The Time

Harry had left the hospital wing over a week ago. As soon as he had walked out of there he went straight to see Professor McGonagall. He had said he was going to kill Voldemort, so she had to let him out. In fact, his exact words were 'I'm going to kill him now, open the gates', no please, no thank you, just that. Naturally McGonagall had refused him and said he still needed time to build up strength. Harry had argued with her but in the end decided to leave it. Three days later he had gone back to her and almost begged her to open the gates so he could leave. This time, she had decided the time was right and opened them for him. He had walked all the way to the gates with her and when outside them decided to apparate. He concentrated clearly on his destination, Voldemort's hideaway, but nothing had happened. He tried again and again but still he stood in the same spot next to McGonagall. Harry cursed and shouted as McGonagall took him back to the castle and told him to sleep on it. But going back the next day, the same thing happened.

He tried every day since then to get to Voldemort but apparation never worked, and he didn't know where he was going so he couldn't fly. Hermione had suggested that that was the problem; he didn't know where he was going. When he woke up little over a week ago he knew he was going somewhere in the West of England, so it worked, but now he hadn't a clue.

Ron and Hermione had started talking to him as soon as he came out of the hospital wing. They had assumed he just needed to cool off after their fight, which is why they didn't go back. But now their friendships were back to normal, and Harry tried with a great effort not to talk about killing Voldemort too much. Of course he spent about two hours each day on his own outside the school gates, so that was when he let off steam about it.

Ginny was the only person not talking to him now. Every time she saw him in corridors or in the common room she would look away or go upstairs. He hated not talking to her, but decided it was for the best, now she wouldn't get in the way or try to convince him not to kill Voldemort.

Harry had decided that on this Saturday in April he would try his hardest not to think about Voldemort or where he was. It was the third Hogsmede trip of the year and Ron had suggested that Harry went and tried to have some fun. And like the best friend that he was, Ron did make Harry have fun. They had gone to Honeydukes and Fred and George's newly opened shop, the second shop they had opened so far. It was amazing for Harry to see them again, and they both thanked him straight off for saving their mother's life.

"Do you want to go and grab a Butterbeer then?" Ron said to Harry and Hermione after leaving the shop.

"Yeah, sounds good to me," Hermione replied with a wide smile on her face; she loved having Harry almost back to his old self.

The three of them walked into The Three Broomsticks and sat down at the bar. Ron ordered three Butterbeers and they went to sit at a table by the window of the pub.

Ron announced that he was going to the toilet which left Harry to ask Hermione a question he'd had on his mind all day.

"How's Ginny then?" He asked casually.

"She's…" Hermione started, but then paused.

"What?" Harry asked.

"She's missing you, Harry, I won't lie," Hermione replied.

"Oh," He looked down to his feet, "I miss her too."

"Then why don't you talk to her?" Hermione asked.

"I don't want to hurt her anymore than I already have," Harry explained, "I keep shouting at her and stuff because of Volde…" He stopped suddenly, kicking himself for doing the one thing he promised himself not to do. "I'm sorry, I was trying not to bring that up today."

"Oh it's ok Harry," Hermione said, "We can't expect you to stop thinking about it just for us!"

Then, for some odd reason, Harry started to laugh. It was the funniest thing he had heard for a long while. He laughed and laughed so that his sides hurt, all the while with Hermione staring at him like he was crazy.

"Harry, what's so funny?" She asked.

"I don't know!" Harry said in-between laughs. "It's just great! I'm so happy!"

Hermione smiled at him, but it was a confused smile, she had no idea what was going on, but as long as Harry was happy.

Suddenly Harry stopped laughing. "Where's Ron?" He asked, quite normally.

"I'm here," Ron said, walking up behind him.

"Why did you take so long?" Hermione asked.

"I saw Neville in there, had a little chat, ok with you?" He asked sarcastically.

Hermione nodded and Harry sat back and stared at them curiously.

