Let This Be Our Prayer

Let This Be Our Prayer

Part two

"Wormtail...it is time."

"My-my lord?"

"The ministry of Magic's army has broken through the last barrier, now they shall see, now they shall feel what it is like to cross wands with Lord Voldemort...robe me Wormtail."

"Yes my lord."

Carelessly placing his wand on a nearby mantle, Wormtail grabbed a dark green cloak from the back of the chair and held it up behind his master. He turned his head away hiding the disgust as the cold grey skin that filled the arms of the robes.

"Did you know that Harry Potter is with them, Wormtail?"

"Ye- yes my Lord."

" I shall kill Harry this time, he has no mother to protect him...nor that muggle loving fool with him...I have a plan. All those times my servants have let me down, I learn something new. And today will be the last Harry Potter ever sees."

"What will you be doing my lord?" asked Wormtail as he took a step back.

"It is so simple, I do not even expect you to understand," he turned around to face him, " Priori Incatatem, will not happen today."

"You have found a new wand my lord?" asked Wormtail rubbing his hands together.

"I will use Karakroff's...since he will no longer be needing it."

Wormtail gave an involuntary shudder, as the memory of the previous night rolled trough his mind. Karkaroff writhing on the floor, screaming for mercy. Voldemort took a step towards a large cabinet that opened and a dark glass orb hovered out before him. Taking it in his hand, he muttered something and the glass orb began to glow as a green smoke filled the inside of it.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and a masked death eater entered, his head bowed low.

" My lord...we are ready."

Voldemort smiled and placed the orb back inside the cabinet, "Hand me my new wand Wormtail."

Wormtail turned around to face the mantle where he put his wand, and suddenly froze. He could not recognize his wand from the other two.

"My wand, Wormtail!" Voldemort demanded.

There was an older looking wand, slightly dirty- yes, that one was Voldemort's real wand. The smaller one, that one was his own. Wormtail picked up the third wand and handed it to Voldemort who ripped it from his hand.

"Now I shall finish what I started eighteen years ago," with the swish of his robe he vanished through the door with Wormtail, following close behind.

*

Harry sat on a large rock on the side of the field and shook uncontrollably. Along with being hit with the Cruciatus curse three times today he had witnessed the killings of three of his fellow wizards. He let his wand drop in from his hands and wrapped his arms around himself . That's what supposed to happen in wars. People die, he told himself. He never wanted so much in his life to be back at Privet Drive, like he was just two days ago on Dumbledore's orders. He felt helpless. No matter how hard he tried he could not perform the Cruciatus on any of the death eaters. It was the same every time, just as he had knocked them back he would say 'Crucio', only to have the death eater to stumble backwards and laugh at him.

Then he felt it. His scar gave a terrible pang.

He clapped his right hand to his forehead and gave a small gasp of pain. He reached inside his robes and pulled out a small vile filled with an ice-blue coloured liquid. A forced gift from Professor Snape. He pulled out the stopper and drank it quickly, his hands shaking as he tipped the vile up. He felt a calm rush all over his body and the burning sensation had dulled. He grabbed his wand and made a dash through the trees. He had to warn the rest of them before it was too late. But nothing would prepare him for what he was about to see. Harry had stumbled on a massacre. He watched in horror as people were screaming in anguish as they fell dead everywhere. Harry rushed towards the dwindling masses, shouting a few curses of his own, until a high-pitched laugh caught his attention. His heart clenched with fear and anger as he turned his head. And there he stood, yelling out death curses to anyone in his way.

Voldemort.

Harry looked into the cold blood red eyes.

" Harry Potter," came the cold voice, Harry watched in slow motion as Voldemort's wand raised above his head, "CRUCIO!"

Harry keeled over grabbing his side. It felt like his ribs were being split open. Harry yelled out the next thing that came into his head.

"IMPEDIMENTIA!"

Voldemort grabbed a near by death eater and pulled him in front of him. The death eater gave a yell as he received the spell fully and was cast aside carelessly. Voldemort let out a high-pitched laugh.

" I would have thoroughly enjoyed torturing you Harry, but as you can see," Voldemort looked around as streaks of light were cast everywhere, " I have more important things to do- AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"NO!" shouted a voice from nowhere, as Harry felt something heavy land on top of him. Harry stared into the eyes of a fellow wizard, who saved his life. There was another scream of laughter as Harry slowly pushed the heavy man off. Staring into the lifeless eyes, he felt so angry- he didn't need to die for him.

"What a pity," said Voldemort raising his wand again, "Let's see of we can make it two for two!"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

"CRUCIO!"

A burst of light came from both their wands as a string of light connected them. It was happening again. Voldemort let out a yell of frustration as he cast his furious glance at a wide-eyed Wormtail. He had given Voldemort his own wand. He stumbled backwards into the forest, and realized the dirty wand had indeed belonged to Karkaroff- a token of the previous night, when he was squirming on the ground...his wand covered in dirt.

" No....NO!" Voldemort tried to push it back, "You were lucky last time Harry! But there is no portkey to take you home." Harry's was on his knees gripping the wand with both hands. Beads of sweat began to trickle down the side of his scruffy face. The small bulbs of light had begun to make it's way back to him.

" You will not break me Harry Potter! I'm stronger than you, more powerful than you. Look....you see? You cannot win!"

Harry closed his eyes and scrunched up his face to concentrate when he saw someone's face. It wasn't his Mother or his Father. It was Hermione's. He would never see her again...

Harry's eyes flashed open and glared at Voldemort baring his clenched teeth. Harry slowly began to stand up and focused on his wand with all his might, his entire right arm shaking from the vibration of it. Voldemort watched the beads make it's way back to him, and he couldn't stop it. Harry suddenly heard a voice.

" Keep it up son you're doing great," said his Father.

"Don't break it Harry, keep up your concentration, you can do it!" he heard his Mother say.

Voldemort was giving small gasps as each bright bead made it's way into his wand. A large bright red light began to form on the tip of Harry's wand. He looked back up at Voldemort who was now struggling. Harry watched as Voldemort whipped his wand up and down- he was trying to break the connection, before Harry could. His mind went into panic. If couldn't do Crucio, there was no way he could perform Avada Kedarva. Why couldn't Dumbledore be here. Harry closed his eyes again, hoping that any second now, Dumbledore would appear. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"The power that Voldemort fears the most, lies within you-"

The voice sounded so much like Dumbledore's, it was barley above a whisper...but Harry heard it loud and clear.

" I don't understand...I don't," Harry whispered, a single, burning tear ran down his cheek.

"This cannot go on forever Harry!" shouted Voldemort, " you have no mother to die for you now!"

" Your mother died saving your life...that kind of act leaves a mark...it is in your very skin."

Harry turned his head towards his mother's shadow, she smiled at him, a smile so full of -

"Love," Harry whispered under his breath, "LOVE!" he shouted again, he finally understood.

"What?!" snapped Voldemort.

" It's power that you hate so much! It's why couldn't kill me eighteen years ago!" Harry shouted over the voices, " ...and it's what will destroy you today!" he growled.

Voldemort let out a yell of frustration and Harry's scar gave a faint pang.

"Born as the seventh month dies," Harry recited.

"SILENCE!"

"...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have a power the Dark Lord knows not," Harry's voice was getting louder, as he slowly raised his wand above his head, careful not to break the string.

" NO!" Voldemort shouted whipping his wand up and down, desperate to break the connection before Harry.

"...For neither can live while the other survives-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

A green light burst out towards Harry and he felt it tingle against his chest. A red light began to glow on his skin, consuming the green light. Harry held out his hand as the light gathered in his palm, while Voldemort looked at him in horror. Harry stole a glance his parents, and mouthed the words I love you. James and Lily beamed at him as a ghost of a Quidditch Player Harry once knew emerged from behind them nodded and said "Do it Harry."

" There can only be one."

The red light exploded towards Voldemort causing his body to seize up with his arms out. He cried in anguish as a yellow light came sweeping from his body before falling dead to the ground. This yellow light was the last thing Harry saw as it swept towards him, blasting him and everyone within their radius to the ground.

The field fell silent.

Hundreds of people lay scattered while snow began to fall from the sky covering the bodies with a light layer of snow. Wormtail had emerged from the trees and began to wander the field. His head turned form side to side, until he stopped at the body of Voldemort.

He sunk to his knees, his silver hand reaching out to touch the face of his lord. He looked over to his right and saw the body of Harry Potter. He watched carefully as Harry's hand turned over exposing his wand held loosely in his palm. The tip was still glowing. Reaching over, he picked up Voldemort's wand and pointed it at Harry. His silver hand shook terribly.

" YOU SHALL NOT TOUCH HIM!" came a booming voice from across the field. It was so loud that it made Peter jump and drop the wand. Peter stared fearfully at the man approaching him, his robes of deepest red flowing in the breeze and his blue eye's glistening with fury. Peter decided to take a chance and make a run for it, but he didn't reach his third step before he heard the man yell-

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS."

Peter froze in his spot and fell backwards, straight as a board. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched the elderly man pick up the lifeless body of Harry Potter and carry him away.

*

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins were sitting around the table at the burrow waiting for Mr. Weasley to come home. Mrs. Weasley kept herself occupied in the kitchen making some tea.

"Why did Dad want us all here? Is something wrong?" Ginny asked her Mother.

" Be patient dear, your Father will explain everything when he gets home."

Ron leaned over towards Hermione, " I hate to be the voice of doom but I think this has something to do with Harry... I think that's why he asked for you to come too."

" That's what I'm afraid of," she said quietly.

You could tell there was some tension in the room. Hermione felt her stomach grow heavy with nervous anticipation and Ron looked like he ate something that he shouldn't have. Fred was biting his nails but stopped when his Mother smacked his arm, George was bouncing his leg up and down by the ball of his foot and Ginny just stared straight at the clock, which displayed Mr. Weasley travelling home. Finally Mr. Weasley walked in, he stopped at stared at all of them while removing his cloak and hat. He grabbed an empty seat at the head of the table, sat down and looked at them all.

" I want you all to know that Molly and I care about you all very much, this is why I wanted you all to hear this from me."

There was an uncomfortable silence to which a few people shifted in their chairs.

"Voldemort...is gone."

Everybody looked stunned and there was a sort of excited silence gathering in the room.

"He's gone?" asked Ginny sitting straight up in her chair with a wide smile spread across her face.

"It's finally over," breathed Mrs Weasley.

Hermione and Ron where still looking at Mr. Weasley, who's expression had not changed.

" Harry did it!" yelled Fred, "I knew he could!"

"We should celebrate, as soon as Harry gets home!" said George, pounding the table in agreement.

" Fred, George...please," said Mr Weasley looking down at his hands. The room feel silent, "I received a letter this morning from the Ministry... yesterday was the first search for survivors....Harry was not among them."

Mrs Weasley put her hand to her mouth while George stared at his father with his mouth open. Ginny whimpered and Fred put a comforting arm around her. Ron sat back in his chair feeling numb. Hermione however, kept staring at Mr. Weasley.

"They did not find Harry's body."

"What?!" said Ron sitting straight up, "so he's still alive?!"

"We don't know that Ron," said Mr. Weasley putting up a hand to calm him.

"Well how hard is it? They didn't see him dead, so he must be alive!"

"Ron, please let me finish... we don't know if he's alive and we don't know if he's dead, he's-he's missing."

"He's not dead," Ron muttered to himself, "no way."

