~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 27: Underground Collapse ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The warming charm she had cast upon herself did little to relieve the cold stinging air of that night.  It was two o'clock in the morning when she had slipped out of Harry's bed and headed for the Manor.  She couldn't think about what she was leaving behind, only the task ahead.  Yes, it was cruel for her to leave without saying goodbye, but it was better for them both.  At least that's what she told herself.  A strange sense of foreboding crept over her as she stared up at the Manor, its lights dark and the wind rustling the dead leaves in the yard.  Was anybody home?  Stepping through the door, it was eerily quiet, empty, the place was deserted.  Except for a light shining through the outline of the door to Viktor's office.

The smell of Firewhiskey hit her as she opened the door.  Viktor was sitting in his chair at his desk, facing away from her.

"Your friends vere looking for you," he slurred then turned in his chair to look at her.

He was drunk, the near empty bottle of Firewhiskey was in his hand.  He looked terrible.

"Viktor," Hermione began in a pitying tone.  "Damn it Viktor, I need to talk to you about something important."

She knelt in front of him, prying the bottle from his hands.

"Yes, let's talk," Viktor said briskly as he stood up, sending Hermione stumbling backward.  "Let's talk about you and Malfoy.  How long has this been going on?"

"What?  Viktor this is more important—"

Viktor picked up the bottle that Hermione had put on the table and threw it at a wall where it shattered.

"You are right!  This is important!  It's important to me!  How long has this been going on between you two?"

"Poliakoff obliviated me that night in the bell tower!" Hermione said quickly.  It was important to get this across to him.

"Vot?"  Viktor was caught off guard.

"And there's more, he wasn't alone.  He was with—"

"I think you haff said quite enough already, Granger," came another voice in the room.  Hermione reached for her wand, but Poliakoff already had his out and quickly disarmed her.  Just as quickly with his other hand he pulled out a gun and aimed it at Hermione, who froze instantly.

"Make one move, Viktor, and this muggle weapon will end her life," Poliakoff ordered Viktor who had reached into his robes for his wand.

"Sabian, vot do you think you're doing?" Viktor demanded.

"This has nothing to do with you Viktor," Poliakoff said coolly as he walked toward Hermione.  He stood next to her, pressing the gun against the said of her head.  She was afraid to move, afraid to breathe.

"Now, Viktor," Poliakoff continued calmly.  "I vant you to slowly, slowly, bring out your vand and roll it over to me."

"Vy are you doing this?"  Viktor asked as he brought out his wand.  "Vot do you vant vith us?"

"I told you, this has nothing to do vith you," Poliakoff said as Viktor's wand rolled to his feet.

Hermione somehow found her voice.  "What do you want with me?"

"You and I are going on a little trip," Poliakoff said as he bound Hermione's hands with a flick of his wand.

"If you harm her—"Viktor began.

"Vot can you do?"  Poliakoff challenged.  "Drink me to death?  No, she vill not be harmed.  Ve need her very much alive."

"Go ahead!  Take me wherever you want.  I'll be found and if there's one scratch on me you'll pay.  He'll find me—"

Poliakoff hit her hard across the face and she tumbled to the floor.  Viktor made a motion toward her but Poliakoff waved the gun in front of him. 

"You said you voodn't hurt her," Viktor said.

"I said ve need her alive," Poliakoff said calmly as he reached down and yanked Hermione back to her feet.

"You'll pay…He'll find me and you'll pay…"  Hermione cursed.

"That's exactly vot ve're counting on.  Let Malfoy come for his mudblood," Poliakoff sneered at her.

Malfoy?  She couldn't believe it, this was all about Malfoy?  She shared a look with Viktor, who mirrored her own confusion.

"Ve failed to take you outside of the hotel, then again in France.  Ve vere so close in Prague, but today, today ve vill succeed."

"Traitor!" Viktor roared.  "Vy are you doing this?  To whom did you sell your soul to?"

"Oh Viktor, Viktor, you and your ideals," Poliakoff laughed.

"Do you really think you can vin this vor?  The mudblood hero murdered Fudge and the Underground vill soon cease to exist."

"Vot are you talking about?" Viktor asked.

Hermione was just as confused.  Harry killed Fudge?

