Hermione had experienced many different types of magical transport. It was safe to say that she liked none of them. Apparating was horribly uncomfortable, portkeys made her motion sick, brooms terrified her, and then there were the trips she had taken on the backs of magical animals. At least with Buckbeak, she could see what she was sat on. Flying on a thestral had been altogether a horrible experience. Travelling via Dobby combined the discomfort of apparating, the nausea of portkeys and the terror of brooms. At least she had his little hand to hold on to.
When the motion ceased and the bands around her lifted, she dropped to her knees. They painfully struck the tiles under her. She heaved in her breath, fighting back the strong urge to vomit. Thankfully, Harry recovered faster than she did.
"Muffliato," he muttered, dropping Dobby's hand from his. He turned to Hermione, moving up to her. His strong hand hooked under her arm and helped her up. She blinked up at him, shrouded under the Cloak, seeing his bright green eyes alight with concern. Then he looked down at Dobby between them.
"Thank you, Dobby," he said, "you really saved us a lot of bother." Dobby beamed up at him.
Hermione drew out her wand, searching the bathroom, her heart aching with nostalgia. Naturally, the bathroom hadn't changed since they had used the facilities to brew an illegal potion. She gave the cubicle where she had hidden after her botched transformation a savage glare, even though it hadn't been the cubicle's fault. She had been lucky to not get into any trouble after that.
"Right…" Harry was pulling out the Marauders' Map from his jumper pocket. He had forgone his coat, wearing instead a black hooded jumper. "Pretty much everyone is in the Great Hall for lunch, including Snape, the Carrows and Malfoy. Dobby, stay under the cloak with us."
Dobby inched closer to Harry, his ears tickling their elbows as he moved between them. Hermione edged on his other side so they were as tightly packed as possible under Harry's cloak. Harry led them over to the sinks, stowing his map into his pocket. Hermione eyed him, seeing his pensive and stern expression. He rarely spoke about what happened in the chamber, mostly out of respect for Ginny, but she could tell that they weren't pleasant memories, especially considering that he very nearly died.
He headed straight for one sink in particular.
"It's this one," he said, bending over the tap. "I'll open it…" He extracted a hand from the cloak, reaching for the side of the tap, his finger running over something etched there. His gaze intensified.
"Ssarrches…" The sound that came out of Harry was ethereal and unnatural, making Hermione's hairs stick up. Dobby gave a little scared whimper.
There was a clunk underneath them.
"It worked, move back," Harry said to them, pulling them back as the sink slide back, revealing a large hole in the ground. A very unpleasant odour rolled out of it. Hermione peered down the hole, looking at Harry.
"I'll go first… I know what to expect down there… and then, Dobby, you come down with Hermione."
He met Hermione's gaze and then pulled the shroud off them. She shivered as they were exposed, but there were no sudden shouts of alarm, no shower of curses, just a strangely heavy silence that was so unusual for the school.
No, don't think of it as Hogwarts. Don't think about how we have to leave and go back to being on the run… don't think about how our lives have been changed forever, how we are outsiders, wanted criminals…
Harry's hand found hers. She looked up into his green eyes, so bright and strong behind his glasses. They seemed all the more intense now that his usual mop of disheveled hair had been cut back. It was so strange to see his full face, his brow and his signature scar all on display. With his dark stubble now dusting his jaw, he looked more rugged and dangerous than ever before. It electrified her to see him stepping into himself, standing tall, confident, the champion of Godric Gryffindor going to battle against the heir of Slytherin once again.
"Who's here?" A shrill voice suddenly snapped from behind them. Hermione spun around, her wand gripped tightly. A pearly white figure parted through one of the cubicle doors, eyes narrowed in consternation, her arms folded over her school robes. Harry gave a shocked gasp at her side, backing from the hole.
Moaning Myrtle hovered towards them, the temperature dropping as she neared. Hermione's heart jumped in her chest as she held her wand. Harry moved around her, coming up to Myrtle. The ghost's eyes, magnified behind her horn-rimmed glasses, widened as she saw the wizard.
"Harry? You… came back?" She gasped, sweeping up to him. Harry's face was illuminated in her ghostly glow. Myrtle stared at him, looking him up and down. "You're not supposed to be here. You… you're a wanted criminal!" Rather than sound scared by the fact, she sounded intrigued.
"Er…" Harry was at a loss. "Well… yes but… I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone that we're here."
Myrtle then noticed Hermione and gave her a very frosty look.
"Why are you here?" Myrtle's voice amped up in volume, making Harry cringe. Hermione had forgotten how volatile Myrtle's moods were. The ghost girl slid past Harry, seeing the open pipe, the chamber entrance exposed once again. "You're going there? "
Hermione shot a look at the door that Harry had sealed, reminding herself that Harry had cast the muffliato.
"There's… something in the chamber that I need," Harry explained, wisely moving to placate the ghost. "It's really important… worth risking coming back." He edged towards her. "Please, Myrtle. If they find out I'm here…"
"How important?" Myrtle asked, picking at a spot on her chin. Harry concealed his impatience as best he could, knowing all too well the risks of upsetting the fractious ghost. He glanced over at Dobby and Hermione.
