Power of Love

CHAPTER 8 - THE ROAD TO GROUND ZERO

Professor McGonagall was just returning to her office from the dungeons. She smiled when she saw Harry and Ron at her door and motioned for them to come in. "You've seen Professor Dumbledore then?" she asked.

Harry handed her the note from Dumbledore. "Yes, Professor. He asked us to bring you this note and make arrangements for me to leave in the morning."

She looked up suddenly, quite startled by this news. "Leaving? In the morning?" Harry nodded, and watched her as she worked through the ramifications of his words. "I see." Professor McGonagall opened the note from Dumbledore and Harry and Ron watched her blanch as her eyes moved down the parchment. She set the note on the desk and gazed at Harry over the top of her glasses. "Professor Dumbledore has asked that I make arrangements for a surreptitious long term absence. You should know that I've just told the Gryffindor students about an intruder and, not surprisingly, they all seem to think he was after you. I think we'll start with the story that you're being kept in a separate area of the castle for your own safety." She turned to Ron. "You will let your dormitory mates know that you have seen Harry occasionally, so that we can keep the exact timing of his departure a secret."

"What about the Quidditch team, Professor?" asked Harry. "D'you think Ron could be captain while I'm gone?" He looked over at Ron, who smiled at him gratefully.

"Yes, that would be fine. We've got to pretend that it's business as usual. Is Evans any good at Seeker?"

"He's not Harry, but he's practiced a fair amount," answered Ron. "Good thing we're playing Ravenclaw. Their new Seeker is pathetic."

Minerva McGonagall rose from her chair and walked around the desk to face Harry. In a most uncharacteristic move, she caught him in a tight embrace and gasped, "Good luck, Potter. We'll be planning a great feast for your triumphant homecoming. Hurry back." As she turned quickly around, Ron could see the tears streaking from her eyes. It made him feel like crying too.

"Goodbye, then," said Harry, "and thank you for everything, Professor." She waved her handkerchief at him and they headed quickly out the door.

* * * * *

"I'll bet she's in the library with Anthony," said Harry. Ron nodded in agreement. "Say, Ron, would you do me a favor and head back to Gryffindor Tower to round up the Quidditch team? I should probably say something to them about you being captain while I'm gone. I'll go to the library and convince Hermione to come back with me and meet you there."

"Okay," said Ron, apprehensively. He was not sure he should be letting Harry out of his sight. He was feeling very protective and didn't think twenty minutes apart was all that great an idea. However, he knew it would just annoy Harry if he didn't do what was asked of him, and he didn't want to spend their last night together arguing.

Harry entered the library and it was mostly empty with the exception of several groups of fifth-years and, predictably, Hermione and Anthony. He watched them for a moment and realized that very little studying was actually being accomplished this evening, but a lot of whispers and flirtatious expressions were being exchanged. He felt a little guilty intruding on their time together, but this was important and he had only a few hours left to say everything he needed Hermione to hear.

Harry approached their table and sat down. Hermione and Anthony actually seemed relieved to see him. "Hi," said Harry smiling.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad to see you. I wasn't sure how long you were going to have to wait in Dumbledore's office. What did he say?" asked Hermione.

"Well, that's why I'm here. Dumbledore's going to move me to a secret area of the castle tomorrow, and he's not sure how long I'm going to have to stay there. Could even be until the end of the term."

Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth as she gasped, and Anthony looked shocked. "Do you mean Dumbledore thinks there are going to be more attempts on your life?" whispered Anthony. Hermione had obviously filled him in on the afternoon's events.

Harry nodded. "I'm not worried for myself, but this last intruder almost attacked Ron and Neville. It's frustrating that I have to hide out, but I agree with Dumbledore that I can't be endangering my friends just because Voldemort has unfinished business with me." Anthony cringed as Harry said the name. "So, er, I was wondering if I could talk Hermione into coming back to Gryffindor Tower for a while. You know, just to say goodbye." He looked at Hermione meaningfully, and then shot a pleading look at Anthony.

