Something to Remember

Chapter 17 Stolen Goods and Redemption

**

The situation turned out to be very, very difficult. Acting fast on their feet, Hermione, Terry and Susan proceeded to steal ("borrow", that is) a few of the school's own brooms, which were in actual purpose intended for students who could not afford one themselves, and rather not for a trio on a very rule-breaking endeavor. But needless to say, right now in THEIR circumstance, this "rule-break" was absolutely necessary. (The only catch was that such provided brooms were most mentionable only for their embarrassing mediocre quality, for being merely a set of barely passable generics.) Meanwhile Harry and Draco went to retrieve their own stylish, notably much more up-to-date brooms, which were of course unarguably FAR more impressive, Harry with his top-class Firebolt and Draco with his Nimbus 2001, a nonetheless highly respectable latter. And as they were much closer to Gryffindor Tower and the Slytherin Dungeons than Terry, Susan and Hermione (at least with regards to stealing a suitable broom each, anyway), the boys decided to give the Invisibility Cloak to them instead.

"Meet back in thirty minutes, and I mean it! And be extra-careful, mates, please. I swear I saw creepy shadows in the background a few minutes ago ... What if it had been Death Eaters!" Harry had made this final authoritative call upon the split-up, wishing Terry, Susan, and Hermione all good luck.

A few minutes later, though, once the two boys had set off on their own path, in a bit of a delayed response Draco articulated an unaffected state of mind in regards to Harry's admonition: "Well whatever, Harry. It isn't as if it really matters what exact time we reconvene with them anyway. I mean come off it, mate! They're clearly going to be nowhere near here for quite some time. It's going to take them a while to escape the castle and then stealthily find themselves a suited broomstick from the Quidditch pitch." Draco in fact condemned almost to flat disregard Harry's precautionary words. And as he trailed off patronizingly, the fair-haired Slytherin boy sounded like he really couldn't care less, at apparent ease to dismiss Harry's words. "Come now, Harry, we gotta move ..."

But Harry did not move immediately. He took his lantern and swished it behind him. It was true: There was nobody there, or anywhere around them for that matter. 'At least not anymore,' Harry suspiciously suspected to himself as they ventured on surreptitiously, one corridor at a time -

Shortly thereafter they approached the Slytherin Dungeons at last, making excellent time. "... Sanctuary," whispered Draco sarcastically, which was probably an appropriate, nonthreatening response, that opposed to humiliating his friend's disproved foresight. Unsurprisingly, immediately upon their arrival Draco sternly instructed, "Put your hood up, Harry, and wait here. I'll be right back ..."

And then Draco entered alone, very, very quietly. There were just a couple of students around, not many as after all, it was very late. Draco quickly went to his specified dormitory. Thankfully Crabbe and Goyle were sleeping already, so Draco, miraculously fast and without making noise at all, grabbed his Nimbus 2001 and hurried out the Common Room to regroup with Harry.

And just like that they were effectively up and out the Slytherin Dungeons. "Next up, Gryffindor Tower, now!" dictated Draco assertively, speaking as though the statement was already an indisputable fact.

**

With the advantage of the Invisibility Cloak, Hermione, Terry, and Susan had quite an easy time heading out to the Quidditch Pitch. They moved as fast as they could, though it was difficult with three of them under the cloak, and unlike Hermione, Terry and Susan did not have practice.

As they began approaching the castle doors, they heard Mrs. Norris come by, eying them suspiciously as she did to all students ... Or at least it looked like she was. Filch was probably near.

"Alohomora!" muttered Hermione, urgently but so low once they approached the locked castle doors. The doors unlocked themselves and the three of them quickly left.

"Once we get to the brooms, we can easily fly up to the Astronomy Tower and go from there," assured Terry optimistically.

"Well, yes, that's the plan," agreed Hermione. The three of them were much more relaxed now that they'd escaped the castle. "Quickly and carefully, now, let's move ..."

Treading responsibly, they rushed in a nervous scramble towards the Quidditch pitch. There was really no one out here to catch them though, luckily. Once on the Quidditch pitch the three threw off the Invisibility Cloak and at once scurried to the broomstick shed.

