Harry Potter and the Sacrifice of the Traitor

Chapter 9

The whole common room appeared to be waiting avidly for Hermione's answer. She however, seemed completely and utterly unaware of anyone in the room except herself and Ron. She looked at him for a few more minutes, apparently trying to recover the power of speech. Finally she opened her mouth, and said weakly, 'Of course I will, you idiot, I've been waiting and waiting for months for you to ask me!' and hurled herself into Ron's arms. He looked terrified and triumphant at the same time, and stroked her hair rather awkwardly.

Several of the Gryffindors broke into cheers, and the pair broke apart hastily and looked around them, grinning sheepishly and flushing with embarrassment. Harry walked quickly over to them and shook both their hands.

'About time too!' he said to Ron, grinning. 'And congratulations,' he said to both of them.

Later that night though, he lay awake in bed, hoping that this new development in Ron and Hermione's relationship wouldn't result in splitting the three of them up. It was bound to change things, but he hoped that they would all be friends - at least until he was killed or killed Voldemort, he thought grimly, before he fell asleep.

He did of course have to endure the sight of Ron and Hermione holding hands wherever they went over the next few days, but any thoughts Harry had on this were soon driven out of his head by a notice that went up in the Gryffindor common room. This had details of a Hogsmeade visit on the day before the school broke up for Christmas. This cheering thought enabled Harry to get through a difficult week of feeling rather like a spare part, on the edge of Hermione and Ron's new relationship. Things weren't too bad until the morning of the Hogsmeade visit. Harry came into the Great Hall for breakfast to find Hermione and Ron holding hands at the table, as usual. Luckily this didn't last long; judging by the enchanted ceiling, it was snowing heavily outside, and Ron seemed determined to shovel as much food into his mouth as possible. Presumably this was to cope with the chilly conditions, but it meant that he didn't have any hands spare for holding Hermione's hand. After breakfast, the three of them walked out of the main entrance and down the driveway. When they reached Hogsmeade though, Ron turned to Harry, and said awkwardly, 'We're just going to have a cup of tea to warm ourselves up, mate. Hermione says there's a nice place to sit around here, so we'll see you later, alright?'

Harry was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realised that they wouldn't want him following them around all day on what probably counted as their first date. Besides, he had a nasty feeling that Hermione was thinking of Madame Puddifoots, and he definitely didn't want to go back in that place. He nodded gloomily and quickly walked off around the corner before they could say anything else. He spent some time wandering around the shops, trying to find presents for people, and was moodily staring at the new sweet selections available in Honeydukes when a voice behind him made him jump.

'Oh dear, look at poor little Potty all alone,' came a familiar drawling voice.

Harry groaned, and reluctantly turned round. As expected, the pale, gloating face of Draco Malfoy was just in front of him, flanked as usual by his trollish henchman, Crabbe and Goyle.

'Sod off, Malfoy,' he said automatically.

'That's very pleasant, isn't it boys?' asked Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered stupidly. 'And here we were, thinking you'd want some company.'

The shopkeeper was looking nervously over in their direction, evidently fearing a fight might break out. Harry didn't really care though: he would welcome the chance to let off some steam from all the frustrations and tensions of the last few weeks.

'I wouldn't want your company if you were the last person on this planet, Malfoy,' he spat at him.

Malfoy smirked. 'I wouldn't worry about that, Potter; it's not very likely that you would survive that long, is it now?'

Harry was on the verge of pulling out his wand, when a voice interrupted them. It was Luna, who had just drifted into the shop.

'Oh good, hello Harry. I wanted you to come and help me choose a Christmas present for Ginny. I think I've upset her somehow, and I thought a present might help'.

Malfoy looked momentarily startled at being interrupted, then recovered his smirking expression.

'I would have thought anything would be a good present for a Weasley, it's not like they've got any belongings of their own,' he drawling insultingly.

Harry stiffened at this fresh insult, and was about to retaliate, when Luna took matters into her own hands. Drawing herself up, she looked frostily at Malfoy, her large eyes reproachful.

'That was rather rude, you know. I don't think I want your help. Goodbye.' And before either boy could utter another word, she had caught Harry's sleeve and whisked him from the shop.

'Right then,' she said calmly. 'I thought I would get Ginny a new hair ribbon, come along and help me choose what colour.'

Harry goggled at her for a minute, then followed her, shrugging his shoulders. At least she was company, after all. Fortunately Luna didn't take long to pick out a hair ribbon which claimed to change colour each day of the week. 'Then she can have any colour she wants,' she said happily. Harry found it surprisingly easy to talk to Luna this morning. She still came out with some strange comments about some of the presents he chose for his friends, but seemed very happy with the box of Honeydukes chocolate he presented her with. He wasn't really sure why he had bought her a present: he supposed it was just because they were going to go to the Ball together, and it seemed the right thing to do. Later on they bumped into Ginny Weasley, and she seemed happy enough to join them for a drink in the Three Broomsticks, where they had a friendly argument about the relative chances of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw in the Quidditch Cup. She still seemed a bit annoyed with both Harry and Luna, however, although she hadn't minded coming to sit with them at first. He started to think that it might be because Luna had asked him to the Ball, and resolved to check this theory with Hermione later. Eventually Harry spotted Ron and Hermione coming into the pub, looking quite pink and flushed. Ron saw Harry first, and pulled Hermione over to their table.

