The Battle for Peace

Chapter 2: On the Hogwarts Express

It was always the same on the Hogwarts Express. First through six years would find their friends and chat about how boring or exciting their summers had been, catching up on news and jokes, talking about the opposite sex or playing games. But for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, it had never been that way. They tried to talk about normal stuff, but somehow, either the topic would become war or something related to the war would happen. It was like that for all of the seventh years, mainly those that were involved in the Defence Club. They had seen what the war would mean, and could barely talk about anything else.

But being a pretty smart bunch, they only spoke of this in the most secluded place possible: compartments with a silencing spell.

When they got on the train, it had been the original Trio. The rest of their group had gone somewhere else, leaving the Trio to bask in the familiarity of this situation. They chatted, though there had been some tension. The tension, of course, was broken when Ron opened his mouth to say something but belched instead. Harry and Hermione laughed until tears fell from their eyes and Ron's mouth was open in shock. The whole mishap lead them to talk about old times when Ron's hunger was infamous, Hermione had been such a bookworm and, to Harry's disapproval, he had been everyone's hero, especially the Creeveys'. The scowl on Harry's face made Ron and Hermione die from laughter.

Eventually, they all had to go into the Prefects' Compartment, Harry asking all the way what it was like in there. Hermione was getting pissed by the second. She turned towards Harry.

"Harry, I know you're eager," she began. "I was too. But if you don't stop asking questions, I'm going to hex you until I hurt, which will take a looong time to happen, understood?" she raised an eyebrow, painfully reminding Harry of someone else. Never mind, he thought. Then he smirked.

"Why?" he asked, annoyingly innocent. Ron tried so hard to contain his laughter that he farted, causing Hermione to laugh. Harry grinned so wide one would think that his face was about to break. The group quickly regained composure as they entered the compartment.

"And those will be your duties this year. As soon as--there she is. Finally. The other Head Girl this year is Hermione Granger." Many Prefects clapped enthusiastically. Harry's heart fell right to his stomach. It couldn't be...

"Our Head Boy this year is Harry Potter," Hermione announced. The Prefects in the compartment clapped, including Malfoy (which will be explained later on). Hermione added her little speech, which Harry and Ron suspected she had written ever since she knew about the position of Head Girl when she was eleven. Soon, it was time for them to go their separate ways for the time being. Ashley walked up to them with a smirk on her face.

"Who cut the cheese?" she asked, holding back a grin. Ron smiled.

"It was I," he stated, bowing. Hermione and Ashley giggled. Then, slowly and hesitantly, Ashley turned toward Harry and smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me you were Head Boy?" she asked. He was about to launch into a full explanation, but then reconsidered. If she hadn't answered his questions, he wouldn't answer hers.

"I don't think I'll answer that," he replied coolly. For a moment, he thought that he saw hurt in her eyes, but it had been for a brief moment.

"No need to be harsh," she said. He glared.

"What goes around comes around," he answered. She was about to retort, then just scoffed.

"You know what? I don't have to put up with you anymore, and for that I'm glad," was all she said before she left the compartment. She didn't run, rampage, or storm out. She just walked out, calmly, but a little rushed. Ron and Hermione stared at him.

"What was that all about?" they asked simultaneously.

"Nothing," he snapped. Ron frowned.

"What did she mean by "I don't have to put up with you anymore"? Are you guys having problems?" he inquired. Harry shook his head.

"Don't worry. We're not even dating anymore. We're just friends; we can walk away from each other without explaining anything," he said the last part loudly, as if she had stayed by the door to listen in. Hermione's eyes widened. Without saying a word, she grabbed Harry by the arm, giving Ron a meaningful glance. He went off somewhere, and Hermione shut the door and placed a silencing charm on the empty compartment she had dragged him into.

She turned and shook her head numerous times. Apparently she was driven speechless by the whole thing. Finally, she spoke.

"What did you do? Is the fight that serious?" she inquired quickly. Harry rolled his eyes. "Harry James Potter, don't you roll your eyes at me! I asked you a question. All right, two questions. Now, answer them." Harry sighed. Hermione was always forceful with him at the wrong time.

"We're...not...dating...anymore," he said slowly, as if explaining gravity to a three-year-old. Hermione gasped.

"Why?" she inquired. Harry sighed again.

