Mistaken Love

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CHAPTER 3 (THE SEARCH AND THE PLAN)

"Well, Albus Dumbledore was my grandfather."

Bethany stood and walked away from Harry. She didn't want to see his reaction. 'Why? Why did I tell him?' Bethany thought as she made her way further from Harry. Her eyes were slowly forming tears, but she held them back. Crying for her deceased grandfather was something she didn't want to do again. The pain was too much for her to handle and she knew if she started crying now the tears will never stop falling.

"Albus Dumbledore?" Harry said in an uncertain tone, "The Albus Dumbledore? Recent Headmaster of Hogwarts? The man that was buried today? The Albus Dumbledore that was murdered by Snape? The murder that I witnessed?" Harry finished quietly.

"Yes, he's my grandfather," Bethany replied faintly. "Is it so hard to believe?"

She turned toward Harry and saw his facial expression. His bright green eyes reflected disbelief and shock. Bethany became angry at the fact that Harry didn't believe her. Looking away furiously, she focused her attention toward the sky. The stars shimmered through the dark grey clouds that were moving in fast and the moon was beginning to be swallowed by them. A chill went through her body and she felt that the rain was only just a few minutes away.

"Well, how do I know you're not lying? He never mentioned he had a daughter or a granddaughter. How do I know I can trust you?" Harry asked tensely.

"You came looking for me, didn't you? You're the one who followed me into a deserted forest in the middle of the night. If you didn't trust me, then why did you follow me alone?" Bethany said, irritated. "I really don't care if you trust me or not, but I'm not lying."

"Why weren't you at the funeral?"

Harry's question brought Bethany heartache. She had her reasons for not attending the funeral. Bethany never told anyone about her grandfather. The only people who knew were the teachers at Hogwarts and no one else. Her whole life was kept a secret for her protection. Dumbledore was everything to her; he was the only person she trusted. Now that Bethany lost him, she doesn't know what else to do. She decided that Harry had no business in knowing any of this.

"Does it really matter, Harry? He's gone and he's not coming back."

Specks of rain drops began to fall. Soon enough, water was pouring down. Rumbling thunder was flashing through the dark sky as the rain continued to drown the forest.

Bethany didn't notice the rain, nor did she care. She wasn't one of those girls who worried about their appearance twenty-four seven. Her hair soon became soaked from the tears that fell from the sky. Bethany ran her hands through her hair and glanced over at Harry, catching his stare.

"Why do want to know so much about my life?" Bethany shouted over the roar of the storm.

"We're here aren't we? Alone, and forgotten by everyone else. You know all about me, don't I have the right to know at least a little about you?" When Bethany didn't answer, Harry paused and changed the subject. "The storm is going to last all night and we won't be able to make it back to Hogwarts," Harry continued. He stood up from the water filled ground and slopped over puddles to get to Bethany. "Wouldn't it be better to know more about each other?"

"I see no point," Bethany said indignantly. "It's not like we're going to see each other again after we get back and go our separate ways."

Bethany began to walk away from Harry to seek out shelter. She walked through clumps of mud and ducked under branches to pass by. As she went further into the unknown darkness Harry followed instinctively.

"How do you know I'm not going the same way as you?" Harry asked.

"I don't, but even if you are, why would you want to go with me?"

"The same reason why I followed you here," said Harry.

Bethany stopped walking and turned around to face Harry. "What reason would that be?"

"Bethany, to tell you the truth, I don't know. Something about you made me want to. This day has been so out of place. Everything that happened makes no sense to me."

Bethany didn't want to trust Harry or believe that he really didn't know what made him come here with her, but something about him made her connect with him. She realized that his past was similar to hers in a way that she didn't want anyone to know. The closer she got to Harry, the more she felt comfortable telling him about her past; something she didn't want him to know about.

"Things happen and you just have to get through it. Even if it does mean you have to go through it alone," Bethany emphasized, continuing to walk. "Besides, why dwell on the bad things when there are better things in life."

"Like what?"

"Well, I can't think of anything right now, but there are many things. What about love?"

Harry sighed, "Love? I can't even have that."

Bethany glanced behind at him, her expression unreadable.

"I broke up with my girlfriend, Ginny," Harry interpreted.

"I had to," Harry continued, after Bethany gave him confused look. "He would have gone after her."

"You mean Voldemort?" Bethany asked.

"Yeah," Harry said, surprised that Bethany used his real name. "Look at what he has done to the rest of my family. He killed my parents, he killed Sirius, and well, Dumbledore is gone too. It's only a matter of time before Voldemort gets to Ginny to get to me. What if something happens to her? I can't live with that."

"Well, I think that he has taken enough from you, and you're allowing him to take love from you too?" inquired Bethany.

Harry became silent and Bethany assumed that he just wanted time to think. She continued her paces as the rain fell lightly onto her face when she emerged from under the trees. She looked around to decide on another path to take when Harry spoke.

"What has he taken from you?"

