The Labyrinth

Warnings: Angst,AU/AR,Crossover,H/C,Language,M/M (slash in later chapters), OOC-ness only to the extent that it fits the movie and plot

Author's note--The title of the movie scene that corresponds with this chapter is "Barbarian at the Gate". I know, this is really short, and I wish this scene were longer, since it's so good (I think) but it is the way it is...and true to the movie (for the most part) with a few added HP touches that I think will make you smile and/or cheer.

The next couple of chapters will be exciting and all, so stay tuned! We're getting into the good stuff now! Sorry for the cliffie...Happy Reading!

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The Labyrinth

Professor at the Gate

Harry and Ron glanced back behind them. They had made it through the first section of the Death Eaters’ camp, the ones that were housed in between the edge of the property and the gate that blocked the path leading directly to the Manor. They looked around for Tonks. They hoped she was okay, and then they both caught sight of her, leading Helga, having coaxed her out of the safe place. She looked fine, even if her purple hair was sticking up in clumps. Harry squeezed her arm.

“Come on!” He cried as Ron went to reach for the gate. There was a loud CRACK, and they were all driven back a step by the power that emanated from the gate. Harry threw his arm up to shield his face, and when he lowered it, there was an intimidating figure standing before them. The man towered over Harry, glaring down at him with hatred and revulsion etched into his face. His long, greasy black hair flowed in a perversely regal manner, and his robes billowed and snapped. His arms were crossed, but Harry wasn’t fooled; the man had a wand in his hand, and the green-eyed boy suddenly felt like a small, frightened first-year again as he stared up at Severus Snape.

There was no time for words as Snape suddenly pointed his wand and began throwing hexes at them. Harry and Ron both managed to dive out of the way and avoid the man’s blasts, while Tonks dodged and returned fire. Helga, apparently the only smart one of the bunch, slinked away, unnoticed, until it was safer. Snape was a quick one, throwing minor jinxes to slow them down, followed by more serious ones to hurt them. He repelled all of the major curses that Tonks threw at him, and Harry and Ron quickly realized that this was becoming futile. Harry was hit with a jinx, then took a Jelly-Legs to the back and went down. As he lay, helpless, he could feel Snape’s presence, and he rolled onto his back, staring up at the pasty man in the dark clothes. His eyes bored into Harry’s, and Harry yelped as he felt a presence in his mind. Snape was trying to Legilimize him! Harry closed his eyes and concentrated all of his Occlumency skills. It took a few more seconds, but Harry managed to expel Snape from his mind before the Death Eater saw any of his memories!

While Snape was distracted, Tonks hit him with a Body Bind, and Ron dashed in, grabbed Harry by the arm, and dragged him away from Snape. Snape was clearly the superior wizard, though, and he broke the curse, firing a Stunner back at Tonks that grazed her and made her wobble dizzily. The Jelly-Legs Jinx faded, and Harry was leaning heavily on Ron as he got his strength back, looking up with terrified eyes as Snape leveled his wand at the two of them. Then, behind the man’s back, Harry saw another wand slowly and carefully being drawn.

“Hermione!” He exclaimed, causing Snape to whip around, unaware of the girl sneaking up on him. Ron jumped forward and shoved Snape from behind, causing him to lose his aim as he fired a hex at the girl. The Entrail-Expelling Curse missed Hermione by inches, and she held her wand out at him, shaking visibly. A sudden pain in her side caused her to look down; she was bleeding superficially from where the Curse grazed her! She looked back up, and her eyes narrowed. The man had grabbed Ron by the hair and flung him away, and Harry was kneeling by the fallen redhead. Snape was glancing back and forth between the target that he really wanted to take out (Harry) and the real threat (her). She brought her wand up, ignoring the searing pain that threatened to collapse her, and pointed it at Snape.

“Get out of here, Hermione!” Harry yelled at her, tears in his eyes as he held onto Ron’s body. He couldn’t tell if his friend was alive or dead, but the redhead had fallen heavily from Snape’s throw. He couldn’t bear to lose another friend because of him, even if it meant his own undefended death.

“Avada Kedavra,” Hermione said evenly, glaring at Snape. The wizard’s eyes widened as green light shot from her wand, and then, just like that, it was over. Hermione, who had been oppressed, tortured, and insulted by Death Eaters her entire life, had finally stood up to one of them and uttered the Killing Curse. Tonks was oblivious to all of this, having realized that her trusty steed was once again gone, and was whistling and wheedling for Helga to come out of hiding.

Ron suddenly coughed and sucked in a deep breath. He was alive! He was okay! He was just winded, having had the breath knocked out of him, and Harry jumped up and ran to Hermione, who had dropped to her knees in pain right after Snape died. She had hunched over, her wand on the ground, clutching her bleeding side. The blood flowed faster and dripped onto the dirt, and Harry pulled her hands away, inspecting the wound. He snatched up her wand and with a couple of Episkeys, the cut closed up. A whispered Scourgify and the blood vanished.

