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Harry reached Hagrid's hut and found the door open. He didn't dare to shout, but went behind it and found Hagrid lying on the ground, with Grawp kneeling at his side, huge tears rolling down his face. Harry approached cautiously.

"Grawp! It's Harry Potter. Let me see Hagrid, please," he called to the distraught giant.

Grawp looked down at the young wizard at his feet and eventually recognized Hagrid's friend. He moved clumsily aside and watched Harry.

"Hagrid, are you all right? Can you hear me?" he asked frantically. The thought of losing Hagrid was more than he could bear.

"Harry..." Hagrid mumbled. "Yeh shouldn' be here. Death Eaters an' giants." One black eye opened a crack.

"Hagrid, where's Professor Snape?" asked Harry urgently.

"He came in the gates. Disillusioned," he muttered. "Gawd, my head hurts." He raised his hand to his head.

"Oh, Hagrid. We need to get help for you," Harry said wretchedly. He considered what he could do, with enemies everywhere in the castle and grounds. The side of Hagrid's head looked damaged in some way, and it might be very serious.

Grawp watched them, tears still rolling down his doughy cheeks.

"Hagrid, I have a Portkey in my pocket that'll take you to Zelda and Ginny. They'll get you to St. Mungo's," he said urgently. "I have to go help Professor Snape."

Hagrid wondered if he was hearing right, but he knew he could do nothing to help. He wondered if his skull was broken. "Grawp!" he called weakly. "Grawpie! I gotta go get healed. Stay here 'til I git back, all righ'?"

Harry couldn't believe Hagrid thought explaining would work, but amazingly, Grawp seemed to understand. He pressed a big, sloppy kiss on Hagrid's hand and stood back to watch.

Hagrid frowned, looking befuddled. "Harry, my arm was broke, fightin' wi' that Gurg. At least two places, and the shoulder too. But I can move it now."

"I don't understand," Harry said, feeling overwhelmed.

"Sev'rus healed it. I dunno when, but he... did it," Hagrid muttered, suddenly drowsy.

"Grawp, he's going now," Harry said. He tipped the small pouch out of his pocket, careful not to let the Portkey touch his hand. "Hold out your hand, Hagrid." He tipped the small metal cup into the outstretched hand and Hagrid disappeared.


&&&&&&&&&


Ginny and Zelda were waiting and feeling useless, when suddenly they saw Hagrid appear outside the door of the cabin. He sank slowly to his knees before they got to him, a small metal cup dropped to the ground and rolled away. They ran to him.

"Hagrid, can you hear me?" Zelda asked, studying the side of his face. Dried blood was crusted at the corner of his mouth and into the huge beard. His cheekbone was crushed in and the side of his face had begun to swell. His eyes opened slightly and the pupils were dilated to different sizes.

"Harry sent me here, said you two'd get me to St. Mungo's," he muttered. "Thinks my skull's cracked."

"This is it," said Zelda. "Can you do it?"

Ginny was nervous. She was fine at Apparating, but this was real and she hoped she didn't bollix it up. "I'll do it, Hagrid," she said seriously.

"Try to get away as soon as you can and come back," Zelda pleaded. "Don't let them pick you up for underage Apparating."

Ginny stepped up to the kneeling half-giant and put her arms around him. She smiled bravely at Zelda and then they were both gone, leaving Zelda staring at nothing.


&&&&&&&&&


Snape heard a crashing sound, as of a large animal hurrying through the trees. He moved behind a large tree trunk and watched, intrigued, as Horace Slughorn rushed away from the castle. The old wizard was red-faced and gasping for breath. He looked completely panic-stricken and turned several times to look behind him. Snape allowed him to pass and then there were a few moments of blessed silence.

Another sound came from the direction of the castle. It was Remus Lupin, who was loping along in pursuit of Slughorn. Snape instinctively curled his lip at the sight of his despised former colleague. The werewolf paused as though he sensed that he was not alone.

"Snape, I know you're there," Lupin murmured quietly. "I don't need to see you... Werewolf senses, you know. I want Slughorn, not you. Please let me pass."

Snape removed the Disillusionment Charm and stepped out from behind the tree. "Well?" he asked in a provocative voice.

Lupin saw a skeletally thin Severus Snape, dressed in a black leather Muggle jacket with a shabby black cloak slung on carelessly over it. The wizard's black eyes were cold as he gazed at his childhood adversary, but although he was holding his wand, he made no move to attack. "It must be true then... Tonks was right."

"She was quite a clever student, so her judgment is generally worth considering," Snape replied smoothly. "Except possibly her taste in men."

Lupin's pale face flushed. "Jealous, Severus?"

Snape rolled his eyes dismissively. "Go about your business, Lupin. I expect further calamities today and have no interest in playing childish games with you."

A horrible scream broke the silence around them. It came from deep within the Forest, causing Lupin to start. Both wizards began walking toward the sound, wands out.

"Slowly, Lupin," Snape murmured mockingly. "Unless you want to share his fate."

They came to a clearing, where a horrible sight met their eyes. Two Acromantulas were busy wrapping Horace Slughorn's body in rope-thick spider silk, preparing to drag it into the dark woods on the far side.

