Chapter 29

Disclaimer: Not mine. I just borrowed them for a while. I promise to put them back when I'm done. Oh, nope, no money either...just for fun.

I want to give a great big thank you hug to Arabellabloodgood and to EverMystique and DuchessOfArcadia for combing through this and helping me clean up my many mistakes. I really appreciate it more than you can possibly know.

Thank you, Jay, for the beautiful banner. I absolutely love it!

The week leading up to the O.W.L. exams was daunting as every professor devoted every minute of their lessons to reviewing every topic, every spell, and every theory that they thought might come up in the exams.

Hermione was in a state of fevered preoccupation, having decided to review everything they'd covered in the last five years, as well as any related material that she thought would help her. Even Harry and Ron were buckling down to revise. There was also an inordinate amount of black-market trade in every conceivable concoction for concentration or recollection...none of which were valid in Hermione's opinion. Many were not at all what they claimed to be, nor contained what the labels said they did, and she found herself confiscating these substances throughout her day, every day.

Monday, Professor Snape began his lecture with a warning to avoid any and all illicit black market brain stimulants and to refrain from brewing any mind enhancement potions on their own. "You dunderheads either know this material by now or you do not; so instead of assigning an essay for you to plagiarize, I suggest you spend your evening revising all my lecture notes to date. If you review what I've taught you, and manage to retain any of it in those thick heads of yours, you may actually pass your O.W.L.s. However, I don't expect to see many of you in Potions next year."

He waved his hand, and a potion Hermione had never seen before appeared on the blackboard. "This potion requires all the techniques I've tried to instill in you over the last five years. If you are successful in completing an acceptable version of this potion, you should do well on the practical aspect of your exam. Now begin."

Hermione carefully copied the potion down on one of the blank 'notes' pages in her Potion's book, double checked the directions, and went to collect her ingredients. As she carried her ingredients back to her worktable, she realized that whatever the potion was, it was a healing potion, since she recognized that many of the ingredients were typically used in regenerative potions.

Halfway through class, Professor Snape began his rounds to check on their progress. He actually whispered, "Keep calm during the exam, read everything carefully, and you'll excel," to Hermione as he leaned over to check her potion. "I do expect to see you next year."

She was so surprised, she nearly dropped her ground sponge moss into her Re'em blood.

"Then again, maybe not," he said with a quirk of his lip and then walked away. Hermione had to stifle a laugh at his small joke at her expense.

I expect to see you next year as well, she thought to herself as she carefully removed the steely-blue cylindrical umbels and silver bracts from her sea holly. She read the next line of the directions: Slice, without crushing, the silver bracts crosswise. She smiled, remembering the technique Severus had shown her during her stay with him after her second mishap in time. In her mind's eye, she could almost see his hands holding the knife and hear him saying, "Make sure the blade is super razor sharp and glide it through the leaf, rolling the blade like this, at an angle, so the knife does the cutting..."

At the end of the class, her potion was a deep, ruddy red with a silvery hue and had the consistency of blood. When she'd set her vial on his desk, Professor Snape nodded to her with an expression that he'd expected nothing less from her, and set her potion aside. "Miss Granger, I would like you to bottle the rest of your potion and bring it to me."

Surprised, Hermione did as he asked, grateful that neither Harry nor Ron had helped her clean up and dispose of the remaining potion. But then Harry had been rather moody around her ever since his last Occlumency lesson fiasco with Professor Snape, something he still adamantly refused to speak to her about. She filled four pint-sized potion bottles nearly to the brim and cleaned up her work area. "Here, sir," she said as she gave him the four bottles. "Are you going to give these to Madam Pomfrey?"

He vanquished one of her classmate's samples and placed the vial in a rack on his desk. He looked up as he picked up his quill, and his lip curled as he chuckled softly. "This?" he said, tapping one of her bottles with the feather end of his quill. "No."

She nodded, admonishing herself for thinking it might be acceptable for the Healer to use.