'Oh good, I was hoping you'd be here, mate, I need your help with something,' he said.

'Can't Hermione help?' said Harry, trying not to sound resentful.

'Not for this, no,' said Ron, going slightly pink. 'Come on!'

Leaving Hermione with the other two girls, who looked rather startled, Ron dragged Harry back out of the pub and down the High Street.

'What's up?' said Harry grudgingly.

'Listen, I'm sorry we left you like that, Hermione wanted to spend some time alone with me,' began Ron. 'But now I need to find her something really nice for a Christmas present, she keeps hinting at having got me something really huge.' He looked slightly panicked now.

Harry laughed. 'It's probably just a very large book, I reckon!'

'Well, maybe, but I want to try and get her something nice, you know? But I don't know what to buy girls,' said Ron, blushing again.

'And you think I do?' said Harry incredulously. Ron looked at him pitifully, and suddenly he didn't mind anymore about being abandoned. After all, they were both still his friends, and so he wanted to help if he could. 'OK, OK, let's go and look in Gladrags Wizardwear then. Luna bought some stuff for the Ball in there, maybe you can find Hermione something to wear with her robes.'

'Brilliant idea mate, I knew you'd be helpful!' said Ron, eagerly. They spent some time in the shop, nearly buying Hermione an identical hairband to the one Luna had bought for Ginny. But just in time, Ron decided that Hermione would think it odd to wear the same clothes as Ron's little sister. They decided on some sort of glittering scarf, which was designed to be worn over robes. Harry remembered the robes she had bought for the Ball, and suggested she might want something to keep herself warm if it was a cold night. Ron was about to throw caution (and his remaining Sickles) to the winds and buy a matching set of earrings and necklace to go with the scarf, but Harry restrained him, pointing out that he might need to save some money for Valentines Day. Ron went rather pale at this reminder, and was very quiet for the remainder of the visit. They soon returned to the Three Broomsticks, where they found Hermione and Ginny still there. Luna had gone off somewhere else, so the four of them walked slowly back to Hogwarts, laden with their shopping.

After supper that night, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet, and wished everyone a Happy Christmas. Harry had always stayed at Hogwarts before (apart from last year, when he had left by rather unconventional means), so he listened carefully to find out how they were to get to the Burrows. This turned out to be simply that they would catch the Hogwarts Express back to Kings Cross, where the Weasleys, and other people's parents, would pick them up, as they did for the summer holidays.

It might have been too many Butterbeers or Honeydukes' Ice Mice, but Harry slept very poorly that night. He dreamed again of Sirius falling through the veil, and Lupin holding him back, but this time when he begged to follow Sirius, Lupin turned into Dumbledore, who told him that he had to stay alive to kill Voldemort. Harry replied that he didn't want to kill anyone, and Dumbledore just laughed coldly. Harry woke in a cold sweat - the others were tossing and turning in their beds, and he suspected he might have been crying out in his sleep. Very thankful that he hadn't woken anyone this time, he got out of bed and stood at the window, watching the dawn slowly break over the lake. Hermione and Ron both commented on his red eyes and pale face, but he made an excuse about being excited about Christmas and wanting to get to the Burrow. Hermione was watching him shrewdly, and he rather thought he hadn't fooled her. Sure enough, as soon as they were on the Express and the train had started to move, Hermione took out her wand, and cast a Locking Charm on the door, and a Silencing Charm all around the carriage, so they couldn't be overheard. Neville, Luna and Ginny, who were sharing a carriage with them, looked startled.

'I've decided I've had enough of Harry hiding whatever it is he doesn't want to tell us,' explained Hermione calmly. 'You can do as much shouting and complaining as you want Harry, but it's not good for you to bottle everything up inside.'

Harry couldn't believe his ears. 'You seriously expect me to tell you, just like that?' he spluttered.

'I hope so, otherwise we're going to be hungry when the witch with the sweet trolley can't get in at lunchtime,' she said.

'I can't tell you,' said Harry heavily. 'You'd all be targets for Voldemort.'

The others winced, but Ginny said coolly, 'I rather think that after we helped upset V-V, well, You-Know-Who's plans last summer, we're probably targets anyway. We might as well be fully informed if there's something important that you know.' The others all nodded.

Harry stared at her. No one had reminded him so bluntly of the terrible events at the Ministry before. Strangely, he found that rather than upsetting him, he felt calmer than he had for ages. Ginny's words actually made sense in a way, and there was no denying he would feel better for sharing the terrible Prophecy.

'Alright,' he said at last. 'But if you don't want to, well, be friends with me or something, after you know, I will understand.' Hermione gasped, and was about to say something, when Harry interrupted.

'No, Hermione, you wanted to know, so just listen please.' She looked taken aback, but Ron caught her eye and nodded at her, serious for once.

