Return of the Lion

"Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills."

Song of Songs 2:8

Chapter 9: Reunited

"Stupefy!"

Draco slumped unconscious. Still feeling a little frightened, Hermione wearily glanced up at the young wizard.

"H...Harry?" she whispered.

It was Harry all right. He looked a looked older, stronger, and far more confident than when Hermione had last seen him two years previously. Harry slowly turned and gazed down at her, his emerald green eyes still as mesmerizing as Hermione remembered.

"Hermione..." he said. His eyes glanced down to her legs or rather, her lack of legs. He gasped and clutched his chest. "Oh my God..."

The first thought that crossed Hermione's mind was, 'He's going to reject me. He's going to reject me because I'm a freak! I'm a legless freak! Oh Harry...' Hermione buried her face in her hands and burst into tears.

Far from rejecting her however, Harry kneeled right next to Hermione and pulled her into a strong hug. He whispered, "I'm so sorry. I should've been here. I'm so sorry," over and over again, tears starting to fall from his eyes. Overcome with relief that Harry wasn't going to reject her, and an even stronger joy of being back in Harry's arms again after such a long time, Hermione threw her arms around Harry's neck and cried full out on his shoulder. After remaining in that position for about a minute, Harry gently picked Hermione up and carried her to his broomstick nearby, Hermione's arms still wrapped around Harry's neck. She was afraid that if she ever let Harry go again, he would disappear from her forever.

Harry's Firebolt took off into the air, flying away from Malfoy Manor. Hermione was seated in front of Harry, facing him and still crying into his shoulder and her arms wrapped around Harry's neck. Harry had his left arm wrapped tightly around Hermione while his right steered the broomstick. They flew away into the night.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The sun shone through the window, illuminating a sleeping Hermione's face. Harry sighed as the light gave her an angelic glow. 'She's become even more beautiful than I remember,' he thought. Sure she had no legs, but that didn't matter for how Harry felt for her. It still broke his heart to see her without any legs since it was a symbol of how much she had suffered while he had been away. Harry silently cursed himself for not being able to be next to Hermione when she needed him the most.

They were in a hidden bunker near Liverpool that kept them hidden from the Death Eaters. Hermione was sleeping peacefully on a comfortable bed, her nightgown fully repaired. Harry was sitting in an armchair right next to the bed. He was wearing his usual clothes, with the exception of his hat and gloves. He gently stroked Hermione's bangs and kissed her forehead. Hermione's eyes fluttered open.

"It wasn't a dream," she said, a smile forming on her face and her eyes watering up. "You really are here."

"And I always will be from now on," said Harry.

"Thank you for saving me. The thought of what might have happened if you hadn't shown up then scares me."

"You're welcome," said Harry as he started to stroke her golden brown hair.

"How did you find me?"

Harry grinned and pulled out the bracelet with the three gems. He explained to her what it did. "While you were in Europe and I was here in Britain," he said, "the dark magic was too strong for me to actually figure out where you were. However, when Malfoy brought you back to England, you were actually close enough for me to be able to trace you to where you were."

Hermione smiled at Harry as he put the bracelet away. He cupped her cheek with a smile on his face. The smile faded away into a look of concern. "Hermione, what happened to you?" He briefly glanced down at her missing legs before he turned his attention back to her face.

Hermione sighed and explained everything that had happened to her from the moment Harry had disappeared two years ago. Harry held onto her hand and squeezed hard when Hermione mentioned the time when she first woke up and realized she had no legs. Finally, Hermione had finished, tears still streaming down her face. Harry sat next to her on the bed and gently cradled Hermione's head as Hermione leaned on Harry's chest.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," said Harry. "I should've been there with you. If only I was here, none of this would've happened."

Hermione said nothing. A part of her wanted to accuse him of that being true, but for now she was so happy to be with Harry again that she didn't want to accuse him of anything. Still, there was something she needed to find out.

"Harry, where were you these past two years?" She glanced into his emerald eyes, her cinnamon ones burning with her question.

"I was in the Himalayas," said Harry with a matter of fact tone. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise as the gears in her head started turning.

"You're a Battle Wizard?" she asked. Harry grinned.

"I guess it's always up to you to put two and two together," he said. "So, you know what a Battle Wizard is."

Hermione nodded. "Of course, I've read about them in many books including 'Hogwarts: A History'." Her eyes started to shine with concern. "Are you really a Battle Wizard?" Harry nodded. "Can you do all the things they're rumored to do?" She swallowed and whispered, "Can you temporarily raise the dead?"

"Yes, for a month at most." Harry looked down at Hermione where her legs were missing. "Hermione, you were all alone when you needed me the most. I was away getting trained as a Battle Wizard without ever knowing how much you were suffering. I won't blame you if you hate me."

