Chapter 25

Invasion

"And Harry summoned a broom and we flew out," Hermione finished. She adjusted the code papers she had bought to the hospital wing to work on in her lap.

"I say next time we see Voldemort you tell him that Moaning Myrtle was his ultimate defeat. It should distract him long enough for you to kill him." Ron said, turning the cup over in his hands as he sat up in his bed.

"I'll keep it in mind."

"So this thing has V-V-Volde…his soul in it?" Neville said, taking the cup from Ron. "Really?"

Hermione nodded. "We told you."

"Yes, but…I'm not sure I believed you…Luna, you hold it!" Neville shoved the cup at Luna, who took it happily.

"I heard Hufflepuff was actually part mermaid. Do you think He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named knew that?"

"Most likely not," Ginny wrapped her hands around her knees, the white sheets of her hospital bed wrapping around her form, which was slowly fleshing out due to copious potion taking. "So…you've managed to ensure three bits of Voldemort's soul are destroyed in a year. That means there's only one left right?"

Harry nodded. "Nagini. Voldemort's snake. At least that's what Dumbledore thinks…thought." Harry took the cup from Luna, who said, "I imagine getting to Voldemort's snake will be quite challenging."

"Understatement of the century," Ron snorted. "How are we going to manage that?"

"We'll figure it out." Ginny said consolingly.

"We?" Harry's head snapped up.

"You're going to need all the help you can get," Luna noted.

"Yeah…but look, I know you guys think I'm constantly protecting everyone too much and not letting you come with me…but…you haven't ever seen him. You can't possibly understand…I just…" Harry paused, not making eye contact, but seeming to sense they were listening. "This is my…responsibility…or destiny…or whatever it is. I…don't think it's fair…so many have already died and had their lives destroyed…it has to stop. I can do it alone. Really."

"Harry-" Ginny began but Neville, who had been sitting there silently, staring at the Horcrux in Harry's hands, interrupted her.

"No, you can't," he said forcefully. "In the end, Harry, only one thing matters. Stopping Ihim./I If you want to stop the dying, you have to stop him, and you know that. It's all about him. You're not the only person who's life he messed up. It's his fault my parent's minds are dead. He's already destroyed my family. So, I want to stop him, and I don't care if I die, as long as he does the same. If I want to face him, if I want to do it, it's not your decision. I want to help. I want to be there to make sure he never destroys anything again. If the six of us getting it stops millions dying, then it's worth it. Luna's right. You need all the help you can get, so it's stupid to refuse us. I'm going with you. For my parents. For everyone. And you can't stop me."

Neville finally fell silent, leaving everyone staring at him.

"Neville-" Hermione said gently.

"I've got to go," Neville said, and he shot up and raced out of the room.

"Wait!" Harry got up too, but Neville was already long gone. He turned back, to find everyone staring at him.

"FINE!" he shouted. "COME WITH ME! SEE IF I CARE!" and he stormed out, leaving Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna alone.

"…Well, I'm glad we got that straightened out," Luna said cheerfully.

"Everyone is so emotional lately. It's making me really tense," Ron grumbled. "Can I break the Horcrux?"

"I suppose," Hermione tossed the cup to Ron, who shattered it with his wand in glee.

"Well, I suppose this is good," Ginny lay back. "As soon as I stop looking anorexic and Ron gets better, we can go track down Nagini and kill Voldemort and for better or worse, this will all be over."

"It will make a really good newspaper article," Luna said randomly.

"We should all probably go to bed," Hermione yawned. "I'm tired from all the interrogation from the Order and McGonagall."

"So…stop working on the paper and go to bed," Ron said helpfully after a few minutes.

"I'm working on the code," Hermione said, biting her lip. "I'm so close to finding out who the recipient for it is…just a little…"

"You've been working on this code most of the year, and you're just now finding out who the recipient is?" Ginny asked.

"It's REALLY hard. I've deciphered a couple other sentences but if we find out who this was sent to, we can go find them…if they're still alive."

"Huh, so-"

"Shush! I'm so close!" Hermione snapped. I just have to solve this equation…."

Ron, Ginny and Luna all fell silent.

So if E is for Expelliarmus, that would mean e8, which means I have to revise the equation by 3, which would make it spell…

"Oh my God," Hermione gasped, when she deciphered the name.

"What?" Ron cried, clearly happy to be able to talk again.

"The person this was sent to…it's…it's…"

Suddenly Madam Pomfrey burst into the room. "You need to get out of here! Death Eaters!"

-Starfire: about Slade's invading army of robots They are too numerous to fight. What shall we do?
Robin: Fight anyway.