"The Ministry is doing what they can to find him, and I've already contacted the Order," said Mr. Weasley leaning forward onto the table, " and I understand it's going to be hard over the next couple of days, Hermione you are welcome to stay here if need be."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Everyone was too shocked to speak.

"Excuse me," said Hermione getting up from the table and walking out the door. Hermione felt the cool autumn breeze splash over her face as she walked towards the centre of the garden with the pain in her chest threatening to consume her body. She held her hand to her forehead unable to control the tears that were flooding her eyes. It was almost hard to breathe. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder, she spun around to see Ron holding up her cloak.

"I thought you might need this."

She stared at him and then ripped her cloak from his grasp.

"You're welcome then," he said.

"OH-SHUT-UP Ron," she said throwing the cloak around her shoulders.

"Hey! I was...am- Harry's best friend too alright!" he shouted.

Hermione wiped away a few loose tears and pulled her cloak closer to herself.

"I'm sorry Ron, I didn't mean-"

" No," said Ron with his hand up, " It's just... this is just so stupid! Harry's out there and-."

"Harry's not dead," Hermione said sternly, but it seemed more like she was trying to convince herself more than anything, "he'll come home... he always does...it's just a matter of time-" Hermione found it hard to speak when her bottom lip was trembling.

Ron put out a hesitant arm around Hermione's shoulder. Burying her face into her hands she pressed herself into Ron's chest...and cried.

*

The morning dawn filtered in an old rustic looking cabin. An elderly man was emptying the contents of small bottles into a cauldron that bubbled and hissed. He then held up a bottle that said 'Mandrake Roots', popped the bottle open and emptied it. Reaching for a spoon, he glanced behind him, Harry lay sprawled on a table, the morning sun catching his pale, scratched and unshaven face. When he had finished stirring the ingredients the colour had changed into a deep purple. He looked at a book that laid open in front of him. His hand lingered above the remaining bottle but he drew it away. He then picked up an empty vile off the shelf and scooped some in. Wisps of smoke arose from the top of it as he carried it over to the lifeless body. He picked up Harry's head and slowly poured the contents into his mouth. The vile had emptied and he slowly put Harry's head down on the table, stood back, and waited. He pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it. The room was silent except for the ticking of his watch. Suddenly there was a twitch in the fingers and a flutter of the eyelids. Harry began to wheeze and cough for air. He rushed over to him and held him up, gasping for breath.

"You alright?" asked the man. Harry began to squirm and tried to remove himself from the grasp.

"No, you must rest," said the man calmly, forcing his shoulders back down.

"Who are you?" he asked, still putting up a fight, " where am I?"

"My name is Richard, you are at my cabin, please, you must calm down." Richard gave him credit from just being through hell the youngster still had some spark left. " Do you know your name?"

"What?" asked Harry easing the grip on his arms.

"What is your name?"

Harry looked at him with questioning eyes...he didn't know the answer. Without warning he blacked out, and fell limp in the Richard's grasp.

Looking back down on the table he noticed fresh blood.

"You are such a mess," he exclaimed walking over to get a bucket of water.

Taking a clean cloth, he sat down next to the table. He began to clear the blood off of his young face when he brushed the bangs away from his forehead. He stopped and stared, looking at the lighting bolt scar on his head. Studying the scar with his eyes he looked down at Harry's face and smiled.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Richard frowned when he heard the noise and looked underneath the table. A small pool of blood was forming, " Oh my goodness!"

He turned Harry over on his stomach and ripped open his robes with a knife, displaying a large gash across the right shoulder blade. He began to wipe off whatever blood he could, then raising his wand he shouted "Accio bandages!"

He worked quickly trying to heal Harry's wounds and managed to make a sort of paste with the remaining plant roots he had, applying them to the wounds before bandaging them up. When he had finished he removed the robes completely and tossed them off to the side. He then grabbed a blanket from a near by chair and covered him up.

"You're not going to be very comfortable when you wake," he said then transfigured the table into a bed.

The soft hooting of an owl could be heard in the night through the rustle of the wind. Harry had begun to stir. He opened his eyes to look around but found everything to be a bit too hazy.

"How do you feel?" came a voice form the corner.

Harry jumped and sat straight up in bed, he wished he hadn't. As soon as he did this he was met with a shock of pain all over his body.

"You might need these," said Richard, handing him a pair of glasses.

Harry winced as he raised his hand to receive them, "Where am I?"

" I told you, you are at my cabin...have you forgotten already?" he chuckled " do you remember who you are now?"

Richard was met with the same blank stare as before.

" I...I don't think-," said Harry holding his forehead with his hand.

"What do you remember?"

Harry's brain seemed to hurt when he was asked this, " I...I Don't-"

" Don't hurt yourself," said Richard raising his hand, "I'm sure it will come eventually, in the meantime you should eat...considering that you probably don't remember the last time you ate."

Harry watched a rat scurry across the room and out through a small hole near the door.

" THAT'S how their getting in!" said Richard triumphantly as he grabbed his wand muttered something to the tip and sent a grey streak shooting across the room, sealing up the hole.

*

Hermione and Ron stepped into the Leaky Cauldron brushing the snowflakes off their cloaks, and taking a table closest to the fireplace.

" It's really coming down out there, did you want a butterbeer?" asked Ron removing his cloak.

" Oh yes thank you," said Hermione removing her own. Sitting down, she noticed a copy of the Daily Prophet on a table near by, curious she picked it up and returned to her table. She stopped dead in her tracks when she read the headline:

Ministry continues search for Potter

Sinking slowly in her seat, she felt her insides burn. "Where are you Harry?" she said quietly to the paper.

" What's that?" said Ron returning with two tankards of butterbeer. Hermione handed him the paper. Ron studied it and sighed heavily, " Ministry has a bunch of idiots working for them, honestly, who knows Harry the best? We do, we should be the ones looking for him...at least we would have found him by now," he took a hard gulp of his drink before speaking again, " none of this, searching for three days, and stopping for one," Ron shook his head, " how long has it been? A week?"

"Twelve days," said Hermione staring at the rim of her tankard.

"Really? It feels like a month they way they've been-" something caught Ron's eye across the room. A man standing in the corner had quickly hidden a silver object from sight and walked out the door.

Hermione looked at Ron and turned her head in the direction of his gaze to see a man in a black cloak walk out the door, " What?" she asked when turning to face him again.

"Nothing," he said still looking at the door, "I just thought I saw something ."

Just then, Ron felt a tap on his shoulders, turning around he saw Tom the inn keeper present him with an folded piece of parchment.

"This was left behind for you," he said and walked away.

Ron and Hermione looked at the parchment with questioning eyes. When Ron opened it his eyes went wide and made a dash for the door.

" Ron! Wha-" Hermione got up from her seat and chased after him, she finally caught up to him outside and Ron was frantically scanning the crowd.

" DAMN IT!" he shouted hitting a small pile of snow off a barrel with his hand.

" Ron! What is wrong with you?"

Ron shoved the piece of paper towards her. She took it and read the five simple words written upon it:

Hermione's eyes went wide and her mouth opened with shock, " Ron," she looked up at him, " who do you think-"

"The man that I saw leave the pub," he began, " I think it was Pettigrew, I think he left the note."

Hermione covered her mouth and looked away.

" Come on, we need to tell dad," he said taking her gently by the arm and leading her back through the Cauldron's doors.

When they returned to the Burrow, Hermione and Ron sat in silence staring at the piece of parchment that lay unfolded before them. Ron looked up at Hermione, she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Do you think he would hurt him?" she asked.

"I don't know," said Ron, " do you think he wants something for it? Why else would he leave this?"

"What I don't understand is why Pettigrew would be foolish enough to walk in to the Leaky Cauldron?"

"No one recognized him with his hood up did they? Because everyone thinks he's still dead. No one believed us when we said he was a rat in hiding and gone back to serve You-Know- Who." Ron frowned, "And people say we're mental."

There was a small explosion coming from upstairs followed by mad footsteps and George appeared before them, " Oh good Hermione, you're here! You wouldn't happen to know any good reversing spells would you? Fred's got himself in a bit of a pickle....you all right?" he asked finally noticing the unhappy expression on her face.

"This was left for us at the Cauldron," said Ron handing George the note. His expression had been the same as Ron's.

"Who left it?"

"We think it was Pettigrew," said Hermione wiping her eye with her thumb.

"Did you tell Dad?" said George examining the note more closely. There was a muffled yell from upstairs, " Oh right, Hermione would you mind?"

Hermione sighed and took out her wand, "Lead the way."

Ron stayed down stairs and stared out the window. Suddenly there was a tap at the door and Ron turned around to see an owl fluttering against the window begging to be let in. He opened the door and the owl flew in and perched itself on the table, and began to peck wildly at a tray of biscuits that Mrs. Weasley had made. Over the sounds of cheers and laughter from up stairs (Hermione' s reversing spell had obviously worked) he worked the letter from the owl's leg and opened it.

" Hermione! Come down here quick!"

There was a race of footsteps as Hermione scrambled downstairs, "What is it?" she panted.

" Look," said Ron handing the note to her. It read:

It was awhile before Harry was actually able to stand up, but it was still with great difficulty. His hands shook a little as he tried to steady himself. He never knew aches like this, at least not that he could remember. Richard seemed very kind to him, tending his wounds every so often and keeping him well feed and even presenting him with a fresh pair of robes.

"They're a bit too small for me," he said patting his stomach, "but they should fit you quite well."

"Thank you," said Harry, feeling the soft fabric, when he looked up at him with curious eyes, " how did you find me?"

"Ah," said Richard taking a seat, "you got caught in a battle. They've been quite common now-a-days. I tried looking for other survivors, but it seemed someone found you before me, I stopped him just in time. I didn't understand why he would attack someone that already appeared dead."

Harry looked away towards the window and watched a snowy owl swoop by and land on a nearby branch.

" But how did you know I was still alive?"

" You wand tip was still glowing, you see, wands can be your best friends, or your worst enemies, but I think in this case your wand is very fond of you."

Harry watched the owl, which oddly enough appeared to be looking straight at him. The Owl gave a soft hoot and flew away.

"My wand?"

"Yes...oh dear," he said ," You really don't remember anything at all do you?"

Harry looked at the ground.

"It'll come back I'm sure...just give it time."

Throughout the course of the day Harry had continually passed out from exhaustion. Although he wasn't sure what was making him so tired, Richard had assured him it was because of the attack and his memory failing that made him feel emotionally exhausted. Later on in the night Harry had begun to stir once more. Opening his eyes he looked around in the dimly lit cabin, he put on his glasses and stood up, his head spinning a little. He rubbed his scar as he walked slowly towards a mirror. He leaned against the wall with his hands and looked at himself. He turned his head from side to side to look at the various scars across his cheeks. Then he looked at his scar on his forehead, he blew hard out of the corner of his mouth and watched his fringe move over. The scar appeared old, but at the same time it looked as if it had just been reopened. Pushing himself away he noticed a reflection in the mirror of some small bottles in the corner of the room. He turned around and drew his robe tighter around him. He could hear the voices outside the cabin. Probably Richard talking to somebody. Harry paid little attention to it as he closely examined the bottle labelled 'Mandrake Roots'. It was as if someone pressed play in his mind: Mandrake or Mandragora is a powerful restorative ...

Harry shook his head hard. How did he know that? He placed the bottle back down and took a step back. His eyebrows scrunched together as he studied the other bottles. Acconite, root of Asphodel...

