Discoveries And Decisions

"I'm looking forward to what this year has in store for us" Harry said, as he and Hermione settled into a compartment. He started to nibble on Hermione's ear and she moaned slightly.

"We have to sit here" Ginny said.

"Get a room" Neville added from his seat next to Luna.

"Sorry" Harry said, and he and Hermione sat down. A few moments later, Hermione picked up her Violin and started to play it – much to the amusement of Ginny, Luna and Neville who hadn't seen her play it before.

"Ooh good" came a sneering voice, "The Mudblood has another toy to play with" and Harry looked to see Draco Malfoy standing in the compartment door, looking at them with his normal sneering look.

"Take that back" Harry demanded as he got to his feet, followed by Neville and Ginny.

"I don't think I will" Malfoy said, then drew his wand. "I will do something about that Mudblood though" he added as an after thought. He sliced his wand through the air, and sent a blast of red energy at Hermione.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Harry yelled and threw himself into the spells path. The moment it touched him, Harry simply disappeared.

# # # # #

Harry kept floating around the dark black void. He started to see someone and floated closer. The person had weird looking robes and a long beard.

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked. The person turned around – it was not Dumbledore.

"I am not Albus Dumbledore but I know of the man," The aged person said, "I am Merklyn. Tell me Harry Potter, what brings you to the Void?"

"The Void?" Harry asked.

"The Void is everything and nothing" the man said. "I have spent a long time thinking about that myself, but alas I have been unable come up with an answer" and Harry wondered what else could go wrong. "There is of course no way for you to return

"No way of returning?" Harry asked with panic in his voice, "But I need to get back to my soul mate!"

"You mean Hermione?" Merklyn asked, "I've seen her. She is doing her best to cope with your disappearance. I never knew this could happen but she has inherited some of your skills along with partial appearance. If there was a way for me to return, then I would have done that. Merlin fixed it so I could never do so. I apologise for what my former student has done to you and your loved ones"

"I want to see Hermione" Harry said flatly.

Using magic, Merklyn made a window appear. Hermione was walking through the school. Harry floated over and saw her. Merklyn also showed footage of her winning the position of Quidditch Seeker.

"How can she have my hair and my scar?" he asked.

"I have no idea Mr Potter" Merklyn said. "I have spent this time wondering where I went wrong in my training with Merlin" but Harry had gone somewhere else and was not around him.

Harry floated around the Void furious about what was going to happen to both him and Hermione. Wanting answers he went back to Merklyn.

"You said you trained Merlin – did he send you here?" he asked.

"Yes – he wanted to be in total control of magic and be the advisor of King Arthur so he found out about the Void and sent me here." Merklyn replied.

"You've really been here for two thousand years?"

"Time means nothing here in the Void. It is nearly 2,000 years in your timeline. To me, it would seem like only hours have passed. But if I got out of here, I would most likely end up in your time. If that happened, then the time would catch up with me and I would die within minutes."

"Oh well… that's bad. Would there be any way to prevent it?"

"No. I've observed you for a while Harry. I saw Voldemort attempt to kill you and I saw his revival a few months ago. Do you know WHY Voldemort wants to kill you?"

"No, I don't. Dumbledore won't tell me why. All I know is that he tried to kill me, my mother took the killing curse and it rebounded on him, leaving me with this scar."

"Before you were born, there was a prophecy made. It reads: The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."

Harry pondered on the contents of the prophecy.

"What does it mean to you Harry?" Merklyn asked.

"Sirius told me that Mum and Dad fought Voldemort three times and survived. I was born at the end of July so it could be classed as being born as the seventh month dies. My scar could mean the mark he gave me – I'm his equal? I'm not sure about power. I'm good at classes – Hermione helps me get through it. But Sirius told me he noticed my magic vastly improving after Hermione and I started dating. Could love be the key to the power? Voldemort must kill me or I must kill him – one of us must die so the other can live. I have the power to destroy Voldemort. So it's either him or me?"

"You are correct there Harry. Your love for Hermione is increasing your power and your engagement has increased it even more. When you get married, it will increase in great lengths. But there is no time for that, even if you can find your way home. There is a solution."

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"I transfer my power to you. I will live long enough to teach you in the use of it. My power includes wandless magic, non-verbal spell expertise and animagus abilities. It will make you powerful enough to face Voldemort in combat and finish him off."

"What about you?"

"I have been in the void for two thousand years. As I said, if I manage to get out of it, I would soon die. For me, Death would be the next great adventure" Merklyn said.

"Sound like someone I know" Harry said, reminded of what Dumbledore had said while he had lain in the Hospital Wing after getting the stone in his first year.

"From what I've seen, both you and Hermione will figure a way to get you out of here."

"Let's get this done with." Harry said. Merklyn made a sphere appear in his hands. He held it out and a beam of energy shot out of it and hit Harry. A bright blue aura surrounded him and he leant back. They continued like this for several hours, though it was unsure how that was counted out and measured. Harry had just finished an Occlumency lesson with Merklyn when he thought of something.

