Note: Hello, hope you enjoy this one!
Another reminder that I'm using AO3 way more and the story is already on chapter 55 there.
(Title: Will you fight - Klergy, BEGINNERS)
June 10th, 2006
The Palace
He opens his eyes and regrets doing so immediately. His head hurts. And he wants to cry. His chin trembles and Harry puts a hand over his face, trying to muffle it, whimpering. He feels Hermione's arms closing around him, her mouth finding his bare chest. Harry squeezes her. They only slept because they took the potion without thinking twice. The moment their heads hit the pillow, they were out.
Still with his eyes closed and some tears slipping out, he kisses her forehead. Her scent soothes him and she holds him while he cries silently.
Bellaverde is gone.
And the thought is enough for Harry to want to destroy the world. He can't believe this actually happened. He can't believe he lost his Dragon. He doesn't think he'll ever recover from this, he doesn't think there's a way of grieving that will bring him some kind of closure.
The only thing he wants is to kill Riddle. And he'll do whatever it takes to do so.
Hermione kisses his tears away. He can smell the sadness coming from her and it's awful. She was feeling so guilty yesterday… he knows that even if he keeps repeating that this was not her fault, she'll continue to think so, which is terrible. She can't go down that path.
He opens his eyes and cups her cheek, admiring her, their eyes locked.
"Can you feel the bond? The one we shared with Bellaverde?" He asks in a low voice. "It's gone. It feels like there's a void where-" He chokes and she touches her forehead on his.
"I know. I don't think it's like yours, but I feel it too."
He takes numerous deep breaths, trying to calm down. He needs to focus. He needs to be prepared for the day they have ahead of them. And he can't keep thinking about what happened, he won't be able to stand this reality.
So, calmer and feeling more centered, he kisses Hermione. It's a long kiss. And when they separate, he says:
"I'm so glad you're free."
Her eyes soften, he feels the love and admiration coming from her, and then, the worry. The guilt.
"I- what you did, Harry, I- I don't even know what to say."
"It was about time, love." They're talking in whispers. "I would do it another thousand times for you." She closes her eyes. "I'm also free now, from any kind of shackles. And we're going to end what we started."
Hermione opens her eyes and they share a look. It's filled with emotions and certainty. They're in this together. They won't back down now.
"We have a lot to talk about. A lot to decide." She says and kisses his cheek.
"I know." He gulps and closes his eyes, squeezing her in his arms, his hands on her flesh. "I- We lost Bellaverde and we lost-" He chokes. "The Ritual-"
"Shh." He bites on his lower lip not to cry. Hermione is being so strong for him. And he loves her even more because of it. It pains him that he can't be her rock right now, but that's the foundation of their love. They balance each other out. When he's not one hundred percent, she's there. It goes both ways. "It's fine."
"I- I'm so sorry." He sobs.
She buries her face in the crook of his neck, her nails digging into his torso. They're naked.
"Don't apologize. Don't you dare." She rubs her cheek on his. "I don't wanna think about this now. We-" She inhales deeply. "We don't even know if we'll come out of this alive, Harry." Her eyes meet his. He gulps. "It's War now. And I want us to get through it day by day. We don't know if our future exists, love." She whispers the last words, her mouth close to his.
"You're right. But I'll be with you all the way, Hermione. I'll love you until my last breath."
"So will I."
He moves on the bed to kiss her properly. And even if they have a War to think about, even if they have to deal with the sorrow and the consequences of what happened yesterday, they can still enjoy this moment. Enjoy their kisses.
They can still be strong in their love.
Harry squeezes her hand when they enter the Great Hall and a deadly silence fills it. They're the last ones up. They probably overslept because of the potion, but it was for the best. Even with a hole inside his chest and the cold absence he feels because Bellaverde is not there on their bond anymore, he's recharged.
It feels like he can do this. And this, the talk about their next steps, is the only thing he wants to do anyway.
There are many students there, but soon Snape sends them away to their classes. Bellatrix comes to Hermione and they share a tight embrace. Harry has no idea if they talked yesterday when he was feeling catatonic, but it doesn't look like it. Hermione stops her tears. She said inside their room that she doesn't want to cry anymore. She won't be able to deal with everything if she keeps falling apart.
They know they're the leaders here. They know this is their fight. They have to lead. It's time for them to decide what happens next.
His aunt comes to him and they share a tight hug too, but he doesn't let his emotions take over. He keeps his heart cold. He feels it colder. A piece of him died with Bellaverde. And he's never getting that piece back. Ever.
With a heavy sigh, he looks at the others. Ron, Ginny, Draco, Sally, Luna, Chiara, Oliver, Sam, Snape, John, Bellatrix.
They're ready to follow.
Harry and Hermione sit at the table with them and just when the food appears in front of him he realizes how famished he is.
For minutes he and Hermione eat in silence.
Sally is the one who begins the talk they can't avoid.
"We need to save my parents. The counselors." Her voice falters. Harry understands her worry. They have no idea what Riddle can do with them under such a strong command. "Hermione, you understand that type of magic he used. Ancient Magic and stuff. Do you think they'll be under that command forever? Do you think there's something we can do? Will it hurt them? Is this binding in a way-"
Hermione raises a hand to stop Sally. Harry keeps chewing. Indeed, she and Bellatrix are the ones who know best about this kind of magic.
"Look, I don't think what happened is similar to the binding obedience he used to put me under. We had to seal a contract. I was aware of what was happening. I highly doubt he got the counselors' permission to put their lives in danger like that. But at some point, they probably were held under his orders and got obliviated later." She stops, thinking. "If I'm not mistaken, he probably made them drink something and uttered a spell to bind his will. What do you think, mum?"
