Chapter 46
"You're a special kind of thick aren't you?" Aberforth chuckled gruffly at the pout on Ron's face, "I just told you that my Patronus is a goat."
"Then who could have sent the doe? Do you know anyone who has that Patronus?"
Hermione glanced up at Ron's whiny tone, having mostly tuned them out. She'd taken to the far wall, going through what was left of her bag. Clothes and random books covered the floor as she looked for her potion's kit. She would never understand how boys could be so disorganized and still function. She let out a small noise when her hand finally landed on what she'd been searching for.
She had gotten an idea from the field kit to make smaller little pouches for the boys to carry with them in the case they got separated. She'd torn off the two front pockets of her backpack to make two the small pouches. She didn't believe it would be wise to carry around a backpack the entire time and thus didn't feel remorse for destroying it. The pouches would hold about four to five vials each. She wasn't sure what was left in the potions kit she'd put in the backup bag but she was hopeful there would be something useful left inside.
Setting the box down in front she let out a small breath when opened the box. Most everything was still intact. She started the process of looking through the more useful potions and set them down. Still ignoring the others chatting away at the table. They had also tried to contact Ginny again but she hadn't responded. Aberforth had sent Ariana then, further into the painting. A heavy weight was filling the air outside and they could all feel it.
Hermione smirked as she finished sorting and made her way to her feet. She moved over to the table before silently taking hold of Harry's arm bringing him to his feet. Before he could properly ask what she was doing she was back down on one knee and taking hold of the belt loop at his hip.
"Keep this with you at all times," Hermione glanced up briefly to make sure he was listening before getting back on task, "It's got potions in it, that could help you or someone else." She pulled the string through tying it tight.
"Thanks, Hermione..." Harry mumbled still slightly taken aback. When she moved away and over to Ron he adjusted his shirt to cover the small bag, it hardly stuck out and the way she'd tied it was sure to stay in place.
"Least one of yous got a head on ya." Aberforth cleared the table with a wave of his hand before glancing up at the clock, "Almost time now." His eyes turned to the painting where he could just barely see his sister coming back.
Hermione shuffled on her knees over to Ron. She missed his blush when she braced herself on his thigh for a moment before pushing his baggy shirt out of her way. So focused on her task, she missed Harry's smirk as well. Hermione tied the last knot with a small huff before slowly coming back onto her feet. Her hand hovered over Ron's chest for a moment before lightly patting his shoulder.
Obviously not what she had intended to do Ron looked at her with confusion before turning, losing his words, to the sound of the portrait behind him coming open.
"Neville." Harry smiled slightly seeing the boy grinning at them all with a look of relief on his face.
"We're ready for you Harry." Neville's eyes lingered over each of them before he shifted back to make room for them to climb through.
Ron took after him followed by Hermione, though Harry had stayed back to share a meaningful look to Aberforth before taking Hermione's offered hand onto the step. Hermione let Harry go ahead of her before looking to Aberforth herself.
"What is right, is never easy." Her words had the desired effect on the aged man. She knew, he knew that she wasn't going to see the dawn's light. Her words hit something at his core and she was sure she would be seeing him one last time before the night came to an end. She pulled the portrait closed with her words hanging in the heavy silence that had followed the intensity of her bravery.
The walk in the tunnel was surprisingly shorter than any of them thought it would be. When Neville came to the other end of the portrait he paused giving them each a brave smile before pushing open the door. The students gathered therein all looked up from their various positions in the room but none of them actually expected Neville to come back with anything.
"Brought you all something back."
"Hope it's not more of Aberforth's cooking." Seamus came to his feet with a crooked grin on his face, though when Neville stood aside and Harry came out from behind him the entire room moved to their feet with a rise in excited conversation.
"Harry!" Ginny pushed her way from the map table over to his side, her arms quickly wrapping around his neck in a fierce hug. Though she'd just seen him not a day prior, it felt like years had passed between them. They held the other tight before Harry moved them out of the way to let Ron and Hermione through. Ron was also happily appreciated in his appearance, Seamus and Dean coming over to clap him happily on his back and tell him in rushed nonsense what they'd all be up to.
