Hermione stared at Antonin lost in thought. She vividly remembered her carving 'mudblood' into her arm, killing Sirius Black and reading about what she did to the Longbottoms. "Unfortunate side effect!" Hermione exclaimed. "No, this is a catastrophe."
Antonin chuckled. "Let's not blow this out of proportion. I can handle Bellatrix."
"And how are you planning on doing that?" Daphne asked. She folded her arms being hyper-aware of the crush Antonin had on Bellatrix and the disadvantage that would put him at.
"Don't you have something more important to do, like reconnecting with Potter," Antonin asked with a smile, knowing full well this was also important to Cyrus, and he was likely to give his daughter the extra push to leave so he didn't have to answer her question.
Daphne briefly glared at Antonin, "I'm sure Harry won't leave until all his friends are ready to go with him." She tilted her head towards Hermione. "You on the other hand, from the sounds of it, already have one foot out the door. So, I'd rather get to know your plan right now and wait a few more minutes to talk to Harry. I'm worried about you, and I consider you a friend."
"And I consider you a friend too," Antonin said truthfully, "I just don't want to make you lose your chance with Potter." He meant it, but it wasn't the whole truth.
"Oh, that is so sweet, but what is the real reason?" Hermione asked with a knowing smirk on her face.
At first, Antonin chuckled. He knew full well that Hermione was basically throwing his own words right back at him when he doubted that she would care if he got hurt or killed doing her a favor. He realized just how wrong he was. She obviously seemed genuinely upset when she believed he was going to get himself killed trying to trick Voldemort into giving him information. His smile disappeared as an unsettling and unfamiliar feeling crept in.
"The real reason is that we shouldn't keep a special guest like Mr. Potter waiting," Cyrus intervened, "So please, my dear daughter, go talk to him."
Although Daphne obviously did want to see Harry, she also wanted to get her question answered. She disliked being pushed out but still complied and left.
"And I will give the two of you some privacy. Antonin when you are done here, please, come see Sophia and I, before you take off," Cyrus requested. Antonin nodded, then Cyrus disappeared downstairs.
Antonin hoped he could kiss Hermione again, but she folded her arms and took a few steps back. She, yet again, felt uncomfortable to be left alone with him, but this time for completely different reasons. She had no fear he would try to kill her. If they started kissing again like they did in the vault, she could easily see it going way too far. A small part of her mind urged her to take him to a nearby bedroom and get naked, but she also knew she couldn't allow that to happen. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" Hermione said, as her words trailed off.
"What? Shouldn't have kissed me? You have nothing to apologize for." He paused and wished he could say the same for himself. "Please don't apologize. Especially not for that. You might have noticed that I wasn't pushing you away." He took a step toward her, and she took a step back. "Oh!" he backed down, disappointment evident in his voice. "Why did you kiss me?"
She thought about it for a few moments. She was glad he didn't get himself killed, grateful for the favor and of course, there was a third reason that was best not to think too much about right now. "We have something more important to discuss now, like Daphne's question that you didn't answer. How are you planning on dealing with Bellatrix?"
Antonin wondered if he was imagining things. She almost sounded jealous, but even if true he had no desire to call her out on that. "No matter how I feel about Bellatrix, I know this is a trap."
"Oh, I see." Hermione let out a disappointed sigh. Then she looked down at the floor, not loving hearing that at all. He isn't completely over the psycho bitch, but was it fair to really expect him to be? But then, as much as she wanted to be, is she completely over Ron?
"I plan to avoid her, something Cyrus has been teaching me how to do for quite some time now. Don't worry about me. Instead, you should work toward destroying those few remaining horcruxes and hopefully put an end to the war," Antonin said.
"And when the war is over, can we see each other again?" Hermione took a few steps toward him, closing the distance.
"That depends on who wins the war," Antonin said. "If the dark lord wins, we could run away together."
"Sounds good, except the part about Voldy winning the war," Hermione said. "But what if my side wins?"
