A Living Secret ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 13 ~ Getting Through

Hermione arrived at Godric’s Hollow a bit apprehensive as she approached Harry’s home. She had just made it to the door when it was yanked open and Harry stood there, looking at her. She was dressed like a muggle, in a white flowered-long sleeved blouse and blue slacks and flats. It was easy to see she didn’t wear the necklace.

“Hello Hermione,” Harry said, his green eyes slightly hesitant.

“Hello Harry,” Hermione replied, feeling strangely formal as Harry stepped back so she could come in.

Hermione waited for him to close the door then lead her into the living room. He was cleaned up and his hair was cut and combed. But he still had a gaunt, haunted look about him.

“Please sit down,” Harry said, sounding stiff and unnatural as he gestured to the other armchair.

Hermione sat down and Dobby appeared with two tall glasses of pumpkin juice and two ham sandwiches on a platter. The sandwiches were made just the way Hermione liked them. The house elf placed them on a small table between the armchairs, bowed to Hermione then exited the living room, looking a little worried. He would hover near the door in case Harry lost control again.

Hermione picked up a pumpkin juice and took a sip although she wasn’t thirsty, Harry looking at her intensely.

“Hermione…I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know what’s happening to me,” he suddenly said.

“You’re being eaten up by hatred, Harry. You aren’t over Dumbledore’s death and want to avenge him by killing Snape. But Harry, if Dumbledore could talk to you, you know he would tell you not to kill Snape. He’d tell you to focus on the Horcruxes and bringing down Voldemort. He is the real danger. He is the one who has to be destroyed,” Hermione said, “If Snape is really guilty…then…”

Harry’s eyes narrowed.

“I hate it when you say ‘if’ concerning what Snape’s done, Hermione. It’s as if you think I didn’t see what I saw,” Harry said bitterly, “He killed him and I saw him kill him, Hermione. I wish you would accept that.”

Hermione stared at Harry, then decided to share with him what Dumbledore said to her before his demise.

“Harry, the Headmaster told me before he died that my intelligence would be needed in the near future, to always remember to think in a logical manner and that things are not always how they appear. I am just doing what he told me to do, Harry. Things are not adding up. Snape just killing him like that and the power surges I continue to feel. The Headmaster really cared about the Professor Harry. I can’t believe he turned on him that way. There has to be more to it,” Hermione said.

“Hermione, Dumbledore was always saying something like that. He talked in riddles. He probably was referring to your studies,” Harry said, frowning, “Not Snape.”

“I think it was part of a plan, Harry. Dumbledore always had some kind of plan,” the witch argued.

“Not a very good plan if he had to die to carry it out,” Harry spat.

“Dumbledore was like that, Harry. He’d be willing to sacrifice himself for others…you know that,” Hermione replied.

“But his sacrifice meant nothing! Who benefited from it Hermione? Other than the Dark Lord?” Harry demanded. “Now that Dumbledore’s out of the way, he can take over. The Ministry is full of idiots.”

Hermione looked thoughtful, then her eyes widened.

“Snape,” she said.

“What?” Harry’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the Potions Master’s name.

“Snape benefited. By killing Dumbledore, most likely he is Voldemort’s favorite servant now,” Hermione said, her eyes starting to shift back and forth.

“Of course he is, the bastard,” Harry hissed.

Hermione looked at him.

“But…but Harry…what if the plan was for the Professor to get closer to the Dark Lord? You know Voldemort wasn’t sure about his loyalty…that was why Snape was tortured so much. What if Snape killed Dumbledore as part of a plan to get closer to him so he could be destroyed or better yet…to help you? You don’t know where the Horcruxes are. The only one who does is Voldemort. Maybe Snape is supposed to find out and let you know somehow,” Hermione said excitedly, “Dumbledore might have willingly sacrificed himself so you could destroy all the Horcruxes with Snape’s help.”

Harry leapt out of his chair.

“Hermione, you are really reaching with this. That’s not what happened. I saw what happened!” Harry yelled at her. Hermione remained calm.

