The Breaking Point

The Battle

The biting cold winds of January swept across the Hogwarts grounds as the castle prepared for yet another term. Inside, the usual hum of excitement was subdued, replaced by a sense of unease that lingered over the school like a dark cloud. Whispers of Voldemort's return were no longer rumors; they were an undeniable truth. And with each passing day, the war looming outside the castle walls felt closer, almost tangible.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Percy walked together down the hallways, their footsteps echoing in the quiet corridors. Since returning from Camp Half-Blood after Christmas, the tension had been palpable. Annabeth's confrontation still hung over Percy and Hermione, though they had pushed through it together. But now, something else weighed on all of them—the escalating danger, and Dumbledore's secretive mission that Harry had recently become involved in.

Harry's face was grim, and Hermione knew he was withholding information from them, information about what Dumbledore had tasked him with. Though Hermione tried to focus on her studies and prefect duties, her concern for Harry and the growing threat outside Hogwarts kept her on edge.

It was late that evening when everything changed.

That night, Harry rushed into the Gryffindor common room, his face pale and his eyes wide with urgency. He glanced around for Ron and Hermione, his heart pounding in his chest as he found them sitting by the fire. Neville and Luna sat nearby, and Percy was on prefect duty but could easily be summoned if needed.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, instantly picking up on his distress.

"It's time," Harry whispered, his voice laced with fear and determination. "Dumbledore needs me. I'm going with him—to find one of Voldemort's Horcruxes."

The room seemed to freeze as the weight of his words sank in. Hermione's eyes widened in alarm, and Ron straightened in his seat, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find the right words.

"A Horcrux?" Hermione asked in a hushed tone, already understanding the gravity of what Harry had just said.

Harry nodded. "I don't know how long we'll be gone, but when we come back...there could be trouble. You need to be ready."

Hermione's stomach churned. This wasn't just another dangerous mission. If Voldemort's Horcruxes were involved, they were nearing the endgame. She looked at Harry, her voice shaking with worry. "Harry, be careful."

"I will," Harry said firmly, though his expression betrayed his own anxiety. He hesitated for a moment before turning to leave, the weight of the task ahead clearly hanging on his shoulders.

As Harry disappeared from the room, Hermione stood still, her mind racing. She exchanged a worried glance with Ron, knowing full well that their lives were about to change.

"I need to find Percy," Hermione whispered to herself, her mind now drifting to him. She couldn't explain it, but a strange sense of foreboding had settled deep in her chest. Something terrible was going to happen tonight, and she needed to make sure Percy was safe.

Hogwarts had always been a fortress, a bastion of safety for its students, but that night, everything they had known about the school's protections was shattered.

The night of the battle started like any other—a quiet, cold evening with the castle cloaked in its usual eerie silence. But even the most mundane moments carried the weight of expectation now. The war was no longer at the fringes of their world; it was here, at their doorstep.

As Harry and Dumbledore set out on their secret mission, those left behind sensed something was different. Percy, ever vigilant in his duties as prefect, patrolled the corridors with Hermione, who had also taken to the role of protecting the younger students with a fierce determination. Neville and Luna, both seasoned fighters after their time with Dumbledore's Army, were also nearby. Even Nick, one of the new campers who had integrated into Hogwarts life, was alert, his demigod instincts buzzing with the awareness that something was about to happen.