Chapter Eight – A Mysterious Return

Voldemort's lair was dark, even though dawn was fast becoming daylight. Harry gripped his broom and said an incantation which sent the broom back to Hogwarts – he'd call for it later. Equipped with his wand and sword, Harry crept deeper into the lair of his enemy. He rounded a corner and found it odd that the place was deserted.

"Where are all the death eaters?" Harry wondered, the thought of an ambush flashed through his mind but he quickly dismissed it idea. Voldemort didn't know he was coming.

Harry came to a door at the far end of the lair and, to his surprise, upon opening it he found Voldemort dozing on a green couch. As Harry's luck would have it, Nagini was also there. Coiled up at Voldemort's feet, fast asleep. As quietly as possible, Harry slid his hand into his robes and withdrew a potion vial full of acid green liquid. He threw it full force at the hard floor in front of the snake, then grabbed his wand for defense.

The vial shattered and the drought exploded, vanquishing the snake to dust in seconds.

"You are a genius Mi!" Harry thought.

The noise woke Voldemort, who immediately touched his wand to his arm, without Harry noticing. "Potter," he hissed, "What do you want? Are you finally ready to accept your fate and let me kill you? You've come asking for it this time? How rich."

"You're delusional Voldemort. I'm here to do what needs to be done."

"Oh and what would that be?" Voldemort was stalling.

"You know exactly what I'm here for," Harry drew his sword.

"That may be true. But I don't think you'll get what you want," Voldemort summoned his own sword and they began to rally. Each blocked the other's strike with ease. Harry tried to catch Voldemort off guard by ducking a strike to the head and running behind the Dark Lord. It didn't work. They fought for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. Harry blocked yet another strike at his head just as the door burst open.

"Crucio!" A dozen voices screamed as Harry was hit with the same amount of curses. Harry fell to the ground in agony.

"We came as fast as we could Master," Harry heard one of the death eaters say.

"Yes I can always rely on my most loyal followers," Voldemort replied as Harry slipped into unconsciousness.

Hermione woke to the soft, early morning sun on her face. She smiled at memories of the night before and rolled over to find Harry gone.

"Must be already up," she mumbled, getting up herself. She dressed and wandered down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Morning Hermione," Ron and Rae said, between mouthfuls of bacon and eggs.

"Morning," Hermione said sitting down across from them, "You guys haven't seen Harry, have you?"

"Nope," Rae said simply.

"You mean you haven't seen him?" Ron asked worriedly.

"No, I guess he just wanted to let me sleep," Hermione shrugged, "Ron why do you look so worried?"

"Well he told me last night it was time for him to fight you-know-who, and asked me to look after you."

"He wouldn't…" Hermione whispered, "Not without telling me."

"Maybe he left a note?" Rae suggested, "Want me to help you look?"

Hermione nodded silently. Would Harry really leave her without telling her, without saying goodbye?

Hermione and Rae entered Harry's room and in no time at all Hermione had spotted the box and the scroll of parchment. She picked up the note and, as Rae sunk into a chair, read it to herself.

My beautiful Mione,

I'm so sorry I had to leave in the middle of the night without telling you. It was a hard decision but trust me when I say I believe it was the right one. I sat and thought for the best way to promise my safe return, and found that there is no way. I can't make a promise so huge when I don't know if I can keep it. But in a way I can give us both hope.

Mi, will you marry me? Be my wife and let me return the happiest man in the world?
And if I don't return do me the honor of taking my name, be my wife no matter what.

I love you and hold onto the hope that I will see you again soon.

Always yours,

Harry.

Hermione opened the box and gasped. The ring was perfect, "Yes," She said sliding the ring on her finger. Her promise ring glowed again, but this time she noticed.

"What's that you said, Hermione?" Rae asked.

"Oh, I said yes because Harry proposed," Hermione explained the letter to Rae.

"Oh wow! That's great!" Rae hugged Hermione, "Um Hermione? Look," Rae motioned to Harry's bed. Hermione looked in shock. There, lying in the middle of the bed, unconscious, was Harry.