• Chapter 13:  In a World of Love

     

     

    On the Order’s express request, all the former werewolves of the underground community were invited to Lupin’s wedding. And also Rita Skeeter, for the Order wanted to show how beautiful life would be in a world without violence and over which Love would reign. ‘It’s a real psychological warfare’, Harry thought.  After the Liverpool night, another full moon had passed without any incident, the underground companions had not transformed. Some of them showed a sort of perplexity about that phenomenon they couldn’t explain nor understand. Their strength and destructive powers were, so to speak, wiped away. On the contrary, others were quite happy to have got rid of their defect burden. ‘In anyway, they are no longer Voldemort’s pampered allies’, thought Harry.

    The wedding was organised at the Burrow, on the Order’s request. The Order was of the opinion that surely Voldemort would try to sabotage it in a way or another. And the Order intended to set a trap for him.  The Burrow site was ideal for that, far from Muggle’s eyes, the nearest village was more than five miles away. So, the wedding was minutely prepared.  All the Orders members and friends (among these, Mrs Pomfrey) were invited and informed that an attack by the Death Eaters was among the possibilities. The other preparations for the wedding itself were simple, for Mr and Mrs Weasley had a good experience since Bill’s wedding. Naturally both Dobby and Winky were again requisitioned.

    Ginny and Gabrielle were the bridesmaids once more. Harry had suggested to Ginny to die her hair the same shade as Gabrielle’s. Harry had promised Lupin he would attend his wedding but he would wear his Invisibility Cloak. Ron should stay at the foot of the platform with Moody’s Invisibility Cloak, in his hand, to rescue Ginny if need be. The bride and groom had received order to Disapparate at the first sign of an attack by the Death Eaters.  It was the others’ responsibility to deal with the combat.  The wedding was scheduled in the middle of the week, but Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Gabrielle and of course, Harry, were allowed to miss all the lessons of that day.

    “Harry !” McGonagall called out to Harry at the foot of the staircase at The Burrow.

    “Yes, Professor ?”

    “If the Dementors were there, you wouldl deal with them alone by yourself, wouldn’t you ?”

    “Yes, professor. Don’t be worried.”

    “No, I’m not worried. I’m sure he’ll send a horde of those monsters, thinking that perhaps, as it is in the middle of the week, the students, I mean you, will not be there. I just want to warn you.

    “Thank you, Professor !”

     

    The decoration and the platform were the same as for Bill’s wedding. The rows of chairs were filled up with guests.

    Rita Skeeter, as much of a snooper as usual, had already made a tour around the guests to have an idea who they were, and was asking indiscreet questions here and there.

    Everything proceeded perfectly as scheduled. When the nuptial music burst our, Tonks appeared, walking slowly, from the kitchen door, on her father’s arm, looking serious. As all the brides, she looked particularly radiant, her beauty reinforced by an intimate happiness from the bottom of her heart, which gave her an angelic expression. ‘Her hair is even brighter than usual and she looks mature, she doesn’t walk on her dress’, thought Harry who was behind the guests, in his Invisibility Cloak. Lupin, looking somehow younger in his smart Muggle suit and the grey cape that differed from the black robes of every day, was under the foot of the platform with Mrs Weasley.

    Rita Skeeter looked at her wristwatch.

    “But … it’s not time yet !” she blurted out in a whisper, but nobody answered her.

    Ginny and Gabrielle, slightly shy, proceeded on in Tonks’ wake. Their silvery blond hair glittering under the sunrays, gave the impression that they were wearing a halo of a multitude of stars. They looked very much alike, like two sisters.

    That’s no good, they look too much alike” Harry thought, and at once he ran towards Ron:

    “Ron ! it’s me” Harry said. “They look too much alike, Ginny and Gabrielle. If the Death Eaters couldn’t make out who is who, they might kidnap them both !”

    “Yes,” said Ron.

    “At the first sign of the Death Eaters, you wrap Ginny in your Cloak, because you are near her, and I, Gabrielle in mine.”

    “OK”.

    Harry stepped near Gabrielle and whispered to her: ‘It’s me, Harry. Don’t worry.  At any sign of the Death Eaters, I’ll take you to Fred’s and George’s.’

    “OK”.

    It was Aberforth Dumbledore who united Lupin and Tonks.  He looked very much like his brother Albus Dumbledore, especially today as he wore the long blue robe dotted with silvery stars, perhaps his brother’s very robe.

    When Aberforth had finished, he said:

    “I declare you husband and wife. The bride and groom may kiss”.

    The garden corner exploded with applause in an unlimited euphoria.

     

    Harry saw in the blue sky, far away, a dark mass, still very far … that drew closer and closer at a surprising speed.

    “Professor Lupin, Tonks, Disapparate ! The Dementors are approaching”, Harry said, then:

    “THE DEMENTORS !” Harry cried out loudly to the whole gathering. He took off his cloak, wrapped Gabrielle in it, and Apparated with her to the middle of the garden.

    “Stay here with me. Don’t go away. Hold my arm, so I know that you are there, otherwise I can’t see you.” said Harry.

    “EXPECTO PATRONUM !” Harry shouted out in a clear and firm voice when the Dementors came near, above the garden. And the enormous silvery bright stag, bigger than a mammoth, materialized in the middle of the garden, on the velvet green lawn. It walked stately, raised its head with ramified antlers several yards wide. As if they were sucked by the stag, the shapeless monsters from Darkness rushed one after the other towards it, and broke into pieces when they touched the antler’s sharpened points.

    Meanwhile, the Death Eaters appeared from nowhere, and the guests split up into groups to ‘welcome’ them to that well prepared ambush. Mad-Eye Moody, McGonagall, Aberforth, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Bill and Hermione, turned their back to Harry, to protect him, because Harry had to concentrate so as to exterminate all the Dementors until the last one.

    When the last Dementor had been destroyed, Harry turned his wand to a group of two Death Eaters who stood back to back to fight against a group of guests. By the gap between two guests, Harry pointed his wand and cast a smooth wave, and the two Death Eaters were nailed down on the ground by an Anti-Apparation curse.

    The fighting became more and more fierce, for the Avada Kedavra formula cast by the Death Eaters could be heard everywhere, but the Order’s side stood firm.

    Then a whistle was heard from somewhere, and the Death Eaters Disapparated all at once.

    “The toll ?” asked Aberforth.

    “One Death Eater was seriously wounded by Alastor, four others Incarcerated, and a horde of Dementors destroyed. On our side, some lightly wounded, just scratches”, replied Mr Weasley.

    “Where are Ginny and Gabrielle ?” asked Mrs Weasley.