"Of course, Harry," said Hermione quickly. She turned to Anthony, "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, not under the circumstances." Anthony stood up and reached his hand across the table to Harry who shook it. "You take care, mate. We'll miss you."

"Thanks," said Harry, standing up too. Hermione kissed Anthony and whispered something into his ear, and Harry quickly turned his back to give them a little privacy. Soon Hermione caught up to him and he turned to give Anthony a nod of thanks.

As Harry and Hermione strolled through the deserted hallways to Gryffindor Tower, Harry filled in Hermione on the real plan. "So you leave in the morning, but we're all supposed to act as if you're still in the castle somewhere in hiding? Do you really think people will believe that?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know," said Harry. "McGonagall thought it would work. Eventually someone might figure it out, but hopefully it will be too late for anyone to guess where I've gone. You can be a big help, though, by telling people you've been to visit me from time to time."

"Of course," agree Hermione, "I'll say whatever Professor McGonagall wants me too." She paused. "But Harry, what about your NEWTs?"

"What about them?" shrugged Harry. "If I get back in time I'll take them. If not, well, there's always next year." Hermione seemed a little put off by his casual response. "Look, Hermione, having top grade NEWTs doesn't matter to me as long as Voldemort is out there waiting to kill me. Nobody is safe, especially someone like you, as long as he's out there causing mayhem and trying to take over." Hermione nodded, knowing he was talking about her and others with Muggle parents.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. Before he could say the password, Hermione caught Harry in a big hug and they embraced without saying anything for a long while. Finally Hermione whispered, "It's not going to be the same without you here."

Harry patted the long brown hair that flowed down her back. He was at a loss for words, but managed to say, "It's all right. I'll be back soon." Of course, he had no idea if it was true, but it seemed to make Hermione feel better just the same.

They entered the common room and the Gryffindor Quidditch team was assembled in one corner of the room. They clearly had no idea why they had been gathered, as they were laughing, joking and teasing one another - all except for Ron, who was sitting quietly. His face lit up when Harry and Hermione entered the room.

Harry said, "Er, Hermione, I need to break the news to the Quidditch team. Will you wait around for a little while?"

"Of course I will. I'll just go put my things in my room." He watched her as she disappeared through the doorway to the girls' dormitory.

The Quidditch team took the news of Harry's leaving the team very hard. Ginny was near tears, and Andrew lamented loudly that they were so close to winning the Quidditch Cup this year that it was unthinkable that Dumbledore could take Harry away at a time like this.

"Professor McGonagall has named Ron captain for as long as I'm unable to play. Most of the strategies we've been working on were Ron's ideas to begin with, so I expect you to play as well as you always have, if not better, without me around." Harry looked at Evans, a second year who had been named a reserve in the fall and had been training with the team all year, with an eye towards being next years' Seeker. "You're really improving, mate, and I think you're already better than the Ravenclaw Seeker. Look, you lot are so much better than Ravenclaw this year that playing the game is just a formality. You have over a month to train for the last match - you'll be brilliant. I'm hoping that if I am still in hiding at that point, that Dumbledore will at least let me out to watch you."

Harry shared some last minute tips about how to play against Ravenclaw and then excused himself to where Hermione was sitting, curled up with her old astronomy book and feverishly flipping between charts. She glanced at him and motioned for him to sit. "Hold on one minute," she said.

At last Hermione looked up at him with a satisfied smile. "Just as I thought," she said smugly. She handed Harry a small glass vial. "Put a couple of your hairs in there, would you?"

"Why?" asked Harry hesitantly. Ron and Ginny had come over to join them, and were watching Harry and the glass vial with curiosity.

"Because I just calculated how soon we could have a batch of Polyjuice Potion ready, and if we start stewing the lacewings tomorrow, we can have it ready in twenty-one days. The full moon will fall at the perfect time for adding the fluxweed."

