‘Where are we going?’ asked Ron.
‘To get the others,’ replied Harry.
Harry got to his feet, helping Hermione up as she tested her ankle. She carefully put her full weight on it.
Looking at the other two, ‘It’s fine. Good job, Ron.’
Harry and Ron looked slightly bemused at the compliment, considering the situation.
‘This way,’ Harry pointed to the area of the woods where Malfoy had disappeared.
‘What about these two? Shouldn’t we kill them?’ asked Ron, pointing at the two bound Death Eaters wriggling about on the floor.
‘Leave them, they may be able to give us some information later on.’
They set off toward the forest. It wasn’t long before curiosity got the better of Hermione.
‘So… what happened? Where have you been for seven years?’
‘Well, to start at the beginning, I wasn’t killed by Voldermort.’
‘We can see that,’ interjected Ron impatiently.
Harry looked at Ron and he started to grin.
‘I have missed you both,’ he paused briefly.
‘Anyway… back to the story. Well, I wasn’t killed by Voldermort, I was transfigured an instant before, by Dumbledore.’
‘What?’ came the stunned reply from both Ron and Hermione.
‘Well, we knew Voldermort was going to turn up. Snape had managed to get information that suggested he was going to turn up and try and kill me. Dumbledore and I both knew that he would never leave me alone, not until I was dead. So we hatched a plan to persuade him he had killed me.’
Ron and Hermione were transfixed. They’d all but forgotten about the immediate danger.
‘We decided that as soon as my scar started to hurt, I was to separate myself from the crowd, to try and find an open area. Dumbledore would know Voldermort was coming, and wouldn’t stop him, but rather get in a position to see me. Then, when the inevitable killing curse was thrown, he’d transfigure me into something small – a beetle in this case – and I’d create a bright flash of light, and a puff of smoke, to cover the change. It looked as if I’d been blasted out of existence, when I was actually sat right there, only much, much smaller.’
‘Then what happened?’ asked Hermione.
‘Well, Dumbledore waited until the coast was clear, came over and collected me and my wand up, and took us to his office. There he transformed me back into me, and he wished me good luck.’
‘What for?’ asked Ron, still incredulous at the story he was being told.
‘Because I was off into hiding… and training.’
‘Training?’ repeated Hermione.
‘Yes, we had decided that I wasn’t strong enough to beat Voldermort at that stage, that was half the reason for making him believe I was dead. So that I could train in peace, without his knowledge.’
‘So then what?’ asked Ron.
‘Well,’ he gave out a large sigh, ‘I’ve spent the last seven years in various mountain hideaways while Dumbledore brought experts in different fields of magic to train me to be as good as I could be.’
‘And what, now you’re finally ready?’ asked Hermione, searching his face for an answer.
Harry stopped and lowered his head. The others stopped beside him.
‘Not completely, but I foresaw what Voldermort had in store for you. It came in a dream, and I wasn’t about to stand by and let it come to pass. I’ve seen many innocent, good, kind people killed at his hand without being able to stop it. I couldn’t stand by and watch it happen to you.’
He looked at their faces. A small understanding passed between them that was acknowledged by a very slight nod of their heads. Ron and Hermione were grateful for their friend’s intervention, Harry was grateful to see them again. He turned and started to move off again. As they neared a clearing ahead, they could see a semi-circle of Death Eaters surrounding Voldermort on the far side of the clearing, Before him, bound, were Fred, George, Angelina and Harriet. It was then that they heard the screams. The noise was blood curdling, the pain in it self-evident. He was torturing them. Harry just kept striding forward.
‘When we get into the clearing, stay back and to either side of me. Watch the Death Eaters closely, they may try something.’
As they broke into the clearing Harry looked even taller and more powerful than Ron or Hermione had imagined. He strode with determination across the clearing, straight toward Voldermort. Nobody dared to take on Voldermort, let alone rushed to meet him, but that was what Harry was doing, it was the most amazing thing Ron and Hermione had ever seen.

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