    “I’m here”, replied Gabrielle, getting out from under the Invisibility Cloak. “Harry hid me under his cloak”, she added.

    “Thank you, Harry”, said Fleur, kissing Harry on the cheek.

    “Ginny must be at Fred’s and George’s with Ron”, replied Harry. At that moment, Ron appeared in the garden.

    “Ginny’s safe”, said Ron.

    Harry noticed that during the attack, the former werewolves remained quietly in their chairs, and they were still there in their corner.

    “It’s a complete victory. We did not suffer any losses, and the battle didn’t last very long”, said Moody.

    “How many Dementors were there ?” asked McGonagall, addressing to nobody.

    “They may be easily estimated at over a hundred. It’s about the same mass as the last time at Hogsmeade village”, said Rita Skeeter who had just joined Harry’s group. “And the Ministry stated last time that the total number of Dementors at Azkaban was nearly two hundred, and that perhaps You-Know-Who’s entire army of Dementors was already exterminated.”

    “A member of the Ministry maintained a few days after the attack in Hogsmeade that the number of Dementors in Azkaban was in reality far much more than two hundred. He didn’t give the exact figure”, said Harry.

    “What you say is quite interesting, Mr Potter”,  said Rita with a large smile, looking really glad of the piece of information.

    “I’ll go to the Ministry. They must relieve us of the prisoners”, said McGonagall to Aberforth, then she Disapparated.

    “Please come into the kitchen, all those who are wounded”, cried out Mrs Weasley who was walking side by side with Mrs Pomfrey towards the kitchen. “Hermione ! you’ve got a nasty cut on the cheek, come along !”, she added waving her wand, and a banner with the words ‘First Aids’ was stretched over the kitchen door.

    Tonks and Lupin were back in the garden, looking for news. They had simply gone to the bar of the nearest village, waiting till the fighting was over before they came back.

    Harry who didn’t want to be questioned by Rita, grasped Ron and Hermione’s hands:

    “Let’s us go !”,  and the three friends Disapparated.

     

    Minutes later, they were in front of the school. It was nearly seven o’clock in the afternoon. Ron conjured his Patronus to inform Hagrid who came to open the gate for them. He was happy to learn the fresh and good news.

    After dinner, Hermione concealed in her bag a piece of bread, a chicken thigh, some ham slices, and Ron in his trouser pockets, an apple, an orange and a bottle of pumpkin juice for Harry, thinking that perhaps Dobby was still busy at The Burrow, he wouldn’t be able to look after Harry’s dinner. Which was true, for it was scheduled that Dobby would return to Hogwarts only the next day.

    “I long to see the public reaction about our ‘psychological warfare”, said Harry, “because it was one. The Order wanted to demonstrate that it is not what life, often pitiless, imposes on us that counts, but it’s our choice that shows what we are truly. And Lupin is an illustration of it. Have you watched the werewolves, well, the former werewolves, this afternoon ? They remained quietly on their chairs, they didn’t take sides with the Death Eaters. Rita Skeeter must have known some of them, as she must have known that Lupin is a werewolf”.

    “Of course, what could they do, those werewolves ? Their strength and their destructive powers, they only have when they are transformed, but in broad daylight what could they do ?” Ron said. “ Moreover, I don’t think that they are real wizards.  All we know is that, up till now, only Lupin had the chance of attending Hogwarts. Only Greyback among them was a real werewolf wizard, to our knowledge. He attacked the school when he didn’t transform.”

    “That’s right”, Harry admitted.

    “It was a real attack by the Death Eaters.  I mean it wasn’t meant to kidnap Ginny. Voldemort wanted to sabotage the wedding, and to jeopardize the Order’s psychological warfare”, Hermione said. “And surely, Voldemort didn’t expect to find you at Lupin’s wedding, in the middle of the week, far away from Hogwarts ! That was why he sent the Dementors !”

    “It was a complete victory of our camp. We don’t know the exact number of the Dementors who were in Azkaban, but we are sure that we’ve destroyed at least more than two hundred of them already. Only the giants are left”, said Ron.

    “Oh, the giants  ! They’ll exterminate themselves.  Without Voldemort, they’ll remain in their caves.”

    “Had the Order not advanced the wedding time a quarter of an hour, the Death Eaters would have been there right in the middle of the celebration ! It was very well calculated ! Really well done !”

    “It was an idea of Aberforth, I find him quite perceptive”, said Harry.

    “Voldemort suffers defeats over defeats ! I wouldn’t like to be in the place of the Death Eater who led the operation this evening ! Lucius Malfoy must think himself lucky being in Azkaban !” said Hermione.

     

    The next day, the Daily Prophet related in detail Lupin’s wedding over fives pages with photos of the bride and groom under the big title “The wedding of an Auror with a Werewolf”, and under this: “The Psychological Warfare led by the friends of late Albus Dumbledore, the former Headmaster of Hogwarts, the most powerful wizard of the century, who preached Love and Harmony”. The third page under the title “The great defeat of You-Know-Who” with the photo of the Dementors breaking into pieces on the antler points of the stag, and the photo of Harry, alone on the lawn, with his arm stretched out, supervising the giant stag, in the foreground. On the fourth page, under the title “The Ministry’s getting stuck in its lies: The public is sick of the Ministry’s lies … How many more Dementors left ? Can we believe what the Ministry states ?” … And on the fifth page: “At last the antidote against the werewolf’s bite has been found: The werewolves will no longer transform themselves, another defeat suffered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named !”.

     

    ***

     


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  •  

    Chapter 14: The Monsters from Darkness

     

     

     

     

    "What’s the matter, Professor ?” Harry asked popping his head out of the doorway of his classroom.  It was mid night, and McGonagall was there in her dressing gown, looking concerned.

    “The Ministry just sent a messenger.  A horde of Dementors and giants are attacking at this moment at Harrogate. The Aurors are not able to overcome the two hordes at the same time.”

    “I agree to help them’, said Harry, with conditions. I’ll let you know later, Professor. And the Ministry should not know that I’m at Hogwarts.”

    “No, the Ministry’s messenger didn’t know that you were here. I told him I went to ask your friends Ronald and Hermione.”

    “Could they come with me, Professor ? I’ll Apparate to the Head Quarters. They’ll join me there, and I’ll contact you through Sirius’ grandfather’s portrait”.

    “I’ll fetch Hermione and Ronald”, McGonagall replied.

    Three minutes later, the three friends were at Grimmauld Place.  They were in their living room when Phineas Black’s portrait spoke:

    “The Ministry asked whether you would accept to help the Aurors who are at this moment at Harrogate, fighting against a horde of Dementors and Giants sent by Voldemort.”

