47: The Final Horcrux Falls

Chapter 47: The Final Horcrux Falls

Several more days passed before Severus declared Hermione ready to return to dueling practice with the Order members. Even then, he did so with the caveat that the 'instructors' understood to use only Level One spells on her, as her health was delicate. Bill and Remus would be involved in this round again, though other members had taken turns training the boys while Hermione was recovering. The two of them knew to take her pregnancy into consideration.

Severus would have preferred Hermione didn't participate at all, but agreed she couldn't stay in hiding her entire life and needed to be able to defend herself. Even cotton wool wouldn't stop every jinx, she had reasoned.

The paddock at the Burrow was still the best place for the dueling to take place, as it was large, surrounded by trees, and a delineated area. The day was cooler than the first time they had met for practice, a fact Hermione appreciated. She, Harry, and Ron entered the paddock knowing their trainers would already be in place, though a look around them revealed nothing.

A flash of light shot toward them from the right, and Hermione rolled onto the ground. The hex zoomed above her and she jumped up again, flashing her shielding charm before another hex could hit her, then zapped something back to where the hex had originated. The boys scattered as they were pulled in different directions.

Bill came into view and engaged Hermione in a focused duel for several minutes before he disarmed her. He helped her up, dusted her off, and they began again. The players changed, moved around the field and occasionally went two on one. At the end of two hours, the three younger Order members were standing together, back to back, facing their opponents. Exhausted, numbed, Hermione fought to keep focused when everything seemed to be coming at her at once.

Then a blue flash of light made it past the shield Hermione was trying to erect again and hit her, causing her whole body to cramp up. She rolled onto her side and began to pant as the cramping increased even though the curse was no longer being held on her.

She screamed out, and Remus called an end to the battle. Bill dropped down on his knees beside her and called out finite incantatem...which did nothing...then began a diagnostic spell. He murmured a few other spells, and she felt the cramping ease. The pain calmed and Hermione was able to hear Remus cussing Kingsley for using whatever it was he had shot at them.

"We said only Level One spells on her, Kingsley. Do you know what that means?"

"It wasn't a dangerous spell; if she had only been worn out from her previous illness it shouldn't have been worse than a Level One. The only reason it would be different is . . . . " He didn't finish the sentence as understanding lit his eyes and he came to the right conclusion.

Remus's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, exactly. And if you share around this bit of gossip like you did the last...mistaken...bit, I promise you'll be sorry. Sebastian is a force to be reckoned with and appears to be quite protective of his lady, to my everlasting surprise."

Hermione saw Harry catch Remus' eye, and they nodded knowingly at each other. She couldn't blame them; even she was sometimes surprised by the gentleness, the possessiveness her husband displayed when he felt it warranted.

"There you are. You'll be fine, but you really should see a mediwitch, Hermione." Bill helped her sit back up so she could look at the circle of men surrounding her.

"You're starting to sound like a broken record." She smiled vaguely and met the other men's eyes. "I'll be fine, really."

Charlie's eyes narrowed and he put his hands on his hips. "You're pregnant? What is this, an epidemic?" Obviously Charlie knew what spell had been cast and its possible side affects.

"You're what!?" This from Ron, who looked almost apoplectic.

It was with some self control that Hermione managed not to bury her face in her bent knees and pretend the world wasn't there. Instead she looked at the sky, as though calling on a higher power. "That's it. Tonight I'm going home and working on memory charms. I'm not going through this again. Bill, how are you at memory charms?"

When he shook his head at her, she sighed and glared at the men around her. "No one else can know." Then, muttering under her breath, she added, "This is totally getting out of hand. And no, Charlie, Tonks isn't pregnant...she bought those books for me. It's too bad someone could keep their gob shut instead of gossiping around." She glared at Kingsley as she said this last bit.

Kingsley looked away, appearing rather embarrassed. It was too little, too late by her book.

"Memory charms are illegal without Ministry approval," Remus reminded her.

