(Y/N)'s POV

Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus had landed. Then somebody screamed. Guests were sprinting in all directions; many were Disapparating; the protective enchantments around the Burrow had broken.

Instinct kicked in and the first thing I did was scooped up Gabrielle into my arms and placed a shield charm around her, figuring we had very little time to prepare, I was right.

Gabrielle started crying, the sudden invasion was clearly too much for her, "It's alright sweetheart, you're safe with me," was all I could say to comfort her in the heat of the moment. My eyes darted throughout the room, searching for one of the Delacours.

As I did I noticed a dark hooded figure sending curses any way they could from the middle of the room, flashes of red and green light spitting from their wand, normally I'd try to fight back, but that wasn't my concern right now.

As Gabrielle sobbed and wailed into my chest adding to the sea of screams and cries "MAMAN!" she bellowed. "PAPA!" she shrieked as tears stained my robes. I comforted her softly, running my hands through her hair to soothe her, but It was a simple reflex, I didn't even do it consciously.

I pushed through the crowds, searching for someone, anyone, that could get this girl to safety, I didn't throw a single curse or charm, fearing it would make me a target for the attackers. Then, across the room, I saw two parents screaming for their children in the sea of chaos.

I bolted towards them, jumping an overturned table in the process, I spun Fleurs father to face me, he placed his wand out in defence before he saw I meant no harm, instead he called out to his wife.

I placed the crying girl into his arms and before I could instruct him to leave, he was already grabbing his panicked wife and Dissaparating to safety.

My next instinct was to find Hermione, my eyes darted around the room to find a mass of brown hair, I didn't find it, but before fear struck me I saw a familiar flash of red hair attached to Ron, not thinking I sprinted towards him, shoulder barging an attacker in his way.

He turned and pointed his wand at me in a rush, snarling, "It's me! Where is everyone?" "Dunno!" he bellowed, sending out a curse towards some attackers as we pushed our way through the dancefloor.

Shock was just setting in when I heard Harry shout "(Y/N)!" "(Y/N), where are you?" Hermione's cried. We followed the sound of the voices as they cut through the crowd and fought our way towards the others.

I finally caught sight of them, "(Y/N)! Ron!" Hermione called, half sobbing as she and Harry were buffeted by terrified guests: Harry seized her hand to make sure they weren't separated as a streak of light whizzed over their heads.

Ron grabbed my arm harshly and wrenched me in one direction, then to my monumental relief, they were both with us, in one piece. He caught hold of Hermione's free arm, she saw us and didn't even make a sound but her eyes showed great relief.

Then she made the movement of turning and we were suddenly not where we had been a millisecond before. We were squeezed through space and time, away from the Burrow, away from the descending Death Eaters, away, perhaps, from Voldemort himself. . . .

As I blinked and open my eyes, I was met with the sudden image of a double decker bus hurtling towards me, yet again my instincts kicked in and I darted to my right, cutting it so close that I could have sworn the bus skinned my nose.

"Where are we?" said Ron's voice. "Tottenham Court Road," panted Hermione. "If I went through everything I have up till now only to get killed by the 176 I'd be so mad." I thought, but before I could voice this Hermione said, "Walk, just walk, we need to find somewhere for you to change."

And so we half walked, half ran up the wide dark street thronged with late-night revellers and lined with closed shops, stars twinkling above us. A double-decker bus rumbled by and a group of merry pub-goers ogled us as we passed, still wearing dress robes.

"Hermione, we haven't got anything to change into," Ron told her, as a young woman burst into raucous giggles at the sight of him. "Why didn't I make sure I had the Invisibility Cloak with me?" said Harry.

"All last year I kept it on me and-" "It's okay, I've got the Cloak, I've got clothes for you," said Hermione. "You packed it, to the wedding?" I asked, she nodded. "What would we do without you?" I said as I caught my breath.

"Just try and act naturally until — this will do." She led us down a side street, then into the shelter of a shadowy alleyway. "When you say you've got the Cloak, and clothes . . ." said Harry, frowning at Hermione, who was carrying nothing except her small beaded handbag, in which she was now rummaging.

"Yes, they're here," said Hermione, and to Harry and Ron's utter astonishment, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, some maroon socks, and finally the silvery Invisibility Cloak. "How the ruddy hell — ?" "Undetectable Extension Charm," said Hermione.