"I'll tell you, but first my friends can go ahead… and you'll have me to yourself."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was seeing. Harry was seducing Moaning Myrtle, manipulating her. He was even making sure the ghost had eyes only for him. Hermione had heard the jokes about Myrtle's crush on Harry, but thought it was just a joke - until he shared about how she had tried to see him naked. Hermione caught his meaningful look and she ushered Dobby over to the large hole that opened up to a large pipe, large enough for her and Dobby to slide down.
"Come on, Miss Hermione, we shouldn't wait." Dobby took her hand.
"You'll tell me?" Myrtle's voice was pitched up, excited.
"Yeah… you helped me out during the Triwizard Tournament. I can trust you with this."
Knowing that Harry had to charm Myrtle alone, Hermione took Dobby up, lifting him and she steeled herself, stepping out. She gave a strangled shriek as she and Dobby slid down the pipe.
Whatever Harry was saying to Myrtle, it was lost as she was rushing down the chute, her clothes taking on a layer of slime that had lingered on the pipe. Her hair ruffled in the breeze, Dobby's ears flapping as she gripped him to her chest. She caught sight of other pipes splitting from the wide one they were rushing down, and then the gradient eased.
The pipe spat her out and Dobby out onto a very wet, slimy floor. She clambered to her feet, blinking around them to see that they were in a dark tunnel that very much looked like a cave. They were deep under the school, she realised, deeper than the dungeons even.
Dobby clicked his fingers and a small orb of light bobbed from his hand, sparkling in his large green eyes. Hermione could see the state of their clothes, covered in dark green slime. She brought out her wand and waved it, her non-verbals rattling through her mind in sequence as she cleaned and dried her clothes and Dobby's. His face cracked into a toothy grin.
"Thank you, Miss Hermione," he said, but then he peered over to the pipe they had shot out from. "Will Harry Potter be alright?" He asked her.
"He has experience with handling Myrtle. I'm sure he'll be fine."
She lit her wand and took in their surroundings. The walls were glistening, wet, the air thick with damp. Wherever they were, she hazarded a guess that they were under the lake. She peered out into the darkness where the tunnel stretched on to the chamber. She could see small bones littered on the wet stone ground. Rat bones.
Turning back to the pipe, she peered up it, her heart giving a lurch. Harry would be alright. This wasn't an unknown battleground for him. Here, he had the advantage. Soon enough, she heard something rushing down the pipe and Harry himself came rocketing out the end, coming to a very ungraceful crash on the wet stone.
He leapt to his feet, a picture of agility, and looked down at the state of his clothes in dismay. Hermione smiled, bringing her wand up to clean and dry his clothes.
"Thanks, Hermione," he said, smiling over at her. He sobered as he took in their dank surroundings. "Okay, this is weird."
"Myrtle… is she…?" Hermione didn't know how to finish that sentence. Did she take whatever information Harry gave her? Was she going to be a problem?
Harry cleared his throat and looked away, taking out his wand. He pulled the map out and he studied it under his wand light. "She's now on the third floor so… I guess it worked."
"What… did you do?"
"Promised her that if I died down here, I'd come back as a ghost and share her toilet," he said. Hermione's mouth dropped open. He grinned at her reaction. "I'm kidding… I told her that I'm down here, getting some basilisk venom to use again Riddle and that I'd avenge her death - all of which is true."
Harry stuffed the map back into his pocket. He held his hand out for Hermione to take. Gratefully, she took it. It was horribly claustrophobic in the dark, dank tunnel. Dobby followed them. They came across a collapse. Harry gave a soft gasp.
"This is where Lockhart tried to wipe mine and Ron's memories," he said, "the gap is here."
"The curse backfired and caused this?" Hermione asked, stunned.
"Yeah, that's why I had to go alone. Ron was stuck behind there with Lockhart," Harry explained, clambering over the rocks. "Blimey, this is tighter than I remember. Guess I was smaller then. Here, I've got you." On the other side, he held his hands up to help her get through. Dobby had no difficulty, of course.
Hermione dropped down and her boot crunched on something. She looked down, seeing the crushed rat skull.
"Hmm… there might be some live ones here now that the basilisk is dead," Harry remarked, grimacing as his wandlight picked up other bones scattered on the rocky ground. His wand picked out the wall in the distance. "Ah, there's the entrance."
Hermione took his hand again and walked with him down the tunnel. She looked around, stunned and horrified that Harry had made this part of the journey alone when twelve, scared out of his mind. She glanced over at him, seeing how pale he was, his eyes dark as they flicked around, searching for threats.
"Are you alright?" She asked him, squeezing his hand. He glanced her way, his face softening.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, giving her a reassuring smile, "it's just a bit wild being back here."
"Dobby did try to protect Harry Potter from this," Dobby said sadly from behind them.
"No matter how hard you try, trouble will always find Harry," Hermione said to the elf. "Or he'll find trouble."
"It's not like I'm actively hunting down life-threatening situations," Harry grumbled, "maybe after this adventure, we can go on holiday."
Hermione laughed, her voice echoing oddly around the tunnel. Dobby moved up to Hermione's side, his light bobbing up and down.
"This is a bad place," he said, his squeaky voice slightly hushed. "Dobby can feel it. My elf magic is weaker here."