"Polyjuice Potion! What do you want with that stuff?" asked Ron. He remembered all too well how horrible it tasted as well as how long it took Hermione to recover from turning into Millicent Bulstrode's cat.

"If people start becoming too suspicious, one of us can turn into Harry for an hour and make sure we're seen by a number of...influential...people."

Harry smiled. "Like Malfoy, you mean." He pulled several hairs out of his head and placed them in the vial.

Hermione nodded. "Well, he is an obvious choice. But really, even if you were seen at a Quidditch match or having breakfast in the Great Hall..."

"But how're you going to do this, Hermione?" interrupted Ron. "You can't break into Snape's private stores of ingredients? Someone has already done that, so he's sure to be watching closely."

"I've already thought of that," said Hermione. "I'm going to ask Professor McGonagall to request that Snape give me the ingredients and some space in one of the extra potions labs where I can make it undisturbed and keep it locked up. I'm sure she'll do it, and even if Snape doesn't like it, he'll have to go along. He is in the Order, after all."

Harry was suddenly distracted by uncontrollable sobs that were coming from Ginny. She was sitting beside Harry, and he put his arm around her and pulled her closer. "What's wrong, Ginny?" he asked, knowing exactly what her problem was.

"I'm sorry," she bawled, "but I just don't want you to go away." She buried her face in his robes and continued to sob silently. He was really beginning to hate these goodbyes.

Harry pulled Ginny to her feet and the two of them went to a vacant area where they could talk in private. Ron was highly annoyed by his sister's behavior, but Hermione, who still had no idea that Harry and Ginny weren't really dating, was sympathetic and pulled on Ron's sleeve to keep him from following them.

Some twenty minutes later, Ginny had pulled herself together and was even smiling and laughing with Harry as they returned to the table where Ron and Hermione were planning their strategy of how they were going to convince the other students that Harry was still on the castle grounds. She sat down next to Hermione, and Harry leaned over and kissed Ginny on the cheek.

"I've got other people to talk to before I leave," said Harry, but if you want to see me off tomorrow morning, meet me down here at six-thirty." Ginny nodded and patted his hand. "Ron, are you coming with me? I've got to pack, and I want to talk to Neville, Seamus and Dean."

"Yeah," Ron said, following Harry up the stairs to the dormitory.

It was after nine o'clock by the time Harry had packed his things and talked to everyone he wanted to see. His last errand was to the Owlery, to say goodbye to Hedwig. As he rose to leave the dormitory, he stopped by Ron's bed and handed him a note and a weathered old piece of parchment that Ron recognized as the Marauder's Map. Then he said loudly, "I'm supposed to go over my new tutoring schedule with McGonagall at nine-thirty. I have no idea how long that will take, so if I don't see you, Goodnight."

Ron was confused, but he said "goodnight" along with Neville and Dean, who were also in the room. As Harry walked out the door, Ron read the note.

"Meet me in the Room of Requirement as soon after 9:30 as you can get there.

Use the Map to make sure you aren't followed."

Ron grinned. Sure, it was a bit risky, but at this point, it didn't really matter who found out. Harry would be gone tomorrow, and with any luck, You-Know-Who would be gone soon after that. But tonight Ron had no intention of worrying about the war. He just wanted to spend every possible minute with Harry that he could.

* * * * *

"Sorry," said Ron as he rushed in to the Room of Requirement. Harry was sitting cross-legged on the furry rug staring into the fire. "Peeves was lurking in the stairwell, and I had to take the long way around." He locked the door behind him and joined Harry on the rug. "Being here tonight is a little risky, don't you think?"

Harry cocked an eyebrow at Ron. "Didn't you hear what Dumbledore said?"

Ron thought for a moment. "I guess not."

"When Dumbledore says something like, 'If I need to contact you I'll send Fawkes,' he is really saying 'I fully expect you and Ron to be somewhere you're not supposed to be and that's okay with me.' So it's almost like he was assuming we would be together here."

"Oh!" exclaimed Ron. He hadn't thought of that.

