A/N: Oh wow! I am updating really quickly. Quick, someone make sure Hell hasn't frozen over! Ha! Totally kidding! Read on…
"Hermione, it's alright. I'm right here. In fact, you're crushing my hand, so you have to know that I'm right here," Ron chuckled softly as he, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny stood once more at the wall that would form into the room the foursome required tonight.
"I'm sorry," Hermione breathed shakily, "It's just…well, I know it'll look differently this time than it did…just a ridiculous fear, I guess."
"It's not ridiculous," Ginny said, leaving Harry's side to put an arm around Hermione, "But we're all here now, Hermione. And we all have wands!"
"And a Pensieve," Ron added.
"What good will that do if someone attacks us?" Hermione queried.
"I dunno, chuck it at them," Ron shrugged.
"Really, Ron, the ideas you come up with!" Hermione said, but she was no longer shifting her weight nervously.
"Harry, you're sure Lupin didn't tell the other professors where the room is?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Yeah," Harry said, "Ginny was there, too. She can vouch for it. Lupin said he didn't feel the need to worry the teachers about the location of the room. Seems Trelawney 'had a vision that terrible things would happen if the location was revealed.'"
"Sure she did," Ron snorted, "Where else would she hide her sherry bottles."
"Lupin knew, I think. So did the other teachers, I suppose, but they didn't need to know where it was yet. We got to Hermione before they'd even come up with a plan," Ginny laughed.
"Even if they don't know where this is, I'd feel better if we got on with it," Hermione whispered.
Harry nodded. He was not looking forward to this. But he nevertheless paced three times in front of the room thinking, "I need a comfortable, private room. I need a comfortable, private room. I need a comfortable, private room."
A door appeared, and Ginny moved to push it open. The other three followed her into a small room with a large, plush sofa before a warm, glowing fire. A small table rested directly in front of the sofa, and Harry placed the small Pensieve on it.
"Harry…you're ready?" Ginny asked softly as Ron and Hermione nestled on the sofa.
"I'll never really be ready to relive this," Harry answered, "But it needs to be done, right?" He attempted to offer a smile, but failed.
"Right," whispered Ginny, placing her hand to Harry's cheek.
He smiled weakly and held her hand to his face, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and released her hand.
"Let's get this done."
He placed his wand to his temple, and transferred the memory into the Pensieve. Ron and Hermione moved tentatively to the floor beside the Pensieve.
"You're sure, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Will everyone stop asking me that?" Harry said, exasperated.
"Ok, then, mate. Let's go," Ron said with a surprisingly firm tone. He had been much more self-assured since they had saved Hermione.
Harry nodded and the four leaned forward into the Pensieve.
"I-I've got a job to do."
"Well, then you must get on and do it, my dear boy."
Dumbledore's soft voice reverberated as the four huddled together watching Malfoy attempt to summon the courage to kill Dumbledore. Ginny clasped Harry round the middle, holding tight. Ron and Hermione were joined together as well by linked arms. Unlike the scene they had witnessed before, Hermione seemed unable to allow herself to move about. She was frozen, as were the rest: they knew what was to come.
"Why didn't you try and stop me, then?"
"I tried, Draco. Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you on my orders-"
The group watched the scene play out, concentrating despite their gazed looks of horror. Death Eaters began to file in. The man called Amycus and them Alecto followed by Fenrir Greyback. And finally: Snape. He came pounding up the stairs and bursting out onto the roof.
"We've got a problem Snape. The boy doesn't seem to be able to-"
Tears filled Hermione's eyes as Dumbledore's feeble voice broke in.
"Severus…Severus…Please."
Before any of them could think, could ponder these words. Faster even then they could have blinked, a flash of green light illuminated the night.
"Avada Kadavra!"
As Dumbledore was blasted into the air, Hermione let out a shrieking sob.
"No! Oh God, no!"
She huddled into a very frightened looking Ron, and he took her in his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Come on," Harry said without emotion, "WE have to follow him. See…there I go."
Ginny was extremely strong. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks, but she and Harry supported one another down the stairs, Ron nearly carrying a still sobbing Hermione with him.
They watched themselves fight Death Eaters, and managed to find a way outside to follow Harry who was chasing Snape.
"There," Harry pointed, his voice still flat.
