Ashes to Ashes

Ashes to Ashes

Part Two

The Undertaking

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
but he, with a chuckle replied
That maybe it couldn't but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he tried.
So, he buckled right in with a trace of a grin
on his face. If he worried he hid it,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done and he did it.

~Edgar Guest; The Thing that Couldn't Be Done

Hermione

The Muggle-born witch so clever and wise.

There's naught that escapes her all-seeing eyes.

While trying to make sense of a world torn apart

Do you listen to reason or hear out your heart?

I

I do not like being surprised.

As a Muggleborn you'd expect to be surprised at every turn when you first enter the wizarding world. I think that's one of the reasons why I read up so thoroughly on it before I started Hogwarts. I wanted to be able to say, "Oh that doesn't surprise me in the least. I know all about it. Let me tell you."

Apart for my legendary thirst for knowledge I also felt that I had something to prove. Even before I had read up on the pureblood's prejudice against Muggleborns I knew that I would be expected to not be as good at magic as those students that had grown up in a magical background. I wanted them to see that I could be just as good, even better than all of them.

Of course, all that my "Notice me! I'm a genius!"² attitude did was to effectively turn me into the school snot. I often wonder what my life would have been like if Ron and Harry had not saved me from that Troll. Would I still be considered as the school nightmare?

Being one of Harry Potter's best friends has meant that my life has been full of surprises, most of them unpleasant ones. Over the years so many weird things have happened that I was beginning to think that nothing could surprise me anymore.

I wasn't surprised when Ron and Malfoy started seeing each other. I had long suspected that all the feuding between them was simply unrequited sexual tension. Luckily they got together in our sixth year. I don't think I could have taken much more of their brawling without screaming "Oh just shag already!"

I wasn't surprised when Harry went through his I'll-shag-anything-if-it-doesn't-shag-me-first stage. I was concerned, yes. Surprised - no. We all have our ways of dealing with stress. I knew that he would get over it sooner or later and he did. Of course he then proceeded to withdraw into himself to the point that he'd forget Quidditch practices half the time. He perked up a bit in the seventh year but he never was as carefree as he had been before. Ron came up with a dozen and a half reasons why, from post traumatic stress to something to do with the alignment of the planets to an evil plan of Voldemort's. I rather think that he just grew up.

I suppose that I surprised a few people when I didn't go into Auror School like Harry or into curse-breaking like Ron. But, I think that it was rather obvious that I would prefer to go into Research instead. While I'm all for fighting the forces of evil, I don't want to be doing that for a living. What I'm doing has exactly the type of mental stimulation that I like. If I were an Auror I'd be bored to death.

I'm not surprised that Harry tried to use an illegal, dark curse to kill Voldemort, nor am I surprised that it was Lucius Malfoy who suggested it. That man will stop at nothing to get what he wants and before yesterday the death of his former master was definitely on top of the list. If Voldemort had won then he would have been better off perishing in the last battle. Come to think of it, so would I.

I lied when I told Draco that I had never heard of the curse. I had overheard Snape and Malfoy Senior muttering some two months ago. I had no idea what it was but I had no time to check up on it. When Draco asked me about it at the crux of battle I thought the wisest course would be to dismiss it; no use having him all riled up. Lucius Malfoy seldom keeps things from his family. When he does so, you can bet your life savings that said secret is very dangerous indeed. Take the Chamber of Secrets debacle for example.

I was surprised when I was called to an emergency post battle Order meeting and even more so when I saw exactly what Harry's curse had produced, or rather I should say whom. I knew who he was at once even though I'd never seen him before in my life and had never even heard a good description of what he looked like. When Harry described what had happened in the Chamber of Secrets he had been very vague about his nemesis' appearance in his youth. I believe his exact words, when I asked, were: "He was tall... erm... and he... had... uh... hair,"³ which wasn't very helpful at all as at the time most sixteen year old boys were both taller than us and they all had hair.

Ginny was slightly more helpful. She said that that the younger Voldemort had looked exactly like Harry, except that he was much taller and no glasses.

