A New Path
AN: A spot of writer's block again, that's my excuse, again. I don't particularly like this chapter. I had trouble writing it and it hasn't covered much of what I wanted it to but I've put it up because I can't make it any better. The funny thing about this chapter is that it was pretty much written backwards. I had a basic plan to follow but every time I wrote something I ended up needing to add something before it. I hope you find the result enjoyable.
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CHAPTER 12 - Saving the Snake
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"If Dumbledore's not dead, then who's in his grave?"
Harry and Hermione stared at Ron.
"Good question."
"Not got a clue."
Harry waited but, for once, Voldemort didn't comment. The only reason Harry could think of was that the man wasn't paying him any attention at the moment. That usually only happened when he was particularly annoyed. Not good.
"We can focus on that another time." Hermione said firmly. "We have to move. There's a death eater in the house and, whether Dumbledore's really dead or not, the fidelius doesn't work properly anymore." She grabbed Ron's wrist and pulled him away from the unconscious death eater on the floor. "Come on."
Harry and Ron followed Hermione out to their rooms. They packed their bags quickly and fled, leaving the house without stopping to clear up any of the mess their living there had caused.
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"So what's the next thing on the kicking-you-know-who's-butt list?"
"Ron!" Hermione scolded.
"What?"
They were sat at the tent's kitchen table again, each with a warm drink.
"Finding a way to destroy the locket." Harry answered distractedly.
"Can't we just smash it?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, Ron, we can't. It wouldn't work. Horcruxes can only be destroyed by certain things like fiendfyre which is practically impossible to control."
Ron's head dropped.
"We also have to work out what his other horcruxes are?" Hermione added after a moment. Harry hid his frown behind his mug. "Dumbledore thought there were seven, didn't he?" She asked, turning to Harry.
He stumbled, surprised. "Uh, yeah. How did you know that?"
Hermione blushed. "I may have tried summoning everything Dumbledore had about horcruxes, after he 'died', before we left school." She admitted shyly.
"So you've seen the memories?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"If she shares what she saw with anyone, I will curse her."
"Oh, so you're back again. Thought you were ignoring me."
"This conversation has too much risk for me to leave you to your own devices. Why does she know so much?"
"She's Hermione."
"Is that really an excuse?"
"Yes. Don't you remember from when you were at Hogwarts with me?"
"... I see your point. Carry on."
"Harry?"
"Sorry, drifted off there again."
"We noticed, mate."
"It's just why would he want you to be able to?"
"Why, what?"
"Why would who want what?"
"Dumbledore. Why would he want you to be able to find all that? Surely if he's not dead then the protective spells would still work. Shouldn't they work anyway? And don't tell me he wouldn't put spells like that on them. He would. If he hadn't, what would have stopped Vol- sorry you-know-who -" "Did you just laugh?"
"No."
"- from simply summoning them years ago? Nothing. So why did he let you?"
"Because he wants us to find the horcruxes so we can kill you-know-know." Ron said with a shrug.
"I don't like him."
"Then why didn't he show you them when he was alive?"
"But you said he's not dead?"
"You know what I mean, Ron."
"Harry," Hermione said slowly. "I think you're overthinking this. He probably just didn't want you running off looking for them before you were ready. I can't explain his thinking now, but, if we pretend he really is dead, he would want you to know everything he knew so that you would have the best chance of success."
"Stop scoffing in my head, Voldie, it's weird."
"I'm going to bed." Harry stated, leaving the table and the teens sat at it.
"Grumpy today, aren't you."
"Shush you. I'm trying to get them to leave."
"Why not just tell them to?"
"Because, with Ron, that will just make him stay more. Unless the timing's right."
"You mean after a fight?"
"Yep."
"You're trying to start a fight just to get rid of him?"
"Got a better plan?"
There was a pause.
"No." Voldemort admitted reluctantly. "What about the Granger girl?"
"I'm still working that one out. Luck?"
"You always had too much of that, so maybe."
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Many days and then weeks passed without any success in finding a way to destroy the locket. Harry was thankful that they weren't actually trying anything, only searching, because he didn't know how he would explain it to Voldemort. That was why, while it was his turn to carry it, Harry switched the horcrux locket with a fake. The fake locket looked exactly the same, thanks to several spells, but it didn't act the same. There was no magic coming off it.
"Harry, it's my turn to take it now."
Harry nervously handed the locket to Hermione and waited for a comment. He was confused when she didn't say a thing. Perhaps she didn't notice?
"How's Nagini?"
"Are you missing her, Harry?"
"Yes, but I was also thinking about this horcrux hunt. She's your horcrux. Dumbledore knows it. How about we stage an accident and then she goes into hiding until it's all sorted out."
"Until what is sorted out?"
"Um... the war?"
"Potter. Explain yourself."