She looked down at the elf, surprised. "What do you mean, Dobby?"
His eyes were wide. "It is dark, miss."
She looked across at Harry, sharing his look. It was highly likely that there were more sinister surprises in the Chamber of Secrets other than the basilisk. Slytherin had been an exceptionally powerful wizard after all. Harry let go of her hand as, up ahead, they saw a large, circular door adorned with carved serpents.
"There it is. The door to the Chamber of Secrets." He moved faster, ahead of them, lighting his wand as he did. She and Dobby followed, listening as they heard the sibilance of Harry speaking in parseltongue. The stone snakes moved, the door splitting in two. Harry turned, looking back at them. Harry's form was silhouetted by a strange greenish glow. Hermione's heart gave a warning shudder. Dobby was right. It was dark. There was a malignance to the place that made her feel very unwelcome.
Dobby's light suddenly guttered out and he gave a scared whimper. Hermione took his hand.
"What is it?" She asked him. He shook his head, putting his hands on his ears.
"My magic is gone, miss," he said, his small voice frightened. Hermione looked ahead, seeing Harry scouting out the chamber, his beam of light piercing through the green glow.
"There must be enchantments here that are blocking your magic, Dobby, but it looks like Harry's magic isn't affected. We should be okay." She took his hand again and led him over to the chamber door. As they reached it, Dobby suddenly gave a jolt. Hermione froze, looking back, and saw, with astonishment, that Dobby couldn't pass over the threshold. His forehead was flat as if he was pressing against glass.
"Harry!" Hermione called out. She heard Harry's rushed footsteps as he returned.
"Something is stopping Dobby," the house elf said, his large eyes wide. He demonstrated by putting his hands flat on the invisible wall as if he was a mime artist.
"His magic is blocked too," Hermione said to Harry quietly. Harry nodded. He moved from her, crouching down to speak to Dobby.
"It looks like Slytherin didn't want house elves finding their way down here," Harry said to him, "we shouldn't be too long, Dobby."
Hermione saw the indecision on Harry's face. He really didn't want to leave Dobby on his own. Dobby gave Harry a wave.
"I will be here when you are done, Harry Potter," he told him and then sat down on the grimy floor, his ears flopping.
Harry shifted around, moving close to Hermione, his arm going around her while he looked ahead. She glanced over at him, his face bathed in the green light that oddly emanated from the place. His eyes seemed like emeralds in the light, sparkling. She followed his gaze and saw the Chamber of Secrets before her.
It was dimly lit with the sickly green light. Pillars stood on either side, adorned with serpents, but what drew her attention was the mass in the centre of the chamber. Harry's wandlight moved over to it, illuminating the pearly white bones of a ginormous serpent skeleton. Hermione's hands flew to her mouth at the sheer size of it. She staggered towards it, her thoughts rippling back to the night when Harry showed her the scar on his arm where the fang pierced him. She could scarcely believe that was the only mark he bore from the encounter. She heard Harry's shoes slapping wetly on the stone floor as he joined her.
"The rats must have eaten the corpse, leaving the bones," he said softly. He moved from her and she watched him now pacing away from the serpent, moving to the back of the chamber. She saw his wandlight flick up, illuminating a huge statue of a wizard with a long beard. Salazar Slytherin. Overcoming her shock, she approached the skeleton, swallowing down her horror. They were there for a reason, a very important reason.
She climbed over the skeletal body of the snake, following the spine to the head. She glanced up, seeing the broken pillars, struggling to imagine the fight that twelve-year-old Harry had with the beast. It didn't seem… possible. Moving to the beast's head, she found what they had come for. Harry hadn't been wrong to say that there were plenty of fangs.
Harry approached, drawing up to the snake. Hermione glanced back over to him, seeing his glittering eyes. He reached for the horcrux around his neck and pulled it off.
"We should do it in front of Slytherin," he said, looking over his shoulder at the statue, "I want him to watch as a half-blood and a muggle-born destroy his precious locket."
He moved behind her, sighing softly as he looked around. "How the hell did I survive this?" He said breathlessly. "I spent half the time with my eyes shut so the basilisk didn't kill me with its stare."
Hermione turned, watching him pace to a point on the floor.
"I remember. I dived here and the basilisk pushed the Sorting Hart to me… I shoved it on and begged for it to help me," he said quietly, "then the sword came out… nearly knocked me out." He gave a light laugh. He shook his head disbelievingly. He moved up to her side and gestured at the basilisk's head. "They should break off easily. The one that pierced me came off when it died."
Brain clicking into action, Hermione searched for her gloves and drew them out. Harry was at her side, shining his light at the mouth of the skull, the rows of glistening teeth visible enough for Hermione to extract without difficulty. Once she had her dragon-hide gloves on, she moved over, taking a moment to appreciate that this was a beast of legend and her brave, brilliant boyfriend slew it when he was only twelve. The same brave, brilliant boyfriend was standing behind her, silent, as she went to take the first fang.
Harry was right. The fang came away easily with just one tug. She moved back, gripping it, tilting it carefully to see the unmistakable sheen of venom at the tip. Harry edged towards her.