When I saw the boy I found that wasn't quite true. His colouring was very similar to Harry's, but there were several differences. While they are both too thin, Harry has always been skinny; I'd call Riddle slender. They both have jet-black hair, but Harry's is thicker and messier and it sticks out all over the place. The other's is finer, and I think it would probably curl a little if he allowed it to grow longer. Riddle is about Malfoy's height so he's a few inches shorter than Harry is but he may grow taller. They're both unnaturally pale but Riddle's skin is much more translucent than Harry's, which tends to get dry in almost any weather. The most noticeable similarity between them is the eyes. They're the same shape and the exact same shade of green and both of them have ridiculously long eyelashes, except you don't really notice Harry's because of the glasses, but that's where the similarity ends. Harry's eyes tend to show exactly what he's feeling. I'm not sure who it was that said that eyes are the mirrors of the soul. That's what his eyes are like. Riddle's eyes are the exact opposite. They give nothing back except your own reflection. They sparkle with a strange, twisted gleam but you can't tell what he's thinking.

No-one had any idea what had gone wrong and they were all arguing about it.

"You were the one who came up with this spell!" Mr Weasley said to Mr Malfoy accusingly. "Why don't you tell us what happened?"

"That may be true," sneered Mr Malfoy. "But that -" waving one hand aristocratically at Riddle, "was not the required result. I did not force the boy to perform the spell."

I wanted to know what had gone wrong as much as the next witch but I didn't think we were going to get anywhere by debating over whose fault it was. I also wasn't sure why Riddle was present.

"Gentlemen, we are not here to ascertain who is to blame for this most unexpected turn of events," said Dumbledore (Whew! I thought. At least someone agrees with me.) "We must decide what is to be done with -," he paused, as if trying to decide what to call the green eyed monster sitting in a corner of the room watching intently, "him,"

Well, that's one way of saying it. At least he hadn't said that like Mr Malfoy.

"Wouldn't it be better to find out how much he's aware of first?" I said. "Is he mentally sixteen as well or has he retained all the memories he had when he was Voldemort?" Someone had to think of it.

Kingsley got to his feet. "I suppose an informal interrogation could be arranged," he said. "I'll see to it immediately." He crossed the room in a few step and hauled the boy roughly to his feet. Riddle stumbled; the effects of the curse had obviously not worn off yet. "Come on, we don't have all day," he said and dragged him from the room.

Harry, who had been so quiet that I hadn't even realized that he was in the room, got to his feet so hastily that he knocked his chair over. He didn't bother to put it back but hurtled out of the room after Kingsley and Riddle.

Well, that was odd. I understand him being anxious about the boy but this was more like full-blown panic.

"Well," said Dumbledore. "I suppose the rest of you had better go rejoin the festivities."

"Ron," said Mr Weasley warningly as everyone began to disperse, and led him away taking him firmly by the elbow. Draco was nowhere to be seen, he hadn't been at the meeting. I wondered if his father had locked him up somewhere to keep him away from Ron's influence. He had certainly been livid out there in the first aid tent. And Mr Weasley had very much resembled a bull about to charge at the Matador's red cape. But really, kissing in the middle of a field - what did they expect?

I'm worried about Ron, though. He really loves the little ferret. He'll probably try and talk Draco into eloping or something if their parents don't come round. But does Draco love him enough to turn his back on his family and his riches, I'm not so sure. I'm just afraid that Ron is going to end up getting badly hurt.

I didn't go back to the festivities, but headed straight for the Ministry. I had no idea where Harry had run off to and I didn't think that the Weasleys would appreciate me sticking my oar in as they sorted out the latest family crisis. (I'm sure that is exactly how they are going to see Ron and Draco's relationship). Besides, I wasn't going to be able to sleep before I had resolved the issue of what had gone wrong with the curse. I wasn't even sure about what the curse was supposed to do apart from destroying the victim and my division's library was just the place to start looking.

I must have passed through a score of parties at the ministry itself. At one point I came across Marcus Flint, who appeared to be giving Percy Weasley an amateur tonsillectomy with his tongue. Oliver Wood had also joined in on the fun and was sucking on Percy's neck. Now there's something you don't see everyday. I knew that Percy was dating one of them or perhaps even both of them behind the other's back but I never expected a threesome. But there's Percy for you. Whenever he does anything he has to go the whole way.

Seven hours and as many coffees later I've finally found what I was looking for in an obscure ancient-looking text.

