Doppelganger

Chapter 41 Preparation and Revelation

Foreign witches and wizards entered the United Kingdom drawn to one side or the other. Some were promised rewards of power and conquest as others felt a love and sense of protecting their loved ones and doing what is right. The magic continued to call drawing them away from their home to fight in a foreign country. Whole communities of the magical were emptied as older witches and wizards remained behind to tend the young. Everyone felt dread and promise based on their preference of Darkness or Light.

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A Seventh year threw down her practice sword in exasperation. "What use is this Harry as I have magic and do not need this to defend myself?"

Harry looked to the young witch in sadness. "If you use magic early in the battle you will be spent and you will die for nothing. Please observe." Motioning to Hermione to stand next to him. "I will prove it to you."

Hermione stepped away and turned her wand to him as she shouted "Expelilarmous."

The students watched the witch and wizard fight for a full hour before they both fell down unconscious. The Medi-witch attended to them and after five minutes they both stood up looking worn.

"Avoid firing spells and hexes rapidly and place as much time between them as you can. As the enemy drains their magic you can use your swords and bring them down as the blades are magically enhanced and require little effort to slice or thrust." He walked over to a table where a sword lay alongside a large watermelon. Pulling the sword out of it sheath he barely touched it as the sword sped up and sliced the watermelon in two.

He handed his sword to the girl that protested. "Now you try it." He told her as he picked up a fresh watermelon.

The girl complied and it was true. She hardly put forth any effort and the watermelon laid split.

Two weeks later the leaders of the Phoenix were in the room where the chalkboard was as they discussed their plans.

Mr. Potter looked to it. "If I only had an idea of where they would be in the woods we could plan better. There are no accurate maps with terrain and while Hagrid knows the woods like the back of his hand, his knowledge does not suit us as it is in relation to the animals and beings that dwell there. Still we have a sound plan and our forces have come further in our training than what I expected. It is getting late and rest up as much as you can before they day breaks."

Hermione, Harry, and walked the halls together holding hands and enjoyed the feeling of love flow through them. It helped them at the end of a long day and when they had to contemplate about the responsibility that they shared.

They stopped at the entrance to their chambers. "I'll see you tomorrow." Hugging them and giving each a quick peck on the cheek as they left her.

She slowly made her way back to her chambers as she wondered once again how her husband was, hoping that he was not being punished. In a way she looked forward to the battle as she knew that he would be there.

Suddenly Fawkes flew to her and landed in her hand and met her eyes. ***Beautiful One Draco Malfoy is at the gates with a message***

***Are you sure that it is he? ***

***It is Hermione and I will go with you***

Taking up a lantern she walked up to the gates and gasped out in surprise as she saw her husband standing there. "Severus?" She whispered.

"I'm a house elf Granger." The voice growled out in a haughty voice.

"Why are you polyjuiced into Severus? Merlin if they found out you could be killed!"

"Severus suspects that the Dark Lord already knows of his defection and has polyjuiced himself into me so I could come here as he knows how the castle feels about him and he wanted to give you this." Holding a tiny box in his opened hand. "Fawkes be a good bird to one damned for eternity and fly over and get this for Hermione."

Fawkes listened to his Familiar's train of thoughts and nodded to her as she pulled out to empty phials and filled them with his tears. Grabbing them gently with his beak he flew over and picked the box up with a talon and dropped the phials into the wizard's hand as he flew back over and dropped the box to the witch as he flew back to the castle.

"For you and Severus. Use them when needed." She whispered. The tears could heal any mortal wound or poison.

A few tears fell from Draco he wiped them away. "Such a precious gift to one who took you to your death long ago. Do not act rashly Granger as I hope to see you come out alive. It is going to be a bloodbath. I heard that you are Slytherin as well as a Gryffindor. Let the snake come out and hold the lion back until needed. Don't mind the words that you are about to hear as I play my part. Be well in the Veil Hermione Snape."

Hermione wiped a tear away as she replied "And you as well Lord Draco Malfoy." Watching the wizard uncap a phial as the harsh words of her husband rang out.

"Sending filth to check the gates at a possible intruder? Send this message Mudblood. Deliver Harry Potter to the Dark Lord or all will die!"

"Stay away from me traitor!" Hermione shrilled out into the night.

She watched as Draco turned and began to walk along the wall and disappeared into the night.

She made it to her chambers and sat on her bed as Fawkes watched her enlarge the box and pulled out parchments with markings of where Voldemort's forces would be. She pulled out the last parchment which bore only these words. "I Will Love Thee Always."

The parchments scattered across the floor as she held that one and cried into the night.

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Voldemort looked down to his right hand man as he knelt before him. The Darkness whispered that he was a traitor but he could not believe it. "Rise Severus. I looked for you but you were not about. Lord Malfoy told me that Salazaar Slytherin had given you information on how to breach the wards at Hogwarts."

"Yes My Lord and I went to check them out. It is true as these points are the weakness." Pulling out a parchment as he pointed to the red x's along the walls. "All you need is your most faithful gathered at the points and incant "addo moenia down" As you do the same at the main gate. He told me that it was about time that one of his blood would finish what he started." He replied humbly.

"Very well Severus we will alter our plans a bit." He replied as he planned the wizard's death as he knew the wizard never recovered from the mudblood's death and his usefulness had ended when the potions master was chucked out of the school.

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Minerva knocked on the door of her apprentice and entered as the door opened and she saw Hermione on her bed crying as she held a parchment. "What is wrong Hermione?"

"This Headmistress!" She shrilled as she forced the parchment into the older witch's hands. "He knows that he is going to die." She whispered as her tears stopped. "He sent Draco here to deliver these in his form as he knew that he had watchers."

Minerva read the five words on the parchment and handed back to her apprentice as she picked up the scattered parchments and read one that stated "Weakness of the Wards."

"Rest Hermione and I will give these to Potter. I never believed that he would betray us." Leaving the witch alone to her thoughts.