Chapter 01.

Hermione was feeling rather put out as she walked about Hogwarts. It had been one week since Harry had finished the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament, alive and mostly unharmed. She had been so happy not only to see him alive, but also unexpectedly hold the cup that she finally felt like things would return to normal, or at least as close as they would ever be.

After a year of complete unknowns, it was good that her only worries were now, for the moment, about test results. She could let the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, figure out who had placed Harry's name in the cup. She did not have to worry about getting Harry alive through the next task. She could simply relax for once as the coming disaster had seemingly been avoided. True, someone might still be out trying to kill Harry since he had not died in the tournament, but that seemed like such a minor thing at that moment. Now though a week out, and things were getting weirder and more worrying. Though Fleur and Krum seemed to be their normal selves. Cedric, the first Hogwarts Champion, seemed to be quite happy with himself about something.

Harry though, just seemed completely off from his normal self. He did enjoy the limelight for a little bit, drawing him away from Ron and herself. Though the Hufflepuffs where subdued due to Cedric's lost, they could not fault Harry for his win. Ravenclaws were just straight out impress that he had won. Soon, Hermione had thought, he would tire of the limelight, and search them out and in order to have the much quieter life he normally enjoyed. And though Harry did leave the large groups soon, he did not start hanging out with Ron or herself.

It was as he left the limelight, Hermione noticed something off about the Harry. He did not act, for a lack of a better phrase like himself. Even to Ron and herself, his closest friends, he to have grown a little distance not meeting their eyes. He also begun to spend an increasing amount of time with Professor Moody, their Defense Against the Darks teacher. He was also very early to rise and never went anywhere with them anymore, and rarely hung out with them even an hour.

Indeed, Hermione noticed that every now and again, Harry also seemed to gain a slight limp when she saw him. She knew he had been bit in the leg by a spider in the maze, which without magic could have led to that limp. Expect he had been healed by Madam Pomfrey the schools nurse, and released on Moody's request not long later. Hermione knew that Madam Pomfrey would not have let Harry go unless he was fully healed, as even Dumbledore had a hard time with her when it came to how long someone needed to rest and heal.

Then, almost as if her thoughts summoned him forth, Hermione saw Harry quickly hurry by near the end of the corridor. She would have called out to him, but he was already gone heading up the stairs to one of the higher floors. This drew a sigh out of Hermione as she walked along soon reaching the spot where he had been standing. Her eyes wandering over the floor as she wished she could actually talk to her friend more again.

As she stared down, her eyes caught site of something that was off. Small drops of liquid on the ground. Focusing her attention, Hermione kneeled down and examined the spot, and realized quickly what she was staring at was blood. It wasn't a lot of it, but she could clearly see a trail of it moving across the floor.

"Harry?" Hermione asked herself, as her mind tried to figure out if he was hurt.

The blood was too fresh, and had to be his, yet how or why would he be hurt. Unless he got into a fight with Draco Malfoy his rival, she doubted he would get hurt. Thing was Draco had seemingly backed off from Harry after he had won the Triwizard Cup, and would just sulk on the edge of sight. More than likely Draco knew that picking a fight with Harry right at the moment would not end well. He just had to likely wait till Rita Skeeter came up with some new bit of nasty news on Harry then he could make his move.

Making up her mind, Hermione hurried off after Harry, she wanted answers. Why he had been avoiding not just everyone, but also her and Ron. Not only that but why he was limping, and now randomly bleeding. IF she had to force it out of him at wand point so be it. Following the trail of blood, she found it rather easy to track Harry. The wound seemed to be rather big, or the amount enough that it left smears each time that foot can in contact with the ground. It worried her that he seemed to be losing this much blood, yet also confused her, as his path of choice was not up to the Hospital Wing, which was on the seventh floor, but rather down to the second floor.