"You are so blind.  Do you not know who trained us?  Who knows all our little secrets?  Who has taken everything you worked so hard to attain?"  Poliakoff brushed the back of his fingers against Hermione's cheek, but she jerked her head away.

"How long haff you been spying for the Death Eaters?" Viktor asked.

"Oh, I'm not the spy," Poliakoff answered matter-of-factly.  "I'm not even a Death Eater.  But I vill be, ven my master is back in the Dark Lord's graces."

"It von't matter, the Underground vill fight beside Dumbledore and Potter."

Poliakoff gave a small smile.  "I alvays overlooked it ven Karkaroff favored you.  I let my anger stay inside, vile you vere praised as an international hero.  I even followed you here and pretended to believe in your cause.  Now I see you are nothing but a dreamer following your own doomed ideals.  Tell me Viktor, vhere are your fans now?  Vhere is that hero?"  Poliakoff said softly as his eyes flickered toward the broken bottle on the floor.  He put away his wand then bent down and picked up Viktor's wand and broke it in half.  Hermione gasped and Viktor made a sound of protest and he began to move menacingly toward Poliakoff.

"Uh, uh, uh," Poliakoff scolded, waving the gun in front of him.  "This little trip is only for Granger and me," he said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the door.  "You can stay here and votch your little ideals crumble around you."  He opened the door as Hermione struggled against him.  "I only hope that the Dark Lord vill show you the same kind of compassion that you haff for muggles and mudbloods," he said to Viktor.  Then he turned, took a step then stopped.  "On second thought, I'll save him the trouble."

Poliakoff spun around and fired one shot.

"NOO!" Hermione screamed as she watched Viktor fall to the floor.  She managed to break free of Poliakoff's grip and ran to side.  He was bleeding badly from the wound in his chest.

"Hold on Viktor, hold on," she cried as she placed her bound hands on his wound.

"Hermy," Viktor gasped as he reached out and touched her cheek.

"Shh, it's okay," she said tearfully.  But she felt herself being tugged away.  "NO!" she screamed angrily and struggled back to Viktor.  Again she was pulled away but Viktor grabbed her hand.  Unfortunately it was wet with his blood and she easily slid out of his grasp.  She kicked out at Poliakoff when suddenly he yelled out in pain.  He had let go of Hermione so she crawled away, back to Viktor.  She looked back at Poliakoff, Viktor had thrown a large piece of the broken bottle at Poliakoff's face which had blood trickling down it.  She took this opportunity to scramble for the gun he had dropped, however he grabbed it first and aimed it back at Viktor.

"No!" Hermione shouted as she knocked the gun out of his hand. 

Poliakoff hit Hermione hard across the face then shoved her to the floor.  The left side of her face throbbed but she picked herself off the ground attempting to run away.  He grabbed her from behind, picking her up but she elbowed him.  She darted around him but he pulled out his wand and sent her flying backwards into the room, crashing against a glass case.  Hermione slumped to the ground, dazed with stars in her eyes.  Painfully, she crawled over to Viktor, who was now taking quick short gasps of breath.  She could feel something warm trickling down her face.  She put pressure on his wound.  Again, she felt herself being pulled away from him but she didn't fight it this time.  She turned weakly to her attacker.

WHACK!!!!

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Harry gasped as he abruptly sat up.  He was breathing like he had been running and his scar ached dully.  Something happened, something was wrong.  He looked over to next to him and saw that her space was empty.  He felt the sheets.  Cold. 

"Harry!  Harry, are you here?" Ron called out.

"He's probably upstairs," he heard Lupin say.

He had barely managed to throw some boxers and his jeans on when his bedroom door flung open.

"Where were you last night?  Where did you go after you left Hogwarts?" Ron asked, his voice serious.

"I was here," Harry answered.

"All night?" Lupin asked.

"Yes, we were here all night," Harry insisted.

"We?" Lupin asked.  Harry avoided his eyes and looked away.  Ron looked worriedly at Harry as he held out a paper to Harry who took it.

"A warrant for my arrest?" Harry read aloud.

"It's already in the Daily Prophet," Ron explained.  "Fudge has been murdered."

"Murdered?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Harry.  They say you did it," Ron said slowly.

"Me?!  But I was never near him!"