    “Yes, I know, my friends just informed me of what is happening at Harrogate. Please tell the Ministry’s messenger that I accept with the following conditions:

     

    * Primo, that Stan Shunpike be released at once.

    * Secondo, that he’ll be discharged from all accusations.

    * Tertio,  that the  Ministry  informs  the  public  of  the  exact  number of Dementors who were in service at Azkaban.

    * Quarto, that my name and those of my friends will not be mentioned in the operation of this evening.”

     

    Phineas disappeared from the portrait and one minute later came back in his frame:

    “The ministry accepts all your conditions.  It’s in the North of Harrogate, at St John bridge.”

    “Well, It’s O.K. then’, Harry replied, ‘Let’s go”, he added to Hermione and Ron.

     

    The three friends Disapparated and were at St. John Square minutes later, in front of a sight of unbelievable mess. The roads were happily desert apart from the Aurors.  They were about thirty. A group of about fifteen were struggling desperately to chase away the Dementors. The other group were powerless in front of three giants who threatened to break everything on their way. Twisted lamppost, uprooted trees strewn over the ground, side by side with broken public benches…

    The Aurors had switched off all the lights in the area, so that the Muggles couldn’t see the mess, but there was enough moonlight to light the scene.

     

    “Come here”, said Harry to his friends. “If I have to maintain my Patronus, I would not be able to help the other Aurors fight the Giants. Then, if we could unite our power and conjure together a unique Patronus, you would be able to maintain it afterwards to exterminate the Dementors if you concentrate hard, while I would withdraw myself to go and help the other Aurors. I’ll conjure my Patronus there, five yards in front of us, on that dark grass tuft. We’ll conjure our Patronus together by converging our powers on that point.  Our three powers will be on the same spot, and my Patronus will be all the more powerful for it.  This is the way it works according to Dumbledore’s books. It’s the most powerful Patronus that will take shape. OK ? At three !

    “Yes”, replied Hermione and Ron together.

    “One, Two, Three !”

    And in a same voice, the three of them shouted out:

    “EXPECTO  PATRONUM !”

    An enormous silvery stag, twice as big as a mammoth, materialized five yards away from them. While Ron and Hermione concentrated to maintain the Patronus, Harry withdrew silently.

    “Let my friends deal with the Dementors”, Harry said to the Aurors who were dumb struck in front of the giant stag. “Go and watch the bridge.”

    Then Harry went to the other group of Aurors about twenty yards away. They were fighting against three giants. Harry saw a fourth one, alone, under the bridge, very suspect, that no one among the Aurors paid attention to.

    The Aurors were fighting in a disorderly manner, each one, at random, cast the curses that came to their mind, but even the most powerful ones like the “Avada Kedavra” had no effect on the giants.

    “But why you don’t unite your powers to cast curses against them ? Look at my friends; they succeeded in conjuring a giant Patronus to exterminate that horde of Dementors.  Unite your powers !”

    “INCARCERATION !” Harry shouted in a clear and firm voice in pointing his wand at the Giant who was at that moment trying to twist a lamppost, and the Giant was at once tied up from head to foot in a steel cable, like the one used on big cargoes.

    “INCARCERATION !” Harry shouted again aiming at another Giant who was trying to uproot a tree, and he too was tied up from head to foot in a cable like the first one.

    Then Harry pointed his wand on his throat, ‘Sonorus’, and then to the other two Giants who were still standing, (the one under the bridge had just come up to the street):

    “Go away, take your friends with you, and never come back here ! Otherwise, I’ll kill you !” Harry said, joining to his words, gestures to make sure that the Giants understood, for Harry did not know whether the giants speak the same language.            .

    The two Giants, astonished, looked at Harry for a moment in silence, and then they hoisted they friends on their shoulders, and withdrew into the darkness of the night, by the riverbank.

    Harry gave a quick look in the direction of Hermione and Ron.  The sky was already Dementor free and his friends were running towards him.

    The other Aurors, looked at Harry in silence.

    “Go and check up the bridge foundations (about 30 yards from there) One of those Giants was under the bridge, I saw him. Surely he has cooked up something there. Block the entrance on either sides to the bridge, the cars might fall into the river if they cross it !”

    Harry had hardly finished his sentence when a deafening sound was heard, and the ground under them shook as under the effects of an earthquake. The bridge just collapsed in a thick cloud of dust.

    “Well, go and deal with it. Put barriers on either sides of the bridge to stop the cars.”

     

    At this moment, a horde of Inferi, disturbed in their habitat by the rubble of the collapsed bridge, started chasing the first Aurors who arrived there.

    Oh, for God’s sake, Inferi !’ thought Harry who recognised them by the way they moved, like puppets, then to the Aurors, he cried out :

    “Unite your powers, light up torches to fight against them.”

    But the Aurors, panic stricken, caught off guard, ran away disorderly, casting whatever curses that came to their mind at the Inferi.

    “You are numerous ! Encircle them and light up your torches to destroy them”, shouted Harry to the Aurors.  Harry arrived just when the Aurors, after the first moment of panic, succeeded in pulling themselves together, and encircling the Inferi in a circle of their lighted torches.  They were about forty.

    “Tighten up your circle to burn them, and maintain your circle firmly” said Harry.

    By a gap between two Aurors, Harry pointed his wand in the centre of the Inferi:

    “INCENDIO !”

    And a great fire burst out in the circle of fire created by the Aurors and the Inferi’s corpses burnt up, emitting an acrid smoke, for nearly a quarter of an hours, then it reduced little by little into a heap of ashes, that Harry removed by sending them into the river.

    Ron and Hermione joined Harry, and looked at the scene in silence.

    “I think it’s over’, said Harry. What will you do with this mess ?” Harry asked the Aurors. “Do you want some help ? But, not a word about our presence here, this evening !”

     

    Many people had just arrived.

    “Good morning, Harry !” said Scrimgeour, the Minister for Magic, who had just arrived with many other persons, among whom, Percy and Stan Shunpike.

    “Thank you very much, Harry”, said Stan

    “No problem, Stan ! I’ve got the Minister’s word that you are discharged from all accusations”, said Harry.

    “Yes, yes !”, the Minister hastened to reply. “Thank you very much for your helping hand, Harry”.

    “Above all, not a word about our presence here tonight.  Even when you are on your own, don’t talk about us being here.”

    Ron, who didn’t want to be with Percy, pulled on Harry’s sleeve:

    “Come on ! Let’s go !”

