Ron was pacing up and down the kitchen, his mind working furiously. It has been three months since the Death Eaters have placed themselves in front of Grimmauld Place and they were showing no signs of giving up. They just stood there, day in and day out, with one facing the street and the other facing the door he could not see. The good thing about that was that the Death Eaters did not know how to access the house. What was bad was the fact that they were blocking the only exit.

The young ginger paused as he listened to Hermione's hurried footsteps on the floor above. She has been restless all day and kept moving from one end of the house to the next. What was she up to? She did not have a library to work with, which made her slightly irritable, and she continuously had whispered conversations with Dobby. Ron was a little worried about her.

The footsteps were now speeding down the stairs and Hermione appeared at the kitchen's threshold. Ron gazed at her as she threw her small beaded bag on the table and it landed with a loud clunk. Hermione was slightly out of breath and her hair was a bit of a mess. She plunged her arm into her bag and pulled out two bundles of materials. She threw one at Ron and he caught it, discovering that it was a cloak as he unfolded it.

"Put that on," Hermione ordered as she checked the contents of her beaded bag one last time before she swung it across her body.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Ron asked, slightly wary, as he draped his shoulders.

"We're getting out of here," she replied as she fastened her own cloak.

"Uh, did you forget something? There are Death Eaters outside!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione glowered at him.

"Of course I haven't forgotten," she replied coolly. "I have a plan or should I say we have a plan."

"'We'? Who's 'we'? It's certainly not you and me."

Crack!

Right on cue, Dobby appeared before them. Being used to the house-elf's sudden appearances, Ron and Hermione did not even flinch. Dobby bowed to each to them in turn.

"Dobby is here and is ready to work," he squeaked eagerly.

Ron gaped at Hermione.

"You're putting Dobby to work? A house-elf to work?" he said, not believing what he was seeing. "What about S.P.E.W.?"

"I'm not proud of it," Hermione replied. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

She turned to Dobby. "You know what to do," Hermione said fervently. "Ron and I will be at the front door waiting for your signal."

"Yes, miss! Dobby is on it!" Dobby exclaimed and he disappeared again.

"What signal?" Ron asked, completely lost.

"No time to explain. C'mon!" Hermione replied. She grabbed Ron's hand, much to his surprised, and dragged him all the way to the front door. She crouched down, bringing Ron down with her, and waited.

The minutes seemed to pass by slowly and the further they waited, the more aware Ron became of the hand that was still in Hermione's. It might be partially because she was squeezing his hand rather hard but Ron knew that wasn't it. If he were not so confused about Hermione's plan he might have enjoyed having her hold his hand. But he then remembered that Hermione had also held Harry's hand in nerve-wracking situations. That dashed Ron's hopes further down.

After what seemed like ages, someone knocked on the door twice, making Ron and Hermione jump after spending minutes in a tensed silence. Then whoever was outside knocked three times then twice again. Hermione released Ron's hand and jumped to her feet. She opened the door by a fraction then flung it open, revealing Dobby.

"Everything has been taken care of, Miss Granger!" Dobby said excitedly. "Dobby has even made sure there is no one else around."

Ron peered outside. Lying on the sidewalk were two unconscious Death Eaters with their wands snapped in half by their sides. Ron looked at Hermione, who was eyeing the enemy with an air of satisfaction, with wide eyes.

"This turned out better than I have expected," Hermione said, smiling. "Thanks, Dobby."

"Dobby is more than happy to help," Dobby replied, bowing to her. "Miss Granger can always call on Dobby for assistant."

"You snapped their wands in half," Ron said as he finally got on his feet.

"That was merely a safety precaution, sir," Dobby said. "In case they wake a bit earlier than predicted."

"Good thinking," Hermione remarked in approval. "We need to get going now. We'll meet you inside the castle, Dobby."

Dobby grinned. "Dobby cannot wait!" he exclaimed cheerfully. He bowed to them again and disappeared with a loud crack! Ron stared at where Dobby had been standing before turning to Hermione.

"So that's what you've been up to?" he asked weakly. "Plotting our exit?"

"Yep, and it turned out to be quite simply, really," Hermione replied casually. "Come on, let's go."

She grasped Ron's hand again and together they Disapparated on the front steps, leaving their only known security behind.

Snape slowly opened his eyes and stared groggily around the room. His head – no, his entire body – hurt. Snape then remembered that Potter and his friends had Stunned him. Again. Carefully getting on his feet, Snape vowed to give those teenagers a lesson they would never forget once the war was over.

"Severus! Oh thank goodness!'

Snape followed the direction of the voice came from and found a frantic-looking Dumbledore standing in his portrait. Snape slowly approached him, his balance slightly off.

"Albus?" Snape said, collapsing onto the desk chair.

"Severus, what happened? I had left my portrait to visit Minerva at her quarters and when I came back I found you unconscious and the door wide open!" Dumbledore exclaimed.

Snape quickly turned around in his chair – regretting the action soon after as his it made his head spin – and saw that the office door was indeed open. Cursing under his breath, Snape took his time to turn back to Dumbledore.

"They've escaped," Snape mumbled.

"Sorry?"

"I said they've escaped!" Snape exclaimed loudly, slamming his fist on the chair. "The Weasley girl, Longbottom, and Finnigan all came to steal the sword of Gryffindor, or the fake one I should say," he added, gesturing at the glittering sword in the glass case, "and took Potter with them! I bet even your brilliant mind didn't predict that."

The astounded look on Dumbledore's face gave Snape his answer. It was then the late headmaster's turn to collapse onto his chair and he looked weary.

"Is the real sword still behind my canvas?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"It should be," Snape replied, getting up. He pulled the canvas open and saw that the sword was still in its place. Snape pressed the canvas back against the wall and returned to his seat.

"Yes," Snape said softly.

Dumbledore nodded as he eyed his colleague through tired eyes.

"You need to bring Harry back, Severus," he said after a moment of silence. "You must."

"As if he would want to come back," Snape replied dryly.

"Severus," Dumbledore said sternly.

"I never said that I wouldn't try! Harry will most likely have to be dragged back kicking and screaming."

"That is to be expected."

"So what do you suggest?"

"I can see Hufflepuff's cup from here which can only mean Harry has left the office before gathering the Horcruxes. My advice is for you to stay vigilant and lock Harry back in when he comes back for the diadem and the cup. It's too dangerous for him to be wandering around Hogwarts."

"What about the locket?"

"Harry has found it."

"Well, at least there's that." Snape sighed heavily.

"So you will keep an eye on him?" Dumbledore asked expectantly.

"Him and everything else," Snape replied.

Ron and Hermione are on there way! Will they be able to reach Harry? Stay tuned to find out.

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