“But you don’t know what’s behind what happened. You know how Dumbledore manipulated everything. You know how he did that, Harry. And Snape could have killed you that night on the grounds. He blocked everything you sent at him. And he stopped the Death Eater that hit you with the Cruciatus curse as well,” Hermione said, “He didn’t let anyone harm you.”

”That’s only because Voldemort wants me for himself,” Harry retorted.

”Are you sure, Harry? Are you absolutely sure?” Hermione asked him, “And think of what he said to you when you attacked him. How your spells would be blocked again and again and again until you learned to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed. It sounded as if he were instructing you, Harry. Telling you to do your spells non-verbally and to use Occlumency,” she said insistently.

“He was mocking me! Mocking my abilities, not instructing me, Hermione!” he said.

“But he’s the Half-Blood Prince, Harry…the one you looked up to all year…the wizard whose words you trusted implicitly. You believed in him!” Hermione said, standing up too and facing off with the wizard.

“That was before I knew it was Snape!” Harry spat at her.

“But you still did whatever he wrote down. He never failed you!” Hermione said, “Dumbledore trusted him, Harry! You don’t know what the two of them planned. I’m telling you, you should focus on the Horcruxes and not Snape. Snape may end up helping you!”

Harry stared at Hermione.

“I can’t believe after what he’s done you still believe he’s on the side of Good, Hermione. He murdered Dumbledore. He’s a traitor,” Harry said, “A murdering traitor.”

Hermione stared at Harry, trying to decide whether or not to tell her what she really thought Dumbledore might have done. She decided to say it.

“Harry…I think Dumbledore may have created a Horcrux before he died,” she said softly, “I think he is still alive. That he might…might come back when the time is right.”

Harry’s eyes went round as saucers.

“No. No, you have to murder someone to make a Horcrux. The Headmaster was no murderer, Hermione,” Harry said to her quietly. But inside, he felt just a tiny twinge of hope…it was something to grab on to. But…but it had to be proven to him, or at least made more feasible.

“Harry,” Hermione said, “Dumbledore was no murderer, but he still took lives. He was such a gentle man that it could have still fragmented his soul because he killed. It might have been for a good reason…but he still killed another human being, and more than once. He might have been able to make a Horcrux. Maybe he ordered Snape to kill him. Maybe he plans to return.”

Harry dropped back down into the armchair, considering what Hermione said. It made sense, and Dumbledore was sneaky enough to have done such a thing and not told anyone. Hermione was absolutely certain she felt his power after he was supposed to be dead. She had been feeling it before he died. She felt it the night they went after the locket. He had never doubted Hermione before…well…not too much. She usually was right. But he saw Dumbledore die…that’s why he wasn’t willing to listen to her theories. He was in too much pain, felt too much guilt that he did nothing to help him. But Dumbledore made sure he couldn’t help him. He didn’t want him to interfere.

After several minutes of silence he looked at Hermione.

“Do you really think Dumbledore could still be alive, Hermione?” he asked her, his heart tight in his chest.

Hermione nodded.

“Yes, I do. I really do, Harry. He told me things weren’t what they seemed. I believe he was talking about his death. He wouldn’t abandon us, Harry. He’d find some way to help us. If Voldemort thinks he’s dead and now trusts Snape implicitly, then Snape can find out things he couldn’t before. He could help us, Harry,” Hermione said.

“But Snape looked so hateful when he killed him, Hermione. He didn’t say anything but the curse,” Harry said, remembering how contorted the wizard’s face was when he cast the Killing curse.

“It could have been Snape hated what he had to do, Harry. Maybe that is what gave him the power to cast the curse on Dumbledore, not because he hated him,” Hermione said, “Remember how angry he got when you called him a coward? You said he went crazy. What he did to Dumbledore seemed to be a cowardly act, and he would have had to acknowledge it in some way. He killed a weak, unarmed wizard after all. Even Snape would have to admit it was cowardly. But he didn’t. He insisted he wasn’t a coward though his actions seemed cowardly. Maybe because it took strength for him to do it, Harry. Maybe it took courage to follow through on what the Headmaster asked him to do. It might have been…the hardest thing he had ever done in his life.”

“He could have been in denial,” Harry said, adjusting his glasses. He was putting out every argument he could, hoping Hermione could shoot them down…make him believe this was possible. Oh gods, if only it could be possible.