"So is harboring a known felon, but that doesn't seem to change any of our minds, does it?" She extended a hand to Remus who helped her up from the ground.

"You're pregnant? Really? Harry, our Hermione, she's..."

"Yes, Ron, she's pregnant, that's the little secret Voldemort wanted to cripple me with at the last minute, that's what I'm not supposed to be able to talk about. Can we focus here on whatever that spell did to her and if it's going to hurt the baby?"

"You knew and didn't tell me? I can't believe you two." Ron's face grew red with anger, and he turned his back on them, even though he didn't walk away.

"You really should see a mediwitch, Hermione," Charlie parroted his older brother. She wondered if he said it only to distract everyone from Ron's behavior.

"Yes, yes, we've established that. No doubt S-Sebastian will ensure that I do so at the earliest opportunity."

"Yes, I shall."

Hermione sighed in resignation when she heard her husband's voice behind her. She should have known. After all, he would have sensed the curse through the bond. He placed one arm around her back and used his free hand to lift her face to his view. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine."

"You'll not be continuing these lessons if people can't remember the specifications for Level One hexes only." It came out as more of a growl than anything.

Weary, both from the fight and in expectation of dealing with this new development, she nearly whined. "Are you going to drag me to St. Mungo's?"

He grimaced. "If I have to. I hate that place, but as I'm not aware of any better options right now, we'll take our chances. Unless Minerva knows someone; I'll Floo her when we get home."

"I think the three of them have outstripped our ability to do much more training anyway. They got us as many times as we caught them," Remus said, giving Sebastian a significant look. "I really think they are in need of advanced training from a better, more ruthless duelist than ourselves."

"Who, Flitwick?" Hermione quipped, and ignored her husband's derision at her comment.

"Perkins, who works with my dad did some training earlier this week. He's brilliant with a hex," Ron said.

"When did he join the Order?" Hermione asked.

Ron shrugged, "A while ago. I think he was at the meeting where you put on the show with Harry."

Severus's eyebrows lifted in surprise at Remus, as he was ignoring the other conversation going on. "You don't mean you want the spy to train them?"

"Snape is more familiar with the kind of fight the kids will have."

"We're not kids. We're adults," Harry said, his irritation obvious.

"Yes, Potter, start a tantrum now if you want everyone to remark on how adult you've become." Severus stared him down for a moment, then nodded. "You have been working on your Occlumency, I see. Any improvement is significant at this point. I suppose Hermione can see if he'd be willing to train the boys. As I said before, she's through with this kind of training. I'll work with her myself when I'm assured she's completely recovered from today's debacle. And if he does take it on, remember that most of the Order doesn't know he's on your side and keep the trainer's name a secret. Better yet, let people think they've finished training."

"Maybe you should train us all. I don't want to learn from that git," Ron said.

Amusement entered her husband's eyes, but he said nothing.

Hermione noticed Bill's eyes narrow on her husband, focus in more closely, then settled back on her, his suspicions clear to her. When she thought he might say something, she headed him off. "Don't ask, don't tell; remember, Bill?"

He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Right, good idea." He turned away. "Guess we ought to be going. I could use a shower."

Remus agreed. "I think we could all use showers. Hermione, let the boys know when you've made arrangements for their further training. As much and as often as possible."

She nodded and said goodbye before Severus Apparated them away to the sound of Ron saying to Harry, "I still can't believe you two didn't tell me."

*****

They did find a mediwitch that day without going to St. Mungos. When Hermione had Flooed McGonagall from the manor house...which unlike the cottage was connected to the network...the Headmistress made the suggestion that she contact Poppy at home, since the mediwitch was looking for work until the school reopened. Though Hermione felt strange going to the woman about her pregnancy without being able to tell her about her marriage, she couldn't deny that Poppy Pomfrey knew her job and always managed to keep her questions and comments to herself. She was also quite gossip-proof which had come in handy on more than one occasion.