Bellatrix nods. "Probably. It's more like an influence, a clear command than a contract." Bellatrix taps a finger on the table. "This type of Ancient Magic was used by Kings and Queens. Many, many years ago. In Wars. The difference was that their followers took this oath because they wanted to, they were ready to die for their rulers. Riddle tricked the counselors. When, it's impossible to know. Maybe twenty years ago, maybe last week."
Hermione nods. "The incantation was inside them, and the right words would be able to trigger it. When Riddle saw that Harry was about to kill him, he used the command and, because of that, I know that they're not under it anymore. It was a moment of desperation. He wouldn't use it otherwise. If it were something more lasting and more controllable he would have used it sooner to learn their secrets." Hermione shakes her head. "They're prisoners now, but I doubt they're under his command. Not anymore."
"I agree." Bellatrix says.
"Okay." Sally exhales heavily.
"Fine, so, we only have to break into the Ministry-" Ron begins, but Bellatrix cuts him.
"They're not being held at the Ministry." All eyes are on her. "Tom wouldn't be so obvious. They're either in Malfoy Manor or Riddle Manor. In the dungeons."
Harry wants to punch the table but he stops himself. Hermione moves a hand to squeeze his thigh.
"I agree, mum. I think saving them must be a priority." Harry knows she doesn't voice the rest. That Riddle will torture them for information. That they could be dead when they arrive. That if Riddle pushes too hard, they could even reveal the Palace's location. Harry squeezes her thigh in return. He can smell her worry. The others are not idiots. They're thinking the same things. "We need to divide ourselves and try to enter both Manors at the same time. Much like what we did with Moritz's houses."
The others nod. Harry doesn't like her tone. And he understands that they'll need to separate to do this. He hates the idea.
But his mind is on another subject already. Moritz. Ludwig. "I want to seize Ludwig." He says and they all widen their eyes. Hermione too. "He knows things. He has answers. We need him. I'm sure Riddle works with him, I'm sure there's no way of ending him if we don't comprehend these powders better." He swallows hard. "Riddle was only able to kill Bellaverde because of them. A poisonous powder was all over that sword."
"Where's the sword, by the way?" Chiara asks.
"I hid it." It's the only thing he says. Hermione visibly tenses. Harry has plans for this sword. It's powerful and he fully intends to use it when the time comes.
They don't question his answer.
"We need to act fast." Hermione continues. "I'm sure the press will release everything that happened soon, if not later today, tomorrow morning. After we rescue the counselors and break into the fucking Ministry to seize Ludwig, we'll need to go after Purebloods that I know will take our side."
Harry nods in agreement. "Indeed. We don't have time to waste."
Bellatrix exhales heavily and says, "I hate the situation, but you're right. I would rather stay here for a few days, laying low, but we can't give ourselves this luxury."
They all agree.
Hermione inhales deeply and says, "If it were up to my personal preferences, I wouldn't put any of you in danger, but this is it, guys. This is do or die." She wets her lips, her eyes going over all of them. "I would never force any of you to do something you don't want to, neither would Harry." He nods to agree with her words. "And if any of you want out now, we totally understand."
Harry looks at Ron and Luna. They have a bigger motive to stay out of this. They're expecting a child. The others don't say a thing.
Ron snorts. "If you think I'm not going to be with you till the end, you're crazy." His arm is around Luna's shoulders. "Luna is with me on this. We've talked about it."
"I know we have a good chance, Hermione." Luna says, serious. Her eyes go to Harry. "We've waited for you all this time, Harry. We've waited for this chance. We're not going to back down now." One of her hands is over her belly. "I want our child to grow up in a world where Wizards are free. I don't want to live in fear of Tom Riddle and I don't want to move to another country. This is our home and we'll protect it."
Harry chews the insides of his cheeks. This means so much. "Okay. Good. We act today, then."
"Sally, Oliver and Sam, I don't think you should-" Hermione begins, but Sally cuts her.
"Oh, please. Don't give me that, Hermione. We all went through lessons here. We know how to defend ourselves. Don't cut us out just because we're not Aurors." She's angry. "I- I need to know that I did something to bring them back." She chokes and Bellatrix holds her hand above the table.
Hermione inhales deeply, her eyes going to Petunia. Harry understands that she's not comfortable in putting Oliver, Sam and Snape in danger. So, he speaks:
"I know you're more than capable to do this." Harry says, his eyes going to his aunt. Her scent tells him that she's worried, but also proud. "And I'm glad I'll have you by my side when the time comes."
They nod. There's admiration in their eyes.
"Okay." Hermione says. "Mum," She turns to Bellatrix, "you, me, John, Ginny, Oliver and Chiara will enter Riddle Manor." Harry tenses. "Harry, Ron, Draco, Sam, Snape and Sally will enter Malfoy Manor. Do you all agree?"
He squeezes her thigh. He doesn't agree. He can't be away from her. Her magic- Hermione squeezes back his hand. They know they need to separate. They're the leaders. The strongest. They need to set the example and be there for the others.
"I could go too." A voice comes from the entrance. Harry frowns when he sees Dobby. The elf is coming fast to them, almost tripping on his own little feet. "I wanna help!"
He looks at Hermione. She's frowning.
"Dobby." It's Draco who says his name. "I- how do you think you can help?"
"Master Draco, I'm very powerful." Hermione raises an eyebrow. "I can apparate faster than any of you since the wards don't detect me and I can do magic without a wand. I'm small and I can enter places you can't. And I know both Manors very well."