It took her only a few moments to guess where Harry was headed though once she realized this, right to Professor Moody's office. With this in mind, Hermione slide down a side passage that acted as a short cut to the corridor outside the office. To her great joy, Harry had not taken it and she was able to reach the passage just after the door closed. Moving to the door to the office, Hermione was about to open it when she heard Harry speak.

"Great he is not here," Harry said sounding very annoyed, "To think he would be gone when the potion begins acting up again."

Hermione blinked rather confused by this but before she could do anything Harry continued speaking, "He did plan well, but the boy had to get hurt badly before he showed up. To think Polyjuice could be this troublesome."

Hermione blinked at this as she slowly backed away from the door. If it was not for her powerful memory, she would have remained on the spot in trying to hear more. But that one word, Polyjuice, was enough to send Hermione running. It was not because the Polyjuice potion was dangerous unto itself, but rather what one could do with the potion that made her run-in search of a Professor.

The potion had one effect, disguise someone as someone else. Which meant, that whoever it was in that office, was not Harry Potter. For that matter, if what Harry said was true, Professor Moody was in on whatever the plot was that was going on. As such she had to find someone to tell that would believe her story, and not just say she was freaking out over nothing.

Hermione hurried through the halls, looking for someone, anyone that might believe her. Finally, she spotted someone up ahead. Professor Flitwick, while not her first pick of people but there was a good chance he would listen and help her. He spotted her as she got close and by the time she had slowed to a stop, he had a slightly concerned look.

"Professor," Hermione said, panting a little bit as she stopped, "I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore at once please."

Hermione did not think revealing what she had heard would be a wise idea till she had Professor Dumbledore's support. While she was sure Professor Flitwick would help her, even if she revealed what she had heard, he would want to know everything, and that would take too much time to just stand around and explain everything. Let alone twice when she had to tell Professor Dumbledore as well.

"My dear miss Granger, what could possibly be that urgent?" Flitwick asked a little taken aback by not only Hermione's worried tone, but the fearful look in her eyes.

"I think something is wrong with Harry, I need to tell Professor Dumbledore at once or things could get a lot worse," Hermione said, trying to keep her voice from sounding as frantic as she felt.

Flitwick studied Hermione closely for several moment which was not helping her nerves at all. Hermione knew she looked and sounded clearly worried about what she had seen, yet for it to be bad enough to inform Dumbledore seemed to be a bit of a bit of a stretch. As it was, Hermione was not one to just randomly run to a teacher without a good reason, let alone the Headmaster.

"Very well follow me," Flitwick said.

He led Hermione along the corridors, they however did not go to Dumbledore's office, but rather the staff lounge, where they found Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore all discussing something. She noticed when they entered, that they had been talking about who to hire. Hermione's brain, working quicky, guessed this likely meant they were talking about filling in the spot Moody was covering once he left at years end. Not that he might be covering it much longer if what Hermione, had just heard was anything to go by.

"Professor Flitwick, and Miss Granger, what is the matter?" Dumbledore asked, a curious look on his face.

"Miss Granger just came to me…" Flitwick began, but was cut off as Hermione burst in, unable to keep the edge of panic from her voice.

"Sir, I saw Harry in the corridors, and he was bleeding. I was worried and followed him, he went to Professor Moody's office where I over heard him. He said, he was annoyed Moody wasn't around. He said, there was a problem with the Polyjuice potion, and a wound harry had taken." Hermione said in a rush, to worried about what she had heard to give Flitwick a chance to explain.

Dumbledore looked stunned for all of a second before he stood up, and walked quickly to the door, "Filius, Severus, Minerva, follow me. Hermione, stay close to Flitwick."

With that Dumbledore took off up the stairs. He moved with speed that should have been seemingly denied one as old as him. His long strides would have easily left them in the dust, has they not hurried along themselves. Hermione and Flitwick running to keep up. Hermione though she felt good now that Dumbledore was helping, also felt a growing pang of worry. Her mind could not help but sort through the details and come up with a logical reason for what she had heard. The only answer was a thought she could not and would not believe, as it was too terrible.