"Do you think it will be enough?" He asked. Hermione glanced across at him. She had no answer. It had to be enough. Harry had used a fang that had already deposited its venom in his arm and it still worked on the diary. She moved back to the skull, grasping another fang and pulled it free.
"Just to be sure," she said. Harry bowed his head down, looking at the locket in his hand.
"Let's get rid of this thing," he said, a hard edge cutting into his voice. He led the way to the statue, stopping short. It was so eerily silent, the air thick and wet. Hermione slashed a hard glare up at the state of Salazar Slytherin, the bigot who tainted Hogwarts. She gripped both fangs like daggers, ready to relieve her and Harry of Slytherin's burden.
Harry knelt down on the floor, placing the locket on the flag stones. He looked back at Hermione. She saw his tension, his fear, even though he was trying to hide it.
"If it's anything like the diary, it's going to fight back," he said, his voice completely and utterly serious. "I'll lure it to me and you stab the locket."
"You want me to do it?" Hermione looked down at the fangs in her hands.
"It will want me… it'll… be curious, like the diary…" Harry straightened, his jaw tense. "It's only now I get it… I have to open it with parseltongue." He eyed the statue. "That'll interest the horcrux, I expect."
Harry put his wand away, sticking it in his belt. He glanced across at Hermione, his eyes sparkling. She could see his fear and he was putting his absolute trust in her. Her resolve hardened, her fire burning. She gripped the fangs, moving to flank the locket, ready to blind-side it when it would go for Harry. Her heart was thundering, but she was ready.
She would rip that locket apart before any harm would come to her Harry.
My Harry.
He checked her position and gave her a nod, moving his gaze downwards. He held the horcrux down by the chain, as if expecting it to try to take flight. Then, again, she saw that intense look enter his eyes, as if he was trying to gaze beyond the metal of the locket, into something that lingered within.
"Sarches a haashn aan." The parseltongue was soft and harsh at the same time, quiet and yet it pierced through all sounds, reverberating and echoing with power of its own.
The gold locket on the stone floor sprung open with a click. For a second, nothing happened. Then Harry jumped back from the horcrux, his expression one of true fear. His hand was clamped to his forehead.
"Stab it, now," he grounded out, his eyes flicking in her direction. She rushed forwards, raising the fang in her right hand over her head. She reached the horcrux, seeing two eyes in each of the glass windows, irises bright red. A scream ripped out from the locket.
She swung down and, just as she did, a maelstrom of oily dark grey magic burst out of the windows, slamming into her chest and knocking her back. She slipped on the wet floor, crashing onto the stone.
"I have seen your heart, Harry Potter. You pride yourself for your goodness, your love, your purity… but it is all a lie."
"You are hardly the one to lecture me on my heart, Tom Riddle, seeing that you never had one." Harry's furious voice cut over the ice-cold voice that had reverberated from the coiling mass of vile magic. Harry suddenly let loose a loud cry of pain, the sound tearing into Hermione as she scrambled on the sodden stone to get back on her feet. She saw Harry drop to his knees before the twisting tower of contorting, writhing darkness.
"You will die on your knees like your mother and father…"
Hermione froze. She heard the voice shift, turning from high and cold to a deep, more human tone. Harry's head snapped up. As he did, the coiling mass took on a shape. Tall, dressed in robes with a high collar, his skin pale, shining like marble, but it wasn't the distorted, serpent-like features of Lord Voldemort. Glaring haughtily down at the kneeling form was Harry Potter himself, but instead of brilliant green eyes, they were crimson, with black slits for pupils.
"You are not worthy of the power in your veins… you are weak…"
The real Harry stared at the grotesque apparition, blood draining from his face. He dropped and started to scramble back, utterly terrified. The horcrux advanced, hands raising, moving towards the real Harry.
"I will take your power for my own…
"No… get away from me…"
The sound of his terror snapped Hermione back into action. She let out a furious shriek and threw herself down at the locket. Hearing her, Horcrux Harry spun from real Harry. His horrific eyes latched on her and he hissed in parseltongue.
Whatever he said triggered Harry's righteous rage and he was in motion, launching himself upwards. He wrapped his hands around the horcrux's neck. The form was corporeal enough to be tackled down and they both crashed down on the wet floor.
"NOW HERMIONE!" Harry roared.
She didn't hesitate. Taking both fangs, she plunged them down into the two glass panes, shattering them. A horrific shrieking echoed around the chamber. Hermione threw herself back, scrambling to her feet, leaving the fangs impaled in the horcrux, shuddering as the venom found the beating life contained within.
Harry was wrestling the writhing doppelganger, his hands fixed around his neck. Hermione moved to help, but caught sight of a distorted look of loathing on both faces. The figure on the ground was changing, his features shifting, his hair disappearing. His skin turned pure white, and his nose was as flat as a snake's.
"You are mine… Harry Potter…" On the last syllable of Harry's name, the horcrux dissolved completely, leaving Harry's hands holding nothing but air.
There was complete silence. Hermione turned to look over at the now destroyed and dead horcrux. Leaving Harry on his knees, she went over to it to confirm the kill. There was some sort of noxious fluid pooling underneath it, dark grey, looking a lot like the form the horcrux had taken before it assumed Harry's form. She tugged the fangs loose, seeing that they had impossibly sheared through the gold. It was destroyed, there was no doubt about it. Swallowing tightly, she walked slowly to Harry. His arms were wrapped around himself.