Hermione was given a clean bill of health if she took a day to rest. Madam Pomfrey told Hermione to either stop dueling practices or to stick to Level One hexes only. Trying to keep her eye-rolling to herself on that point, Hermione nodded and said she would.

Severus used the house-elves to ensure Hermione took the day of rest, not allowing her to get up for anything, making sure she was waited on hand and foot.

It seemed house-elves were good for babysitting adults too, to her great annoyance.

The following afternoon, Hermione and Severus determined the best place to hold their duel with the boys would be on the manor grounds. There was plenty of room to run, and the entire estate was unplottable and protected by the Fidelius Charm.

Hermione Apparated over to Headquarters shortly before dinner and informed the boys they would begin dueling practice the next morning at nine.

"Nine?" Ron had whinged. "I have to ruin my digestion by seeing Snape at nine?" Before she could snap at him for that comment, he continued on, "I really wish you'd told me about you having a, well, a baby. You just have so many secrets." It was positively calm and collected from Ron. She had come expecting him to blow up at her.

"They're getting fewer and fewer every day," she said more to herself than anyone, but Harry laughed. She glared in response. "I'm sure we all have our secrets, and since I'm still in the first trimester, there's always the chance that the baby won't make it, especially with everything coming up. I don't want to spread the word until things are more certain."

"And until you can announce to Ron's mum that you're already married and don't need her rushing you off to the altar, thank you very much," Harry said.

Hermione smiled. "Yes, and that. I guess I always knew I couldn't keep it all a secret from everyone, not when we all live in each other's pockets like this, but I still hoped I could make these announcements when I want, how I want."

Harry laughed again. "That would be like me melting into the woodwork at a Ministry function. Not going to happen, Hermione."

"Yeah."

Ready to go home again, Hermione showed them the note Severus had written. Hermione's field is located in Northwest Northumberland.

"Why is it called Hermione's field?" Ron asked.

She grinned. "Because it is." With that cryptic comment, she set the Disillusionment Charm back on herself in case someone came in unexpectedly and made her way to the front door.

*****

The boys had whinged about having to be at the practice field at nine, but Hermione had already been up and dueling her husband for over an hour when they Apparated into the otherwise empty, rolling meadow, surrounded by woods. Sweat was dripping off her face, her shirt was soaked and only sheer bad temper was keeping her upright after the punishing workout Severus had run her through. Though he hadn't used any serious hexes on her, he had still put her through the ringer.

Severus cast jelly legs and a light stinging hex on her. The second of the two got past her shield and zapped her arm. When he followed up with another jelly legs, she hit the ground hard on her bum and groaned as her legs went wild.

"Tomorrow we'll start earlier." Severus ended the jinx before he walked over and stared down at her, not offering her a hand up or any outward sympathy at all, though she felt some through their bond. He was himself, or at least looked himself and had put his nasty professor persona on when they arrived on the field. It was most effective in this situation, even as she knew it wasn't the real man. "You will go rest for three hours before allowing anyone to bring these twits lunch."

"Do you always have to be such a bastard?" Ron asked, extending a hand to Hermione to help her up.

"Yes. Now that I'm warmed up, we're start with straight dueling this morning and will work our way to dueling in the wood before the week is out." He pressed his lips together in a scowl. "I have also completed the second spell you will need in the final battle. After lunch we'll go over it so you can take it back to the Order for practice for the final battle. The day is drawing near, and we must all be prepared." He turned to Hermione who was still standing next to him and scowled. "I told you to go away."

She allowed a scowl of her own and nodded. "Yes, Professor. Please try not to kill them today; it will significantly diminish your enjoyment of tomorrow's expected torture." Then she Disapparated, appearing by the side of a sinfully steaming tub of water Twinkie must have prepared for her in the cottage. It was amazing how thoughtful her husband could be, as she hadn't been the one to request the bath, though it had been her intent to seek one. Letting out a sigh of pleasure, she dipped her hand in the fragrant, bubble-filled water.