Non-fiendo - the Unmaking Curse

For thee, for whom the spell be cast

Return to ashes of thy past

Thy life shalt not, mere dirt be worth

Return to ashes, dust and earth

Thyself in magik fire burn

From whence thy came thou shalt return

For thee, who cast the spell, beware

Cast magik not, unless thou dare

Be sure, or else the spell's betrayed

'Tis thee who shalt be, then, unmade.

Well, it seems pretty straightforward to me. The spell 'unmakes' the victim by destroying them, turning them back into what they were made from: earth, ashes and dust, like they say in funerals. But if you cast the spell you have to be sure that this is what you want to do and that you know what you're doing, or else the spell backfires and you're the one who ends up as ashes and dust.

Wait a minute... return to ashes of thy past.

Oh dear, I think I've just realized what went wrong.

Two days later.

What does Severus Snape want to see me for? I've just had a floo call from him asking if it's convenient for him to pop round. I'll admit that he isn't quite so formidable once you're out of Hogwarts, and he and I have been getting along better ever since I was forced to ask for his help in that Ancient poisons project but still it's Snape! He isn't the type of person to go calling on an old student. If it was Lupin I'd understand, but Snape...

There's the crack of someone Apparating and the next thing I know Snape's in my kitchen. I suppose he would have used Apparition. Some parts of me still expect him to turn into a bat or a large raven and flap about.

"Hello, Severus," I say coolly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

I've picked up the habit of calling him Severus from Harry. I'll never get used to it though. In my mind he's still Hogwarts most dreaded professor for whom I can never do anything right.

"Hermione," he says in greeting. "I was wondering if you'd have any Veritaserum on you."

I stare at him. Alright, so I'm very fond of potions and I think they're fascinating but why should I have powerful truth serums illegally lying around my flat? It's a different matter that I do; I made some in my spare time a few months ago.

"Any particular reason why I should?" I ask cautiously, better safe than sorry.

He shakes his head viciously. Greasy strands of hair go flying. I wonder for about the millionth time why he doesn't do something about it. While he's never going to be good looking or handsome at least he won't look like a walking corpse if he cleaned himself up.

"Believe me, I have better things to do with my time than to be going around performing Potion raids on Ministry employees," he sneers. "There is an immediate need for that particular serum and I find that I have run out. Seeing as how it will take me a full moon cycle before I can prepare any more it is necessary that I look elsewhere."

I scowl at him. Why does he have to be so patronizing? "Perhaps I do have some," I say. "But I want to know what it's going to be used for."

"Interrogation," he says.

"It's against wizarding rights to administer Veritaserum during an interrogation," I say.

He smiles nastily at me. "Indeed it is. But when the interrogation is unofficial and no-one can prove that it happened then who is to say that it did? Also, when the interrogated wizard himself technically does not exist, at least not for the Ministry, then his rights cannot be violated as he has none."

Why can't he ever give me a straight answer? "So, you need it to interrogate Riddle then?" I say.

He nods. "He won't talk. Do you think if you looked you would find some? If anyone asks your name won't come up."

"They'll probably be too busy partying to notice or care," I say. "I'll come with you if you don't mind."

It's obvious from his face that he does mind but he simply shrugs.

I fetch the Veritaserum, pat Crookshanks who's started to rub against Snape's legs - the crazy cat has no account of taste - and grab a coat and my bag from the other room.

"Where to?" I ask.

"Order headquarters," he says and we Apparate.

When we arrive at 12 Grimmauld Place we hear a colossal din going on. Of course the fist thing we hear is Sirius' mother. Why do I always forget to look up a spell to shut her up? I swear after this whole Riddle thing is sorted the next thing I do is to find out how to remove a permanent sticking charm.

Even louder that old Mrs Black's screams of "Blood-traitors! Filth! Cretins!" - She really ought to learn some new insults, these are beginning to get old - are the voices of Harry and Lucius Malfoy.

"Don't talk to me like that, you obnoxious little son of a Mudblood!" Malfoy would use that particular insult. I don't know why he chose to say little though; Harry's taller than he is.

"I'll talk to you anyway I want to, you bigoted, inbred twerp!"

"Oh lovely!" mutters Snape under his breath and sweeps off into the room. I follow him as fast as can.

Harry and Malfoy senior are glaring at each other, both very red in the face - at least Harry's very red in the face, Malfoy's whiter than usual. Remus seems to be trying to reason with them.