Hermione wasn't so received, while she did consider those around her to be friends, she'd never really spent any true time with any of them to form a meaningful connection, even her dorm mates had hardly spoken to her as she'd always had her head in a book or was otherwise occupied with other things to have time for senseless chatter. She took the moment of her apparent invisibility and slowly pushed herself away from the boys trying to keep herself as small as she possibly could. Her hand had gone to her neck under her hair to keep her secret hidden.
"Hermione!" Ginny pulled herself from Harry noticing the shorter girl trying to slink into the shadows, "How're you feeling?" Ginny came to stand before her afraid on how to approach her given her extremely defensive looking posture. "Are you...alright?"
Hermione gave her a weak smile but didn't uncurl her arms, "Better, thank you." Truthfully all the noise of the room was starting to make her head throb. She'd taken a few more doses of the potions in Snape's kit before she'd taken to sorting out the boy's but the pressure inside the room was just too much for her to process.
"Alright, alright everyone! Settle down!" Neville spoke above the rest with a small charm to help raise his voice. When the others started to follow his orders he turned to Harry and moved aside to give him center stage.
oOo
"How is the girl, Poppy?" Snape had arrived at the wing via the floo, not wanting to be seen in the halls.
"She's much better," The woman was possibly the only one on staff who hadn't taken a personal vendetta out against the man. The only one of whom had stayed somewhat neutral in his presence. Though she didn't approve of his methods she could see that he was trying to keep the kids as safe as possible given the circumstances. More times than not she would find her potion stores mysteriously replenished with potions of a much higher quality than Slughorn had been able to provide and she instantly knew from whom they came from. After all, until Slughorn had taken the potions position, Snape had been brewing nearly all the potions used in the hospital wing.
"I'm going to take her." Someplace safe, didn't need to be specified. It was clear in the deep shadow over his eyes to the woman who looked up at him from behind her desk.
"She only needs this." Pomfrey came to her feet moving to one of the many shelves inside her office. She reached back into the farthest corner inside a heavily warded box. She pulled the very last vial from its place and turned. When she came to offer it to him, her hand came under his, a brief moment of mercy to the man who had experienced so little in his life. "The ward is clear."
Snape slipped the vial into his pocket, though his eyes did linger on her visage one last time. He was sure he wasn't going to see it again. She had helped him so much through the years. Taken into the fold by Dumbledore and put under a strict tongue-lock should she ever breathe a word. Still, he couldn't trust her. She couldn't know everything. She was only meant to keep him alive long enough to let Potter die at the proper moment.
Snape let out a slow breath coming to the edge of the bed, his presence alone woke the girl sleeping therein and he frowned down at the lazy smile she gave him. He took a small step back as she started to push herself into a seated position. "Is it time?"
Snape only inclined his head his jaw growing tighter. He didn't offer her a hand when she pushed herself up to her feet. Her back was still a bit straighter than it should have been given the wrap that kept her shoulder immobile but she otherwise didn't have any issue. As she came to her full height beside him he turned slowly towards the door. Luna said nothing more keeping her head lowered and her eyes straight ahead. An air of calm had settled around them and neither one of them wanted to break the feeling.
oOo
"I don't want any of you to die for me..."
"Hate to break it to you mate, but at this point, it's not even about you anymore. None of us got a future if he wins. I don't know about the others but I'd sooner die in battle then end up one of his slaves." Seamus' eyes flicked over to Hermione for the briefest of seconds before looking back at Harry.
"We've chosen to fight." Neville took a step around so Harry could see him, "We want to do this, we want to help you."
"Right..." Harry glanced over his shoulder at Hermione and Ron for a moment, "Okay..." His heart was racing, so many looked up to him and yet, he couldn't find the strength to be the leader he felt they deserved. "We're looking for something...It's like a...a uh..."
"It's a diadem," Hermione spoke up but didn't move from her partially obscured position behind Ron's shoulder.
"Yeah, that...do any of you know anything about the founders having one?"
"Rowena Ravenclaw."
