Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.
Updated 1/20/2021
Chapter Eight
Bad News
"Aw … don't you just make the loveliest couple," George said shaking Ron and Hermione to wake them up.
"Stuff it, George," Ron said rubbing his head as Hermione cling on tighter to him; she didn't want to wake up yet.
"So, did you and Mione have a nice … talk last night?" George smirked waggling his eyebrows.
"Not so much," Ron sighed. "Though, I think that Mum and Mione did."
"Really?" George frowned and continued to ask curiously. "What about?"
"What's the matter George, your Extraordinary Ears didn't work," Hermione said smirking in Ron's chest. "I know you had some down there last night."
"You know too much," George said glaring at her. "So you really can get around them."
"Of course I can," Hermione laughed. "Did you doubt me?"
"Why else would I have tried to listen last night? It's not like I would want to hear anything the two of you would … say to each other," George smirked and then frowned. "How did you do it?"
"I'm not going to tell you that," Hermione laughed again. "Now if you don't mind, I would really appreciate it if you left so that we can get ready."
"Only if you tell me how you did it," George said stubbornly.
"Go," Hermione said sternly.
"Fine," George said leaving the room, his Mum would kill him he she knew that he was bugging them.
"How did you do that?" Ron asked; he didn't think anything could keep those things from working.
"I'll tell you later love," Hermione laughed and then the two quickly got ready for the day and joined the rest of the Weasleys and Potters in the kitchen.
"You look happy this morning," Ginny said as Hermione sat next to her.
"I am," Hermione smiled. "I had a nice chat with your Mum."
"So, is she more hospitable now," Ginny laughed; she knew Hermione's worries about the Weasleys not treating her the same and she hoped her Mum could try and get over it soon.
"I'd say, I think things are almost back to the way they were before," Hermione said.
"Really?" Ginny said stunned. "What happened? You didn't curse her, did you?"
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed.
"It was a joke, Mione," Ginny laughed. "I just …"
"Do you know what Concero Animus is?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Ginny said. "It's when your soul bonds beyond soul mates with someone else. I tried to see if Harry and I had Concero Animus but it doesn't look like we do. I always blamed you and Ron, you're so close to Harry it's more like he's bonded to you two," she ended laughing.
"And you never thought to tell me it?" Hermione asked raising her eyebrows at her friends.
"No, you and Ron broke up and all … I didn't think it would be a good thing to talk to you about," Ginny said confused.
"What about before we broke up?" Hermione asked.
"I never thought about it then," Ginny said. "Why are you asking about this?"
"Your Mum reckoned that Ron and I have Concero Animus," Hermione stated and watched Ginny's eyes go wide. "Gin … didn't I tell you … about that time?"
"What time?" Ginny asked still looking shocked.
"How I think Arthur was conceived," Hermione said.
"No, I don't want to hear about that," Ginny making a face (they had often joked about this, seeing as to who the other was dating). Ginny then sighed and said, "I only know what Harry told me. That you felt connected and completely happy …"
"Oh," Hermione sighed too. That's right, Hermione thought, Ginny was at a Quidditch retreat that week (fighting and getting the open Chaser position on the Holyhead Harpies) and by the time she got back the high of that night had left and I couldn't talk about it.
"I'm sorry," Ginny said. "I should have known something more …"
"It's okay Gin," Hermione smiled. "I'm the one that should have told you."
"Well anyways, I can see how that could make Mum forgive you," Ginny said cheerfully (too much so).
"Yeah, your Mum seemed really excited about it," Hermione said.
"She would be, this is the next best thing to having it herself," Ginny laughed. "Do you think it's true?"
"It would explain a lot of what happened," Hermione said. "How I felt all these years."
"Yeah, it does explain a lot," Ginny said then the two talked about other things and enjoyed their breakfast.
O
It was late in the afternoon when Neville Apparate to Shell Cottage with a stoic expression. He had been brought to conscious an hour and a half ago and he had spent most of that time running around the school looking for the Weasleys. McGonagall had told him when he woke up that at least one person was taken probably two, but she and the other Professors were too far away for them to tell who it was. Knowing that the worst had happened and there was nothing they could do, Neville decided not to send a message by the coin, he had to do this in person; and he needed to know who was taken first.
