When All is Lost (Book 1)

6. Further Into the War

"How'd you- ARGH!" Ginny was talking to Harry, Ron, and Hermione who were surrounding her and helping her fight Bellatrix. "We killed them all." Hermione said, throwing a spell at Bellatrix. Ginny was amazed, and then she yelled "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Bellatrix was't harmed and she surprised Ginny with yellow sparks of what looked like lightning bolts. Ginny's gaze was fixed on them, and no matter how hard they tried, Harry, Ron, and Hermione could not pull her away. The bolts hit her in the chest and she collapsed. After five minutes, Ginny stood up coughing. Hermione and Ron were still battling Bellatrix, but Harry was helping Ginny. Hermione was again, very enraged. Worse this time. Ron stared at her as she walked up to Bellatrix. "You are a foul woman! You join the death eaters, kill hundreds of people, engraved words on my arm, and almost killed Ginny and I twice! But I always thought that you should get what you deserve. Avada Kedavra!" Hermione yelled. Bellatrix was dead. Hermione kicked her after she fell to make sure that she was dead. Hermione was walking away, but Bellatrix stood up. She flicked her wand, and Hermione started screaming. Harry and Ron ran over and tried every spell that they could to stop her. After 30 minutes of non-stop screaming and fighting Bellatrix, Hermione was able to stop. She walked over to the doors and opened them. She had heard voices while she was screaming, voices that only she could hear. When she opened the door, Molly Weasly was standing there with Arthur Weasly, crying. Hermione ran over to her and said "Mrs. Weasly, all of your children are fine, there's nothing to wo-" But Hermione couldn't finish. She saw Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, and George all lying lifelessly behind them. Hermione grabbed her chest, and she comforted Mrs. Weasly. "GINNY! RON!" Mrs. Weasly screamed. She ran in and pulled out her wand, apparently noticing Ginny and Ron battling Bellatrix. Mr. Weasly said, "Hermione, how did the death eaters..." He had noticed the writing inside of her arm. "Mr. Weasley, please don't ask." Hermione said, and she ran back into the great hall. "Mum?" Ron said, falling to the ground on account of a spell. "Yes, let me handle this." Mrs. Weasly said, and she shot a curse at Bellatrix. Harry had a good feeling that Bellatrix was really dead this time. She floated away as a mist of nothing and Ginny smiled, and Harry looked around. They all had checked the entire castle with the help of the marauder's map, and no more death eaters or Voldemort were visible. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into Dumbledore's office that night, ready to ask him why he didn't aid them in battle and why he didn't help the Weasly's, and why he let the Weasley sons (All other than Ron) get killed. Harry had memorized the new password. "Caricotta" He said, and the gargoyle turned. A hidden staircase made itself visible and they all stepped on. They turned up for a minute, and then they reached a platform. The stairs went back down and a wooden surface replaced the gap in the floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up the stone stairs, and knocked on the oak door. "Come in." Said Dumbledore's weary voice. Harry opened the door and Ron and Hermione walked in behind him. Harry shut the door and found a seat. "Hello Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasly." He said, more brightly than before. Hermione looked at Harry as though upset that Dumbledore practically forgot that she was in the room. "And Ms. Granger." He said, and Hermione was relieved, but still winced at the mention of what she considered to be a 'Foul, fake last name'. "Professor, why did you stay in your office the entire time we were battling death eaters?" Harry said, sounding very enraged. "Death eaters?" He said, sounding genuinely surprised. "Yes. But, not many, just four." Ron said. "Who were the four?" Dumbledore asked, standing up. "Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, and Draco Malfoy." Hermione said. "Is there a problem?" Dumbledore asked. "A problem? MOST OF THE WEASLEY'S ARE DEAD, HERMIONE WAS TORTURED, GINNY WEASLY WAS KNOCKED OUT, AND YOU THINK THAT THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM?" Harry yelled. Just then, there was silence, and all they could hear were voices yelling in front of the gargoyle all the way downstairs. "Karkaroff! Dumbledore has ears." Said Snape's silk voice. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, and they understood. "Professor, we need to go down there." Ron said. Dumbledore nodded, and they all stood up. "I'll take Karkaroff, I know him best." Harry said when they reached the wood platform. "Ron, I'll need you to help me. Snape's not that much work. Hermione, would you-" Harry didn't need to finish, Hermione pulled her wand out, and they were ready. They each stomped on the platform, and they were lowered. "Potter, Weasley, Granger, put those wands down!" Snape yelled. "No!" Hermione yelled, and she shot a curse at Snape. He pulled out his wand and he fought back. "You're a double crosser!" Hermione yelled, dodging a spell and throwing it back. Hermione couldn't hold it in anymore, Snape had been crushed that her and Harry's mother had been murdered (and resurrected) by the man who he worships, and he still teaches  her children and treats them like dust. Hermione had to say it, and she had to kill him. "My mother will never love you!" But before she could hit him with a curse, he hit Hermione with one. "Severus!" It was Lily. "Hermione?" She ran over to her, and cried. "Lily..." Snape said, "Not this time! You cursed Hermione" She said. Hermione woke up, and she hit Snape with Avada Kedavra. He floated away in a storm of mist, but this time, the mist was black. She glanced over at Harry and Ron. They had killed Karkaroff. They set off for their Dormitories, determined not to speak to each other or look up until they arrived. When they finally climbed into bed, Harry said, "What should we do? The second task is tomorrow." "Sleep." Ron and Hermione said together, and they both fell over on their pillows.