"Twinkie," she called out.

"Yes?" Twinkie asked as he popped beside her.

"Thank you; the water is perfect. Please have a picnic lunch prepared for Severus, me and my two friends at noon. I will go out to join them at that time, so please make sure I am awake twenty minutes before that."

"Of course, Mistress. Twinkie is so pleased Mistress likes her bath. If there is anything else Mistress needs, Twinkie is always here." The elf wriggled with excitement.

Hermione smiled, glad she could make the elf so happy. "Thanks, Twinkie, I'll be sure to call if I need anything else."

Twinkie disappeared and Hermione stripped her clothes off and slipped into the bath. Absolutely sinful.

*****

After a long soak in the tub and a refreshing nap, Hermione woke ready to eat and looked forward to seeing what condition her friends were in after three hours of training with her husband.

She had felt his feelings of approval, disdain and derision during her waking hours. The second two she had expected, the first had come as a surprise, though a welcome one.

After instructing Twinkie not to treat either herself or Severus with unusual deference in front of the young men, Hermione had appeared with the elf, who was carrying a large basket of sandwiches, fruit, drinks, and biscuits. A flash of magic zoomed toward her, but before Hermione could react, Twinkie lifted a hand and redirected the spell away from her.

"You must be more careful around the young woman, you must," Twinkie said with a stamp of her foot.

"Sorry, Hermione," Ron called out, running away so she wouldn't be caught in the cross fire. He ducked when her husband sent a spell at him.

With two more slashes of his wand, Severus took out both boys and bowed to them. "An improvement over this spring, but hardly a match for the Dark Lord, boys. Rest, have something to eat. We'll discuss strategy after we've all eaten."

He turned to Hermione and nodded. "Miss Granger, set it up wherever." He looked collected, but she could sense his weariness and his face was covered in sweat. She would have felt worse for him if he hadn't been taking on two young men in a duel, and obviously holding his own. The fact that the boys weren't staring bloody murder at her husband told her he had managed to put personal grievances away for a time to actually train them, and not just shoot hexes at them as quickly as he could get them off.

"Please join us." She put on a show of forced civility, then turned her back on him and began setting out the food. "Thanks, Twinkie, I'll let you know if I need you any more."

"Yes, Mistress," she said in a low voice and, with a smile and a snap of her fingers, disappeared.

*****

That night as Hermione and Severus lay entwined in their bed, he felt his mark burn. He groaned, then rose. "He is calling. I'll see if I can get near Nagini, or what I can learn of her whereabouts. We need to do something about her soon, before the final battle, as I can't ensure she will be present then."

"Be careful." She had been nearly asleep, but she woke completely when she felt the twin burning on her own arm.

"Always. Try to sleep; I'll be back as soon as I can." He pressed a kiss on her forehead, then strode from the room. While he donned his Death Eater robes the Muggle way, he donned his persona as well. It had to be flawless, as close a fit as his true self, as though what he was when he was with Hermione was the sham instead of the other way around. By the time he was dressed, he was ready.

He Apparated into the cemetery around Riddle House and held in a groan. It was pouring rain in this part of England and his boots sunk several inches into the muck. The Dark Lord seemed to have a perverse pleasure in making his minions be as uncomfortable as possible. The leader would invariably be protected under an umbrella charm, as warm and comfortable as could be, while his followers would be expected to drench themselves. He cast a surreptitious water-repelling charm and hoped it held the rain off for the duration of his stay.

Severus made his way across the grounds to where the mad man was holding court. He bowed on one knee and kissed his master's robe, then waited for direction. "Severus, welcome, please stand at my side."

Grateful he wasn't receiving an immediate punishment for some imagined shortcoming, Severus complied and spent the next several hours just on the edge of the umbrella charm with the rain diverted from the Dark Lord pouring down his back instead. He listened to a mix of the Dark Lord's propaganda and reports his followers were giving on their progress on various projects and wished for once that he weren't so highly placed in the ranks. It would have been mind-numbingly dull if he hadn't spent his time writing notes magically to take back to the Order. Every few minutes he cast a surreptitious water-repelling charm on the paper in hopes of keeping it dry. Time alone would tell if he had been successful.