" I know these," Harry said quietly as he read the last few jars. Suddenly he snapped his head towards the door as he heard someone approach it, he was halfway across the room when the door opened.

" Oh, you're awake?" said Richard, quickly shutting the door behind him.

" Where is my wand?" said Harry with tired eyes.

" Your wand? It's over here...why?"

" I just need to see something," said Harry staring at the empty bottle of Mandrake roots.

Richard gave him a looked at him and walked towards his bedside table, opening it he pulled out Harry's wand and handed it to him. Harry grabbed it and positioned himself in the centre of the room.

Harry swished and flicked his wand, " Wingardium Leviosa!"

The small bottle immediately began to levitate. Richard shifted his eyes between the bottle and Harry.

"You-you're remembering!"

"Not really, no," said Harry drawing the bottle closer to him and snatching the bottle out of the air,

"There were Mandrake roots in here, they're a powerful restorative right?"

"Y-yes...you are remembering!"

"I'm not," said Harry sounding distraught, "it's just something I knew, like this levitation spell. But I can't remember anything else...how do I know these things?"

" Name?" asked Richard " do you remember your name?"

" No- I told you I don't remember!"

" Alright, alright," said Richard holding up a calming hand, " you should go to back to bed, it's late, perhaps tomorrow we can try other things to help you remember."

Harry threw himself down on his bed and watched Richard place a vile of a shiny silver substance in amongst the empty bottles.

*

Ron was lying in his bed staring at the ceiling. The vision of watching a man run out of the Leaky Cauldron with a silver hand, burned into his mind. He felt a surge of anger rush through his body. The thought of what he could do to Harry if he didn't show up, or what he could be doing to him right now made Ron almost cry with anger. He rolled his head to the side and looked at his clock: 11:45 pm.

Sitting up straight he put on an extra sweater and swung his cloak around his neck and fastened it. He moved towards his dresser to grab his wand when he heard a creak from the stairs outside his room. He froze. Somebody else was awake. He waited for a few seconds and when he heard no more noise he grabbed his wand and began his quiet decent downstairs.

Avoiding the creaks in the boards, Ron stepped carefully around a sleeping Crookshanks and walked towards the fireplace. Suddenly, he saw someone silhouetted against the moonlight standing next to the fireplace with a jar of floo powder.

"Hermione?"

"Took you long enough," she replied.

"I'm supposed to be going alone-"

"Oh, honestly Ron what makes you think that the letter wasn't addressed to both of us?"

Ron opened his mouth to speak but Hermione had already stepped into the fireplace with a handful of powder.

"The Leaky Cauldron," she whispered loudly and with a up shoot of green flames- she vanished.

Ron walked quickly up the fireplace and drew handful of powder. "The Leaky Cauldron," he whispered loudly and threw down the powder the green flames swallowed him full and he began to spin.

Ron slid out from the fire place of the Leaky Cauldron and jumped to his feet. Hermione was standing off to the side brushing herself off and coughing up the soot she had accidentally swallowed.

"Is he here yet?" Ron asked scanning the nearly empty parlour.

Hermione coughed and shook her head, "No."

Ron checked his watch:11:58pm. Now he was getting nervous.

"Do you think it's a trap?" asked Ron backing in to the corner where Hermione was.

" I don't think Pettigrew is stupid enough to pull something in front of all these people-OUCH! What?"

Ron had grabbed Hermione's arm and stared towards the door. There in it's frame stood a man in a black cloak. A silver hand beckoned them outside. Ron pulled Hermione forwards and they followed him, each of them prepared to draw out there wands in an instant. The crisp outside air made Diagon Alley very silent other than the crunching of the snow from their shoes. Pettigrew was ahead of them making his way to a abandoned shack. Ron and Hermione stopped in front of the door and pulled out their wands. Ron entered first.

There was a crackle and the room lit up. Pettigrew was huddled in the corner pulling down his hood.

"I though told you to come alone!" he said rushing towards Hermione.

"OY!" shouted Ron throwing an arm around Hermione's waist and pulling her out of the way. Pettigrew however wanted nothing more than to close and lock the door. He gave Ron and Hermione a nervous glance.

"Where's Harry?" Ron demanded slowly releasing his grip around Hermione.

"First thing first," said Peter, "Accio Wands!"

Ron and Hermione's wand zoomed out of their hands into Peter's outstretched silver one and were placed on the mantle above the fireplace. They stood there staring at their empty hands. Hermione clenched her empty fist and brought it down by her side.

"Where-is-Harry?" she demanded.

"Excuse me, but you are not in a position to make demands," said Pettigrew.

"You said you knew where Harry is," said Ron. He could feel his ears going red.

"I do," said Pettigrew calmly, with a disgusting smirk.

"THEN TELL US!" Ron shouted, with his fists clenched.

"Or what?" said Pettigrew walking towards Ron, "You'll what? I have your wands remember, I could easily kill you both!"

"Then what's stopping you?" said Hermione, a threatening tone in her voice, " You brought us here because you want something, but taking our wands and playing this silly game isn't going to help your situation. Now give us back our wands and tell us where Harry is!"

Ron looked at Hermione, she had a rather dangerous look to her.

"I want my freedom," said Pettigrew , " I show you where Harry is - and you," he pointed to Ron, "you are going to help me get my freedom."

"You've got to be kidding me," Ron whispered dangerously, "how am I going to help you get your freedom?"

"You stupid boy, I lived in your house for twelve years! Your father still works for the Ministry of Magic correct? I'm sure he could work something out-"

"Eat...dung."

Pettigrew grabbed Ron by the front of his cloak and slammed him against the wall, holding the tip of the wand in his face. Hermione froze in her spot, her eyes wandering to the abandoned wands left on the mantle.

"You have a rather sharp tongue, how would you like to spend the rest of your life with out it?"

Ron tried to pry Pettigrew's grip from his robes but it was no use. It was like trying to open a steel door.

"What do you say then? My freedom, for Harry's life."

"LET- HIM- GO."

Peter slowly turned around and saw Hermione standing there holding her wand in her hand. The tip crackled with blue sparks, and her eyes glared dangerously.

"I'd do what she says if I were you- before she jinx's you into the next millennium."

Peter turned his face toward Ron and slowly released his grip.

"Accio wand!" said Hermione and the wand flew into her palm. Ron side stepped Pettigrew and joined Hermione by her side, taking back his own wand.

" Here's what's going to happen," said Ron, aiming his wand at Pettigrew's chest, "you will take us to Harry...or else."

" And don't even think about changing into a rat," said Hermione, " you'll be dead faster than you can sneeze."

*

Harry found himself alone in his cabin once more while Richard had gone out to get more food and supplies. He wanted to come, but Richard told him it would be best if he had stayed. He got up from his bed and wondered around the cabin with his wand casting harmless spells. He knew he could do more damage if he wanted to, but that thought disturbed him for some reason. Harry drew his cloak tighter around him and realized that the fire was burning low. Shoving his wand in his robes, he bent over to throw some kindling in the fire. He picked up a few old copies of a newspaper and was about to throw it in when something caught his eye. It was a picture of him . Taking a step back from the fireplace Harry read the caption bellow his picture:

"That's my name," he whispered, looking at the picture of himself, "my name is Harry Potter."

Harry lunged forward to the pile of newspapers to try find anything else, he picked up an old magazine titled The Quibbler and found his name on the front:

Harry flipped the cover over and was staring at a picture of himself, " I had that scar back then?," said Harry scrunching his eyebrows together, and feeling his forehead. Turning to page fourteen he had just begun to read the first paragraph when he heard voices from outside the cabin. Richard was back and he seemed to be talking to someone. Harry got up as quick as he could to tell Richard what his name was, he threw open the door to see Richard talking to a tall man in a purple cloak with a scar under his right eye.

"Richard! I know my name!" said Harry waving the magazine in front of him, " My name is Harry Potter!"

Richard however looked more worried than happy, and exchanged a nervous glance at the man who he was talking to, who stared at Harry with his mouth open.

"Richard?" Harry hesitated, "see, it says here that I went to this place called Hogwarts- that's where I learned magic and... that's as far as I got," said Harry trying to ignore the silence and began turning the pages.

"H-Harry Potter?" said the man quietly.

"I was afraid this might happen," said Richard slowly pulling out his wand.

"Richard, what are you doing?" spoke the man.

Harry lifted his eyes to see Richard pointing his wand at him.

"Richard?" he said dropping his magazine on the ground and making a desperate reach for his wand.

"Stupefy!"

Harry was thrown backwards and slammed into the wall. His head began to throb and spin as he tried to focus on what was in front of him.

"RICHARD,WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" the man shouted.

"Whoops," said Richard calmly keeping his wand steady on Harry.

"Why-why are you doing this? What's going on?" said Harry keeping his eyes shut to stop the spinning.

"Why use physical force as a weapon Harry?" whispered Richard, crouching down on one knee, " When you can use trust."

Harry saw a flash of orange light and knew no more...

" WHAT is going on here? Why didn't tell the council that Harry was in your care?"

"Oh, who cares about the council Tiberius, they're too bloody selfish anyways," said Richard handing Tiberius a wand, " that's Harry's."

Tiberius stared at it blankly, " What are you up to? Why is Harry's memory gone?"

"Would you just relax? What I'll be doing is beneficial to the Order."

Harry slowly opened his eyes, and tried to focus on his surroundings, he was staring at a stone ceiling, he could hear Tiberius and Richard speak but they seemed very distant. Harry groaned and tried to get up, suddenly he felt a cold sensation on his wrists. He looked over and saw that his wrists were bound to whatever he was laying on. He started to struggle against them and soon realized that his ankles were bound as well.

"He's awake," he heard Richard say.

Harry froze then relaxed his body, he was too weak to do anything and he knew it.

"So? You have your memory back do you? Remembering The Dark Lord then?''

" What?" said Harry, squinting through his glasses.

" Oh don't play dumb, your eyes were as wide as saucers when you were reading that magazine. Mind you, it is my fault for leaving it around. It didn't even occur to me about those articles, what with you being in the Daily Prophet every other month."

Harry scrunched his eyebrows together. As much as he wanted to believe that he had remembered - he hadn't.

"I-I don't remember."

" Did you just call Voldemort the Dark Lord?" Tiberius asked

"Well that's what he is," said Richard as a-matter-of- factly, " anyways, the point is- you're alive...and almost well," he added looking at Harry.

" What I don't understand Richard, is why you're keeping him here- Sonius has no use for him now that he's killed Voldemort-"

"Oh quite the contrary," said Richard holding up his finger, "I still have a use for him."

*

Hermione, Ron and Peter Pettigrew were trudging through the forest, stopping occasionally so Peter could catch wind of the direction.

" The ministry is still slow is it?" said Peter finally.

"Shut-up," said Ron keeping his wand fixed at Peter's side.

"That's why you've come. Always there to help Harry."

"I said Shut-up."

Hermione was silent, keeping her wand tip illuminated. Peter however took advantage of this.

"You've grown up a bit," said Peter looking at Hermione up and down, " so why are you here? Unrequited feelings for Harry?" Hermione pursed her lips and kept silence, her eyes scanning the tree lines.

Peter shrugged his shoulders, "You know this kind of brings me back...how is Remus? And Sirius? Is he still in hiding?"

"Sirius is dead," said Hermione finally.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Pity," said Peter. All of the sudden he stopped and stared at a clearing at the end of their path.

"What's the problem?" asked Ron drawing his wand closer.

"I can't track as well when I'm in human form, I've lost the scent."