Everyone in the entire room turned almost in unison to the voice from beside the door. Luna gave them that same dreamy like smile she always had before letting the door close fully behind her. She was still in the pajamas and slippers from the hospital wing but it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.
"Luna..." Neville pushed his way through the group as fast as he could, "Luna how did you get here?" His hands ran up her arms checking for any sign that she was injured further than she had been.
"I don't know...I just thought this was the place to be tonight." Her lie was as smooth as her voice and Neville didn't even question it as he pulled her into a gentle hug. He held her head not daring to put any pressure on her shoulder. Luna gave him a one-armed hug in return before turning her head back up to where Harry stood on a small raised platform. "I know who we could ask about it."
"No...no way we're letting you back out there." Neville shook his head begging and pleading for Harry to take his side on this.
Harry came down from the platform just as worried at her sudden appearance. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione followed after him but the others just watched near silently. "I agree with Neville...you were seriously injured..."
"I'm alright, Madame Pomfrey fixed me up really well, and I have this..." She pulled a small potion from inside the pocket of the pajamas.
Hermione's brow ticked a little instantly noting what color it was, she had a very similar one in her own kit. A potion to speed up healing, and amplify the effect of healing charms. It was a crucial—if temporary, potion in the case of emergency care. She was almost certain she knew exactly how she would have come by that potion and just whom would have given it to her.
"I don't know..." Harry waffled his head looking at Neville's desperate face.
"I'll be fine, after all, you'll be coming with me won't you, Harry?" Luna took a small step away from Neville much to the other's broken heart.
"Yes..." Harry looked at Ron and Hermione for any help on the decision but Ron just shook his head and Hermione's eyes were turned away, her face showing she was deeply in thought about something else entirely, "We'll use the cloak...no one will see us. I promise we'll bring her back safe..."
Neville pursed his lips but he knew this was a fight he'd never win. Luna was her own person, he had no control over her choices or actions. He had to believe that Harry would, in fact, return with her and his belief that Luna was possibly the smartest witch he'd ever come to know gave him renewed hope that all would be well. "Well...perhaps you should change clothes first?"
"Ah...yeah, the castle is a bit drafty, I wouldn't want to catch a cold." Luna turned away from the lot of them moving over to one of the bathrooms the room had provided for them.
"Yeah..." Ron shook his head in disbelief at the girl's seemingly insane priorities. "So Hermione and I are going to go to the first-floor bathroom and get into the chamber, we'll meet you back here?"
"If something happens in between, we'll meet you in the Great Hall..."
"Alright...Neville, it'll be alright..."
"See you soon..." Neville looked towards where Luna had gone.
Ron turned his head to look back at Hermione, "Ready?"
"Yes..." Her eyes flicked down to his hand before she forced herself to raise her own. His hand felt all wrong in her palm. Cold and sweaty. She suppressed the grimace over her features as she allowed Ron to pull her through the door.
"There's a secret passage we can take to get down to the third floor. After that, we can check the map." Ron kept his pace quick but balanced between Hermione's smaller stride. He pulled his wand out, just in case, and pulled her towards one of the hidden alcoves that hid the wall they could push aside.
oOo
Snape paused on his way back to his office. He'd only just made it to the fourth floor when the feeling hit him. The feeling of a band growing tight around his wrist. His eyes narrowed as he turned his head down the hallway. He could feel her. He wasn't sure how but he could. It was confusing and disquieting at the same time.
So they really had come. The end was—truly— near. There was no way she had come alone. That much was certain. No doubt Potter had dragged her along with him. The dolt probably couldn't even tie his shoes without some sort of additional instruction. His face curled into a sneer as he pressed himself into a nearby alcove. His ear twitched when he heard the faint sound of steps against stone and he stilled himself further.
"Ron, slow down or let go of me..."
Snape's eyes narrowed to the sound muffled behind the stones. The steps continued down and he could actually feel the pressure around his wrist easing its grip. His brow stayed furrowed and he flexed his hand to try and rid himself of the feeling. Yet still, it lingered. It was odd, like want. Like someone wanted him. He'd never really understood the feeling, he'd felt it in others, of course, believing them to be senseless fools but he had always been looking at them, using his gift to feel it.
