Puzzle to a Frozen Heart

Chapter 24

(Hero?)

"Uff!" Brad gasped as something, or rather someone landed on top of him, making him fall.

"Hermione?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice as he saw a mass of brown hair buried deep within his chest.

He got up carefully, scooping Hermione onto his arms. Upon closer inspection, he saw that her eyes were closed; she had lost consciousness.

Suffice to say that in a couple of minutes, he was already at the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey went berserk at the sight of Hermione.

******

"Brad?" came the weak voice of Hermione Granger. Upon hearing her voice, Brad looked at her from his waiting chair.

"Hermione!" Are you okay? How do you feel?" he asked, getting closer to her.

"Take it easy Brad. I'm fine," she replied in that characteristic Hermione-ish voice. "What happened?"

"Well, all I know is that I was taking a walk on the grounds when you suddenly landed on top of me, unconscious."

"Where's Harry?" she asked suddenly, her mind suddenly replaying what had happened with Voldemort earlier in the night."

"Potter? I don't know. Why?"

"Because Voldemort was here and they were fighting!"

"And?"

"So, you should go see if he needs some backup!" Hermione said a matter of factly.

"I'm sure he's got it under control 'Mione."

"Brad! You're a Jedi Wizard, it's your-"

"Fine! I'll go check on your boyfriend," Brad barked suddenly, getting up angrily in the process.

Hermione just stared at him with a blank expression. He had never gotten mad at her before. Something just didn't feel right.

Just after Brad got out of the room, she rose up from the bed and proceeded to get dressed. After all, she hated hospital wear.

"Forte!" Harry shouted angrily upon catching sight of Brad in the hall. "Where's Hermione? What did you do to her!"

Brad stopped abruptly at hearing Harry's voice.

"Weren't you with Voldemort?" he asked, quietly surveying him.

"I asked you a question!"

"Relax Potter. She's alive, something that you shouldn't be."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked, immediately turning his wand into his green lightsaber.

"Because Voldemort was supposed to kill the Heir of Slytherin. Oh well, too bad Hermione will never know the truth." Upon saying this, Brad also got out his green lightsaber, ready to strike.

"What on earth are you two doing lurking in the hall after midnight?!" came the voice of Severus Snape.

"Professor! He just confessed!" Harry stated. " He isn't the Heir of Slytherin!

Besides, Master Yoda sent me his record a couple of days ago and Forte isn't in Hogwarts on Yoda's orders. In fact, he escaped from the temple a week after I left! Professor, he's the leak inside the temple! He's the traitor!" Harry finished accusingly, going to Snape's side.

Professor Snape however, had only an amused expression on his face.

"Bravo Potter! You just happened to figure it out all on your own. I guess you do have a brain inside that thick skull of yours," Snape replied, putting his arm around Harry while looking at Brad. "Bradley, the Master won't be too pleased that Potter beat you at your own game."

Harry's face changed from surprise to shock to horror when he heard that last statement.

"Master?" Harry whispered, looking from Brad to Snape.

"He won't be too pleased either when he finds out that the two heirs are still alive!" Snape roared.

Harry left his side, his lightsaber in a defense position, ready to attack.

But Snape just continued to look at him with his amused expression.

"And just what do you plan to do Potter? You really think you can beat me?" Snape asked, seizing his dark violet lightsaber.

Brad took this opportunity, gripping his lightsaber as well and positioning himself next to Snape, who in turn looked at him questioningly.

"Bradley, what do you think you're doing?"

"Something I should have done a couple of years ago," Brad blurted out, looking threateningly at Harry.

"Bradley, you have your orders. Go and take care of them while I finish here, " Snape hissed.

Brad turned his lightsaber back into his wand and started to walk away, his orders very clear.

He had not gotten very far however, when Harry grabbed him by his robes.

"Oh, no you don't!" he barked.

Just then, Snape swung his lightsaber at Harry, wounding him successfully on the arm. This caused Harry to release Brad, wincing in pain. Free, Brad took off running, leaving Harry and Snape alone.

"So, you still think you can beat me?" Snape asked Harry, who was covering his wound with his hand.

"Master Yoda trusted you! Dumbledore trusted you! How could you?!"

"Well, the Dark Master trusted me as well. I couln'd let him down now, could I? Besides, it was me who was supposed to marry the Heir of Slytherin, not James. And certainly, they were not supposed to have a complete idiot for a child who could bring down his grandfather."

"What?"

"You still don't get it? You are the son of Lily Riddle, daughter of the one you know as Voldemort and Heir of Slytherin. This, if I'm not mistaken, makes you-"

"The Heir of Slytherin," Harry finished, realization dawning upon him.

"Exactly. So that makes you my target." Snape swung his lightsaber at Harry, only to strike against another lightsaber, a blue one. Snape and Harry looked up to see Dumbledore and Oliver Wood standing before them.

"Professor! He's-" Harry tried to say, only to be stopped by Dumbledore.

"Don't worry Harry. Oliver here explained everything to me about Bradley. And I just heard everything that Severus told you. Pity Severus, I always thought that you could become much more than Voldemort's pawn. Oliver, take Harry. I will finish here."

Oliver grabbed Harry's uninjured arm and took off running as lightsaber blows were heard.

****

"Oliver, how did you-?" Harry started but Oliver just stopped abruptly, handing him a wand.

"Hermione left her wand in your room, which means she's unprotected. After you left your room, I went directly to Professor Dumbledore. We went to the Hospital Wing to get Hermione, but all we found was Madam Pomfrey, unconscious. Harry, I think Brad took her to the chamber."

"Now, now, Gryffindor's heir, wakey up," Voldemort hissed, throwing a splash of cold water at Hermione's face. She coughed as she opened her eyes, only to find herself face to face with Voldemort. "Morning, honey. Slept well?" he asked, laughing maniacally.

Upon looking around, she found herself on the same position she was five years ago, with the sole exception being that neither Ginny nor Harry was there.

"Now, aren't you getting a deep sense of Déjà vu?" Hermione heard the unmistakable voice of Brad, who came to stand side by side with Voldemort.