"She ended it. Apparently I'm not what she's looking for," he explained. Hermione huffed at that.

"Have you tried apologizing?" she asked. Harry just looked at her, for the first time showing somebody how he really felt: hurt.

"She wanted to end it right there, Hermione. I'm not going to force her to be in a relationship she doesn't want to be in. No matter how much I love her," he said. Without saying another word, he left the compartment, looking for Ron. Hermione's face turned grave. This was just like a Muggle soap opera. How sad is that?

Girls' Discussion

Dumbledore had proudly announced that there had been 2 Head Girls this year, giving the Head Boy quite a problem. Most people laughed; almost inevitably, the Head Boy and Girl would get together and date for a while, sometimes becoming a couple. Only four people did not laugh. Harry, Ron, Ashley and Hermione had stared at their plates, not looking up until Dumbledore's speech was done. When he did finish, everyone began to eat, some managing to ignore the fact that a war was going on outside. But a painful reminder came to nip them in the bud.

A black owl, a large, black owl, flew twice around the Great Hall. Everyone remained silent. After spotting the receiver, the owl headed toward the Gryffindor table. Every Gryffindor became worried, though the younger ones did not understand what the owl meant. The owl swooped down and dropped its letter in Jazmine's lap. She stared at it, not understanding what it meant, either. But the Dream Team knew exactly what was going on, and it was not good.

Jazmine did not open the letter; she placed it in her pocket for later. Slowly, everyone resumed what they were doing, occasionally throwing nervous glances her way. Soon, it was time to go up to their dormitories. It was Friday, so they could stay up late and sleep in. Harry had finally gathered the courage to ask Ashley something, but she quickly got up and walked towards the Head Table. He followed her.

~~~~~~~

"Yes, Miss Halliwell, if you wish," Dumbledore had replied. Harry had gotten to the table only a few seconds after she had yet he hadn't heard her question. She nodded, turned around and smacked her head against Harry's.

"Ow!" they exclaimed. Dumbledore smiled slightly.

"Mr. Potter, how may I help you?" he asked. Harry laughed nervously.

"I just needed to talk to Ashley," he said. Dumbledore nodded. He turned to the other teachers and proceeded to engage in conversation. Harry turned toward Ashley, only to find she was gone.

~~~~~~~

"Why do you keep disappearing on me?" he panted, running down the hall to catch up with her. She didn't bother to turn her head as she answered:

"Must I answer that?" He scoffed.

"I only did that because you did it to me," he said. She turned angrily.

"Let me lay it out for you: I have my own flat, away from my parents and away from people who questioned my whereabouts. I have a little something called "freedom". I wasn't about to give it up for a moment just because my boyfriend asked where I was!" Harry fumed at this.

"I was worried about you, okay? When you weren't there, I got a little scared. And even though you made it back fine, I still wanted to know where you were, because I care about you! And if that was the only real reason we broke up then it's a pretty weak reason. So, what is the real reason?" he asked. She sighed.

"Harry, if that was the real reason we broke up, and we were still together now, I'd want to. Not because you yell, not because you want an honest answer for something that maybe I should've told you, but...because...because I don't love you," she said finally. "And, really, because you wanted everything too soon. You were so sure and I wasn't; it scared me. I didn't think it was fair, and I still don't. I'll understand if you don't talk to me for a while, but soon, we'll be able to be friends." With that said, she slowly turned and made her way to the seventh floor.

She's right, he thought. But he also thought it was partly her fault. She really should've answered that question. It was simple; it showed that he worried about her and that he cared. Then again, he did move too fast, too fast for his liking. Marriage talk at only sixteen? There really was something about being 16 that changed you. He was grateful for the little sense that they had had.

It would take a while; how can you simply be friends with someone you were so serious with? But something inside of him told him everything would be okay. They did start off as friends first, after all. It'd all be back to normal again, just that there would be a little more history between them. And he honestly thought that, looking back, everything didn't feel just right.