"They have four eyewitnesses that say you were there last night," Lupin said calmly.

"Four?  Who?"  Harry demanded.

"A cleaning witch, two aurors and…and Percy," Ron said nervously.

"WHAT?!  But I—you--," Harry spluttered.

"Harry, we believe you.  Someone is trying to set you up," Lupin said calmly.

"No one is taking you to the ministry for questioning," Ron added.

"At least those in the Order aren't.  I'm sure they're on their way here as we speak," Lupin added.

"Which means you have to keep a low profile.  You're a wanted wizard now.  There's a huge reward for your capture," Ron explained.

"Well…now what do we do?  Am I just supposed to sit here twiddling my thumbs?" Harry asked, raising his voice again.

"No, we're going to wait for the Order and see what Dumbledore thinks of this," Lupin said.

"It doesn't take a group of us to figure out that Voldemort is behind this," Harry said shortly.

"Which gives you an even bigger reason to tread carefully," Lupin said pointedly.

"I've got to go," he said suddenly.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"I'm going to see if I can get some answers."
Lupin stopped him from leaving the room by stepping in front of him.

"You aren't going anywhere."

Members of the Order began to trickle into head quarters all morning, meeting in the kitchen.

"We gave the witnesses Veritaserum, they all say the same thing.  They all say Harry was there," Kingsley said hopelessly.

"Look, I have an alibi.  Hermione was with me the whole night!" Harry exclaimed, ignoring the amused looks on Fred and George's faces.

"I don't think it would be wise to let certain parties know that she was in your company last night," Lupin said pointedly.

"Is she your only alibi?"  Tonks asked.

"What about Dobby?" Ron asked.

"Dobby only found out Harry was here after midnight," Kingsley said glumly.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Harry asked.

"You are going to sit tight here for a few days."

"No!  I'm not going to be trapped in this house alone while everyone else is putting their lives on the line!"

Ron looked at Harry sympathetically.  He was a wanted wizard, trapped in a house he hated.  It was eerily similar to Sirius' situation.

"Voldemort is planning to strike and strike hard.  He's eliminated Fudge and is attempting to be rid of me in the process," Harry continued.

"Harry we can't risk you getting caught," Lupin said quietly.

"Harry can use his disguise, he can change his appearance," Ron offered hopefully.

"Just lie low here for awhile, just until Dumbledore decides what's best," Lupin advised.

Harry snorted.  "What's best, huh?" he scoffed.  "I'm sure Dumbledore knows what's best for everyone, doesn't he?" he added sarcastically.

Harry couldn't take anymore and he left the room, ignoring everyone who called out to him.  He wanted to be left alone, so he sought solace in the drawing room, locking the door behind him.  He sat down on the floor, resting his back against the sofa.  He didn't want to be trapped here, feeling hopeless.  That's what happened to Sirius.  Harry blocked out that painful thought and instead stared at the tapestry in front of him.  The Black family tapestry.  So, Dobby was unable to remove it as well.  Something caught Harry's attention and he crawled over closer to the tapestry.  His fingers traced the lines on it before he suddenly stopped.

"Ha!" Harry laughed disbelieving.  "Oh, I've got you now, you son of a bitch."

Grinning he left the drawing room and headed back to the kitchen.  Did he arrive yet?  He hoped so.  Dobby had fixed everyone breakfast, which they were now indulging themselves in.  The man he was looking for sat at the end of the table with Fred, George and Ron.

"Excuse me, but may I have a word with you, Dung?" Harry asked as he sat down.

The Weasley's made themselves scarce by walking to the stove for second helpings.

"I need a favor from you," Harry began in a low voice.

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Harry went back to the drawing room later and laid down on the sofa for a quick nap.  Dumbledore had yet to arrive.  With all the excitement of the morning, he had yet to ponder the fact that he woke up alone and she hadn't come back.  Did she leave him?  Was she really going to go through with this?  Go back and be with…with…with him?  The thought gave Harry's insides an unpleasant lurch.  A plan began to form in his mind.  He was going to confront Malfoy and he wasn't going to leave without Hermione back at his side.  To hell with Dumbledore's idea, they didn't need another spy, but Harry needed her.  He loved her.

