A Desperate Deed

Banished by Magic

Truth cannot be brought down; rather, the individual must make the effort to ascend to it. You cannot bring the mountaintop to the valley. If you would attain to the mountaintop, you must pass through the valley, climb the steeps, unafraid of the dangerous precipices. - Krishnamurti, Jiddu Krishnamurti

The Strange thing about life is the unforeseen turnarounds, the interstation from one phase to another. Everything could have been so easy, so wonderfully prearranged; instead, all was chaotic, and Harry couldn't even ask Hermione for any helpful advice for she was part of his dilemma. Days Hermione had spent in the library, looking up all about magical unification but it was no use. The clause was even worse than what they had been told. Still, she had tried to argue with him that he should disown her. Harry just didn't understand her, why she wanted him to use an old, primitive clause against her. The very thought made him sick, and he couldn't grasp why she was so willing to give up her rights as a witch.

The fronts were hardened, while he couldn't throw her in front of a bus, she didn't want to be the sole reason for his misfortune. Soon she began avoiding him and only speak with him if it was necessary. Ginny and Ron weren't keen to spend time with him, either. It didn't take long until their ways of life were divided. After the unaccountable funerals, the Weasleys had returned to the burrow, not without Mrs Weasley inviting Harry along, but he had declined and decided to stay at Grimmauld Place.

The House was just like in his memories, perhaps a bit cleaner because of Kreacher, who appeared to care more. All this didn't change the melancholic mood this place harboured. Harry felt already miserable, and he was only a few hours in this house yet. The possibility of spending even whole days here frightened him. In the foreseeable future, Harry knew he needed to speak to Hermione again they were, after all, still married, and in the long run, they had to arrange themselves with this fact.

The kitchen was the only hospitable room in this building. All alone here, Harry could hear a variety of sounds like wood creaking and old pipes groaning. Barely any lights found its way into the House. Preferably Harry wanted to flee this place right away again, but he had no idea where else to go. Throughout the magical world, everyone wanted a piece of him by just goggling at him, asking for interviews or taking pictures.

Staying with the Weasleys was out of question too. He couldn't stand the accusatory looks of Ron and Ginny any longer. Afterwards, when he thought of his relationship with Ginny and their time in his sixth year, it felt surreal. Not comparable with what he was confronted now. She demanded of him to decide between her happiness and Hermione's sorrow, his best friend, who always been at his side and probably still will even if he agreed to terminate their marriage. It wasn't a question for or against someone because there existed only one truth to him, which was that he never would go against Hermione.

With difficulty, he tried to keep himself busy with anything at all in this quiet place when suddenly the fireplace in the kitchen was activated in green flames. Surprised and in time Harry whirled around to see a familiar brown-haired curly head appear, who kept searching around for him.

"Harry, finally!" She exclaimed, while their eyes met.

Before he could react, she vanished again.

"Hermione?" He called uncertainly and got closer to the now vacant fireplace to have a better view.

Once more, the big fireplace started to burst into green, much larger flames. Just in time, Harry could get his head out of the way before he crashed with Hermione together. She stood now right in front of him. However, she was so shocked to see him there. Hermione lost her balance and was about to fall back into the wall. Harry acted fast and pulled her with his right arm against himself.