"This isn't going to help," he's saying. "Can't we sit down and discuss this in a civilized manner? We're all adults here."

"No," snaps Malfoy. "That magically challenged brat, isn't"

"There was nothing wrong in the way I cast that spell," says Harry hotly. "I did everything you fucking told me to. Don't blame me. You must have fucked up the instructions."

"There is no possible way I could have made a mistake," says Malfoy clenching his fist and his teeth. "I told you not to attempt it unless you were sure. You assured me that you were. Is it my fault that you don't know your own mind?"

"I was sure!" Harry shouts at him. "WHY WOULDN'T I BE SURE THAT I WANTED TO DESTROY VOLDEMORT?"

"How the hell should I know?" Malfoy yells back. "All I know is that you didn't put your all into it. You didn't try hard enough. You're the one who was holding back! Maybe you've grown so used to all your bloody fame and glory that you didn't want it to end. Maybe you didn't want to destroy him!"

Harry lashes out suddenly and punches Malfoy so hard that he falls to the floor. His head hits the stone with a sickening thud.

Remus rushes over and manhandles Harry into a chair while Snape tries to stop Malfoy going for his wand.

Malfoy is busy swearing and cursing. Because Snape has managed to wrench his wand out of his hand and is doing pretty well at keeping him pinned down Harry isn't in any immediate danger.

They're all shouting at each other so I can't make out a word what anyone's saying. Sirius' mother has started off again.

I've had enough of this.

"Silencio"

I chant waving my wand and they all fall silent except for the old shrew in the painting who's out of the circle of my wand's influence.

"Right," I say firmly to the four wizards. Harry, Snape and Malfoy all glare at me, Remus just looks amused. "We're all going to sit down and then I have something to say which I'm sure that will interest you. I know what happened with the spell, but I'm not going to say anything unless you promise to stop arguing."

With the exception of Remus, they glower even more fiercely but they all sit down at the table. Harry and Malfoy won't look at each other though, Harry looks at me expectantly and Malfoy stares fixedly at the snake's head on his cane.

"Right," I say again. "So no screaming and shouting?"

They all nod and I say the counter spell so that they can talk again.

"No that little demonstration is over, Miss Granger," hisses Malfoy through his teeth. "Would you be so kind as to tell us what went wrong?"

My moment of triumph has arrived. This ought to make them sit up and take notice. "Nothing went wrong," I say smugly. "The spell did exactly what it was supposed to do."

"What?"

"Oh really, girl! I'm sure you can do better than that!"

"You're out of your depth, Granger!"

They all shout out together, their voices colliding with each other. Remus frowns, "Are you sure you haven't made a mistake, Hermione?" he says. "All the books say that he was supposed to disintegrate into dust. What happened was hardly the required result."

I smile, "Books can be misleading." I bend down and pull out the notes I made two nights ago out of my bag. "I came across this when I was looking up on the curse."

Malfoy snatches it out of my hand irritably and glances at it before throwing it back towards me across the table. "We've seen that before. Why don't you explain what the devil you're babbling about and stop wasting my time."

"I would if you'd let me," I say equally irritated. At times like these I wish that he'd been Kissed back when he was at Azkaban, he's just - no, that's an awful thing to say - I wouldn't wish that on anyone. He's just so aggravating - always treating me as if I were a particularly gormless house elf that he'd like to kick.

"The line Return to ashes, dust and earth is misleading I say. It's only a metaphor. It probably comes from the whole ashes to ashes, earth to earth concept. What the spell really does is described in the lines Return to ashes of thy past and From whence thy came thou shalt return. Here again ashes of thy past is misleading - you took it for its literal meaning. Ashes is just used figuratively. Unmake doesn't mean that the victim burns into ashes. That would be a burning spell, wouldn't it? It turns you back to what you were in the past. It undoes whatever you've made of yourself, which explains the line: Thy life shalt not, mere dirt be worth which again you took for its literal meaning. A wizard's life is usually formed and based on his magical prowess and strength. Generally his life begins to take shape after he starts showing the first signs of magic. Turn him back to what he was before he is an established sorcerer and I'm sure most wizards would think that their life would be worth nothing. Voldemort was Tom Riddle so that is what he turned back to. The time before he had completely lost his - well, for the lack of a better word I'll say innocence. Do we know for sure how old he is?"