    “I’ll leave you. I see that some Muggles are arriving. Good bye, everybody.” Then to Stan, Harry added, “Stan, don’t speak about me, to anybody, O.K.?”

    And the three friends Apparated, direction Gimmauld Square, because it was a Friday night.

    When they reached their living room, Harry asked Phineas’ portrait to inform McGonagall that the mission had been fulfilled. It was nearly three o’clock in the morning, and the three friends were completely exhausted.

     

    “No ! They did not mention our names in the events of yesterday night”, said Hermione the next day, when she read her Daily Prophet. They were in the kitchen, taking their breakfast prepared by Dobby who had arrived at dawn, informed by McGonagall.

     

    “Listen !” Hermione went on. “Stan Shunpike has been released yesterday night at mid-night, and discharged from all accusations … The Ministry didn’t give any explanation for that sudden release … The number of Dementors who were in service at Azkaban were in reality more than four hundred. The public wondered what was the driving force that compelled the Ministry to contradict its former statements !” Rita Skeeter wrote.

     

    “A combined large-scale attack with the participation of Giants, Dementors and Inferi had been launched by You-Know-Who in North Harrogate, in Yorkshire. The St John’s Bridge collapsed at about haft pass one in the morning today, according to eyewitnesses. We were sure that it was the Giants’ deed, but they ran away after having damaged the foundations of St John’s bridge. They left marks of footprints on the river bank towards the Pennines mountains. Twisted lampposts, uprooted trees, and broken public benches were strewn over St John’s Square near the bridge where the attack had taken place. An army of Aurors was dispatched on the place at the first signal of the presence of a horde of about two hundred Dementors. After nearly an hour of fierce fighting and with extraordinary efforts from the Aurors the monsters from Darkness were partly destroyed and chased away by the Aurors who afterwards were attacked by a horde of Inferi, disturbed in their dwelling by the rubble of the collapsed bridge.  The Aurors were able to exterminate the entire horde of Inferi reducing them all into ashes.’

     

    “Of course !” said Hermione. “They cannot say that all the Dementors were exterminated, because last time in Norfolk they were unable to do so. How can they explain now that they succeeded in exterminating them all !”

    “That’s normal, one lie engenders another lie !” said Ron with his mouth full, and surely, at once, he got a reproaching glance from Hermione.

    “What’s our programme for today ?” asked Hermione.

    “I’d like to go to Godric’s Hollow, this afternoon. What do you think about that ? We have the whole weekend for us.”

    “We’ll come with you !”

     

    ***


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  •        Chapter 15: Godric's Hollow

     

     

     

    I would like to search again through the rubble of the house. Last time we stopped the search when we found the bedside table, but we haven’t done through all the amount of rubble. We’ll do it now methodically, removing layer by layer, and so transferring the amount of rubble from one place to another; that way, we’ll not miss a single stone.”

            The three friends were again at Godric’s Hollow.  They concentrated on this meticulous and laborious task for over three hours. When they arrived near the two sections of walls that were still half standing, they found some wooden planks that might have been parts of a child bed.

            “Surely that was part of my bed”, said Harry.

            He tried hard to remember his bed, and what had happened around it on that day when Voldemort had come to kill his parents, but he couldn’t. He only saw the green dazzling flash.  Perhaps it was here, on this precise place that Voldemort had cast him the killing curse. Perhaps it was here that the combat between his mother and Voldemort had taken place. It was here that Voldemort was before being reduced into a wandering soul.

            “I can’t remember anything about my bed and what had happened around it, but there must be something of Voldemort left in this place”, Harry insisted.

            They went on removing the rubble layer by layer till they saw the marble floor.  Harry was on the point of giving up the job, when suddenly he saw something shiny that a sunray brought out from underneath some pieces of rubble. With his hand, Harry squeezed it out.  It was a small golden flask, a kind of round ink pot with an eagle wonderfully wrought in relief on the front face and a cap on a hinge.  It was miraculously intact, perhaps protected by the big pieces of rubble nearby.

            Hermione and Ron gave up their work and in a bond were beside Harry, to examine the object.

            “A Ravenclaw’s ink pot ! But of course !” cried out Harry, “He must have had it with him when he came here to kill me. Dumbledore said that he had the intention to create his last Horcrux with my murder.”

            “Then Dumbledore was right about Voldemort’s choice of objects meant to become his Horcruxes. But if it was so, the ink pot is not yet a Horcrux”, Hermione pointed out, “because he was reduced into ‘Vapormort’ before having the chance to do it.”

            “And after that, he made Nagini his last Horcrux”.

     

     

            The sun was setting down on the horizon. Harry wanted to make a tour in the village, and the three friends walked down the hill slope. It was a nice and pleasant small village. On the village square, there was a park with tall flowering acacias along with benches here and there among some rhododendron bushes. The village trade life gathered around the park with its stores, a restaurant, a coffee terrace, cloth shops, gift and souvenir shop, an attorney office, a small bank, an architect office… Harry stopped in front of this one to read the plate, then stepped inside. There was just a young clerk on a desk with a plate ‘Reception’.

            “Good afternoon, Madam.  Excuse me… I would like some information. I would like to rebuild an old structure, which is now only a ruin. I have only a photo of it. Would it be possible to reconstruct it as the photo shows ?” asked Harry politely.

            The clerk stared at the three teenagers, not very much convinced by their age:

            “Good afternoon ! Do you have the photo here ?”

            “No, it was just when I passed by your office that the idea came to my mind.”

            “I’ll ask Mr William. If your old structure was in the region, we may  have kept the plan.  Our office is the only one of the region, and they have been architects from father to son for generations.”

            “Yes, it’s in the region. It’s the ruin on the hill.”

    The clerk looked startled.

    “I’ll ask Mr William”, she said then went inside by the door beside her desk. Minutes later she came back with a man of about thirty.

            “I’m William Fairfax, assistant of my father”, the newcomer presented himself holding out his hand to Harry.

            “I saw on the plate that it’s ‘d’Urbervilles

            “Yes, my grand grandfather had inherited the office from his father-in-law. He wanted to keep the name ‘d’Urberville’ because at that time the office had already existed for over half a century. My father is not here today, but if you said that it’s the ruin on the hill, I think that we still have the plan of it in our archives.  Everybody spoke of the manor when the tragedy happened. And I remember having heard my father speak of its architecture, that it was a master piece of our office … You are a relative of the Godric’s Hollow owners ?”

            “Yes”, Harry replied simply. “And when could I have the answer whether you still have the plan of the manor ? Shall I come back next week ?”

            “Harry, the exams !” whispered Hermione beside him.