"I'll be sending it to St. Mungo's," he stated as he recorded the student's mark on his ledger, and she looked at him in shock. "This is not an easy potion to make, and few know all the proper techniques to accomplish a viable potion. If it doesn't coagulate in the next hour, the Healers in the Infectious and Venomous Bites Ward will greatly appreciate your efforts."

"Infectious and Venomous Bites...? Is this...?" she asked.

He smiled slightly. "It is the only known counter to the nerve damage caused by Nagini's venom."

Hermione stared at the bottles for a moment in shock. "It's one of the potions that saved Mr. Weasley?" she asked, suddenly catching his meaning. "You...you invented this one, didn't you?"

"Yes," he admitted as he vanquished another of her classmate's samples. "Now go. You have another lesson to attend."

"Thank you, sir," she said and turned to go, feeling utterly elated at her accomplishment and his confidence in her ability.

Tuesday, during their Transfiguration review, Professor McGonagall's lecture began with a warning about the anti-cheating precautions that would be used and ended with her passing out the exam schedule to her students. The DA still met occasionally in the Room of Requirement, but mostly to revise together, although there were a number of students who used the target dummies to practice their Defensive spells.

However, all the worry over exams didn't stop a number of students from relieving their stress by pulling some mischief in the castle corridors or doing multiple pranks on Umbridge, although Hermione suspected that they were being done by those students in years not revising for their O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s.

Nevertheless, Umbridge looked positively haggard every time Hermione saw the witch, and Filch was always scurrying around either cleaning up some mess or trying to catch the miscreants.

Sunday night, Harry excused himself saying he was tired and wanted to go to bed. Hermione watched him go, noting the slight slump of his shoulders and his sluggish movements with concern. "Ron, is Harry all right?"

"Yeah, Hermione, he's fine. He's just tired is all, nothing to worry about," Ron replied, never taking his eyes off his book, leaning with his head propped up on his hand.

"He wanted to revise with me for Charms," she said and bit her lip, slowly releasing it. "And he hasn't, you know, been eating all that much lately."

"It's just stress," Ron said as he shuffled one-handedly through the two years of notes scattered in front of him for something. "He's not been sleeping all that well, what with exams and his nightmares."

"Nightmares?" She looked at him, now greatly concerned. "I want to know, is Harry still having, you know, those dreams?"

"Hard to say, he won't tell me anything," Ron admitted, looking at her. "I mean he tosses sometimes and mumbles a lot, but it's mostly incoherent ramblings." He lowered his arm, dropping his hand, still clasping several parchments, on his book. "Why? Why are you always on about his dreams?"

"I have a theory about them. We know they are not prophetic dreams...it's something much deeper, a connection of sorts. I read everything I could about Legilimency when Harry said he'd be having lessons, you know, in case he'd need help," she started to say, knowing full well she'd read them so she could try doing Occlumency on her own, however unsuccessful that had been. "It's not in any of the books...this," she said, pausing as some students walked by, "connection. Like Harry surviving the Killing Curse...it's never happened before...at least I can't find any references that it has ever happened before. And this connection...it's, well, even Professor Dumbledore is really concerned about it." That wasn't a lie; Professor Snape had told her so.

"Okay, now you're scaring me. McGonagall asks me about Harry's dreams sometimes, too," Ron admitted and leaned forward with his arms crossed on the table.

"Professor McGonagall," she interjected, correcting him, before he said, "So, now tell me your theory."

She looked about nervously.

"You brought this up, tell me."

"Harry's dreams, sharing You-Know-Who's thoughts, emotions and his visions... Harry told us he was You-Know-Who's snake, remember? And sometimes Harry acts... odd, out of character, like he's... I dunno, different, distant. Maybe I'm reading more into this than it is?"

"No, go on," Ron urged her, his expression earnest as if he believed her.