The feeling around his wrist slowly relaxed as he listened to the steps grow fainter. His mind was turning in a thousand different directions as he turned back into the deserted hall. This was it, he needed to find the boy. He needed to tell him what Dumbledore had forbidden him to tell him. The time felt right, but the place did not. He would still have to bide his time.
oOOo
Harry had walked the castle at night many times before, but never had his heart hammered this fast, never had so much depended on his safe passage through the place. The sound of their soft footsteps beat nearly in time with his pounding heart. Every bend of light, every shift of moonlight around corners beyond which who knew what lurked only coiled the knot tighter in his stomach.
Harry checked that Luna was alright whenever light permitted, she was moving along well and didn't seem at all winded. It helped ease his worry, but only just. He expected to encounter an obstacle at any moment; his worst fear was the Snape would somehow descend down upon them from some darkened alcove, and he strained his ears with every step to hear the first, telltale signs of the dreaded man's approach. However, it wasn't Snape's mysteriously light steps that drew him to a sudden halt. Rather the harsh echo of hard heels on the worn stone.
"What is Alecto doing?" Harry kept his voice low watching the sloped woman head through the cross section just ahead of them. A sinking feeling entered his chest when he realized must have Voldemort known what they were doing or at the very least suspected; what they had been planning. He'd promised Neville he'd keep Luna safe and he'd all but led her straight into a trap.
"It'll be alright, Harry." Luna gave his arm a small squeeze, "After all, she can't see us right? We can slip right past her." Luna gave him a small pull moving them closer to the door.
oOo
"This is how you got in?" Hermione's voice was lighter than normal, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, "It was right here the whole time?"
"Funny right?" Ron moved around the edges of the sink looking for the one marked with a snake, "The answer to everything was right behind us the entire time." He could find humor in it now, in retrospect it was a rather clandestine event that Hermione would have chosen such a place to brew the polyjuice potion.
Hermione noticed Myrtle floating near the far window looking out, she was suspiciously quiet, making the tension that had been crawling up her spine grow tighter.
"Found it." Ron looked down at the proper faucet before thinking back.
"How do you open it?"
"Like this..." Ron felt rather proud of himself and took a moment to give his knowing look towards Hermione though she didn't quite share in the rarity of the situation with him. His smile faltered a little before he cleared his throat. The words came from his lips with a bit of a stutter. There was a tense silence as both he and Hermione waited for something to happen. Ron grimaced and tried again, thinking back to how exactly Harry had spoken to open the locket. Hermione hid her smirk behind her hand turning her head away to look back at Myrtle while Ron continued to do whatever it was he was doing. By the fifth time, however, there was a loud click and the column of taps started to move apart. "Got it."
"Brilliant." Hermione took a slow breath and started down the spiraled steps after Ron. With one fleeting glance to the ghost who had finally turned to acknowledge their presence before disappearing entirely. Hermione shook her head bringing her focus back to the steps beneath her feet. It was a rather long way down and she didn't fancy taking a tumble. The smell of decaying refuge started to make the air thick and she put her hand over her nose and mouth. "You had to go into this? It's a sewer."
"Yeah, it definitely wasn't the best the first time." Ron too had covered his mouth by this time. He thumped down into the damp corridor with a small grunt looking around the space. It was just as he remembered it all those years ago.
"Which way do we go?" Hermione came down to his side looking through the maze of offshoots.
"This way. I remember." Ron gave her a small smile from behind his hand before turning down the tunnel. It was the only one of the many that actually had polished stone.
As they moved further in, the smell abated and they each lowered their hands. Hermione's eyes took in everything trying to image a much younger Harry and Ron making their way through. It felt like so many lifetimes ago but yet there they were retracing old footsteps. She had been so proud that they had figured out her missive. Though she was proud of them for what they'd done, the old fear that she wasn't truly needed had surfaced then as it did now. Though they had seemed nearly lost without her during the time she had been kept with Snape, there had been others who had easily taken her place. She tried to push the dark thoughts away, but still, they lingered. They hadn't been as bad before, but recent events had truly made her step back at her short life and deeply wonder what her true purpose in the world was.
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