Yes, this was something good. After all, it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

At least he knew what not to do next time.

~~~~~~~

Jazmine had not opened her letter yet. She knew it was from her aunt, since she signed the outside of every letter she sent with her name. Knowing her aunt, it was probably something unimportant. She'd open it in a few days, anyway. What could hurt?

Since there were no classes tomorrow, the girls would engage in "girl talk." They were just waiting for Ashley to get there. The Head Girl (or in this case, Girls) and Boy had their own rooms, but for the first few nights they had to sleep in their dorms in case anyone had a problem. Hermione was sitting there on her bed, positively glowing with happiness and a little bouncy. The girls were eager to hear what she had to say, but insisted on waiting for Ashley to get there.

Finally, she did. They told her to quickly to get in her pajamas and sit on her bed. Reluctantly, though she didn't show it, she did as was told and waited for someone to talk. Frustrated at her for not saying what made her so happy, the girls turned simultaneously and whined:

"Hermione!" Hermione giggled and burst with joy.

"Ron asked me out!" she yelled, falling backwards onto her pillow. Everyone gasped. Lavender had given up on Ron, sensing that Hermione like him. After a long time, he had asked her as they were walking toward their dormitories. They all offered their congratulations.

"That's great, Hermione," Ashley said quietly. Hermione turned to her with a frown on her face, as did everyone else.

"You don't sound so excited about it. What's wrong?" Lavender asked. All the girls had concerned looks on their faces. She decided to tell them.

"Well I broke up with Harry during the summer," she said. Again, everyone gasped, except Hermione, who knew already. She continued. "Today, he wanted a real explanation as to why I did break up with him; you know, the truth. I told him that he wanted everything too fast and that it didn't matter now because I don't love him anymore." Silence followed this statement.

"Are you upset that you had to tell him that? After all, he asked for the truth," said Katie. (A/N: I said it once: she is in no way related to Lavender, even though her last name is Brown, too. I have to say this: this is NOT the same Katie that was on the Quidditch team and graduated during the Trio's 5^th year. This is one of the characters that never gets mentioned in the books. She is my character and no one else's!) Ashley sighed deeply.

"He really was moving too fast," she said, starting to cry. Immediately, the girls came rushing to her bed. They tried to help her stop crying, but she just wouldn't.

"Come on, don't feel so bad. You did nothing wrong," Parvati consoled. Ashley stopped sobbing for only a moment, telling everyone what made her feel so bad.

"The thing is I still lied to him. I know he's probably started to let me go, but I lied to him. I still love him. I can't let him go!" she wailed, sobbing again. The girls felt her pain, and Hermione cradled her until she stopped crying, which took quite a while.

"At least you've got friends as great as us to help you through this," Jazmine stated, causing Ashley to chuckle lightly. Please, God, she prayed. Help me let him go.

***

"So you've started to get over her, right mate?" Ron asked as they all got ready for bed. Really, they just got into their beds and talked about guy things. They were all lying in their beds already, listening to Harry tell of his breakup, which, in retrospect, turned out to be a good thing.

"Yeah. I mean, she was right about everything. We really should just be friends," Harry replied. Ron nodded, though skeptical.

"Whatever you say, mate," he said, before he began to nod off. Soon, all the boys were asleep. That is, everyone except Harry.

I miss her though, he thought. It was a great feeling to know someone loved you; not like a parent, but loved you in a special way. Then, he realized that she probably never loved him in the first place. It hurt at first, but he also realized that he probably never loved her in the first place, either. But he couldn't tell; again, that pesky age 16 confused him.

She's over you, you get over her, Potter, his conscience told him. He tried.

But it was a difficult road ahead.

¶§¶

I suppose you met my other friend. He led you here last time, didn't he? Well, as you can tell, it's not him this time. And now that I think about it, we're not going to the same place, either.

Do you remember those stories about Atlantis, how it was once a great place, but then sank to the bottom of the sea? It never sank. The wizarding world tried to banish it, and thought that they had. But someone very powerful managed to bring it back and make it unplottable. Anything can happen there and no one is the wiser.

Can you guess where we're headed?

If not, I suggest you turn back now, since I will not lead someone to a place where, if they found out about you, they'd kill me. Especially if you're that stupid.

Still there? Let's go.

¶¶