“This is Snape we’re talking about, Harry,” Hermione said, “He’s always been brutally honest. Always. I don’t think he would fudge the truth about what he did. Why would he? He can’t fool himself after all. No, I don’t believe it was denial. I believe he was telling you the truth when he said he wasn’t a coward. And to be honest Harry, he’s done nothing in all the time we’ve known him to prove himself one. He continued to return to Voldemort’s tortures over and over, and gave good information to the Order that saved many lives. I don’t think that was an act, Harry. He really is a brave wizard. I think he still serves the Greater Good.”

Harry felt as if the iron bands that constricted his breathing suddenly popped off, and tightness in his head relaxed. Maybe Hermione was right. Maybe it was all part of a greater plan, a plan that Snape played a part in. Maybe…maybe there was still hope…maybe the Headmaster HAD made a Horcrux. He had been disappearing from the castle quite often, no one knowing where he was going. Oh he had claimed to be doing other things but one never knew with Dumbledore.

“All right, Hermione. I will leave Snape alone…for now and focus on the Horcruxes. It is possible something else is going on here,” he said slowly, looking at her.

Hermione smiled, relieved that Harry had finally come around and was at least willing to listen to her.

“But I still don’t like the idea of you looking for him. If you’re wrong…” Harry began.

“I might not even find him, Harry,” Hermione said, “Anyway right now, we have to deal with the Horcrux. It’s in Dumbledore’s…I mean the Headmistress’ office. Voldemort’s stone grew warm and glowed when I met with her last week.”

”You waited a week to tell me, Hermione?” Harry said, frowning at her.

“Harry, you almost attacked me over the necklace. We needed time, both of us,” Hermione said, “Besides, there was no way to check her office without getting caught. But she’s going away for a night. She’s leaving tomorrow for some kind of Headmaster’s seminar. Her office will be empty. We can check then. I think it is either the Sword of Gryffindor, one of the portraits, or…”

Hermione hesitated.

“Or what?” Harry pushed.

“Or the Sorting Hat,” Hermione said, her eyes glistening.

“Shit. Not the Sorting Hat. If we have to destroy that, then how will the students be sorted?” Harry asked her.

Hermione shook her head.

“I don’t know, Harry, but we have to do what we have to do. But I was thinking…” she began.

“What? What?” Harry said impatiently.

“A soul fragment is a life force. It is alive. Possibly we can use the Killing curse to release it without harming the hat. The Killing curse does no physical damage other than take a life, the exception being the scar that you received. And that was an entirely different situation,” Hermione said. “Otherwise you’ll have to blast it to bits. It can’t be helped.”

Harry sighed, then nodded.

If the Sorting Hat was the Horcrux, then he’d have to do whatever was necessary to destroy it.

“All right, so how am I going to get into Hogwarts?” he asked her.

“The Invisibility Cloak, of course,” she said, “We’ll apparate back to the school with you hidden under the cloak, and you’ll slip in with me when Filch or Hagrid opens the gate. Then we’ll wait until it’s late, go to McGonagall’s office, locate the Horcrux and destroy the fragment, then return to my room. McGonagall won’t be back until the following evening, so any damage won’t be discovered until then. I will leave the grounds and take you with me, and you can return here. Simple really,” Hermione said, smiling wickedly.

“Yes, it is,” Harry agreed.

He felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of him. He still hated Snape, but Hermione’s theory made him feel he should wait to see what happens and not try to track the wizard down. If Dumbledore had put some kind of plan in motion, Harry’s interference could ruin it. He wouldn’t want that, particularly if there was the slightest hope Dumbledore could return.

Now, what would Dumbledore use as a Horcrux? It would have to be something no one would suspect, so that ruled out lemon drops and socks. Well, Voldemort’s Horcruxes was what Harry was to focus on, and that’s what he would do. He gave Hermione a grateful look.

She smiled back at him and began to eat a ham sandwich. Harry picked up the other and joined her.

Thank the gods he had such a brilliant, forgiving friend.

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A/N: Go Hermione! Argue your points girl. Yes, Harry’s willing to see it her way for now. This chapter was fun to write. Thanks for reading. ***