            “No, in a month, because of the exams. Will it be possible ?”

            “Yes”, nodded Mr Fairfax.

            “Thank you very much and good bye.”

            “It’s I to thank you”, replied Mr William.

            The three friends walked out from the office. Very glad about the way things were going on, Harry set forth with his friends to the cemetry. On the way, he stopped at a florist’s and bought a hydrangea pot.

            When they arrived at the cemetery gate, Harry saw that there was somebody in the corner of the Potters’ tombs, a woman.

            “Come on”, said Harry to his friends. “Perhaps she is the person who had put flowers on my parents’ tomb last time we came here”.

            He set off with brisk paces, and hastened toward his parents’ tombs. The woman, who was just about to leave, re-arranged a flower in the marble vase. She was no longer in the prime of life, wearing simple clothing with a shawl over her shoulders in spite of the warm weather of a sunny day.

            “Please, Madam”, Harry asked politely. “You are a relative of the Potters ?”

            The old woman startled; surely she had not heard Harry approaching.

            “No, only a friend”, replied the woman. Then she stared at Harry, stepped back as by surprise and exclaimed: “Mr Potter ! Harry ?”

            “Yes, my name is Harry. Thank you for the flowers you’ve put on my parents’ tomb.  Do you know me ?”

            With no forewarning, the woman put her arms around Harry’s shoulders and hugged him against her.

            “I looked after you when you were a baby. When your mother had to go somewhere, she dropped you at my house. My name is Ann, Ann Cuthbert. Oh, how glad I’m to see you again. I’m really glad. I’ve so many things to ask you. You look very much like your father, I recognised you at once. Come on. I live not far from here, we’ll be better around a table and over a cup of tea.”

            “Could my friends come with me ? Could I call you ‘Ann’ ?”

            “Yes, of course. I live alone. Please come, Miss and Mr.”

            “Me too, I’m very glad to meet you, Ann !” said Harry.

            Harry put the Hydrangea pot on his parents’ tomb, and passed his hand on the cold marble as to greet ‘good day’ to his parents, then followed Ann out of the cemetery.

            She lived not very far from the cemetery, just on the outskirts of the village, in a small alleyway with green vegetable. She showed the three friends round her house, on Harry’s request, as he wanted to know how she lived. It was a pleasant small house, orderly and well organized. But surely Ann was not rolling in richness judging by the number of patched holes in the curtains and cushions that Harry could see. Behind the house, Ann had a plot of land where she grew some tomato and lettuce … Ann invited the three friends to sit down on the small terrace, which had a view on the hill, then she started preparing tea.

            “Please, Mrs Cuthbert, I’ll do it. Go and sit with Harry”, proposed Hermione, which Ann accepted willingly.

            “Do you have children, Ann ?” asked Harry.

            “No, I’ve a niece, my sister’s daughter. She lives on the other side of the village. She’s married and has two children. The eldest, a girl, is twelve years old, the other, a boy, is nine.

            “And what do you live upon, Ann ?”

            “I live on my husband’s pension. He worked as a mason for Mr Fairfax.

            “Tell me about my parents, please, Ann ! I know nearly nothing about them.”

            “Yes, about a week before the tragedy, you mother told me “Ann, if ever anything happened to me, you’ll take care of my son Harry !” I didn’t really understand what she meant by that. Your mother must have had some worries.  I had been ill for two days, I didn’t leave my room, when a neighbour of mine came and told me that something terrible had happened at the manor. I went to the manor, it was about ten o’clock in the morning, you were no longer there, nor your parents. They said the manor had exploded. I couldn’t recover from the shock; especially I haven’t been able to fulfil what I had promised to your mother. I didn’t know where you were, nobody knew !”

            “Yes, my parents died in that explosion, but I was miraculously spared. Some of my parents’ friends took me to my aunt, my mother’s sister. I lived with her till last year. Now, I live at the school where I’m attending. Now, tell me everything you can remember about my parents and me, please Ann !”

            “Oh, how much I’m glad to see you again, and to see you in good health, my dear Harry !”

            “Harry ! What about ordering a dinner from the restaurant, so we could stay here with Mrs Cuthbert ?” Hermione suggested.

            “I have a better idea, I’ll ask Dobby to bring here our dinner”, Ron proposed.

            “Very good idea, do you agree, Ann ? My friends will look after the dinner.”

            And so, the three friends stayed and took their dinner with Ann Cuthbert’s that evening.  When they returned to Grimmauld Place, it was nearly mid-night.  Harry had in mind a programme to help Ann, as well as to rebuild  Godric’s Hollow manor. Harry was very happy, as he had never been before. Until now, his thoughts could go as far back as to the moment of the dazzling green flash, but now he had found the other part of his life. That part of life took shape clearly and vividly in his mind thanks to the memories related by Ann. He felt as if he had just been born again and had the impression that he still felt the soft caress of his mother’s hand. 

     

    ***

     

     


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  • Chapter 16:   N.E.W.T.

     

     

    “Today is our last meeting, for you all have exams to pass and your revisions to do. It’s in three weeks. I wish you all ‘Good Luck”, said Harry at the end of the D.A. training session.

    “We’d like to ask you a favour”, Ernie McMillan said. “We are all members of Dumbledore’s Army. It’s not to play that we are here, it’s to fight against You-Know-Who. And we know that surely, one day or another, perhaps tomorrow or after tomorrow, when you decide to confront You-Know-Who, then, promise us that you’ll call us. We know that we are far below your level in the matter of magic power, but you’ll deal with You-Know-Who, and we, we’ll deal with the Death Eaters around him. We’d like to contribute to the success against Evil.”

    “Yes, promise us”, Michael Corner added

    “I have never wanted to keep the work of fighting against Evil for myself,” said Harry. “Everybody is entitled to fight against our common enemy, the Absolute Evil. But you must know that it’s not a game, it’s a very dangerous operation, and that you should not commit yourself light heartedly. First, you’ll come on your own accord, and in no way am I imposing it to you. Secondly, I recommend you to call Voldemort by his name, because if you dare not call your enemy by his name, you are embarking in an already lost battle. Fearing a name incites you to fear the thing itself. Third, our Magic Galleon remains our way of communication. Fourth, I accept to take with me only those who have got the Apparition licence.  Those who haven’t got it yet will remain at our base; it’s also a way of contributing in the fighting against our enemy. Fifth, keep our planning strictly secret. Even among you, don’t speak, for the walls have ears. Now, Good Luck to you all for your exams.”

    “Good Luck, Harry, for your fight against Voldemort”, said Gabrielle.