Bethany stopped searching and turned her attention to Harry. The expression she had on her face expressed that Voldemort had taken something, something that hurt her really bad. She said nothing, knowing whatever she said would just make her closer to Harry and she didn't want that.

"I mean, he has taken your grandfather, I know that, but he took someone else, didn't he?" Harry continued.

"He has taken more than you can image, Harry."

Bethany started to take a step when Harry grabbed her arm.

"I look in your eyes and I know that you lost your family to him too. But the question is why you're so afraid to admit it to someone else; someone like me."

"I'm not like you. I don't want the world knowing..." Bethany broke off, not able to finish her sentence.

"Knowing what?" Harry asked, pushing an answer.

Bethany took in a breath, "That my parents were killed by Voldemort."

A stroke of pain ran across Bethany's heart. Thinking about her parents brought tears to her eyes and this time she couldn't hold them back. She collapsed into Harry's arms, allowing him to comfort her as more tears streamed out of her eyes.

"It's going to be okay, in the end, he's going to pay for the lives he has broken," said Harry.

Bethany felt the warmth in his arms and the ease he brought to her pain. The way Harry made her feel reminded her of being held by someone she loved once before. She became lost in the moment that made her problems all disappear. An image of a boy flashed across her closed eyes and suddenly she awoke to find reality in place.

She stared into Harry's eyes, "You remind me of him so much," she whispered.

"Who?"

"No one," Bethany replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. "No one you would know."

"How do you know that I wouldn't know him?"

Bethany left Harry's arms and stepped away from him. "I had a boyfriend and things didn't work out. You remind me of him..." Bethany responded unrepentantly.

Harry's eyebrows rose in surprise, "One again, I asked who."

Bethany smiled, "You really think I'm going to tell you?"

"I told you about Ginny."

"Out of your own will. I don't owe you anything, Harry."

"Fine, I don't even know why I asked. I don't even know why I care."

She broke into a smile and Harry returned a grim look. Both of them fell silent. Their conversation seemed to end as the rain grew harder and the sound of thunder increased. They continued wandering around the forest, still trying to find a place to stay dry, away from the rain.

They spotted a rushing creek running down into a large lake. At first, they thought they made it back to Hogwarts, but realized it was just one of many lakes found in the Forbidden Forest. As their eyes roamed around the beautiful sight, they came across a small mountain with a large cave opening. When they reached the entrance of the cave, Bethany spotted Harry watching her.

"What?" she asked ruthlessly.

"Ladies first," Harry amused.

"Are you serious? It's pitch black in there, what if I never come out or it's a human eating cave?" Bethany retorted as she examined the opening of the cave.

"Wow, I thought you weren't scared of anything, Bethany. Maybe I was wrong."

"I'm not scared of anything! I'm just not stupid."

"Fine, I'll go in. The guy always dies first, right?"

"No, the stupid person does, and it's clearly you," Bethany said, watching him take a few steps forward with his grip around his wand.

"Tell Ginny I love her if I never come back out," said Harry scarcely.

"Consider it done." Bethany caught a smile from Harry and saw him disappear into the cave.

"Oh God, please let him come back out," she whispered to herself.

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"Ginny, where do you think you're going?" Ron asked, watching his sister glace from the Black Lake to the Forbidden Forest.

Ginny, Ron and Hermione were searching the grounds of Hogwarts for Harry in the middle of the night. Dark clouds were above them and the icy wind blew through the Invisibility Cloak. Tired and wanting to go back to sleep, they still had no luck on locating Harry.

"I'm finding Harry, what do you think?" Ginny answered irritably.

"Maybe he's in the school," Hermione insisted.

"We searched everywhere in Hogwarts, he's not there." Ginny took a couple steps toward the lake and switched her direction to the forest. "He went in here."

Thunder was heard and Ron gave a startled jump. Rain drops began to fall and Ginny made her way toward the darkened trees.

"Oh no, you're not going in there!" Ron said as he held Ginny back by her robe.

"Ron, let go of me. I'm almost sixteen, stop trying to protect me!"

"She's right, you know," Hermione muttered in Ron's ear.

"I don't care! I'm not letting my little sister into that forest! Gigantic spiders live there, who knows, with Aragog dead there might be a bigger one," said Ron crossly.

"Well, if protecting her is your responsibility, you aren't doing a really good job. Ginny left half way through your sentence," Hermione replied.

"Why doesn't Ginny ever listen to me?" Ron walked passed Hermione and into the forest after Ginny as Hermione followed.

"Harry would have found a place to keep warm and dry," Hermione said, sloshing mud behind Ron.

Ginny led the way deeper into the forest as Hermione and Ron tried to keep up. She took long strides between each of her paces and swung tree branches here and there. Her mind was set on finding Harry, making sure he was okay and then beating the crap out him. It hurt her that Harry didn't bother to tell anyone where he was going, especially her. Nothing made sense. Harry wasn't the type of person who would leave without a trace. Well, maybe he was, but this time was different.