So he had searched the castle and for a while, there were no sign of any Weasley anywhere he looked; fear was starting to mount in him, that was until he saw a glow and a door appeared out of nowhere (a door that he knew was always supposed to be there). His heart leap in relief when he saw the Weasleys starting to file out of it (he was starting to fear that maybe all of them were taken).
"Where is he?" Ryn said running to Neville. "Tell me he's okay!"
Neville paled, so it was Arthur that was taken. He looked at the others and his heart fell even farther … someone else was missing.
"Teddy," was all Tori was able to say, already starting to fall to the ground when she say Neville's face.
"He's not here," Neville said gravely.
Both girls broke down completely and all Neville could do was watch as Tori's siblings tried to comfort her and Fred put his arm around Ryn. He swallowed deeply and said, "You need to get your things packed … You'll have to come to Shell Cottage …"
"Does that include me?" Ryn asked in a thick voice, she was obviously in shock.
"You're not in danger," Neville said hollowly. She flinched at that and tears started to stream down her face. "But if you want …" Neville added, it was obvious this girl wouldn't get any use out of school and she needed to come. "You may."
"Thanks," Ryn sighed; her best friend had just been taken and right now she needed to be close to the only people that understood what she was going through.
"Meet in McGonagall's office in half an hour, only take what you need," Neville said. He would have Hannah portkey them to Shell Cottage but he didn't have time to waste … he had horrible news to tell.
He walked to the house as strongly as he could; this will be the hardest thing he will ever have to do.
"Neville, what are you doing here?" Molly asked not seeing his face.
"I need to talk to everyone," Neville said gravely. At that point Bill (who was in the room too) went to get everyone. Molly had taken a seat … this had to be bad news; there was no other explanation for this.
"Nev," Harry said (and Neville flinched … he had let them all down). "What happened?"
"They came," Neville said; voice steady knowing that he had to tell them. "They stopped me from sending a message …"
"They knew you would try …" George said; he looked ghostly white.
"Did they get anyone?" Fleur asked the question on everyone's mind but no one wanted to ask … or hear the answered to.
"Yes," Neville said and everyone tension build uncontrollable for the second it took Neville to say, "Teddy and Arthur."
"NO!" everyone exclaimed.
"NO!" Hermione said in anguish and grievous voice. This couldn't be happening. She stank beyond shocked and stricken. She couldn't breathe … couldn't think … couldn't feel …
Ron was in a similar state of denial and shock. All he knew was that he had to get to Hermione. She had dropped to the floor, tears where falling from her eyes, and she was crying in agony. Ron reached for her and pulled her tightly to him. She clanged to him … the only thing that was left in the world. Numbness seemed to fall over her and she couldn't see, hear, or anything else.
Harry clenched his fist so hard he drew blood as he closed his eyes in anguish. How could they take the two boys that he had come to love as much as his own sons?
"I tried to stop them … I couldn't," Neville said portraying his emotions for the first time.
"It's not your fault, Neville," Bill said noticing that the shock of this information had incapacitated Harry, Ron, and Hermione (and most of the others in the room too). "We need to act fast … George get all the information you can get out of your flies."
"Right," George said still in shock too but moving at his eldest brother command.
"We're going to have to get the word out to more people," Bill sighed. "There just isn't enough of us here and we need help finding them … and fighting the Death Eaters."
"Wait," Harry said in a distanced voice.
"Harry, we need the help," Bill said imploringly.
"I know," Harry said. "But you have to be careful who you trust … and make sure that they really know what they're getting into." He couldn't be reasonable for causing anymore pain … not after this.
"Harry," Charlie said as Harry got up.
"You heard Bill, get to work," Harry said and left the room; he had to get away from the sobbing Hermione; her cries were killing him, knowing that it was all because of him that Arthur was taken.
"Damnit," Harry yelled throwing the first thing he could when he got into the tent he was staying in. This was all his bloody fault … he should have put more people there … he should have had the kids pulled out of school …
O
Back in the kitchen, Ron and Hermione where in the same spot they were before but everyone else was now leaving so they could start the search for Teddy and Arthur.
"Gin …" Ron said as his sister was about to leave.
"What?" Ginny said tears in her eyes.
"Get him back in here," Ron said thickly.
