Chapter 4:

"Harry, I'm sure that doesn't mean that the Marauders are dead again." Hermione urged. "Even dead, the map worked. There has to be another explanation than that."

"And what explanation is that, Hermione?" Harry asked, giving her a cool stare.

Hermione hesitated, before she said, "I don't have the answers. This isn't the type of magic that I know. But I promise you. We will find the answers. But right now, we need to finish this. We have two Horcruxes left. As long as they exist, this will never be over."

Harry took a deep breath, summoning the courage he needed to move forward. "Thank you, Hermione." He told her, giving her a small smile and a nod. "We need to get to the Room of Requirement. I'm certain that's where the diadem is. We've been there enough times. With the battle raging around us, there's no way anyone is going to pay attention to us."

"Lead the way then, mate." Ron nodded.

Harry led them carefully to the stretch of wall that hid the entrance to the Room of Requirement. "Ginny's still in there, how are we going to find the entrance? You know it changes constantly to keep the Carrows from finding the students hidden there." Ron groaned, the realization coming to him.

"There's one thing we can try. We can just repeat that we want to-" Hermione began, but a voice behind them interrupted her.

"What are you three doing out here?" Ginny asked, her fiery red hair a tangle, as though she had frazzled her hair in anxiety. She stood at an open door down the hall from them.

"Wait, how did you get that door to appear?" Harry asked, hurrying over to her.

"You guys were being so noisy out here that I heard you. I just took the exit and it ended here." Ginny explained. "What's going on out there?"

"Death Eaters have started the attack. We need to get in there, but we need you to leave so it'll transform into the room we want." Harry explained.

Ginny looked all too happy to leave. Ron shouted after her as she hurried down the corridor, wand aloft, "You're supposed to go back in there when we're done!"

"She can take care of herself. With her red hair, if she meets James, I'm sure he'll protect her." Harry assured him. "We need to focus on our task."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione paced back and forth in front of the stretch of wall. On the last pass, Harry looked up and saw a large oak door with a brass handle.

"Hurry up, we don't want to be seen coming in here." Harry muttered, pulling open the door.

A cathedral-sized room appeared before them as they entered the Room of Requirement. As the door shut, the room was plunged into darkness.

"Lumos." Harry muttered, and his wand-tip ignited. Hermione and Ron did the same, pointing their wands ahead of them. "Spread out, we've got to find the diadem quickly. "It's on a bust of an ugly warlocke with a blond wig on it."

They separated. Harry moved forward along the high columns of refuse, the sounds of Hermione's and Ron's movements echoed through the cavernous room.

As Harry raised his lit wand to search the higher elevations of the stacks surrounding him, he caught a glimpse of his target: the bust of an ugly warlock wearing a blond wig and a discolored tiara balanced precariously on top of an old and rusty filing cabinet.

Harry reached for the diadem on top of the bust's curly locks when a drawling voice sounded from behind him, "Don't move any closer to that diadem, Potter."

Harry spun around and glared hatefully at the pale, blond teen standing barely six feet from him. On either side of Malfoy were his usual cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"What are you doing here?" Harry snarled. "And how did you get in here?"

"Oh get with the program, Potter. I spent practically all last year in the Room of Hidden Things." Malfoy's lip curled into a sneer. "Of course I know how it works. As for what I'm doing here, the Dark Lord warned us that you were after some diadem and to stop you at all costs."

"I've beaten you before, Malfoy, and I'll beat you again if you try to stop me."

"How dare you threaten me with my own wand!" Malfoy snarled, whipping out a wand from his pocket.

"Where did you get that one, your Mum?" Harry taunted, giving a smirk of his own.

"Yes." Malfoy answered resentfully.

Harry's chuckle at his response was cut short as he heard Hermione's voice ask, "Harry? Who are you talking to?"

In one swift motion, Crabbe shot a spell at the stack separating Hermione's row from their own. The refuse swayed dangerously. Harry pointed his wand quickly and shot a spell that settled the stack at once.

Malfoy glared furiously at Crabbe. "If you topple the stacks, it'll bury the diadem!"

"Who cares about a die-dem?" Crabbe snarled hatefully. "He can't get it neither if it's buried."

"Still, we can't take a chance. Now help me get that diadem!" Malfoy snapped back.

"No, I'm done taking orders from you, Malfoy. Your father is a loser and so are you." Crabbe spat hatefully. He pushed Malfoy away and charged down the row, Goyle lumbering in his wake.

Harry turned back to the filing cabinet and reached for the diadem. Just as his fingers closed on the diadem, a roar sounded from behind him.

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed from somewhere nearby.

Harry turned quickly, horror sinking his stomach faster than a dive in a Quidditch match could. Huge fiery beasts rose from where Crabbe had disappeared, great chimaeras and raptors swooping through the refuse, turning anything the fire touched to ash. Harry moved quickly, using a spell to blast a hole through the refuse at the end of the row and found Hermione and Ron, already sweating in the rising temperatures.

"We have to get out of here!" Hermione panted, pulling him by the door to where the entrance hopefully was.

"What the bloody hell did he use?" Ron gasped, running after them.

"No time to explain now, just RUN!" Hermione insisted, tugging harder.