"Can I use this mind link to talk to Hermione?" he asked.

"It is possible – if your scar gives you a mind link to Voldemort, then it can be used to help you talk to your love." Merklyn replied.

"Hermione."Harry ventured, and he was rewarded with an almost instant reply.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

"How are you my love?"he asked.

"I'm fine thanks."

"I know of the hell that Delores Umbridge is putting you through and as soon as I get back to Hogwarts, I'm going to give her hell!"

"How are you?"

"I'm OK here thanks. I've met Merlin's mentor Merklyn and he's training me. We're trying to work out a way for me to get back to the real world" and Harry explained what he had experienced and what was going to happen.

"Sirius and I have worked out how you got to the Void. It's something to do with the music playing, you sacrificing yourself to save me and the planetary alignment. We're also working on a way to get you back."

"Hermione?" Harry said, suddenly thinking of something that would make her feel better.

"Yes?"

"Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated" Harry said, and he could hear Hermione laugh lightly.

"Good to know" she said. "I thought I was hearing voices in my head"

"You ARE hearing voices in your head" Harry pointed out.

"Touché" Hermione said.

"I'm going to have to go because Merklyn can only do this for so long at a time. I'll contact you soon. I love you" Harry added, and after a goodbye from both sides the connection was lost.

"I promise that I will get you back to your loved one" Merklyn promised.

"I know" Harry sighed. "Lets get this over with then" he finished, and they began training on another subject.

# # # # #

The news had reached Hermione almost as soon as she walked into the Great Hall. Dumbledore had been removed by several Aurors and Umbridge who was now the Headmistress. It was further rumoured that McGonagall was planning on resigning, but wouldn't because she was the only thing keeping Umbridge at bay most of the time. After breakfast came more bad news for almost every student in the place. They whispered and talked to each other, wondering what was going on. When they left the Great Hall to make their way to their lessons, they saw new notices up.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE NUMBER THIRTY-ONE

All deliveries of the Daily Prophet and personal deliveries to non-Inquisitor Squad members have been suspended indefinitely.

The Owl Office at Hogsmeade is out-of-bounds to all Hogwarts students. Anyone caught infringing these rules will be expelled. Heavy fines will be issued to any Hogsmeade citizens arranging deliveries for Hogwarts students.

All personal owls have been sent back to the respective student's homes – they have been charmed never to return to Hogwarts.

Delores Umbridge, Headmistress

There was outrage at this news.

"She can't cut off students who won't join her idiot squad from their families and the news!" Susan Bones said.

"They're not stopping me! I'm not letting Umbitch cut off communications with my family. My mother is having a baby in a few weeks!" Hannah Abbot said.

"Two hundred points from Hufflepuff for your comments Bones." The people looked and saw Malfoy behind them, "Five hundred points for your comment about our headmistress Abbot." He walked away.

Hermione decided something had to be done. She sneaked into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and walked to a certain sink. She hoped she had this talent of Harry's.

"Open up." She hissed in Parseltounge. The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets opened up. Hermione went into the chamber, letting the entrance close up behind her.

She walked into the main chamber – using a spell, she got rid of the strong smell. Hermione got the two-way mirror out of her bag.

"Sirius Black." She said. Sirius' face soon appeared in the mirror.

"What's wrong Hermione?" he asked.

"Umbridge is now cutting people off from their families – no mail or newspapers are being delivered to anyone who isn't a member of her idiot squad. The Owl Office is out of bounds to students. To make things worst, Ron is now in Slytherin." She said.

"That's taking things too far." Sirius said.

"I know – some people rely on the communications."

"Tell you what – I'll tell you the charm to transform a mirror into a two-way mirror. I'll get word out to the families on how to do the same thing." Sirius then explained how to set up a two-way mirror. He promised to help the student's parents set them up, especially Madam Bones. "I might be onto something about Harry's disappearance though."

Hermione beamed when told this. She decided to not take more chances and told Sirius she would have to go. Packing the mirror back into her bag, she left to go to the common room when she was stopped by Malfoy, Parkinson and a few other Slytherins.

"Get your trunk and come with us, Mudblood" Malfoy said, and he roughly grabbed her by the shoulders.

"DRACO MALFOY!" came a very distinctive yell. Professor McGonagall came running at full speed down the corridor towards them "I might not have much authority left at the moment, but you will release Miss Granger at once. I'm taking ten points for your behaviour of you and your fellow Slytherins.

"Ten points?" Malfoy said, hardly believing that he had got away so lightly this time.

"Ten points… times by your age" McGonagall glanced at Hermione who determined that the older witch must have suddenly suffered from a case of a one-off squint in her left her.

"I will be reporting this to Professor Umbridge" Malfoy said.