With a loud bang, was heard, as suddenly a door ahead of them banged open and moody came out. Moody raised he wand glee in his eyes, seeing the group heading toward them, but it was to late, flash of light and even louder bang was heard, and Moody was left unconscious on the ground. Harry who came out of the door, raised his hands a mere moments later, as he found himself facing down Dumbledore.

"So, who might I be talking to?" Dumbledore asked his voice quite calm, but a hint of power in it.

Harry retreated into the office, his eyes darting about, as a look of fear cross his face. Something about the way he looked about seemed familiar to Hermione, though she could not place it. Harry kept moving back till he tripped and fell into chair, Dumbledore wand still leveled at him. Though Dumbledore had not done anything more than stun Moody, and point his wand at him. This Harry seemed to be breathing fast, and his hands began to ring each other. This was for sure unlike Harry, who while he might have taken a step back would not have retreated form the one person he trusted most.

"Harry Potter, who else," Harry answered, though there was a fearful edge to his words.

"Indeed, so it appears. However, I doubt it," Dumbledore said, and with a flick of his wand, summoned something from Harry's clothes.

It was a small flask, much like the one Moody kept on him. Hermione could not quite guess what Harry was doing with one, though she did suppose it was possible like Moody, Harry had begun to drink from his own personal flask to avoid being poisoned. This idea was dash then when Dumbledore handed it to Snape, who sniffed the contents.

"Polyjuice potion," Snape said, turning the flask over and pouring out a golden liquid.

"So, it is as I have feared," Dumbledore said, his voice very somber for a moment, "Severus, get me some of the strongest truth potion you have. Minerva, Floo Madam Bones at once. I have a feeling we are in deeper trouble than any of us could have guessed."

"Truth potion!" Harry said, sounding frighten his voice becoming higher in an almost unnatural way.

"Yes, I doubt you will tell me the truth willingly, nor will whoever that is acting as Alastor." Dumbledore said, as both McGonagall and Snape hurried off.

Harry eyes kept darting about and his hands began to rub and ring themselves out in an increasingly familiar manner. She said seen this before, but she could not place it. The implications of this not really being Harry were too powerful for her mind to move pass. What this would mean, what it did mean for everyone, for their friends, for herself.

Harry continued to stare at them, as Dumbledore asked, "So, I shall now ask you again. Who are you, and where is Harry?"

"I told you, I am Harry," Harry said, in the least convincing tone Hermione had ever heard.

"Tell me the truth. Who are you?" Dumbledore asked once more, with just a hint of anger in his voice.

But as Hermione watched Harry coward, she realized who those traits belonged to. The ringing of his hand, the way his eyes twitched, the squeak of his voice. The gasping almost stuttering when he spoke.

"Peter Pettigrew!" Hermione said, anger filling her voice.

"Who did you…" The fake Harry began, only to flinch at the glare being level at him from Hermione.

"Where is Harry? What did you do to him!" Hermione nearly bellowed her anger rapidly boiling to the surface.

"Dead." Peter said in a quiet tone that seemed at odds with Hermione's yell mere moments before, "he is dead."

Hermione anger popped faster than a balloon hit by a needle. The anger, and willingness to save her friend was gone. It felt like the floor had dropped out under her, as icy fear and denial filled her. Harry could not be dead, that was impossible. He had survived so many times, and so many impossible chances that the idea of him actually dying had never crossed her mind. Getting hurt yes, but dying, no.

"Tell me what happened," Dumbledore said, his voice cutting through room tension like a knife.