"I think Harry dreamed that he was the snake because that is where You-Know-Who was. I mean, what if You-Know-Who can possess his snake? We know he possessed Professor Quirrell, remember?" Ron was about to answer, but she cut him off. "Wait, do you remember your dad telling me about You-Know-Who? When I was terrified last summer and having nightmares?"

Ron snorted a chuckle. "Yeah."

"You-Know-Who is a highly skilled Legilimens. Your dad, Lupin, and Sirius, too...they told me he can always tell when someone is lying to him, and he can use Legilimency to unhinge or bend and twist people's thoughts, remember? What if that's what he's doing, trying to unhinge Harry's with his thoughts? And the one time when Harry is most susceptible would be when he's most relaxed...in his sleep," she said.

Ron turned to look at the stairs to the boy's dorm. "But that would mean," he started to say and then turned back to her. "But Harry said he'd mastered Occlumency from Snape."

"Professor Snape," she automatically corrected him. "I think something happened between Professor Snape and Harry, something that angered Professor Snape into ending his lessons; it's called Backtracking or Backlashing, I read about it. Harry may have pushed back at Professor Snape, entered his mind, seen something he shouldn't have. But think about it...why does Harry keep having the same dream all the time. He even has visions of it during the day, only he...he seems to get closer to a particular goal...to some object...like maybe one of these shimmering orbs he mentioned. How many people do you know have reoccurring vivid dreams about a place they've never been and then wake up and remember every detail of the dream, every object and even the smells, sounds, and colors... Unless Voldemort had been there and is showing it to Harry."

She paused and hoped she was wrong, but Ron's expression turned thoughtful. "See, it's a connection, between them, and what if You-Know-Who is using this connection to make Harry want to go to the Department of Mysteries? Wasn't Sturgis Podmore arrested by Ministry security for trying to break into the Department of Mysteries? And the door, wasn't that the same place where your dad was bitten?" she asked, and Ron's eyes glazed over, the same thoughtful look he had when he played Wizard's Chess against someone who actually challenged him. "Remember the dream Harry had where You-Know-Who was questioning Rookwood about the thing he wants, something in the Department of Mysteries. That Avery had told Voldemort that Bode would be able to remove it."

"So you think that You-Know-Who is trying to lure Harry there?" he asked. "Blimey!" He rubbed his forehead with his palm and brushed his hair back, then dropped his hand on his book again. "You could be wrong."

"What if I'm right?" she asked, dreading his answer that he'd confirm her suspicions.

He turned his head again to look at the stairs. "It all adds up, what Sirius said about You-Know-Who wanting something he didn't have last time," he said and turned to face her again. "I mean, what if it is, then what?" He didn't allow her to answer. "I'll stick with him. I'll go. Someone has to have his back."

She mentally cringed at his statement. "You know I will too," Hermione said and sighed. "But I think we should tell some of the others, too. Just in case. We won't be able to do this on our own. It could very well be a trap...I know it's probably going to be a trap so You-Know-Who can get whatever it is he wants and have another go at Harry, to get him alone where he'll be vulnerable."

"Okay, who?" Ron asked. "I'll tell Neville, Seamus, and Dean. They are getting good at fighting."

"And Colin, he's good," she suggested. "Luna and Ginny..."

"No way, leave Ginny out of this," Ron snapped.

"Cho, Hannah, and Susan..." she was saying, then realized what he'd said. "What? Why? She's really good, accurate, quick reflexes, and strong!"

"She's my little sister," he snapped and stood up, grabbing his things as he added, "I'll let the guys know, but leave Ginny out of this."

No, Ron, Ginny will hate us if she's left out, and she's too good in Defense, she thought to herself, already selecting who she'd want in a fight with her to watch her back if needed.

Sunday, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Luna, Cho, Katie, Angelina, Terry, Susan, Michael, Colin, Anthony, Ernie, and Ginny all gathered in the Room of Requirement and listened to what Hermione had to tell them about Harry's dreams. Even Fred and George had snuck into the castle somehow to attend.