"Really? Well why don't you just transform back into a rat and we'll skip merrily after you?" said Ron, with a look of disgust on his face. Hermione however was conjuring up a rope from her wand. "What are you doing?"

Hermione fastened the rope around Peter's neck, "The rope will automatically adjust itself to your neck when you transform, that way we won't lose you , if you do decide to clear off."

Peter sighed and began to loosen the rope, " I don't need to change permanently into a rat to track, just long enough to pick up the scent again."

Hermione tugged on the rope and Peter choked as it tightened, "Better safe than sorry."

Peter gave Hermione a nasty look and changed into a rat. It was very strange to watch. Peter sniffed the air once or twice and then the ground. Hermione felt a small tug at the end of the rope and walked after him. Ron heaved a sigh and followed.

"Lumos," he whispered and the tip of his wand crackled with light.

It was a few more minutes before they saw a cabin silhouetted against the night sky. There was no light coming from the windows, in fact it had indeed looked abandoned for quite some time. Hermione jumped back a little when Peter had transformed back, wrenching the rope loose around his neck. Feeling a wand jabbed in his lower back, Peter continued forwards. Hermione could feel her heart hammering with anticipation, and Ron swallowed hard as he drew his wand in front of him. Walking up, the steps gave a small creak that echoed in the night. There was an eerie silence. Peter listened hard for any movement inside the cabin, his eyebrows scrunched together.

"On the count of three," Ron whispered standing back, getting ready to kick the door open, "one...two-"

"Wait!" said Peter holding out his arm , he pressed his ear against the door to listen. He transformed himself back into a rat and scurried under the door. Hermione was pulled over and the door clicked open from the other side. There Peter stood in human form again, with a worried look on his face.

"He's gone."

"What?" said Ron, "what do you mean gone..." His face lit up, "Harry's escaped!"

"Harry didn't escape," said Peter turning around walking further inside, "he's taken him."

"He's take-...you never had him did you?" asked Hermione with her eyebrows furrowed.

"What made you think that I had him?"

"The note," said Ron.

"Yes, it said I knew where Harry was, not 'I have Harry-did you want him back?'."

"Well you can still track him can't you?" asked Ron with the tips of his ears going pink again.

"Not if they apparated!"

Hermione was staring curiously at the small bottles on the shelf, "Look at these," she said picking one of

them up. Ron and Peter gave each other dirty looks and walked up beside her, "Mandrake roots...root of Asphodel...Wormwood? And why is there a full bottle of Wolfsbane but all the other bottles are empty?"'

"He omitted that when he revived Harry," said Peter staring at the bottle.

"Revived?" said Ron

"Mandrake Roots are a restorative...powdered root of Asphodel and an infusion of Wormwood make a sleeping potion," said Hermione, "why would he revive him with a sleeping potion?...unless-"

"What?" demanded Ron.

" All you had to do was dilute the root of asphodel with-" Hermione reached for the bottle of liquid Aloe,

"this, which is used to heal anything and add the Mandrake roots, which can pretty much bring anything back to it's normal self... he made a reversing potion..."

"Who's this 'he' we're talking about anyways?" said Ron.

"His name is Richard," said Peter, who slowly turned around, "he's a Phessian."

"How do you know about the Phessians ?" Hermione asked.

" Because the Dark Lord talked about it a lot, it was going to be next after he wanted to kill Harry."

"Okay, so why does Richard have Harry then?" asked Ron

"Richard's a death eater."

Hermione whipped her head around, "WHAT?"

" Oh goody," said Ron.

"But you said he was a Phessian?" Hermione said with a note of panic in her voice.

"Yes, but he's also a death eater."

Hermione held her forehead in her hand, "Wormtail...I'm only going to ask this once. Why does Richard have Harry?"

Peter exchanged nervous glances at Hermione and Ron's wands, slightly wincing, " He needs Harry to bring him back."

There was a brief pause of silence.

"Voldemort?" Hermione asked, " But he can't, I mean Voldemort is dead...isn't he?"

" I-I...maybe," said Peter wringing his hands, "but Richard has unicorn's blood...he'll try to bring him back the way-" Peter swallowed hard, "the way I did. That's why we have to stop him."

Ron's eyebrows disappeared under his fringe and he shook his head, "Did you just say we had to stop him from bringing back You-Know-Who?" Ron narrowed his eyes, " What's the real reason you're helping us?"

"He'll kill me if he returns," Peter shuddered, "it's my fault he was killed."

Ron blinked, " Am I dreaming? Cause If I am, this is a very cruel dream."

"What do you mean your fault?" said Hermione.

" He was going to use a different wand, so it wouldn't connect with Harry's, but I handed him the wrong one by accident."

"Wow...you must feel pretty stupid," said Ron turning away.

"Are you sure it was an accident Wormtail?" said Hermione before turning to follow Ron.

Peter stood there with his mouth open, attempting to say something in his defence.

"And what the Hell's a Phessian?" said Ron, turning to face Peter again.

"Phessian's what we were to Dumbledore, as they were to Slytherin," said Hermione with a curious look in her eye, "but they haven't existed for hundreds of years...or so I thought."

"Oh believe me the very much exist. Their hide-out was un-plotable...that is until Richard told Voldemort where to go and find them-nearly killed them all."

"So, let me guess this straight, the secret Order of Slytherin, the Phessians...are enemies with Voldemort?" Ron's shoulders sank, "this day just keeps getting more bizarre." He looked at Hermione, " I suppose you read about it in Hogwarts; A History."

"Actually, no it was in Professor Binn's class-"

TAP- TAP- TAP.

The three of them spun around to see an owl tapping fiercely at the window.

Ron narrowed his eyes, "Is that-"

"It's Hedwig!" shouted Hermione running over to the window to open it. But when she did this Hedwig took off and landed on a near by branch

"What is she doing?" asked Ron looking out the window. Hedwig flew around in a circle again and landed.

" She wants us to follow her!" said Hermione opening the door and running outside.

"Let's go!" said Ron pointing his wand at Peter, who cast a weary eye on the owl.

"Every time I change into a rat that owl tries to eat me!!"

"Yeah? Who said Owl's are useless?" said Ron pushing him out the door.

Harry laid there flexing his forearms and rotating his wrists under the metal clasps. He shivered slightly as goose bumps appeared on his bare torso. His mind was blank. He had given up trying to remember anything about the name Hogwarts or what the Tri-Wizard tournament was about. Or whether or not he had anybody looking for him...did he even have a family?

Harry heard the door open an close, and he lifted his head to see Tiberius and Richard walking in.

"Have a good sleep?" Richard asked.

Harry stayed silent as he lowered his head and stared at the ceiling.

" Richard, is this really necessary," said Tiberius looking at Harry's red markings on his wrist.

" Why are you doing this?" said Harry finally breaking his silence.

"Ah yes, the motive," he said walking closer to him, " you're quite a mystery Harry Potter. The Dark Lord seemed intent on killing you for the last eighteen years of your life- but why? Could it be that Harry Potter has the power to kill the Dark Lord? All of the Death Eaters thought the same thing, well, those of us who were brave enough to admit it anyway."

"How would you know?" asked Tiberius with his eyebrows scrunched together.

"Please, Tiberius it's rude to interrupt," Richard tutted, " as I was saying, the Dark Lord's curiosity led us in to the Department of Mysteries one night, were my belief's were confirmed."

"Us?"

"Shh," said Richard, " no one knew that I had heard the Prophecy when it smashed open on the floor that night."

Harry blinked hard when a vision of a man falling through a veil flashed into his mind.

"You're a Death Eater?" said Tiberius quietly.

"Ding, ding, ding!" said Richard clapping his hand, " welcome to the party Tiberius! So Harry, The Dark Lord's worst nightmare had come true, there was someone out there with the power to kill him- you."

Harry's right temple had begun to hurt, when he saw himself in a field surrounded by hundreds of people, following a high-pitched laugh.

" You sold us out," breathed Tiberius, "You betrayed your family-"

"MY Family?" Richard snapped, "My Family that cast me aside like dirt! My family - my loyalty- lies with the Dark Lord, the true heir of Slytherin and of the Phessians."

"Voldemort is not a pureblood! And he will NEVER take the Order."

Richard sighed, " Oh I absolutely hate it when we fight," he said putting a hand on Tiberius' shoulder, "...brother."

Tiberius threw Richard's hand away, glaring at him.

" I know," said Richard with the smile, "once the Dark Lord is risen, I'll see if I can get you in. You know, a Death Eater? I daresay he will hold us in high favour after we- oh fine-I bring him back?"

" I would rather die."

"... You'll need some time to think about it I understand," said Richard smiling.

"The Phessians will never let Voldemort take over,"

" Oh, I doubt the Dark Lord will get much resistance...what, with the council being dead and all."

"You killed them?"

" Yes, it's what happens when people choose what's behind door number two."

"You're mad," Tiberius breathed.

Richard laughed, " No, just annoyed."

Tiberius started to laugh with him, " How do you expect to bring Voldemort back- Harry killed him. And I'm quite sure the ministry had the body destroyed."

Richard sighed again, "I'm surrounded by Idiots. Do you honestly think the Dark Lord would let himself be killed that easily?" he said reaching inside his robes, "it is very easy to preserve one's self from death." He turned towards Harry, bringing out the small vile of a silvery substance.

Harry glared at him as Richard leaned his elbows on the table where he lay.

"You see this?" said Richard wagging the bottle, " this is unicorn's blood and mixed with your own blood, can have a very spectacular effect. It's going to bring back an old friend of yours, but for us," he said straightening up, "we will be picking up were we left off."

With that Richard pushed himself off the table, walked by Tiberius playfully punching him in the arm, and left.

Tiberius was staring at the floor, grabbing at his hairline.

"How does it feel," said Harry raising his head to look at him, "to be betrayed by somebody you trusted?"

Tiberius looked at him, " It was never supposed to be like this," he said walking towards him, "you were only supposed to help us..."

"Help you?"

" To defeat Voldemort. That's all Sonius wanted"

"Great...doesn't really matter though now does it?"

"It did to us." Tiberius looked down at Harry and brought out two wands out of his robes, shoving one of them in Harry's hands.

"What are you doing?" asked Harry with shock.

" That wand is yours- Alohomora!"

The metal clasps sprang apart and Harry wrenched his hands free.

"Why are you doing this?" said Harry sitting upright and rubbing his wrists.

" I asked you to do something for me once, hopefully this will even things up," said Tiberius helping Harry off the table, " and I for one, don't ever want to see Voldemort rise again. Take this," he said taking off his robe and handing it to Harry, " if Richard asks, I'll tell him some cock and bull story- but you have to knock me out before you go to make it look-"

"Honestly Tiberius do you think I'm that dumb?"

BANG!

Tiberius was blasted against the wall. There was a sickening crack as his shoulder dislocated, falling to the floor in a crumpled heap, holding his arm. Harry had just enough time to roll over the table and hide as red streak hit a part of the brick wall, leaving a gaping whole.

"You know Tiberius, I'm very disappointed in you," said Richard, slowly walking into the room with his wand raised, " I mean I have you to thank for all this!"

Harry looked at Tiberius, who looked sorrowfully at him.

"Was it not you, that convinced the Ministry of Magic to put Harry's name down? Was it not you that convinced Sonius that getting Harry was the only way to get rid of the Dark Lord once and for all? I'm sure Harry would want to thank you for ripping him away from his school and his friends...you even convinced Dumbledore, himself!"