"

Fifteen," says Harry, faintly. "That's all we were able to get out of him before the mind clearing potion kicked in." The other three just stare at me. Malfoy rendered speechless? That's a first.

"Fifteen," I say pensively. Of course, it all fits. "That was before he found the Chamber of Secrets and opened it. He may have not even have come up with the name Voldemort back then. The spell's taken him back to just about before the idea of Lord Voldemort had even formed properly in his mind. The spell did exactly what it was made for. And we know Harry must have really been sure about wanting to cast the curse because it didn't backfire on him and we have a hostile fifteen year old on our hands instead of a victorious dark lord and a hysterical ten year old."

I sit back and fold my arms over my chest self-satisfied. I can't help wanting to gloat. Chalk up another victory for the Mudblood. Eat my dust, Malfoy!

He's looking deflated. "It looks like I owe you an apology" he says rather stiffly to Harry. Now it's Harry's turn to look smug. "Apology accepted," he says and twirls the fingers of his right hand condescendingly.

"That's sorted, then," says Remus. "Do you have the Veritaserum?"

Snape nods, "Where is he? Upstairs?"

"No," says Remus. "Dumbledore had him transferred to Hogwarts. The less people that know about this the better. The headmaster also felt that he might cooperate in more familiar surroundings."

"Hogwarts!" yells Harry enraged. "No one told me that you'd moved him!"

Snape rolls his eyes and goes over to talk to Malfoy while Remus deals with Harry. I follow Snape, as inconspicuously as I can. There might be something that I need to hear.

"... just a phase. He'll get over it soon enough," Malfoy's saying. Oh great! More Malfoy-Weasley angst is just what I need. I'm not in the mood to hear more jangling on the gay wizarding version of Romeo and Juliet, so I turn around to get back to Harry and Remus.

"How's Narcissa?" Snape's saying. What Malfoy says next makes me stop in my tracks.

"She's alive. Barely. They said... if..." he's having difficulty getting the words out. "If she didn't come round... in two days... she probably wouldn't come round at all." His voice cracks at the end.

Oh dear, I don't want to feel sorry for him. But that explains why he's been so irritable of late. Christ! I'm feeling sorry for Lucius Malfoy of all people... He wouldn't appreciate it if he knew.

"I'm sorry, Lucius," Snape says.

His head snaps up and he looks at Snape furiously. "She isn't dead yet," he hisses. "You have nothing to be sorry about." He storms off and - oh God! Don't slam the door! - Too late! He's woken up the banshee...

Snape turns to look at me. "Eavesdropper's seldom hear any good of themselves," he says.

I shrug. "Well, around you and the Malfoys I seldom hear any good of myself whether I eavesdrop or not."

Remus and Harry come up to us before he can formulate some kind of a response. I've struck Malfoy and Snape speechless in the space of an hour; it has to be some sort of a record.

"Where's Lucius?" Harry asks.

"St. Mungos," Snape says shortly. "To Hogwarts, then?" They nod soberly. Am I the only one for whom Narcissa's condition is news? I hate being the last one to know.

"I'd forgotten about Mrs Malfoy," Harry says. "How -"

"Let's just go," says Snape and Apparates with a pop.

We follow suit and are soon at the gates of Hogwarts. We soon catch up with Snape striding across the grounds.

"Someone ought to tell Dumbledore about Hermione's findings," says Remus.

"I want to see Riddle," Harry says. He hasn't said I'm not going to him, so there but that's what his tone implies.

"I'll go," says Snape. "I have no particular wish to see the former - or perhaps I should say future Dark Lord."

"I think Hermione should go too," I say. "Seeing as they were her findings in the first place."

I hand over the Veritaserum to Remus and hurry after Snape who had started to walk away toward the left as soon as he volunteered to go to the headmaster.

"Don't you want to know what he says under the Truth Serum?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "Your explanation of the curse made it perfectly clear that he will not have anything of value to tell anyone. If the Dark Lord has been unmade, as you say, to Tom Riddle, then why should he retain any of his former memories?"

"If he has nothing to hide, why should he be so hostile?"

"If you suddenly found yourself in another universe or timeframe surrounded by people who were busy quarrelling over why you were not dead, would you be cooperative?"

Damn! The man has a point. "At least now we'll know that for sure."