"Then you still have a bright future ahead of you," Antonin said. "But I would have to run."
Hermione wished that wasn't true, but she also understood that he was right. If her side won the war, he would be on the run, thrown back in Azkaban or even killed. There was nothing she could do to change that. "I understand and thank you again. I really appreciate what you did for me," Hermione said.
"You're welcome. I am just glad you are pleased," Antonin said with a sincere smile.
Hermione stared at him for a few moments. She realized he was treating her almost the same as when she posed as Bellatrix. She was just glad he didn't say anything about a thank you from her being a 'major victory.'
"I better go find out what Cyrus wants." Antonin dismissed himself.
"I should, ah, check on Harry and Ron," Hermione said. They both went downstairs once they started heading in opposite directions, both looked back at each other several times with playful smiles on their faces.
"Harry!" Daphne began to speak. She was about to say more, but Harry interrupted.
He felt a sense of relief that she was still addressing him by his first name and not his last. "Me first. I owe you, your father and." Harry paused and stared at the letter Dumbledore sent Antonin, "Even Dolohov an apology. You are right. All your father tried to do was help me. It isn't the first time I made this mistake of being suspicious of someone who only ever wanted to help me," Harry said.
"Who was the first?" Daphne asked.
"Sirius Black. I believed the media about him. I thought he escaped Azkaban with the intent to kill me," Harry admitted with a great deal of regret. "I even tried to kill him."
"I wish I could have told you that you had nothing to worry about from him. But-"
"Wait, you knew him?" Harry interrupted eagerly.
"Yes." Daphne nodded. "I thought my father was crazy for having a known murderer in the house. My sister and I hid out in our treehouse."
"Astoria said the two of you had the same reaction to Dolohov," Ron laughed.
Daphne nodded again. "True," she admitted to Ron. "My father insisted the media was wrong and forced us to come back inside. Dad was right about both of them."
Daphne remembered that day well. She pleaded with Sirius. "Please, no matter what your issue was with the Potters, please don't take it out on their son. He was just a little kid at the time and had nothing…"
"Daphne," her father scolded. "That is enough."
"It is alright," Sirius insisted. "What you read about me in the papers is wrong, miss. I had nothing but the highest regard for James and Lily Potter. They were my best friends. They were more important to me than family. I would have risked my life for them and that does extend to their son Harry as well."
He said it with such conviction that she had no doubt that he was telling the truth.
Sirius then proceeded, "And Harry is lucky to have a friend like you."
"Ah, we are not…" Daphne began to say.
"Oh, so it is more than that. Girlfriend, then. My mistake," Sirius said.
"In her dreams, maybe," Astoria interjected with a snicker. "More like her crush. She is too afraid to talk to him at school."
"I guess we know why I wasn't put in Gryffindor," Daphne said with a snicker.
"I don't know, speaking to someone you believed to be a serial killer, takes some bravery, but as for Harry, what are you afraid of, exactly? Rejection? Girls that look like the two of you, shouldn't worry too much about that. It is so unlikely," Sirius said.
"Thank you," Astoria said, then she looked up at dad. "I am starting to like this guy."
"Thanks, but Harry is in Gryffindor, and I am in Slytherin," Daphne said. "Harry hates Slytherin."
"My favorite cousin was also in Slytherin. He shouldn't judge you solely on that. I will tell you what, once I get my name cleared, I will set up a meeting with you and him somewhere away from school."
A wide grin spread across Cyrus's face. "You can bring him here to meet her." Cyrus nodded in approval.
"Deal." Sirius nodded with a smile.
Then she looked at dad. "I am starting to like him too." Daphne pointed to Sirius. Sadly, that promise was never fulfilled because he died before ever clearing his name.
"I am glad he got to spend some time with you. He really cared about you, a lot." Daphne gently stroked his hair.
"I know. I can see why my parents picked him to be my god father." Harry remembered him fondly.
"Yeah, I keep wishing the reports of his death were wrong and we will hear from him again soon," Daphne said.