"Tricky, but I think I've done it okay; anyway, I managed to fit everything we need in here." "You're so brilliant you absolute beauty!" I said, kissing her in excitement. "Not now, change quickly."

She gave the fragile-looking bag a little shake and it echoed like a cargo hold as a number of heavy objects rolled around inside it. "Oh, damn, that'll be the books," she said, peering into it, "and I had them all stacked by subject. . . . Oh well. . . . Harry, you'd better take the Invisibility Cloak. you two, hurry up and change. . . ."

"When did you do all this?" Harry asked as we stripped off. "I told you at the Burrow, I've had the essentials packed for days, you know, in case we needed to make a quick getaway. I packed your rucksack this morning, Harry, after you changed, and put it in here. . . . I just had a feeling. . . ."

"Please, Harry, get that Cloak on!" Harry threw the Invisibility Cloak around his shoulders and pulled it up over his head, vanishing from sight.

"The others — everyone at the wedding —" "We can't worry about that now," whispered Hermione. "It's you they're after, Harry, and we'll just put everyone in even more danger by going back." "She's right," said Ron.

"Most of the Order was there, they'll look after everyone." "Come on, I think we ought to keep moving," said Hermione. We moved back up the side street and onto the main road again, where a group of men on the opposite side was singing and weaving across the pavement.

"Just as a matter of interest, why Tottenham Court Road?" Ron asked Hermione. "I've no idea, it just popped into my head, but I'm sure we're safer out in the Muggle world, it's not where they'll expect us to be." "True," said Ron, looking around, "but don't you feel a bit — exposed?"

"Where else is there?" asked Hermione, cringing as the men on the other side of the road started wolf-whistling at her. "We can hardly book rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, can we? And Grimmauld Place is out if Snape can get in there. . . . I suppose we could try my parents' house, though I think there's a chance they might check there. . . . Oh, I wish they'd shut up!"

"All right, darling?" the drunkest of the men on the other pavement was yelling. "Fancy a drink? Ditch them and come and have a pint!"

I'd had enough and let out my frustration by sending a rope of fire out of my wand to lash at them quickly. It didn't even come close to them, I would never hurt a Muggle intentionally, but it scared the bejesus out of them.

It was probably not a good thing to do in this situation but my nerves were on edge, as the fire dissipated the drunks all scattered bellowing and screaming and I couldn't help but smile at the look of terror on their faces.

My only saving grace was the fact they were too hammered to ever report the magic man who can control fire with any credibility and the Ministry was too busy collapsing to monitor the Statute of Secrecy right now.

"Let's sit down somewhere," Hermione said hastily as Ron opened his mouth to shout back across the road. "Look, this will do, in here!" It was a small and shabby all-night café. A light layer of grease lay on all the Formica-topped tables, but it was at least empty.

Harry slipped into a booth first and Ron sat next to him opposite Hermione, whom I sat next to, we had our backs to the entrance and she did not like it: She glanced over her shoulder so frequently she appeared to have a twitch.

After a minute or two, Ron said, "You know, we're not far from the Leaky Cauldron here, it's only in Charing Cross —" "Ron, we can't!" said Hermione at once. "Not to stay there, but to find out what's going on!"

"We know what's going on! Voldemort's taken over the Ministry, what else do we need to know?" "Okay, okay, it was just an idea!" They relapsed into a prickly silence. The gum-chewing waitress shuffled over.

Hermione ordered three cappuccinos: As Harry was invisible, it would have looked odd to order him one. The drink itself was vile, so I traced my fingers across the brim of the cup, finding some comfort in the heat it provided, but I couldn't help but frown deeply.

"What's wrong?" asked Ron, as he noticed the beginnings of tears in my eyes. "Nothing, it's silly..." I said, not wanting to discuss the fact I was heartbroken I didn't get to say goodbye to Bones or Winky.

It seemed so stupid to be worrying about that right now, especially to Ron of all people, right after his whole family had been attacked. A pair of burly workmen entered the café and squeezed into the next booth.

I was at the wrong angle to see their faces and right now I couldn't care less about them. Hermione dropped her voice to a whisper. "I say we find a quiet place to Disapparate and head for the countryside. Once we're there, we could send a message to the Order."

"Can you do that talking Patronus thing, then?" asked Ron. "I've been practicing and I think so," said Hermione. "Well, as long as it doesn't get them into trouble, though they might've been arrested already. God, that's revolting," Ron added after one sip of the foamy, grayish coffee.