Quietly, she sunk down next to him and put the horcrux down in front of him.
"It's gone," she said softly. She didn't look at him, respecting his privacy, as she knew he was distraught. She knew enough from the soft sniffs he was making. She drew her arm around him and brought him into her embrace. He didn't move, but he sighed as his face pressed against her chest, against where her heart was beating rapidly.
They didn't speak. There was no need. Hermione only held him close, helping him to feel safe. She ran her fingers through his hair, comforting him. She was giving him a safe place for him to let his emotions out, a place where there would be no judgment, where he could show her his weaknesses and not be afraid. She kissed him on his forehead. He moved then, coming out of his stasis. His arms came around her and he breathed in deeply.
"Thank you," he said huskily. "I… needed that."
"I know." He pulled back from her, wiping at his face.
"Though what I didn't need was more fuel for my nightmares." And just like that, he was back to business. Hermione considered the fangs in her hands. She conjured up a small box and transfigured the wood into stone, a simple enough spell. She placed them in the box, testing for a moment to see if there was a reaction. There wasn't. Satisfied, she closed the box, sealing it and stuffed it with difficulty into her beaded bag.
Harry, meanwhile, was putting the ruined locket into his pouch. He let out a sigh and a smile returned to his face. Hermione could not help but think about the horcrux doppelganger, the cold, detached expression on its face.
It wasn't real. It was the horcrux trying to get into Harry's head.
"Three down," he said, turning to look at her, his green eyes dancing in the verdant gloom, "three to go."
It should have been a victorious moment, but Voldemort robbed Harry even of his triumph over him. Seeing the shattered glass of the locket, the metal distorted, beyond repair, there should have been a savage burn of satisfaction at seeing Slytherin's heirloom in ruins. Instead, he felt hollow. His hands were cold where he had throttled the dark version of himself, the mockery of skin had been like marble under his own warm hands. He felt violated where his fears had been plucked out of his heart and put on full display, a fear he didn't even know he had until he saw it. Now he had… he knew full well that if he ever came across a boggart, he wouldn't be coming face-to-face with a dementor. Not anymore.
He allowed himself a moment to take comfort from Hermione's silent support. There was no need for words. Actions and gestures were more than enough. He expelled his distress, letting it loose so it didn't fester. Each tear was a catharsis, extracting pain from him drop-by-drop until he could feel again and feel Hermione's warm body enveloping his own.
Hermione helped him onto his feet and he gave the Chamber of Secrets a final look. Perhaps one day, if he was successful in his war against Voldemort, he could return and destroy every inch of the chamber and bury the basilisk under the rock for good. Slytherin's legacy would die with his heir.
Hand-in-hand, the pair set off to join with their house elf companion. Harry made it two steps, searching for the elf. The doorway out of the chamber was empty. Harry took the map from his pocket, but stopped himself when he remembered that the Chamber didn't appear on it.
"Dobby?" He called out. Hermione drew out her wand, catching his eye. His heart lurched. After all the chaos of the horcrux, he hadn't thought to check on Dobby. But surely there were no dangers down in the chamber, not anymore?
Maybe he went to guard the pipe?
Harry moved ahead of Hermione, his steps more urgent, his taking his wand from his pocket.
"Harry, don't go ahead…" Hermione wanted him, but his panic was in full surge now.
Please, don't let anything happen to Dobby… not now, not here…
"Lumos," he said as he stepped through into the tunnel, searching. His eyes immediately found Dobby, just behind the door, slumped on the floor.
"Dobby!" He shouted, rushing for him at once. The small elf was laying on his side, his eyes shut. Harry froze, his mind bleaching. What had happened? Did the drain on his magic cause him to faint? Harry felt awful. How could he had left him? Why didn't the little elf call for help?
All those questions stilled when Harry felt something hard poke into the back of his neck. His instincts sent sirens screaming in his head. It was something all wizards and witches knew to fear. Being held at wand point.
Harry's eyes slashed over to Hermione. She caught sight of the wizard holding him hostage and her eyes narrowed into a look of intense hatred. Her wand was raised.
"Get away from him!" She snarled.
"Another step, Granger, and Potter will be writhing on the ground."
Malfoy.
Harry cursed himself for his stupidity. So easily manipulated once again. Lured into lowering his defenses.
"Drop your wand, Potter," Malfoy ordered him, jabbing his wand into his neck. He didn't. His eyes darted back to Hermione, wondering why on earth she hadn't disarmed Malfoy already. But then he heard a silencing charm lifting, revealing the shuffling sounds of two lumbering weights. Malfoy wasn't alone. Of course not.
"I take it Myrtle told you where to find me?" Harry asked, "I forgot about her thirst for gossip."
"I said drop your wand."
"I heard you and I'm ignoring you," Harry said, looking over to Hermione, trying to communicate with her. She met his gaze and she raised her wand.
"You even try to curse him, I'll have the three of you as toad spawn before you twitch an eyelid!"
That's my girl.