"Alohomora!" It was Terry this time. Quickly opening the shed, Terry grabbed three school brooms - one absolutely ANCIENT Shooting Comet for each of them, the highlight of the night. "Are you ready?" asked a now highly anticipative (despite breathlessly gasping) Terry, but he did not sound afraid; he almost smiled even. The excitement truly must have gotten to him!

"Yeah ... Come on," answered Hermione, quietly obedient, and they made their procession away from the shed. But first things first, however, Hermione ran to get Harry's Invisibility Cloak. She looked where she had left it. She looked everywhere around it ... It was gone. "Harry's cloak! Someone's stolen it!"

"Wha-What?! We're the only ones out here! Have we been followed?" Susan sounded very much panicked.

"Harry will never forgive me." Hermione was absolutely anguished, sputtering these such introspective words in a barely audible voice. The cloak had been the one thing Harry had inherited from his father, and it'd been taken away from him. It was her fault. Where had she left it, and why? Why somewhere obviously foolish, careless, in some place where it could have been, and WAS, stolen? Someone had followed them, this most certainly must've been the troubling case ... Suddenly Hermione sensed her heart sink staggeringly downward, right into a most nauseating crash-collision with her most fragile stomach intestine, as a matter of fact.

"Someone has followed us, Hermione. We have to go, NOW, before we're put in greater danger," Terry resubmitted firmly. Clearly emphasizing the sometimes sporadic unfortunate need to make sacrifice in an emergency just like the one before them, confidently the young, brave Ravenclaw boy, acting as the directive leader, resumed striding forth.

"No, his cloak ..." But regardless then, thus, Hermione unselfishly permitted but a slightest moment longer to pass before she, too, went on forward ...

"Hermione, I'm sorry, but if we stay, we'll be caught. I'm upset about the cloak too," Susan pleaded apologetically, very gently addressing her (understandably) distracted Gryffindor friend.

"Accio Invisibility Cloak!" Hermione petulantly enunciated her tireless final, hope-filled attempt very firmly. Hermione waited. Nothing happened, as she had expected.

"Come on, Hermione," Terry urged her quietly, wisely sharing a compassionate bit of patience in his tone as he voiced his inescapable expectation that she heeded his admonition that, front all else, they absolutely had to keep going.

"Fine, then," acquiesced Hermione weakly, knowing she could not let this minor tragedy further ail the plan in action. 'Oh God, no, his cloak. Harry's cloak,' did think Hermione still, but then she admirably rose up, mounted her broom alongside Susan and Terry, and mentally readied for takeoff. They nodded at each other warningly, and then without wasting any more precious seconds the three flew into the air. Hermione went right for the Astronomy Tower, and as she ascended it was not long before she could tell Harry and Draco had not yet arrived. In a way Hermione was relieved, not sure she would have been able to face Harry right away. She had been trusted with one of his most prized possessions and she had let him down ...

But who was the culprit? Who had stolen the cloak? Hermione was anxious to find out. She would make sure whomsoever had done such a crime, he or she, would be punished severely. Hermione vowed to herself that she'd discover the very one who would do such a thing, and had! It was the only thing Harry had of his father, the Invisibility Cloak. No, she dreaded she'd not be able to face him ...

A tear alas fell down her cheek. The cloak had meant almost as much to Hermione as it had to Harry. It hurt her so much. The simple thought of Harry's devastated face was already tearing her up inside. Hermione approached the tower and slowed down, her mental space scattered with confused thoughts ...

**

Harry and Draco had successfully gotten to the Gryffindor Tower, and were now moving fast towards the Astronomy Tower. They really wanted to go quicker, but they knew that'd not be totally prudent of them if they were to truly avoid being caught. They were on the way ... Harry couldn't believe it. They might actually be moving towards defeating Voldemort. Would this truly be the breakthrough? Would an end to the eternal misery finally come? Only time would tell ...

Harry froze. He had just heard Mrs. Norris. "Draco, watch out, it's Filch's cat. Secure yourself!"

"Shut up," he snapped whisperingly back. He grabbed Harry's arm and they hid behind a gargoyle. "Now, pray."

But Harry was in such a nervous state there was no time for even the simplest religious recitation.