"I wish, but no. I was with him the day he died." Harry bowed his head down clearly upset. Daphne hugged him. "Bellatrix killed him."
"Bellatrix, oh, no," Daphne said. "She is probably going to kill Antonin too."
"What?" Harry and Ron both said at the same time.
"He called it an unfortunate side effect." Daphne raised her fingers making air quotes. "That favor Hermione asked, resulted in the dark lord sending Bellatrix after him. She was right to be concerned."
"What was the favor exactly? Do you know?" Ron asked.
"I am not really sure. What they said didn't make sense to me. I had no idea what they were talking about," Daphne admitted. "Maybe it will make sense to you. He said something about his theory about Nagini is confirmed."
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Wait, wasn't he saying he thought Nagini might be a horcrux?" Harry asked. Ron nodded.
"He said something about another horcrux at Hogwarts, in something called the room of requirement?" Daphne shrugged.
"Oh," Harry and Ron both said in unison.
Harry let out a deep sigh, then collapsed in the pillowy softness of a chair. "Looks like I owe Dolohov a lot more than an apology." He realized what the favor was: ask Voldemort where the other horcruxes were. He also understood the inherent risk of doing that.
"He probably already left and without answering my question," Daphne admitted with a sigh.
"Darn it! He didn't answer my question either," Ron said.
Hermione walked in. "Hi guys. I got news."
"Daphne already told us," Harry said. "Looks like we are going back to Hogwarts." Then he looked at Daphne. "Do you still want to come with us?"
"Yes," Daphne answered.
"I guess this means you forgive me." A smile spread across Harry's face.
"Yes, I couldn't stay mad at you," Daphne admitted, then she kissed Harry on the cheek. "But still, please, don't tell my father."
"I won't tell him that, but I have a plan for going after the snake, so I still might need to talk to your father one more time," Hermione said.
"Mom probably has an awesome breakfast waiting for us, so, let's go," Daphne said.
Cyrus joined Sophia in the breakfast nook. This room was a large screened in porch bathed in morning sunlight and fresh air well circulated by decorative ceiling fans, which nicely blew around the fresh scent of lavender from hanging potted plants.
Antonin joined them. "Good morning," Cyrus said. "You don't need to run off nearly as quickly as you think you do. If Bellatrix shows up here, I will send her packing. So, sit down, relax, and have some coffee."
Antonin took a seat on a comfy loveseat meant for two. "Are you sure?"
"Well, I already proved I can have a significant impact on her behavior," Cyrus grinned with pride, but downplayed the fact that it was because of the so-called unforgivable curse. He knew his other guests could arrive at any moment. "So, how did it go with Hermione?"
"After you went downstairs?" Antonin asked for clarification. Cyrus nodded. "Nothing happened. We just talked a little bit more."
"I think she likes you," Sophia said, being quite sure Hermione was dreaming about Antonin.
"I didn't think you even met her yet," Antonin questioned scratching his head.
"Actually, I did. I met her last night. I found her sleeping on a stack of books in the library. I was half expecting it to be you I found doing that," Sophia said.
"Oh, there was no way I was going to let that happen last night," Antonin said. He briefly pictured what might have happened if he fell asleep in the library and Ron was the one to find him that way. He, no doubt, would stick his nose in where it doesn't belong and pay a bit too much attention to what kind of books he was reading, something he never had to worry about with Sophia.
"She even asked if I could give her something to make her stay awake so she could keep on reading," Sophia added.
"Sounds like someone else I know." Cyrus shifted his gaze to Antonin with quite a smirk on his face.
"Yeah, the difference being she seemed to be having a pleasant dream," Sophia said.
"I stand corrected. Not at all like someone I know," Cyrus said, then he turned to Antonin. "So, how did you sleep last night?"
"Same as always." Antonin had a very disturbing dream but definitely didn't wish to talk about it.
"That bad," Cyrus said with a bit of a smirk.
"I think Hermione was dreaming about you," Sophia suggested.
