A/N: hello all...srry once again for the late post but again, ur getting 2 chaps for the price of 1, which is the end of Book 3...currently i'm working on Book 5 plus about 3 other stories (not fun when ideas get crossed and hafta be scrapped from w/e story i'm working on was the wrong one) but Book 4 is done...i just hafta get it typed up and beta'd then i can begin posting (speaking of betas: any1 interested in helping out? my current beta has yet to get back to me when i try to reach her...i prefer some1 knowledgable about the HP world and pretty good with english language (i have a tendency to ramble in my head and actually write that into my stories so it makes sense to me but not others lol))

also, some ppl have been questioning me still on various topics...mainly the whole relationship between ember and harry: 1st, as i've stated Ember and Harry WILL NOT be paired in this story no matter how she acts towards him (as far as ember is concerned, if not for her harry wouldnt be alive nor able to do all the things he wants...she's the only one (at least at first because others are starting to realize) that knows his true secrets therefore she believes she is right in her ultimate possession of harry and refuses to let anything get in the way (or wont let it keep them apart for too long) this also explains why she refuses to beleive in what she sees or hears others contradicting about harry but she either already knows but pretends or simply thinks their trying to break her away from him

2nd, to kitten-dreamer: ok, i did have a couple realize who the knights were also but ur the first to realize and question them lol...Ember, technically, is the only one who knows who and what they are as well as can see them at times (while others think harry is talking to himself she knows otherwise) but soon a few others are beginning to realize there is more (in book 4 another student knows something is following and helping harry but not quite sure what) now any1 else will just assume its ember's powerful magic thats aiding her brother, or the not quite there of harry's magic (after all until he received his letter harry was simply thought of and practically proved he was a squib)

Chapter Eight

Ember, for the first time, sat by her friend's bedside. She hadn't moved since she woke to find Ron still unconscious. She did have a small part worry to find Harry also back in an infirmary bed but couldn't drudge up enough to go to him.

Hermione had tried to tell her, explain what she had forced herself to forget. She didn't care what Harry had done to Ron or the fact he left them to the mercy of Pettigrew. What she cared was seeing Ron wake up as well as Harry.

"Em?" She never made a sound. Her mother sighed, enveloping her with a warm embrace, "They'll wake. I promise."

Silence reign the room.

Memories flared to life in one quiet Ember Potter

/"Potter!"

She ignored the enrage shout of her Professor. Behind her screamed Hermione, trying to bring her back but she had to go on. She had to find her Godfather. She didn't care if either was following.

But when the darkness finally faded, she found herself in the Hospital Wing. Apparently Snape had found them, levitating them all back to the school while Hermione trudge along beside him, numb to the world.

Ember glanced over at her worried friend to find her sitting by Ron. "Ah, you're awake." Both girls barely acknowledged the Headmaster. Dumbledore chuckled, "Professor Snape found you and your Godfather unconscious in the Forest. With Miss Granger's help he brought you all here."

"And Uncle Remus?"

"Still roams the forest. He will be safest there. I promise."

Ember let loose a soft sigh, she had been worried. "And Ron?"

Blue eyes twinkled, "Mister Weasley is quite fine. His leg is mending. Madame Pomfrey is keeping him asleep so the bones in his leg will heal without causing him too much pain while awake. Your Godfather sleeps as well. Given some chocolate and a sedative potion. He'll be fine after some rest." Then the twinkle vanished. He hated being bearer of bad news but Lily and James were distraught enough. "But alas, young Harry isn't fairing well."

She froze, "Harry?!"

He nodded, "Professor Snape also found him in the forest. Not too far from you, Ember. Madame Pomfrey is confident he'll wake but he suffered extreme exposure to the Dementors once more. It seemed he came to aide you but could not reach your side when attacked." He smiled sadly as he rose. Lily and James were back at the Ministry, not happy with the Minister. For now he knew what to do, "I'm afraid I will need to lock you inside. The Minister will be arriving soon."

Both girls protested, "No! It wasn't Sirius! Peter Pettigrew was actually here!"

"I'm sure the Minister won't do anything rash. Not this time. I assure you Mister Black will be just fine."

They could only stare as he walked away, slipping out the door. But Hermione recovered faster, fiddling with the chain about her neck. "Hermione?" everyone had commented on the piece of jewelry as the young girl had never worn a single piece before.

Said girl stumbled to Ember, drawing the extra chain length about her friend's neck as she twisted what looked like an hour glass on the other end. Mumbling to herself and even smacked away curious hands as she turned the glass, "three turns should do it. I hope."

Moments later they were suddenly in a quiet empty infirmary. Hazel eyes looked about in shock. "Where?"

"Shh, we cant say anything about this." Hermione seemed determined about something. "We have to go now!" She dragged her friend from the room and through the school.

"Hermione what's going on?"

"It's a Time Turner. It's how I've been getting to all my classes on time. Professor McGonagall told me about it at the beginning of the year. I wasn't suppose to tell anyone but Dumbledore said it was okay to tell you. That it was the right thing to do."