Lupin raised his wand, but Snape smacked it down hard with his bare hand.

"Are you mad?" Snape whispered acidly. "If you wish to draw them toward us, you'll be quite successful."

"But... Slughorn," hissed Lupin, his eyes wide.

"Is dead and cannot be helped. Did you have a better plan for him? I have no wish to join him as a meal for Acromantulas," murmured Snape. "He lived a long and supremely self-indulgent life, so we need not weep too extensively. Not to mention his betrayal of Hogwarts to the Dark Lord."

A strange rustling came from the trees off to the left, causing Snape to slip behind a large tree for cover. As several huge spiders came into view, Lupin dove to join him. An even more incredible sight met their eyes. At least fifteen of the hugest spiders Snape had ever seen were pulling what looked like ropes, dragging the body of Golgomath, the late Gurg of the giants, into the clearing.

"I hope you don't wish to rescue that," Snape murmured snidely.

"Merlin! That's enough, Snape," Lupin hissed back, looking thoroughly irritated.

The two turned and moved cautiously away from the spider operations, wands ready. As they came to the edge of the trees, they both relaxed slightly.

"Thanks to the Gurg, the Acromantulas will not be hungry for quite a while," Snape said mildly. "A fortunate thing for the rest of us."

"Ugh!" Lupin replied. He looked Snape in the eyes rather aggressively. "Why did you help Tonks back at the castle?"

The black-eyed wizard rolled his eyes in disgust. "Part of a nefarious plan, perhaps?" he suggested sarcastically. "Don't be more of an ass than absolutely necessary, Lupin."

Lupin sighed. "All right, I'm sorry for that." The silence grew oppressive around them. "What are you doing in the Forest?"

"The Dark Lord deceived me. There is much more to his plan than he told me, although I was supposedly to lead the attack." Snape paused thoughtfully. "He focused his talk on the castle and sent those idiots to attack it, but I find myself wondering if it was a diversion. I cannot contact easily Minerva. When you return to the castle, please tell them there is more than we thought to this plot."

The thud of many feet came from the area of Hagrid's cottage.

"What now?" Snape groaned sourly. He stepped out of the trees and saw young Weasley, Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody arguing in the vegetable garden. "It is as much a farce as a drama. I should stun the lot of them," he muttered. "Idiots."

Lupin stepped out of the trees and silenced them with a few words. All three looked toward the trees where Snape had remained. Ron Weasley ran to him.

"Professor, where's Harry?" he gasped. "Did he find you?"

Severus stared in horror at the boy. "Merlin's bleeding arse! Is Potter /here/? Are all of you quite mad?" he snarled. "I hope you do not mean he is actually in the Forest."

Ron, presented with the classic Professor Snape, radiating icy fury, no longer feared or resented the man. He knew, without doubt, that they were on the same side. "No, wait, Sir! BLOODY LISTEN TO ME!"

Snape inhaled deeply. "Very well, but be brief." A sense of grim resignation was descending on him.

"Trelawney prophesied. The real thing, Professor. Harry saw it once before and he knew. She said..." Here he paused, unfortunately giving his listener a chance to interrupt him.

"That fraudulent lush? /How could you believe her/?" hissed Snape.

"No, listen!" Ron whispered. "I'm trying to get the words right. She said something like "It's the day of reckoning and the Dark Lord's weaker than he knew and the power he knows not grows stronger in his adversary. Then she said the shadowed one will be known by all and if the two who were apart come together today Voldemort's downfall will be revealed. It's about you and Harry!"

"Not today... Ah, Merlin, not like this," Snape whispered to himself as the realization took hold. He felt quite unable to face it in such a manner. It was impossible. He focused again on the young man and said icily, "Go back to the castle, Weasley. Take them all away and let me deal with it."

Ron looked at him earnestly. "Sir, I'm not going back. I'm not letting Harry face him alone." He rolled his blue eyes in cynical disgust. "Besides, Mad-Eye thinks he's going to capture you for a Death Eater. Tonks and I can't get rid of him."

Snape actually met the young man's blue eyes. "In over your head, Weasley?" he asked nastily. "The Dark Lord will come. If you're correct about the prophecy, it is now inevitable. I don't wish to see more innocent people die at his hands, however. By the way, where is Miss Granger?"

Ron's eyes grew old and hard. "The snake, Nagini, it attacked her. Michael shot it, but it bit her just as it died. Tonks sent her to St. Mungo's."

A faint spark flashed in the older wizard's eyes. "They will heal her, Weasley."

"I know," Ron said defiantly. "But she made me promise I'd go with Harry."

"Curse all bloody Gryffindors," Snape said frigidly. "Very well, bring your merry troop and let us see what disasters befall us. However, I should warn you that I work best alone, Weasley."

A snarky smile appeared on Ron's face. "Sorry. I'll see if I have a chance to Stun Mad-Eye, if that'll help."


&&&&&&&&&


Harry Potter was not alone in the Forbidden Forest. After sending Hagrid away to safety he had slipped soundlessly into the Forest and started walking.