"Let's get going, then, I don't want to drink this muck," said Ron. "Hermione, have you got Muggle money to pay for this?" "Yes, I took out all my Building Society savings before I came to the Burrow. I'll bet all the change is at the bottom," sighed Hermione, reaching for her beaded bag.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the air and an Invisible force that I assumed was Harry forced me and Hermione down and Ron followed his movement, suddenly a unknown force shattered the tiled wall where Ron's head had just been.

Harry, still invisible, yelled, "Stupefy!" The man behind me was hit in the face by a jet of red light: He slumped sideways, unconscious. Turning around, I saw the face of the second and was absolutely horrified with myself that I didn't recognise him.

In an absolute rage I yelled "Reducto!" and he had to dive to the side as his booth burst apart, sending tile like shrapnel  in every direction. He fired a spell back, shining black ropes flew from his wand-tip and bound Ron head to foot, the waitress screamed and ran for the door.

Harry sent another Stunning Spell but the spell missed, rebounded on the window, and hit the waitress, who collapsed in front of the door.

"Expulso!" bellowed the Death Eater, and the table behind us blew up: The force of the explosion slammed Harry into the wall and the Cloak slipped off him. "Diffindo!" I said, aiming for his neck, he ducked just in time and snarled back at me.

"Petrificus Totalus!" screamed Hermione from out of sight, and he fell forward like a statue to land with a crunching thud on the mess of broken china, table, and coffee. Hermione crawled out from underneath the bench, shaking bits of glass ashtray out of her hair and trembling all over.

"D-diffindo," she said, pointing her wand at Ron, who roared in pain as she slashed open the knee of his jeans, leaving a deep cut. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Ron, my hand's shaking! Diffindo!" The severed ropes fell away.

Ron got to his feet, shaking his arms to regain feeling in them. Harry picked up his wand and climbed over all the debris to where the large blond Death Eater was sprawled across the bench.

"I should've recognised him, he was there the night Dumbledore died," he said. He turned over the darker Death Eater with his foot; the man's eyes moved rapidly between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "That's Dolohov," said Ron.

Then, all three of them paused, as if they were in slow motion, as they realised, Hermione turned on the spot and managed to disarm me just in time as the green light on my wand's tip faded. So I was forced to drop my wand.

I could have done a lot more damage with it in hand, but I could do a great amount without it too. I bound forward, getting a run up, I reeled my leg back and sent my foot into the back of Dolohov's head with a hefty 'Crunch' I went for another but didn't get the satisfaction.

Hermione let out a little shriek and Harry and Ron were pinning me down before I could do anything else. "LET ME GO!" I bellowed at them, fuelled by undying hatred. I tried everything I could to get free of them, but they weren't the problem.

"Incarcerous" said Hermione's little timid voice as iron chains wrapped around my body and a chair flew from one side of the room to position itself under me. "What the hell are you doing!" "Let. Me. Go!" I snarled at her, she flinched away a little bit.

"Hermione I swear you better let me out right now-" she ignored me. "How did they find us? What are we going to do?" She said, trying to drown out my voice "Lock the door," Harry told her, "and Ron, turn out the lights."

I glared down at the paralysed Dolohov, the lock clicked and Ron used the Deluminator to plunge the café into darkness. All the while I was seething with anger and cursing at everyone in the room.

"I think the big one's Thorfinn Rowle. What are we going to do with them?" Ron whispered to Harry "KILL THEM!" I said, shaking with anger. "They'd kill us. They had a good go just now." Hermione shuddered and took a step backward. Harry shook his head.

"We just need to wipe their memories," said Harry. "No, they deserve to DIE!" I snarled. Finally, I managed to concentrate hard enough to snap the chains that bound me without my wand or uttering a word.

I rushed forward, scrambling for my wand, Harry and Ron were too surprised to stop me, but Hermione was keeping an eye on me, I just got it level with Dolohov when Hermione stepped in front of me, tears pouring down her face.

But I didn't realise that at the time, I was too focused on the man in front of me, so when I sent out another "Diffindo" yet again aiming for his throat. As Hermione got in between us it glanced her right shoulder, she let out a cry of pain that made me snap to my senses.

"You cant!" she pleaded, blood trickling down he forearm. "Says who!" "Are you going to stop me? You think you could!" she shook her head. "So they are then?" I said in bemusement, gesturing to the others.

