The Dark Lord's Playbook of Nefarious Misdeeds

Toulouse

A/N: sorry for the delay at getting this chapter out.

Harry POV Third

Present

Hermione had been a driving force in the trio since first year even if he and Ron didn't immediately acknowledge it. Hermione was rather a nosy little know it all back then after all.

But her persistent personality wiggled its way into their hearts with her unwavering loyalty. Harry felt that Hermione was the sister he never had. She was family and loved her as such. Watching Dumbledore fret over things was making him nervous but tried not to show as much.

"Do we need to do anything? Have you worked out what you need to bring them back?", he couldn't take this waiting any longer and felt as though it was driving him insane. While it hadn't been that long since Hermione got sucked in every minute counted as far as he was concerned.

The illustrious Headmaster, although he had to physically restrain himself from rolling his eyes over that thought- appeared to have finished jotting down instructions and ushering the other adults in the room to do whatever it was he needed them to do. Harry was frothing at the mouth, itching to do something anything to be involved in the retrieval of Hermione.

The pale blue eyes that once he held in reverence now, he just thought they were a little shifty from concealing too many secrets.

"No, Harry, your involvement is not needed, just be patient" and Dumbledore turned away once more, pouring over his notes.

He gritted his teeth, clenching them so hard that his jaw was aching and giving himself a headache. He sighed and yanked on his unruly hair in frustration, he swore if something didn't happen in the next ten minutes that he was going to....well, he wasn't sure what he would do, but he would do something god damn it!

As if his prayers were answered Tonks came running into the room with Remus hot on her heels, she spoke low and faster to Dumbledore, with her hands making frantic movements as if that would help her speak faster. Whatever was happening made Dumbledore smile- however, to Harry, this smile was not one he had ever seen from the former Headmaster; it made him look a little crazed. That made Harry shift uncomfortably in his seat. This whole situation was on a knife's edge- what would Voldemort do once he was in this plane of existence once more? Kill everyone in a blaze of glory? Or just solely focus on Dumbledore?

As much as he despised Voldemort or Tom for ruining his life, he never got the feeling that this whole shitstorm was personal. Because of the prophecy, Tom felt at the time he needed to kill him not necessarily because he wanted to. Harry had gathered from snippets of conversations and viewing particular memories that Tom had initially ignored the prophecy- probably because Trelawney was nuttier than a bag of nuts- that it wasn't until Dumbledore made a fuss over the 'vision' that Tom took notice. That's what has grated on my insides the most that half of this rubbish could have been prevented if Dumbledore just kept quiet about it. He may still have his parents or at least got to know them. He wasn't naïve to completely believe that they would have survived the first wizarding war, but he can't help but think things would have been different. In all honesty, what would have happened if everyone just ignored the blasted prophecy? He didn't remember much from the divination classes, but wasn't its belief in the said prophecy that gave it power? And since he doesn't give a sod about divination shouldn't that then negate some of its magic? And then if Tom doesn't give a hippogriff's arse about it then wasn't this all for naught? Definitely food for thought and people thought he was dumb.

He was pulled from his reverie by his best friend Ron bumping his shoulder and shoving a plate full of food into his hands- which he so wasn't ready for; the sudden unexpected movement meant that he fumbled with the plate nearly dropping it. He wanted to snap at Ron but knew that he was helping in his own way. He tried to ask where the hell he managed to get a plate of food but changed his mind because quite frankly he didn't care.