It felt like someone was trying to reconnect two broken wires in Harry 's brain, he shuffled backwards against the wall and dug the heel of his palm into his eyes. He saw a man with half moon glasses and a pointy nose. He saw his best friend Ron being carried on people's shoulders carrying the Quidditch cup

And he saw Hermione, slamming into him for hug.

He remembered his promise to come home.

It was eighteen years of memories flooding back into his mind, without a slight chance of stopping. Harry looked down at his wand and gripped it tight.

"But alas, farewell...brother- AVADA KEDAVRA!"

A bright green light streaked towards Tiberius- he screamed and feel limp on the floor.

Harry saw Richard's wand tip lighting up again and dived out of the way as the table smashed into pieces.

Harry stood up and pointed his wand at Richard. But he was too late.

"CRUCIO!" yelled Richard.

Harry screamed in pain but the sadistic side of brain told him that he had already experienced pain like this.

"You don't know how PATHETIC you look." Richard delivered a swift kick at Harry's side, sending him rolling against the wall. " But I will not have that happy pleasure of killing you," said Richard grabbing Harry's hair and pulling his head back, " No...my lord will do that- CRUCIO!"

Harry's back arched as he yelled out in pain. Hot tears started rolling down his cheek and felt his wand being pulled free from his hand. He barely had any strength to resist. He never wanted Ron and Hermione here with him so bad in his life. Suddenly, he felt himself being lifted off the stone floor and floating in the air. He became very still- as though hung by an invisible rope, his arms and legs were stretched out, and he watched Richard summon a wooden box.

" Now Harry, I wouldn't move if I were you...this will hurt...a lot."

Harry's eyes went wide as Richard removed a small dagger. The blade was shaped like a serpent. With a sweet smile Richard pressed the knife's edge into Harry's skin and proceeded to cut across the arms, just below the shoulder. Harry gritted his teeth and growled at the pain, he tried to move but he couldn't. Harry watched as the blood flowed down his arms and into two small vases conjured up below him. He felt something trickle down his back- his shoulder wound had re-opened.

*

Ron, Peter and Hermione were practically jogging through the knee-deep snow to catch up with Hedwig who was soaring up ahead. Suddenly, a strange glow emanated from Hermione's neck.

"Hermione, what is that?" asked Ron, his breath sharp.

Hermione stopped and looked down, " It's the necklace Harry gave me," said Hermione sniffing and wiping the sweat off her forehead, " it's never done this until now."

" Do you think it means-"

Hedwig gave sharp hoot as she impatiently hovered a few feet above.

Peter looked up. " Harry must be close by," he said blowing warm air into his hands.

"C'mon," said Hermione running at full speed now, Ron bolted off after her and Peter tried his best to keep up the pace.

"LOOK!" shouted Ron, pointing at an old mansion, the moonlight pouring over the Ivy covered walls.

Hermione ran even harder, her knees moving up and down like pistons. Hedwig flew ahead of her, ducking underneath the Iron gate and perching on one of the railings. Hermione and Ron slowed themselves down to a stop in front of the door. They both turned and looked at Peter who was just catching up, he bent over putting his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

Ron siezed a hold of the large brass ring and puled, " Locked," he said pulling out his wand, "Alohomora!" Ron tried to open the door again but it didn't budge. "What the hell-"

"Oh this is ridiculous," said Peter turning into a rat and crawling underneath the door. In a few seconds there was a click and the door opened , " C'mon," said Peter ushering them inside Hedwig flew in just behind them and flew further into the house.

"Lumos," Hermione whispered and her wand crackled with light , holding it high above she did a slow turn. The light of her wand slowly rotated around revealing a large entrance hall with three sets of stairs. One leading up on both sides and another one leading down, in the middle. A large and dusty chandler hung above them. Hermione's necklace reflected off of the marble floor. It was eerily quiet.

"Blimey," Ron whispered looking at the various paintings of ancient pale face wizards.

"Phessians," said Peter looking at a large coat of arms, just above the doorway with a snake entwined around a large sword.

" I wonder if they had the same decorator for the Slytherin Common room?" said Ron eyeing a particularly gruesome looking statue.

A loud scream eminated from the distance.

Ron and Hermione whipped their heads around, the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end.

"Where did that come from?" said Peter cowering towards the corner.

"This way," said Hermione taking off towards a set of stairs that lead down into the darkness.

Ron grabbed Peter by his cloak and threw him forwards. "Lumos," he said lighting the way.

What awaited down there for them, Hermione didn't know, nor did she care- Harry was down there, and that's all that mattered. The glow of her necklace seemed to get brighter by the foot. She no longer needed her wand to light the way. When they had finally reached the bottom the tunnel divided into two ways.

"Left or right?" asked Ron, catching his breath.

"How about back up?" asked Peter timidly.

"How about shut-up?" said Hermione turning her head from side to side trying to figure it out. She was beginning to get frustrated, the longer they took, the more danger Harry might be in. Ron felt something fly over him, Peter screamed and covered his head.

"Hedwig!" shouted Ron, "she's flying this way, c'mon!"

Ron made a grab for Hermione's hand to pull her but she had already taken off running after Hedwig. As they ran, torches on the walls burst into flames lighting their way. At the end of the hall there was a wooden door with light slipping from the cracks of it. Hedwig slowed down and perched herself on Hermione's shoulder. Their hearts were beating fast as they held their wands in front of them. They could hear someone talking on the inside.

" This is taking too long," said the voice, "That vase should be at least half full by know- CRUCIO!"

A scream emanated, that made Hermione and Ron's heart stop beating.

"HARRY!" they screamed, and with all his might, Ron threw his shoulder into the door.

BANG!

Ron , Hermione and Peter stumbled in with their wands raised. The image that they saw was all too familiar to Peter. There, Harry was hanging- his arms stretched out by and invisible rope. Blood pouring down his arms, his face tear stained. Richard was nowhere to be seen. Harry's mouth was moving but no words came out.

"HARRY!" Hermione cried and rushed forwards to help. Hedwig released her grip and flew out of the room.

"Stupefy!" called a voice from nowhere and Hermione was blasted backwards against Ron and Peter knocking them over.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" said Richard appearing from nowhere dropping a cloak by his side, " Good for you Harry, it seems that you won't be dying alone after all! Oh, hello Pettigrew- nice to see you again."

Ron and Hermione started to scramble to their feet, Richard threw another curse at them, it missed, it would have almost hit Peter if hadn't turned back into a rat just then and scampered off.

"FINITE INCANTATUM!" shouted Hermione, and Harry fell to the floor, narrowly missing the two jars.

"ADVERTAE STASIA!" Ron yelled and a orange streak of light blasted out of his wand, Richard disappeared, and a large chunk of stone was taken out. Ron was breathing heavily as he turned sharply on his heel pointing his wand at all corners of the room. Hermione slowly lifted Harry's upper body up, holding him in her arms.

Even though she couldn't hear him, she could tell he was trying to say 'Hermione'.

" It's alright Harry...I've got you."

BOOM!

Ron was knocked off his feet, as a blast of purple light exploded at Ron's side, dust , and loose rock fell from the ceiling. Hermione pulled her cloak over her head to shield Harry from the falling debris.

" Two versus one, I like those odds," said Richard appearing again, raising his wand at them. With a shot of purple light, Ron was sent skidding across the floor, smashing his back against the wall. Ron looked over with pain written all over his face as he felt something beside him. He lifted his head and came face to face with a dead body .

"Tiberius Decker?!" he said in shock. Ron had a sudden urge to throw up as he stared into the lifeless eyes.

Hermione cast a weary eye at Ron who was struggling to get up and looked about ready to charge at Richard, who had his back to him. Richard saw the look on Hermione's face, smiled and turned around.

" PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

"IMMOBULOUS!" shouted Hermione

Ron's eyes went cross as he stared at the streak of light that stopped just and inch from his face.

"Thanks for that," he said, his voice a little higher than normal. He cautiously sidestepped the frozen

Richard and rushed forward to Hermione and Harry.

" We need to hurry" said Hermione, pulling Harry up, " I don't know how long he'll stay like that."

Ron slung Harry's arm around his neck. " Can you walk Harry?"

Harry gave a weak nod, as Hermione put his arm around her own neck. As they walked out of the room

Ron gave one last glance at Richard and could have sworn he saw his hand twitch.

"And we're hurrying!" he said desperately trying to walk faster under Harry's nearly dead weight.

"My wand!" Harry said desperately, "he has it!"

Ron stared at him, " Do you really need it that bad?!"

"I'll get it," said Hermione.

" Are you mental?" said Ron easing Harry against Hermione, " I'll get it, where is it?"

"It's...it's in his robe," said Harry weakly.

" Bugger," Ron muttered, with his wand out he walked at a hesitant pace towards Richard's frozen position.

With one foot out he leaned back and slowly reached out his arm inside Richard's robe.

Richard blinked.

"GEEZ!" shouted Ron springing back.

"Ron, hurry up!" shouted Hermione.

"Don't yell at me!" he shouted whipping his hands up and down, trying to steady his nerves. Reaching his hand forward again, he winced as he pulled Harry's wand out.

"I got it!" he said running back to them, once again pulling Harry's arm over his neck. They made there way through the dark tunnel when suddenly Hermione stopped.

"Don't tell me you forgot your wand too?"

"Apparate," she said turning to face him, " we can apparate."

" Harry? Do you have enough strength to apparate?" asked Ron.

"Well I don't know Ron, I've been bleeding to death for a few hours!" he croaked.

"He's fine," said Ron, " at my house then," he said as they all closed there eyes. After a few seconds they opened them. They were still at the mansion. " Why can't we apparate?"

"I don't know but I don't really feel like staying here to figure it out!" Hermione said picking up her

pace. Suddenly they heard a blast of concrete.

"He's broken through the spell!" said Hermione.

"Go with out me," said Harry, " you still have a chance to get out of here."

"I am NOT leaving you," said Hermione staring straight into his eyes.

Ron suddenly grabbed Harry by his arms, bent over and pulled Harry up over his shoulders, "C'mon," he said breaking out into a heavy jog with Hermione running after him. They reached the bottom of the stairs. " You know this stair case was a lot shorter the first time," said Ron breathing heavily. Hermione tapped Harry's head lightly with her wand. It felt as if Harry was no longer on his shoulder.

" Honestly Ron, seven years of magic-"

CRACK!

" We'll argue later!" said Ron running away from the near miss from Richards's wand.

The doors were still open from when they had entered the first time.

" We're almost there Harry!" said Hermione encouragingly as she watched a drip of blood cascade over his shoulder..

Suddenly the doors slammed shut. They slowly turned around and saw Richard walking up the stairs, with his wand pointed at them. Ron slowly eased Harry back down to his feet.

Richard looked at the three of them, his eyes bloodshot, gripping his wand very tight with both hands. Suddenly Ron, Harry and Hermione felt the ground vibrate beneath them. A black light was glowing at the end of Richard's tip. The three of them held their wands ready to do a counter curse for whatever was coming. The vibration was getting so bad it was hard for them to stand on their feet. With a swish Richard brought his wand down and pointed it to the ground. There was a loud CRACK! And a wave of black light cascaded towards them.

"ADA PROTEGO!" Hermione shouted and a mass of blue light exploded from her wand tip.

Ron and Harry watched in awe as a blue transparent wall formed in front of them, blocking the black light from touching them.

Richard growled and began to slowly advance forward, the black light slowly pushing Hermione backwards. She threw her upper body forward and bared her teeth, her arm vibrating from the wand.