"Blimey!" Michael said when she'd finished. "I remember the rumors that Harry had a vision about Mr. Weasley being attacked, but I thought that he'd had, I dunno, Seer abilities or something. I mean, he's taking Divination, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is; but no, he's been having visions, and he can feel You-Know-Who's thoughts, sometimes," Ginny said, looking at Michael, "and because he did, my dad is still alive." She turned back to Hermione. "So you think that You-Know-Who is going to attack the Ministry?"

"I think he's been trying all year to attack the Ministry," Hermione stated. "He had Bode killed because he wasn't able to get the thing You-Know-Who wants, and Sturgis Podmore was arrested for trying to break into the Department of Mysteries, and two people named Runcorn and Avery have tried to get in there..."

"I heard about that from Aunt Amelia," Susan said. "Mum was rather upset by it. But are they...do you think they are...?"

"Death Eaters?" Cho finished for her. "Could very well be. Both were acquitted after the first time You-Know-Who tried to take over, weren't they?" Hermione wasn't surprised that Cho knew that, she knew that Cho wanted to be an Auror after leaving Hogwarts.

"Yeah, they were," Ginny stated, and Fred and George nodded in agreement. "I'm certain that You-Know-Who is trying to take over the Ministry; he tried last time, but was unable to. And, if he can get Harry to go to the Department of Mysteries, thinking he can manipulate him into trying to get whatever it is he wants so badly, he'll have managed two goals at the same time, getting this...whatever it is...and luring Harry some place so he can kill him."

"Blimey, you're right!" George said, glancing at his brother, concerned.

"He's had these dreams...visions from You-Know-Who all year, eh?" Fred asked.

"So you think You-Know-Who will try to break in again?" Neville asked, his expression one of thoughtful determination. "Well, I'm ready; just tell me the next time Harry has a vision. I'll go."

George uncrossed his arms. "I'm with Neville; if Harry is tricked into going, I'm in. Someone has to watch his back, and who knows, we might defeat You-Know-Who once and for all."

Hermione felt a sense of dread as well as a swelling of pride in her friends. She knew they would help, but at the same time was worried that they'd be hurt if this actually happened.

"Or go down trying," Fred added. "At least the Ministry will have to finally admit that he's back."

Hermione hadn't considered that, but still, Severus was in the Order of the Phoenix as was Professor McGonagall. If she could get a message to them whenever Harry's visions from You-Know-Who made him want to go, they could notify the Order as well. There was safety in numbers, and hopefully they'd have the upper hand.

"Keep your coins with you," Ginny was saying, "and Hermione, Ron, and I will keep a close watch on Harry. One of us will set off the coins and alert you all."

Hermione nodded firmly to affirm her statement. That was it, they were in. For better or worse, these steadfast members of the DA knew and would be ready. Hermione just hoped that they'd have time to alert the Order as well when the time came.

It happened during their last O.W.L. right in the middle of the Great Hall, near the end of the History of Magic exam. Every single fifth-year was there. One minute Harry was writing away on his essay answers for the exam, two desks over from Hermione, the next minute he screamed so loud...a desperate, pain-filled, ear-shattering scream...that everyone in the Hall turned to look at him in stunned disbelief.

Harry jerked, suddenly went rigid, then fell out of his seat onto the floor, screaming and writhing in pain as if he was being hit with the Cruciatus, and Madam Wertzel scolded Neville to stay in his seat or she'd take away his exam booklet. Then Harry simply went limp, lying there moaning.

Professor Tofty told everyone to remain in their seats as he moved quickly to Harry's side, but Hermione was not really paying attention to anything but Harry. However, she remained in her chair as if rooted, sighing in relief when Harry began to get up. Professor Tofty, trying to help Harry get on his feet, was insisting that he go to the hospital wing.