Ron gazed at Harry's face and noticed, once again, that he looked far older than his age. The stress of waiting had sprouted wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his brows appeared to be permanently furrowed. This Harry was very far removed from the carefree boy who had opened a mound of presents on Christmas morning. Ron gently caressed Harry's cheek with his thumb and looked into his eyes. "Worried?" he asked.

"A little, I guess," answered Harry. "I've never gone out looking for him before. Those other times, he was looking for me, and I was surprised by him and unprepared. It's so different this time - there's so much more at stake." He turned back to look at the fire. Ron wasn't sure if he should give Harry time to think or try to get his mind off the journey ahead of him. He was just about to speak when Harry suddenly turned to him.

"Ron," said Harry abruptly, "I've got to tell you something. If I, er...if I don't come back, I want you to know that you can have any of my stuff that you want. Dumbledore made me fill out a will for my gold, but all my things are up for grabs; Hedwig, too. Make sure someone takes good care of her."

Ron shook his head. He knew Harry was going to bring this up at some point. "You ought to be having this conversation with Hermione, because if you go, then so do I. Don't you understand this Tyet of Isis thing at all, Harry? My entire role in this war is to save your sorry arse. The only two things that will keep this from happening are if you forget to invoke Isis, or if I'm dead. So you'd better have Hermione be in charge of Hedwig."

Harry's face brightened, as if Ron's words had cheered him up or else reminded him that his fate was resting on more that just luck and Harry's own abilities. A lot of wizards and witches were working hard to make sure Dumbledore's plan would succeed. As hard as Harry wanted to deny it, Ron's amulet had proven to perform as expected, so there was no reason to think it couldn't save him again.

"You're right," said Harry. "God, how I hope you are right." For the first time in a long time, Harry wanted more than anything to defeat Voldemort and live a normal life with Ron by his side. He was not afraid of death, but his will to live was very strong.

Ron wrapped his arms tightly around Harry and said softly, "I'm going to take care of you, Harry Potter. And I'm going to start right now." His lips found Harry's, and they kissed hungrily, both aware that this encounter might well be their last.

* * * * *

The alarm clock woke them at five o'clock, and they reluctantly gave up the warmth of each other's body to dress. Ron was groggy, having been startled out of a wonderful dream in which he and Harry were embracing after having won the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor. Harry, on the other hand, was completely alert and was setting about the task of gathering their things in a business-like fashion. Harry checked the Marauder's Map and saw that the coast was clear. They left the Room of Requirement and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.

At six-thirty, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny met in the common room and headed down to the Great Hall. Hermione was peppering Harry with advice, having obviously spent the whole night worrying about him. Ginny said very little, but her puffy red eyes gave away the fact that she had been crying for a good portion of the night. Harry put his arm around her as they walked, and Ginny leaned into him as if this might be the last time she'd be able to touch him. "Remember what I told you," whispered Harry to her, loud enough so that Ron could overhear. Ginny nodded and smiled.

Professor Dumbledore had not expected Harry to arrive in the Great Hall with an entourage, but he seemed quite pleased by the sight of the four of them, walking side-by-side into the room. As they sat down to eat breakfast together, Dumbledore arose from his seat at the staff table and approached them, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth and a wide grin on his face. "Harry, it warms my heart to see that you inspire such loyalty from your friends that they are willing to wake at this hour of the morning to see you off."

"Yes, sir, I'm very lucky to have such wonderful friends."

Dumbledore said, "Do you have everything you need? We'll be leaving in just a little while, as soon as Fawkes returns."

Harry nodded. "I'm all ready to go."

It seemed like no time at all before Fawkes appeared with a flash of light and disappeared almost immediately. Dumbledore summoned Harry, and he said hasty goodbyes. As he and Ron embraced, Ron whispered, "I love you, Harry. Call Isis if you need us."

Harry whispered back, "I love you too. Thanks, mate."

Ron watched through clouded vision as Harry and Dumbledore strode purposefully out the door. He had never felt as lonely as he did right now.