"I thought you said she was having a good dream?" Antonin said as though that were an oxymoron.
Cyrus laughed, "I might not know what happened after I went downstairs, but I know what happened before I did. Definitely the type of reaction from a girl that sees you in her dreams rather than in her nightmares."
"Oh, that? I think she just appreciated the favor, nothing more." Antonin shrugged that one off.
"Well, I have done lots of favors for many people, yet none of them thanked me with that particular gesture," Cyrus said.
Sophia looked horrified. "It is not what you are thinking. She just kissed me… But yeah, you probably wouldn't like that either if it were your husband someone was kissing," Antonin said.
"You're right. I wouldn't, but what goes on between you and Hermione is not my concern," Sophia snickered.
"Yeah, she is not our daughter, so when it comes to her, I will not intervene one way or the other," Cyrus said.
"Thanks, that is exactly what I want," Antonin said.
"She might not be willing to openly admit it, but she definitely likes you. I will bet when she and her friends come down for breakfast, she will sit right next to you," Sophia said.
"We will see, if they show up," Antonin said. "So, when is your meeting with Yaxley? What do you think you will talk about?"
Cyrus snickered, totally recognizing his friend's signature move in changing the subject rather suddenly. "That isn't until this afternoon. I will be letting him know that he needs to put out an arrest order for Minchum."
"Aw, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," Antonin said with a smirk spread across his face.
"Yeah, that ministry scumbag will get exactly what he deserves." Then Cyrus took on a far more serious expression. "I know you might be tempted to go after him yourself, but don't. Bellatrix is likely to anticipate that move."
"Besides, I think it is best you don't get any more blood on your hands. A certain young lady might not understand," Sophia said.
Antonin's jaw dropped as he remembered his disturbing dream from last night. "I k-know, you are b-both r-right," Antonin said. "I would probably really enjoy watching him get arrested though, but I should keep my distance."
A few moments later, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Daphne, and Astoria all showed up.
"Glad you are still here," Hermione said to Antonin, as she sat right next to him on the loveseat. Sophia smirked at Antonin with a nod. Then Hermione looked at Cyrus. "I was wondering, do you have any of that Polyjuice potion left."
"Indeed, we do. Why? Do you need some?" Cyrus asked.
"Yeah, as much as I don't like it that Bellatrix is going after him." She put her arm around Antonin and in response, he slid closer to her. Ron made an icky face, but then was quickly distracted when Astoria squeezed his hand. Harry raised a brow being only slightly surprised by it. Sophia smiled in amusement taking this as confirmation of what she suspected. "But it gives me an idea. If she is out chasing him, we can be pretty sure she won't be at Malfoy manor. So, I could go in disguised as her, kill the snake, and get out as quickly as possible."
"Ah, not a good idea," Cyrus said. "If Bellatrix shows up there without being summoned and without Antonin, it is likely the dark lord will order someone to use the torture curse on her."
"Exactly, and we don't want 'her' to be you," Antonin said.
"Isn't Bellatrix supposed to kill him," Ron asked pointing at Antonin.
Cyrus chuckled. "No, not exactly." Then he looked at Antonin with a smirk. "I think you should let Bellatrix carry out her 'assignment.'" Cyrus laughed in amusement, then he took on a dead serious tone. "And after that, ditch her as fast as you possibly can."
"That is despicable!" Antonin said.
"Maybe, but I think it is your best chance at getting the Patronus charm to really work," Cyrus said.
"I could teach it to you," Harry volunteered. He realized this was a possible opportunity to repay the favor Antonin did for them. "I taught it to so many students at Hogwarts."
"What?" Antonin stared at Harry in disbelief that he would even make such an offer.
"It isn't the usual problem. He couldn't do it for the same reason Sirius Black couldn't," Cyrus said.
"Being around dementors for too long, so a lack of happy memories," Hermione said.
"Right you are, miss Granger," Cyrus said with a prideful smile that quickly faded. "Sirius is yet another tragic example of the ministry doing what they do best, screwing up."