"What have you found?" It was the hoarse, creepy voice of Filch hovering over them as he continued his regular night patrol of Hogwarts. As always highly suspicious down and up each of the many hallways throughout the sleeping castle, the mean and grumpy caretaker's reproachful eyes positively stalked in their obsessive lookout for straying students up to no good; loving the opportunity to catch unlucky pupils red-handed for impermissible mischief, ill-wishing, bitter-old squib Argus Filch always made causing direct displeasure on his students the number-one priority on his list. Hence, Harry and Draco knew too well (had the memories to prove it, even!) that tonight would be no different, as Filch was always ready to chastise any straying students wandering about ... In other words, they had to be perfectly unnoticeable, or suffer harsh degrees of punishment. Sly in his soft hissing tone, Filch spoke gracefully to his beloved cat, "Where have they gone to? We'll find 'em, my love."

Harry was shaking and actually found himself holding Draco. Draco didn't resist it. But Harry felt comfort in Draco. He didn't understand it. He didn't honestly feel safe with anyone else. And there were only three people Harry felt he would honestly willingly give his life for. And Draco was one of them. And Harry knew Draco would do the same for him. And Harry simply felt ... Secure.

It surely wasn't anything sexual; it was simply affection. To an outsider's eye, certainly it would look wrong, but Harry understood. And Harry knew Draco understood to. It didn't matter if anyone else did. Because again, although to an outsider's eye it would look wrong, nonetheless both Draco and Harry understood. And Harry knew Draco understood to. It didn't matter if anyone else did.

"I think he's gone, Harry," Draco whispered, still scared. "We need to get the hell out of here."

Harry got himself together, scrambling, and this time it was he that led the way. He remembered a shortcut he had taken with Ron at one point. They would be near the Astronomy Tower in no time.

"... Harry, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Draco ragged him at one point.

"Yes, I've taken this route before."

"Don't get us caught, Potter," Draco hissed once again, his testing tone penetrable with severity.

"Stop it, you're beginning to sound like Draco Malfoy, mate!" And Harry chuckled to himself.

"Very funny."

But following this brief, humored exchange between boys, it wasn't long into their uncanny quest that Harry made a specific sharp turn, and then before they knew it they had found themselves now in a scurry up the hall leading to the tower. "See ... Blimey that was fast, Draco! I reckon we're nearly there," Harry exclaimed gladly, sounding relieved himself regardless. Then, taken by excitement to a sudden sprint in a startle, sharply he felt himself feel essentially unclear however, really but hoping for rapid agreement from his friend at his side. Despite his positively fleeting words, the tenseness of the situation made him everlastingly nervous, it so seemed ...

Nonetheless, in any case the two boys carefully proceeded up the stairs and as they climbed to the top they realized that Hermione and the others were already waiting for them. They approached the three of them ... They were definitely not smiling. They all looked very pale, Hermione particularly absolutely grave as a matter of fact. Something had gone terribly wrong ...

"What is it?!" Harry demanded sharply, yelling out and hoping for a fast response. The anxiety of the ever-unfolding suspense was beginning to overbear him ...

"Harry ..." Hermione tried but broke off terribly, and instead then hugged Harry. She did not let go immediately.

"Hermione? What happened?" Harry was very worried now. He looked over at Draco, who as well looked worried. But Draco did not speak.

"I was so stupid ... It's ... Oh, Harry ...Your cloak, Harry. Your Invisibility Cloak. Someone stole it as we went into the broom shed. We don't know who, Harry. It's my entire fault. I'm so, so sorry," Hermione admitted all this to Harry at once in a partly panicked rush to dispose of insufferable guilt. She delivered the devastating news with undoubtedly the sincerest of sorrows in her voice.

Harry looked into Hermione's eyes in disbelief. He really didn't want to believe what she was saying. Harry had received the cloak from Dumbledore in his very first year at Hogwarts. It was the only thing Harry had from his father and now it was gone. It had been stolen. A terrible feeling went through Harry's body as the reality sunk in: Would he ever see the cloak again? "Hermione ..." Harry honestly could not form words at the moment. But he couldn't let it affect what they had to do. "We have to go," Harry finally spoke quietly.

"Harry, I'll stay behind and try to find who took it -" Hermione began, but Harry broke her off.

