy was right. He had blamed Snape for Sirius's death after awhile, for goading him, but that wasn't really it. Cedric, well he had told him to grab the cup, granted it wasn't entirely his fault, but Harry hadn't felt much remorse. And Dumbledore… Harry had as good as killed him too. But he always blamed it on someone else.
"You're right," Harry said quietly. As much as he hated to admit it, Malfoy was right. Harry needed to learn to be responsible for his actions. Malfoy's jaw dropped. That clearly wasn't what he was expecting.
"Of course I am Potter. I tried to tell you back on the train, our first year, but you went and chose this path. You chose your path, and I chose mine. We'll see if our paths cross again. But you know what Potter; I'm tired of you. I'm just going to let the Dark Lord have you. He can kill you the way he has wanted to for so long. Stupefy."
And Harry, too shocked to do anything, and almost willing to welcome death, let the curse hit him and he fell to the ground. He felt someone enervate him sometime later. He looked into the eyes of Peter Pettigrew.
"Wormtail? What are you doing?"
"Here, here is your wand. And Ron's. Get out of here. Hurry. Before the Dark Lord comes back. Consider us even. You saved my life, I'm saving yours."
Harry stared at the man who had betrayed his parents. Apparently, people did have a shred of goodness in them like Dumbledore liked to believe. Harry nodded at Wormtail, and then, as an after thought spoke.
"Thanks."
Harry revived Ron, grabbed Hagrid, and then realized he didn't know how to get out. But then, Harry had an idea.
"Dobby!"
"Master Harry Potter sir, and his Wheezy, and, oh my, what happened Master Harry Potter sir?"
"It's a long story Dobby, but do you think you could apparate us somewhere safe? Maybe to Hogsmeade?"
"Sure thing Master Harry Potter sir. Grab my arm." And so, Harry grabbed Dobby's arm, with one hand on Hagrid's enormous body, and Ron grabbed Dobby's other arm, and they took one last look at the Great Hall, Pettigrew had already ran off, and as Dobby began to take them away, Harry saw Voldemort walk into the double doors. Their eyes met and Harry's scar raged with a fury he had never felt before. Voldemort raised his wand at Harry.
"Avada Kedavra." The spell flew at Harry faster than he had ever seen before. Dobby apparated them away on the spot.
They collapsed onto the ground of Hogsmeade.
Okay guys, that's all I've got for now. So leave me a review, let me hear what you think.