"What did you do to Dobby?" Harry demanded. Malfoy's wand burned at the back of his neck, causing a hiss to slip out his mouth.
"Do it Draco," a strange, soft voice spoke from behind. Harry glanced over to his left, seeing the robed legs of either Crabbe or Goyle. He didn't recognise the voice, which made him realise that he couldn't remember what either of them sounded like. "Or I will."
"Back off, Vincent," Malfoy hissed, "the Dark Lord will not want an unmarked servant touching his claim."
Harry then felt someone coming up to his right, reaching for his wand. He looked over at Hermione and gave her a nod.
They both moved at the same time. Hermione had the upper hand. Her wand flashed and there was a loud yell as Goyle, Harry assumed, was seized by his ankle and jerked upwards. Harry tucked into a roll just as Malfoy reacted.
"Crucio!" But the curse struck the wall, missing Harry, who leapt to his feet. He raised his wand, turning it on Malfoy, whose pale face was twisted with rage. Harry noticed, seeing Malfoy for the first time in months, that the Slytherin looked dreadful. He had no time to fully observe his rival's apparent poor state. Goyle crashed to the ground as Hermione went to engage Malfoy, who managed to shield in time. Harry went to help, but was forced to shield himself when Crabbe threw a nasty-looking hex at him. It lashed over his shield charm, appearing like black lightning.
Harry backed up, his attention diverted between Crabbe and the duel behind him between Hermione and Malfoy. He dodged another hex before coming to his senses and went on the offensive.
"Repulso! " Harry shouted, sending Crabbe back from him. He slashed his wand upwards, sending a non-verbal stunning charm. Crabbe managed to shield, surprising Harry. He really hadn't expected them to learn how to duel, not when he knew they didn't share a brain cell between them.
Then came the last thing Harry expected from a dunce like Crabbe.
"Crucio!"
"Harry!"
He had a split second to shield, but the unforgivable could not be blocked. It shattered his charm, pure malice striking him in the chest. The instant it hit, his nerves were triggered. He let out a strangled yell of pain as his legs collapsed under him and he rolled onto his back. His limbs curled as the muscles spasmed, locked in place as if he was being electrocuted.
It was just as he remembered. Red hot daggers piercing him all over, fire surging through him, flaying every nerve ending. He didn't scream. Unlike the curses he endured at the end of Voldemort's wand, this pain didn't fully obliterate him. He could see Crabbe stepping up to him, a wide, sadistic grin on his face.
"That's right Potter… just a taste of the pain to come…" His voice was so soft, eerie. Harry clenched his jaw, looking past his tormentor to where he saw flashes of light through the haze of pain. He managed to fight through it, latching onto the few thoughts that survived, the strongest thought blazing through.
Hermione.
Impossibly, Harry moved his spasming right arm upwards, raising his wand that he still gripped tightly. Crabbe's eyes went wide, not reacting fast enough as Harry spoke through gritted teeth.
"Expelliarmus!"
Crabbe stumbled back as the spell struck him hard like a kick to the chest. His wand flew out of his hand, clattering wetly on the stone. Then Harry's rage burst through and he lurched to his feet.
"Incarcerous!" He yelled. Cords lashed out his wand, wrapping around Crabbe who immediately toppled over, crashing on the wet stone.
He saw Hermione facing both Malfoy and Goyle, her face shining as she moved effortlessly, her shield charms non-verbally springing forth as she sent charmed objects at them as distractions, weaving in stunning charms, bludgeoning hexes.
Stepping over Crabbe, kicking him in the stomach as he did, Harry advanced on the two.
"Crucio!" Malfoy spat.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry snapped at the same time. As the tip of Malfoy's wand sparked red, it jerked out of his hand. Accio. Harry summoned his wand to him non-verbally. Malfoy watched, wide-eyed, horrified, as his wand zipped behind him where Harry caught it. He pointed both his wand and Malfoy's wand at the two standing, wandless.
Hermione stepped through the doorway, entering the tunnel. As if sensing the occupants had left the Chamber, the serpentine door swung shut, plunging them all into darkness.
"Lumos," Harry and Hermione said together, shining their wands at their captives. Harry met Hermione's gaze. Somehow, she knew what he wanted. Her stunning charm struck Goyle in the forehead. He comically slumped down, unconscious.
"Did you really think you could take us both on with these two?" Harry asked Malfoy, nudging the stunned Goyle with his shoe.
"It doesn't matter. The school is in lockdown, Potter. No one can enter and no one can leave."
Harry stuffed Malfoy's wand into his belt and then grabbed at the Death Eater's robe sleeve, pulling it back. He felt a lurch of disgust at the brand on his skin, but the skull and serpent were red, not black. He looked up at the younger Malfoy, confused.
"If you knew I was here, why didn't you call him?" Harry asked him. Malfoy's face contorted with anger.
"Because he wanted to deliver you to him himself and regain his standing in his ranks," Hermione answered for him. "If he pressed his mark, Snape and the Carrows would know too. After your own slice of glory, aren't you Malfoy?"
Infuriated that nothing was ever simple, Harry rubbed at his forehead, his scar prickling a little.
"We need to get out of here as soon as possible. Hermione, can you revive Dobby?"
Malfoy laughed.