"Yes Harry?" Hermione asked when she saw him staring.

"Nothing," He replied lazily, not taking his eyes off Ron.

"Is everything ok?" Ron asked.

"Fine," Harry replied simply, leaning back and rubbing his scar.

"Is your scar hurting?" Hermione asked quickly, "Do you want to go back to Hogwarts?"

"No!" He replied quickly. He couldn't leave, there was something telling him to stick around for a while longer, he didn't want to leave just yet.

"Are you sure? We don't mind," Ron said.

"No! Its fine I want to stay here!" Harry yelled through gritted teeth.

Ron and Hermione looked around to make sure no one was watching, but it seemed as though the pub was too noisy for anyone to hear Harry shout.

"Ok calm down mate!" Ron said, "We were just making sure."

"Why don't we go for a walk?" Harry suggested suddenly.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other wearily but then Ron asked, "Where to?"

"I don't know, somewhere fun," Harry replied.

"Isn't this fun?" Hermione asked, "You were having the time of your life a minute ago!" She joked.

"No, not fun anymore," Harry replied simply, "You both finished your drinks? Good, let's go."

And without waiting for a reply from Ron or Hermione, Harry was out of his chair and out of the pub as quick as a flash. He started to walk happily towards a small dusty path that lead into the patch of trees.

"Come on!" He ushered Ron and Hermione as he started to walk quicker.

They rushed to keep up with him as he marched off into the trees. Hermione was in front of Ron as she was quite worried about Harry. Ron lagged behind because he was unfit and tired.

After at least ten minutes of walking, Hermione gave up and shouted at him, "Harry! Stop! Where are you going?"

Harry stopped suddenly and fell to the floor, Hermione ran up to him as fast as she could and when she saw him she screamed and jumped back. His eyes were blood red and snakelike, just like Mrs Weasley had described. "Harry?" She whispered, when he got no reply she turned round and shouted "Ron!" no reply came and she realised as she looked around that Ron was nowhere to be seen.

"Ron?" She whispered, "Ron! Ron where are you?! Ron! This isn't funny Ron, something is wrong with Harry! Ron!" She screamed louder and louder.

"Hermione?" Harry looked over to her running about, and he laughed. He laughed harder than before. His side hurt more than ever and tears were pouring out of his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Harry! Where is he?" Hermione shrieked frantically.

"Who?" Harry laughed out.

"Ron! What have you done to him?" She yelled.

Harry stopped laughing and looked her in the eyes. "Ron…" He whispered.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, terrified.

Harry looked to the floor and then back to a crying Hermione. "He's got him," He whispered, "I saw him!"

"What? Harry!" Hermione cried.

"Just now Hermione! I saw him! Voldemort's got him!" Harry shouted, why wouldn't she understand? It was simple!

"How? He was just here!" Hermione cried some more.

"It's called apparation!" Harry shouted, "Now pull yourself together and come on!"

Harry grabbed her wrist and started to run back into Hogsmede centre. Everyone was going about there business, not noticing anything different, which meant Ron must have been taken whilst they were walking into the trees. Harry pulled her through the bustling street against the crowds. They bumped into people as Harry looked through every shop window he could lay his eyes on.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted to him, "Where are we going?"

"We're finding McGonagall!" He called back.

Just at that point he saw her through the window to Fred and George's shop. He swerved round and ran through the open door, pushing people aside. Much to Harry's disappointment, Ginny was with Fred and George, who were talking to McGonagall.

"Professor!" He called to her.

"Hello Mr Potter, what is it?" She said kindly.

Harry panted and held his stitch as he looked sideways at Fred, George and Ginny, who all stared at him.

"It's Ron," He said quietly, "He's got him, Voldemort's got him."

Ginny let out a quick shriek and Fred and George looked at each other in shock.

"Do you know where?" McGonagall asked, her tone suddenly becoming strict and business-like.