Hermione clicks her tongue. "You have good arguments, Dobby." She tilts her head. "You could be a link between everyone. Since you can enter the Manors with ease, you'll be our way of communicating, okay? Are you up to it?"
He nods, clearly excited.
"Okay. So it's settled, then." Harry says and stands up, pulling Hermione with him. "We leave in a few hours, be ready." He turns to look at Dobby. "Could you be in our room in a few minutes? I need to ask you something." The elf nods and the others don't make questions.
So, with their hands clasped, he leads her back to their room. They have a few hours to be together and the only thing he wants is to hold her tightly. Some students look at them from afar, but Harry doesn't stop. He can tell that Hermione wants to ask what the hell he needs to talk with Dobby, but she'll find out soon enough.
They enter the room and he sits on the bed, pulling her to his lap. He's glad Petunia arranged this place for them. It's a barren suite with only a nice bed. But Harry and Hermione are enough for each other.
He kisses her. Hermione corresponds, her hand on his hair. She's curious. But she doesn't want to stop kissing him and they get lost in the moment.
They only separate when Dobby apparates inside. To Harry's surprise, the elf blushes at the sight of them kissing.
Hermione opens a shadow of a smile.
"Dobby, I need a favor." Harry says in a low voice.
"Anything, Master Potter."
"I need you to go to this place." He magically conjures up a thin paper with the directives. "It's our house. By the lake." Hermione tenses. "I don't know if the house has been compromised, but I want you to check that for me. Not just that, but I need two things." Dobby nods, eager. "My Invisibility Cloak and a memory with a tag on it. They're both inside the closet at the master bedroom. In an enchanted drawer. Will you be able to find them?"
"Yes, for sure." Dobby is still nodding his head, excited.
"And, oh, please, bring that grumpy cat too." Harry adds, sharing a look with Hermione. He hopes Crookshanks is fine.
"I won't disappoint you. I'll be back as soon as possible."
And without another word, the elf is gone.
Hermione turns her head to look at him, a question in her eyes.
"I want you to see the rest of Matteo's memory, love. Is that too much to ask now?"
She shakes her head. "Of course not. I'll see it." She lowers her eyes. "You think the house is compromised?"
"I don't know. Could be."
Hermione nods, sad. "I hope not. I really hope not." She whispers. Hermione purses her lips and he nuzzles her neck. Her hand travels down from his hair to his neck and chest and- "What?" She frowns, taking his hand and looking at the ring on his finger. "What's this?" Her finger goes over it with fascination.
"It's your necklace." He whispers, looking at her. "I wanted to have you close to me. And here." He's talking about the white paper folded inside. "It's the note you sent me while you were there."
She touches her forehead on his. "I tried obliviating Asmodeus. It didn't work." She says to him. Harry sets his jaw.
"He didn't touch you, did he?" A rumble goes up on his chest. A hot anger.
"No." He calms down a bit. "I kept thinking about you." She kisses his cheek. "It was the only thing that gave me the strength I needed."
"I was going crazy imagining what was happening to you." He lowers his head. "Bellaverde didn't hesitate when I told her about my plan. She was eager to save you."
Hermione bites on her lower lip with force. "I- you could have let things unfold, Harry, I was ready to marry-"
"I would never forgive myself if I'd let you marry that monster." He kisses the corner of her mouth. "No. You were not going to chain yourself to him to protect me." She inhales deeply. "He tried to kill me. I- I almost killed him, Hermione." Her hand goes back to his hair in a caress. "I wanted to." He whispers. "So much. I could feel a dark need inside me. A bloodlust that…" He trails.
"What stopped you?"
"You. The fact that I don't want to be like them. I- I can't be like them."
She hugs him and he holds her close.
"You're not. You never will be." She kisses him. His upper lip and then his lower lip, their noses bumping. "I want to find out who that woman is." She says when she pulls back. "It was clear that she hates me. She and Dolohov. We need to find them. It's time to settle this score for good."
"Agreed." He inhales deeply. "Do you think they're still alive?" He dares asking, talking about the counselors.
"They are. They're strong, Harry. We'll save them."
"I would rather prefer we didn't separate." He gives her a peck. "But I understand why we need to. How are you feeling? Strong? Good?" He tilts his head. "You were so weak yesterday and then all of the sudden you were one hundred percent again." He frowns, questioning her.
"You won't believe what happened."
Harry listens while she talks about Victor.
"A Nurturer?" He raises an eyebrow. "Powerful enough to restore your magic?" He widens his eyes. "Fuck."
"I know. And he's just a kid."
They share a meaningful look. And just then, Dobby apparates back into the room. The elf is smiling, triumphant. Harry opens a small smile when he sees the Cloak and the memory.
Crookshanks meows angrily, moving from Dobby's arms and immediately jumping on the bed, going to Hermione, rubbing himself on her, purring. She pets the cat with that same shadow of a smile on her face.
"Thanks, Dobby, I owe you one." Harry says and the elf blushes again, handing him both items. "The house?"
"Not compromised. It's pretty safe."
They breathe relieved. Their small sanctuary is still intact. "Good. In a few hours we'll be heading out, prepare yourself, okay?"
Dobby nods and apparates away.
Hermione takes the memory from his hand. "Do you think Snape has a pensive?"
"I'm sure he does."
She wets her lips. "Okay." They share another kiss. "See you in a bit." He holds her on his lap for another second.
"Please, don't hide anything from me."
"I won't. I promise."
He nods and watches while she leaves with Matteo's memory.
