A Future Threatened

A Future Threatened

by Winnie Matthews

* * *

Chapter Seven

Hermione could barely even breath as she watched the Patronus disappear, the dementors along with it. Susannah was breathing heavily, perspiration appearing on her forehead. Ron was still on the top of the stairs, only he was huddled down now, his hands covering his face.

But Susannah wasn't looking at Ron, or even Harry or Hermione. Her green eyes were focused upon something in front of her and Hermione followed her gaze and covered her mouth to stiffen her gasp of surprise.

Standing in front of Susannah was a boy with messy black hair, just the same as Harry's and Susannah's. Only his face bore more a resemblance to Ginny, though his eyes were hazel, like Harry's dad's. The thing that startled Hermione the most, though, was that this boy wasn't solid . . . he was transparent.

"Sirius?" Susannah whispered, her small mouth quivering. The boy merely smiled and reached out to her, touching her cheek. Her eyes filled with tears and the boy disappeared.

Susannah stood still for a moment, then turned away from Hermione and the boys. Hermione got the impression that she was wiping away tears, because when she faced them again, her green eyes that were so much like Harry's bore no sign of any kind of sorrow or sobs.

"Is he okay?" she asked, seeing Hermione was watching her. Apparently she hadn't been aware that Hermione had been awake the entire time. Susannah indicated Harry, who was perfectly fine other than the lump on the back of his head.

Hermione nodded and looked up towards Ron. "What about Ron?" she asked and Susannah glanced up at him.

"Should be," she said. "We should probably stop somewhere and get some chocolate, though, 'cause I don't think we've got any at home. Which is probably a bad thing, considering that Voldemort's got dementors as one of his most prized followers."

Susannah turned away from Ron and walked across the room, searching through some objects. Before Hermione could ask what she was doing, Susannah exclaimed, "Aha!" and produced a locket with a triumphant smile. Even from across the room, Hermione could see the serpent seal upon it.

"That's it?" Hermione said, relieved. She was glad that they hadn't gone through all of this just for it to be a fake again. But if the events had led Hermione to discover Susannah's true identity, then this entire trip had been worth it.

"That's it," Susannah confirmed, slipping the locket into her pocket and then she went to go wake up Ron so they could get out of here and back to Godric's Hollow. Then she looked back at Hermione. "What should we do about Jeremy?" she wanted to know.

Jeremy. Hermione had almost forgotten about him. Her son. Her future son with Ron, whom she had married, according to him. She wasn't really sure what she thought of Jeremy, upon her first impression, but she decided that she could ponder that later. "Let's just leave him here," she suggested. "Someone will find him, eventually."

Susannah nodded as Harry started to come to. He rubbed his head, moaning, as he looked around at Hermione, Susannah, and the half-unconscious Ron on the steps. "What happened?" he asked and the two girls looked at each other.

"You explain," Susannah said wryly, hoisting Ron up and leading him up and out of the storeroom, Hermione leading Harry behind her.

* * *

Lord Voldemort stared at Draco Malfoy in a state of shock. "You're certain that's what you saw?" he said sharply and the youngest Malfoy nodded, his silver eyes afraid of the Dark Lord, something Voldemort was pleased to see. Why shouldn't his own followers fear him?

"Yes, my Lord," Draco whispered, trembling before him. "The new girl-I don't know what her name is, Potter, Granger, nor Weasley ever said, but she looked an awful lot like Potter-cast a spell, the Patronus Charm, and it was in the form of a stag. It was the same form that Potter cast on me during our third year."

A girl who looked like Harry Potter, Voldemort mused, and she cast a Patronus in the same form as Potter's. What could this possibly mean? Lily and James Potter had never had another child, much less a daughter. That, at least, Voldemort would have been aware of. Who was this girl? And more importantly, what was she doing here?

"There is something else, Master," Draco added and Voldemort returned his attention to him. "After they were gone, I went up to the main part of the store and found a boy. Looks a lot like Weasley, but he was knocked out so I brought him here. I thought that he might have some information about who this girl is and why Potter and his friends were there."

"Where is he now?" Voldemort wanted to know, red eyes gleaming with anticipation. If this boy knew who she was, then he might be able to get rid of Potter once and for all.

Draco pointed towards one of the rooms of the Riddle House. "I got one of the house-elves to take care of him," he explained. "Looked like he got hit with a pretty powerful hex. Either that, or the wizard who cast it was extremely powerful."

"Inform me the moment that he awakens," Voldemort ordered. "And then bring him to me. This boy might be the end, finally, of Harry Potter." The laugh that rang out from him made all of his followers flinch and Draco Malfoy looked, if that were possible, more afraid than before.