Life Begins Anew

I Do Not Own Harry Potter. JK Does And I Make No Money From This.

Chapter 59 Attack!

Harry, Hermione, and Ron travelled, pleased that they were able to keep to the schedule. They all froze as they heard the unmistakable sounds of werewolves in the forest close to them. Then they were attacked, the column scattering in all directions.

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Harry shouted out. “Stay in your group and get to a defensive posture! Do not run! Fight together to survive!” He watched as most of the First and Second years bolt while others tried to act on Harry’s orders.

They watched as the five werewolves ignored the group as they bolted after the retreating students.

“Run!” Hermione shouted. “Get as far away as you can while they are distracted! I will try to rescue them!”

“No Hermione!” Harry shouted back in anger. “You stay and lead and I’ll go!”

She looked to her friends. “I am most expendable. Ron you can plan. And Harry, well you realize what you have to do.”

Ron pushed Harry forward shouting “Follow us and run for your lives!” The remaining students began to run in the deep snow, following Harry and Ron the best that they could.

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Bootstray and Slightly was shocked at the quick vicious attack. Most werewolves were solitary and had their own area. These werewolves were obviously briefed before their transformation so they could act as a group. The attack took them by surprise as there was no warning. No howling or anything until just before they were attacked.

Slightly started to follow the younger students as Bootstray pulled him toward the direction that the Chosen One was headed.

“No!” Bootstray told Slightly. “We are tasked to protect Harry Potter only!”

They watched as Hermione ran after the students. “There is nothing we can do!” Bootstray shouted as he pulled his friend along. “Her life is left to the Fates.”

They turned and ran after Harry.

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Hermione casted “Point Me First Years” and ran in the direction that her wand indicated. The forest was thick with trees and she approached the clearing with caution. Hiding behind a tree, she saw that she was too late. She watched as the five werewolves started to devour the bodies, not touching their faces.

She yelped as she felt something bumped against her. Whirling and pointing her wand, she looked into the frightened face of John Donaldson.

“Be quiet!” She hissed to the Slytherin as she began backing away from the clearing. She watched as a werewolf looked up from the body that it was devouring, sniffing the air. The werewolf began to run towards her.

Oh Shit! Not good! Hermione thought as she felt her back against a tree with nowhere to run. She held her wand out, ready to fight; sure her death would be soon. The werewolf was so close now that she could smell blood and the stink of it. She steadied her nerves as she pointed her wand, pushing back on John whispering to him to run.

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Sara felt her Mark burn and apparated to Voldemort’s throne chambers. “I have a mission for you Knight Sara. You will bring bodies back to me. Do not go until the morning as there are werewolves involved, and I would not want my heir to be harmed. Stay here tonight so you will be rested in the morning.”

She nodded as she followed Pettigrew out of the chamber, concerned about the group. There were no werewolves known in that area, so she did not even factor in the possibility of them when she came up with her plan.

***Bootstray! Is all well? ***

***No! Werewolves have attacked and it is targeted! They are acting as a group as if briefed and programmed before their transformation. We had to abandon a group of students as we are here only to protect Harry Potter! ***

***And the wellness of Harry Potter? *** She asked.

***He is making good time away from the werewolves as they are currently distracted hunting the students that bolted. *** Slightly sent.

***Continue and I will make contact when I can. *** She closed the connection.

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Hermione braced herself for death as she noticed a dark figure suddenly appear in front of her, wand pointed and felling the werewolf. She watched as the figure bound it with tight ropes and strode toward the clearing. She saw a bright light flare in the clearing, the figure walking back toward her as she lost consciousness.

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John ran as fast as he could, pulling the charmed map out to guide him. After an hour, he caught up to them and fell to the ground. “The Head Girl!” He panted. “She is surely dead! She told me to run as she protected me!” He mumbled as he passed out.

Harry looked to the group and picked up the unconscious wizard. “Ron, set up the tent and wards. We will rest here, schedule be damned.”

The remaining students watched as Ron completed his task.