"That, Mr Malfoy, is entirely your decision. My point deduction stands for the time being. Do what you have to do, but do not touch Miss Granger again unless it is for a medical reason and she can not make the Hospital Wing on her own" and McGonagall left after squinting at Hermione again.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione said, trying to keep calm for her own as well as Malfoy's sake. As a response, he pointed at the nearby notice board.

Starting at 2.30 PM, the High Inquisitor will be conducting a personal search of every student's trunks. Any forbidden item will be confiscated and detention given.

Fifth Year Gryffindors will be first. Trunks will be taken to the High Inquisitor's Office where they will be searched.

Hermione knew they had no chance of finding anything in her trunk – Sirius had brought her and Harry multi-compartment trunks – the third compartment was keyed by blood only to open to the owner, though it made an exception for Harry. She, Ginny and Neville had expected something like this to occur so Hermione had her two friends give her anything they wanted to hide from Umbridge and she would hide it. Pansy Parkinson followed her into Gryffindor Tower and watched Hermione pick up her trunk and the two with Malfoy went to Umbridge's office.

"Sit down Miss Granger." Umbridge said. The trunk was placed in front of her desk. Hermione sat down. The first compartment was opened – the majority of the space in it was taken by Hogwarts books along with supplies for potion making, spare parchment, ink, quills and her cauldron. Umbridge checked the potions ingredients with the lists Snape gave her that would be used for the O.W.L. Potions classes. She had to admit there was nothing wrong with the contents of that compartment. That one was safe since she no longer did practical lessons now in most subjects anyway. Hermione had a reputation as a bookworm so the amount of books didn't arouse suspicion. The second compartment was opened – clothing was revealed – spare Hogwarts robes along with some Muggle clothing. A photo album was found – Umbridge looked at it and saw non-moving photos.

"What is this Miss Granger?" she asked.

"It's a Muggle photo album – photos of my parents." Hermione replied, "They're dead – murdered by Muggle robbers so I like to keep it nearby to remind me of them." Two ring boxes were then examined. "My parent's wedding rings along with the engagement ring my father gave my mother. They've been in my father's family for over 400 years."

The Firebolt was also found. "Due to the fact some people might try to steal it from the broom shed, I keep it in the trunk for safe keeping."

In the end, Umbridge didn't confiscate anything. The Governors and Ministry would only authorise the search program if she didn't make up reasons to confiscate just anything she wanted. Hermione took her trunk and went back to the common room.

Two hours later, the Gryffindors had been searched. Some items had been confiscated and detentions given. Neville and Ginny had got away with no detention or confiscated items. The story of Hermione conjuring two Patronus in Hogsmeade had spread through the school and the students were watching her. Hermione knew Umbridge would hear of it soon and question her about it.

Making her excuses, she went up to her dorm room and went to bed. She closed the curtains around her bed and cast her best privacy and silencing charms on it. Like she did every night since Harry vanished, she spent an hour staring at her engagement ring wondering if she would ever see Harry again – even though she knew he was alive and well.

# # # # #

The next day at Breakfast, Umbridge gave notices to Hagrid and Professor Trawlany. Aurors burst into the Great Hall and took places alongside the two teachers.

"I have witnessed your performances in class and I find them unsatisfactory. You are both hereby dismissed from your teaching jobs. Hagrid – you may continue your job as Gamekeeper until we have found a suitable replacement but you are not to enter the school building unless specifically requested to by myself." Umbridge said. The Aurors led Trawlany and Hagrid out of the building.

Later that day, she had made the new staff appointments. Minister Fudge had appointed her Headmistress of Hogwarts overriding the wishes of the Governors who wanted McGonagall to take over. Lucius Malfoy was given the job of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher while his wife Narcissa was the new Divination teacher. Umbridge had scrapped the Care of Magical Creatures class – no-one was willing to take the job.

The whole student body with the exception of the Slytherins were shocked to find out Lucius Malfoy was teaching Defence. But that news was small compared to what Umbridge was planning next. The next day, people found out. There were notices pinned to the notice board in the common rooms.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE NUMBER THIRTY

All Prefect Positions in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff along with Head Boy and Girl are now null and void.

Delores Umbridge, Headmistress

All Prefect students along with the Head Boy and Girl found their badges missing when they woke up that morning. Going down to breakfast, they saw the Slytherins still had their badges. Draco Malfoy was walking around the school as if he owned the place.

"What do we do?" asked Dean who watched as Malfoy walked past and gave them the two fingers. Hermione didn't answer for a long time, and she closed her eyes in order to think of a reply.

"Fight them" she said, "Fight them until we can't" and with that sentence came the first seeds of rebellion.

A/N:

Hope you like this chapter as much as I did (and I wrote it). Different view points presented here, and it clears up what has happened to Harry. Umbridge is in complete control of the school, and will later be doing far worse things to the muggle born students in terms of action.

Reviews and replys in the normal manner

Regards;

Robert