"I don't think …" Ginny started, "I think he wants to be alone."
"I don't give a damn what he wants," Ron shouted, tears running down his face. "We need him in here … and he needs us too …"
"I'll get him," Ginny promised (no matter how much he tries to fight me, she added to herself).
"Ron," Hermione said in a small raspy voice, the numbness that she was in staring to fade and she started to breath heavily. "Tell me I didn't hear right."
"I can't," Ron said, voice cracking as he pulled her closer to him. He was starting to shake, but he refused to break down too … not when she needed him to be strong.
"What do I do?" Hermione said, then taking a deep sobbing breath. "He's m-my … l-life … what i-if I n-never s-see h-him …"
"Sh … don't say that," Ron said and lifted Hermione's face to meet his. "We will get him back … I promise."
"Y-you c-can't," Hermione sobbed.
"I know," Ron's eyes meeting hers; there was something fierce and sadden about them. "But I promise we will," he said using his most convincing voice. "We will get him back."
"Yeah," Hermione said starting to breathe again.
"We can do this," Ron repeated. "We can do anything as long as we're together …" he added as he noticed his best friends entering the room. He could see the old guilt in his friend's eyes, and it killed him to see it, but right now all his focus was on getting Hermione to function again, and for that she need something else that was stable in her life; Harry. "Come here mate …" he said beckoning his friend to him.
Harry shook his head; fearful of what he would see when he looks into his best friend's eyes. Hermione turned to look at him, the one person she had been able to lean on for the last sixteen years. She looked into his eyes, full of pain, but there was a longing there that he couldn't help but notice and before he even knew what he was doing he was sitting down next to her (and Ron) and put his hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned and hugged him in her tightest embrace.
"I'm sorry … I'm so sorry," Harry choked as he pulled her closer to him.
"This i-isn't y-your f-fault," Hermione stated and then she reached behind her for Ron which caused him to immediately crash into her backside and wrapped his arms around the both of them.
Finally, as Ron clung to the two of them, the two people that understand him the best in this life, he was able to break down. He didn't have to be strong anymore, because they were with him and they had each other. He could finally let his grief over this news wash over him. That the son he just got back into his life, the one that he thought about constantly and loved with all of his heart … was taken.
They sat there like this for almost an hour, completely breaking down in one another arms but somehow taking comfort in that fact. It wasn't until Ginny came into the kitchen and cleared her throat that the trio moved at all. However, when she did Harry immediately got up and hugged her. "I'm sorry Gin," Harry whispered to her. "I should have …"
"It's all right Harry," Ginny smiled weakly at him. "You had your reasons … and you needed each other," she whispered to him, she could already see that guilt Harry was feeling before was almost gone.
"We need to do something," Hermione said wiping away the tears in her eyes, she had already wasted more than an hour, a precious hour where she should have spent trying to look for her son and the boy that she loves almost as much.
"We are," Ginny said to her. "Neville, George and Percy went back to Hogwarts to see what they can learn … Mum and Angelina have been listening to the flies reports but Mione I think it would be best if you join them … you have the best memory and will be able to discern a pattern. Bill, Charlie, Fleur and Dad have put feelers out to people they can trust …"
"Right then, I think I'll join them," Harry said. "I think I should look for possible places where they might have taken them …"
"That's dangerous Harry," Hermione said.
"I know," Harry sighed. "I need someone to watch my back … what do you say Gin?
"No," Ginny said, not looking at him.
"What?" Harry exclaimed. "What's the matter?"
"I can't go … I can't leave Shell Cottage," Ginny said still not looking at him.
"Last time you were all for fighting and now you want to stay behind," Harry sighed exasperated.
"Harry I … I'm …" Ginny said starting to tear up. "I'm pregnant."
Harry stared at her open mouth and in complete shock for a while. Then he sat down in a chair pulling at his hair and looking terrified.
"I'm sorry … know we only wanted three …" Ginny started to say but before she could say anymore, Harry got up and hugged her.
"I don't only want three kids," Harry said whispering in her ear. "I want any and all we could have … I just wish it wasn't now."
"I know," Ginny sobbed in relief that he wasn't angry.
"Ron, will you come with me," Harry said after a few minutes.