"Harry I could never hate you. I love you too much."

Harry suddenly sprang back, his eyes wide. Hermione looked at him confused. "What did you just say?" asked Harry.

"I said that I could never hate you because I..." Hermione suddenly gasped as she realized what she had just said. Harry just sat there speechless. Hermione turned away, buried her face into her hands and started crying. "Harry I'm so s-sorry. I-I can't believe I said that. I mean how c-could you ever love a legless freak l-like me?"

"Hermione, you're not a freak," said Harry. "Just because you don't have any legs doesn't change the way I feel about you."

Hermione looked up, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "W-what?"

"I love you too," said Harry, his green eyes sparkling with sincerity. "When I was away, I missed you so much that it felt as if my heart had been torn out of my body. I was devastated when I came back and failed to find you. And I was crushed when I realized how much suffering you had gone through. And I promise that I won't ever leave you again."

"Promise?" whispered Hermione. When Harry nodded, Hermione let out a sob and threw her arms around Harry. They hugged each other for a while before they pulled away a little. Hermione's cheeks were burning and she could see that Harry was also a little nervous. Slowly, they leaned closer and closer to each other until they're lips met.

Fireworks exploded inside of both of them as they kissed each other passionately. Both Harry and Hermione had waited two full years for this moment and when it had finally come, it was better than anything either one of them could've imagined. Harry felt his knees lose their feeling and he was thankful that he was on the bed next to the girl he loved. Hermione had tears of joy rolling down her face. The passionate kiss continued for some more time until the need for oxygen finally forced them to break apart for moment before they went back to kissing each other. They just continued kissing in that hidden bunker that day, blissfully isolated from the rest of the world.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, at Parselrock, Voldemort was gathering his group of assassins known as the Killer Elite.

"Death Eaters," said Voldemort. "Now is the chance to crush the resistances to our reign once and for all. Since Harry Potter is not at Hogwarts right now, the school is at its weakest point."

"What is your command, master?" asked one of the many Death Eaters.

"Each of you gather all of your mightiest forces you have and crush the school once and for all. Kill everyone that is there and don't let anyone escape. This will be our last chance to finish them before Potter comes back."

"With all do respect my lord," said another Death Eater, "why is it so important that we finish the school off while Potter is not there? Would it not be more convenient if the school and Potter were destroyed at the same time?"

Voldemort slowly got up and walked up to the Death Eater. He suddenly pulled out his wand and said, "Crucio!"

The Death Eater screamed in pain as the curse ripped through his body. Finally, the Dark Lord took the curse off.

"Do any of you know what a Battle Wizard is," hissed Voldemort. The other Death Eaters remained quiet. "Imagine a being with enough power to wipe a city off the face of the planet. Imagine a being so powerful that he can't help but feel absolute confidence when he takes on a challenge. That's what Harry Potter is now."

The Death Eaters remained quiet as Voldemort started pacing back in forth in front of his throne.

"Thousands of years ago, There were hundreds of Battle Wizards on Atlantis, the ancient home of the wizards. However, after the great disaster, it was decided that there would only be one Battle Wizard per generation. Their immense power became a legend of fear amongst wizards. And the most frightening thing about them is the fact that a Battle Wizard can only be defeated by another Battle Wizard."

The Death Eaters all shuddered as the Dark Lord stopped pacing. "Now do you understand why you must crush Hogwarts while Potter is not there? I trust that none of you are that foolish," he said. "Now go! And may victory go to the Dark Order!"

The Death Eaters all gave out a large cheer as Voldemort started laughing his high pitched laugh. He caught sight of Draco Malfoy standing nearby his throne, in between his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Do not despair, young Malfoy," said Voldemort. "You will soon get the Mudblood back. After all, you want her to be the mother to my heir."

Draco bowed low before leaving with the other Death Eaters.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Outside, across the Thames River from Parselrock, the rider on the stag was watching the Death Eaters and their dark forces leaving the fortress, led by the Killer Elite.

"They're going to go attack Hogwarts," muttered the rider. The stag nodded and started to nudge his head toward the north.

"I know," said the rider. "We need to get back to the school as fast as we can." The rider turned the stag around and started galloping away toward the north. Faster than the wind, the stag sped toward Hogwarts.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

Chapter 10: The Battle of Hogwarts

"I need a break," moaned Margaret as she dragged herself toward the Great Hall. She had just finished her most recent round of training and was extremely exhausted.

Ron chuckled as he walked next to her. "Oh come now, Maggie. You can't be that exhausted." He made a devilish grin and said, "Besides, you may need some stamina for what I've got planned later."

Margaret pretended to look horrified. "Why, Ron Weasley. What ever gave you that idea?" she asked, the laughter in her voice evident.