He closed his eyes and began to fall into a shallow slumber.  He could hear the birds chirping outside.  His head hurt badly and he could feel a dry stickiness around his face.  Most of all he could feel overwhelming sadness as a small sob escaped his lips, but it was a feminine sob.  He looked down at his hands, they were bound, but he knew those hands.  He was being forced down a long hallway but soon they stopped.  There was a mirror hanging on the wall and he looked up to see his face.

BANG!  BANG!  BANG!

Harry sat straight up as Ron entered the room.

"Been trying to open the door for ages.  Powerful locking charm you have there Harry," Ron said, then as he got a good look at Harry he added, "Are you alright?"

Harry didn't answer, instead, he got up from the sofa and walked toward the door.

"Dung's downstairs looking for you," Ron said.

"Dung's here?  Wow that was quick."

*******************************

"It's a fake," Mundungus said gruffly.  "Darn good one.  Fooled the muggles it did."

Harry looked over the piece of paper in his hand.

"Are you sure this is the only record?" he asked.

"Filed it in a muggle court, not a wizarding one.  Easier to fake muggle documents, they do it all the time."

"So this means…" Harry began as he examined the paper more closely.

"…that it's not legal," Mundungus finished.  "Never thought that Granger would do something like this."

"She didn't," Harry said grimly.  "She thinks it's legal.  A lot of people think it's legitimate."  Harry placed the document back into the envelope then stuffed it in his robes.

"What are you going to do?" Mundungus asked.

"I'm going to go get some answers."

Loud knocking at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Ginny?  What are you doing here?  What's the matter?" Harry heard Ron ask.

Harry ran out of the drawing room and down the stairs to meet them in the foyer.  Ginny was pale and shaking in her brother's arms.

"Ginny, what happened?" Harry asked.

Ginny looked up at him and with a trembling voice said, "We went to see why he didn't show up.  D-Dumbledore asked us to go.  He was s-supposed to meet him.  So we went t-to the manor and…and…" she couldn't finish as she burst into tears.

By this time, they foyer filled with various members of the Order who wanted to see what the commotion was about.

Lupin stepped up to Ginny and in a comforting voice asked her, "Who was supposed to meet Dumbledore?"

Ginny calmed down and looked at him.

"Viktor," she said softly.

Harry immediately ran out of the door and disapparated.  He appeared by the front gates of the manor.  Several other pops were heard.

"Harry, what are you doing?  You could've been seen!" Ron hissed behind him.

Harry turned and saw Lupin, Kingsley and Tonks running up the street.  He gave Ron a sharp look.

"I gave them general directions where to go," Ron explained.

"Harry!  That was very irresponsible of you," Lupin began but Harry cut him off with a gesture of silence.

He pulled out his wand and the others followed suit as he crept cautiously through the front gates.  Snow began to fall lightly, laying a fine layer of white on the otherwise deserted grounds.  The front door of the manor opened and Harry nearly sent a powerful stunning charm before he realized it was Neville.

"I've checked the grounds, there's no one here," he called out.  "I haven't called the aurors yet.  I wanted you to see this first."

Harry and the others filed through the front door but Neville stopped him and waited for the others to pass.

"I know you didn't kill Fudge.  The whole thing is suspicious."

"Thank you Neville."  Harry wanted to join the others but Neville stopped him again.

"She was here," Neville whispered as he pulled out a wand and gave it to Harry.  "I wanted to give you this before the aurors took it."

Harry took the wand and looked at it.  It was Hermione's.  He couldn't breathe and Neville's voice sounded far away.

"I found it by Krum's office…"

He tuned him out and walked to Viktor's office in what seemed like slow motion.

"Oh!" Tonks exclaimed when she walked into the room.

It was a mess.  Harry carefully made his way through the shattered glass and debris to the other side of Viktor's desk.  He inhaled sharply when he saw him on the ground.

"There was nothing I could do.  He was already….gone when Ginny and I came here," Neville explained.

Harry knelt by his dead friend's side and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Neville said solemnly.

Harry felt someone kneel next to him.

"What did this?" Ron asked and Harry opened his eyes.

"Gunshot wound," Harry answered quietly, "to the chest.  It was a slow death."

"It's cowardly that someone would do that," Tonks said.

"I think we have another victim," Kingsley announced.

"What do you mean?" Lupin asked.