" HERMIONE!" shouted Harry

" GET HARRY OUT OF HERE RON!" she yelled, " HE WON'T TOUCH YOU! GO!"

Ron threw the door open.

"NO!" shouted Harry trying to break free from Ron's grasp, " HERMIONE!" he shouted again.

Hermione gripped her wand with both hands as Richard kept advancing slowly forwards. She shut her eyes in concentration, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face. With her hands shaking as she kept a grip on her wand- she pushed forward.

Richard started to slide backwards on his feet towards the staircase. He threw his hand out to catch the ledge of the wall to stop himself from falling backwards. Harry watched helplessly as everything started to go dark around him. He could hear his heart beat slowly decreasing in his ear.

" Harry?!" shouted Ron smacking the side of his face, " Harry wake up!".

Harry's knees gave out from beneath as he feel limp, with Ron desperately trying to pull him back up again.

Suddenly, a blast of a golden jet stream flew past Ron and Hermione and caught Richard in the chest. There was a yell as he disappeared down the stairs.

Hermione collapsed on her hands and knees, exhausted.

Ron took a gigantic step back as Dumbledore entered, followed by Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin and Mr. Weasley, with Hedwig soaring in above them.

"Dad?!" said Ron with his mouth open, " what are you- how did you-"

"Ronald Weasley!" he said hugging his son close while Remus picked up Harry's limp body, "if you ever-!"

Professor Mc Gonagall rushed over to help Hermione up, " Miss Granger? Are you all right?"

" Just a little-" Hermione's eyes went wide as she flickered them between Dumbledore and MCGonagall,

" Professors! I -"

" Can we talk about this later?" Remus interrupted, " Harry isn't doing so well."

"We'll apparate back to the Burrow, I'm sure Molly is frantic with worry," said Dumbledore as he beckoned them outside.

"We can't," said Hermione finally finding her voice, "I mean we tried earlier but we couldn't."

"I don't imagine you could apparate from Slytherin's Mansion. Who do you think placed that spell on Hogwarts? But we can, however, apparate, from outside, which is where we are headed."

" What about- " said Ron pointing towards the stairs.

"That's why we're here," came a voice from the doorway. Tonks smiled at them and behind her was Kingsley Shacklebolt, who pretty much took up the entire frame, "we'll clean this mess up, and we'll meet you back at the Burrow," she said stepping to the side to allow Kingsley through.

Walking outside, Hermione stole a glance at Harry. The snowflakes contrasting sharply in his hair. Ron had taken off his cloak and threw it over Harry to keep him warm. Don't you dare die on me, she thought to herself as her eyelids began to burn with tears, I don't want to loose you. As she closed her eyes to apparate a single tear rolled down her cheek.

When they all appeared back at the Burrow, they found Mrs. Weasley sitting at the kitchen table with her hands together as if in prayer. Fred, George, and Ginny were watching the hands on their special clock go from 'mortal peril' to 'home'. She looked up and saw them standing there with Remus rushing towards the couch, laying Harry down. Mrs Weasley rushed forward and hugged Ron and Hermione tightly.

"Oh thank goodness!" she said pulling Mr Weasley close for a kiss on the cheek.

"Fred, George- can you get me some bandages?" asked Remus, looking at his blood covered hand and the twins appeared a few seconds later with large roll of bandages and ointments. Hermione broke free from Mrs Weasley's death grip and rushed next to Remus, kneeling beside him.

"Will he be all right?"

" He's lost a lot of blood Hermione."

"Will he be alright?" she asked again this time with more desperation.

Remus didn't answer but quickly went to work on Harry's arms. When he finished tying the last bandage he felt Harry's pulse. He swallowed hard.

"Remus?" asked Hermione, her eyes shining with tears.

"We need Severus," he said quietly, "Professor Dumbledore? Hermione, I think Mrs Weasley needs a hand, maybe you should go help-"

"I'm staying with Harry," she said.

"Is Harry going to be okay?" asked Ron coming over.

"Look," said Remus starting to loose his temper, " both of you go-into-the- kitchen."

Remus bent down and scooped up Harry's limp body, and felt something warm trickling over his fingers.

"Professor Dumbledore, we need Severus. He's lost a lot of blood, and I don't think...he may not..."

" I have already sent for Severus," said Dumbledore, " he is working with Madam Pomfrey as we speak."

"Take him into the spare bedroom upstairs on the second floor," said Mrs Weasley, grabbing a spare bandage and pressing it against Harry's shoulder blade.

" Snape' s coming HERE?!" Ron shouted over the chaos.

But all of them were deaf to Ron's complaint as Remus turned himself sideways, to walk up the stairs, Hermione following him in his wake. Ron was about to follow but felt something tight wrap around his ribs, he looked down at his baby sister Ginny, and after a second hesitation he hugged her tight.

When they reached the second floor Hermione opened the door for them. Gently, Remus placed Harry on the soft bed, and removed his glasses.

" Hermione," he said looking at her, " what possessed you to go looking for him? Moreover, how the hell did you find him?"

" Pettigrew," she said quietly, " he helped us look for him. And then Hedwig-"

"Pettigrew?" he repeated, "Peter Pettigrew? Wormtail?"

"Yes...we would have never found Harry if it wasn't for him."

"Well, where is he?"

" I don't know," said Hermione wiping the side of her face, "he disappeared when we found Harry."

Suddenly there was a loud commotion , and they heard someone coming up the stairs.

"Severus must be here," said Remus walking to the door and opening it further. Sure enough Severus had just appeared at the top of the stairs carrying a vile of dark red liquid. He shifted his eyes between the three of them and walked towards the bed. Hermione rushed forwards and held Harry's head up. Snape stopped and looked at her. With a raised eyebrow he parted Harry's mouth open with the rim of the vile and tipped the end up until it was completely empty. Hermione could feel Harry swallow it, then slowly lowered his head.

"You should consider yourself very lucky Potter," said Snape straightening himself up. With a quick nod to Remus, Snape exited, making his way back down the stairs again.

"I need to go down stairs," said Remus, " I don't think I need to ask you to stay with him," he said with a small smile and walked out. Just as he had left however, Ron and Mrs Weasley entered carrying fresh blankets, a large basin full of warm water and a sponge.

"How is he?" Ron asked timidly.

"Snape gave him the potion," was all Hermione said.

"Alright you two," said Mrs. Weasley setting down the blankets and basin, " I need to clean Harry up, you can't go downstairs because they are having a meeting, so you can join Ginny in Fred and George's old room."

Hermione looked down at Harry's pale and expressionless face. Pushing his fringe back and pausing for a second she lowered her head and kissed him on the forehead, her lips lingering for awhile, and walked out with Ron, who turned to look at Harry one last time and closed the door behind him. When they entered Fred and George's room, a thousand questions were launched at them. Their bodies physically tired, their minds mentally exhausted, they told them all about Pettigrew, Richard, and the mansion.

After a long silence, where Ron and Hermione exchanged a few yawns, Fred finally spoke up.

" Just goes to show that Voldemort will never truly be gone until the last of his supports are dead or in Azkaban."

"Well thanks for that lovely thought," said Ginny, resting her chin in her hands.

The five of them sat and listened to the mumbles coming from downstairs. It wasn't until George slipped his extendable ears underneath the door when they had some idea of what was happening.

"Something about a Wormtail," George said after a few seconds, both Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances, " Snape is talking now...Hemagalobin?"

"Haemoglobin," Hermione interjected, " he must be talking about the potion he used for Harry."

" GEEZ!" said George pulling the extendable earpiece out of his ear, replacing it with his finger and wagging it wildly

"What happened?" asked Fred.

"Mum's humming," he said "I won't be able to pick up anything over that."

It would be a full hour before they all fell asleep. All except one. Hermione sat on the windowsill staring out into the dawning sky, fingering her necklace. Her eyes burned with tiredness, but she didn't want to go to sleep. Her mind was down stairs in Harry' s room. Slowly standing up, she crept across the floor, stepping over a sleeping Ron, who was snoring quietly, with Ginny huddled up against his back. She opened the door and closed it quietly behind her and made her way down the stairs to the second floor. The house was much more quiet than it was just a few hours ago. Opening the door to Harry's room she walked inside. There was Harry. His face, though clean, was still a little pale and scruffy. The morning sun slowly creeping on to the bed sheets that covered him. She pulled up a stool beside him and sat down . Folding her arm and resting her head on it, she watched Harry sleep. She closed her eyes and said a small prayer:

Hermione felt the drowsiness overcome her. Straightening out her arm she rested her head on the edge of Harry's pillow and placed her hand over his chest. Feeling Harry's heart beat, she feel fast asleep.

"Hermione?" she heard somebody's voice say, " Hermione dear, wake up," opening her eyes, she looked up at Mrs Wealsey, who had her hand on her shoulder. Raising herself up she looked at Harry whose face was full of colour again. Hermione rubbed her face and eyes, waking herself up. Mrs Weasley gave a content smile as she sat down on the opposite side of the bed.

"If you like, you can help me change the bandages," said Mrs Weasley , untying one of the bandages on his arm. Hermione pushed her hair back over her shoulder and pulled her chair closer. She went to work on Harry's other arm in silence.

" Now, I need you to help me roll him over so I can fix the one on his back," said Mrs Weasley, grabbing on to Harry's shoulders, " ready? One, two and-" she rolled him towards Hermione, keeping him on his side, so he wouldn't suffocate. Hermione looked at his face, pressing her lips together so Mrs Weasley wouldn't see her bottom lip quiver. She sniffed once and looked up to blink the tears away.

"Finished," said Mrs Weasley, gently rolling him back.

Gathering up the old bandages she stood up, " I'm going down stairs to make some breakfast, I imagine the boys will be awake as soon as they smell the bacon. Would you like to help dear?"

Hermione have a polite smile, " No thank you Mrs Weasley, I'd like to stay with Harry if that's okay."

Mrs Weasley smiled again, "Of course...I imagine he would like to see a friendly face when wakes. If you need anything-" she said turning to go. Hermione nodded once more and she left quietly closing the door behind her.

Hermione held her closed fist against her mouth, resting her elbow on the side of the bed. She let out a choke of tears as she felt one roll down the side of her cheek, she stood up and turned to face the window, gently sobbing into her hand. Leaning her shoulder against the windowsill, she tried to steady her breathing as she watched the snow glisten like diamonds against the sun. If she hadn't arrived in the mansion in time, if only she had thought of a better spell to use. Suddenly she felt someone grab her shoulder.

She jumped and turned around grabbing whosever hand it was. Her jaw nearly dropped.

"Harry!"

He managed a weak smile, and looked like his legs where about to give when Hermione threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close, "Good morning," he said quietly, " not too tight though, I'm still a little sore."

But Hermione wasn't paying attention, she was too busy digging her face into his shoulder crying softly.

"Thank God, you're awake! I was so worried, I thought I would never-"

"I'm okay," said Harry hugging her tightly, "I'm okay, Hermione."

Hermione pressed the side of her face against his and felt the roughness of his whiskers. Sniffing she pulled her face away and felt the side of his face. " I never thought of you as a beard person."

Harry just stared at her, " I haven't exactly had the chance to shave have I? But it's on the to- do list."

The was a mad rush of footsteps down the stairs and the door flew open.

"YOU'RE AWAKE!" shouted Ron running towards Harry and giving him a big hug.

"Told you I'd come back," said Harry straining under the tightness of the hug.