"They stole my cloak. They're probably invisible. It's no use," Harry replied firmly, nearly at the point of being apathetic in determination to make the final, flat point; momentarily, thereby, the agitated 'Boy Who Lived' (as the world had always insisted on calling him) came to sound a whole lot more depressed than he'd intended to. Ruminating dreadfully on whether he'd ever see the cloak again, it still ended up but two dead-silent seconds before Harry, better or worse, pulled it together and somehow managed to muster a response less so incredulous than one would expect. "Whatever, it doesn't even matter. We have just got to go. Susan, lead the way."

It was all just so tremendously hard. Point-blank.

"But Harry -" Hermione humbly started protesting.

"Forget it!"

Hermione became instantaneously quiet at this, upon realizing the barren, underlying infuriation of Harry's refusal to continue on the subject. After, a quiet, obviously strange and unpleasant full pause prolonged their delay another almost half-minute ...

Then, finally receptive to Harry's wishes, Susan cleared her throat. Then, bursting back up for air with an admirably collected demeanor despite circumstances, she gave initial instruction to the others, whom at this point were entirely dependent on her direction. "Well then, best set off now. We'll be flying for a bit," Susan ordered, sliding across her every word rather uncomfortably before more firmly finishing, "Just follow my lead and everything will be fine. I bet I could navigate there blind at this point. No worries, just follow me ..."

**

To her own startled surprise, once they took flight and were making headway deep in the horizon of the tantalizing skies toward their oh-too-specific destination, Hermione was actually a bit scared. Susan was leading the way, and though she did trust her, they'd been flying a long time now. It must have been well over two hours now. Draco and Harry looked as though they were having the time of their lives, but Hermione had never particularly loved flying the way they did.

Finally, Susan spoke to her comrades. "I think we need to descend now. We're near the cave. On the count of three ..."

They began descending. Hermione guessed they were in Wales now. It was all quite interesting. As she got closer, Hermione realized they were descending on a village right by the sea. They were on a sandy beach, and the waves gently hit shore. There was a lighthouse nearby. Hermione looked around. And above her, on a hilltop, was a large, spooky-looking cave, leading her to whisper under her breath, "That's it, isn't it?"

Yes. Their trusted navigator seemed satisfied with her results. "Yes, this I believe is definitely it, mates ...Wait." Susan now cautiously surveyed the surroundings. There was no one much around. ('But still, the cloak would have been so useful,' Hermione tried, albeit utter failure, not reminding herself of too much, guiltily fantasizing to herself.) "This is where Helga Hufflepuff grew up."

"And the Draught of Destruction is inside the cave," Draco said quietly.

"Right," Terry said in a hollow, basically emptied tone of voice.

And finally came the very "difficult", as a matter of fact ideally nonexistent question ... The very particular bitter, iciest-filled one of all, which, in its spite, remained nonnegotiable that at least one of them inevitably posed: "So, um ... How dangerous do you think it will be?" Harry half-demanded to know, while yet still feeling half-reluctant to know the proper answer.

No one said anything to this. Hermione was sure even Susan did not know.

"Well, let's go, then. No use waiting around," Draco said plainly, and he actually did not look in the least scared. Draco actually looked ambitious and ready. It was the thing Hermione loved about Draco.

**

Thereon, Draco forwardly led the way. It wasn't as if Susan needed to. They all could see the cave. The village looked completely deserted as they entered it. There seemed traces of civilization, but everything seemed so old that Hermione guessed it'd been deserted a long time ago.

"It is Unplottable to Muggles now, and most do not know of its existence," Susan concisely explained. "And even if they did, it's no real use to them if they're not an heir."

They arrived at the hilltop. Chills ran through Hermione ... Hell, she had not felt this scared in longer than she could remember. Most of the time she had some type of idea what was going on, but this time, it was all a mystery. Draco and Harry entered the cave together and the rest trailed behind. Coincidentally, Hermione was last to enter, taking with notable effort a huge deep breath, beyond frightened -

And then at once by sheer instinct they all said quietly, "Lumos!"

It was so dark Hermione could not even make out the walls. Hermione looked around. The cave walls were a greenish color that glowed magnificently. The cave was very wide and she looked up and the top was also very high. She stayed right next to Terry; she was very frightened. In a moment, she could be dead. But she heard no movement of any kind besides the footsteps of the five of them.

"Hmm, this place is huge," Draco noted awkwardly, unsure what to say in his bizarre observation. He still had no sense of fear in his voice.

