janus ~ hermione granger

lxiii

somehow, on their run to escape the hogwarts grounds and disapparate, madison managed to get away, and ran in the direction of the astronomy tower, on the hunt for dumbledore's body.

when she found it, she halted, placing her hands on her knees and attempted to catch her breath.

when she finally did, she kneeled down, her eyes already filling with tears.

moments later, a crowd began to form around her, all murmuring.

"you did this!" harry yelled at her, pushing her against the wall with all the strength he had left.

"harry," hagrid began.

"no! he's dead because of you! you could have saved him, but instead you helped snape! everyone, get a good look at the girl who caused albus dumbledore's death! i hope you rot-"

"i didn't bloody do it," maddy choked out, shoving harry off of her and forcing a locket she found on the floor into his hands. "i was trying to deflect snape's spell. you really think i would kill dumbledore? you really think i'm that cruel? that evil? this," maddy paused, revealing her dark mark which caused gasps to erupt around the crowd, "means nothing to me anymore. if i have to murder someone as an order, i won't. i'm not letting a stupid mark define my future. i'm madison taylor-nothing else-not a death-eater, not a traitor, zilch. if you want to believe that i killed him, then go ahead."

and with that, the girl made her way out, running to the closest, emptiest room, where she instantly broke down.

harry was right.

she could've prevented dumbledore's death.

she knew this was going to haunt her for the rest of her life, but for now, for the rest of the night, she stayed in that room, focusing on being quiet so no one would walk in and see her looking completely broken.

𓆉

it was the day of dumbledore's funeral, and all maddy wanted to do was head back to the twelve grimmauld place, where sirius black was locked up, much to his dismay.

the only reason she was standing at the very back was because tonks forced her to go.

madison had to hide due to some believing what harry said, just like herself.

when the service ended, the older taylor twin turned around and went to leave, but was stopped by phoebe.

"not now," maddy sighed.

"she needs to talk to you," phoebe gestured over to hermione, who was jogging over to the twins, wiping her puffy eyes.

"i can't do this right now."

"please," hermione pleaded, and when she received a nod, she smiled at phoebe and dragged maddy off to a more secluded area.

"if you wanted to yell at me-"

"for what?"

"this," she lightly chuckled, pointing at the scene of crying people.

"it wasn't your fault," hermione shook her head. "none of this was-and don't interrupt me. we're-"

"there is no 'we'."

"madison iris taylor-there is. you're not alone."

"do you not know what a break up is? let me-"

but maddy was interrupted.

hermione's lips cut her off.

"i am not giving up on you or us. i know you didn't cause his death, harry was just in pain, and he took his anger out on you. you would never do something like that. i know you probably thought about it, but it was because you wanted to keep draco and all of us safe, but we can do that ourselves. i'm going to help you through all this, because i love you. you are the love of my life. you're my happy place, my soulmate-and frankly, i can't live without you. this past year has been the worst, and no, not because harry did better than me in potions. not being able to hear your voice or feel your hugs or kisses drove me crazy. you drive me crazy, madison taylor. i want to have a future with you, and i can't do that if you're building up these walls again. we all want to help you," hermione spoke, nodding over to harry, phoebe and ron who were patiently waiting for them.

as soon as they landed next to them, harry wrapped his arms around maddy.

"i'm really sorry," he whispered. "i shouldn't have said all that-it was wrong of me. i was-"

"i get it, don't worry. i'm sorry too."

"you have nothing to be sorry for," harry pulled away chuckling.

"i'm glad you two are finally on good terms," ron groaned. "hermione has been such a pain ever since you broke up with her."

"ronald!"

the five grinned, missing moments like these.

but the circumstances made those frowns disappear.

"i can't bear the idea that we may never come back. how can hogwarts close?"

"maybe it won't. we're not in any more danger here than we are at home, are we? everywhere's the same now. i'd even say hogwarts is safer, there are more wizards inside to defend the place. what d' you reckon, harry?"

"i'm not coming back even if it does reopen," he said, maddy agreeing.

"i knew you were going to say that. but then what will you do?"

"i'm going back to the dursleys' once more, because dumbledore wanted me to, but it'll be a short visit, and then i'll be gone for good."

"but where will you go if you don't come back to school?"

"i thought i might go back to godric's hollow. for me, it started there, all of it. i've just got a feeling i need to go there, and i can visit my parents' grave. i'd like that."

"and then what?"

"then i've got to track down the rest of the horcruxes, haven't i? that's what he wanted me to do, that's why he told me all about them. if dumbledore was right-and i'm sure he was-there are still four of them out there. i've got to find them and destroy them, and then i've got to go after the seventh bit of voldemort's soul, the bit that's still in his body, and i'm the one who's going to kill him. and if i meet severus snape along the way," he paused, looking at the twins, who were both giving him an understanding look.

yes, severus was their godfather, but he did kill dumbledore.

maddy was aware of their plan, but that didn't change things.

"so much the better for me, so much the worse for him," harry finished.

there was a long silence.

"we'll be there, harry," ron spoke up.

"what?"

"at your aunt and uncle's house, and then we'll go with you wherever you're going."

"no," harry interjected quickly.

"you told us once before, that there was a time to turn back if we wanted to."

"we've had the time, haven't we?" phoebe asked softly.

"we're with you whatever happens, but mate, you're going to have to come round my mum and dad's house before we do anything else, even godric's hollow."

"why?"

"bill and fleur's wedding, remember?"

"yeah, we shouldn't miss that," the scarred boy nodded.

"i guess i'll see you lot then," maddy took a deep breath. "i have some work to do-and don't worry, it's nothing that'll get me killed-hopefully."

"hopefully?"

"mione, i can't make any promises, just like harry can't either."

"hey!"

"you know it's the truth, 'chosen one'."

word count-1232
date written- november 12, 2020
i hate this chapter but love it at the same time
^i was going to wait to get them back together until like the battle of hogwarts but i had moments planned for when they were on the hunt for the horcruxes, so feel grateful.