When everyone else had finished and been given their punishment...usually Crucio...or rewards...the lack of Crucio...the Dark Lord turned toward Severus. "And what news do you have for me?"

As the rain had finally cleared up, Severus pushed back the hood of his cloak as though he had nothing to hide. "It appears that the Potter brat has been planning a trip to visit his parents' graves soon. The Mudblood does not speak with him, but is in secret owl contact with the Weasley boy."

"He plans to visit Mummy does he? In Godric's Hollow? What a fitting place for him to die. It has a certain lovely symmetry to it, doesn't it?" His eyes seemed to glow in his snake-like face, lending him an even more horrific appearance than usual.

Severus bowed his head in agreement. Earlier that afternoon when they had planned this tidbit of information, Hermione had said nearly the same thing about the Dark Lord dying there. "It does indeed."

"Good, good. Get me specifics and bring them to me as soon as possible. I want this over with in a matter of weeks, not months or years."

"As do I." Severus kissed the man's hem again, then backed away. Throughout the meeting, he had watched for Nagini, knowing the snake wouldn't be happy about the wet, but hoping to catch sight at least. He had spent a considerable amount of his evening hours over the past week researching curses to destroy the snake with and the timing was right for a certain curse that would cause a slow, almost unnoticeable decline in the snake until the last moment. If Severus hadn't been around the animal several days before its death, hopefully he wouldn't be looked to for explanations. Sectumsempra, his own invention, would be quicker, but would tip his hand too early if employed today.

Accordingly, he left what remained of the gathering, walking in the direction of the Riddle House. He slipped behind a tree and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, then waited.

Over half an hour passed before Wormtail walked into the cemetery, followed by Nagini, the nine-foot snake who hosted the Dark Lord's final Horcrux. He walked closer to intersect the snake's path and silently cast his curse, managing to gain no attention for his actions. When Wormtail and the snake were a sufficient distance away, he Apparated back to the cottage.

First order of business, he thought as he opened the cottage door, was a vial of Pepperup Potion, the second, a hot shower, followed by wrapping himself in his wife's arms, and sleep.

*****

The next day's training for the boys went much the same as the first, despite Severus's lack of sleep. He put off his duel with Hermione until after the boys had left, however, though their regular schedule returned the following day. They had one week before Nagini would be dead, one week to train properly to face the Dark Lord. Severus wasn't sure it was possible to get the Order prepared in time.

By the end of the week, the boys were holding their own against Severus, at least jointly, anyway. It helped that they were holding their Occlumency shields tight so he didn't get a hint of their plans. Hermione suspected Harry and Ron lay in bed at night discussing strategy for overcoming the big bat on the morrow.

Still, after lunch there were more strategy sessions. Severus taught new curses and hexes to them and prepared them better for battle. He offered useful criticism on the morning's training and showed them alternatives. The evenings were spent practicing the spells Severus had produced using the twins as targets for the spells to be sure everyone could channel their emotions properly, and though Harry had no one to practice the second spell on, he reviewed the words and wand movements with Severus several times.

On the day Severus knew Nagini would die, he and the Order set the date for Harry's visit to Godric's Hollow. Then he had Ron write a letter to Hermione and owl it over to her, so he could use it as proof of the boys' plans.

Severus knew the Dark Lord would be angry about the loss of his snake and so had prepared himself by removing his most dangerous memories into a Pensieve and dressed himself carefully for his impromptu visit to the evil leader. He was just kissing Hermione goodbye when his arm began to burn and with a regretful look, he Apparated to the Dark Lord's feet.

"You are quick to respond, Severus." The snake-faced man said when Severus had finished kissing the hem of his robe in the yard of the Riddle House.