... Neither did Harry, who equably concurred, "Yes, it will take a while."

'They really must have been separated at birth,' Hermione thought funnily to herself. 'Well, no, hehe ...' Hermione actually chuckled to herself for a quick moment before snapping back into reality. And then suddenly, so untimely, Hermione heard the cry of some type of terrible animal, and actually fell in fright. But she quickly got up, just as she in terror heard Susan scream ...

"It's a Manticore!" bellowed Terry, in awe.

Hermione heard spells going off ... She looked over and saw it. It had the head of a horrible-looking man, a body of a lion, and the tale of a vicious lion. It did not speak at all. It jumped at Hermione, who hurtled sideways just in time. "Stupefy!" Hermione tried weakly. It seemed to affect the Manticore a bit, but it still stood up. Hermione thought again quickly. "Impedimenta!"

The Manticore froze and Hermione ran over to Draco.

"Incendio!" screamed Terry, and the Manticore was on fire. Draco shot a stunning spell at it.

And then something absolutely impossible happened. A knife appeared in midair and struck the Manticore in the chest. Hermione screamed louder than ever. The knife continued to strike it over and over, and Harry actually managed to stun it right on target with his heart.

And suddenly, the thief of the Invisibility Cloak was at last discovered, found as the precise thief spontaneously threw their cloak off and revealed their undisguised identity; see, for it had just now been the THIEF who had just stabbed the Manticore and rescued their lives. And when Hermione saw who it was, she nearly fainted in surprise. How someone could be so ...

"G-Ginny! GINNY! Heaven's sake, I can't believe it!" Hermione was in such shock it was not funny at all when she screamed out in a splash of indignation. "It's you ..."

"I took the cloak. I followed you guys. I knew you'd need help. I couldn't let you guys die out here," confessed Ginny unhesitatingly, despite not looking at them, long-ago sucked of her pride by now.

"Ginny." It was Draco who spoke now. "Thank you."

No one said anything. They were all so shocked. So, so shocked. But Hermione could lie to herself no longer: she knew she had to say something to Ginny at last once and for all! She couldn't force herself to bury within this swamp of negativity surrounding Ginny anymore, simple as that, because if nothing else the burdening weight of such toiling emotions arrested her to an astute lapse in mental faith. "Ginny ... I .... I forgive you .... For everything."

"Oh, Hermione!" And Ginny threw herself around Hermione, and even here in this oddest of circumstance, they then erupted into hysterical tears for a few moments. "It was so wrong what I did ..."

"Ginny, it was a mistake. It's fine. We've missed you!" Hermione freely let out the every inch of decrepit depth in her lingering emotional state; expressively candid, Hermione - reckoning no risk, registering no gloried win over to oneself whatsoever - released continuous bursts of laughter in the air which, much too enveloped with utter relief, failed to register forth any vulnerability.

"Ginny, oh for Heaven's sake, Ginny!" Hermione, tearful as can be, was in such shock it was not funny at all. "It's you, me, I ... We've always stuck together for everything."

**

Notwithstanding nevertheless, shortly after Ginny's appearance with Harry's cloak, Draco had continued to guide them. The fact that Ginny had gone so far as to save their lives and follow them and interfere so much proved that she deserved their forgiveness, which they gave. And they felt better now anyway. But still, they had to find those instructions ...

And then it crept up to him. A sudden, entirely deadly creature predicating forth its worst, malicious intention. Reflexive nevertheless, not a heartbeat and Draco had jumped back, staying cool, but still having to think very fast if he intended to live. What was this? What was this?! Then, eyes empty of anything other than bare terror, Draco comprehended the sight of a tumultuous enemy stomping rapidly forward, closing in on lucky him, Draco of course ... The name of the beast twisted his already churning insides.

Runespoor.

That's right - and one that happened to be directly seizing closer and closer proximity with him, too. A humongous mutational-like form of a snake three times his size was approaching, prepared to confront mercilessly upon him. Draco swiftly thought of an excellent idea. "Petrificus Totalus!" The terrified teenage Slytherin boy held his breath for but a quarter-second ...

And like that in a miraculous flash of an instant the tremendous snake's body became completely still and stiff, lifelessly disarmed.