"Oh gee, let me try to remember," said Ron. He gently pulled her into a long passionate kiss. After a while, they reluctantly broke up for the need of oxygen.

"Did that jog your memory?" asked Margaret.

Ron put on a thoughtful look. "Hmm. No! I'm going to need another reminder." They both grinned and dove into an even deeper kiss.

"Ahem." Ron and Margaret sprang apart looking very red and faced a not so happy Severus Snape. "If you were students here, I would've taken off twenty points from each of your houses and given you both a month's detention, separately."

"Oh but Professor Snape," said Margaret. "We are both full grown adults and I believe we have every right to make out where we please." She made a slight smirk while Ron chuckled behind her. Snape steered and walked away.

"Now, where were we," said Ron as he tried to pull Margaret closer to him. Margaret was about to respond when an explosion suddenly rocked the foundations of the castle. Ron and Margaret shared an alarmed glance at each other before they dashed to the Main gates and threw them open.

The Castle was under attack by Dark Forces of an incredible number! There were dragons, trolls, Dementors, and all matters of dark creatures led by a elite looking troop of Death Eaters.

The other members of the Resistance streamed out of the castle. "Good Lord, it's the Killer Elite," said Remus.

"Is that bad?" asked Ron.

"Its bad," muttered Sirius. "There the worst of Voldemort's minions."

"Enough chitter chatter," said Snape. "Just split up and defend yourselves!" With that, all of the resistance fighters split up and charged into the foray of the enemy!

Ron and Margaret tried to stick with each other. Unfortunately, they were separated when the Death Eater Flame attacked them. Ron was blasted into a brigade of trolls by a reductor curse fired by Flame.

"Ron!" Margaret tried to make her way to her boyfriend but Flame stepped in front of her.

"You should worry more about yourself, Mudblood," hissed Flame. She fired the Cruciatus Curse at Margaret who just managed to dodge it.

Margaret shot a disarmer at Flame but Flame simply blocked it with a shield charm. "Why, you're a beginner, aren't you?" said Flame with a malicious grin.

Margaret shuddered a little and thought, 'I'm in trouble.' She dodged another one Flame's curses. She tried firing a number of curses but Flame simply deflected all of them. 'I guess it sucks really being a beginner,' though Margaret.

"Expelliarmus!"

Margaret's eyes widened as the wand went sailing out of her hand. Flame closed in on her with a malicious sneer. "It ends here, Mudblood," hissed Flame. She raised her wand to perform the killing curse.

Suddenly, Margaret leapt forward and rammed a heavy punch onto Flame's nose! Flame reeled back, shocked as Margaret landed a chop on her wrist, causing her to drop her wand. "I may be a beginner at magic," hissed Margaret, "but I've been taking karate since I was seven!" With a swift combination of punches and a roundhouse kick, Margaret knocked Flame out!

It was around that time that Ron finally came to. He quickly scrambled to his feet so as to make it to Margaret when three trolls ambushed him. "Uh-oh," he muttered as the trolls closed in on him. He was just barely dodged one of the clubs swinging downward as he leapt out of the way. In the process, he ended up running into another red head.

"Watch where you're leaping, Ronald!" yelled Ginny. She fired a powerful stunner at one of the trolls and knocked it out.

"Why don't you step out of the way, Virginia?" yelled Ron. He decided to use a trick that he used back in his first year. Ron shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" One of trolls' clubs levitated into the air and came crashing back down onto the troll's head, knocking it out. The last troll swung their club down at them and Ron and Ginny split up to avoid the club.

Ron yelled, "Furnunculus!" just as Ginny fired the jelly-legs curse. The troll collapsed at the combination of the two curses. Ron and Ginny gave each other a high-five.

Meanwhile, Sirius, Remus, and Snape were firing curses at their enemies and staying in control. Suddenly, Sirius made a malicious grin and pointed his wand behind him and fired a minor curse. The curse hit Snape in the back of the head! Snape whirled around in anger but Sirius was looking oblivious, firing curses at his enemies again.

"Black!" hissed Snape. "Watch where you're firing your curses!"

"Oh, sorry Snape," said Sirius with a devilish grin. "There're just so many enemies here that one of my stray curses must've hit you by accident."

Snape sneered and turned back to firing curses at the dark forces. But, he then also sneaked in a minor curse onto the back of Sirius's head. Sirius whirled around in anger but Remus grabbed his wrist and glared at him.

"Just drop it, Sirius!" he snapped. Sirius grumbled and turned back to firing curses at the dark forces.

At the moment, a dragon, a Chinese Fireball to be specific came whizzing over their heads, shooting flames at the resistance fighters. Remus ducked to avoid the flames and Sirius bounded out of the way by changing into a black dog.