"Yes, my Lord. I was planning to stop by. I have definite information to present to you." He kept all fear and knowledge of what was going on to himself. The Dark Lord's anger was palpable.

"Good, good. When is it to be?"

"Tomorrow is his parents' wedding anniversary. He intends to spend the afternoon by their graves." He produced the letter Weasley had written and passed it over. Tomorrow was no special day, in reality, but it had been an excuse for Potter to be at the cemetery. They had discussed putting the inevitable meeting against the Dark Lord off a few more days, but decided the less time the man had to make a new Horcrux to replace Nagini, the better.

The man's eyes narrowed and an evil grin filled his face. "Very good. You have done well, Severus. Better than some. That is well as it gives me a second reason for our meeting tonight."

When the man indicated for Severus to stand on his right hand, Severus was able to look about him at the room. He saw the few others who were already present, and watched those who had yet to arrive pop into view and make their obeisance. There was a long line of Death Eaters, with nearly all who remained in his service and out of prison attending.

It took the better part of an hour for the greetings to be made before the Dark Lord began to explain their purpose there. "Tonight you have all come to see the punishing of one who has had great elevation in my ranks, but who had betrayed me."

A shiver ran down Severus' back and neck, as the description fit himself, but he knew he was in favor with the man, and reminded himself again that the spell he cast on Nagini could never be traced back to him.

The man who used to be Tom Riddle lifted an arm and cast a summoning spell which shot into the house. A moment later, two Death Eaters in full Death Eater costuming exited the house with a bound man between them. The reason why the man was not struggling became apparent when Wormtail came into the torch light: he was unconscious. A sensible precaution in Severus's opinion, considering his Animagus form.

When Wormtail was placed at his master's feet, one of the men cast Enervate, and he awoke slowly. The Dark Lord waited until he was fully conscious before beginning to speak. "I have trusted Wormtail with one of my most precious possessions: My snake, Nagini, yet he has allowed this valuable asset to sicken and die. His punishment cannot be harsh enough, nor the importance over stated. He has failed me almost as surely as if he had turned traitor."

And then the torture began. Severus watched on passively, though even the sniveling rat's torture disgusted him. No matter how Wormtail may have deserved punishment and death for other things, Severus couldn't enjoy the sight before him. Then again, he didn't feel all that bad either. He supposed that made him quite beyond the pale, but as he couldn't change it, he chose to ignore it instead.

*****

It was well past midnight when he returned to the cottage, but Hermione was still up, as she had promised to be. She sat on the sofa, idly paging through a book of charms when he entered the cottage. She smiled when she saw him and snapped the book closed, hurrying to stand.

"Is it done, then?" she asked.

"Yes. The snake is gone, and the time of war is set. The Dark Lord has chosen to take only his dozen most trusted into battle as he's only expecting Potter to be there and is bringing us along mostly to prove his invincibility. He'll almost certainly impose some Anti-Apparition and Anti-Portkey charms to ensure Potter can't get away, so we need to be sure the Order is in place early, just in case. I am, of course, required at his side."

Hermione let out a deep breath, sorry he would be forced to be there, but glad he would be fighting at her side. "We knew that would probably be the case, right? After all your hatred for the Marauders, you would be a valuable asset in the war."

"Yes." Severus finished shedding his outer robes, then began work on the inner ones. He felt dirty, not fit to lick her boots, but he needed to spend the night in his wife's arms, for the next day might bring their end. He didn't allow it to horrify him, as nothing could change it, and there was nothing else for it.

He took her hand and led her toward the bathroom, where they both undressed and got into the shower. And when they returned to their bed, perhaps for the last time, he made slow, passionate love to her, wanting her to understand just what she meant to him, to have this memory to hold onto if she lived and he did not. Perhaps the beauty of it would give her a few more months with their child.

_________

Four chapters left, well, three chapters and an epilogue. Next up: The end of the evil Tom Riddle.

Also, thanks to my beta, countrymouse, and to RobisonRocket for their help with their chapter.