𝗔 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 [𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄] ✔️

TEN

Hogwarts Castle. Middle Courtyard. Night. Ron, Hermione and Ginny stand with the staff.

They turn and watch the throng of students part for Harry and Hagrid.

Hagrid stops short, shattered by what he sees. Harry pushes on, kneels. Dumbledore's eyes are closed, his face peaceful.

Harry straightens his half-moon spectacles, wipes a trickle of blood from his mouth. Runs the back of his hand, gently, over the weathered cheek.

Then he notices something lying beside Dumbledore's ashen hand: the locket. He takes it, considers it numbly. Then begins to cry, great shudders of grief wracking his body.

Hermione laid a hand stroke on her belly, gave Ginny a nudge and she stepped forward, drops beside him. At her touch, his head falls on her shoulder and she begins to stroke him.

Ron looks on. Understand all.

McGonagall lifts a trembling wand to the sky and slowly the tip glows to life. One after another, students and staff do the same, lifting their wands in salute.

The pinpricks coalesce into one blazing fire. The sky, briefly emerald, turns black once more. The Dark Mark vanishes.

Hogwarts Castle. Day. The castle sits silent. Black banners fly on the parapets. Dumbledore's chair is empty. The House tables are empty. A tapestry tosses lightly in the breeze. The perch in the empty birdcage sways, squeaking gently.

Astronomy Tower. Day. Harry and Hermione stand by the ramparts while Ron and Ginny stand further along, just out of earshot.

Harry stares into the distance at the ashes of Hagrid's Hut, toys with the locket before them.

"Do you think he would've done it? Draco?"

"No. He was lowering his wand. In the end, it was Snape. It was always Snape. And I did nothing..." she studies Harry. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I think you shouldn't trust him".

Hermione takes the locket from the rampart. "Strange. Thinking this is a piece of Voldemort's soul..."

"Yeah, strange. Only... it's not. It's a fake". As Hermione reacts, Harry nods. "Go on. Open it".

Hermione pries open the locket and removes a piece of parchment folded in a tight square. reads:

'To the Dark Lord. I know I will
be dead long before you read this
but I want you to know that it was
I discovered your secret. I
have stolen the real Horcrux and
intend to destroy it as soon as I
can. I face death in the hope
that when you meet your match, you
will be mortal once more. R.A.B.'

Hermione looked up. "R.A.B.?" 

"Dunno. But whoever they are, they have the real Horcrux. Which means, it was a waste. All of it".

Hermione studies Harry's troubled face, then glances at Ginny and Ron. "Ron's okay with it, you know. You and Ginny. But if I were you, when he's around, I'd keep the snogging to a minimum".

Hermione smiles faintly, trying to cheer him, but Harry merely nods, looks away again. "I'm not coming back, Hermione".

Hermione nods. "We reckoned Ron and I".

"You can't, Hermione. Snape told me you're pregnant with his child". Ron and Ginny were shocked. We can see how unbelievable their eyes are, as Harry revealed her secret. "You with his child, Mione. I shouldn't let you".

"Snape is dead to me!" she grit, cry. "I may have carried his child, and he's no longer part of me. I will raise this child.. alone".

Ron is about to argue with her. Ginny grabbed his arm and did not allow him, hurt Hermione either the baby inside her.

"Snape is dead! His the murdered!"

Harry nodded. "Before he vanished that night. He asked me to look after you and the baby".

"His words are nothing to me, Harry. I come with you.. if the child died, so did I".

Harry wanted to argue back. Knowing her mental state, with Snape betray her.. with that she carried a baby inside her. He can't push her away. She needs him and Ron. So he needs her searching for Voldemort Horcrux.

"I have to finish what Dumbledore started. I'm not sure where that will lead me... but I'll let you and Ron know where I am when I can".

Harry breathed. "I have to finish what Dumbledore started. And... I have to do it alone".

She smiled. "I've always admired your courage, Harry, but sometimes... you're really thick". Harry turns, looking at her in surprise. "You don't honestly think you can find all those by yourself, do you?"

She leaned in a whisper. "You need us, Harry". She reached his hand then allowed him to stroke her belly. "The baby grows inside me, Harry. I can protect myself".

Harry just stares at her. She cocks her head, smiling, doing her best to coax one out of him. Finally, he does, briefly.

"Yeah. I do. The baby is innocent. We protect you, Mione". as his eyes to Ron and Ginny. "This is our secret that no one will find out, not even the Death Eaters and Voldemort. He will torture her and the baby if they know".

Ron and Ginny made their promise. Hermione looks stunned. "Thank you".

"You're brilliant. You both are".

Harry looks off again and Hermione follows his gaze. She looks out over the grounds. Slowly losing herself. We can tell. She's taking inventory. Pressing it into a scrapbook.

"Do you think we'll ever... come back?"

She stops. Her eyes glisten briefly. Then she fights it back. Tough. Harry fights back his own emotion, reaches over and gives her hand a brief squeeze. Then releases her.

"I don't know".

She nods and Harry's eyes shift, considering Ron and Ginny. As if sensing his gaze, Ron turns and they exchange a look, something unspoken but true passing between them.

Just then a song rises in the air, mournful and haunting, and seconds later a bird soars out from beyond the tallest turret and begins to stitch its way across the sky.

Ron and Ginny cross to Harry and Hermione, lean against the rampart. All look to the horizon, watching the bird grow smaller while its song magically endures.

No one says a word.

Hermione strokes her belly again. For her, Snape is dead. Gone from her memory. A memory they had shared together.

She will not think of him anymore, all she cares about is the baby grown inside her now. The baby needs protection, she needs protection. Protect from Severus Snape.

THE END.