"Well," Kingsley tapped on his lip thoughtfully.  "I think whoever did this didn't come here with the sole purpose of killing Krum.  I think he or she came for this other person."

"How do you know there was another person?" Lupin asked.

"Different blood trails," Kingsley pointed out.

"And a set of handprints, well, sort of.  Looks like they were dragged away," Ron said as he pointed at a trail of blood leading away from Viktor.

"Either a young man or a woman made those," Tonks said as she examined the prints.

Neville opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it when he saw Harry nod slightly.  Consciously aware of Hermione's wand hidden safely in his robes, Harry avoided the questioning look Neville gave him.  Ron nudged Harry in the side.

"Take a look at this," he whispered, pointing to Viktor's robes.

There was a small corner of a piece of paper sticking out.  Very carefully and very slowly, Harry began to pull it out.  It was an envelope, the back of one.  Then a smear of blood.  Harry paused to look at Ron who looked just as anxious as he did.  Slowly out a little more.  They both quickly looked up to see if they had caught the other's attentions.  No, they were busy looking around the room.  Except Neville who had joined the two by Viktor.

"Harry, what is it?" he whispered.

Harry pulled out the envelope completely.

"Oh sweet Merlin!" Neville gasped under his breath.

"Holy shit!" Ron whispered at the same time.

There, in Harry's hands, was a message written on the back of the envelope.

"It's Viktor's writing, he wrote it in his own blood," Harry whispered.

He shut his eyes then opened them, confirming what the message read:

Harry, it's a trap.

He looked at the others, who looked back at him nervously, all of them breathing a little harder.  This couldn't be happening, he thought.  Not Viktor, don't let this have anything to do with me.  Please no, please, please no.  Slowly he flipped the envelope over to read the front.  And in neat penmanship with a quill were two words:  Harry Potter.

Harry stood up immediately, startling both Ron and Neville.

"I-I'm going to get some air," he declared before hastily leaving the room.

He sat on the stairs, slowly turning the envelope in his hands. 

I never got to tell him he was still my friend.  I never thanked him for watching over Hermione for me.  I never told him that I forgive him.  What happened between him and her was inevitable.  I knew Viktor still had feelings for her.  Viktor knew it wouldn't have gone anywhere with her, yet he remained friends with her.  Hell, he probably spent his last moments trying to protect her.  He even spent his last moments trying to warn me.

Harry flipped the envelope over and over in his hands.

"Don't open it," Ron said as he sat down next to him. 

Harry looked at Ron, his expression blank, then he tore open the envelope.  Inside was a folded piece of parchment with the message:

Stay out of our business. This doesn't concern you.  Don't try and play the hero again.  Remember what happened last time?

 "Harry?"  Lupin joined the gentlemen outside.

Harry quickly stuffed the note into his robes.

"Harry, Dumbledore is at headquarters.  He wishes to see you."

The kitchen doors of Grimmauld place burst open as Harry strode through followed by the others from the manor.  Dumbledore, Bill, Charlie and Mr. Weasley were all surrounding a map that had been laid out upon the table.

"Ah, Harry.  Good you're here--," but he was cut off when Harry slammed a piece of paper on the table in front of him.

Protests against his behavior rose all around him, but he ignored them as Dumbledore read the note.

"They've taken her.  Voldemort has nothing to do with this," Harry said coolly.

"Then neither do we," Dumbledore replied evenly.

"NO!" Harry shouted and threw a chair against the wall.  "She would've been safe if she was kept at Hogwarts, like I ordered!"

"When it comes to the safety of my school, I am the one who has to decide what is best."

"Yes you do like to decide what is best for everyone don't you?"

"That was a decision she made on her own."

"You never gave her an alternative!"

"She wanted to help the Order."

"No, she wanted to help me!"

"A rare opportunity presented itself.  We need all the help we can get to win this war.  In fact, we were just now discussing--."

Harry drew out his wand and slammed it on the table.

"You can have your war without me."

And with that, he left.

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A/N:  Hello readers!  Another chapter, finally!  This story will end soon, but there will be a sequel.  I'm also working on another fic.  Look for that coming soon.  Please don't hate me for not updating sooner, I had this written out but I couldn't find the time to type it up.  Okay, review away.