Harry took a deep breath. 'You all know that Voldemort wanted to get a Prophecy from the Ministry then, and then Neville, I mean, it somehow got smashed. Neville went pink, but didn't say anything.

'Well,' said Harry, 'When Dumbledore was talking to me in his office afterwards, he said that the Prophecy was given by Trelawney to him, and that he had a copy of it.'

Hermione snorted quietly. Harry looked at her, and said, 'Yes, I know she's an old fraud most of the time, but Dumbledore said this was a true Prophecy, like the one she gave about Wormtail.'

Luna and Neville looked confused about the reference to Wormtail, but Harry didn't want to stop and explain, having got this far. Hermione looked shocked - whatever she had thought Harry was hiding, it wasn't this. 'So, you actually know the whole Prophecy?' she asked quietly.

'Yes,' said Harry simply. 'This is what it says:

'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.'

When he fell silent, there was an appalled silence for some moments. Hermione and Ginny both had their hands over their mouths, and looked at him through wide, shocked eyes. Neville and Ron had both gone pale. Luna however, looked even calmer and vaguer than usual. After a minute, she said, 'And that's you, I assume. Well, that could be worse then, couldn't it? You don't have to die to stop him or anything.'

Harry goggled at her. 'No, I just have to choose between being a murderer or being murdered!' he burst out angrily.

Ron and Neville were speechless. Harry didn't intend to tell Neville that it might have been him instead, not if he could help it.

Ginny choked out, 'Oh Harry. Why didn't you tell us?' Hermione nodded fervently, her hand still over her mouth.

Harry said awkwardly, 'Well, I didn't want you to feel that you had to be friends with a murderer or something.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'I think that in V-Voldemort's case, it's more of a service to the wizarding world. No, I know it's still awful for you to have to do it,' she rushed on as Harry opened his mouth. 'But maybe there's some way to destroy him without actually killing him. I'll have to look in the library and research this thoroughly when we get back to school.' She was starting to look almost enthusiastic about the challenge.

Ron still looked appalled. At last he muttered, 'Of course we're still your friends, mate, it's not like you chose to do any of this, is it?' The others all nodded, and Neville said shakily, 'I don't know how you could keep it to yourself for so long.'

After some moments sitting in silence, Luna once again spoke first. 'Well, now that we know, and we are still your friends, we can thinking about planning how to destroy him. I can help Hermione in the library.' Hermione looked a bit put out at this, but nodded anyway. Luna continued, 'And now can we open the door so we can have some lunch? I'm hungry!'

Ron snorted with laughter, and Harry managed a small smile. It hadn't been as awful as he had feared - they weren't turning their backs on him. And maybe, just maybe (he hardly dared think of it) Hermione and Luna might find a way of stopping Voldemort that didn't involve Harry either dying or standing up with a wand shouting 'Avada Kedavra' at him. With this tiny but cheering hope about the situation, he too found that he was very hungry, and eagerly joined in the feast of pumpkin pasties and cauldron cakes.

During the afternoon, they purposely kept the conversation on lighter topics, such as Quidditch, and the forthcoming Ball. Harry was surprised to hear that Neville had asked Ginny to go with him again, and she had accepted. Ron joked that he hoped Neville had taken dancing lessons, or that Ginny had bought some sturdy boots to wear. He seemed quite surprised when Neville went red, and said loudly, 'What's that for?' when Hermione elbowed him hard in the ribs. Things were back to normal, thought Harry happily, and suggested a game of Exploding Snap. Luna disappeared as usual behind a copy of the Quibbler, and Hermione and Neville were soon deep in discussion of properties of various healing plants. Harry listened to this briefly, as he hadn't realised Hermione was planning on taking elementary Healing lessons from Madame Pomfrey. But he soon got deeply into the game with Ron and Ginny, and was quite startled to find Hermione telling them that the train was pulling into Kings Cross station. He joined the others in pulling off their robes, and soon they were taking turns to file through the barrier onto the Muggle platform. Mr and Mrs Weasley were there waiting for them. Mr Weasley had evidently decided to be cheery and was festooned with holly. He was getting some very strange glances from passing Muggles. Mrs Weasley grabbed Ron and Ginny first for hugs, and then enveloped Harry in her arms. 'Hello, Harry dear,' she said smiling. 'How was the term?'

'Fine, thanks, Mrs Weasley,' Harry said, and was surprised to find he meant it. In spite of the terrible things hanging over him in the future, and the sadness of the past, the support and friendship of the other five made all the difference, and he felt he could face anything. He quickly amended that to almost anything, as the twins came rushing up with trolleys for all their trunks, and immediately offered them some sweets to nibble on. Luckily, it was Mr Weasley who saw this, as Mrs Weasley was now hugging Hermione. He just gave them a mildly despairing glance, as the others all refused in unison. Harry said goodbye to Neville and Luna, and to Hermione, who would join them the day before Christmas Eve at the Burrow, but who was going home with her parents for the moment. Then he turned away to walk after the Weasleys, who were chattering excitedly about the coming holidays.