"Um, I, uh, may have, uh, been hoping you would, um, think about not, uh..."
"My dear Imi, are you trying to change me?"
"No?"
"You sure?"
"No?"
"What was that an answer to?"
"Um, both?"
"You're a pest."
"I take that as a compliment."
"When we meet next, you are to give me the locket."
"Okay."
"I don't trust your mental capacity to protect my soul."
"Nice. Thought I was part of your soul."
"You are and that's worrying enough."
"Well me and locket are gonna take a vote."
"Really? You want to wake up my soul piece? From what I hear you didn't exactly have a very good time with the last one."
"A good point. Maybe I won't."
"You're going to give me the locket when we meet next. I will tell you where to meet me."
"You didn't answer my question."
"What question?"
"Fake an accident?"
"I will talk to Nagini. The fact that you would think of attacking her worries me."
"I wasn't going to attack her. She thinks she's my mother."
"She does? No, it worries me because it means Dumbledore or one of your friends may consider the same."
"Oh... and yeah, Nagini keeps calling me her hatchling and other weird mumsy names."
"That is a little weird."
"Not if you look at how she sees you and then add to that that I'm practically your son now. ...Wow that feels weird to say."
"I think I shall be needing to have a word with my familiar."
"You do that."
Harry switched back to reality. He watched Ron, then Hermione and then, when they met up, both of them. Hermione was calm, taking Harry's strange behaviour in her stride. Ron, on the hand, was ready to blow. It was clear that the conversation Ron had started with Hermione was about Harry and how annoyed Ron was with him.
Harry sat silently watching. Soon, he was sure, Ron would leave. Harry felt cruel but at the same time knew that he was being a better friend by making him go.
"You're an idiot."
"What'd I do now?"
"You just are."
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"I don't care! He just wants the glory for himself." Ron's voice was climbing. He had been talking to Hermione, again, about Harry but it seemed, now, that it would become an argument.
"The glory for myself?! Yeah sure, I wanted all this. I begged to be the special one who had to risk everything for people who couldn't even be bothered to get off their own a-"
"Harry!"
"Well, it's true Hermione. It's always me. Why me?"
"Because you're a fame seeking bighead!" Ron yelled. "Do you have any idea how it is for us being in your shadow for everything?"
"If it's so bad then why did you hang around?"
"Because I thought we were friends. But I guess I was wrong. Seems you only want people around to make you look good."
Harry felt his angry rising despite his, admittedly poor, occulmency training. "Well, if you feel like that, we don't want you here! Do we, Hermione?"
Harry looked at the girl for reinforcement. Hermione put her hands up and took a step backwards, away from the fight.
"Fine! I'll go then! See if I care!" Ron yelled back.
"Fine!"
"Fine."
"Fine."
"I will then."
"Good. See if I care."
"I just said that."
"So what?"
"Shut up."
"Get lost."
"Harry, Ron, -"
"Keep out of this, Hermione."
"Yeah, Hermione. This between me and him."
"This is amusing."
"Be quiet, you're distracting me from my witty retorts."
"What witty retorts? I haven't heard any yet."
"Like I said, you're distracting me."
"Don't use me as an excuse for your lack of wit."
"Are you laughing at me?!"
No. "Yes. You're pathetic."
"Ouch."
"Shush."
"Harry..." Hermione pleaded.
"No, he is. Go away Ron. We won't miss you."
Ron looked tearful and Harry instantly wanted to apologise.
"Fine." The boy turned and left without another word.
"Ron..." Hermione called but he ignored her. She turned to Harry. "Harry..."
Harry shook his head, a tear at the corner of his eye. "It was his choice."
"No it wasn't."
Hermione didn't speak so neither did Harry.
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"Why did we come to Godric's Hollow again?" Hermione asked. It was clear she was trying to get a point across without actually saying it, but, what that point was, Harry didn't know. It had been only a few days ago that Ron had left. They hadn't talked about it, or him.
To try and scare you off. "Because I want to say goodbye to my parents." But that's true too. "I've never been to their graves before."
Hermione smiled softly. "I understand."
Harry hesitated. He had the strangest feeling that she really did, in a way, even the parts he hadn't told her.
"Um, Hermione?"
"Yes Harry?"
"Why do you stay with me? I know I've not been very good company, so I was wondering why you're still here. Why haven't you left, like Ron?"
Hermione pulled Harry closer to her side as they walked towards the cemetery. "Because you were my first real friend at Hogwarts. I'll stand by you whatever." Then she hugged him.
Harry didn't know what to say so instead he hugged her back, then walked across the boundary and into the cemetery.
It didn't taken them long to find his parents' graves. Harry knelt down and brushed at the stones with his hands. He hadn't thought to bring flowers or anything, which he only remembered, now, was the norm.