“Hermione, are you alright?” His voice was just barely above a whisper as he handed her her wand back. She looked up at him bashfully, not able to believe that he had just healed her after she abandoned him.

“I’m not asking to be forgiven,” she said, looking away and biting her lip. Harry could see unshed tears in her eyes. “I’m not ashamed of myself.” The tremble of her lip said otherwise. “Voldemort made me give you that Snitch. I told you I was a worthless Mudblood, and I’m not interested in being friends.” She closed her eyes, fighting harder than ever before in her life not to cry.

“I forgive you, Hermione,” Harry said softly, taking her hand. Her eyes popped open, and she was so surprised that the urge to cry disappeared. Then she noticed that Ron and Tonks were kneeling beside Harry, and even Helga had her nose poked into the circle.

“You-you do?” She said breathlessly. This was too good to be true…Harry nodded.

“And I commend you,” Tonks said kindly, smiling as Hermione looked at her in disbelief. “Rarely have I seen such courage! You are valiant, fair maiden, and the true definition of a Gryffindor!”

“Uh, I am?” Hermione couldn’t believe her ears.

“Hermione, you’re my friend too,” Ron interjected, his face flushing. Ever since he first laid eyes on her, he thought she was pretty. There had never been time before to tell her, though, and then he had started changing while they were still in St. Mungo’s. He was too embarrassed to admit that he liked her when he looked like that, since he was sure she would reject him or laugh at him. “And…and I like you…a lot!” Ron leaned forward and brushed his lips to hers in a lightning-fast but oh-so-sweet first kiss, his face flaming as red as his hair, and then he ducked behind Harry, completely embarrassed.

Hermione sat, unable to move. A pureblood had just kissed her! HER! A Muggle-born! She was gobsmacked and elated all at the same time. Before she could help it, a giant grin spread over her face, even though the reason for that grin was still cowering behind her first friend. She blinked a couple of times.

“Here are your things, Hermione,” Harry said gently, holding out her book strap with all of her books, miraculously unscathed. “Thanks for your help.” She accepted the gift, looking from one new friend to the next. She jumped to her feet, and they all followed suit, strapping her book carrier back onto her belt.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” She said with renewed bravado. “Let’s go get that snake who calls himself Voldemort!”

* * * * *

Narcissa Malfoy had been given the honor by the Dark Lord himself to watch the failure of the trio that had just become a foursome. She blanched whiter than a ghost when she realized that they had just taken out Snape, pushed open the gates, and were on their way towards the Manor! She fled to Voldemort’s throne, screaming in terror.

“My Lord! My Lord! My Lord! The boy! The half-blood! The one who ate the peach and forgot everything!”

“What of him?” Voldemort said dryly. Narcissa was notorious for being histrionic and dramatic; he idly wondered what new insignificance had her worked up this time.

“He, the blood traitor, the Auror, and the Mudblood are on their way to the castle!” Narcissa shrieked hysterically. Voldemort, who had been half-paying attention and lounging, sat up suddenly, his face murderous.

“Stop him! Call out the Inner Circle! Take the blonde and hide him! He must be stopped! Do something! Come on, move! Move!” Voldemort thundered, grabbing Draco and passing him off to MacNair and Hyde-Pratt. They nodded and whisked Draco away. Narcissa bowed as the alarm sounded; she was not an Inner Circle member, but her husband was, along with her sister and her brother-in-law, as well as several others. He demanded to know where Snape was, and Narcissa regretted to inform him that Snape was no longer. He cursed with rage, and then appointed Narcissa to take Snape’s place, ordering the Inner Circle to go down and stop the Boy Who Lived.
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Author's note--Pretty cool, no? *squeal* We're getting to the good parts now...SO CLOSE! Thanks for sticking with me this long.

thrnbrooke--Thank you so much for your continued support!!!

WeasleyWench--YAY glad you liked where the Dursleys were! *happy* Didja like this scene too? LMAO Of course you did! haha

Extraho--Hi there! Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story, and you do make a valid point. Actually, I think I'm getting better because my authors' notes from other stories are HORRENDOUSLY long, and I've really tried to keep the ones from this story short. lol But then again, I'm also long-winded, so if you don't want to read them, you don't *have* to. But I do understand what you're saying, and thank you for letting me know. I kept this author's note short just for you! *wink wink*

The first part of this chapter is in the eighth segment of the movie on youtube. Here's the link (again) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg-sC5jTQOQ

The second part of this chapter is in the ninth segment of the movie on youtube. Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4uqTD407mM