    “Thank you, Gabrielle, for calling Voldemort by his name. Your wish will give me double chance. And Good Luck to you for your O.W.L.s’, said Harry. … “And congratulations, Ginny and Luna for your Apparition licence”, Harry added.

     

    “I’ve read again carefully the books on Hogwarts, but the mirror of Erised was mentioned nowhere”, said Hermione when all the other D.A. members had left.

    “It doesn’t matter, thank you, Hermione”, replied Harry. ‘I think that I’ll simply tell McGonagall that I’ll have to destroy it on Dumbledore’s express recommendation. Because, I think, for the final battle, we’ll have to ask them to come with us. The three of us alone can’t face Voldemort with all his Death Eaters around him, in his den !”

    “And you are sure where his den is!” asked Ron.

    “Yes”, replied Harry. “I’m sure that it’s in Gloucester.  Because I’ve seen again and again the same country site.  These last days, I’ve been focussing my attention on Nagini, its habits, where it goes … But for the moment, concentrate on the revisions. Keep Voldemort and his Horcruxes out of your mind, until the exams are over … McGonagall just informed me that my application to sit at the exams as a free candidate was accepted by the Ministry.”

    “Brilliant !” exclaimed Ron and Hermione together.

     

    Harry had no difficulty in his revisions. He had only to read once again his old notes, and everything was back in his memory.  The three friends revised together every evening.

     

    The Seventh and Fifth years took their exams on the same days in the Great Hall. The four house long tables had been removed and replaced instead by rows of small tables for one person each, all facing the examiners’ table, leaving a large alley in the middle to separate the two classes.

    Harry’s place was about the middle of the hall, near the central alley. Ron was three rows behind Harry, on the wall side, and Hermione, three rows in front of him. Gabrielle was among the first rows near the central alley, but on the Fifth year side. So Harry could easily see Hermione, Gabrielle and Ron. He just had to turn himself a little to see Ron, diagonally. He was very pleased with his place, for he liked to look at his friends from time to time to see whether everything went fine for them.

    Mrs Marchbanks was there as usual.  Harry wondered how old she was, because she has said that she herself had examined Albus Dumbledore at his N.E.W.T.!

    The exams lasted five consecutive days, for Ron and Harry. The mornings were spent for the theories, and the afternoons, for practice. As for Hermione, she had one more day for Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.

     

    The first day was reserved for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry thought that he had well answered all the questions. The afternoon was for practice.

    The students were called one by one to appear before the examiners in a classroom. When his name was called out, Harry entered the classroom to find himself face to face with Mrs Marchbanks and Mr Tofty who had questioned him at his O.W.L. two years ago. In the middle of the class, there was a life-size puppet with a wand in the hand.

    “Ah ! Mr. Harry James Potter … Er … Could you please show us how you would ‘Incarcerate’ this chap ?” said Mr Tofty pointing at the puppet.

    And Harry, with a smooth wave of his arm, without pronouncing the formula, pointed his wand like a flash on the puppet, and the puppet was solidly tied up from head to foot in a rope; it let out a cry like a doll which has been pressed hardly...

    “Very well, Mr Potter ! Do watch out ! The chap will attack you !”, warned Mr Tofty removing the rope to release the puppet, with a wave of his wand.

    And the puppet suddenly came into life like a living adversary. It held up its wand and pointed at Harry. Instantaneously, by reflex, Harry stepped aside, blocked the puppet’s curse by a wave of his wand and cast right away a non-verbal curse of Anti-Apparition that nailed the puppet onto the floor.  Mr Tofty again liberated the puppet.  Harry jumped up to avoid a curse of the puppet aiming at blocking Harry’s feet, and cast back at it the same curse that made the puppet’s feet whirling uncontrollably, then Harry cast immediately another curse that disarmed the puppet. Its wand flew to the end of the class room that Harry, with a wave of his wand, made it fly back and caught it in mid-air.

    “Very, very good”, said Mrs Marchbanks, “I think I see the movement of Dumbledore’s hand … We all saw your Patronus in the Daily Prophet. How is it that in two years’ time your Patronus changed its size so spectacularly, Mr Potter ?”

    Harry pointed his wand toward the door, and the enormous silvery stag materialized, touching with its antlers the very high ceiling of the classroom.  It walked stately, straight in front of it and when it came near Harry, it lowered its head and licked the hand that Harry held out to it.

    “I’ve said to myself that if it was to chase a Dementor, a normal stag would do, but if Voldemort ever sent me an army of those monsters, my stag should be up in stature and size to destroy them all. My stag is a creature of Light and the Dementors are monsters from Darkness. My creature of Light should succeed in exterminating those monsters from Darkness.  It was by concentration and determination of the spirit that I succeeded in conjuring my Patronus as I want … and … it has only been so since this summer”, added Harry.

    “Wonderful, after Dumbledore’s death. I understand”, replied Mrs Marchbanks. I see that you have the willpower of our late lamented Headmaster. It’s a strictly personal work. It’s not at school that we can learn all these things. You’re really Dumbledore’s man …”

    “Through and through …, yes, Madame ! That’s what the Minister reproached me several times”, Harry added, suddenly very moved, remembering Dumbledore’s watery eyes when he related his encounter with the Minister in the frosty garden of The Burrow.

    “The Daily Prophet said that you did not come back to school this year, is it true ?” asked Mrs Marchbanks.

    “It’s true. I’ve learned by myself, and I go in for the exams as a free candidate. I feared that my presence in the school might attract the Death Eaters here and endanger my friends’ life”.

    “You have a very beautiful thought for your friends”, replied Mrs Marchbanks.

    At that moment, Mr Tofty showed her something he had written on his book note. “You’ve got the note Optimal+++; there are no higher notes than Optimal. Perhaps, I think, that you didn’t know that in all our history of Magic, up until now, there are only mentions of Patronuses that work as a shield to protect you and to chase the Dememtors away, but never yet of Patronuses that exterminate them, Mr Potter” … added Mrs Marchbanks.

    “No, I didn’t know”, replied Harry. Thank you very much, Madame, Sir”, added Harry, turning back about to leave the room.

    “Normally we don’t reveal the note to the students, Mr Potter” , added Mrs Marchbanks winking mischievously,  and smiling.

    “Thank you”, said Harry

     

    The news that Harry presented himself at the examinations quickly spread over the school and out of the school. Rita Skeeter watched out for Harry in front of the classroom door with some inquisitive students. Popping his head out of the doorway, Harry saw Rita’s butterfly-framed spectacles hidden behind a student. He, at once, withdrew back in the classroom, threw his Invisibility Cloak over himself and then waited for Ron’s turn to go out.