Hermione looked at Ron, who simply shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, then pointed to his forehead. Hermione inhaled in shock. 'No,' she mouthed, but he nodded and pointed to his forehead again. Three seats to her left, Susan was whispering to Ernie. In front of Ron and to his left, Anthony was trying to get Neville's or Dean's attention. She turned her head, noticing that the Slytherins, Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy, were snickering at Professor Tofty trying to drag Harry out of the Great Hall...

"Everyone, eyes forward, no more cheating," Madam Wertzel admonished them.

Hermione was torn: she wanted to run up to the hospital wing to see if Harry was all right. She wanted to talk to Professor McGonagall, but didn't know if she was even alert enough after her attack from last Friday night. However, she couldn't tear herself away from her exam. She needed her marks, and there was only twenty minutes to go, and she had three more questions to answer. And, Professor Tofty was escorting Harry to the hospital wing...

"Everyone, the exam is not over," Madam Wertzel called out, clapping her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "You have only eighteen minutes left to finish. Back to work."

Ron shrugged, closed his test booklet and began to collect his things. So did Seamus and Dean. "Mr. Weasely, you will remain until the end of the exam," Madam Wertzel demanded. "You too, Mr. Longbottom and... er, Mr. Finnigan, you too. Finish your exam."

Seamus gave her a cross look, and then turned around to look at Neville and Dean.

Ron simply crossed his arms and glared daggers at the examiner, as Dean shook his head and rolled his eyes at Seamus.

Dean and Neville resumed writing as did Terry and Ernie, but they were writing feverishly. Hermione forced herself to concentrate on her exam, but her answers were shorter than she'd normally have done, direct and to the point. As soon as she'd finished the last one, she closed the booklet and rose to leave.

"Miss Granger, the exam is not over," Madam Wertzel called out.

"I'm finished," Hermione stated, noticing Ron jump up as well. "I'm going to see Harry."

"Miss Granger, I must insist..."

Neville, Seamus, Dean, Terry, Michael, Anthony and Ernie all jumped from their seats as soon as the bell tolled, drowning out whatever Madam Wertzel was going to insist upon. They all caught up with Hermione and Ron in the Entrance Hall as the students began pouring out.

"What happened to Harry? Did he...was it You-Know-Who?" Neville ask as Hannah, Susan, and Padma approached.

"What's going on?" Susan asked. "Did Harry have..." She paused as the Slytherins walked by, still snickering. "Is it You-Know-Who?"

"I don't know. But, this is just like what happened in Divination that one time and when he saw my dad getting bit by You-Know-Who's snake," Ron said, heading for the stairs.

"I'll find out and let you know," Hermione stated and hurried after Ron.

The fifth-year DA members were now gathering together in the Entrance Hall to find out what had happened.

Severus had seen all he needed to see in Potter's mind. The Dark Lord had either managed to entice that arrogant hothead, Black, out of his safe little hidey-hole, or the Dark Lord had convinced Potter that his godfather was in danger. From the way Potter was acting, it was the latter, but Severus knew he'd have to make sure. "I have already told you," said Severus smoothly,* breaking contact with Potter's mind and turning to Umbridge, "That I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter...and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did...I cannot help you."*

Potter stared at him, his expression hardened, but Severus knew the boy would be too dense to understand his meaning. "The only trouble is that most venoms,"* he said and turned to look Hermione straight in the eye as he enunciated carefully, "act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling..."* He looked quickly at Potter, with a very subtle nod of his head, hoping she'd get his meaning and then slyly glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Her eyes widened slightly, and he hoped that Umbridge would be too angry to notice.

Potter glaring at him, apparently too frantic to pick up on his subtle innuendo.

"That's it! You are on probation," shrieked Umbridge.*

Severus looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised* as he feigned surprise at her statement, and it was all he could do not to smirk at the little rant she went into about his loyalties, considering he'd never given her any loyalty to begin with. Imbecile. How easily she can be manipulated.