"Yeah, like a cave or something, right?" Ginny's strides grew longer and her speed increased.

"Ginny, would you slow down? I think we're already covered in enough mud!" Ron bellowed fiercely.

"I told you I wanted to go alone! If you and Hermione can't keep up then go back. I'm better off!"

"How can you say that, Ginny? The storm is getting worse and it's going to last all night, you can't be in here alone," Hermione retorted, concerned.

"I'm fine!" Ginny cried.

"I could just carry her back against her will," Ron suggested to Hermione.

"Ron, she can take you," Hermione whispered back.

They all continued through the endless forest having no idea of which direction to go.

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"What are you blabbing about, Crabbe?" Draco asked dispassionately.

He stood in front Crabbe and Goyle who were helpless and on the floor, at his feet. Draco was furious; he didn't want to admit that he knew what Crabbe was talking about. He felt his father's suspicious eyes were staring at him. Draco did not dare to make eye contact with his father. Knowing that his father was very well taught Legilimency by the Dark Lord himself, Draco wouldn't let him take the chance to delve into his mind and his secrets.

"The Dark Lord knows, Draco..." Crabbe replied wearily.

"Crabbe, shut your mouth, he'll kill us!" Goyle hissed.

"Master will do no such thing, Goyle! He was the one who--"

"The Dark Lord will not kill us, you fool. You know who will." Goyle shot his eyes toward Lucius and Draco.

"That is enough. Crabbe, Goyle, what are you talking about?" Lucius asked, darting his eyes at the pair of them. "I want to know now or death is something you will have in the next few minutes."

"The Dark Lord told us not to speak of it," Goyle cried.

"You are not speaking to the Dark Lord, you are speaking to me," Lucius retorted, annoyed.

Draco saw his father raise his wand. The door was only a few feet away, it was the only escape he had. He didn't want to be apart of this, he didn't want his father to know. Crabbe gave his cover away and Draco knew that if he is not to leave his father now, he will have to tell his father everything.

He slowly inched his way toward the door and laid his hand on the door knob. Draco's eyes were still watching his father. This was his only chance and he needed to wait for the right moment.

"Do not make me repeat myself," Lucius said.

"Kill us, we do not care," Goyle insisted. "The Dark Lord will not be happy with two of his followers dead, and you know that, Lucius."

Crabbe whimpered when Lucius came to face him. "You feel the same way, Crabbe? Are you willing to die to protect this secret?"

Crabbe nodded his head in silence.

"Then so be it," Lucius concluded. "Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light shimmered throughout the room and that was Draco's cue. He wrenched the door open and ran down the hall.

"Draco! Come back here now!" Lucius shouted furiously.

Draco heard his father running after him and he increased his speed.

"Do not disobey me after all I have done for you, I will not hesitate to attack!"

Draco ignored his father's fuming threats. He closed his eyes tightly and allowed thoughts to run through his head. 'Think, anywhere away from my father and away from this life. Just take me anywhere.' With a crack, Draco disappeared.

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"Master, what is it?"

Severus Snape stood at the side of Voldemort in a dungeon below many grounds. The place was shadowed with very little light which made the room appear larger. At the right of Snape, barred rooms existed where prisoner were held captive if needed to be. The ceiling was high and the room consisted of no windows. Even though no air was circulated from the outside to the inside, the dungeon was freezing cold.

Snape watched his master clasp his hand over the Dark Mark that stained his left arm.

"What do you feel, Severus?" Voldemort asked.

He felt his left arm burn. Not knowing what it meant, he turned to his master. "It burns," Snape replied hesitantly.

"Yes, and?"

Snape pushed his left arm's sleeve and ran his right hand over the brightly, colored green skull and snake, "I do not understand. Why did it change to such a color?"

"Crabbe and Goyle are dead, the green represents the death of one of our own," Voldemort answer simply.

"But they are with Lucius," Snape discerned.

"Yes, they were with Lucius. He killed them."

"Master, why would Lucius kill people he brought to you as followers?"

"You know why, Severus."

'The plan,' Snape thought. He finally understood, "Lucius knows about our plan."

"No, Crabbe and Goyle died because they will not tell him."

"Draco must have--"

"Fled? Yes, he did," Voldemort said. "He is faithful; he obeys me more than his own father."

"And you know this all, master?" Snape inquired.

"I have a great mind, I know everything."

"Then Lucius knows nothing about our plan?"

"Correct, and it will stay this way."

"But master, why? What has he done to be abandoned by his son and you?"

"Severus, he was reckless that night at the Ministry. He must be punished."

Snape nodded.

There was a loud crack and a woman Apparated in front of Voldemort. She kneeled onto her right knee and bent into a bow.

"Master," she greeted.

"Alecto," Voldemort replied back. "I did not call you, why are you here?"

Alecto lifted herself from the floor and turned to Snape, "I must have a word with my husband."

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