She found Snape fast enough. And he gave her all the privacy in the world inside a classroom. The pensive in front of her is not as fancy as the ones she's used to, but it's just as good.
The memory is in her hand and Hermione is not sure if she's ready for this. But she won't deny Harry's request. He needs to know. So, steeling herself, she dives into it.
October 31st, 1981
Potters' house
The only remaining place is the master bedroom. The door is closed and Matteo stops for a second. There's a huge trail of blood smeared on the wall. He clicks his tongue.
"Dio mio." He whispers to himself before cleaning the blood.
He opens the door and first sees their feet, there are two people lying on the floor. Matteo walks slowly inside, observing every little detail. And when his eyes land on the bed, he widens them. There are two more people there. A couple. Young. Maybe a few years older than Lily and James.
Matteo stops for a second, trying to understand. These two on the bed are bloodied. They were killed differently, stabbed multiple times. Not like Lily and James that are dead on the floor. The Potters are clean, they were murdered by the killing curse for sure.
Hesitantly, he walks a bit closer to the bed, frowning. Riddle killed more people than he intended to, that's probably why the Aurors were having a hard time with what they've done inside. Matteo uses a spell to reveal these two strangers' identities.
The man is called Gregory. The woman Serena.
"Muggles."
It dawns on him fast. The Potters live in a Muggle Village. They were with guests when Riddle and his Aurors arrived. Matteo lets out a sound of indignation, making a face. And he cleans the corpses, vanishing with any indication of blood. He crosses his arms, thinking.
He crouches close to Lily and James, again making a face. He observes the two for a while, some sadness in his eyes. And still crouched, he utters a Revelio.
A sudden cry fills the room and Matteo frowns, standing. It's a baby cry. Painful. Matteo opens his mouth and searches the place.
When he steps on the only rug inside, he stops. Then, he taps his foot on it a few times. In one swift motion, he gets rid of it and kneels. His hands go through the floor and uttering another spell, he reveals a trapdoor.
Matteo D'Angelo stops for a moment, closing his eyes. There's no doubt about what he's going to find inside. And when he makes up his mind, not a sliver of hesitancy goes through him. He opens the trapdoor and smiles when he sees the little baby inside.
"Shh, shh, all is fine." Taking the baby in his arms, he admires the little boy. "A Potter, huh? What's your name, little guy?" And he looks inside. There's a note there. Matteo reads it out loud to himself, "If you're reading this, then you have the best intentions. We know you won't hurt him. So, please, take care of our boy. His name is Harry. Show him these memories when the time comes. Tell him how much we loved him." Matteo raises an eyebrow, looking at the baby. "Hi, Harry."
The boy lets out a small sound, recognizing his name, his tiny hand going to Matteo's beard. The man chuckles. And still holding the baby, he fetches a bag full of memories. The boy cries a bit louder and Matteo uses a spell to conjure a bottle to feed him and maybe calm him down.
The man stays there for a long time, cradling the baby, his eyes going from the Potters on the floor to the Muggles on the bed. Then, he tilts his head when he reaches inside the trapdoor again, a photo album in his hand. The boy is asleep now and Matteo magically sets up a basket to lay him in.
With both arms and hands free, he looks more into the little hiding place. But nothing seems to interest him, so, he puts the photo album back in with a blanket that was around Harry. He closes the trapdoor shut and murmurs a spell to keep it concealed. Then, he moves the rug to cover it.
Matteo sighs and levitates the basket with the baby and the bag of memories. He closes his eyes and utters another spell, this one to preserve the house. To keep it protected and hidden from prying eyes. Then, he shakes his head and takes a Portkey from his pocket.
Matteo is burying the Potters, the baby near him.
He walks down the empty street using a spell to locate the house where the Muggles lived. He's concealed and levitating the couple behind him, walking to a house on the other side of the street.
Matteo doesn't enter but he magically settles the couple inside and calls the authorities. Then, he leaves with the baby.
Hermione inhales deeply when she comes out of the memory. She's shaking. Feeling cold. It's hard to breathe. She wants to vomit. And she does so. She holds her stomach, emptying herself. She shakes her head, tears running down her face. Those poor Muggles.
Of course the memory from Matteo's eyes is very limited. She wanted to get closer to the Muggles, take a better look at their faces, she wanted to understand better what had happened. She wanted to look into the trapdoor herself.
And the Potters. Fucking shit. So young. But they were ready. They knew Riddle might appear at any time. They had everything in place if they were forced to hide Harry. Hermione has no idea how it was when the Aurors arrived, but they surely tried protecting the Muggles and hiding Harry was a priority.
But they were hiding something else. Something that Riddle didn't find. Something Matteo was after but also couldn't find. They need to know. What power. What it could do. And if they didn't find, where is it now? Could they use this to end Riddle? End Moritz and Ludwig?
It didn't look like Matteo kept more memories from Harry, the bag he grabbed on that night contained the same amount of vials they took from the Villa-
A knock sounds on the door and she knows it's Harry before she turns to look at him. He's pale and he obviously can tell how shaken she is. His chest is moving up and down fast and she can see the curiosity in his eyes. He walks to her, chewing his inner cheeks, running a hand through his hair.
"That bad?" He asks in a low voice, his hands meeting her arms, supporting her.
She purses her lips, shutting her eyes and grounding herself for a moment, holding on to him, her nails digging into his arms.
He patiently waits for her to be ready.