Harry motioned the group inside and took the Slytherin to Hermione’s room. He would not question the wizard until tomorrow as he felt the chill of the Slytherin’s body. Laying John onto the bed, he whispered a heating charm as he tucked the blankets. The Slyhterin looked battered.

Harry entered the main area and noticed the stares of his fellow students. “Go to sleep. We are safe for now and need rest. Tomorrow, we need to make good time.” He grabbed a blanket and immediately fell asleep, exhaustion taking him over.

The remaining students looked toward Harry and did the same.

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Severus picked up the unconscious witch as the sun rose in the sky. “Hermione….” He whispered, looking to her. There was no response. He conjured up a tent and was about to enter as he heard the sound of apparation in the clearing.

Bringing her into the tent, Severus quickly whispered a heating charm. He then left wand drawn and approached the clearing.

He observed his sister looking at the burnt bodies of the werewolves along with the mutilated bodies of the muggle-borns.

“Brother, I sense you.” She called out.

He walked into the clearing wand drawn. “And why are you here Sara?” He snarled as he pointed his wand toward her.

She looked to him as she put her wand away. “And I must ask you the same brother. I was tasked to gather bodies and take them to Voldemort. He gave me a port key and directed me not to arrive until sunrise. But yet you are here and I know that the Dark Lord did not send you.”

She looked to him with sudden realization. “You had an additional protection charm other than the Bond! Did you get here in time? I do not see Hermione’s body here.” She asked with interest as she piled the dead the dead bodies on top of one another.

“Yes, she lives.” He sneered to her.

“Heal her and get her back to Mr. Potter. I see your look brother. I promise you that I did not betray her. I am tasked to bring the bodies to our Lord. I’ll do that and feed the Dark Lord a vision of Mrs. Snape conjuring up the dark magic that you used to kill the werewolves just as I arrived.” She walked over to the body of a mutilated witch and transformed it into a likeness of Hermione.

Severus watched as she walked over to the burnt remains of the werewolves which barely bore the likeness of being human. She piled the carcasses along with the students.

Kneeling, she looked at a knife that was imbedded in the thigh of one. “Severus, come here and see what I’ve found. It explains how I arrived here I think.”

Walking over, he looked to where she pointed. His features remained neutral as he pointed his wand and muttered a few incantations. Where is your Port Key?” He asked voice low.

She pulled it out of her Deatheater robe’s and placed it on the ground, still wrapped as it was designed to activate at her touch.

Muttering the same incantations as before he watched as it glowed for a moment. “Your port key is linked to this. It explains why you are here.”

Sara looked to him. “These bodies are all First and Second years. The must have bolted when the group was attacked. Sara thought for a moment. Even with his verification of the port key, she had lost what little trust she had managed to gain with her brother.

“I had Bootstray and Slightly following the students, Severus. I share a unique link with them and they told me about the attack as I was commanded to stay at the Dark Lord’s residence. They sent to me that there were no indications of werewolves until just before they attacked. They did not tell me that Hermione left the group. It is obvious that she tried to rescue them.” Sara looked to her brother. “The lioness felt the need to follow despite the danger.”

“Gryffindor foolishness!” He muttered darkly. “Your command to them was to protect Harry Potter?” He spat out.

Sara looked to Severus coldly. “Of course! You know why I am here. Help Harry Potter defeat the Dark Lord. Bootstray and Slightly are surely feeling remorse as they held a care for Hermione. She has in aura of life about her, despite these times. But they know the stakes as well and as good assassins, they held to what was commanded of them.”

She sighed. “I had him convinced that the students were dead. I wonder how he found out.” Picking up the port key, she sat on the pile of bodies. “Do not be harsh with her Severus. She is as much a Gryffindor as you are Slytherin. I will see you soon as obviously my original plan will have to change as the Dark Lord will not be pleased at the failure.” Sara touched the port key and disappeared.