"You can't, if you do-" "-NO, you are not taking this from me. I have the man who murdered my MOTHER in front of me and you expect me to be the better man. Don't you dare try to take this from me!"

"It's better like that, it'll throw them off the scent. If we killed them it'd be obvious that we were here." "YOU THINK I CARE!" I screamed in her face; she cowered a little. I would have felt horrible, but not right now, it was overshadowed by blinding hot animosity.

"I need to do this, he took everything from me. I have to take it back!" I shouted, but I knew that I would never get back what he had ripped from me. I knew this wouldn't change the hole in my heart. But he still deserved it.

"Mate, try to think-" started Ron, pointing his wand at me. "-Think...THINK, it's the only thing I've thought about for years, it's the only thing that I see when I close my eyes, killing that scum is the only thing keeping me sane. And now I have him dead to rights and you have the audacity to tell me to THINK!"

"Please, (Y/N). I understand, I do-" Harry tried. "So, if it was Snape, if it were Lestrange you'd just walk away would you!" I snapped at him. "You don't understand anything! You never even knew your parents! You've never even spoken to them! You never had to...to..."

Words failed me and all I could do was scream to the heavens, hoping to release some on this anger and hatred that had been festering inside of me for years now. As I screamed the windows and counters rattled.

The lightbulb that Ron had snuffed out popped and the shattered tile on the floor began to shake and bounce. I sent white noise out into every mind I could find, Ron and Harry collapsed to their knees groaning and holding their heads.

Only Hermione stayed up, and I could tell that was all she could do, so unimpeded I took a step towards Dolohov, ready to end his pathetic existence. But to my disgust this time Hermione put her hands to my chest and tried to physically push me back.

"Why? Why do you keep trying to stop me from doing something I have every right to do?" This was the first time I noticed the tears on her face, "Because this isn't you...this is what he's made you." I went to open my mouth and retort but she continued before I could.

"He's defenceless, she wouldn't agree with it...not like this...it's not worth it" she said before she succumbed and fell to her knees too. "I don't care about justice I just want him dead. He killed my Mum!"

Harry said, "It won't make you feel any better." I laughed, actually laughed at that statement. "You think I don't know that? You think I can ever feel better again? No, because he took that from me." I cried, trying to make them understand.

"I need to do this. I have to, to make everything right again, to show him he didn't win, he didn't beat us." "Please" Hermione croaked out again, I saw the blood from her arm trace the lines of the tiles. I did that. Me, not Dolohov, not Rowle. Me.

I took a deep breath, my first in a while, and the mental strain on the others stopped, but they were still weak and unable to stop me. I had a single rational thought about how easy this was. "It shouldn't be this easy, they should have backup. If they could track Harry they'd send everyone after him. Voldemort be here in the flesh."

I thought on as cogs started turning in my head. "Oh Snakeface is smart..." I cackled. "He's outdone himself with this one." I spoke relatively calmly for the first time since I saw Dolohov, but really I was just holding back the malice.

"We cant kill them..." I said aloud, trying to fight against the burning rage that was overtaking every cell in my body, every urge I had to snap his neck, to torture him, to make him scream and beg just to laugh in his face and kill him anyway.

"You see, if snakeface knew for a fact it was us he'd be here. So why'd he send these two?" They all looked at me funny. "Why him specifically?" Ron was the first to catch on. "Because he thinks you'd be with Harry."

I nodded, "And if I was, he knows I'd never let this filth live. he'd turn up dead" I said pointing at Dolohov. "Shows how important they are to him." I walked up to him and kicked at his face once more.

"Congratulations Antonin, being worthless just saved your life." With that settled Hermione got set to wipe their memories. "So, they will remember the rest of this right? When they get their memories back?" I asked to Hermione, knowing Voldemort would eventually recover them.

She nodded, "Good, one thing before you do it" I walked up to Antonin Dolohov, at first, I thought about cursing him, or killing him, the only thing stopping me being circumstance and the lack of time, even still I couldn't just leave him here.

Not after what he did to mum, nothing would ever be enough, but I had a good place to start. I stormed up to him, looking into his eyes, they were forced open in an expression of shock, but his eyes still moved, I crouched down in front of him, so we were eye level

"Miss me Antonin?" I said gleefully, his eyes darted from me to the others behind me, as if he wanted them to help. "I see your boss has undone all my hard work" I said with a smile. "Even still, I'm surprised you'd take this job, If I were you, I'd have stayed far away from me."