"I-" She ponders what she should share. She wonders if telling him how affectionate Matteo was towards him is the best decision. She's not sure if she should give details about his dead parents. But he asked her not to hide anything. And she won't. "I'm sure your parents were killed by the Avada Kedrava." Harry sets his jaw, looking into her eyes. "They didn't suffer, Harry. It's instantaneous." He nods once. He knows. "They were on the floor and-" She chokes. "They weren't the only ones murdered that night."
"What?" His face contorts into a question.
"A Muggle couple-" Hermione has to stop again, and after a deep breath she continues, "I assume they were their friends and were at the house when my father arrived with the Aurors. They were brutally murdered. Stabbed multiple times. There was blood all around the room."
He blinks many times. "Fucking shit, Hermione. Who were they?"
She shakes her head. "The only information Matteo got was their first names, Gregory and Serena. Later he found their house and left them there, calling the police after. Do you remember the wrecked house across the street? The one that's clearly abandoned?"
"Yeah."
"We should investigate the house. What if your parents hid something there? If they were friends, it's not impossible."
Harry gulps, nodding. "Indeed. What else did you see?"
She inhales deeply, her hand going to his cheek. "Matteo heard your cry." Harry pouts. "He found the trapdoor and opened it. You were there, hungry but fine, unscathed. Your parents left a note inside." She swallows the lump in her throat, there are some tears rolling down his cheek and she brushes them away. He pulls her closer to him. "Only someone that meant you no harm would be able to find you. They asked for this person to tell you how much they loved you. To show you the memories." He makes a face and she hugs him. He buries his face in the crook of her neck. "Matteo was very gentle, love." She says in a low voice. "He protected the house and he buried your parents properly. He took you and the memories. That was all."
They only hold each other. Words seem unnecessary right now. But finally, Harry pulls away from the hug and clears his throat, pulling himself together, he says, "We have to focus on rescuing them now." She nods.
"Yes. We should leave soon." She glances at her watch. It's still 1pm. But they can't wait any longer, the whole night and morning went by and her father is a master at torture…
Harry takes her left hand in his. The bond comes to life. Hermione feels his magic on hers, the sensation is unique. And bright. Powerful.
"Promise me you'll call for me if you need me." He says, his magic poking into the strangeness of the portion of hers that's missing.
She doesn't want to promise him that, though. Hermione has no idea what's about to happen. She can't take him away from the mission because she might be too weak-
"I can smell everything, Hermione. Just promise me."
"No."
He sets his jaw, squinting. "Why not?"
"Because saving them is more important."
"Not to me."
"Doesn't matter. I won't let anyone else die because of me, Harry."
They share an intense look. "It wasn't your fault." He whispers.
She snorts and releases his hand. "Let's call the others."
Hermione knows that Harry wants to talk about this, but they don't have the time. They need to act fast and when she reaches the door, he's already behind her.
"So, we leave in two minutes." Harry says.
Now that they're about to leave, he's more anxious than ever. Hermione is trying to ignore his nervousness, but she's also pretty restless herself.
They have two Portkeys that will take them closer to the Manors. They talked about the wards. Hermione believes that she and her mother won't have a problem to enter Riddle Manor since they can disable the ward. And with Draco they probably won't have a problem either to enter Malfoy Manor.
But these are conjectures. They don't know for sure and it frustrates Harry.
He's taking the Cloak with him in case he needs to vanish. They agreed that he can't be captured under any circumstance. He's the one that will carry this 'rebellion'. They need him to win this. Of course he doesn't like the idea, but he understands.
Hermione already has the Portkey in her hand and the others are saying their brief goodbyes. He goes to her, and not wanting to turn this into a farewell, he kisses her. Their kiss is intense. And he holds her very tightly before pulling away.
"Come back to me." He says in a low voice.
"You too." She kisses him one more time. "I love you."
"I love you."
And he squeezes her hand before taking the Portkey and going to the others.
At the exact same moment, they all touch the Portkeys.
Malfoy Manor
Draco is disabling the wards and Harry is patiently waiting. He needs to forget everything else to be able to do this. He trusts Hermione and she's not alone, which calms his nerves a bit.
"I think we can go through." Draco says.
There's a charm concealing them.
"You need to be sure." Harry says in a low voice.
Draco snorts. "I'm sure."
Harry looks at the others, "Act fast and don't hesitate." He says, "If you can, keep a shield up all the time. We go in, we search the house and if we don't find them, we go out." He clears his throat. "If Riddle is inside I don't want you engaging in a duel with him. Protect yourselves and try neutralizing him, remember that this is a rescue mission."
Not a suicide mission.
Because whoever goes against Riddle, will die. Harry's sure. After the man killed Bellaverde, it finally dawned on him what he's up against. The Minister is more powerful and Harry has to accept this reality.
He gets their nods in understanding and Harry raises a powerful shield around all of them. With him at the front, they walk to the mansion.
Riddle Manor
Her mother stopped her from checking the wards. Hermione knows that she wants her to spare herself as much as possible, but it made her angry. However, Bellatrix was very firm about it and Hermione took a step back to watch while she does it. John is there with her. The man knows this Manor better than anyone else and that's actually perfect.
There's a powerful charm around them, concealing their presence.
Chiara is by her side, her arms crossed and a tense look on her face. Hermione knows that if it was up to her friend, Oliver wouldn't be here.
They share a look. "How you feeling?" Chiara asks in a low voice.
"Like shit." Hermione answers. "You?"
"Scared."
Hermione snorts and Chiara snorts with her. And just then, Bellatrix turns around with a triumphant smile.
"Let's go." Her mother says and they don't waste a second to cross the ward.
But Hermione stops them when they're already inside the perimeter.