"Yes, he was innocent," Harry said, finding himself agreeing with Cyrus.
"It is worse than that. They couldn't even be bothered to give him a trial, all because some idiot who worked for the ministry could place him at the scene of the crime," Antonin said, disgust evident in his voice.
"And that moron later became the minister. Embarrassing really. It seems the ministry is always led by someone extremely corrupt or a complete moron. Every once in a while, 'lucky' us, we get someone like Cornelius Fudge who is a 'delightful' blend of both." Cyrus facepalmed. "I could go on about that all day."
"But please don't," Daphne and Astoria chimed in unison.
"Right getting back to the point. Sirius only started to be able to use the Patronus charm when he reconnected with his good friend Remus, and you too Harry, the son of his best friend. You were a big part of it," Cyrus said. "But even then, he only got an incorporeal one. He never truly mastered that spell."
"If I had known, I would have done more to help," Harry said.
"You did plenty," Cyrus assured Harry. "The fact that he could do that spell at all after what he had been through shows how amazing he truly was." Then he turned his attention back to Antonin. "But I suspect if you spend the night with a woman, you are genuinely attracted to," Cyrus grabbed Sophia's hand and gave it a light squeeze.
"Dad! I will never look at your Patronus the same way again," Astoria said with a bit of a shutter. She easily figured out exactly where her father was going with this.
Cyrus grinned and snickered, not even bothering to deny what Astoria was implying, then he addressed Antonin again. "Anyway, that just might give you the memory you need to really master that spell."
"No way! Just using someone like that is just wrong, way too sleazy. Not a good enough reason. If I were to be intimate with a woman, it would have to be something we both want," Antonin said. "And furthermore, ah, there is another reason, but, ah." He looked right at Hermione noticing the sparkle in her eyes. "Just can't think of it right now."
Sophia snickered and nodded, thinking she knew exactly what the unspoken reason was. "I will bet," she said. "I agree with Antonin on this one. Besides, Bellatrix is very dangerous. I wouldn't put anything past that woman. She would probably douse you with a love potion or something worse. I would rather see you with someone a little less…"
"Psychotic," Daphne guessed what her mother was going to say. Sophia nodded.
Cyrus stroked his chin. "Hm, my lovely wife is probably right."
"Ah, so Bellatrix isn't supposed to kill you," Hermione surmised. "But what she is supposed to do instead is just as unsettling."
"Maybe, but regardless of why she will be looking for me, my original point still stands. If she finds me, I don't want her also finding you. From what I heard, she hurt you pretty badly when she had the chance back at Malfoy manor. I don't want a repeat of that," Antonin said.
"Awe, that is so sweet," Hermione said with a beautiful smile on her face. She leaned in very close to Antonin and contemplated kissing him. She had no doubt in her mind that he meant what he said, and she appreciated it.
"Heh," Ron scoffed, practically choking on his coffee. He wanted to vomit. He couldn't believe the smartest girl he knew was falling for such a line of crap. He had believed Antonin was lying to her. "Yeah, Bellatrix did hurt her badly, but it could have been worse. At least she didn't need ten plus potions daily to recover."
Hermione paused and her smile disappeared. There was no doubt about it; Ron's comment ruined the moment. Ron knew it too as a wide grin spread across his face.
"Ah, Dolohov, could I talk with you in private?" Harry requested.
Antonin hesitated, at first looking at Harry, then his gaze shifted to Cyrus, as he remembered his warning about Harry.
"Please," Harry requested.
"Go ahead," Hermione assured Antonin making full eye contact. "It will be fine." Then she looked at Harry with a stare that loudly communicated an unspoken 'it better be.'
"Yeah!" Antonin said with more than a hint of reluctance and hesitation.
Harry rose from his seat. "Hold this." He passed his wand off to Ron. He wanted to give a show of good faith, but deep down he still felt this might be a mistake.
"You are going to meet with him privately without your wand. Have you lost your mind?" Ron said, then his gaze shifted to Cyrus with an unspoken accusation.
