Inside the Blackest Heart (Edit, Not Update)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 54 ~ Albus Gets His Due


Albus apparated about one hundred meters in front of the fortress, his blue eyes glittering with malice behind his half-moon spectacles.

“ATTACK!” he cried, charging for the door. Then he stopped and looked behind him.

No one was there. Not one Order member. What the hell happened?

Dumbledore apparated back to his ranks. They were all standing there looking at him.

“I told you all to apparate! What’s wrong with you all? Can’t you follow orders? It is time for the Final Battle!” Albus yelled at his troops.

The Order members all stood there, looking at him. Some looked uncertain. Others were staring at him with frowns. A few had narrowed eyes.

“What’s going on here?” Albus said, grabbing a member by his arm and shaking it.

As an answer, the Order member pointed up. Albus followed his outstretched arm with his eyes. His heart dropped. There, floating in the air was an image of Hermione, Harry and Snape, looking at him.

Hermione grinned.

“Everybody wave!” she said, waving broadly..

Harry and Snape looked at each other.

“Hello, Headmaster!” Hermione said. Albus blinked up at her. He heard her loudly and clearly. His expression grew dark.

Harry and Snape realized that Albus could hear Hermione. Which meant that his troops had heard the whole ‘talk’. Both he and Harry broke out in broad smiles and started waving at the Headmaster.

Snape grinned down at the witch.

“So the whole order heard everything Albus said?” he asked, amazed.

“Yes, but not only the Order. The Ministry, Hogwarts, the Wizengamot, the Daily Prophet and the general public. I sent the image to every shop, every inn. I had it in the sky over Hogsmeade and Little Hangelton. I even broadcast it over every station of the Wizarding Wireless. Now everyone knows what he has done, and what he tried to do. Dumbledore’s finished. The Order won’t obey him now. No one will. He’ll be taken if he doesn’t flee. And I’ll make sure he doesn’t flee,” Hermione said, narrowing her eyes.

“Hermione! You are bloody brilliant!” Harry said, taking her in his arms and swinging her around until she was gasping in the young wizard’s arms. He planted a kiss firmly on her nose.

Hermione smiled and blushed as she worked her way out of his iron grip.

Snape shook his head.

“Miss Granger, I’ve heard it said before that you are the brightest witch of the age. I didn’t believe it until now. Well done, Primordial,” he said, bowing to her and kissing her hand. Not only had Hermione made Albus tell on himself, but exonerated Snape from his service to the Dark Lord in the process. Everyone knew he was working for the Order. He would probably be despised by most for the rest of his life, but he wouldn’t end up in Azkaban. He would be free, just like he wanted.

They turned back to the image. Albus was staring up at them, his face black. One of the Order members walked up to the wizard.

“Dumbledore, we can no longer serve you. Your evil is just as bad, if not worse than Voldemort’s. Actually, it is in our best interest, and the interest of the wizarding world, to take you into custody and deliver you to the Ministry for judgment of your crimes,” the member said, taking hold of Albus’ arm firmly. Other members formed a close circle around the wizard.

“Unhand me!” Albus said, trying to jerk his arm away. But the Order member held on, a grim look on his face. Fine, he would blast his way out. Albus tried to summon a blast, but found he couldn’t. Then he tried to apparate. Nothing happened. He looked up at the image of Hermione, looking down on him, and knew. He knew she had come to full power. She had either taken or dampened his magical ability so he couldn’t escape.

“Come with us, Dumbledore,” the Order member said.

“But, I’m your leader,” Albus said, the whites of his eyes showing.

“Not anymore,” the Order member replied, apparating with the wizard. Several more members accompanied them.

Another Order member stepped to the fore. He looked up at the image floating in the sky and cupped his hands to his mouth.

“Miss Granger! You, Severus and Harry are free to go! No one has any problem with you here. The Final Battle is over before it began. Voldemort is dead, thanks to you. There will be no more bloodshed,. He called up at her.

“Thank you!” Hermione called down at him, smiling. The Order members began apparating away.

Hermione turned to Harry and Snape, dusting off her hands.

“And that, gentlemen, is that,” she said.

Snape looked at her, his black eyes glittering.

“I wouldn’t say that, Primordial,” he said, stepping forward and grabbing her. Hermione squealed as he swung her up in his arms. Snape looked at Harry, who was watching them, his mouth open.

“Excuse us, Mr. Potter,” Snape said silkily, “I have a promise to fulfill.”

Harry looked over at Lucius and Wormtail.

“But what about them?” he asked, pointing at the wizards.

“Let Lucius go, and hold Peter for the Aurors,” Snape said over his shoulder as he carried Hermione to her rooms. The door opened by itself as they walked through, then closed behind them.

Harry looked at the two bound wizards. He took out his wand and tried to free Lucius from his frozen state. It didn’t work. Then suddenly, the blonde wizard was able to move. Hermione must have released him.

“Good gods,” Lucius said, rolling his shoulders, and jerking his head from side to side trying to get the blood flowing through his muscles again. Then he looked down at Harry.

“Potter, you’ve got to be the luckiest wizard on earth,” he said, his eyes sweeping over the young man. He hesitated, then said in a surprisingly warm voice, “Good luck to you.”

Then just like that, Lucius Malfoy Sr. apparated and was gone.

Wormtail looked up at Harry.

“What about me? I was just serving the Dark Lord to stay alive. I never believed in his dream,” the rotund little wizard squeaked.

Harry scowled down at him.

“Yes, but you betrayed my parents so Voldemort could kill them, then you killed thirteen people and pinned it on Sirius. By rights, I should kill you for that, but that would make me a murderer like you and the Dark Lord. You’re going to Azkaban, Wormtail. That’s where you belong. Hopefully, you’ll end up in a cell right next to Dumbledore,” the green-eyed wizard said.

Wormtail moaned. Then he brightened and tried to transform to rat form. He found he couldn’t. Hermione.

“You just wait here. The Aurors will come for you in a bit,” Harry said. Then he apparated back to Hogwarts. There was no reason to stay here. Voldemort was dead. Hermione and the Professor were otherwise occupied.

Plus, he had to give Ron all the juicy details.

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A/N: Yay! Hermione is a smart, smart cookie. She let Albus do himself in. Please review.