"Listen to me." She begins. "I don't want you going against my father and this is an order. You're here under my command. I'm the boss. Don't fool yourselves, okay?" They widen their eyes a bit. "I call the shots and when I say retreat, you retreat. Is that fucking clear?"
They nod. Bellatrix doesn't.
"Mum. Please." Hermione inhales deeply. "This is how it goes or I'm sending you back to the Palace."
Setting her jaw, Bellatrix nods only once.
Hermione sighs, relieved. "Shields up. We act fast and you follow my lead."
Without waiting for an answer, she begins to walk to the mansion.
Malfoy Manor
The moment they cross the front door, Harry can smell a powerful spell in the air and he makes them stop. They all halt at his signal. He gulps and listens carefully.
He can hear people walking. Breathing. And he sniffs.
Sirius. Remus. Molly. And two more he doesn't recognize. Riddle is not there. Which probably means that he's at Riddle Manor. Harry grits his teeth and turns to the others, he moves his head and makes them exit the mansion. They frown but follow him out.
Harry snaps his fingers two times. It's the signal they agreed on to call for Dobby.
The elf appears in a second and Harry talks to him, "Sirius, Remus and Molly are here. There are two guards with them. Tell Hermione to be careful, Riddle might be there."
Dobby nods and vanishes. The others have their eyes on him.
Ron is squinting. "Only two guards? Feels like a trap."
Harry lowers his head, thinking. "It might be, but we don't have a choice. We need to save them. When we get closer to the dungeons, I'll use my Cloak. Defend yourselves."
And they go back inside.
Riddle Manor
Hermione listens to Dobby.
Eleonora, Arthur, Nymphadora and Narcissa are probably being held inside the mansion. Right now they're standing under the huge main stairs. She's confident that the spells they used to conceal themselves are intact and she knows their presence hasn't been noticed yet.
But now she's more nervous than before. Chances that she's about to meet her father are high. And even if she told them not to go against Tom Riddle, she's not sure herself can resist. He killed Bellaverde and that's something that's going to haunt her for as long as she breathes. And the need for revenge burns inside her. He has to pay.
She thanks Dobby for the informations and the elf disappears. It lifts some weight from her chest… the notion that Harry is not the one about to face Riddle.
In silence they head to the door behind a huge, elaborated tapestry. The corridor that leads to the dungeons is pretty well hidden. With all the parties and Balls held inside the mansion, it would be a pity for a guest to get lost in their dungeons, right? She snorts at the thought when they stop right in front of it. It's a complex embroidment of the Riddle Crest.
Hermione utters the blood incantation and the tapestry wavers, disappearing shortly. Now, the hidden door is right in front of them. She wastes no time in opening it.
The corridor is humid and a nasty smells comes from the stairs that lead to the bowels of the mansion. They walk in silence. Hermione knows they're nervous. And they have a long way down.
Malfoy Manor
Harry puts the Cloak on. Draco takes the front by his side and the others follow. He's tense, but his werewolf traits tell him that there's no real, immediate danger awaiting for them inside the dungeons.
And when Draco opens the door, Harry acts fast. Already knowing where the other wizards are, he stuns them in a second. They fall down and, still with a strong shield around themselves, they walk to the pillars at the back of the place. Sirius, Remus and Molly are chained. Each to a pillar. They're unconscious, but alive.
With simple spells they free them. They were clearly tortured. Sally is crying while she holds Sirius. Ron is white as a sheet while he checks his mother's vitals. Harry feels the fury taking over himself. Now, he wants to be out of there as soon as possible. Hermione might need his help.
Harry snaps his fingers again and Dobby is there in a blink.
"Dobby, take them to the Palace and then go check on Hermione. Meet me outside after."
The elf nods and they observe while he touches the three in order to apparate. In a swift movement they're gone. Harry exhales heavily, a bit relieved.
"Let's head outside." He says to the others while he ties up the two wizards that were there. Harry chains them to the pillars and uses a strong incantation to leave them in a deep sleep.
Riddle Manor
They all stop at once when Dobby appears in front of Hermione. They're almost reaching the cells. She inhales deeply and waits for the elf to deliver his message.
"Sirius, Remus and Molly are safe, back at the Palace." They all let out a single relieved breath. "I have to go back to Master Potter, do you want me to deliver a message?"
It was too easy.
The thought crosses her mind but Hermione keeps her mouth shut. If they're safe that's all that matters. Now she needs to focus on rescuing the others. And she won't allow Harry to be here. No. He's already safe. She won't put him in more danger. Of course he could come on his own, disregarding her wishes, but Harry is aware that their roles changed among their friends and all the Community that's counting on them. He won't be so reckless anymore. Even if he fears for her safety.
"Tell Harry that we'll meet back at the Palace. And after you do that, come back here, Dobby, we might need you."
The elf nods and apparates.
In silence they keep going down. After five minutes they reach the last step. Hermione barely believes when her feet touch the ground. They're endless feet down, under the surface and hidden from the world outside. To get out of here, they'll need to climb up all the steps. They can't apparate inside the premises.
Inhaling deeply, she uses a spell to enhance her hearing. Even with this, she knows she won't be as prepared as Harry with his amazing werewolf skills, but it's something. And as they keep going slowly, she finally hears voices.
Hermione halts and the others stop with her, alert.
She can distinguish three male voices. None is her father. She sets her jaw, not sure if this brings her some relief or anger. She was expecting to meet him. She was counting on this. There's no way of knowing if the counselors are there, but she decides that-
Dobby startles her and she puts one hand over her pounding heart. "Master Potter was not happy with your words, but he's back at the Palace already."