"I can't leave right now," Ron said in a pained voice. "You need someone to watch your back … I can't … I'm not capable of that right now."
"Yeah," Harry said. "I probably can't either," he admitted sitting down again. "Gin, get me a paper and pen."
"All right," Ginny said and returned in a few minutes with the material.
"So we need to write down everything we know about these bastards and piece it together. We have been in a serious disadvantage because we don't know anything about them, but if we put it together we might be able to figure something out. Mione, I want you to take the transcript from the decoder on the flies and see what you can make of it but do it in here …. Your input on the brainstorming will be valuable. Right, now let's get to work."
O
It was eight o'clock that evening when Neville, George and Percy returned from Hogwarts, each carrying a tent with them. With the addition of all the children as well as the Longbottoms there wasn't enough room at Shell Cottage anymore.
"What did you find out?" Harry said when Neville walked into the room. The table they were sitting at was full of papers with the information that they had mapped out for each other the last few hours (Hermione was starting to organize it in a time line).
Neville sat down across from Harry as George and Percy left the room knowing that it was best to leave it to the five of them (Harry seemed to work better in a small group first). "The only way they could have gotten in was if one of the Professors opened the gates." Harry shot the others a glance (they had already thought that this was the likeliest reasons for this to happen but that didn't make it easier to hear). Then he motioned Neville to continue. "They didn't force their way in or come in by stealth … they walked through the front doors …" Neville spat bitterly.
"Were all the professors still there?" Hermione said.
"Yeah," Neville said.
"They know that it would be pretty damn obvious if one just left wouldn't they?" Ron spat bitterly. "Do you have any leads which professor it might be?"
"Not yet," Neville sighed. "Anyways, we know that they went after Teddy (Neville had to force the name out) first."
"Because it would hurt me the most …" Harry said.
"Because it would affect us all the most," Hermione corrected. "Teddy doesn't really belong to any of us … but because of that he belongs to all of us."
"Yeah, that is true," Harry sighed. There really wasn't any Weasley that didn't come to think of Teddy like another member of their family, especially Ron and Hermione who had seemed to regard him in almost the same way that Harry and Ginny had.
"They went to the first floor corridor were Teddy, Fred, Louise and Molly and were," Neville continued in his forced calm voice, they needed to know this.
"And Teddy forced the others to head for safety," Ginny said; it was something that he would do.
"Yes," Neville said and Harry smiled slightly at that, that his godson had saved the others. "They must have known where he would have been, because they really didn't waste any time getting there. Anyways, after he made the others leave, he tried to ward the attackers off, and using his immense knowledge of the castle he was able to keep the Death Eaters from surrounding him eventually making it outside …
"That's where I was … I tried to make it to him … but I couldn't …" Neville said starting to show the strain in his voice.
"It's okay Nev …" Harry said.
"In the mean time," Neville continued pulling himself together. "Arthur sealed the other Weasleys into a room. He … I don't … he made the room disappear."
"What?" Ron and Ginny exclaimed but Harry and Hermione looked meaningfully at each other. "You can't just make a room disappear …" Ron continued.
"Yes you can," Hermione said. "At least you can now, I've been working on it for a few years now and I just completed it over Christmas."
"And you showed the spell to Ari?" Neville asked.
"Of course, I show Arthur everything," Hermione said letting out a sob at the end of that sentence and turned into Ron's open embrace. She had gone through the last few hours forcing this thought out of her mind but that simple sentence brought everything back up to her.
"Well, he saved the other Weasleys," Neville stated.
"H-he could h-have done it f-from the i-inside," Hermione sobbed. "H-he wanted t-to help T-teddy."
"Yes," Neville said losing his composure again. "When I saw him next … he was running towards Teddy …"
"Running to Teddy … he wasn't firing on the Death eaters?" Ron said.
"No, I don't know what he was planning, but he was desperately trying to get to Teddy," Neville said.
No one said anything for a moment, Harry and Hermione looking at each other trying to think what that could mean. "I can't think of anything," Hermione said finally breaking the silence.
"Nev, I think you should continue," Harry said.
"Then, like a rookie novice I diverted my attention and was knocked out," Neville said bitterly, full of pain.
"Mate, you must have been dueling nonstop for a while by that point … it happens to all of us," Ron said.
