To Have and to Want

Talking with Augusta Longbottom was terrible. Talking with Luna Lovegood was worse.

Neville's grandmother cried with him and told him it wasn't his fault. It was only because he knew she was sincere that he didn't explode. He still felt the pronouncement was empty. It was his fault.

Harry remembered how Luna helped him find himself again after Sirius' death, and tried to do the same for her. Luna wasn't crying, but it appeared like life was lost out of her. "It's like I don't believe I'll ever see him again," she confessed once. "I believe that about everyone else, but not him. He was special."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "He was."

At the funeral, Harry couldn't find words. However, he remembered very clearly what Hermione said.

"Neville chose what was right over what was easy," she said. "He couldn't have done otherwise, he wouldn't be the Neville we all loved if he had." The words still rang in his ears. He wouldn't be the Neville we all loved if he had.

And I wouldn't be the person that I am if I hadn't led him to his death. It was as simple--and as hard--as that.

He didn't have it in his heart to try to push Ron and Hermione away, knowing it wouldn't work. He was surprised that Ginny, Parvati, Padma, and most surprisingly, Luna stuck by him. His attempt to convince Luna that Neville didn't have to die came to nothing.

"He should have used the Portkey himself. I was closer to you, I would have gotten you out," Harry argued.

"He wouldn't do that. He loved me," Luna replied. There was nothing more for Harry to say.

The D.A. meetings lost their popularity. The only people who attended regularly where the veterans of the Black Forest mission, Daphne Greengrass, and Theodore Nott. Harry deeply regretted not taking the two Slytherins along--perhaps Neville would have lived if he did.

He was talking to Nott in the empty classroom when Ginny came in, followed by Padma, and wordlessly handed him the Daily Prophet. "Oh, what now?" Nott asked. "Surely the story didn't get out? Zabini is having a grand time in Slytherin saying you killed Longbottom, but I doubt they'd publish his rants--"

"Worse," Harry replied. "Lucius Malfoy escaped."

"What? How?"

"No clue," Padma said. "Just like Sirius--"

"Don't," Harry said. He read the article. Several other prisoners were gone, but Malfoy was the most prominent one. Harry looked at his friends.

"Just perfect," Ginny said. "So not only can't the Ministry arrest any real Death Eaters, they can't even hold the ones they already have."

Harry gave a few choice words to the Ministry. They might have continued if Hermione didn't run in, flustered.

"Harry!" she shouted. "Ron's been arrested!"

"What?"

"It's Umbridge and Dawlish. They were at Hogsmeade--"

"Come on!" Harry yelled, getting up.

"Daphne was there," Hermione informed them, "but I'm not sure if they took her as--"

"What?" Nott shouted, and increased his pace.

They ran into the Hog's Head, and saw a rather large group of visitors watching as Ron and Daphne Greengrass were bound to chairs and interrogated by Umbridge. Dawlish was arguing with the barkeeper, wand raised.

"I order you, in the name of the Ministry, to lift that Anti-Apparition Jinx, now!"

"This is my property. I can have any Jinx I want on it," the bartender replied. "Hello, Mr. Potter." Heads turned as the five of them burst in.

"Hermione, don't--" Ron yelled.

"Potter," Umbridge said. "Just what I expected. "You'll join your friends here. So should Misses Granger, Weasley, and Patil, and several others, who, I'm sure, we'll be able to get soon."

"And on what charges, may I inquire, are we being arrested?"

"Unauthorized use of Portkeys." Umbridge smiled sweetly. "This is a very serious crime, especially in these times. Such use is one way the Ministry tracks You-Know-Who--"

"Not having much success, are you? At least you admit he exists now. Thank God for small favors. May I see the order?"

Umbridge produced a piece of parchment. "Arrest warrant, signed by the Minister of Magic on February 3^rd, 1997." Yesterday, Harry thought.

"Charge: unauthorized use of Portkeys to leave and enter British territory," Umbridge continued. "Claimants: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Ginevra Weasley, Parvati--"

Umbridge didn't finish, as the parchment caught fire and turned to ash in her hands. Harry quickly re-concealed his wand, using the spell Nott taught him.

"And what is Daphne here for? She--"

"Disturbing the peace and interfering with lawful arrest--"

"I tried to stop them," Daphne said.

"Now, you--"

"Listen up. The Minister knows perfectly well what my position is. Tell him that I don't care one whit about him or the Ministry. Tell him to stop hunting me so I can do what I can to stop Voldemort and tell him to do what he can. Tell--"

Dawlish and Umbridge pointed their wands at him. "You're under arrest--"

Harry drew his own wand, followed by the rest of his company. "You seem to be under the impression that I will come quietly," he said, knowing this would anger Umbridge.

"Dawlish is an Auror, Potter. Haven't--"

"There's six of us and only two of you."

"Seven," a new voice said from the door. Parvati drew her wand and joined the group.

The two Ministry employees prepared to cast their spell, but then a shout of "Stupefy!" roared in the pub, and both of them fell.

"Enough," the bartender said. "I'm sure you could have taken them, Mr. Potter, but you'll have less trouble like this. Good luck."