Suddenly Ron pulled away grabbed him threateningly by the front of his shirt, "If You EVER do that to us again I will kill you myself- got that?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at him, and Ron slowly started to smile, "It's good to have you back mate," he said and hugged him again.

Hermione stood off in the corner beaming at them wiping the side of her face dry.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Um, a little shaky, to be honest," said Harry feeling a little light headed, "I-I need to sit down if that's alright with you two," said Harry holding his forehead. Ron and Hermione both took his arms and guided him back to his bed.

"Well if it's any consolation Harry, you look a lot better than you did last night, you looked almost-" Ron broke off, catching Hermione's eye.

"If you guys hadn't found me I probably would have been," said Harry leaning back on the headboard, "how did you find me anyways?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other and took turns telling Harry how Wormtail led them to Richard's cabin, and of Wormtail's small blunder that led to Voldemort's death.

"I should thank him if I ever see him again," said Harry as an afterthought.

" Harry," Ron asked after a long pause, "what was it like...you know, that battle?"

"Which part?" said Harry putting on his glasses, " the part where I couldn't perform a Cruciatus curse or the part where I killed Voldemort?"

It was hard to tell which part Ron winced at the most, " Never mind."

"I don't mind talking about it," said Harry, rubbing his eyes, "it was sort of surreal...almost like it happened to someone else. I mean, one day I'm at the Dursleys getting yelled at- and the next..." Harry broke off, he didn't know how to describe it.

"You must be exhausted Harry," said Hermione, " we'll go and let you have a rest."

"It's okay," said Harry, "I'm too awake now."

" Do you smell that?" said Ron sniffing the air, leaning back further on his chair, "Mum's ma- WHOA!"

THUD!

Hermione and Harry roared with laughter as Ron's feet flew up over his head, falling backwards on his chair.

There was a faint 'ow' as Ron slowly stood up, holding his lower back.

"Mum's got breakfast ready," he wheezed, placing his hands on his knees, "I'm gonna-" he said pointing to the door, "yeah."

Harry and Hermione continued to laugh at him as he hobbled away.

"I should go get ready," they said together.

They exchanged a small laugh and Harry felt his face, "I need to freshen up."

"I'll meet you down stairs then," said Hermione standing up to go.

"There's a bathroom on this floor right?" asked Harry getting ready to stand up.

" Just across from you," she said pointing in the direction. And with a nod from Harry she left.

Harry exhaled deeply as he sat on the side of his bed. There was sudden tap on the window and Harry looked up.

"Hedwig!" he cried staggering towards the window to throw it open. Hedwig came soaring in and perched herself on the edge of the bed hooting softly as if to say 'I missed you!'

He dropped on his knees in front of his owl and stroked her feathers.

"You were watching me all this time weren't you?"

Hedwig gave another soft hoot.

Harry knelt there for a while looking at the various feathers on Hedwig's wing, stroking them gently.

"I bet you're hungry?" Harry smiled as she hooted, " if you're lucky, I'm sure Mrs. Weasley might have something for you- that is if Pig hasn't beat you too it."

Hedwig ruffled her feathers importantly and flew out of the room. Standing back up he scratched the side of his face- he really did need to shave. There was a small pile of clean clothes for Harry in the corner of the room. They must have been Ron's because the pant legs were slightly long on him.

Walking into the bathroom he opened up the mirror and found a bottle of shaving cream, pushing the odd toothbrush aside he found a spare razor. He shook the can, sprayed some on the palm of his hand, worked it into a lather a spread it all over his jaw area. Rinsing his hands off he took off his glasses and grabbed the razor. His hand shook as he held the razor close to his face. He slammed it back down in the sink counter and looked at himself, he didn't want to come downstairs with tiny pieces of toilet paper attached to his face.

"Problems?" Hermione was standing in the doorway, looking at him with a crooked smile.

"I don't think I want to give blood anymore so I'm just waiting for my hand to stop shaking."

"Did you need help?" she asked earnestly.

Harry laughed a little, "Not unless you've shaven your face before."

Hermione stared at him, " I used to help shave my dad's face when I was a little girl," she said walking over to him and turning on the hot water, " I think I still remember how."

She grabbed the razor and sat on the ledge of the counter. Turning off the water she swirled the razor around, tapped it twice on the ledge and held it up to Harry's face, "Now whatever you do, don't sneeze."

Harry laughed and Hermione lowered the razor. " Sorry," he said and moved closer.

" First the neck, raise your head."

Harry raised his head and he felt the warm razor against his skin as Hermione slowly drew the razor up wards. He heard the splashing of the water as she continued with another strip. There was something gentle about this that made Harry close his eyes.

"Lower your chin," she said after awhile, and continued to work on his face.

He blinked slowly as he turned his head to the side, when that side was finished he turned to the other. There was something oddly relaxing about this. He looked at Hermione's hair, and slowly moved up to her eyes were they were concentrating intently on not cutting him.

"Go like this," she said inflating her cheeks, Harry imitated so she could get the area underneath his nose. Hermione laughed at him. "Almost finished," she said shaving off the last few whiskers, "all clean-oh, whoops you have a bit of shaving cream on your lip." She brushed it off with her thumb, and Harry looked at her, she found herself making eye contact as she kept her thumb on his lip.

"Umm," she said taking her thumb and her eyes away, she leaned over to the left and grabbed a small hand towel. Harry kept his eyes on her as she brought the towel up to his face and slowly wiped off the remaining streaks. All she could see was his eyes.

"All clean," she said with a faint smile.

"Thank you," said Harry. There was a moment silence.

"I'll- I'll be down stairs," Hermione stuttered, pushing herself of the counter. Harry took a step back to giver her room, and just when she had disappeared around the corner-

"Hermione?"

She poked her head through the doorway.

"That necklace. There was a reason why I gave it to you."

Hermione stood completely in the doorframe with her hands shoved in her back pockets.

"I- I didn't want you to forget about me, in case... in case I didn't come back."

A look of sadness washed over her face. "Oh Harry," she said and walked towards him throwing her arms around his neck, hugging him close, " I could NEVER forget you. How could I?"

"I don't know, I just thought that...when you're old and grey and you're surrounded by two dozen grandchildren...you could look at this necklace, and you could tell them. Tell them about me...and our adventures."

Hermione looked sternly at him

"That's ridiculous...because you'll be there to tell them."

Harry choked a laugh despite himself.

"Besides," she said wiping a tear from Harry's face, " you'll need my help putting a jinx on Ron's cane."

They laughed together, and Harry hugged her tight.

"You know Harry," said Hermione resting the side of her face on his shoulder, " this necklace lit up last night- when we were trying to find you."

Harry pulled away and lifted the pendant to examine it. " It's a lost and found necklace," he said brushing his thumb across it, " it lights up when you try to find me, but only if I'm close by."

Hermione looked down at it, "how come it isn't lighting up now?"

"You're not looking for me are you?"

Hermione smiled at him and rested her head on his shoulder again. " No," she sighed, "but I've found you."

They shared that embrace for quite sometime, until Harry heard something grumble and Hermione's shoulders shook with laughter.

"Hungry?" she asked pulling away.

"A little," he said rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile.

She reached behind him and grabbed his glasses, "May I?"

Harry lowered his head forward and closed his eyes. Slowly sliding the glasses on she smoothed her hands against his face as she lowered them. Harry slowly opened his eyes and the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.

Hermione smirked back at him and folded her hands behind her back, giving him a look of approval." I think breakfast is ready."

Harry straightened up, and with a smile Hermione took his arm and led him down the stairs.

"Harry!" cried Fred, George and Ginny, swamping him with hugs as he teetered backwards. He felt Hermione's arm leave him as he struggled to grab on to the banister to keep him from falling backwards.

"That will do," came Mrs Weasley' s voice from the kitchen.

Harry tried to listen to the three voices telling them how glad they were while trying to grab a seat in between Hermione and Ron. His arm quivered a little as he put his weight on the back of the chair to ease himself down. Ron piled a stack of French toast on his plate while Hermione buttered his toast. Mrs Weasley piled six sausages and four strips of bacon on top, while Ginny poured pumpkin juice in his glass.

"Good service," Harry commented as Fred poured syrup on his French toast, " you guys could give Dobby a run for his money."

They chuckled lightly as Mr Weasley joined the table.

"How are you Harry?"

Harry shrugged, "I'm alive...and very hungry," he said picking up his knife and fork and digging in.

"Well Molly I hope you have room for one more," said Mr Weasley, taking a sip of tea, " Dumbledore is on his way."

A few people choked on their juice.

"Dumbledore...here? For breakfast, I mean?" said Ron wide-eyed.

There was a light knock on the door and a few people craned their necks over there shoulders to see who was there. Mrs Weasley beamed as she opened the door.

"Professor Dumbledore! You're very welcome."

" Thank you Molly," said Dumbledore, his cheeks slightly rosy from the cold. It reminded Harry of a picture of Father Christmas he had seen on a Christmas card once.

"Would you like some breakfast?" asked Mrs Weasley taking his cloak.

"Oh no thank you, but I wouldn't say no to a cup of your famous hot chocolate."

Mrs Weasley, if it was possible, beamed even more.

After exchanging morning greetings Dumbledore took a seat next to Ginny, whose cheeks went slightly pink. Everyone indulged in light conversation, trying to avoid the heaviness of the previous night. Harry barely spoke, he was to busy stuffing his face.

"Feel free to come up for air," said Hermione quietly to him. Harry looked at her with bulging cheeks and swallowed. He quickly drew a napkin to his mouth to stifle a burp. Hermione laughed and rubbed his back, "good boy."

Ron sat back massaging his stomach and cast a side glance at Harry, who was pouring more syrup onto his plate. It was the first time he had ever seen Harry eat more than him.

After a few minutes, Fred and Ginny stood up and gathered everyone's empty plates, Harry grabbed a small piece of bacon off his plate just as Fred was lifting it away and swallowed it.

"You know, you can chew it," said Ron looking at Harry at disbelief.

"Excellent hot chocolate, Molly," said Dumbledore whipping his moustache, " now Harry, if you would be so kind as to join me out side on the porch," he began to stand up, "Hermione and Ron, you can join us too."

The cast weary glances at each other. Harry knew this was the reason Dumbledore had come. Getting up from their seats Ron handed Harry a spare cloak. Drawing their cloaks closer to them selves they followed Dumbledore outside. The sunlight glittering off the snow hand made everything so bright, that they all squinted as they looked around. Harry inhaled deeply. It had been awhile since he was able to smell the fresh outdoors. Dumbledore had conjured up four chairs and they all took their respective seats.

" I hope Harry that you are well rested," Dumbledore began.

Harry nodded, " Yeah."

"Excellent. First of all- I would like to thank you two," he said nodding at Hermione and Ron, "for finding Harry."

Ron shrugged, "It was nothing," he said casting a sideways grin at Harry, who nudged him.

"And second, I would like to thank you Harry."

"Me? What for?"

Dumbledore looked at him surprised, " Well I suppose beating Voldemort, may seem a little boring after awhile."

The corner of Harry's mouth flexed into a grin, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Of course not Harry, of course not," Dumbledore chuckled, "But I am sure the Minister of Magic will be eager to pin a few medals across your chest."

"I'd prefer he didn't," said Harry, " so many people died during that fight...they didn't have to-"

"But they chose to," said Dumbledore, "they came to fight the same reason you did...to fight for the greater good and for that, there can be no greater reward."