"This is the final showdown, my faithful Death Eaters. Shortly, I will gain control of the wizarding world, and with your help, we will rid this world of Muggles, Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers. Especially that old fool, who thinks he can beat me," said the Dark Lord. Death Eaters all around cheered, happy to succeed.

"Master?" one Death Eater asked.

"What about Harr--" Instantly, the Death Eater was placed under the Cruciatus curse. He writhed in pain for what seemed the longest time. Other Death Eaters squirmed and backed away, seeing blood pour from the victim's mouth. Finally, the Dark Lord lifted the curse. The Death Eater struggled to breathe and could barely stand. He wiped the blood from his mouth. The Dark Lord glared.

"I thought you had learned never to say that name in my presence," he stated. All the Death Eaters hastily nodded. Another Death Eater, undoubtedly Lucius Malfoy by the platinum blonde hair that fell forward, walked up to the Dark Lord.

"Master, what about the boy?" he asked, smirking. The Dark Lord smiled, which made every person (or creature, whichever one preferred) cringe.

"He will die, of course, Lucius," he replied. " I will not have that little brat foil my plans."

§¶§

Yet he's foiled you too many times to count, Master. Ugh. We are not dogs. Well, at least, I'm not. Everyone else is, thought. Especially that Lucius. I hate him so much it hurts. He doesn't deserve to live.

You know the rules right? Don't think about anything. He'll know. I don't want to die because of you. Just keep to yourself and no matter how degrading it may seem, act like everyone else.

¶¶

The Dark Lord sniffed the air, his snakelike nostrils flaring. Every Death Eater in the room froze, afraid of what was about to happen. The Dark Lord abruptly stood up. Everyone jumped slightly.

"Someone is here that does not belong," he announced. Every Death Eater turned to one another, wondering who was there. The Dark Lord sniffed again, until he reached an unfamiliar scent. He pointed towards one of the hooded figures.

"You. Who are you?" Before the figure could answer, another stepped forward.

"I brought him here, M'Lord. He desperately wants to join, and has wanted to for a long time. This was the only chance I had to bring him here," he explained. The Dark Lord fumed and glared at the one who had explained.

"You fool! He may be a spy! And you very well know that I am not accepting anyone into my ranks right now! You didn't even ask for permission to bring someone. CRUCIO!"

§¶§

As much as I hate to admit it, it's not your fault!

§§¶

You stand there, shocked at what is happening. You are not even sure who led you to thisorsaken place, with its dilapidated walls and a sickening stench. All you know is that the person who led you here is being tortured. You back away, frightened at what is going to happen, to your guide and to you.

There is only one thing going through your mind: try and stop the Dark Lord. If not, at least be able to tell Dumbledore what is going on.

As the Dark Lord finishes with your guide he turns to you, and you can tell he is going to put a memory charm on you, then send you back. But you know how to conquer the charm. You focus on what you have to do and pour all of your will into it. He erases where the location of the place is, but what he said before you were discovered is branded into your mind. You are sent whirling back to Hogwarts, ready to tell Dumbledore what to expect.

You just hope your guide is okay.

Preview of next chapter:

"Potter and Davis," Snape sneered, putting them in pairs. Jazmine scowled deeply, scooching over to the very edge of her seat. Harry rolled his eyes and sat down next to Jazmine. "Halliwell and Keaton." Something inside of Harry twanged, but he didn't know why.

"Let's get started on this thing," he told Jazmine. She just started putting ingredients into the cauldron, not paying attention to Harry. He grabbed her hand, and she jumped.

"What is your problem?" he asked.

"You are my problem," she growled. "As a matter of fact, you are every person in Gryffindor Tower's problem." Harry did not understand what she was talking about, but he had an idea.

"Forget it, all right? Let's just get this over with," he sighed.

"You're over with a lot of things," she muttered. He ignored her.

An hour later they left the classroom. Harry hurried to catch up with Hermione when he discovered she was with another group of girls. They were talking in hushed voices, so Harry pulled out his Invisible Extendible Ears. He kept quiet and listened closely.

"There they are! He really likes her," one girl said.

"He seems like a nice guy," Hermione said. Jazmine scoffed.

"Please! He may be smart enough to be in Ravenclaw, but he's bad enough to be a Gryff," she stated. Harry looked in the direction they were looking and saw Ashley and some guy standing there, talking and laughing. He looked at her and asked her something. She smiled, blushing, and nodded. She kissed his cheek before walking away. Harry felt his blood boil. I thought she wasn't over us, he thought.

"Well, she's moved on quite nicely," Hermione stated nonchalantly.