I gripped either side of his face. "Well, If a more subtle approach won't work, let's try something more physical shall we?" I said cheerily. "Oh, and don't worry, this is far from over, I'll find you again, but before I do."

"Remember what you once said to my mother?" his pupils started rushing from one side of his head to another, I took that as a yes, "Good..." I stomped as hard as I could on his hand, breaking several fingers, the others let out a collective gasp.

His eyes rattled about in agony and tears streamed free from his face. I wanted to do much worse but I couldn't have him bleeding to death on me. "Something to remember me by" I spat with venom; an echo of the words he said to Mum after doing something similar.

I would have done worse, but Hermione pulled me away by the arm. She took a deep, calming breath, then pointed her wand at Dolohov's forehead and said, "Obliviate." At once, Dolohov's eyes became unfocused and dreamy.

Once the café was restored to its previous condition, we heaved the Death Eaters back into their booth and propped them up facing each other. "But how did they find us?" Hermione asked, looking from one inert man to the other.

"How did they know where we were?" She turned to Harry. "You — you don't think you've still got your Trace on you, do you, Harry?" "He can't have," said Ron. "The Trace breaks at seventeen, that's Wizarding law, you can't put it on an adult."

"As far as you know," said Hermione. "What if the Death Eaters have found a way to put it on a seventeen-year-old?" "But Harry hasn't been near a Death Eater in the last twenty-four hours. Who's supposed to have put a Trace back on him?" Hermione did not reply.

"If I can't use magic, and you can't use magic near me, without us giving away our position —" he began. "We're not splitting up!" said Hermione firmly.

"We need a safe place to hide," said Ron. "Give us time to think things through." "My house maybe?" I said, they shook their head. "Grimmauld Place," said Harry. The other two gaped. "Don't be silly Harry, Snape can get in there!" "Ron's dad said they've put up jinxes against him — and even if they haven't worked-"

He pressed on as Hermione began to argue, "So what? I swear, I'd like nothing better than to meet Snape!" I scoffed at this observation. "Well, as long as you get revenge, it's fine then." He had a very guilty look in his eyes.

Hermione still argued, "But-" "Hermione, where else is there? It's the best chance we've got. Snape's only one Death Eater. If I've still got the Trace on me, we'll have whole crowds of them on us wherever else we go."

She could not argue, though she looked as if she would have liked to. So we put the wedding, and Dolohov behind us and headed for Grimmauld Place.

We were now standing in the middle of a familiar small and shabby square. Tall, dilapidated houses looked down at us from every side. Number twelve was visible to us, we rushed toward it, checking every few yards that we were not being followed or observed.

We raced up the stone steps, and Harry tapped the front door once with his wand. There was a series of metallic clicks and the clatter of a chain, then the door swung open with a creak and we hurried over the threshold.

Harry closed the door behind us, the old-fashioned gas lamps sprang into life, casting flickering light along the length of the hallway.

It was eerie, cobwebbed, the outlines of the house-elf heads on the wall throwing odd shadows up the staircase. Long dark curtains concealed the portrait of Sirius's mother.

The only thing that was out of place was the troll's leg umbrella stand, which was lying on its side as if Tonks had just knocked it over again.

"I think somebody's been in here," Hermione whispered, pointing toward it. "That could've happened as the Order left," Ron murmured back. "So where are these jinxes they put up against Snape?" Harry asked.

"Maybe they're only activated if he shows up?" suggested Ron. We remained close together on the doormat, backs against the door, scared to move farther into the house. "Well, we can't stay here forever," said Harry, taking a half step.

"Exactly." I said, still bitter and numb to the world, I stormed forward, not particularly caring what happened in that moment, the anger inside me was still not diminishing.

"Severus Snape?" Mad-Eye Moody's voice whispered out of the darkness, making all three of them jump back in fright as I took another step. "We're not Snape!" croaked Harry.

Something passed over me like cold air and my tongue curled backward on itself, making it impossible to speak. The sensation was unnerving but just as quickly as it started my tongue was back to it's normal shape.

Harry coughed, Ron was making retching noises; Hermione stammered, "That m-must have b-been the T-Tongue-Tying Curse Mad-Eye set up for Snape!" Harry took another step forward.

Something shifted in the shadows at the end of the hall, and before any of us could say another word, a figure had risen up out of the carpet, tall, dust coloured, and terrible: Hermione screamed and so did Mrs. Black, her curtains flying open.