"It's harder to say what happened next," Neville continued, once again forcing himself to be strong. "The other Professors were pretty far back, but McGonagall said that Ari punched the Death Eater that was about to curse me before he got bonded my ropes …"
"So h-he saved y-you, too," Hermione said tears starting to fall down her cheek again. Neville looked at her, pain etched all over his face and she got out of Ron's arms so she could hug her friend. "It's okay, Nev."
"I was supposed to protect him!" Neville sobbed. "And he … he saved me …"
"That's who he is," Hermione sobbed almost with a smile, Arthur had grown up hearing about good man that always did the right thing; of course he was going to try and emulate them. And when it was all said and done she was proud of him, even though she wished that he would still be here with her.
After a few moments and Neville gathered himself he continued. "After that happened, Teddy was force to give himself up and the Death Eaters stunned both of the boys and hovered them out of the school … the lead Death Eater killed two of the Death Eaters that were unable to move …"
"What?" Ron exclaimed.
"They didn't want to leave someone behind that might tell us something," Harry spat.
"They are really devoted then," Ginny said.
"Yeah, but for what … who the hell knows?" Ron said.
"That's a good point," Hermione said. "We don't even know what they are fighting for."
"Yeah, all we know is that they are after me," Harry said. "And they like to cause as much trouble and mayhem as possible."
"And they seem to have their hands in everything," Ginny added.
"I don't like this," Harry said.
"So the boys were taken and walked out the front door," Ron said.
"Yes …" Neville said. "I have … I have their wands," he added; he wanted them to have them but knew that they (mainly Hermione) wouldn't have taken it well if he had just shown the wands to them.
"Good," Ron said in a force cheerful voice. "They will want them when we get them back."
"Right," Harry said gravely, "Anything else?"
"Not that I can think of," Neville said.
"I think it's best if you go back to Hogwarts," Harry said. "Not tonight, it's too late for that now, but tomorrow."
"So you want me to figure out which Professor is the Death Eater," Neville nodded his head.
"Yes, it's our best lead at this point," Harry sighed.
"It's going to be dangerous," Hermione said. "You have to watch yourself carefully Nev."
"She's right," Harry said. "Whoever it is, they have to know that you would be looking for them …"
"Yeah, and I can't trust anyone," Neville said.
"Except for McGonagall," Hermione said.
"I don't know, she's always seemed shifty to me," Ginny said with a straight face.
"Right," Harry said smiling for a second. "Just be careful, Nev, I would offer to give you a hand but …"
"You don't have any to spare at the moment," Neville said. "Don't worry Harry, I'll be fine … I'll take care of this."
O
It was two days later, two days where they tried to figure out where the boys were taken so that they could save them. Two days that didn't seem to give them any leads at all as to where they were. That's not to say that they didn't gather a lot of valuable information and were starting to piece together many things but it wasn't enough (or at least it wasn't what they needed at the moment).
They had found one possible place that might have been it the other day but when Harry and George got there under Harry's Invisibility Cloak on Hermione insistence ('there could be an army of Death Eaters there for all we know and even if this is the wrong place we don't want them to know that we know about it.'). It turned out to it was a meeting place for the Death Eaters (Harry was able to find out who more of the Death Eaters were and a good place to stake out in the future) but it definitely wasn't the place that the boys were at.
Neville was closely watching all the Professors and so far he had two main targets and three other possible suspects, but somehow he didn't really feel right about any of them. They all had motives, but it didn't seem enough. After he voiced his opinion to Harry the other day his task was made infinitely harder. Harry had voice one of his growing fears that whoever was there might not follow the usually suspect characteristics; they might be putting up a convincing front to make them look innocent. However, there was a plus to this theory. The person would have to be one of the newer Professors, seeing as this new faction of Death Eater hasn't been causing any trouble until two years ago. Neville decided to take a closer look at the two extra Professors in that category (allowing a five year grace period so he covers most of his basis).
It was now lunch time and Hermione was looking at the timeline and other information that they had piece together, she had a horrible feeling that something more was going to happen soon and it was right in front of her but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"Take a break love," Ron said handing her a plate with food on it.
"I can't," Hermione said not even taking her eyes off the paper when she talked.