    “ It’s me, Ron ! ” Harry whispered. “Clear a path for me so that I can go out, avoiding Rita.”

    And so, behind Ron, Harry went out, slipping between ’Rita’s fingers’, without her knowing it.

    “I saw you in the examination room. You were brilliant. I think that this time you’ll get an O”, said Harry, with enthusiasm, giving a friendly slap on Ron’s shoulder.

    “Did you think so ? Oh, I hope”, replied Ron, happily.

     

    On the following days, Harry thought he had answered correctly all the questions, and had done well the practices in the afternoon too. For Transfigurations, McGonagall was there, she made him a sign of approbation with a large smile when he went out of the Examination room and passed in front of her.  For Potions, Harry thought he would obtain an O too, for his flask showed the most beautiful colour among all the others, and that it was the precise colour it was meant to be. Slughorn was there, and he made him the sign of the thumb up.

    On Saturday, Harry and Ron were already free while Hermione had still Arithmancy and Runes to pass. Ron and Harry, under his Invisibility Cloak, went down to the dungeon where the philosopher stone was hidden, but the mirror of Erised was no longer there.

    “Where could it be now ?” Harry asked himself..

    “We should now check every room and cave of the castle !” said Ron, looking desperate.

    “We’ll proceed tower by tower. To begin with, we’ll do the Gryffindor tower, from the basement to the top”, suggested Harry.

    When they came back to Harry’s room, Hermione was already there, waiting for them.

    “You’ve done well ? Perhaps it’s unnecessary to ask the question ?” said Harry.

    “Yes, that’s to say no  !” replied Hermione.

    “Do explain ! Yes or No ?” said Harry.

    “I say ‘Yes’, I think that I’ve done well my paper. I say ‘No’, it’s not superfluous to ask me, I’m touched that you’re worried for me”, replied Hermione.

    “No, I’m not worried for you. Not at all. Between us, you are always the one who gets the best note, the best note of the whole class. I ask so that you confirm that you’ve done well.”

    “Well, yes, you’re difficult !” replied Hermione.

    “No, it was just to relax you a bit !” said Harry, smiling, and all of a sudden forgetting both Voldemort and Horcruxes.

    “Where have you been ?” asked Hermione, who had turned a bit pink by Harry’s joke.

    “We’ve been to the dungeon where the philosopher’s stone had been hidden to see whether the mirror of Erised was there; but it was not,” Harry replied, a bit disappointed for having to come back to earth. “Then Ron and I went through the entire Gryffindor tower, from the dungeon to the top, but we haven’t found it either. We think we’ll try the Astronomy tower this afternoon.”

    “It’s time”, said Hermione looking at her watch. We must go for lunch. This afternoon, I’ll have three hours of Runes, so I’ll be free at five o’clock. We’ll meet again here ?” added Hermione pulling on Ron’s sleeves.

    “O.K. and good lunch to you both… And … Hermione, forget the mirror, concentrate on the Runes, and good luck !” added Harry.

     

     

    ***


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  •   

     

    Chapter 17:  Hermione

     

     

    I think that I’ve done well my Runes translations. What did you do this afternoon ?”, asked Hermione entering Harry’s room.

    “Well, … we visited the Astronomy Tower, from the dungeon to the Observatory”, replied Ron, “then we came back here waiting for you.”

    Harry thought that it didn’t look like Hermione at all. Usually she liked to pass in review all the subjects of the examination papers and discussed in detail all the items. “She has no longer the same interests as before, why ?” wondered Harry. Ron’s voice went on:

    “I don’t know ! … Perhaps, it would be better if we return to the room we first saw the mirror, to see whether they haven’t replaced it back there before going through all the towers of the castle?”

    Harry went on wondering : “The tracking down of the Horcruxes is now more important in Hermione eyes ? She is worried for me, that is sure.”

    “Hello  Harry ! Are you with us ?” asked Hermione.

    “Yes”, Harry replied. “What did you say, Ron ?”

    “We wondered whether it would be better to return to the room we’ve seen it the first time, before we visit all the towers of the castle, one after the other”, Ron replied.

    “If we go through all the Towers, one by one, it will take us one entire week, if the mirror is in the last Tower, as it often turns out”, Hermione pointed out.

    “Quite a good idea !”

    And the three friends set out in the direction of the library.  It was near the library that Harry took refuge when he had been pursued by Filtch and had come upon the mirror. On their way, they met McGonagall.

    “Good afternoon, Professor,” greeted the three friends together.

    “I’m under the Invisibility Cloak”, said Harry.

    “Yes, I SEE,” replied Mcgonagall mockingly. “Professor Marchbanks made quite a glowing praise for your exploits, Harry”, she added.

    “She told me I got the note Optimal+++, (‘Woouuawh !’, let out Hermione and Ron together), but she said it’s a secret that we should not tell anybody,” replied Harry.

    “That doesn’t surprise me. And you, you’ve done well all the papers”, she added turning to Ron and Hermione.

    “Yes, I think so,” said Hermione.

    “Yes, I hope so,” said Ron.

    “Professor ! We would like to know where the mirror of Erised is now ?” asked Hermione suddenly.

    “The mirror of Erised, the mirror of Erised !” repeated McGonagall as to remember what it was. What is the matter with the mirror ?” she added.

    “During our first year, Professor Dumbledore put it in the dungeons to hide the philosopher’s stone, do you remember ?” Harry asked.

    “Yes, I remember now. To my knowledge, afterwards Professor Dumbledore moved it back to its previous place, in the Ravenclaw Tower”.

    “Woouuawh !” the three friends burst out together.

    “Professor ! Could you please convene an exceptional meeting of the Order, here, at Hogwarts, in the room of the mirror, for tomorrow, at three o’clock in the afternoon”, asked Harry. “It’s very important, don’t ask me why, for the moment. But it’s very important, otherwise I wouldn’t dare ask you.”

    “O.K. I’ll contact Aberforth”, answered McGonagall, giving up trying to understand.

    “Thank you, Professor !”

    “Enjoy yourselves when the weather is fine, and the exams are over !” McGonagall replied setting off to her office.

    “You didn’t tell us that you’ve got Optimal+++ in DADA”, Hermione said reproachfully, when McGonagall was out of sight.

    “Yes, I’ve completely forgotten, but I was too worried about the mirror, and also, I’m no longer interested in the exams, replied Harry, trying to explain that omission on his behalf. I remember that the mirror was in the first room on the right, after the Library.”