Severus looked at the clearing for a moment, looking at the pools of blood that remained. He turned and walked back to where he had left the bound werewolf pointing his wand at the bound wizard. “I do not know who you are wizard and I do not care. I promised her that no one would ever harm her again. You have tried to take what is mine, and that calls for your death. It will not be quick, I promise you.” He began his torture, relishing in it.

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Sara arrived at Voldemort’s throne chambers and stood up from the bodies and immediately bowed and kissed her Lord’s hems.

“This is all that you found Sara? Greyback told me he sent his best.” She felt him enter her mind and fed him her altered memory.

Voldemort stood up from his throne and strode over to the dead bodies; leaving Sara bowed at his throne.

He began to go through them in anger, flinging the bodies aside until his eyes rested on a body that was obviously older than the rest.

“Rise Sara and come over to me. Is this who I think it is?” He asked as he observed his Knight.

“My Lord, this is the body of Hermione Granger, part of which was known as the Golden Trio at the school.” She replied.

“Oh yes, a Know It All according to your brother.” Voldemort chuckled darkly. He pulled his wand out and called Percy. He watched as the Deatheater arrived. “Show me the clock!”

Sara realized what the clock was and hurriedly remove Hermione’s name from the clock.

“Potter still alive!” He spat as he looked to it. “I was skeptical about this clock at first Percival Weasley. But the body on the floor tells me that it is true as the mud blood witch is dead on my floor. You deserve a boon young wizard!” He pressed his Mark calling his Inner circle.

Severus growled as his Mark burned as he finished up his torture of the werewolf. He changed his clothes into that of one of the Inner Circle, apparating away and hoping that Hermione, should she wake, have common sense to stay in the tent.

He arrived and immediately bowed, noticing one from the Outer Circle in the midst of the Inner Circle.

Voldemort commanded his Inner Circle to join him as he spoke. “My Knights, I have found one worthy to join our circle. He has betrayed his family and his friends in his service to me. Reveal yourself, Percival Weasley!”

“My Knights, Percival Weasley was the one to find that the hated muggle-born students were still alive. And with that knowledge, I have taken out one third of the Golden Trio.” He kicked the body of Hermione Granger and looked to the revealed Deatheter and began to weave his magic.

“Percival Weasley, do you desire to join my Knights of the Inner Circle and be part of the resurrection of the Wizarding world?”

“I do My Lord!” Percival replied.

“Then stand and come with me!” The Dark Lord commanded. Percy went without hesitation with the Dark Lord. The Inner Circle watched as the two wizards left the chambers.

Lucius looked to the Knights. “Care to make a wager?” He asked his fellow Knights.

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Harry was up before sunset and woke Ron up. “We need to talk to John and find out what has happened.” They entered Hermione’s room and noticed the young Slytherin sitting on the edge of the bed, sobbing.

Harry and Ron sat next to him as he looked to them. “Miss. Granger was the only one to trust me and I failed her! I should have stayed and died with her!”

“Do not feel guilt John, I had to let her go!” Harry miserably replied. “Once Hermione has a thought, it is hard to dissuade her. But you must tell us what happened.”

John sniffled his sobs and haltingly told him the events of the night.

Ron hugged the wizard. “Don’t feel guilty John. She always had a fierce protectiveness of those she pledged to stand by. You must be strong, as we have fifteen miles to trek tonight. Are you well enough to make it?”

John looked to the two wizards. “I will try for her.” He whispered.

Harry looked to him. “It was her decision John. Do not hold the guilt that you are feeling. She would not have wanted that.”

“I feel unworthy. After all I am Slytherin.” John miserably replied.

“Go and get ready.” Harry told the young wizard, tears in his eyes.

John left the room as Harry and Ron fell into each other’s arms, lamenting the loss of their best friend and the deaths of the younger students.

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Severus was finally released from his Lord and immediately arrived back at the tent. He entered it and noticed Hermione had not moved at all. He looked at her as he removed his clothes, the darkness suggesting the things that he would love to do to her. He pushed the dark thoughts away. There was no way he would rape his unconscious wife tonight. He settled in, remembering the feel of her body as he settled next to her and fell asleep.