Lost Memories

lxx. unexpected help

I almost kissed the shore when we got out of the lake. Next to Hermione, I collapsed on the ground as I heard Harry recite all of our usual protective spells. Hermione hissed as Ron touched her. Looking to the side I realized the damage of escaping the vault. Both of them had angry red burns all over their faces and arms, I could see our clothes were singed away in some places.

Reaching over to Hermione, she handed me the bottle of dittany they used on themselves and I put some on, wincing at the feeling.

"I have burn ointment in my first aid kit, Hermione," I groaned.

For once, Ron accepted my muggle treatment and placed a thick layer of cream on his worst burns. Harry came over and plopped down next to me, I passed him the potion and ointment.

Hermione pulled out four bottles of pumpkin juice she had brought from Shell Cottage and clean, dry robes for all of us. We changed and then gulped down the juice.

"Well, on the upside," said Ron finally, who was sitting watching the skin on his hands regrow, "we got the Horcrux. On the downside —"

"— no sword," said Harry through gritted teeth, as he dripped dittany through the singed hole in his jeans onto the angry burn beneath.

"No sword," I echoed. "Stupid fucking—"

"At least we can't wear it this time, that'd look a bit weird hanging 'round our necks," said Ron as Harry pulled the Horcrux out of his pocket.

Hermione looked across the lake to the far bank, where the dragon was still drinking.

"What'll happen to it, do you think?" she asked. "Will it be all right?"

"You sound like Hagrid," I laughed softly. "It's a dragon, Hermione, it can look after itself."

"But—"

"It's us we need to worry about," Ron said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know how to break this to you," said Ron, "but I think they might have noticed we broke into Gringotts."

All four of us started to laugh and, once started, it was difficult to stop. My ribs ached, along with my shoulder as I laughed; I felt lightheaded with hunger, but I laid back on the grass beneath the reddening sky and laughed until my lungs hurt.

"What are we going to do, though?" said Hermione finally, hiccuping herself back to seriousness. "He'll know, won't he? You-Know-Who will know we know about his Horcruxes!"

"Maybe they'll be too scared to tell him?" said Ron hopefully. "Maybe they'll cover it up?"

"I sure hope so," I sat up. "It'll be easier on us if You-Know-Who stays ignorant. Right, Harry?"

Harry didn't say anything. Looking to my right, I see Harry sprawled out on the grass, wincing.

"Harry!"

Ron and Hermione scramble around me to look at Harry who looked like he was in pain; another vision. It took a few moments for Harry to open his eyes and when he did, he looked afraid.

"He knows. He knows, and he's going to check where the others are, and the last one," Harry jumped to his feet, "is at Hogwarts. I knew it. I knew it."

"What?"

My voice sounded strange; Ron was gaping at him; Hermione sat up, looking worried.

"But what did you see? How do you know?"

"I saw him find out about the cup, I — I was in his head, he's– he's seriously angry, and scared too, he can't understand how we knew, and now he's going to check the others are safe, the ring first. He thinks the Hogwarts one is safest, because Snape's there because it'll be so hard not to be seen getting in, I think he'll check that one last, but he could still be there within hours —"