"But you have to," Ron said putting his hand in front of the paper. Then he turned her to face him. "If you don't take a break, rest and recharge … you won't be any good to anyone."
"But …" Hermione said.
"Mione, how many times have we done research together?" Ron asked.
"A lot," Hermione said impatiently.
"And what happen when I made you take a break?" Ron asked. "Did we ever not find what we needed in time?"
"No," Hermione said leaning into his embrace and picking up the sandwich that he had made for her. She had hardly eaten anything since she heard about Arthur and Teddy and she was still not hungry now, but knew that she had to eat (if for no other reason than to make Ron stop worrying about her). "It even helps sometimes."
"That's my girl," Ron said smiling down at her.
Ten minutes later Harry was in the kitchen to grab something to eat too, he had the latest transcript from the flies in this hand when he read something that made him drop the papers in shock.
"What is it?" Ron asked knowing that look on his friends face meant that something else had happened.
"Er …" Harry hesitated, he wasn't sure if he should tell Ron this when so much had already gone wrong for his friend.
"Tell me Harry," Ron said.
"Two of the Death Eaters that attacked me the other day are going to the Boots' house …" Harry said.
"What? Why would they go there?" Ron said breathing hard.
"For two reasons I think …" Harry said.
"Because of me," Ron said and Harry nodded his head.
"And she's a Muggle," Harry said.
"Damnit," Ron said banging his fist on the table … what the hell was he supposed to do now?
"We need to send someone …" Harry started.
"We're going," Hermione said. "Ron and I are going."
"But, Mione …" Ron said; he wasn't even close to his best since he heard the news and he didn't want something to go wrong.
"We both know that you're not the type of person that can just let something like this happen to their friend," Hermione said looking into his eyes. "You have to go and if you do, I have to go with you."
"Right," Ron said, gaining strength from her determination.
"You're sure about this," Harry asked, he didn't want to lose them.
"Yes," they both said looking at Harry and he nodded for them to go.
Two minutes later Ron and Hermione were outside of Terry and Sarah Boot's house. The front door was wide open and there were noises coming from inside the house. They both run as fast and silently as they could into the house, noticing that the furniture had scorch marks and some of the pictures were askew or blasted off the wall.
"There is no use in hiding," said one of the Death Eaters on the second floor of the house. "You and you're little brats have no hope of escaping."
Ron gritted his teeth at that; the Death Eaters were playing with them … a little torment before the slaughter. Ron motioned to Hermione that he was going to go up stairs but she should stay down here and look for the other Death Eater.
By the time he got up the stairs the Death Eater had blasted down the door, and behind it Sarah and her son Jason were standing.
"No please," Sarah sobbed. "Just take me … leave him alone."
"Sorry love … but I have orders," the Death Eater said without any pity, actually sounding like he was having fun.
"Stupefy," Ron yelled and the Death Eater was knocked out.
"Ron!" Sarah said shocked and still crying.
"Don't worry, Sarah, we're going to get you out of here," Ron said to her.
"What about Cindy?" Sarah said; her relief of a second ago vanishing when she remembered that she didn't know where her daughter was.
Ron looked at her. What should he do now? If he brings them with him there was another Death Eater there. But if he just leaves them here that Death Eater could attack them too. "Follow me and keep close," he finally said and Sarah picked up Jason and walked as close to Ron as she could. "Do you have any idea where she would be?"
"She hadn't come home from school yet …" Sarah said.
O
Back down stairs Hermione was searching the lower half of the house when she heard the Death Eater talking.
"I'm so glad you have come home," the Death Eater said.
"Who are you?" Hermione heard a little girl reply. Walking around the corner she noticed the Death Eater preparing to fire on the girl and that she would be unable to get to her or stop the curse.
"Stupefy."
"Avada Kedavra."
Hermione had shot her spell a second before the Death Eater; she had shot her spell at the little girl and was pleased to see that her curse had hit the girl before the other one could (knocking her out of the way just like Hermione hoped it would).
However, the Death Eater now knew that someone else was there and fired a curse at Hermione, who turned back around the corner just in time to miss getting hit by inches. Knowing that she couldn't just exchanges shots here (the little girl was still unprotected, not to mentioned knocked out, and the Death Eater could shot her at any moment) she ran into the room, having a spell shot pass her face as she dove behind the island that was in the middle of the room. She shot a spell at the refrigerator it moved in front of the girl.
