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Chapter 9

Hermione sat in a daze, sipping tea in the older woman's quaint kitchen. "I knew you were coming, or at least, that you would come." The woman smirked, twisting the bracelet around and around on her wrist. "I just knew it."

She wasn't quite sure, but Hermione was fairly certain that there was more to this woman than met the eye. In fact, despite all appearances this woman didn't sound very old at all. "You couldn't possibly have known that I would be coming." Hermione challenged, channeling her best know-it-all voice.

The woman rolled her eyes maintaining her good humor. "Perhaps I did not know about you my dear. But I certainly knew that there would be one such as you. You can't fault me there my dear."

"Who are you?" Hermione intoned, realizing only after she said it that perhaps this is a question that should have been put forth quite a bit sooner than it had been.

The woman's expression once more morphed into that smug grin.

"Who am I indeed, darling. How many meanings one question can have. There are many things that I am, and many things that I am not. For instance, while I am the possessor of an item you very much want, I am not any true threat to you." She spoke smoothly, as though she knew that it had just occurred to Hermione that she had walked straight into a stranger's home. Hermione seemed about to speak, but the woman raised her hand, signaling that it was a time for both silence and patience. "My name, which you seem to seek, you need not know, it is not your goal and will earn you nothing in this quest which you wish to accomplish. All that I ask is you give me your time. There are things that you must know are you to succeed."

✤

The day that Fred left the apartment, Dumbledore was bedridden and fading faster than he had been all during their trip. "You go ahead, I will keep watch eh?" Jack spoke quietly, placing his hand on Fred's shoulder urging him to go. "I will watch our friend."

Fred remained by Dumbledore's bed side. "You know the way, the directions... you understand them?" Dumbledore muttered softly, worry creasing his brow.

"Yes."

"Good."

"Dumbledore. Professor, I wish that I could help, that I could stay..."

"No, no Fred my boy, you must go forward. You must carry your charge, that is how you may help Don't worry yourself over me." Dumbledore paused, and for a moment that old twinkle came into his eye. "There is no reason for you to remain at the bedside of an old man. Others await you." Fred tried to smile, but Dumbledore just looked so weak, and so very vulnerable. "Go forward, and make history."

Fred nodded, realizing that he was being dismissed. It was time for him to leave. Saying his final good-byes Fred tightened his cloak around his person and left the apartment, walking several blocks before ducking into an ally and disappearing.

✤

After making the unforgiving trek through the dense woods, Harry and Ron found themselves situated in the glade from their shared vision. "It looks exactly the same." Ron spoke softly, afraid to break the great quiet that hung in the air. Harry nodded, before moved closer to the clearing's center.

Their progress became stilted, as they grew weary of what awaited them. "You don't suppose the sacrifice comes before entering the gate do you?" Ron voiced the question that had been weighing heavily on each of their minds. It had been a great concern to each of them that a sacrifice would be involved. It was so open ended, what could it possibly entail? The possibilities were endless, and though they hadn't wanted to contemplate them, it was a reality that could not be escaped.

Hermione had been vehement on their departure that they be careful. Though really, one can only be so careful. There are those things which cannot be helped.

Finally Harry removed the chain upon which the ring rested from around his neck, and held it in his palm. "I suppose it's time. It's too late not to follow through."

"Right." Ron spoke with a nervous laugh and a cough. "Of course."

"Yeah." Harry whispered, moving towards the gate, Ron on his heels.

✤

"You know of the gate than?" The woman spoke, unfazed, as though she had expected Hermione to be aware of this bit of knowledge all along. "This is where you must go."

Hermione nodded. "What of the sacrifice?" She wondered aloud.

"Ah, yes." The woman spoke reverently, a twisted smile slowly taking over her face. "That there will be a sacrifice required is certain, what it may include however, there is no way of knowing." Hermione slumped back in her chair. "You didn't expect this to come easily, did you?" The woman questioned, amusement obvious in her tone of voice.

"Of course not." Hermione answered quietly.

"And yet you are disappointed." The woman offered not unkindly, though without sympathy. The room fell silent aside from the voices which carried from the scarcely populated street. "It is time. I have detained you long enough." The woman declared as she rose from her seat. "Good fortune in your travels my dear. May happiness find you on the path you so choose." She spoke sincerely, extending the bracelet to Hermione, placing it in her palm and softly closing her fingers around it.

Hermione nodded. "Thank you." She murmured, before disappearing.

✤

When he reappeared, Fred found himself in a densely wooded area. In the distance there was the soft crackle of branches settling and limbs snapping. Taking a deep breath, he turned in a tight circle, his eyes lighting on the dirt path trodden into the ground.

Smiling softly, he mounted the pathway and began his mellow journey through the wood.

✤

Less than an hour after Harry and Ron had vacated it, Neville, Ginny and Luna found themselves in the same glade. They wondrously surveyed the lush garden setting, shocked to find such a magnificent sight in the middle of the exceedingly drab woods.

"What now?" Neville asked as he and Ginny each turned to Luna, looking for further instruction.

"It says here, 'You've reached the glade, where none have stayed. Move through the gate, where your true trials await.'" Luna smiled deftly. "I do love all of the rhyme."

Ginny rolled her eyes, though she held her tongue. This whole quest was becoming more and more beguiling by the moment. "What can he possibly mean by 'trials await'?"

Neville shrugged, peering nervously towards the gate.

"There's only one way to find out." Luna spoke cheerfully, marching forward. "Through the gate it is." Grabbing Neville's arm Ginny moved to catch up with Luna, and the threw moved through the gate, sealing their fate.

✤

It follows, quite uneventfully actually that Hermione also appeared in the wooded area, opting also, as per her instructions to take the dirt path through the woods dark depths. She made it to the glade less than an hour after Fred had already passed through, just as Fred reached such a destination less than an hour after the current trio. Each upon their separate arrivals passed through the gate with little other thought, eager to complete the tasks which had thus far been laid before them. Each ready for the present to recede into their past so that they might move forward and begin their future.

✤

Another chapter, without a completely ridiculous wait! It's absolutely astounding, I know. I hope you're all enjoying my story thus far, and would once more like to encourage everyone to leave me some feedback. Constructive criticism is always appreciated!

That being said, I would like to send all my gratitude out to those who have reviewed or informed me about what they thought about the last chapter. Thank you, thank you thank you. Many thanks to tutucute4u for your continued support! I'm so glad that you were able to make sense of the last two chapters after a bit of confusion. Thanks also go out to ravendove2007 for continued encouragement, for always reminding me to update, and pointing out points of possible confusion.

Thanks again!

Peace out and all that Jazz!