"Um, Professor?" Hermione piped," Is- is Voldemort really gone?"

Dumbledore sighed, "Voldemort preserved himself in so many forms...in a diary, in another man's body. His body may have been destroyed, but his spirit may very well be still alive."

Harry shoulders sank. "So it's not over?"

" The battle between good and evil never ends Harry, but since Voldemort's body was destroyed- there is very little chance for him to regain human form."

"Well," said Ron, "that's good news isn't it?"

"Tonks was privileged enough to interrogate Richard. And I am privileged enough to answer any question you might have about him, " said Dumbledore.

Professor...what will happen to Richard?" asked Harry.

" Azkaban for him. I'm sure the rest of his fellow Death Eaters won't mind the extra company, his crimes with Voldemort alone are enough to keep him in there for life."

"Did Richard ever say why he tried to get rid of my memory?"

"You lost your memory?!" said Hermione and Ron.

"Well, according to Tonks, the purpose of your memory loss was to insure that you would not have a reason to return home. But since your memory was lost by a potion and not a spell, the effects were not permanent."

Hermione smacked her forehead, " The Wolfsbane," she said looking at Ron and Harry's blank face,

"remember when we were at the cabin, and the only full bottle left was the Wolfsbane?"

"Oh," Ron nodded, "yes that makes sense," he said turning to Harry with a very confused look on his face.

" The aconite needs to react with the Wolfsbane to keep the memories when you revive someone- Harry what did you need to be revived from?"

Harry thought about it for a moment. " Voldemort tried to curse me one last time before he died, although it didn't work very well."

"And do you know what else needed to react with the Wolfsbane?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione frowned as she went through the list in her head, " Um..."

"Harry were you feeling dizzy at all, while you were with Richard?"

"A few times, it felt like I was being drained."

"Oooh," Hermione whispered as if something had just donned on her, "but Professor, that's a rather odd combination isn't it?"

"Not when it wasn't even combined to begin with."

Ron was looking between the three of them, " Hello?"

"Richard was thinning out your blood Harry," said Hermione.

"Why would he do that?"

"Because Richard was under the impression that the more blood he drew from you," Dumbledore began, "the stronger Voldemort would be."

"But he would never have gotten that far would he?" Ron asked.

"No, thanks to you two. Speaking of good things, that was quite a marvellous shield you conjured Hermione," said Dumbledore, beaming at her.

"Oh," said Hermione as her cheeks went slightly pink, "er- thank you."

"Yeah what was that anyway," said Ron turning towards her.

" Highly evolved magic," said Professor Dumbledore beaming.

Hermione sat up straight in her chair, a look of pride on her face, which she tried very hard to conceal, " It was just something I've been working on since those er- meetings that we used to have, you know...in fifth year. It wasn't very strong though."

"On the contrary Hermione, any spell that blocks a deadly course is very strong indeed," said Dumbledore, with a look of pride, "now, the reason that I came here..."

Dumbledore reached inside his robes and took out two envelopes. One a dark green , and the other a bright orange envelope with two black C's on the front, and handed them to Harry and Ron. They exchanged looks and tore the letters open with their thumbs. Harry eyes scanned across the sentences and they went wide, Ron fell into his chair with a large smile spreading across his face.

" What is it?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore beamed.

Harry raised one shaky hand and handed the letter to Hermione. She took the letter and over Ron's outbursts of maniac giggles she read out loud:

Hermione read the latter part out loud with squeals of joy and hugged Harry around the neck.

"Chudley Cannons! I'm Playing for Chudley Cannons!" shouted Ron jumping up in down, " I handed in an application just towards the end of seventh year- I didn't think I'd get in!" he said accepting a hug from Hermione.

Harry sat there in stunned silence reading the letter again to make sure it was true.

"It is very true Harry, and I could not be anymore proud."

Harry looked up at him smiling, "I'm going to be an Auror," he said quietly.

"Speaking of Defence against the Dark Arts I'll be left with an open spot soon, apparently Professor Exley is not on good terms with Boggarts. I imagine he would not want to return after running out of the classroom screaming like a girl," Dumbledore's eyes fell on Hermione, " Miss Granger...if you are not doing anything important for the rest of the year, I was wondering if you would like job."

Harry and Ron beamed at her as Hermione stared with look of utmost shook on her face, " Me? A- a Professor?"

"Oh go on Hermione, it's not like you never wanted this to happen," said Ron.

Hermione felt her heart swell, " I - I- I don't know what to say..." she said with a wide smile.

" How about a 'yes'...Professor Granger," said Harry with a smile, " it does have a nice ring to it you know."

"Y-yes, I'll do it!" Hermione breathed.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore clapping his hands together," I expect you to be at work by Monday- I am sure you will be a welcome addition to the staff"

Ron burst out laughing. " I want to be there to see the look on Snape's face when he sees you as the next Defence against the Dark Arts teacher!" he said doubling over with laughter.

"I'm sure Colin will be more than happy to take pictures," Harry bemused.

Dumbledore took out his watch. "Ah, if you'll excuse me, I have tea with Hagrid in a few minutes."

"Hagrid?" Harry had nearly forgotten about him, "how is he?"

"Oh he'll be fine when he finds out that you've pulled through, although I'm quite sure he wouldn't mind a visit from you," said Dumbledore looking at him over the rim of his glasses.

"He can count on it," said Ron, clenching his Chudley Canons acceptance letter.

" And I hope you will make time to visit a batty old man," said Dumbledore with a twinkle, "until next time then." And with a *POP* he disappeared.

"I'm a Professor," said Hermione with one hand to her mouth, "can you believe it?"

"I'm playing the for the Cannons! Wait till I tell my family!"

"What if the students don't like me?" asked Hermione as they entered the house.

"Hermione there are hundreds of students at that school, I'm sure one of them is bound to like you," said Ron.

Harry kept silent. An Auror. He was going to be an Auror. A satisfied grin spread across his face.

"When do you start your training Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, er-" Harry snapped out of his daze and consulted his letter, " January 6^th."

"Oh good, that means you'll be here for Christmas," Hermione added.

"You guys have never had a Christmas at the Burrow have you?" asked Ron, showing his letter to Mr Weasley.

"Chudley Cannons!" he cried hugging his son tight, "Molly! Molly! Ron's been accepted!"

"Accepted to what?" she said bustling around the corner with Fred, George and Ginny in her wake.

Taking the letter, her eyes welled up into to tears and kept kissing Ron on the cheek, "Oh I knew it! I just knew you would do well!"

"Mum, geroff!" said Ron wiggling away.

"Think of the seats you could get for us Ron!" said Fred, " up close and personal with the Veelas," he said with a glazed look.

"And guess what else Mum! Harry's going to be an Auror and Hermione's going to teach Defence against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts!"

Mrs Weasley was beside herself.

"OHHH! I'm just so proud of you!!!"

Needles to say Mrs Weasley cooked up one heck of a feast that night. A large banner hung over the entrance way to the kitchen saying:

Everything seemed so normal to Harry again. He felt like he was finally able to breath. Voldemort was gone, and he was with the closest thing he's ever had to a real family. He watched Mr Weasley frame Ron's acceptance letter and hang it on the wall, while he listened to Hermione go over her lesson plans for her class. She had a sparkle in her eye when she talked about banishing the Boggarts.

"Harry do you think you could come in and give a lecture when you become an Auror?"

Ron was talking to Harry about which broomstick he would get once he started his training with the Cannons. "I know I'm only on the reserve team, but still I could be much faster catching those Quaffles on a Nimbus 3000."

Ron was talking very fast when he said all this.

After a very animated story about the DA by Fred and George -"and then George says ' or any place- we're not to fussy where we stick this!' " - the table had finally been cleared. Hermione was going over the recent lesson with Ginny and Ron buried himself in a copy of Quality Quidditch Supplies Magazine. Harry on the other hand grabbed his cloak and walked outside. Brushing the snow off of the railing he sat down with one leg dangling over the side. With his head tilted back against the post he emerged himself in thought.

With a deep sigh he looked up at the stars. And watched his breath evaporate into the crisp night air. His Auror training was approaching in a few weeks, and it felt like he was starting over again, Voldemort free. There was nothing to run from , or fight anymore. It made him feel...lost. This is what he wanted all his life, to wake up in the morning and not worry about who was going to fall dead next, whether it be himself or someone else. He looked through the window of the kitchen and watched Hermione pour herself something. She blew a loose bang out of her eye and disappeared again. Running his hand loosely through his hair, he looked off into the distance. He wondered about what tomorrow would bring. The Ministry of Magic would be sure to call. Photographs with the Daily Prophet, interviews with the Quibbler, he thought with a smile. Everyone would want to know how The Boy Who Lived defeated the Dark lord...but would anyone care how Harry was doing?...Just Harry?

"A little cold out here isn't it?" Hermione stood there holding two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Not really," Harry mumbled, accepting his mug.

Harry watched as she brushed off some snow so she could sit down.

" Look at all those stars," said Hermione, her voice full of wonder, "and there's the North Star," she said pointing at the sky.

Harry gave a polite smile and looked down at his mug.

"You okay?" asked Hermione, noticing the silence.

"Yeah, just...just a little lost."

"Lost?"

"Well it just seems like my entire purpose in life was to kill Voldemort, and now that I have," Harry shrugged, "now what?"

"Well you have your Auror training for one-"

"Yeah but...what do I do? What's my purpose now?"

"To live?"

Harry sighed and rested his elbow on his knee, " How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Know the answer to everything?"

Hermione took another sip of her hot chocolate before continuing, " I don't always know the answer to everything Harry. I don't pretend to know either."

There was a moment of silence between them when the only sounds that could be heard were coming from the house.

"Hermione? Do you remember that night in the common room where we- er- feel asleep together?"

Hermione tried not to grin, "Yes."

"I felt so peaceful lying there...I sometimes thought about it when I was at the Dursleys for that short time. It actually helped me fall asleep."

"I thought about it too," said Hermione , " I felt so relaxed lying there with you. And when Mr Weasley told me that you were missing, I often wondered if that was going to be the last moment I ever shared with you."

He heard Hermione sniff and watched her give a small shiver. He got up from his seat and took off his cloak, wrapping it around her shoulders. Hermione raised her eyes to him, and managed a smile.

"You'll freeze you know," said Hermione watching him chug his hot chocolate.

"No, I have something else to keep me warm," he said looking sideways at her, " I never did say thank you, you know for saving my life."

" You would have done the same for me."

"Of course...but still...thank you." Harry gently tapped his fingers against the railings, " You know even when I lost my memory I still heard your voice?"

"Are you serious?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, you were telling me what Mandrakes were used for."

"They're a powerful restorative," said Hermione with a small laugh.

"So I hear," he said with a grin.

Hermione face lit up as she looked up at the sky, "Look," she said " Northern Lights!"

Harry followed her gaze and smiled, watching the purple and green lights shimmer across the sky. Out of the corner of his eye Harry some something streak across and disappear, " Did you see that?"

"A shooting star!"

"Make a wish," said Harry quietly, folding his arms close to him

Hermione stepped closer and threw a part of Harry's cloak around his shoulders. It's already come true she thought to herself.

Drawing his part of the cloak closer towards him , he saw a bright star twinkle in the distance. Hello Sirius, Harry thought to himself as he felt Hermione move closer to him. He watched her bring out her palm and catch the odd snowflake, gently resting her head against him. He smiled and realized that maybe there was someone who cared about Harry...just Harry.