"Thanks," Harry said, shocked by what just happened. He released the bonds on Ron and Daphne. "Let's get back to Hogwarts. We're in serious trouble. Malfoy--"

"Escaped," Daphne said. "We know."

"Is it somehow connected to this?" Hermione asked.

"What, the arrest?" Ron replied. "Don't see how."

Harry found Luna Lovegood and Zacharias Smith and told them what happened. "They know better than to try and interfere with Hogwarts again, but they're going to watch and try to get us outside. As if we don't have enough to worry, with both Malfoys on the loose again."

"So what're you saying? We're stuck here?" Smith demanded.

"No, I'm saying we should be extra careful. The Ministry is not our friend or even neutral here. Just keep this in mind."
A short elation the triumph over Umbridge vanished. The group split heavy-hearted, but Harry was surprised at his own feeling. Grief over Neville was still there, just like grief over Sirius and Dumbledore was, but once again, determination burst into the forefront.

"I don't like that it had to happen now," Hermione said. "We may need to travel abroad again soon."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I got the idea this morning, but then Ron got into--"

"Hey--"

"Hermione, it's okay. What is it?"

"I think I know where the last Horcrux is."

XXX

Harry couldn't believe this. "How did you figure this out?"

"I've been talking to Professor Lupin. He told me what he learned last year, while undercover with other werewolves."

Harry remembered the battle in the castle and Fenrir Greyback. "He told you?" Harry asked. "I'd think he wouldn't want to remember."
"He didn't. Not at first. I persuaded him, telling him you needed this but were afraid to ask."
"What?" Harry demanded.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but you were always his favorite student and--"

"Hermione, what did you find out?" Ron asked.

"You told us last year that Voldemort's first Death Eaters were his school buddies," Hermione began. "But we know about many others, correct?"

"Of course," Harry said. "There just wouldn't be enough, even if he recruited the entire Slytherin class that year."

"He continued recruiting afterwards, and not just in Britain. The first mass recruitment was among Easter European wizards in the early '50s. Antonin Dolohov, Igor Karkaroff, and--Fenrir Greyback, among others."

"So?"

"According to interrogations from the first war--"

"Whose interrogations?" Harry asked.

"Of ex--supposedly ex-Death Eaters like Karkaroff and Snape."

"Oh, we should believe them," Harry said.

"Wait. The details they gave have been partially confirmed, and are difficult to make up. They concerned the Death Eater initiation ceremony."

"Get to the point, Hermione."

"Ceremonies occurred in places strong with ancient magic."

"Stonehenge," Ron said. "You--"

"He came there several times. We can't be certain, but I think Lucius Malfoy and the Lestranges were initiated there."

"Does it matter?"

"You told me to look up places important to Voldemort. The cave where his orphanage went. Hogwarts. Th--"

"But--"

"Where he initiated for the first time his most loyal followers," Hermione emphasized. "the first time. I couldn't find any evidence of the Dark Mark appearing in any form, anywhere, before 1952, several months after the first ceremony. And then, Lupin told me that Fenrir Greyback had spent most of the time last year there, doing an important project for Voldemort."

"Where?"

"Transylvania," Hermione replied. "The castle of Count Dracula."
"You've got to be kidding," Ron said. "You want us to go there?"

"No," Harry said. "No one wants to go there. We have to."

"Do you have a clue how many wizards tried it?"

"Of course, Ron."

"And--"

"And no one returned. But Harry's right. There's nothing Voldemort would protect the way he would a Horcrux--especially if he thought Dumbledore might have been onto the others."

"Transylvania's in Romania," Ron said thoughtfully. "Charlie might help us."

"I thought so. How does he travel?"

"Portkey, usually. Authorized by the Ministry, and they won't let us tag along. Besides, he's there now."

"We can't Apparate that far," Hermione said.

"Broomsticks?" Ron suggested.

Harry shook his head. "You've never taken a long trip, have you?" He told them how the flight from Privet Drive to London two years ago felt, with the cold, rain, and numbness. "We're talking about a trip of over a thousand miles."

"More unauthorized Portkeys?" Hermione asked gloomily.

"Kingsley and Tonks are probably watched, and I don't want to be detected. At all. Besides, I'd like to get some more help, and we'd need a little detour for that."

"What do you mean?"

"Hermione, I need you to contact Viktor Krum, so we can meet him in Bulgaria."

"What?" Ron spat. "Why?"

"He knows the place."

"So does Charlie. You aren't serious--"

"I'm perfectly serious, Ron," Harry said.

Ron shook his head. "This is crazy."

"Ron, why--" Hermione tried.

"Stop," Harry said. "Krum or not, we still need a way to get there undetected."

They looked at him. "Do you have a way, Harry? Apparate in stages? But that's difficult--"

"No. We're going to arrive there quickly, and if necessary, ready to fight. We're also going to arrive undetected by our or any other Ministry of Magic. Or by Voldemort. None of them will even consider us doing that."

"How?" Ron asked.

Harry smiled. "We use Muggle transportation."