A gray figure was gliding toward us, faster and faster, its waist-length hair and beard streaming behind it, its face sunken, fleshless, with empty eye sockets: Horribly familiar, dreadfully altered, it raised a wasted arm, pointing at Harry and I.

I raised my wand and sent a pillar of fire down the hallway, it scorched the walls and made the Portrait scream louder, the figure was bisected by the flame but kept moving towards us. I had half a second of panic before Harry shouted, "No!"

"No! It wasn't us! We didn't kill you" On the word kill, the figure exploded in a great cloud of dust: Coughing, his eyes watering, Harry looked around and said "It's all r-right. . . . It's g-gone. . . ."

Dust swirled around Harry like mist, catching the blue gaslight, as Mrs. Black continued to scream. "Mudbloods, filth, stains of dishonor, taint of shame on the house of my fathers-" "SHUT UP!" I bellowed as I passed, sending out sparks at her.

"That . . . that was . . ." Hermione whimpered, as Ron helped her to her feet. "Yeah," said Harry, "but it wasn't really him, was it? Just something to scare Snape."

"No Ron, Dumbledore is using his afterlife to scare Snape so he doesn't steal Harry's china. Use your head for once." I said as I walked forward into the house, a small part of me hoping to find some opposition that I could lash out at, Ron looked hurt but we moved on.

"Before we go any farther, I think we'd better check," whispered Hermione, and she raised her wand and said, "Homenum revelio." Nothing happened.

"Well, you've just had a big shock," said Ron kindly. "What was that supposed to do?" "It did what I meant it to do!" said Hermione rather crossly.

"That was a spell to reveal human presence, and there's nobody here except us!" "And old Dusty," said Ron, glancing at the patch of carpet from which the corpse-figure had risen.

"Let's go up," said Hermione with a frightened look at the same spot, and she led the way up the creaking stairs to the drawing room on the first floor. The tension in my body relaxed a little for the first time in hours.

Hermione waved her wand to ignite the old gas lamps, then, shivering slightly in the drafty room, she perched on the sofa, her arms wrapped tightly around her. Ron crossed to the window and moved the heavy velvet curtain aside an inch.

"Can't see anyone out there," he reported. "And you'd think, if Harry still had a Trace on him, they'd have followed us here. I know they can't get in the house, but — what's up, Harry?" Harry had given a cry of pain:

"What did you see?" Ron asked, advancing on Harry. "Did you see him at my place?" "No, I just felt anger — he's really angry —" "But that could be at the Burrow," said Ron loudly. "He wouldn't be at the Burrow, he doesn't care about your family he just wants Harry, trust me" I tried to offer some comfort.

"He doesn't know if Harry was there, he wouldn't show himself to that many Order members without being certain. It goes against the whole reason he took over the ministry, to work in the background."

"What else? Didn't you see anything? Was he cursing someone?" "No, I just felt anger, I couldn't tell-" Hermione did not help as she said in a frightened voice, "Your scar, again? But what's going on? I thought that connection had closed!"

"It did, for a while," muttered Harry; "I...I think it's started opening again whenever he loses control, that's how it used to-" "So close it then!" I said with a lingering trace of my anger. "You'd think you'd learn." I spat as I collapsed back first onto a couch.

"You've got to close your mind!" said Hermione shrilly. "Harry, Dumbledore didn't want you to use that connection, he wanted you to shut it down, that's why you were supposed to use Occlumency! Otherwise Voldemort can plant false images in your mind, remember-"

"Yeah, I do remember, thanks," said Harry through gritted teeth, we sat in silence for a minute, lucky to have escaped the wedding with our lives. Then Hermione shrieked: fear gripped me and I scrambled off my resting place wand at the ready, as did Harry and Ron.

I spun around to see a silver Patronus soar through the drawing room window and land upon the floor in front of us, where it solidified into the weasel that spoke with the voice of Ron's father. "Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched."

The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Ron let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped onto the sofa: Hermione joined him, sighing into her hands at the relief. I grasped his shoulder to comfort him as best I could.

"They're all right, they're all right!" she whispered, Ron half laughed. "Harry," he said through tears of frustration and relief. "I-" he started. "It's not a problem," said Harry, sickened by the pain in his head.

"It's your family, 'course you're worried. I'd feel the same way. I do feel the same way." I couldn't help but laugh at this observation, "Sure you do" I murmured as I went to go and look for any food in the kitchen.