"Good." She turns to the others. "I can hear three guards. There's no way of knowing if someone else is inside. We go and neutralize them immediately. Dobby, we can't apparate in and out of here, only you can. While we occupy ourselves with the guards, I want you to take the counselors to the Palace. As fast as possible."
The elf nods.
"What if they're not here?" Bellatrix voices her fear.
"Then, we keep ourselves safe and flee." She tightens the grip around her wand. "But I do believe they're here." Too easy. This is… a trap. But they have no other choice. "Let's go."
Dobby walks by her side. The others follow. Hermione knows that the entrance to the cells is close and she can't help feeling a sudden coldness taking over her. She fears her spells might fail. She fears they might found way more than three guards inside.
However, she leads.
And when they enter the oval space with the cells, there are only three guards there. The others are faster than her to neutralize them and she turns her head to observe the cells. Narcissa, Eleonora, Arthur and Nymphadora are all there. They're unconscious. Bloodied. They were tortured. And it makes her furious.
But also scared.
She has no idea what informations her father collected from them. And they probably won't remember either. It's… a terrible situation.
Dobby is fast in taking them out of there and she can't help being impressed by the elf. In less than two minutes the guards are immobilized and the counselors are safe, back at the Palace.
Crossing her arms, she shares a look with her mother. Bellatrix is thinking the same thing. Too easy. Chiara clears her throat and comes closer to her, one eyebrow raised. Ginny is biting on her lower lip.
It feels… anticlimactic. Of course they're relieved that the counselors are still alive, but a sensation of defeat lingers. Hermione hates it. It's like her father allowed them to rescue the counselors. It's like he's giving them this small victory. Probably because he has other plans. Bigger plans.
Fucking shit.
"Let's get out of here." It's all she says, pointing to the stairs and their way back up.
They take a bit longer to climb all the stairs and when they reach the mansion, they have no problem at all in exiting it and crossing the wards. In no time they're all apparating back to the Palace.
The Palace
Harry is pacing at the entrance, waiting. He knew Hermione would push him away, but he tried. He wanted to be there with her, but since Dobby brought Narcissa - the first counselor he rescued from Riddle Manor - Harry's been calmer with what the elf shared.
Riddle was not there. Which is… strange.
They finally appear, crossing the wards and entering the protected perimeter of the Palace. Harry sets his jaw, relieved to see her. But there's a look on Hermione's face while she walks to him that- he can smell her anxiousness. He can tell that she's frustrated.
She goes directly to him and they share a hug, his lips finding the soft skin on her neck, kissing gently.
"What is it?" He asks, their eyes meeting.
Hermione bites on her lower lip and makes a face. "Later."
He nods. "They're all in rooms." He inhales deeply. "I've already tried waking them up." He shakes his head. "It's like they're in a coma. But I don't think that's the case, I think it was a powder. I can smell it."
"They were tortured. Even Narcissa."
"Should we keep her here?" He asks in a serious tone. He knows the woman is Hermione's aunt, but she's not his fan and she's surely going to support Riddle if it comes down to it, won't she?
"She may not be on our side, but she's not with my father either or else she wouldn't be in this situation. I highly doubt Peter and Sarah were tortured." She gives him a pointed look.
Harry nods, agreeing. He takes her hand and they start to walk to the dormitories. The others are already there.
"I don't like this." He whispers, knowing that his words are the exact ones she's thinking. "It was too easy."
"I know." She squeezes his hand. "But we have to focus on waking them up. We have to focus on our next step."
He kisses her hand, his eyes traveling the grounds while they go. Crookshanks is being petted by no one other than Victor. Harry stops, frowning.
"Look at that." He calls her attention to it and Hermione opens her mouth. Surprised.
Victor is smiling. The cat is surely purring.
"It must be because he's a Nurturer. Animals can feel it." She states, but she's squinting, extremely intrigued. She's thinking about something else but she doesn't voice it to Harry. However, whatever it is, it makes her nervous.
Soon they reach the rooms. Eleonora, Sirius, Remus and Nymphadora are in one. Molly, Arthur and Narcissa occupy the other next door. Ron, Ginny and Draco are with their parents. Sally is crying beside hers. Petunia and Snape are outside, at the corridor, with Oliver and Sam. Chiara is close to them.
And they look at Harry and Hermione when they arrive. Harry knows this is how things are going to be from now on. All eyes will be on them, waiting for the next orders. Waiting for guidance.
But, without a word, Hermione enters the room that Molly, Arthur and Narcissa are in.
"How are they?" She asks Ron.
He shakes his head. "They don't respond. I- I have no idea what to do. We've tried a lot of spells and healing but-"
"Are there any healers here?" Hermione asks Snape and Petunia.
"Yes." Snape says. "They already tried waking them up. Nothing worked. They're at the Library searching for other possible spells."
She nods, moving back into the room. "Maybe we should try together, Harry. Like we did with my mother."
He wets his lips and agrees. They decide to try first with Molly. Ron and Ginny move aside so Hermione can take Molly's hand in hers. Harry stays behind her, their left hands closing around each other's. But the moment they reach out into the healing, searching for what's keeping Molly asleep, Harry perceives that her condition is not the same Bellatrix was in. Even so, they push through. But he already knows it won't work.
They keep trying, but when he notices Hermione is getting too tired, he stops. She curses under her breath.
Harry shakes his head to Ron and Ginny. "Whatever is keeping them that way… we can't undo it."