"I wasn't going to shot her until after I got you, anyways," the Death Eater laughed. "What would be the fun in that?"
Hermione didn't say anything to the Death Eater. However, she did flick her wand and soundlessly caused the contents of the cabinet (which were cans of food, Hermione was pleased to see) the Death Eater was hiding behind to attack him. "Stupefy," Hermione yelled as soon as the Death Eater dropped his guard because he was getting whacked in the head by the cans.
"Oh good, you got him," Ron said a minute later as he, Sarah and Jason enter the room.
"Where's Cindy," Sarah repeated looking wildly around for her, then noticing her unconscious body on the floor and screamed in agony.
"It's okay, she just stunned," Hermione said quickly.
Sarah stood there for a second, bringing her hand to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Then she ran to her unconscious daughter and pulled her close to her. "I thought …"
"I know," Hermione said starting to tear up too. The scene was particularly painful for her to see as she imagined Arthur like that …
"Why would he stun her?" Ron asked confused.
"He didn't," Hermione said. "I did."
"Why would you stun her?" Ron asked.
"It was the only way that I could think of to make her miss the curse he sent at her," Hermione said.
"Right," Ron said understanding that they must have been this close to being too late to save the little girl.
"Here let me," Hermione said bending down to the little girl.
"You're Hermione aren't you," Sarah said thickly; she was watching the woman that had just saved her daughter's life closely.
"Yes," Hermione smiled at her and then said, "Ennevate," which cause Cindy to open her eyes.
"Mommy," she said and hugged her Mum tightly.
"It's okay sweetheart, mommy's got you," Sarah whispered as she held her daughter.
Hermione stood up and went into Ron's arms, trying her hardest not to cry, but it was hard not to think about how much she wish that she could do that to her own son.
"We really should get going," Ron said ten minutes later as he dragged down the Death Eater he stunned upstairs and tied him up with the other Death Eater, making sure they couldn't Apparate, he was going to once again summon the Aurors to pick them up once they left. "This house …"
"SARAH!" a man's voice came from the front door and a second later Terry ran into the room. "Oh thank Merlin," he exclaimed noticing that his family was okay and immediately hugged his wife, tears streaming down his face. After a few minutes of just holding his wife Terry looked up at Ron and said, "Thank you."
"It's probably my fault they came after her in the first place," Ron said (Hermione shook her head and glared at him).
"Maybe, but it's definitely you're fault that she's … that they are all still alive," Terry stated and Ron smiled.
"Come on, we have to get out of here," Ron said and a minute later Ron and Hermione all Apparated them to safety.
"Where are we?" Terry asked.
"A safe house that we set up the other day," Ron said (it was impossible to house any more people at Shell Cottage so Bill and Percy had put up all sorts of charms on this house for when they got more people willing to fight). "But I think it would be best if you just left town for a while …"
"There is no way that I'm going to do that now," Terry said fiercely. "They went after my family … I'm going to help you guys as much as I can."
"I thought you would say that," Ron sighed.
"How did you know that something was going on at your house?" Hermione asked.
"Harry sent me a message," Terry said. "Telling me to get home as soon as I could … and try to give Ron an alibi for being at my house."
"Why would that matter?" Ron asked.
"Obviously, Harry didn't want the Death Eaters to know that we have ways to listen to them," Hermione said.
"Right," Ron said smiling at her sheepishly.
"Well, I told my work buddy that I just remembered that Sarah wanted me to come home for lunch so I could entertain her favorite chess opponent and his new girlfriend," Terry said. "It was the best I could come up with."
"That's not that bad," Ron said. "You did a good job."
"Thanks," Terry said. "For everything," he added as he looked at his family again.
"Don't mention it," Ron said. "We have to get back, but I'm sure Harry will have something for you to do in no time."
"I heard about your son," Sarah said as she hugged Ron goodbye. "I hope …"
"We'll find him," Ron said stiffly; Sarah was one of the few people that he talked to (outside of his family of course) about his son.
"If there's anything we could do," Sarah said. "I might not be able to do magic … but I can read …"
"We'd appreciated any help you can give us," Hermione said.