"It doesn't make a difference."

"A difference to what?"

We've arrived at the castle. He's led me to a side door which he hold open for me.

"To what is to be done to him."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not up to your usual standards Miss Granger. I'm sure if you think about it that brain of yours will come up with the only definitive course that we can take. Here's Albus."

He's lost me. The only definitive course? What is he going on about? But as the Headmaster is approaching and he must be told what happened in the battle field. I file away all the questions I have for future reference. It will have to wait.

II

"The hypocrites are slandering the sacred halls of truth

Ancient Nobles showering their bitterness on youth

Can't we find the minds that made us strong?

Can't we learn to feel what's right and wrong?"

~Rush; Farewell to Kings

Six hours later

Another emergency meeting in three days... I don't think that's ever happened before. Why is it that I'm always the first to arrive? I hate it when that happens. At least it's at Hogwarts and not at Grimmauld Place. It's very unsettling to be all alone with Sirius' mother screaming at you from her portrait.

Snape walks in. "Are we the only ones here?" he asks.

I nod. "The early bird ends up wasting a lot of time," I say. He smile wryly and sits down next to me.

"Why did the interrogation take so long?" I ask. I wasn't allowed in. Apparently they were only letting the tough Aurors and nasty people interview him and I fit neither of those categories.

"He resisted for some time."

"You can't resist Veritaserum!" I snap.

"Oh no? Actually it's quite easy once you know how," he says. "While you are compelled to tell the truth that does not necessarily mean the whole truth. For example if I were asked my name under Veritaserum I would be able to say Elias Alexander, those being my middle names."

"Severus Elias Alexander Snape," I say. "What a mouthful!"

"Quite," he says. "At least no-one has ever mispronounced any part of my name as 'ninny'. But you get my point?"

"Yes," I say. "But then how would he know? Veritaserum wasn't invented till the early fifties. That was after his time."

"There were other truth potions in existence though, and no-one could ever accuse him of being slow on the uptake. I believe they fed him the entire bottle. Such a waste."

"Hmm... I suppose they should have just waited until he was too exhausted to lie or as you said speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

"Exactly. It's a pity that you were not allowed in."

"What did you mean earlier, about there being only one thing that could be done about Riddle?" I say. I've got him alone and there's no way I'm going to let this lie.

"Well, think about it. You can't be that naïve."

Dumbledore, Harry and the other members of the Order start to come into the room. The Weasleys come in with the exception of Percy, who never really reconciled with them after my fifth year. He never joined the Order either. I catch myself looking out for a long red ponytail and a fanged earring. It's been over a year since Bill died and I still forget that he's gone.

Draco isn't there. He's probably staying with his mother. Lucius is there, though his eyes are rather vacant and dull. He looks a million miles away. He takes the chair on Snape's left and stares down at his hands. He keeps fingering the thin band of gold around his ring finger.

Harry keeps looking over his shoulder at the door.

Kingsley is the last member of the Order to come into our meeting room. He's half dragging-half supporting a limp black clad form with him. What have they been doing to Riddle? He's still wearing the too-long robe that he was first found in, it's torn at a few places. His eyes are barely open and they're so bloodshot that they're almost totally red. They no longer hide what he's feeling. His eyes as well as every other part of him scream exhaustion. He doesn't look as if he'll be able to stand without support if Kingsley lets him go.

He does let him go and as predicted, he falls to the floor unceremoniously, a small heap of black fabric, pooled on the floor. No one appears to be concerned

Somebody ought to do something. Oh yes someone has decided to check that he's alright and is kneeling beside him. Is it just me or is there something decidedly strange in the fact that the someone happens to be Harry?"

Dumbledore gets to his feet, "We are here to discuss what is to be done about Tom," he says. So it's Tom now is it? What happened to him and that?

"What's to discuss?" says Mad Eye Moody. "Potter has to finish him off. The sooner the better if you ask me."

Harry looks up, his eyes very wide and very disturbed.

"True," says McGonaggal. "I would suggest Azkaban but the Dementors probably would have no effect on him."

The lump on the ground whimpers.

"Can it be done though?" says Charlie Weasley. "I mean, can the killing curse be used? What if all it does is disembody him again? I don't think we want him to rise again for the third time."