Hermione crosses her arms. She's furious. "I wanna destroy Moritz. I wanna fucking choke him with my bare hands." Harry raises an eyebrow. "If it weren't for his powders, none of this shit would be happening! Bellaverde would still be alive and-" She chokes, stopping. Inhaling deeply she closes her eyes. "I need a moment."
And she walks out the room. Harry pockets his hands. She wants to be alone.
"What now, Harry?" Ginny asks.
"I want to go to the Ministry to seize Ludwig." They don't say a word to that. And, after a beat of silence, he says, "Even if they're not awake, at least they're here with us, safe."
His friends nod and Harry exits the room, going after his mate. Yeah, maybe she wants to be alone, but it won't do to him.
Harry finds her in their room. She's lying on her back on the bed with Crookshanks in her arms. Her eyes are closed and tears are running down her face. He inhales deeply. It's his turn to be strong.
Sitting on the bed by her side, he also pets Crookshanks. Hermione sniffs, taking her time before talking to him.
"I'm-" She begins and stops. Then, she opens her eyes to look at him. Harry inhales deeply, his hand going to her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin. "He keeps playing with us." She whispers. "He let us take them, Harry. Why? What did he discover with his torture? Is the Palace compromised? Should we leave?"
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "This place is… very well protected. The wards around here are reinforced every year. I don't think he can reach us here, honestly." His words are sincere. "And maybe it was just easy to rescue them, you know? We were ready to fight, but it didn't happen and that's it."
"I doubt it." She whispers. "He's planning something."
"Then, we should plan something too." He leans closer to her, his nose bumping on hers. She closes her eyes and he kisses her eyelids. Gently. When he pulls back, he says, "You're so beautiful." His voice is soft. "I love you so much."
She inevitably opens a tiny smile. Not the usual bright one he's used to, but maybe the first real one since they came back from that beach.
But the smile is soon gone when she says, "Peter, Sarah, Asmodeus, Dolohov and that woman. Where are they? I thought they would be inside those dungeons, waiting for us."
"Riddle and Matteo know that woman… Loli, right? That's how Matteo called her in the memory." He looks down, thinking. "She was at Riddle Manor on that celebration. She probably knows Dolohov because she was there on the night Riddle killed my parents…" He squints. "She clearly doesn't like you and your mother-"
Hermione lets out a small sound and he smells the surprise coming from her. "Harry. I- My father tried killing my mother. I- I had a conversation with her some time ago, about this. That maybe he wanted her dead because that way he would be able to remarry-" She stops, her eyes wide. "Maybe this woman- if he knows her for so long, maybe they have something. She's probably his mistress."
Harry tilts his head. "Is that so surprising? That he's cheating on your mother?"
"No. It surprises me that he would end the perfect image of the Riddles for this Loli." She gives him a pointed look. "She's important. There's something there we're missing." She makes a face. "I wanna investigate the Muggle house, Harry." Her voice is low and he can smell the sadness coming from her, the nervousness. It was sure a brutal scene the one she saw at the memory.
"We need to seize Ludwig."
She looks at him, thinking. He can already tell that she'll disagree and it makes him a bit angry.
"Not yet, love." She says. "We need to see what my father is releasing to the press. We need to see how you're going to be portrayed. How I'm going to be portrayed." She moves her hand to squeeze his thigh. "I want to beat the shit out of Ludwig just as much as you, but we need to be patient."
"What if we wait too long and your father sets him free?"
"Then we'll deal with it." Her tone is firm and he bites on his lower lip to stop some words. He can't believe Hermione- "Don't be angry." She says, squeezing his thigh again. "I don't think he'll be able to enter the dungeons at the Ministry."
Harry tilts his head. "I know you forbid anyone from going down there, but I doubt your father won't be able to-"
"When I accepted the Head position, I said that I wanted him out of any of my decisions. He promised and even used some Ancient Magic to close off this little deal. My orders are above his on this regard." Harry makes a face at her, not totally convinced. "Maybe he'll try to overrule my command, but it will take time. I'm fairly certain we might still have at least three days."
He sighs. "Fine, we have three days, then. What do you wanna do?"
"We need to discover what the hell Riddle and Matteo wanted with the Potters. What power were they after? Could we use it ourselves? No one found it from what I gather."
"I think that white book… it holds the answer. My mother was always with it under her arm. Reading, taking notes."
"It vanished." Hermione whispers, her eyes going to the ceiling. Crookshanks climbs down the bed and Harry watches while the cat comfortably lies down on the floor. "Snape said there's a Library here." He turns his head to look at her. They share an intense look. "What if Lily Potter sent that book to her sister?"
Harry widens his eyes. They look at each other for one… two… three seconds, and then, on the same beat, they both stand up from the bed. They walk out of the room fast, searching for Petunia. Harry's heart is pounding inside his chest, so much he can feel it in his ears.
His aunt is at the Great Hall and when they reach her, he pulls her to a corner, his voice low when he asks: "Aunt, has my mother ever sent you a book? A white book?"
He can smell Petunia's confusion and then certainty. Hermione is practically jumping in place by his side, eager to hear the answer.
"I- yes." Petunia says and he gulps, "It arrived one month after they were murdered." She whispers.
"Where's this book?"
Petunia makes a face. "I- Harry, there was nothing written on it. It was all blank pages. But well, Lily asked me to keep it safe, so I did. It's at the Library."
He and Hermione don't give Petunia explanations. With their hands clasped together, they practically run to the Library.
When they enter the place, Hermione uses a simple accio.
It comes flying to her hand and she opens her mouth, holding it tightly.
It's a huge book.
And maybe all the answers they're looking for are there.
(...)