"Quick thinking, Draco, not bad!" It was Harry, sounding pretty impressed, too. "We almost had to save your life."

"Funny, Harry," Draco said dryly. They continued slower than usual. And they kept walking ... And walking ... And it seemed they must be near the end now.

And then Draco could see it. Far away, a box of all-circling, blinding glowing light surrounded a very tiny black book. "That's it!" he said excitedly.

But then a huge mountain troll, who apparently had been resting immediately beforehand, jumped in front on them. Draco panicked, the shock overtaking him a bit much this time. Luckily, Hermione was there, and put a quick Confundus Charm on the troll, which made it confused.

"On three, everyone do a stunning spell!" screeched Harry, and they ended up doing it on two anyway.

The troll still didn't go down. "Again!" yelled Harry, as it advanced on Draco, who now was on the ground, backing against the wall. "Hurry!"

"Impedimenta!" screamed Draco; and it slowed down a bit.

The rest of them shot stunning spells and the troll fell to the floor, very near Draco.

"I thought I was a goner for sure," Draco confessed silently, murmuring as he said so. He was very relieved indeed. "Hermione, amazing. All of you."

Draco then took the opportunity and kissed Hermione. They could have died too many times to count now. Even in the circumstances, Draco made it very passionate. He put his hand gently on Hermione's cheek and soothed her back as he continued to kiss her. Finally, he released himself. "I love you," he said firmly, shamelessness the sheer bone that held together his tone.

"I love you too, Draco."

"Come on, it's there!" cried Terry agitatedly, and this time, they all ran towards the glowing green light. They reached it, and they all surrounded it and looked at it closely. The little black book was sitting there, surrounded by the light. Draco tried to touch it and his hands got pushed away.

"Only Heirs, Draco. And I think you all need to be touching it at the same time if you want this to work," Hermione said seriously, patient as possible. They nodded at her.

"On the count of three, Susan, Terry," ordered Harry, looking them each directly in the eye. The three of them looked at each other and had some sort of weird connection which Draco, Hermione, and Ginny had nothing to do with. They just watched.

"One ... Two ... Three." And they all put their hands on the light together, and the light disappeared. The three of them fell directly on top of the book.

"How graceful," said Draco sarcastically, thinking of all the portkeys that would soon be situated and deciding he was glad that he'd for once had nothing to do with it.

Suddenly all-interrupting though, in an impression of irrefutable satiation masked only by the sheer ultimateness of her own human will, Ginny Weasley behooved formidable means of assertion before them and - far overdoing the reach of all background sound, remarkably - she then delivered the precise, ever so emergent message needed to refocus their hearts back to the attention of the crucial matter at stake: "Get the book." Only fourteen-years-old but clearly mighty-brave a Gryffindor indeed, the typically timid Weasley girl voiced her command with more solidarity and pronouncement than most had ever heard her speak with, her tone's raw finality etching into place the bold lines of an ultimatum. It was clear she spoke on behalf of the full order of the grander-scale, 'the greater good' so to speak, of all things at play here. And not surprisingly catching Ginny's emphasis without a second guess, united they all got up and grabbed it. And then -

At last.

Procured in Susan Bones' hand, triumph instantly became radiant in the atmosphere around them. "So this is it," Susan spoke naturally first, totally composed; though then, without a milliseconds' warning her tone had become amazingly rapturous-like, for the surreal, all-pinnacle discovery now captivated her completely; as her fellow journeyers surveyed Susan's immediately response at initial sight, the brave Hufflepuff standout looked absolutely fascinated. She opened it and what revealed was pages and pages of written instructions that looked very complicated. "Wow ..."

A quiet, appreciative moment of wonder passed, and then, "Part one accomplished. That wasn't too terrible!" announced Ginny happily, as though to make it feel official. They all laughed.

"Of course, you acted like some type of spy," joked Draco, smirking.

"Yes, well, I was good wasn't I? And Harry, sorry about the cloak. But I couldn't reveal myself before," Ginny said humbly. It was a happy moment for them all.

"I'm just glad I have it back," put in Harry simply, his full demeanor showered in calmed relief.

"For sure. For a while I thought we'd never see it again," said Hermione sadly, but she sounded positively happy now. "Now we can head for Diagon Alley."

**