"Oh please!" Antonin rolled his eyes at Ron.
"If he was planning on doing something to him…" Cyrus pointed at Harry, "don't you think he would have tried something last night?"
"Exactly, it isn't like I couldn't guess what room he was in," Antonin said with a snicker.
Harry's cheeks went pink, but he kept his mouth shut.
Astoria did her best not to laugh. Ron just blinked a few times. He wondered if Antonin really did know that Harry spent the night with Daphne.
Daphne cleared her throat and let out a nervous chuckle. "Ah, it is a b-big h-house with l-lots of g-guest rooms. He c-could have b-been in any of t-them."
"Yeah, sure, ha, ha, ha. We will go with that," Antonin said to Daphne with a knowing smirk on his face. For Ron, that removed all doubt. He definitely knew. "Ok, let's go." Then he passed off his wand to Cyrus and followed Harry down the hallway back toward the library.
"What was your friend talking about?" Antonin asked. "The needing ten potions thing." Then he mumbled to himself, "I hope it isn't what I think it is."
"He was just pointing out the fact that you hurt her much worse than Bellatrix did, something you seemed quite proud of at the time," Harry explained in a soft voice.
"Oh!" Antonin looked toward the floor with his shoulders slumped down. "Exactly what I thought it was then."
"Yeah, not so proud of it now, are you?" Harry asked.
"Obviously, not." Antonin rolled his eyes at Harry. "So, what did you want to talk to me about, cause apparently you didn't get enough information when you were spying on Cyrus and I."
"Yeah, sorry about spying on you," Harry said.
"What?" Antonin looked at him as if he had suddenly grown six heads. It was almost like he didn't understand what he just said.
Harry surmised that it was probably because of the word 'sorry.' It was almost like he didn't understand the meaning of the word. He certainly never heard Antonin use the word before, and given the company he seems to keep, probably rarely heard it before, at least not directed at himself. "I hope you will accept my apology."
"Oh, apology not needed. I get it. Like I explained to Daphne, of course, you don't trust me. I couldn't blame you for that and neither should she. Why would you?" Antonin asked with his arms folded across his chest.
"Oh!" Harry groaned really starting to feel a knot in his stomach. "So, you basically told her what exactly? To make up with me?"
"Not in so many words, but that was the gist of it," Antonin admitted.
"Thank you very much," Harry said.
"You're welcome, but I am just wondering why the private chat. So far, you haven't said anything you couldn't have said in front of all of them," Antonin said.
"Actually, not so sure I would want to admit to the spying thing in front of Cyrus because I was spying on him too," Harry admitted.
"You need not worry too much about that. Cyrus will forgive you, especially if you start dating his daughter," Antonin said.
"That is good, because I am very interested in dating Daphne," Harry admitted. "And obviously where she told you, it is likely she will tell her father too."
"I doubt it. She will likely keep her mouth shut. She thinks it is something she did that made you suspicious of her father in the first place," Antonin assured Harry.
"It is several things really," Harry said. "It is obvious you really trust Cyrus." Antonin nodded in the affirmative with no hesitation whatsoever. "But I am not so sure he really deserves it. I saw him cast an imperious curse on you." Harry paused to let that point sink in.
"Yeah, I know," Antonin admitted. "But he only did it because I asked him to. He was just helping me do a small favor for Hermione and we agreed it was necessary."
"Finding out where the horcruxes are for us, is no small thing. Neither was you tipping off Dumbledore," Harry said. "Thank you very much for that too. I just can't figure out why you did, though. Why would you help someone your side considers to be the enemy?"
"To me, the real enemy has always been the ministry and they hit a brand new low. Everything about that situation was just so wrong. Of course, I wanted to mess up their plans," Antonin exclaimed with a glint in his eye.
"So, Dumbledore was right? You joined Tommy boy," Harry began to say.
"Tommy boy," Antonin repeated, interrupting with a snicker. "I am sure he would 'love' to know he is being referred to that way."