"Did you not hear me, Potter? No one can enter and no one can leave. House elves included."
Hermione straightened, shooting Harry an alarmed look. He shook his head, refusing to believe that they were trapped.
"I'll blow up a hole in the castle if I have to," Harry growled, incensed. "You're lucky I have no time to deal with you, Malfoy. I should lock you up in here to rot. Only me and your Lord can open up this place - as you well know."
He pressed his wand to Malfoy's forehead, his hatred and anger burning through him in waves. He heard Hermione wake Dobby and speak to him softly, but he had eyes only for Malfoy, staring into his pale blue eyes, seeing the dark bags under them, the sallowness to his skin. His hair was limp, disheveled. An unwanted feeling twisted in his gut as he remembered Malfoy up on the astronomy tower, wretched with fear, as he stalled carrying out the murder he was tasked to complete.
Harry pitied him. Closing his eyes, Harry took a step back. Hermione had Dobby on his feet, but he looked very pale and unstable.
"Harry, we need to run - now. Dobby… he's not well. This place has drained him."
He looked over to the house elf. He looked up at Harry sadly.
"This place is bad, Harry Potter."
"It really is, Dobby… alright, go on ahead. Here…" He pulled his Invisibility Cloak out from under his jumper, handing it over to her. "I'll catch up. It'll be tricky getting out."
Her lips pursed as she regarded him, knowing that he was facing a lecture after this… if they made it out. She sighed, nodding, and drew the cloak over her and Dobby.
He turned from them, hearing their wet footsteps leaving, and he turned his attention back to Malfoy, his gaze ranging up and down him.
"How good is your occlumency?" Harry asked him.
"Better than yours, Potter."
"It better be." Harry kept his wand trained on him. "I've not practiced my memory charms and I don't have the time to read up on the theory." He raised his wand. "Stupefy."
Malfoy thudded to the ground at Harry's feet. Harry let out a breath and pointed down at him. "Incarcerous."
Ropes wrapped around Malfoy's torso, arms and legs, binding him so when he shook off Harry's stunning charm, he would still be incapacitated. Harry bound Goyle in the same fashion.
"You're going to die, Potter," the creepy voice of Vincent Crabbe jeered as he made to leave. Harry paused, anger sparking through him. He wheeled around, his wand pointing down at the bound, writhing form.
"And you need to practice your Cruciatus a bit more… really lacks feeling," he said, tilting his head to one side. "Sleep well, princess."
His stunning charm illuminated the tunnel with a bright red blaze. All three Slytherins were stunned and bound at his feet. Harry took a deep breath, giving himself a second of rest, before tearing off after Hermione and Dobby.
Harry had not been wrong when he said that getting out up through the pipe would be tricky. There had to be an easier way. His shoes were slipping on the slime and he pressed his back against the roof, anchoring himself. He was aching by the time he caught up with Hermione. Unfortunately, he didn't see her before he collided with something solid, concealed under his cloak.
"Oh, shit! Hermione… I… Whoa!" Harry nearly slipped and slid back down the slope. He planted his feet on either side, his arms outstretched, stopping his descent.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't think to warn you I was here."
"It's okay… how's Dobby?"
Harry gripped at the Cloak and pulled himself under, joining her. He noticed that she was levitating Dobby in front of her so her arms were free.
"Dobby feels better, Harry Potter." Dobby turned his large eyes onto him, offering him a smile.
"I'm glad you caught up," Hermione said, "I have an idea for getting up faster." Harry frowned at her, confused. "Ascension charm."
His eyebrows shot up. "Do you think that would really work?"
"Well, if you ascend up, I can cushion us when we get out," She said. He pulled at the map in his pocket, looking at it under his lit wand.
"No one's at the bathroom yet so you're right about Malfoy wanting the credit of handing me over for himself. My guess is that he raised the alarm for the lockdown and then went down after us before Snape or anyone could question him."
Hermione nodded at his reasoning. "Let's get out of here first then and… we'll then plan once we're not climbing up a pipe."
Harry stuffed his map away. "Alright, sit behind me… like we're on a slide in a waterpark."
"You've been to a waterpark?" Hermione asked him, stunned.
"Er… no, I've watched the adverts though," he waved a dismissive hand. "I'll hold Dobby."
The three of them were soon in the most bizarre position: Harry, in the centre with Dobby on his lap, Hermione at his back, legs on either side. Harry's feet were all that was keeping them from sliding down. He was tense at the effort.
"Ready?" Harry called at her.
"Yes!"
"Three… two… one," Harry flicked out his wand, holding Dobby to his with his left. "Ascendio!"
Like a cork from a bottle, they shot backwards. Hermione couldn't help the scream that burst from her mouth. Harry too let out a shocked shout. Dobby, meanwhile, let out a sound that was suspiciously like "wheeeeee!"
Cloak ruffling around them, they continued their ascent, straining around to see when they would make their messy arrival, now very griming and slimy again. It didn't take long for the light of the bathroom to strike them. Hermione hurriedly prepared to cast the cushioning charm. With a rush, they burst out. Her charm flashed into life and they collided on the tiled floor with a flump, as if crashing on a mattress, rather than on a very hard ground.