They skidded to a halt as another fiery creature rose, dragon shaped this time. It was blocking where they thought the entrance would be. "What are we going to do now?" Hermione whispered, too horrified to speak louder.

Harry looked frantically around them and spotted two brooms. "Ron, grab a broom, we'll fly out of here!"

Ron grabbed a broom and Harry grabbed another. Ron helped Hermione onto the broom behind him and they took off, sailing quickly over the flames.

"Are we really going to let Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle die in here?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Are you insane, Hermione? We'd die trying to rescue them!" Ron hollered back at her.

"She's right, we can't let them die like this. Follow me, I think I see them."

Harry and Ron dived where Malfoy and Goyle stood, perched precariously on a stack of refuse, surrounded by flames. Harry grabbed Malfoy's hand and pulled him onto the back of his broom. Ron did the same for Goyle and they sailed upward again.

Harry sailed for the door with Ron following on his broom. The door sprang open and they toppled onto the stone floor, gasping and coughing. "That was close." Hermione panted, trying to catch her breath.

"Where's the diadem?" Ron asked, looking over at Harry.

Harry looked down and saw that he was wearing the discolored tiara around his wrist. He must have caught it without realizing he had done so. A tar-like substance oozed from a crack in the metal and it fractured on his wrist. A faint scream issued from the diadem as though something died.

"How did it get destroyed?" Harry asked, amazed.

"Fiendfyre." Hermione panted. "That's what Crabbe used. It's one of the only things that destroys Horcruxes. But it's incredibly dangerous, it's so hard to control."

"Slimy git." Ron muttered, getting to his feet. He noticed Malfoy and Goyle had already taken off. "What d'you reckon happened to Crabbe?"

"If he didn't make it out, and it's highly unlikely, he's dead. Nothing can survive that."

"What's that noise?" Harry asked, interrupting their conversation. "Does that sound like…hooves?"

Indeed the pounding of large feet and hooves echoed off the stone walls as two large animals charged down the hall to where the Weasley twins were located. Harry recognized at once the huge stag in the lead, followed by a bear-sized black dog. Remus Lupin came panting after them, unable to keep up as he reached them. "I never thought I would be expected to keep up with them in human form." He panted, pausing to catch his breath.

"You okay?" Harry asked, going over to Lupin.

"Yeah, Sirius and James could tell they were needed up here. You know, animal senses and all that."

"We should go help them." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Lupin ran after Sirius and James in time to see the two Animagi transform into the their human forms to aid Fred, George and the other students in protecting the window at the end of the corridor.

"Do you two need more help?" James asked as he stepped up beside Fred.

"Hey, Harry. Yeah, we'd love for you to help us out." Fred replied aiming a curse at a Death Eater climbing the side of the castle.

Harry chuckled as he joined the others in raining curses down upon the Death Eaters.

"I think this area is safe enough. Doesn't look like anyone is able to climb up here." George turned and brushed the dust off his robes. He caught sight of Harry and James. "Woah, and I thought we looked identical!"

Harry and James chuckled. "It's a long story, we have time to explain later."

As another concussive boom shook the castle, Voldemort's voice sounded again, louder and more ominous than before:

"You have let many of your fighters die for you, Harry Potter. Lord Voldemort does not wish to see any magical blood spilled. Therefore, I now order my Death Eaters to retreat. Treat you wounded; bury your dead. This reprieve lasts until an hour before sunrise. If you do not seek me out in the Forbidden Forest by then, I will order the battle to resume. And this time I will enter the fray and kill every person that tries to protect you."

"You can't give him what he wants." Hermione said at once, knowing what Harry's reaction would be.

"What else can I do, Hermione? I can't let anyone else die for me. My parents sacrificed enough for me sixteen years ago. I'm not risking anymore deaths when I know how to end this." Harry replied, determined. He looked into his father's eyes, emerald into hazel. "My parents' sacrifice has to mean something. They fought during what little of their adult lives they got to keep me alive. I'm not letting anyone else die for me."

James gave him a small smile. "I didn't know I had that much of an impact on you." He said quietly.

"James, you not only gave me life, but you're what I've aspired to become since I found out the truth about you. No matter your faults, you did what was right in the end." Harry answered, his gaze steady on his father.

"There's gotta be another way. Harry." Hermione pleaded. "What if he's leading you into a trap?"

"I can at least look into his mind, see what he's planning." Harry conceded. "You're right, Hermione. This might be a trap. But I can at least see what he's planning before I walk blindly into one."

Harry closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Almost at once the Shrieking Shack swam before his eyes. Lucius Malfoy stood before him, pale and terrified. A cut lip was the only visible sign that he had been injured. "Master, let me go and find Potter. I know his weaknesses. I can seek him out and bring him to you."

"No," Voldemort responded in his cold pitiless voice. "I know you seek to find your son. You cannot omit that bit of information, for Lord Voldemort knows all. I require another task, however. Bring me Severus Snape."

"Snape? B-but my Lord-"

"Don't make me repeat myself or you will feel my wrath. Now go." Voldemort threatened, dismissing him.

"As you wish." Lucius bowed and left the room.

Harry surfaced from the vision with a gasp. "He's in the Shrieking Shack. He's just sent Malfoy to bring Snape to him."

"Why would he want Snape?" Ron wondered aloud.

The others shrugged, not knowing what to say.