"Yeah, I am sure he would," Harry laughed as he pictured Voldemort's reaction to hearing that. "Anyway, like I was saying you joined him in the first place, not because of loyalty to him, or what he stood for, but more because he opposed the ministry." Harry stroked his chin remembering Dumbledore's letter.
"Yeah, pretty much." Antonin shrugged it off as not important at all.
"I will guess that you lost someone important to you because of something the ministry did?" Harry asked. "Elina."
"She was my cousin and best friend," Antonin then went on and explained exactly what happened to her. "Then doing minimal reconnaissance on the ministry, I find out that they had only gotten worse. They sent dementors after children and threatened legal action against them because what, the kid had the gall to defend himself! What the fuck! At the time I didn't realize the kid was you, nor that Tommy boy," Antonin snickered making air quotes around the nickname, "considered you to be an enemy. Just made me glad I kept quiet about it. My only regret in that situation is that I couldn't have done more, like slip a Veritaserum to that woman right before the hearing."
"Oh, that would have been great, especially if 'that woman' is who I think it is," Harry said.
"I forget her actual name, but Daphne calls her Umbitch," Antonin said.
Harry laughed and nodded. "Yeah, it is who I think it is."
"According to Daphne, she was the worst defense against the dark arts teacher the school ever had. She learned more in one afternoon with her father than she did all year in that class, but Cyrus is an excellent teacher. He taught me a lot," Antonin said.
"Like the Patronus charm. Just an idea that might help you with that. It really takes positive thoughts. Memories is certainly the easiest way, but if you don't have that, something you have to look forward to instead," Harry suggested as he remembered the one time he was able to perform the Patronus charm without a positive memory. He was looking forward to the outcome and went in with the knowledge that he knew it would work because he saw himself do it before.
"Ah, thanks," Antonin said. He grimaced, not at all convinced that would work for him. Still, he appreciated Harry putting in any effort at all. "I might give that a try some time." He forced a smile and looked away.
"You have no intention of doing that, do you." Harry knew right away he was lying. He briefly pictured Antonin trying to lie to Voldemort and just began to realize why the imperious curse may have been deemed 'necessary,' as Antonin put it.
"I really appreciate what you are trying to do. I really do, but in my case, I really don't have much to look forward to. Best case scenario, I will be on the run for the rest of my life, which sucks, but not nearly as much as the alternative," Antonin said.
"Getting caught," Harry mused the most obvious guess.
"Yeah, that would mean death, or worse thrown back in Azkaban," Antonin admitted.
"As long as you don't commit another crime, and what you told us is true, I will do everything within my power to make sure that doesn't happen," Harry said. "I might not have the power to give you a pardon, but if my side wins the war because of what you did to help us, I will make sure those who do know about what you did. I won't forget it."
He greatly appreciated the gesture, even though he had serious doubts it would make any difference to the ministry. He also knew a gift like that didn't come without a price. "What is the catch?"
"As I said, if you commit another crime or otherwise stab us in the back, the deal is off," Harry said.
"Understood." Antonin nodded. "Still, I will stick with plan A. I will do my best to avoid being caught in the first place. I have no confidence in the ministry."
"If you fail at that and the ministry won't listen, I will break you out of there myself if I have to," Harry declared.
"What?" Antonin said totally shocked. He found this even more unthinkable than the idea that Sirius Black would come to his rescue, which he fondly remembered laughing about with Hermione. It never even occurred to him to try that for Elina until it was already way too late. "Oh, you don't have to do that."
"I know I don't have to, but I want to," Harry said.
"Why?" Antonin asked incredulously.
"You didn't have to tip off Dumbledore about my hearing, but you did. You didn't have to help us find out where the horcruxes are, but again, you did," Harry said.
"But if you got caught doing something like that, you could end up getting arrested yourself," Antonin said.
"And if Tommy boy realized you were actually helping me and lying to him, you could have gotten yourself killed," Harry retorted.