Hermione knelt down beside him. She was wearing the fake locket, Harry, the real one. As he thought about the horcrux around his neck, Harry felt it pulse. He glanced down and let his magic prod the magic around it. Rodolphus had taught Harry how to get a read of other people's magic that way. He wasn't very good but he was good enough. What he felt was strange, it was almost like the locket was talking to someone else, but not Harry or Hermione. He shivered and put it out of his mind.
"Meet me at the house."
Harry stood up. "Voldemort?"
"Nagini is waiting. Bring the locket. The real one."
Beside him, Hermione stayed knelt. Harry turned to her, about to speak.
"Behind you."
He spun around. Hermione looked up at Harry then turned the way he was staring. A distant figure was waiting at the edge of the cemetery.
"Is she watching us?"
"Yes." Harry told her. "Come on." He walked between the graves towards the old woman waiting. Hermione followed warily.
"Harry?"
Harry continued on.
The woman led them to a house. Harry followed her in, Hermione close behind.
Once they were inside, the woman pointed at Harry, indicating she wanted just him to follow her.
Harry turned to Hermione. "Wait here." He said. Hermione looked ready to argue but stopped when she saw Harry's serious expression.
Harry followed the old woman up the stairs while Hermione flicked through the books on the coffee table.
/Is Voldie here?\ He asked once they were out of ear shot.
Nagini laughed, opening a door and indicating for Harry to go through.
/Do I want to know what happened to the witch whose body your using?\
Nagini turned to him with a strange grin. Around her, the body of the old witch fell to the floor, leaving only the large snake staring at Harry.
"I promise you. She was already dead when we arrived."
Harry spun around.
"Really?"
Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Really."
"Why do you look like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like a normal person."
"So I'm not normal normally?"
"No. Never. It's weird. Switch back."
Voldemort gazed at his glamoured self in a dusty mirror resting against a shelf.
"No."
Harry scowled.
"Stop scowling. I didn't want to bring attention to myself. ...And I'm testing it out. To see if I can handle it."
"Why?"
"You'll have to get used to it too."
"Again, why?"
"Because I was thinking I might try a different approach to the problem that is the British magical world."
Harry looked at the disguised dark lord sceptically.
"And that would be...?"
"You will see."
"You are annoying."
"I take that as a compliment. Especially coming from you."
"Are you saying I'm annoying?"
"Extremely. And often."
"Hey!"
"You started it."
"Now you're just sounding childish."
"That would probably be because I seem to be talking to a child. You should grow up and act your age."
"Nah, young forever, kid at heart."
"I feel for your poor wife."
"Wife? Please tell me you haven't been arranging marriages for me or something. I will hate you for life if you have."
"That is worse than having orphaned you? Of course I haven't. I was referring to the future." Voldemort shook his head. "I regret this conversation already."
"You started it."
"Now who's being childish?"
"I'm seventeen. I can get away with it."
"But you're also heir Black, Slytherin and Riddle and should be Lord Potter."
"I am?"
"Harry. At some point, please go to Gringotts. You're self-imposed ignorance offends me."
"Hey!" Harry took a step towards Voldemort and began poking his glamour. "How real is this anyway. Take it off. I don't like it."
"I'm not taking it off. Get used to it."
"No!"
"Yes."
Harry narrowed his eyes.
And then he pounced. He didn't know what he was searching for but his first guess was some kind of serpent shaped pendant like his own.
Voldemort tried to pull Harry off but it wasn't working so he tried for his wand. Harry pulled it out of reach with a triumphant flourish.
As they scraped, Nagini hissed something about crazy humans and slithered from the room in search of rodents.
The scuffle continued, wands out of reach half way across the room. Voldemort grabbed Harry by the hair so Harry returned the favour. Apparently Voldemort had put a lot of effort into making his appearance as real as possible because, as Harry got a hold of a clump of his new black locks, the dark lord let out a sound of painful surprise.
Suddenly an arm was around Harry's neck, another across his midriff. Harry's grip on Voldemort loosened but he didn't let go. He began wriggling, trying to free himself from the approaching headlock.
The door creaked and the two wizards looked up.
Harry froze mid-wriggle.
"I'll come back later."
Voldemort's arm loosened and Harry slithered free. "Hermione." He called. The girl re-entered the room, totally calm. "How- how long have you known?"
Hermione glanced at Voldemort, his glamour having taken a battering by Harry's attack, and blushed, quickly looking at the floor. "A while."
"How long is a while, girl?"
Hermione looked up at the currently ice blue eyes. "Am I right in saying you're you-vo-the dark lord?"
Voldemort smirked.
"He is. Please don't give him a reason to go all egotistical on us." Harry said.
Hermione giggled, realised who she was in front of and then cowered.