"Ireland," He answered, "The place where Dumbledore…" Harry trailed off, not able to finish his sentence.

"Well let's go then!" Fred shouted.

"Closing shop! Everyone out!" George called and everyone moaned and started towards the door.

"Hold on!" McGonagall said to them, "Mr Potter is the only on who knows how to get there! How are you supposed to go?"

"Side along apparation!" Ginny spoke frantically.

"I can't carry four people!" Harry said.

"No, you can't," McGonagall agreed, "So take only Miss Granger," Hermione jumped and squealed, "Then she can come back to get Mr Weasley, who can come and collect Mr Weasley, who can come and collect Miss Weasley. Understood?" She asked.

Harry nodded and before Hermione knew it, he had grabbed onto her arm and they disappeared from the shop.


They popped into the field where Dumbledore had died quicker than a flash, and the first thing Harry or Hermione heard was the most deafening sound of all…

"Argh!" Ron screamed from somewhere in the vast field and Hermione winced, almost screaming herself.

Harry pushed her down into the mist so that their bodies couldn't be seen.

"Is he getting tortured Harry? Please say he's not!" Hermione begged quietly.

Harry didn't know what to say, so he didn't answer, "Go and get Fred or George," He commanded. But then from a long way into the distance, they both heard the snakelike voice call out "Crucio!"

Ron screamed instantly after and Hermione winced and whimpered. "Go Hermione! And try to concentrate!" He told her through gritted teeth. Hermione popped out of sight and Harry was left alone, just to wait for all of them to get there. He listened to Ron's screams, pleading Voldemort to stop in-between blasts of the unforgivable curse. Harry clenched his fingers into fists and squeezed all his anger out, so tightly that he felt small trickled of blood come from the palms of his hands.

Not long after Hermione had left, she returned with Fred clinging onto her arm. She pulled him straight down into the mist as well. He took a short look around and poised his fingers ready to go and get his brother.

"Wait!" Harry said quietly, "When you get there tell Ginny she can't come." He told him.

"Why?" Fred asked in confusion.

"I don't want her to see it," Harry replied.

"See what?"

"Me killing Voldemort," Harry said.

Hermione gasped and said "You can't do that now, we need to save Ron!"

Harry breathed in deeply, trying to stop himself from hitting her round the face, "How else do you think we're going to save him?" He snapped, "And I can't ever find Voldemort to kill him any other time. But now Voldemort wants a fight and I'll give him one."

"Ok look, I'll tell her not t come, but she might grab onto me anyway," Fred said, trying to change the subject, "So it's not my fault if she ends up here."

Without another word he disapparated and left Harry and Hermione alone.

"I'm scared Harry," She whispered.

"I know," He replied, taking hold of her in a hug.

"Are you?" She asked.

"No," He replied, and he actually wasn't.

"Good," Hermione looked up at him, still in his arms, "If we die, I'm sorry Harry."

"What?" He asked.

"If we die, I want you to know I'm sorry for always being angry with you and patronizing you. I know you know what you're doing now. Now what I can see it for myself," she explained.

Harry tried at a smile and kissed her on the cheek.

"I do love you as well Harry," She said quietly.

There was a pop and Fred, George and, to Harry's disappointment, Ginny appeared.

"I love you too," He whispered back to Hermione, kissing her head full of hair.

He looked over and saw Ginny staring disgustedly at them.

Harry ignored it however, remembering there were more important things to be done now.

"Ok, you four round on the Death Eaters when we get to them, I'll go for Voldemort," He said, adding, "I don't want any of you to go towards Voldemort, even when you see him torturing Ron, understand?" He said, looking pointedly at Ginny, who glared back but nodded all the same.

"Ok, you all ready?" He asked, breathing in.

They all nodded at him. Harry took a deep breath again and ran forward. Followed closely by Fred, George, Hermione and Ginny.


A/N Wow cliffy! It's the big moment!! I'm so excited!