"Now get out of my office!"* shrieked Umbridge, her face contorting in rage.

Severus was happy to oblige. He gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave, glancing at Hermione as he did. He twitched his eye ever so slightly at her, hoping that Miss Bulstrode was too preoccupied with Hermione's continued struggle to throw the Slytherin girl off her.

"He's got Padfoot,"* Potter shouted as Severus' hand touched the door handle. He forced himself to remain calm, as if unaffected and indifferent.

"He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."*

"Padfoot," cried Umbridge.*

Great, Severus sighed to himself. The boy has no tact at all, no subtlety. He needed to leave so he could alert someone in the Order to go check on Black.

"What is Padfoot? Where is it hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"* Umbridge rattled off, insistently.

The boy has already given her too much information, although Umbridge is too high-strung at the moment, thankfully, to figure any of it out. He turned slowly, keeping his face expressionless. "I have no idea," said Severus coldly, staring at Umbridge. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage."* Mr. Longbottom made a strangled sounding grunt, and he glanced quickly at the boy, noting that Crabbe was choking him. "And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if you ever apply for a job."* If the boy ever applies for anything other than Thug.

He gave Hermione one more direct stare as he turned for the door. He had to get out now; he had to find a way to send a message to... Who? He closed the door firmly behind him and ran for the Headmaster's tower. Unlike Umbridge, he had the password to get in, in case of an emergency, and this was definitely going to be an emergency if Hermione didn't interpret his implied messages correctly. But to whom? Arthur? Most definitely if things go wrong. Kingsley or Tonks would be best; Lupin would be easiest.

Ron, Hannah, Dennis, and Padma, plus the DA members who had met with Hermione in the Room of Requirement, were all standing there looking at Harry and Hermione with expectant faces. Ron and Ginny had explained how they'd escaped Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, and Harry and Hermione had explained that the centaurs took Umbridge away.

"I just hope Grawp is all right, you know," Hermione stated, having just finished telling them how Grawp had saved Harry and her from the centaurs.

"Who's Grawp," Luna asked*, very interested in Hermione's story.

"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly, and Susan furrowed her brow in confusion. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, has You-Know-Who got Sirius or what?"*

"Who's Sirius?" Katie asked and then her eyes went wide. "You don't mean Sirius Black?"

"He's Harry's godfather, and, no, he didn't kill Peter Pettigrew, he's one of the good guys. Peter Pettigrew was my rat, Scabbers...long story, and I'll tell you all later," Ron said and turned to Harry. "So..."

"The one who brought You-Know-Who back the night You-Know-Who killed Cedric?" Cho asked.

Ron nodded as Harry hissed loudly and his hand flew up over his scar. "He's... Yes, he is...he's really angry," Harry stammered, curling his hand into a fist. "Sirius is alive, but I can't see how we are going to*...URGH!" Harry clamped his hand over his scar as he bent forward slightly in pain.

Ginny reached out to try and comfort him.

Hermione looked at Cho, Katie, and Angelina, since each one of them were holding their brooms, and thought, Too bad the others hadn't brought theirs as well.

"Well, we'll have to fly there, won't we?" Luna said in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice any of them had ever heard her use.*

"Too bad all of you didn't bring your brooms," said Hermione as she stepped forward, getting worried about the situation as well. "I suppose those of you who have ones could summon them... or we could break into the Quidditch lockers for school brooms."

"Nah, the school brooms are all old," Katie stated. "They're not capable of flying us all the way to London."

"I can summon mine!" said Dean as he turned and aimed his wand.

Ginny smiled, saying, "I have a broom!" as she drew her wand.

"Okay, wait," Harry said, finally coming back to himself. "We aren't going anywhere."

"Yeah, well you are not coming,"* Ron said to Ginny, making her glare at him, which only sparked an argument between Ron, Ginny, and Harry.