"Tell me what? And where are we going?"

Hermione was silent for a moment then spoke, "Dumbledore had been in the room with us for awhile after your parents. We were talking before you woke up. I don't know if I got this right but it was as if he was telling me to do this. Talked about a shame Buckbeak was gone and how it all fell apart."

"So we're going to Hagrid's? Why?"

Hermione huffed, turning in anger on her friend. Ember held up her hands in submission, "Buckbeak! Remember? They were going to execute him. We can stop the execution! This way if Sirius needs to escape he can use Buckbeak!"

"Oh!" Ember hadn't realized that. Then again she hadn't thought of much as her mind was still slow and jumbled. With that in mind she followed her smarter friend. They easily slipped into the shadows surrounding the forest as they watched their counterparts merrily make their way to Hagrid's hut, never to know what would happen.

"We cant interfere. It was a rule stressed to me many times, even from the Headmaster. We can change little minor events but never anything major. And what we'll face was major." Hermione never looked back as she crept forward.

They carefully trekked their way to the pumpkin patch behind the hut. Buckbeak looked up from his tied pole, tilting his head in curiosity. Ember quickly untied him while Hermione grimaced as she willingly pulled down a net of dead ferrets from a nearby stake.

Ember then tried to lead an unmoving Hippogriff to safety when they heard faint voices. It snapped at her. She barely moved back in time, huffing her anger this time in forgetting to bow. Stubborn creature. They didn't have time as she glanced back to find the Headmaster making his way down. But she knew he wouldn't move without a bow. Reluctantly, she did as Hermione hissed at her to hurry up.

He still wouldn't move. Pulling didn't work until Hermione gagged as she waved a dead ferret in view. Buckbeak about knocked both girls over in his eagerness to eat. They tempted him back to through the forest, keeping an eye on the three adults and watching themselves still sitting in the hut. At least they tried to tempt him when the closing in voices made him stop.

Hermione hid behind a tree while Ember had no choice but to use Buckbeak and some pumpkins to hide behind. All three adults barely glanced at the clacking Hippogriff as they made their way to the hut. Out the back came three stumbling students.

They held their breath as the trio rushed away. Not once did they look anywhere but the hut or where they were rushing off towards.

Sighing in relief both girls continued to pull Buckbeak to the forest. "We have to get back to the school."

Ember shook her head. "You go."

"What!"

"I can't go yet. I have to know."

"Ember, don't!" Hermione knew this was important. So did Dumbledore. It was why they agreed, or he did and she listened.

Ember opened her mouth to argue when a solid thunk echoed faintly. Glancing back she saw an enormous axe sitting innocently inside a large pumpkin as the execution stared at an empty spot. Quietly, she trekked through the forest edge, watching and waiting. She didn't care if Hermione was left holding Buckbeak or following. All she cared was what she was seeing now.

Harry was just up ahead. She could truly see him. "You stayed. This is the last chance. Go." He was talking to something in his hands before he let it go. A rat! He had Pettigrew!

Hermione was once again panting as she caught up, ferret and Hippogriff free. "Ember?"

"I have to know. He left us there only to be found in the woods. Why? He knew I had to know what was going on. It's why I was lured here. Why we entered and was confronted. Yes, I learned more then what my parents told me but still."

Her friend nodded. "But we can't go in. We might as well wait here until we come out."

They waited.

"Look." It worked. Harry had left the shack and seemingly made his way back to the school. At least that was the direction he had been going when everyone else made their way out. "He went back to the school?"

"He must have told Snape." Because not to long after Harry had left the darker man had appeared.

But when everyone scattered, Ember saw what was missed. Harry had returned. He seemed to murmur something before vanishing. She knew why. He left his guardians behind to watch over a fallen Ron and scared Hermione while Snape ran ahead to find Ember.

Knowing her friends were safe now, she raced ahead to the clearing hoping to discover more. There they found Ember's double trying to fight off a pack of Dementors, "Em, there!"

"Oh!"

Further back stood a silent harry when emerald eyes suddenly looked their way, "He sees us! Oh, this is bad!"

Ember stepped forward, ignoring the tugging on her arm as Hermione tried to pull her back. On automated instinct she reached for her wand. It wasn't right! It's Harry's! He had somehow switched them in the Shack. But she had no choice but to make it work for her. Raising it higher, she stared at her fallen self, watched as they moved in. Taking a deep breath while Hermione cried behind her, she closed her eyes and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"

She felt a rush of power bleeding from her brother's wand.

It was wrong. So very wrong.

Hermione screamed silent as brown eyes watched Ember.

I did it!

Both watched as a proud stag drove away the fear. They watched as he circled the two fallen until Snape arrived. They watched as he nuzzled Ember's double. They watched as she was successful.

They watched as using the wrong wand forced Harry to fall.

The power she had felt was his very life force.

Forgive me, Harry./