"Thank you," Sarah said and surprised Hermione by hugging her. "You saved my daughter."
"It was my pleasure," Hermione said.
"I can see that it really was an honor to be compared to you," Sarah said smirking slightly as she looked at Ron.
"I think it's time we should go," Ron said hastily.
"I think I'm going to like you," Hermione laughed (the first time she did so since she got the news).
"Me too," Sarah said and soon after that Ron and Hermione Apparated to Shell Cottage.
O
It was now a few hours after that incident and everyone was sitting down to eat dinner. Molly had put her foot down and told everyone (some she really had to yell at to make them agree) that they were going to eat at least one meal together. She thought it was important for them to remember what they are fighting for and know that they had everyone else's in the rooms support.
Hermione was sitting next to Ron just thinking about what they did today. She knew that they could have used the time to look for more things, and that she might have been able to figure some things out. However, right now she was happy that they went to save the Boot's (that is to say that it was Ron and her that went) because it gave her the sense that she is actually doing something. And seeing the look on their faces when they reunited was painful to see, it just made her heart beat faster and she was more hopeful that she too would have that reunion with her own son.
"So," Harry said after everyone had finished their meals. He had decided that since they already were going to be together at this time that after dinner he would have a meeting to get everyone up to date on the facts (he would have done it during dinner but he was afraid of what Molly would do to him if he tried). "There is a little bit of good news today, Ron and Hermione were able to help out the Boots escape from the Death Eaters."
"Yeah, thanks to your flies George," Ron smiled at his brother.
"Glad I could help," George smiled back.
"Unfortunately the flies where attached to the two Death Eaters that we caught," Harry continued. "So they won't be of much use to us anymore."
"You should still keep them running as long as you can," Hermione said. "They might say something more, or the Death Eaters might try to break them out of Azkaban."
"True," Harry said. "But on the whole we won't have to monitor them as much anymore."
"In other news …" Harry continued but Hermione was no longer listening. She was all of a sudden hit with this feeling that something terrible was happening. She looked over to Ron (who was getting himself something to drink) and he looked at her at the same moment. One look at his face and it was obvious that they were feeling the same thing. She got up from her chair and immediately left the room with Ron following closely after her.
As Harry watch his two friends leave the room he knew that something wasn't right but there was nothing that he could do to help out now. So he did the only thing he could, he continued to talk about the things that they found out today and made up plans for tomorrow.
They walked into the littlest bedroom at Shell Cottage (it was the room they were now using since the other people were now sleeping in the tents that were set up outside). Hermione looked at Ron, she was breathing hard and her world seeming to be spinning out of control … all she know was that she needed Ron … that it would all stop if she could just get to Ron in time.
In no time at all she was pulling Ron down to kiss him eagerly, and he was doing the same. They were expressing all their pain, longing and misery in that kiss and taking the comfort they were giving each other, but there was something more about it than that. There was this knowledge that they needed to do this, do this right now or everything will be lost.
"Are you sure?" Ron said looking at her pain filled eyes. The last time he felt this useless and scared he lost everything.
"We have to," Hermione said. "Don't you feel it? We need this."
Ron didn't answer her; yes he did felt it, and it was so different than anything that he had felt before. It wasn't the worrying or fear that drove him when he looked into Hermione's eyes; it was the knowledge that this was needed.
It only took a few second for them to reach their own universe again, except they weren't there, something was different this time. It wasn't in a bad way, they were still connected but there just seem to be something more about it this time. It didn't last very long, it seemed like that they had only just reached the place where their souls merged when all their raw magically energy hit its peak and they were back to looking into each other's eyes.
They couldn't speak, not that that was anything new after an experience like this, but there was something different about this time. They looked into each other's eyes for as long as they could before sleep claimed them at the same time. It seemed like all their energy had left them and there was nothing left to do but sleep.
A/N: So in this chapter we got to see how Ron and Hermione reacted to the news and what they did to try and help their son (and Teddy too). The next chapter will be about what happens with Arthur and Teddy from the time they are taken by the Death Eaters. Hope you enjoyed this, and I probably won't be posting the next chapter until my normal time (which is around 12:00am Saturday morning for me) because like I said in a previous author's note I'm going to be out of town and I won't have time to work on this.