When I got back Hermione approached me, "I don't want to be on my own. Could we use the sleeping bags I've brought and camp in here tonight?" "Sure, why not?" I said, considering the fact I didn't know how many bedrooms this place had and we might have to make a getaway at the drop of a hat it wasn't the worst idea.

Ron shrugged and agreed rubbing his still puffy eyes tiredly. But despite the fact I had been on my feet almost the whole day and only an hour ago I was absolutely exhausted sleep was the furthest thing from my mind right now.

Even as Ron rested his head on the other side of the room and Hermione took her place beside me, I just couldn't seem to find the peace of mind to sleep. I was so close, I had him right in front of me, but he slipped through my fingers.

I should have done it; I should have killed him right then and there. He was like an answer on parchment that I couldn't erase so I just scrawled over, I would always know he was there, and I could have done it.

Why couldn't I do it? Why couldn't I kill the man I had been dreaming of ending for years? Was I a coward after all? These were the type of questions that kept me up.

They were swimming around my head every time I closed my eyes I just saw him sneering at me, taunting me. A walking example of how pathetic I was. But that wasn't the worst of it.

The worst part of it all was a wound now exposed on Hermione's right shoulder, the curse that was meant to kill Dolohov had instead hurt the most important person I had left in the world.

In the moment, I reached out for it, tracing along it with my finger, not even hard enough to stir her, just enough that I felt it on my fingers. As I finished tracing it horrible thoughts crawled into my head.

Was this who I was, who I had grown into? A man who was willing to hurt the people he loved the most just for petty revenge. I honestly didn't know the answer and it sickened me. Was it worth it? Hermione had raised a good question; would Mum have wanted me to kill him?

Had I disappointed her by trying, had I disgraced her memory by seeking revenge, how could I ever look Hermione in the eyes again knowing that I had caused her so much pain, pain that she was trying to hide for my sake but I knew was hurting her.

As all these thoughts rushed through my head my mouth went dry, my throat closed up a little and I felt my heartbeat in my ears. My stomach started to churn and I felt nauseous, as I looked around through the shadows of the night I felt like it was jumping out at me. The mix of sensations was overwhelming me.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. I felt flushed and sweaty, it was like waking up from a terrible nightmare but it just kept going, the sensation stayed with me for what could have been hours. And my chest hurt, like, really hurt.

I was afraid, of what, I don't know, but I was terrified. Words couldn't do the situation justice, there was no word that could form in my mind that could describe the horror of this moment.

So even as I tried to call out for help from the others, there wasn't enough breath in my lungs, not enough room in my chest. Help wasn't enough, I didn't need help, I needed rescuing.

Someone was choking me, I could feel it, hands around my neck, yeah, someone was going to kill me, someone in the dark, someone I couldn't see, someone I couldn't stop.

I was shaking, crying, and I didn't feel as if I'd ever take a full breath again. I was going to die, I could feel it. It didn't make any sense, I couldn't explain it, but I was certain of that one fact, I was going to die.

I had to leave, I had to leave this room, or it was going to kill me, I knew it. I went to get up but collapsed to the floor again, pinned down by the immense weight of a hand gripping mine, chaining me to the floor.

It was as I hit the floor that the eternity ended and air rushed into my lungs like an invading force. It took minutes for me to realise that the hand wasn't pinning me to the floor, it was Hermione. Beside me, providing a small comfort by lacing our hands together as we slept.

I was lying on the floor, cold, sweaty and feeling absolutely awful for a while, I was so tired but sleep wouldn't take me, I was so exhausted, but I wasn't given relief. I was too drained to even move.

By the time I actually closed my eyes and was met with sleep the sun was peeking over the horizon and light had started to pass through the curtains.

I was awoken from my short lived sleep by a hurried shifting from beside me, Hermione had taken the couch cushions as I insisted and as I woke up I saw her throwing them aside in search of her wand, naturally I did the same, scrambling for my own wand in my pocket.

As I stood up I realised why she was so panicked, Harry was missing from the room. And so, my first thought of the day was "If he's done a runner, I'm gonna kill him." I shook Ron awake and he too scrambled to his feet, mumbling incomprehensibly.

Hermione called out, "Harry? Harry! Harry!" there was a moment of pause, then to our relief, "I'm here!" he called out from a room further in the house. I sighed and stashed my wand away again, then me and Hermione went looking for him and found him in Sirius's old room.