At that moment, a Dementor came swooping down on Remus. Remus hurriedly thought up a happy thought, fighting down the memories provoked by the Dementor of being bitten by a werewolf, and said, "Expecto Patronum." Though the patronus he created lacked a clear form, it was still enough to drive the Dementor away. He breathed a sigh of relief as Sirius came barking up to him, still in his dog form.

The Fireball was still flying around shooting flames at the resistance fighters. That didn't last however, when Hagrid grabbed the dragon's tail and hoisted himself on to the dragon's back!

"Well now," said Hagrid looking very happy, "aren't yeh a cu'e dragon?" The dragon roared and tried to fling Hagrid off its back. The half-giant simply clung onto the dragon's horns and started patting the dragon's head! "Oh, so yeh wanna play?" said Hagrid. "Well, Let's play toge'er." Hagrid through a rope around the Fireball's neck and made it into a make shift reign. He pulled on the reign and the dragon complied. Soon, Hagrid had full control over the Fireball and was having it shoot flames at the dark forces rather than the resistance fighters. The members of the resistance started cheering when they so the dragon on their side.

"Way to go, Hagrid!" shouted Ron while waving his hands frantically.

"You're the best!" shouted Magaret.

Seeing the fireball attacking the dark forces, all of the other dragons concluded that the dark forces were the real enemy and turned on their masters! Within minutes, the dragons had rounded all of the dark forces up. The resistance fighters cheered at seemingly winning their victory.

However, all such thoughts of victory were lost when the ground trembled a little. The resistance fighters all held their breath as the tremors continued. They started to get stronger, and there was a thudding sound coming with every tremor.

Suddenly, the originator of the tremors burst out of the forbidden forest! It was a giant. A giant about 25 feet tall, extremely muscular, had long whitish hair, gray eyes, was bare chest, and was wearing a pair of large trousers and boots. He was also carrying a club about the size of a bus.

Hagrid gasped and said, "That's me cousin, Fanir!"

Suddenly, a Death Eater popped up on the giant's shoulder. He was a short, skinny man who had the image of once being chubby, and had a gleaming silver right hand.

"Wormtail!" spat out Sirius. Remus also looked extremely angry.

Wormtail laughed a squeaky laugh that resembled a rat's squeak. "Thought you had won?" he gloated. "Thought you had defeated the Killer Elite? Well too bad, because Fanir here is going to finish all of here now!"

"What's the matter, Peter?" growled Remus, sounding like a wolf, "too cowardly to fight yourself? Still relying on people bigger and stronger than yourself to fight your battles?"

Wormtail made a very ugly look at Remus. "Kill them," he ordered the giant. The giant gave out a mighty roar and swung his club down at the resistance fighters, leaving a crater about the size of a parking lot! The resistance fighters barely leapt out of the way.

The dragons all flew toward the giant, but Fanir simply swung his club around and batted all the dragons away.

"He's me cousin," shouted Hagrid. "Let me speak wi' him!"

"Won't do any good," growled "Mad-Eye" Moody. "Look at his eyes." Sure enough, Fanir's eyes were glassy and seemed to have no life in them. "Pettigrew's got him under the Imperious Curse!"

The resistance members started firing curses at the giant, but Fanir simply glanced them off as if they were nothing. Wormtail started to laugh again.

"That won't be enough to defeat a giant!" he gloated.

"No," said Sirius. "But I know what will. And that's to get the guy controlling the giant!" Wormtail suddenly looked frightened. Sirius fired a powerful hex at Pettigrew, but Fanir put a hand around him and blocked the curse. Wormtail laughed again.

"You can not win!" He shouted with a laugh. "Now, prepare to meet your dooms!" The resistance members were starting to give up, losing hope.

"Don't give up yet!" yelled Ron. "Remember, there was a time when we were all despaired, by the way I saw it, that all changed when Harry returned! The Return of the Lion signals the defeat of the serpent! We can't give up hope when Harry hasn't even been defeated yet!"

"But where are your precious Potters now?" mocked Wormtail. "Not here. Fanir, kill him first."

Fanir roared and charged at Ron who was glaring at Pettigrew defiantly. All of the Weasleys turned completely pale as the giant gave a mighty heave and swung his club down at Ron!

Margaret and Ginny screamed. "Ron! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Both of them burst into tears as the club came crashing down on Ron.

However, Ron was not crushed by the club, to everyone's surprise including Ron himself. For at the last minute, someone had leapt in front of Ron and cast an extremely powerful shield charm that deflected the monster club! It was the armored rider on the stag.

"Good job," said the rider in a clear feminine voice. "I'm sure that Harry is very proud to have a best friend like you."