Hermione pulled out of Ron's arms, still crying. She ran at Snape as if not realizing that he was a memory. She stopped short in front of the memory, and looked between the man who had killed Dumbledore to the form of her best friend, dueling with the murderer. Ron reached her, and attempted to pull her back into his arms, but she shrugged him off. Her sobs had trailed away, leaving her crying nearly inaudibly. She was listening intently to what Snape was saying to Harry.
As Snape made off and Harry turned to Hagrid's flaming hut, Hermione allowed Ron to lead her away. The group followed memory Harry and Hagrid back to the castle where memory Harry stood in shock. Ginny was emerging from the castle, and Harry remembered vividly what he was viewing. Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny reached the site where Hagrid was crumpled on the ground and there he was.
Dumbledore. Splayed on the ground. There was no life in him. How could this man, this wonderfully wise man so full of life, able to defeat great wizards, fall prey to someone he thought of as an ally. Hermione was crying again, and Harry became aware of Ginny shaking violently with sobs. Ron looked ashen, his eyes filled with moisture, unshed. And Harry knew it was time to go.
He reached for Hermione's hand and the four of them, all linked, were whisked back into the room where the fire seemed too cheery and the cozy feel of the room felt far to comfortable. Hermione collapsed at one end of the couch, curled into Ron. Harry and Ginny fell into the other end. Ginny shook with grief and Hermione could be heard sobbing as well.
"H-how? I-I c-can't put it together. He w-was such a g-great wizard. Th-the greatest wizard. T-to s-see it h-happen! I d-didn't really expect it. I w-wasn't ready. I d-don't think I w-would ever have b-been ready. God! Just s-seeing him. D-dead, like that!"
"Shh…" Ron murmured, turning her head into his chest where her cries became muffled. This was both to comfort Hermione and to quiet her. Harry was clearly in shock, and Ginny surfaced, wiping her eyes.
She pulled Harry's head against her chest, cradling him like a child. They all sat this way for the better part of half an hour. When the tears had been exhausted, Hermione sat up.
"Harry…I'm so sorry you had to go through that," she said in a relatively strong voice, "I think I have some ideas."
"You ready to talk logic, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking her in the eye.
Hermione nodded, "Yes. Harry, I don't think Dumbledore would ever plead for his life like that. Think about all you know of the man; it's a great deal more than the rest of us, and even I know that he's not a man to beg and plead with someone not to kill him. Maybe-and don't be mad Harry, because I want to kill Snape as much as you do, but-Harry, I think Dumbledore was asking Snape to kill him. There is no way Dumbledore was out of the loop on the terms of the Unbreakable Vow. He had to know that Snape was going to have to kill him eventually. And Dumbledore wasn't looking too well. He might have known he wasn't going to make it, and he didn't want Snape giving up the fact that he had been playing both sides."
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione said, "No, Harry, don't. I know as well as you do that Snape is a horrible man. He's not coming back to our side. I don't think he's gone over to that side, but neither do I think he's a good guy. Snape just does whatever will best fit his means. But the big thing here is that Dumbledore had to have a very good reason to trust Snape. He wasn't stupid, and I don't think he told you everything."
Harry was silent. Hermione continued, "Plus, as he was leaving he told you to keep your mind and your mouth shut. That's pretty sound Occlumency advice, don't you think?"
Harry didn't speak. Ron sighed as the silence stretched.
"Look, I'm tired, mate. I say we sleep on it and talk about it later."
Ron suggestion was met with whole-hearty agreement form Ginny, who hadn't said anything since they returned.
"Yeah, I'm really wiped," she said, looking Harry in the eye with a pleading look that mirrored the one Harry felt. He just wanted to sleep and forget for a few hours.
"Right, let's go then."
The four moved to the door with a feeling of melancholy so intense that Harry did not unfold the Marauder's map. This proved to be a very big mistake.
"Potter! Weasley! Ms. Granger! And Ms. Weasley! After what happened a couple of weeks ago, I would think you would know better than to be out at night! To my office. Now!"
Professor McGonagall dressed in a bathrobe and holding a candle looked very cross indeed, and the four of them shared a look of dread. They had messed up this time. Harry grasped Ginny's hand as they followed McGonagall silently to her office. A thought hit Harry like the wind being knocked out of him by a physical blow:
McGonagall is the headmistress. They would be going to the Headmistress's office. Where Dumbledore's portrait was hanging.
A/N: Very short, I know. And I'm sorry, but I'll update again very very soon, I promise. SO, really it's like a bonus! Please review!