    It was in a small empty classroom. The room was locked, but with Hermione’s formula of ‘Alohomora’, they could open it without difficulty. The mirror was there as it had been on the first time Harry had seen it.

    “So, the mirror belonged to Ravenclaw ?” Ron asked.

    “Not necessarily, McGonagall said ‘where it was before’, it’s not its house, well, it’s the way I understand it”, replied Harry.

    “Yes, if it belonged to Ravenclaw, Dumbledore would have known”, reinforced Hermione. “Well, if I stood in front of the mirror, what would I see”, she added, placing herself in front of it, she then smiled, looking pleased, and turned magenta.

    “Dumbledore said that the happiest man on earth would see himself exactly as he is”, said Harry standing beside Hermione, in front of the mirror. “And I see myself as I am, though I’m not the happiest man on earth ! … I understand, because I’m warned and so I’ve no illusion ! I see the three of us, together, always together”, he added. But apart himself, he wondered ‘How could I be with Hermione, because Ron loves her, and since I’ve decided never to be Ron’s rival ?

    Ron came in front of the mirror.

    “The last time, I saw myself as a Quidditch Captain, but I’m no longer interested in it. What should I see now ? Ah ! I see the three of us’, said Ron, but he also turned wine red.

    Harry thought he knew what Ron and Hermione had seen in the mirror.

    “Do you feel a faint wind, from the mirror ?” asked Harry placing himself in front of it, then he stepped aside, then again he placed himself in front of it.

    “No, I feel nothing” replied Ron doing several times like Harry.

    “It’s difficult to say”, said Hermione, passing her hand lightly over the surface of mirror.

    “Yes ! Look at Hermione’s hairs. Well, it’s difficult to see this way. Let me take out one single hair. Excuse me, Hermione !”, said Harry, trying to take one single hair out of Hermione’s bushy hair mass.  I’ll block the effect of the mirror with my body. You see that the hair hangs down vertically. It’s a little difficult, because Hermione’s hair is not straight, but the main axe is really vertical, do you agree ? Now I step aside, wait a minute … yes, now the main axe is no longer vertical.”

    “I see nothing”, said Hermione, pulling out her hair completely. “Block the mirror, so that I could see. Lower your hand a bit, to your chest. Yes, it’s vertical. Now, step aside… Yes ! It’s exact, there is a very light wind that drifts the hair away”.

    “Yes, a very light wind”, replied Ron. Block the mirror again, Harry ! Yes, effectively, there is a small difference between the two ways the hair hangs down.”

    “And you feel that light wind ?” asked Hermione admiringly. “Because I feel nothing, not even on my cheek. You’ve become like Dumbledore !”

    Harry said nothing. He put Hermione’s hair in his pocket in a natural way as if he put his hand. The three friends examined the mirror under every angle, then they came back to Harry’s room.

    “Why did you ask McGonagall to convene the meeting at three o’clock tomorrow ?” asked Hermione.

    “For over a month now, I’ve followed the comings and goings of Nagini. Often during daytime, she sleeps near her master, at about five o’clock in the afternoon she goes hunting. Time for discussing our plans, how we should go there, and how we organize the watch of the school, we should be able to be there at five o’clock to deal with the snake. We’ll bring along with us a rabbit to attract her. And bear in mind that she measures more than five yards, visualize her in your mind, so as to have no surprise. Surprise makes us vulnerable…. I see that it’s nearly time for dinner, I have an idea.” Harry added, then he called ‘Dobby !

    And the elf appeared at once in front of Harry.

    “Mr Potter asks for Dobby ?”

    “Could Ron and Hermione stay here and have dinner with me ? And could you please manage for me to have a living rabbit tomorrow in a basket ?”

    “Yes, Mr Potter. Dobby will look after these things. But Kreacher is very ill and the elves in the kitchen think that he is dying, that he is leaving”.

    “What should I do in that circumstance ?” asked Harry.

    “Go and see him. It’s the master’s benediction that allows the elves to go peacefully”.

    “So, I should go now ?”

    “Yes, if it pleases you, Mr Potter. Dobby will look after your dinner.”

    “I’ll not be long”, said Harry to Hermione and Ron.

    He put on his Invisibility cloak and went out with Dobby.

     

    “Well ?” asked Ron when Harry was back.

    “Bof ! He was already half in the other world. He opened his eyes when I arrived, but there was no life in his look. I told him to go in peace, but I don’t think he understood me. I stayed some minutes with him, and then he went away. I closed his eyes. And I think that I did what I should in that circumstance, because all the other elves prostrated themselves in front of me. I thanked them for having taken care of him during his sickness, and I left. I asked Dobby to deal with his funeral.  He had been sick for a long time by now, old age sickness, he had not eaten for the last three days.”

    “Good riddance !” Ron let out.

    Ron got at once a scathing look from Hermione.

    “But Hernione, he was wicked, that Kreacher ! It was his fault if Sirius died.” said Ron,  exasperated.

    Harry thought that Ron was right, but said nothing.

    The three friends stayed late in the evening, working on the operation they were to carry out the next day.  Harry showed to his friends the detailed map of Gloucester he had bought for the purpose, the strategic points, and Nagini’s presumed hunting areas.  Before going back to Gryffindor, Hermione asked:

    “May I borrow Hedwig tomorrow ?”

    “Yes, of course. Good night to you both”.

     

    But Hermione, at two steps from the door, came back like a rush of wind. She threw her arms around Harry’s shoulders and hugged him so tightly against her that he felt their two hearts beat together, and then she planted a kiss on his cheek before running away out of the room in a sob.

     

    Harry, dumb struck, stood stock still in the middle of the room, tried to understand Hermione’s gesture, a drop of Hermione’s tear lingered on his cheek.

    She loves me. Until now, she has shown for Ron only a deep friendly attachment, but not love’ Harry thought.  He reviewed in his mind their numerous walks near the lake with Ron and Hermione and he came to the conclusion that it was Ron who loved her as a lover. He had been concentrating so much in the tracking down and destruction of the Horcruxes that he had not noticed the change in Hermione’s feelings for him. He had not only been too concentrating in his mission, but he also had deliberately banished every girl’s image in his mind, and every spark of love that might form in his heart ... 'Yes, but that doesn't change anything, I've decided not to be Ron's rival' he told himself, feeling miserable. He removed Hermione’s tear with his hand and pressed it against his heart.

    Then, remembering Hermione’s hair, he emptied his pocket to find it. He wound it around his small finger to make a ring, and hid it behind his mother’s photo in the locket he wore on a long chain around his neck, under his shirt.

     

    ***

    To be continued on next page


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