"We are all in the DA together," Neville said* loudly over the three of them. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real,"* he said, and many of the others voiced their agreement. "Or was that all just a game or something?"*

"No...of course it wasn't..." Harry stammered, which unfortunately started another outburst of more protests; Harry not wanting his friends to die for him; Neville, Seamus, Anthony, and Ernie insisting that they were going; Katie, Cho, and Susan adamantly arguing that girls could too fight, and Ginny arguing with her brother about being included.

Angelina whistled shrilly, making everyone stop and look at her. "Oi! Will you all quiet down."

"Thank you," Luna said with a warm, dreamy smile. "I can never quite figure out how to do that." She turned to the others.

"And like it or not, we're all going," Neville stated with definite finality.

Harry, abashed, nodded. "But I can't ask you to risk yourselves..." which renewed the arguments.

"Are your adventures always like this?" Seamus asked Hermione, as Dean's broom flew into the clearing. She turned to face Seamus, and he smirked at her. "I mean, if you go through this each time, how is it you get anything done?"

"No, Harry just has...he doesn't...it's usually just the three of us, so we sort of agree as we're heading out the door," she stammered.

"Ah," Seamus said, nodding. "So, no planning...just go on impulse."

Put that way, it didn't sound so good.

The sound of snapping twigs made Harry whirl around, Neville's eyes grew wide, Seamus' jaw dropped open, Katie screamed, and Susan's face went extremely pale. Hermione turned to see what was causing the commotion as Luna serenely said, "... but they can, and Hagrid says they are very good at finding places their riders are looking for.* Besides, the herd is quite large; there is one for each of the school carriages, and there are about seventy of those."

"Yes! Brilliant, Luna," Harry said, walking forward with his hand raised. He looked really odd, petting thin air. "But there are only two."

Both Dennis and Colin were beaming in delight and walked forward, their hands raised as well.

Hermione swallowed, remembering Hagrid's lesson on Thestrals. The winged, meat-eating, tamed...or so Hagrid claimed...horses, which are invisible to anyone who hasn't seen someone die. Delightful.

"And we'll need... ten," Seamus said, counting heads, as Luna said, "More will come, you'll see."

"That is, unless they are strong enough to carry two." Seamus pointed at the three girls and Dean. "You four have good brooms," he said, then indicating the Creeveys, added, "and those two are small, so they can ride double with..."

But with who, Hermione didn't catch since, for some reason, Harry said something that started an animated discussion between Ron, Harry, and Luna about all twenty-four of them going to fly to London on two Thestrals and four brooms.

Angelina whistled shrilly, again. "Oi! Quiet down, will you, and listen to Luna."

Luna turned to the others and pointed in the direction of the trees. "As you can see, the blood on Hermione and Harry has attracted seven more. But they don't like the loud noises, so if you still need to argue, I suggest that you quiet down a bit."

"Luna has a point, Harry," Seamus stated.

Moments later, Hermione was sitting astride an invisible emaciated-feeling, horse-like body, wondering how she was going to hang on when she couldn't even see the Thestral beneath her. Luna was sitting comfortably in thin air as if sitting on an invisible branch, but Susan stared at the space in front of her as if she were going to change her mind. Terry was definitely amused, watching Ernie trying to mount his Thestral, considering he apparently wasn't getting his leg high enough, and kept sliding off. On Hermione's left, Neville, who had mounted his Thestral behind Padma, was trying to figure out the best way to hold on without inappropriately touching her, while Ginny and Michael, already mounted on their Thestrals, were watching as Seamus gave Hannah a hand up to mount behind Harry on his.

"This is mad," Ron said faintly,* moving his hands in the air, apparently trying to determine which end was which and how to get on by touch. "Mad... if I could just see it..."*

"Need a hand up, mate?" Seamus asked. Ron nodded. "Grab onto the mane, here," Seamus suggested, placing Ron's left hand in what must have been the right place. "Now put your left foot in my hands," Seamus said, lacing his fingers together like he'd done for Hannah, "and swing your right leg over its back."

