Esprit de Corps

Chapter 14

Hermione saw the jet of green light on its way to Ron hit Harry squarely on the chest as he appeared right in front of Ron. She saw her best friend fall, and her mind went berserk. The Death Eaters were converging towards Ron's end, where he held a limp Harry in his arms.

"Potter's dead!" yelled a Death Eater. Some of them laughed. Hermione saw tears pouring forth from Ron's eyes.

"Master will be pleased," said another, "to learn that we have eliminated the idiot!"

"Harry is not an idiot," hissed Hermione. All the Death Eaters laughed.

"No, my dear, he's not an idiot," said one mockingly, "he's a dead idiot!"

"NO!" Hermione screamed. The ground shook with her scream...the trees around them fell...then came a blinding flash of light from her body and all the Death Eaters lay prostrate on the ground, their wands useless by their sides.

Oblivious to the act she'd done, Hermione strode towards Ron and grabbed Harry's hand. There was no pulse.

"He...it...it hit him right on the chest, 'Mione," whispered Ron hoarsely, "He's dead."

"Shut up, Ron. He's not dead. He can't be dead."

"Hermione..."

"Quiet!"

Ron stared at Hermione. There was a mad glint in her eyes. No tears. No grief for Harry's death. Did she really believe that he was alive? Ron glanced at the limp form of his best friend in his arms. No, it was not possible...

She's right, Ron.

Ron started, and nearly dropped Harry on the ground. Hermione smiled.

"You heard him?" she asked. Ron nodded mutely.

I'm still here. You have to figure out a way to get me back into my body.

"We are trying to do that, Harry. Let me think for a minute..." said Hermione. She appeared to be thinking hard.

"Yes!" she cried suddenly, "I know what to do! Give me your hand, Ron - the marked one."

Ron extended his hand. Hermione took it, and put his hand over her and Harry's marked ones. Then she whispered, "Amorae retablus corpus!"

Ron felt a powerful surge of magic pass through him. He could see a pinkish glow around their hands. The pink turned green and then blinding white. The power threw them back, and Ron and Hermione landed on their bottoms a few feet away from each other. Harry, on the other hand, continued glowing. They could see a silvery form enter his body and a flash of green light again, and he fell. Ron and Hermione were by his side in an instant.

Harry opened his eyes slowly and gave them a weak grin. His friends heaved a sigh of relief.

"Don't you ever do that again!" hissed Ron, "If I am incompetent enough to fall in the direct path of the Killing Curse, it is my fault and I'm supposed to die. If you dare to..."

He couldn't finish his sentence because Harry had fainted. Hermione laughed.

"It's no use, Ron. You know how he is," she said softly.

Ron shook his head. Hermione put a comforting arm on his shoulder and said softly, "Can you carry him back to the house? I'll need all our wands' combined power to transport these," her hand made a sweeping gesture towards the fallen Death Eaters to transport them."

"I'll help you with that. I'll call Dad," said Ron. He waved his wand, making a pile of twigs and dry leaves and lit it. He muttered a complicated spell and Mr. Weasley's face appeared, not in the fire, as Hermione had seen before, but more like a holographic image, much above the fire. Ron briefly told him what had happened, and within a few minutes, the Death Eaters were being taken away, and the three friends were sitting on a comfortable couch in Hermione's house. All three were very pale and shaken and tired, but quite proud of having done a good job.

"Wotcher," said Tonks, "You three are Aurors even without the necessary training - maybe we can recruit you as soon as you graduate!"

They smiled. After hearing the full story, Mr. Weasley, who had somehow managed to hold up Mrs. Weasley's ministrations, had to give in, and Molly Weasley immediately sent the three children to bed. They remained behind after clearing up everything to explain the situation to Hermione's parents. Also, Andrew had to be Obliviated, and Dumbledore had to take care of the matter of expulsion of the trio.