"I won't hurt you, girl. Harry seems to like you. Even if he does complain that you're too smart."
Hermione looked at Harry.
"I don't." He pleaded.
"He does. I think it's because he's jealous." Hermione giggled again. "I should thank you for pushing him to do his homework. Merlin knows I have enough trouble on my own." She laughed again, this time more confident and relaxed.
"Okay, you, off." Harry said, turning to face Voldemort. "Me and Hermione, talk alone, you go. Scooch, vamoosh, off you go, ta ta." Each phrase was punctuated with a playful shove towards the door.
"I shall see again, young Granger." Voldemort said, swatting Harry's head. "It seems Harry wants you to himself."
"Out!"
Voldemort left laughing, Nagini joining him on the stairs. Harry turned back to Hermione. The girl could barely contain her amusement.
"I'm sorry, Harry. That was just so, you two are good together. Has he adopted you yet?"
Harry's mouth dropped open. "You even know about that?! Seriously, why didn't you say anything before? And no, yes, kinda of, it didn't work."
Hermione smiled. "I wanted to make sure I was right before I said something. But more than that, I was waiting for you to tell me."
"I was going to. But every time I thought about it something came up that made me think it was a bad idea."
"Like something Ron said?"
Harry nodded. "Probably always something Ron said. You've always been more grey than light, haven't you? Really."
"I guess. I just wanted to fit in so I did my best to be helpful and be like you and Ron, but it's in my nature to want to know facts and a lot of what we knew about dark and light magic was opinion. I admit, I did get a bit star-struck sometimes and stuck on an idea, so sorry."
"You always meant right by me though."
"I did, do."
Harry, letting his inner child out again, pulled Hermione into a hug.
"Don't think this is it, though." She said as he let go. "I still have questions you're going to answer."
Harry nodded.
"So why here?" Hermione asked, indicating the house.
"He didn't say."
"You didn't ask?"
"Um," Harry looked away guiltily. "I may have started what you walked in on."
"Ms Bagshot was responsible for delivering information on Dumbledore to Ms Skeeter and, occasionally, myself. Nagini was keeping an eye out for new information and informing if or when Skeeter or Dumbledore made contact."
"Nagini was keeping tabs on the Dumbles-info-flow."
Hermione frowned.
"He just told me." Harry pointed at his head.
"I thought there was something like that. Every time you started staring into space it was almost like you were talking to someone. You would react to things sometimes. I think Ron and a few of the order thought you were losing it to be honest."
"Ron thinks I'm nuts." Harry repeated. "Yeah, that's new."
"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it- oh!" Hermione's hands flew to her mouth.
"What is it?"
"Dumbledore's de-lighter contraption."
"De-lighter-whatsit?"
"You said that out loud."
Harry looked at Hermione, confused for a second. "Oh, oops." He said when he realised what she meant.
"Idiot."
"The put-outer. It led us to you. Would it lead Ron to us?"
"I believe that was the point."
"Vols says that's the point."
Hermione nodded and watched Harry expectantly.
"I -"
"I -"
"- did -"
"- did -"
"- some -"
"- some -"
"- research -"
"- resea-"
"Stop repeating me after every word!"
There was a pause.
"I believe it responds to names. If the Weasley wishes to find you he will be able to when you talk about him."
Harry waited, Hermione gave him a look that asked what was said.
"Ron can find us if we talk about him." He repeated.
She nodded. "That makes sense. You talked about us and it lit up."
"And we just talked about Ron. Quite a lot."
"We need to move away from here."
"Why? Voldie's gone and there's nothing to stop us having a look around. Let Ron find us. He has some explaining to do."
Hermione shrugged rather than argue and left the room, walking back downstairs to the living room.
"Do you still have the locket?" She asked Harry as they walked together.
Harry froze. "Oops."
"I repeat. Idiot."
"You forgot too."
"Yes, but it was your faultthat I forgot."
"What did he say?" Hermione asked.
"He says I'm an idiot." Harry answered, starting walking again.
"Nothing out of the ordinary there."
"He's gone quiet now, I think you just insulted him."
"I didn't mean him, I meant you."
"Good save, don't want to upset the nasty dark lord Voldemort. He might hunt you down and feed you to Nagini." Harry laughed. He opened the front door and walked out.
"Harry." Hermione said, following him.
"What?"
"You just said his name?"
"I did?" Harry asked.
"You did." Someone else answered.
They turned to see the face that the voice belonged to. It turned out to be one of several snatchers, all vying to be the one to take the prize, Harry, to their lord, Voldemort.
"Ah, sh-"
"Harry!"
"Seriously? Even now?"
"And you can stop laughing."
"You'll be fine. They're bringing you to me, aren't they?"
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AN: I had said there would be a scene where Harry explains himself to Hermione. That will be in the next chapter now.