Harry rolled out from under them Hermione, holding Dobby protectively to his chest. The cloak was off them, in a messy pile on the floor. Hermione snatched it up, quickly cleaning off the slime so they could pass unseen underneath. It was instantly freshened up.
Dobby wobbled a bit as he paced around. Harry crouched down next to him.
"Dobby… the school is in lockdown so you won't be able to apparate us out… but I don't want you to get hurt. Do… do you think you could join the other house elves in the kitchen until the lockdown lifts?"
Dobby looked up at Harry, his eyes wide. "Harry Potter wants Dobby to leave?"
"Harry Potter wants Dobby to live," he said softly, taking the elf's hands in his. "You really helped us out. We would have never made it as far without you, but now we need to do this bit on our own." Harry gave him a wistful smile. "I wish we could hide in the kitchens too, but we might stick out a bit."
Dobby's huge eyes were wet with tears. "Will… Harry Potter come to visit Dobby and Mr Dumbledore?"
Emotions pinched Harry's face as he held the elf's hands, he let out a breath keeping himself in control.
"I… will try." Then he brought Dobby into his arms and hugged him. "I promise that I'll try."
He released the elf, who was swaying a little, crying openly, drying his face with his jumper. Hermione crouched down too and gave the elf a hug. Once she had straightened, Harry was fishing in his pouch. He drew out a shard of mirror.
"Keep an eye on the mirror in the sitting room, Dobby. Aberforth said that if we need help, I'm to call," Harry said to him. "Considering how much trouble I get in, some assistance might be needed!"
Dobby nodded, his hat nearly flying off. "I will, Harry Potter."
"Good, now… we need to get moving. Head to the kitchen now, Dobby, and say hi to Winky for me… er… actually… don't mention me at all… probably for the best," Harry rubbed at the back of his neck.
With a final teary wave and a bob of his head, Dobby the house elf disappeared with a loud crack. Both Harry and Hermione stared at the space he had just occupied, faces full of thoughts.
"Students, remain in your common rooms. To purge the corridors of malcontents, dementors will be patrolling the school in five minutes. If you are not in a designated area, we will not be accountable for your safety."
Harry seethed at the voice, knowing it at once. Snape. His hands were balled into fists as he glared down at the map.
Dementors. Of course, it has to be dementors.
He desperately tried to engage his brain.
"I might as well hand myself over if dementors corner us," Harry said, glancing at Hermione. "Five minutes… that's all we have…"
"The common room…"
"We don't know the password," Harry said at once.
"The passageway…"
"It'll be sealed. They seal when there's a lockdown - remember when it happened when Sirius broke in?" Harry reminded her. He studied the map furiously, his finger tracing each floor. Then he snapped his fingers.
"The Room of Requirement… that's our best shot," he said, spinning around to grab her shoulders, his green eyes bright. "We need to move now… though it's far enough from the Entrance hall, we shouldn't come across any dementors on the way."
She threw the cloak over both their shoulders and, together, hand-in-hand, they went to run. Harry took the lead.
"Guard our backs if we need it, Hermione," Harry told her as he led them down the corridor. It was deserted, as would all the corridors be until the dementors carried out their sweep. He fastened the pace to a jog, tugging her behind him.
"Where are Snape and the Carrows?" Hermione asked him in a whisper as he pulled her through a tapestry, revealing a shortcut. They dodged urns and vases that had been stored in the disused corridor for reasons unknown.
"At the Entrance Hall." He reported back. "I wonder if this happens often… you remember… what Ted Tonks and Dean were saying?" His words were a little laboured as he spoke while running. "Ginny and Neville are giving them a hard time…"
"Where are they ?" Hermione asked him.
"Er, not sure, but we should focus on us right now," he said, wisely. "Coming up to the staircases. Trick step-."
"I know, Harry, believe it or not, I know the castle pretty well too," she shot back, a little rankled. They burst out into the Grand Staircase. Both of them rushed out to the balustrade, looking down to the floors below. Harry could already feel the chill rattling upwards from the ground floor. For it to be so strong, there had to be a lot of dementors.
"Shit… how many do they have ?" Harry croaked out. Sharing a look with Hermione, they set off again, springing up the stairs. They had a few flights to run to go up two floors.
By the time they made it to the fifth floor, stitches were stabbing into both their ribs. Dashing through another shortcut, Harry upped the pace, his strides lengthening. Hermione didn't protest. The chill was getting worse, freezing in his gut.
Finally, they made it to the corridor, skidding to a halt. Harry stowed the map away, his eyes wild as they darted over the expanse of wall. He paced with Hermione at his side, focusing desperately.
I need somewhere to hide.
I need somewhere they can't find us, somewhere unplottable, unreachable.
Nothing was happening. The wall was still a wall.
"I… I don't understand, it should be working…" his breath was misting. He turned, face tense with fear. "Hermione…"
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Harry… we can't get in because someone's already there!"
She dove her hands into his pocket, snatching the map from him. He watched her fast eyes absorbing the map.
"Neville's there, Harry… I can't see Neville!"
Gasping as he realised what Hermione was saying, he turned back around, facing the wall. He focused on a different thought instead.
I need to find the hiding place of Dumbledore's Army.
