Harry Potter and the Master of Death [Complete]

Chapter Seven - The Tomb of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Ron and Hermione made their way stealthily through the school, classes were in session so the halls were mostly empty. It felt just like old times as they used the secret passages to avoid Argus Filch and at last made their way out of the castle. The White Tomb was down by the lake but much to their chagrin, Madam Hooch suddenly appeared ahead of them, leading a full class of first years out onto the wide Training Field. They ducked down to avoid being seen.

Ron made a rude noise. "Unbelievable! We'll have to go back around."

They turned back towards the castle just as Filch came into view. He was carrying a wooden bucket filled with suds, and they watched as he dipped a large bristle brush into it and began scrubbing the cobblestones, muttering under his breath.

"Nasty little, filthy... in my day there was respect..." He grumbled.

They ducked back behind a low stone wall. "Oh no!" whispered Hermione. "We're trapped!"

Ron gave her a lopsided grin. "It's alright, Filch won't hang about long. He's really lazy. We'll just have to wait."

"It's fine for you," Hermione snapped. "I'm missing my classes, I should be in Divination right now!"

Ron laughed good-naturedly. "Come on, Hermione. You know as well as I do that you could pass with your eyes closed. I don't even know why you bothered coming back here, you know more than most of the professors by now!"

"Oh Ron, don't be ridiculous!" Hermione muttered, turning away from him. Out on the training field, the first years were mounting their brooms and Madam Hooch was shouting instructions and encouragement.

"I'm serious besides, if 'You Know Who' is back..."

Hermione rounded on him, furious. "Voldemort is not back!"

Ron frowned, "Alright, then what's your explanation. I mean, who else would be stealing the Deathly Hallows?" Suddenly he had an idea. "Unless... oh yeah! It makes perfect sense!"

"What makes sense?" Hermione asked.

"It's Death..." Ron said flatly.

Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to watching the broom training.

"No, listen, it all adds up." He continued excitedly. "See, Death gave the Hallows to the three brothers right? Well, that hasn't worked out very well, has it? The Elder Wand's been used to kill loads of people, the Resurrection Stone never worked properly from the start and the Invisibility Cloak helps people hide from him. It only makes sense that he'd want to take them back!"

Hermione looked at him sadly and spoke slowly, as if to a small child. "That's just a story, Ron. I told you, the Peverell brothers were the ones who made the Hallows. The whole thing about them being gifts from Death was just a fairytale!"

Ron wasn't convinced. "So a thing wearing a black cloak and hood that, according to trained Aurors is definitely not a Dementor, comes out of the Veil in the Death Chamber and starts stealing the Deathly Hallows, but that doesn't sound like Death to you?" He asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but suddenly Ron threw himself on top of her just as a broom rocketed over their heads with a small blonde girl clinging to it in terror. The broom was going to crash into the castle wall. Hermione pushed Ron off, whipped out her wand and pointed it at the girl. "Arresto Momentum!"

The broom slowed and the little girl regained control, veering away from the wall just in time.

Laying on the grass, Ron and Hermione turned to look at each other and both smiled. Ron leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "You're amazing..." He said.

Hermione laughed softly. "I know," she said with a sly grin on her face and kissed him back.

Fifteen, snogging filled, minutes later they heard Madam Hooch rounding up the class and finally they were able to cross the field and head down to the lake.

Dumbledore's Tomb seemed to rise out of the ground in front of them. It was a simple white marble rectangle, but somehow it seemed to exude majesty. A silence had fallen and there was no sound except for their footsteps. For a moment Ron and Hermione just stood in the quiet holding hands. A single tear rolled slowly down Hermione's cheek. Ron reached up and wiped it away with the back of his hand.

The reality of what they were about to do had finally caught up with Hermione and now, standing by the Tomb she wasn't sure she could. She raised her shaking wand over her head.

A flash of red, like liquid lightning, hit Ron in the chest. It hadn't come from Hermione's wand. The spell had appeared from nowhere. Ron was thrown back and lay still on the ground. Hermione screamed and ran to him. She was crouching by his side as the hooded figure removed the invisibility cloak. It towered over them, pointing the Elder Wand at Hermione.

"No, please!" Hermione screamed.

It stopped and seemed to cock its head to one side, listening. There was a sound of heavy footfalls growing louder and without a sound, it turned and disappeared under the cloak just as Hagrid came charging out of the tree line.

Hagrid was huge, his wild black hair and beard hid most of his face. His beetle black eyes fell on Ron immediately. "What's happened, Hermione? I heard a scream!"

"Something attacked us," she cried. Ron seemed to be coming around. She propped him up and smoothed his bright red hair.

"Ron, are you okay?" She asked, her voice cracking.

He looked up at her, his eyes wouldn't seem to focus. After a moment he smiled weakly and asked, "Who's Ron?"

Hermione shook his shoulders. "Ron, it's me, Hermione..."

Ron glanced at her and then looked up at Hagrid. "He's a big one, isn't he? Is he Ron?"

Hagrid reached down and scooped Ron up like a baby. "Memory charm... we need to get him to Madam Pomfrey..." He growled.

Hermione was torn. She wanted to go with Ron to the Hospital wing, but that thing was out there and now it had both the cloak and the wand. She had to warn Harry.

"You take him! I'll meet you there Hagrid!" She called heading towards the forbidden forest.

Hagrid turned to look at her in surprise. "You'll what?" But she was already gone.