Till The End | h.p

indestructible

A few days later, they begin trying to destroy the locket like Regulus once tried.

"You first," Hermione states towards Harry.

Ron's left arm is currently wrapped up in a makeshift sling, so he's unable to provide much help.

"Dissendium." Harry fires at it, but nothing happens.

Hermione steps forward, "Incendio."

The locket catches fire, but once the fire goes out, it appears completely unharmed. Sam steps up and tries to use her Montclair powers. She raises the locket into the air and tries to crush it down, but it resists her. Her eyes turn a violent dark green as she pushes herself further while trying to maintain control. Hermione places a hand on her arm and she stops. She staggers backwards and Ron grips onto her with his good arm, holding her up. Harry grows more angry and aggressive.

"Expulso. Diffindo. Reducto!" He begins firing spell after spell, but nothing.

He picks it up and places it around his own neck and tucks it into his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Hermione inquires.

"We have to keep it safe until we find out how to destroy it," he answers.

"Seems strange, mate. Dumbledore sends you off to find all these Horcruxes, but doesn't tell you how to destroy them. Doesn't that bother you?" Ron asks.

Sam sighs, "When Dumbledore destroyed the ring, his hand started to deteriorate. I'm guessing he couldn't find a safer way to destroy them. If he did, he didn't get the chance to inform Harry."

The tension between them is high for several days. Hermione goes through nearly every book she has, trying to find any answers. Sam continues to practice her magic, but it takes a heavy toll. Exhaustion takes over and she sleeps frequently now, even throughout the day. Ron listens to Potterwatch everyday for any news on the lives lost. Sam listens in every now and then to hear their voices. Harry sits outside the tent currently, observing the locket that hangs around his neck. Hermione steps out to join him.

She notices his flash from the Horcrux, "I thought it had stopped. You can't keep letting him in, Harry."

"You-Know-Who has found Gregorovitch," he informs her.

"The wandmaker?"

"He wants something that Gregorovitch used to have, but I don't know what. But he wants it desperately. I mean, it's as if his life depends on it."

Static crackles on the radio inside the tent and it startles Harry.

"Don't," Hermione warns, "It comforts them."

"It sets my teeth on edge," Harry explains aggressively.

Sam hears their conversation and steps outside, "What's the problem?"

"That damn radio is the problem," Harry spits out.

"It's all we have of them, don't you see?" Sam explains, "Their voices, it's all I have left."

He swallows his retort and turns to Hermione, "How long before he can travel?"

"I'm doing everything I can," Hermione states.

"Well, you're not doing enough!" He shouts and begins to walk away.

Sam's eyes flash green, "Take it off. I said, take it off now."

He turns back to her and sees her anger. He looks away and removes the locket and hands it to her.

"Better?" Hermione asks.

He looks relieved, "Loads."

Sam looks away in frustration, "We'll take it in turns."

She walks back into the tent and Hermione turns to him, "She's weaker because of the practicing. You need to be more gentle. If she can control all that rage inside her, you need to be able to as well."

He nods slowly, "I wasn't thinking-"

"I know," she responds gently, "But right now, all we have is each other. We need to band together, not split apart."

She walks into the tent and follows Sam to her area in the expanded tent. She sits on the bed and pulls a jacket out of her bag, "I grabbed this before we left Grimmauld Place. I remember seeing the twins wear it, they must've left it."

She hands it to Sam and continues, "I thought it might help."

Sam gives her smile and pulls it over her shoulders, "I can't say that I love any of you more than another, but we each have a separate bond with each other, you know?"

Hermione nods, "You're my best friend, Sam. I know that lately we've all been distant from each other, but right now, we need each other more than ever."

Sam smiles at her in return, "You're my best friend too."

Hermione stands up and exits her room to go back to her research. A few hours later, Harry walks in and sits on her bed as she lays down, curled into a ball.

"I'm sorry... about earlier-"

"It's fine," she says quickly.

"No, it's not. All my life I've been an angry hothead and it's not fair to any of you," he explains.

"You think I don't know that? I know what I signed up for."

He sighs, "You just have so much control over your own anger and you deal with way more of it-"

"No, Harry, I don't. Haven't you seen the fallen trees around this campsite? I'm losing control everyday. I'm exhausted all the time from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. I'm barely holding it together. I'm the most useless person here."

He shakes his head in disbelief as he pulls her up and into his arms, "You're the strongest person I know, this war is taking its toll on all of us, but we're pushing through. I'm going to be better, I promise, I'm trying."

She nods slowly, "I'm so tired," she states as her eyelids grow heavier.

He gently lays her back down, "Get some rest. We'll wake you in the morning."

She nods before sleep takes over.