"Harry Potter," said a calm voice. "Have you learned the significance of this day to our world?" A handsome palomino centaur fixed his ageless eyes on the young wizard.

Harry nodded. There was no need for petty conversation with Firenze, he had learned. The centaur's presence only confirmed that this day's events would be important for all of them. "Where's Professor Snape?" he asked quietly.

"He will be here," was the reply. "As will others. Are you prepared for what will come to you this day?"

"As much as I can be," said Harry. "I didn't find them all, but if this is really the day, then it must be fate." It seemed daring to question the centaur, but he had had to ask, "Are the centaurs going to be all right, Firenze?"

"The fates of all of us are written in the stars," he replied gently. "What will come to pass is destined."

"I know," said Harry sadly. It all made sense, but Harry had a childish wish, down deep inside, for some kind of happy ending to come of this, even if it wasn't for him.

A hand came down and squeezed Harry's shoulder firmly. "Life is not always easy, but one can always choose to live honorably."

The young man looked up into the blue eyes. "You're right. Thanks, Firenze. Do you know which way I need to go?"

"Our ways lie together for a time, Harry Potter. If you are willing, come with me."

So Harry found himself going ever deeper into the Forest in the company of the centaur.


&&&&&&&&&


Zelda had just finished feeding the animals when Ginny reappeared, with a white-faced Hermione leaning heavily on her.

"Hermione!" she exclaimed. "Goddess, what happened?" She went to Hermione's other side and they carried her into the cabin.

They brought her to the girls' bedroom. Ginny Charmed her out of her clothes and into comfortable pajamas and then they settled her in bed. Her right leg was heavily bandaged.

"What happened? What about the others?" asked Zelda.

Voldemort's snake, Nagini, it bit her," explained Ginny. "But she got to St. Mungo's really fast, and the snake was dying as it bit her."

"It must've been Michael," Hermione said drowsily. "The shots were quiet, but Nagini kind of blew to pieces just as she was biting me. They gave me a Blood-Replenishing Potion and something for the pain. They didn't want to let me go, but it was really busy at St. Mungo's and they were afraid they couldn't care for everyone. I had to promise I'd rest for twenty-four hours. When Ginny brought Hagrid in... a couple of Ministry people were looking at her, they recognized her, I think. So I grabbed her and had her bring me back here."

Crookshanks padded into the room, leaped lightly onto the bed and curled up on the bed, next to her hand. Hermione laid her hand on his warm fur, smiled brightly and said, "Let me know as soon as you find something out." Her eyes closed and she was instantly asleep.

"She's heavily medicated, isn't she?" asked Zelda, watching her closely.

Ginny nodded. "It was terrible. She lost lots of blood, but she has no idea yet how serious it was. The only good news is that Michael did shoot that bloody snake. It almost killed my dad, you know."

"Do we need to do anything for her?" asked Zelda. She felt sick. Hermione looked so small and weak, too young to have narrowly escaped death by monster snakebite.

"No, not until she wakes up again. The Healers said that once she slept, she'd probably sleep for at least fifteen hours. Then, when we change the bandage, if the bleeding starts again, we give her more Blood Replenishing Potion and go back to St. Mungo's."

"Okay," Zelda said. She gently stroked the young witch's hair back off her forehead, taking careful note that she felt slightly feverish. Then she tucked the covers neatly around Hermione, stroked Crookshanks and left the room, turning out the light as she went.


&&&&&&&&&


Minerva McGonagall was in a state. They were not certain that all of the Inferi had been destroyed, although much had been accomplished. The three Death Eaters were still on the loose and Snape was nowhere to be seen. A Patronus flashed into the room. Potter's stag Patronus, she realized. She wished she had thought to teach him to send messages with it, but she was pleasantly startled to discover a rudimentary message. But the Forest! Merlin, if the boy survived the day it would be a miracle.

Kingsley entered the room and seeing her expression, said grimly, "You got Potter's Patronus too, I see."

"It's all going wrong. Voldemort must be betraying Severus. But why?" asked Minerva. "Now Potter's gone to the Forest. The castle is still not secure."

"It's a mad mess," Kingsley replied sympathetically. "Michael shot the snake, but it looked to him as though it attacked Hermione Granger as it died. He watched through his scope and saw Tonks send her away, probably to St. Mungo's. Tonks and I each have Portkeys for emergencies."

Minerva felt ill. She had failed to protect a student and now must depend on the Healers to care for the girl.

A Patronus flashed into the room, this time belonging to Tonks. When they realized that three more had gone to the Forest, in search of Potter and Snape, they stared blankly at each other.

"The Forest must be Voldemort's actual goal," Kingsley said in his low voice. "Minerva, can Filius Flitwick and the others continue searching the castle for the three Death Eaters and the remaining Inferi? Once the castle is cleared, they can secure it, while we discover what Voldemort really wants."

She nodded. "I'll go and speak to the staff and then we shall go."

"I'm going to ask Michael to stay on the tower, with his rifle trained on the edge of the Forest. If anyone should approach him, he should Portkey away from Hogwarts; however, his taking out that snake was valuable. He may be able to do more if he stays."

"Very well. I shall meet you at the dungeon entrance, then," she said.