Alright, now I'm disturbed. Here are a bunch of civilized, kind-hearted, and all together decent people discussing how to kill a fifteen year old boy. I look around at all the unsmiling, severe faces, wondering what's happened to us all. When did the war stop our ability to feel and turn us all so cold and stone hearted? My gaze falls on Snape. He smirks at me, but it's more sad than sardonic. "See what I meant?" he mouths at me.

"Wait," I say desperately. "You can't just kill him!"

"Now, Hermione," says Mrs Weasley. "You're confusing him with a real boy. What he really -"

"He is a real boy!" Harry says coldly. "Did none of you listen to what she found out about the spell?"

"Didn't you listen to him back there?" says Kingsley angrily. "He's full of venom. If we leave him be he's going to turn back exactly to what he was before."

"He's just afraid," says Harry defensively. "He's terrified. I told you if you'd just let me talk to him alone-"

"To what purpose?" says Snape. "How can you be so sure that it is fear and not malice?"

He's only saying this to make this difficult for Harry. I know that he believes every word that Harry has said about Riddle simply being a young boy frightened out of his wits. He's said as much to me himself, earlier in the day. But he will disagree with something just because Harry's saying it as a rule. I wish they'd all just grow up!

"Because I can feel it," exclaims Harry. "I can feel everything he does. Don't you remember anything?"

Oh yes... that. I'd completely forgotten, but it's been over two years since -

"If that is true," says Zacharias Smith acidly, "then doesn't that prove that he is the Dark Lord? Even if he doesn't remember it he's still the same. If the spell had turned him back to a normal boy you wouldn't be able to."

Oh dear, I think he has a point.

"Don't be a complete prat!" says Harry. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Harry," says Tonks gently. "I know how you feel. It's hard to have to dispose of someone who seems to be as helpless as he does, but you have to. It's either him or you. We can't take the risk that-"

"Maybe you can't but I can!" yells Harry at her. He jumps to his feet pulling Riddle with him, who looks as though he's going to be sick. "I'm not going to kill him!"

"Perhaps it would be better not to," says Remus mildly. "After all this way we can keep an eye on him. If we were to try to end his life he may end up disembodied again like Charlie said. I don't think we can take that risk. Do any of us want to be fighting another war twenty years hence?"

I see what he's doing! He's trying to put it in terms that will appeal to this rabid bunch out for blood. Why couldn't I have thought of that?

Everyone starts to shout at the top of their voices. I can't make out much, but it's obvious that with a very few exceptions in the room everyone disagrees with Remus. So much for that angle.

Dumbledore gets up again and raises a hand. He looks very old and tired. I don't think he likes this anymore that I do. It takes a few minutes but soon everyone's sat down again and is silent. It's a very tense sort of silence though.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please let us not lose our heads," he says. "I myself am not sure what is the best course of action to be taken. That is why we must discuss this with calm and open minds. The first thing to be taken into account is Tom's mortality. Is he or is he not mortal? Once we -"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" says Lucius Malfoy tetchily. "If that's your only hang up have him Kissed by a Dementor and then incinerate the body. We can sit here for hours discussing how many of his former powers he has retained and not reach a conclusion and I don't have the time!"

How much time does his wife have left? Is she slipping away? I've never seen him so desperately upset before. But with such a fool-proof option to get rid of him does Riddle stand a chance?"

The boy in question looks just about as terrified and distraught as someone who's just heard his own death sentence can be. Without as much as a sound he suddenly slips from Harry's grip to the floor in a dead faint. Harry gives a soft cry and kneels over him.

"I'm sure you have a very busy social schedule, Lucius," says Mr Weasley. "But I don't see how some party could be more important than this. Or I suppose that now you're in the clear you have no use for the Order any more. Typical!"

Oh God, he doesn't know.

"Dad!" says Ron wretchedly.

Malfoy gets to his feet in a rage. A vein stands out in the centre of his forehead pulsing and flickering. "You lowlife pretentious bastard!" he says softly though he's shaking in anger. "If you really want to know what is more important for me I suggest you read the obituaries in the Daily Prophet tomorrow."

There's a sharp intake of breath from my right. Snape is staring at Malfoy in horror. Obituaries? Does that mean that-

"Lucius?" says Dumbledore shocked. "Is she..?"