Peter looked up, then shook his head, Harry face filled with fear as he realized what he had let slip. Dumbledore was not to be denied. There was a reason he was said to have powers that rivaled Lord Voldemort's own. And not all of them were good and kind, he could easily get the truth out of anyone as Voldemort could, his methods to do so were just normally different. Now though, he was not the kindly teacher that could scare a kid into admitting a wrong, he was the leader of the light an old warrior who would not be denied. Even as the potion effects began to fade, Peter gave in and began telling them everything that happened. Harry showing up. Lord Voldemort's rebirth. The creation of the cage of light, and finally Harry's mad dash for freedom. Harry had fallen, as his summoning spell had been deflected and the cup sent flying away at the last moment.

Then of the fight that took place. Harry had been like a demon, spraying spells so faster that it looked like a firework had exploded. Not one Death Eater got away without a mark, and even Voldemort had suffered a wound. In the end, what downed Harry's mad spell blitz was both his injured leg, and Nagini, Voldemort's snake striking at a good time, and taking Harry down. Before Voldemort finally ended him. They took blood from Harry for some Polyjuice potion, collected his wand which had flown clear of the attack. And sent Peter back in Harry's place, while Harry's body was given to Nagini as her dinner. Peter had been meeting up with Barty Crouch Jr. so they could keep up the disguise till Harry could head home. At which point he was to vanish, plunging the world into chaos just in time for Voldemort's return. By the time Peter finished speaking, Snape had returned as had McGonagall, with witch who looked to be as stern as McGonagall was.

"Bind him," Amelia Bones said, looking in disgust at the now undisguised pair of men before her, "Apply the potion now. I need to know everything."

Hermione, through it all, sat and listened her emotions dead inside. Dumbledore had handed her Harry's wand, after they had bound Peter. Her entire focus was on the wand, and listening to what was said. Not because she wanted to, but because it was the only thing keeping her from breaking. She heard everything, both from Crouch how he had impersonated Moody, enter in Harry's name. How he had helped Harry through the tasks without appearing to, and even how he had rigged the cup. Peter was then forced once again to retell his tale.

Hermione could not stand it any longer though, as he reached the part where Harry fell fighting like a demon. The dead emotions once more flared in her painful beyond her understand. She had to get out of the room, away from these people, she had to get away from everyone. Before the others could stop her, she raced out of the room, her heart aching worse than it had ever done before. She had been depressed when Harry and Ron seemingly abandoned her after her actions in third year. But that pain. That fear. That sadness was nothing compared to these feelings pumping through her body like liquid ice.

Her heart felt like it was being torn apart. Her eyes were being blinded by tears, and she could not think straight. She had no idea where she was going, only that it was away from that room, from those people that had taken everything from her. She kept running, not caring about the shocked expressions as people flashed by her. She heard yells behind her, probably one of the Auror sent to keep an eye on her and keep her from doing anything drastic.

It was already too late to stop what was to come next. Hermione barely able to see tripped on a step and went tumbling across the floor. She came to a halt, Harry's wand still clutched to her chest, thankfully still in one piece. She felt more than saw several people come over, and turn her over from where she lay. She saw Cedric's face, and felt a flash of anger, before the overwhelming sadness came crashing down again.

"Miss Granger," Cedric said, looking at her worriedly, "What is wrong. Do you need some help?"

"To late…" Hermione gasped out, and could feel the thoughts she had been trying to hold back closing in around her, "He's gone…"

Cedric looked extremely concerned at this but before he could figure out what to say or do Hermione said, "Harry's gone!"

The words were hurled from her lips, with such force as if to deny them. Yet her control was slipping and denial was not working anymore. She could not run away, could not escape the truth. Two more words escaped her lips. Each barely audible, yet everyone around them seemed to heard. And they struck as if they were a hammer blow.

"Harry's dead."

Reality crashed home for Hermione, who broke down in the middle of the Entrance Hall. She did not care others were watching, she did not care about the words now being repeated time and again from one person to the next. She did not care about anything at the moment, and held onto the only thing she could Harry's wand. But it did not stop her from crying her eyes out on the spot, no one could help her, and it was only Cedric and a few other people's efforts that gave her some privacy as she lamented the loss of her first and closest friend.