Ron looked at him rather dubiously. "Over its back? I can't bloody well see it's back."

"But you can feel it, can't you?" Seamus asked, as Ron placed his foot on Seamus' hands.

"This is soo wonky," Ron mumbled as Seamus hoisted him up. On the second go, he finally made it up. "Blimey, but this is weird," Ron mumbled, and Hermione wholeheartedly agreed. Seamus offered to let Susan ride with him, and she readily agreed.

Dean, Cho, Katie, and Angelina were all holding their brooms, ready to lift off, with Colin perched in front of Angelina on her new Nimbus and Dennis with Cho on her Comet Two Sixty.

Seamus finally mounted his Thestral and then helped Susan climb up behind him as Anthony gave Ernie a hand up on his Thestral. Seamus gave Ron a thumbs up when Susan placed her hands on Seamus' waist. Ron only nodded, apparently holding the mane of his Thestral with both hands and afraid to let go.

Hermione was amazed at just how patient the Thestrals seemed to be.

Apparently Seamus had ridden horses a great deal, or had ridden a Thestral before, since he started giving pointers. "Listen up. It will be better if you bring your knees up and lodge them behind the wing joints for the best grip," he was saying, "and relax your lower back and slump a bit so your center of gravity is over the Thestral's shoulders since we are riding bareback. If you're riding double, try not to squeeze the person in front too hard and hold on with your legs...but don't try to wrap your legs around them; it will confuse the beasts."

Hermione looked around. Others were nodding and adjusting their bodies to do as he'd directed, so she tried to feel where the wing joint was so she could do the same. It wasn't too hard to tell, the Thestral's body felt rather skeletal under her hands.

"You got it," Anthony said, suddenly appearing on Hermione's left. "Mind if I ride double with you?"

She looked at him in mild surprise, then frowned in concern. "Er, sure, if you think it can handle both our weight?"

"Nah, they're strong beasts," Anthony said as he took hold of something between Hermione's legs and swung up behind her with well-practiced ease. "And they are magical, so even though they look scrawny, they're all wiry muscle." Anthony scooted closer to her with his legs positioned right behind hers.

She was glad he was confident about this, and, in a way, feeling him behind her made her relax a bit.

"Lee went to get Fred and George; they are on their way to the Ministry," Angelina said, putting her coin back in her pocket. "They'll meet us there."

Now that they were all mounted, ready to go, everyone looked at Harry with expectant faces for him to give the signal.

"All right let's go," Harry said* and looked down at his, well... Hermione assumed what was the creature's head, but it looked like Harry was looking lower than he should be. "Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, then. Er... if you know... where to go..."*

As if on cue, Dean, Cho, Katie, and Angelina all kicked off the ground as Seamus spurred his mount forward, making Susan grab onto him around the waist. Neville did the same, grasped Padma around the waist, apparently thinking that was the best way to hold onto her, when he and Padma both lurched forward as their invisible mount bounded forward and leapt in the air.

"Don't worry, Hermione, I won't let you fall," Anthony said as Ginny and Michael both lurched into the air side by side. "I've done a fair bit of riding myself."

Anthony kicked the sides of their Thestral with his feet, urging the beast to go, and Hermione clamped her mouth shut tightly so as not to scream as she felt the Thestral she and Anthony were riding spring forward and flap its wigs, lifting them off the ground. Hermione closed her eyes, thankful that at least Anthony had her held firmly in his arms.

And now everyone was flying off to London.

~ T. B. .C. ~

Author's Notes:

Hermione's reference to 'during her stay with him after her second mishap in time,' is from her perspective in this timeline, timeline3, and refers to her second bounce back in time in this timeline, not meaning her second jump in time in the story. From her perspective, she made only three jumps, because those are the ones she remembers. Severus is the only one who knows of all her jumps and his three timelines because of the Diary.