"Yes," he says in lifeless, toneless voice, "she's dead." Tonks stares at him unbelievingly for a few seconds and then bursts into tears. Remus puts an arm around her and makes various sssh-ing noises. "So you'll understand why I can't stay and attend your jolly little party," Malfoy says and stalks out of the room. Snape gets up and follows him without so much as a by-your-leave.

There's a tension-filled awful silence in the room after he's gone broken only by Tonks' sobs. I don't know why I feel so upset. I hardly knew her.

"Well," says Padma Patil staunchly. "I'm sure we all are very sorry for his loss -" oh yes, she knows what she's talking about, she lost her sister last year, "- but I think that his suggestion was a very good one."

"No!" says Harry heatedly. "You can't be serious. Professor Dumbledore, you can't just let them do that!" He looks at him desperately for support over Riddle's prone body.

"Harry, I wish there were another way," Dumbledore says desolately. "But it is for the best."

"How can you say that?" Harry yells. "You of all people should understand!"

"Oh come off it, Potter," says Smith. "Stop trying to be so noble. It's the only way. I say we call for a Dementor right now."

There are faint mummers of approval from almost everyone in the room. Oh dear, it looks like Riddle really is doomed. I can't just sit here without doing anything. This just doesn't feel right! Harry gets there first.

Harry gets to his feet and whips his wand out. "Take one step towards him and I'll kill you," he says softly. "That goes for all of you. So help me God, I swear if you even try it I'll hex you into next week."

It isn't an empty threat. He's deadly serious. If anyone should try to harm Riddle he will hex them.

There's a stunned silence. We seem to be having a lot of those today.

Smith is the first to recover. "You'll what? You're actually defending him? He's insane!" The last comment is addressed to the room in general.

"Perhaps," says Harry. "But insane or not I mean what I say. I know that you need signed permission from the Minister to get a Dementor. I think that being the boy who lived should give me enough leverage to make sure that the only way you'd ever have access is to one is if you were on the receiving end of it's affections."

Smith goes very red but he says nothing. He knows what Harry said is true.

"Harry, he'll need constant supervision," says McGonaggal. "Who would volunteer? We can't keep him at the school with the other students. What if he were to run amok and start to kill the Muggleborn students?"

Somehow I sincerely doubt that. The Tom Riddle that I've heard of wouldn't be stupid enough to do something like that.

"I volunteer!" says Harry. "I'll do it. I'll watch him twenty four hours a day if I have to."

"He would have to be magically restrained for a time," warns Dumbledore who's looking a lot happier now. "Other than that, my dear boy, if you are sure -"

"Oh, I'm sure," says Harry. "I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life."

"Professor Dumbledore, this is insanity!" protests Mrs Weasley. "You can't seriously be taking this into consideration. What if he tries to kill Harry? You can't let him put his life in danger like that."

"It's my life and I'll put it where ever I want," says Harry.

"But Harry," says Ron anxiously, "I know you think you can change him and all that, but poisonous toadstools don't change their spots. I don't think it can be done."

"I won't know unless I've tried," says Harry. He bends down and lifts the unconscious boy off the floor with some effort. "If that's all, I'll be taking him to the hospital wing. You can bring in those restraints any time you want, Professor," he says and walks out carrying the comatose form.

I don't wait to see how the rest of them react but go after Harry. He's nowhere to be seen. Ginny follows me out.

"He's flipped," she says to me. "He's totally lost it."

"I don't know," I say. "For the first time in two and a half years I think he's finally got it all together."

"Then you're mental too," she says.

We walk to the hospital wing in silence. When we get inside we see Madam Pomfrey clucking over Riddle, who's still out cold and fussing over him. Harry watches her intently. We go up to him.

"I hope you know what you're doing," I say.

"Of course he doesn't know what he's doing!" says Ginny explosively causing Madam Pomfrey to glare at her. Ginny lowers her voice but her tone is still one of dire urgency. "Don't you remember what he was like in the Chamber, Harry? He seemed to be normal and helpless to me when he was in the diary. But he's twisted and devious inside. He's like a clinging vine that holds onto you for support but then slowly sucks your life and soul away. He's a parasite - a weed!"

"Maybe," says Harry with a small smile. He looks down at the boy, who until a few days ago was the bane of his life, with something an awful lot like fondness. "But, weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them."⁴

***************