"What's happened?" There was a clatter of footsteps outside the door, and Hermione burst inside. "We woke up and didn't know where you were!" she said breathlessly. She turned and shouted over her shoulder, "Ron! I've found him!"

Ron's annoyed voice echoed distantly from several floors below. "Good! Tell him from me he's a git!" "Harry, don't just disappear, please, we were terrified! Why did you come up here anyway?" She gazed around the ransacked room.

"What have you been doing?" "Look what I've just found." He held out a letter from his mother to Sirius written just after he was born. Hermione took it and read it while Harry watched her. When she reached the end of the page she looked up at him.

"Oh, Harry . . ." "And there's this too." He handed her the torn photograph, and Hermione smiled at the baby zooming in and out of sight on the toy broom. "I've been looking for the rest of the letter," Harry said, "but it's not here." Hermione glanced around.

"Did you make all this mess, or was some of it done when you got here?" "Someone had searched before me," said Harry. "I thought so. Every room I looked into on the way up had been disturbed. What were they after, do you think?"

"Information on the Order, if it was Snape." "But you'd think he'd already have all he needed, I mean, he was in the Order, wasn't he?" "Well then," said Harry, keen to discuss his theory, "what about information on Dumbledore? The second page of this letter, for instance. You know this Bathilda my mum mentions, you know who she is?"

"Who?" "Bathilda Bagshot, the author of —""A History of Magic," said Hermione, looking interested. "So your parents knew her? She was an incredible magical historian." "And she's still alive," said Harry, "and she lives in Godric's Hollow, Ron's Auntie Muriel was talking about her at the wedding. She knew Dumbledore's family too. Be pretty interesting to talk to, wouldn't she?"

He took back the letter and the photograph and tucked them inside the pouch around his neck. "I understand why you'd love to talk to her about your mum and dad, and Dumbledore too," said Hermione. "But that wouldn't really help us in our search for the Horcruxes, would it?"

Harry did not answer, and she rushed on, "Harry, I know you really want to go to Godric's Hollow, but I'm scared, I'm scared at how easily those Death Eaters found us yesterday."

"It just makes me feel more than ever that we ought to avoid the place where your parents are buried, I'm sure they'd be expecting you to visit it." "It's not just that," Harry said, still avoiding looking at her.

"Muriel said stuff about Dumbledore at the wedding. I want to know the truth. . . ." He told Hermione and I everything that Muriel had told him. When he had finished, Hermione said, "Of course, I can see why that's upset you, Harry —"

"I'm not upset," he lied, "I'd just like to know whether or not it's true or-" "Harry, do you really think you'll get the truth from a malicious old woman like Muriel, or from Rita Skeeter? How can you believe them? You knew Dumbledore!" "I thought I did," he muttered.

"Harry, talking from experience, Rita Skeeter wouldn't know a true story if you made her eat one. She doesn't care about fact, she cares about stirring the pot and causing drama she can profit from."

Hermione nodded along with me. "You know how much truth there was in everything Rita wrote about you! Doge is right, how can you let these people tarnish your memories of Dumbledore?"

"Shall we go down to the kitchen?" Hermione suggested after a little pause. "Find something for breakfast?" Harry agreed, but grudgingly, and followed her out onto the landing and past the second door that led off it.

I was eager to eat something, the events of last night had left me feeling weak and I hoped that having something to eat would help. We were all making our way downstairs when Ron called out, "You lot, I think I've found something!"

So, our curiosity peaked, and we followed his voice to a room down the hall. When we saw him, he pointed at a door to one of the bedrooms and said, "I was looking for Harry, weird isn't it?" He pointed.

On the door were the words "Do Not Enter Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black" I was confused for a second until he elaborated. "That was Sirius's brother, wasn't it? Regulus Arcturus . . . Regulus . . . Black. R.A.B. The locket said R.A.B."

Hermione let out a gasp "Sirius's brother" she whispered. "He was a Death Eater," said Harry, "Sirius told me about him, he joined up when he was really young and then got cold feet and tried to leave...so they killed him." "That fits!" gasped Hermione.

"If he was a Death Eater he had access to Voldemort, and if he became disenchanted, then he would have wanted to bring Voldemort down!" "do you reckon-?" started Ron.

A new hope was kindled in us, bubbling up to the surface was the first bit of progress we'd made in a while, the first piece of the puzzle. We all looked at Harry, it was his house, his choice, but we all knew what he'd say, "Let's find out."