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Shattered	By : Adriana Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 11986 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
Shattered

By Adriana

trixielou60@hotmail.com

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I'll tip my hat to the new constitution

Take a bow for the new revolution

Smile and grin at the change all around

Pick up my guitar and play

Just like yesterday

Then I'll get on my knees and pray

We don't get fooled again

~From the song, "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who

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Chapter 21: Fooled

It took Hermione a few moments to reorient herself to her surroundings. They'd Apparated to a bluff overlooking the ocean and the first thing she noticed was the fierce wind penetrating her thin wool cloak. Even the moonlight was cold and the waves of the ocean crashed against the craggy rocks in harsh blasts, spreading the spray like icy sunflares.

She felt Severus tighten his coil around her waist, rubbing his head affectionately against her abdomen. She had to suppress the urge to stroke him back.

She shivered and looked around quickly for Draco. He and the other Death Eater had appeared only a few metres away and she reached for him, wanting to touch him for reassurance. As if sensing her trepidation, he moved to her quickly, grabbing her hand and squeezing it tightly. His eyes looked calm and dauntless and she felt her jitters calming immediately. She chuckled inwardly.

Who would have thought, even six months ago, that she'd feel so safe with Draco Malfoy as he was leading her to a secret meeting with the Dark Lord? It was unbelievable.

Goyle grunted, "Follow me," and they made their way down a narrow path to a dilapidated small cottage perched against a small hill. There was a lantern in one of the windows and smoke was coming from the chimney, signaling its occupancy. Hermione's gut contracted, but she remembered everything Draco had told her and she knew that she was going to have to give the performance of her life.

Draco whispered to her as they walked. "I believe we're somewhere in northern England . . . the terrain seems to fit." Hermione nodded. "I spotted the North Star and we're somewhere on the West Coast, I'd say." Goyle turned and gave them a suspicious lover ver his shoulder, silencing them both.

The door automatically opened as they approached the cottage, as if the timing of their arrival had been precisely calculated. Once they stepped inside, Hermione was amazed at the opulence of the place. It was small but elegant and she realized that the exterior was meant to belie the obvious wealth of the occupant. Voldemort was nothing if not vain and while he had to hide himself in inconsequential, rickety little dwellings, it was clear that he wanted to surround himself with all the comforts that galleons could buy.

They were led to a small parlour where an amazingly warm fire was burning and a small House Elf asked them for their cloaks. Hermione eyed him with incredulity, but Draco just nonchalantly dropped his cloak on the poor creature. Hermione scowled at Draco and he gave her a dazzling smile. The House Elf emerged from under the garment and levitated it with e As As Hermione shrugged off her cloak, she held it up for the little elf to levitate it. Once the task was completed, he walked briskly from the room, both cloaks floating behind him.

Severus began to uncoil himself with speed, careful not to cause a shift in her robes. He managed to slide down her leg and quickly dart under a chair. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

So far, so go

Hermione and Draco stood awkwardly, wondering what they should do next, when Voldemort appeared at the doorway. He briefly leaned on the frame, before tottering through the door, hunching as he walked unsteadily. Draco stepped forward to help, but the Dark Lord waved him off, managing to drop heavily into a chair before gesturing to two other chairs. One chair was across a small table from Voldemort, the other was closer to the fire. Hermione chose the chair next to the hunched creature, which smiled weakly at her.

He looked positively grotesque.

"You're a brave soul, Dr. Granger," he rasped. He reached over to take her hand rather delicately, before placing a dry kiss on her knuckles. His touch was icy cold and Hermione squelched the reflexive need to snatch her hand away. Instead, she held herself very still, giving him a small smile.

"It's not so much bravery as it is curiosity, my Lord. I'm still rather unsure as to why I'm here."

"Ah, curiosity! You know what the Muggles say about that. I suppose if I give you satisfaction, you'll come back?" His smile looked like a grimace.

"Something like that." Hermione curled her lips in a subtle grin. No need to overdo it. She

looked at Draco affectionately and her grin widened involuntarily. His silver eyes radiated adoration.

This did not escape Voldemort's notice. As if sensing that the Dark Lord's attention had wandered, Severus poked his head out from under the chair, Voldemort's view of him blocked behind the drape of Hermione's robe.

He was on his own now.

The resident House Elf chose that moment to make an appearance with a tray. Delicate china cups and an elegant teapot were perched on top. "Leave it on the table," Voldemort said in a bored tone. Hermione asked the Dark Lord if he would like some tea. At his nod, she gracefully poured it in a cup andded ded to him. She lifted her eyes to Draco, who shook his head. She filled another cup and brazenly drank a sip before the Dark Lord could even lift his cup to his thin lips. He looked at her with disapprov"You"You're rather trusting, Dr. Granger. I don't recall gullibility being one of your traits," he said with a sneer.

"No, but logic is, my Lord. You hno rno reason to poison me at this point as I have information that I know you want to hear."

"Interesting," murmured Voldemort, his gaze flicking to Draco and back again to Hermione. "I understand from Mr. Malfoy that the two of you have formed a love match. Is it true, Dr. Granger? Do you love him?"

"Oh yes," she said breathlessly, keeping her eyes squarely on Draco. "He's the most amazing man I've ever known. He's completely changed my life." Draco's eyes positively sparkled. "Nice touch," she thought. "He's really good at this."

"And how do your friends feel about that?" Voldemort leaned forward to stare into her eyes.

"My friends?" she asked scornfully. "You mean Harry and Ron? Well, they're unsurprisingly against us. Not that it concerns me anymore. I can't believe they care so little for my happiness considering everything we've been through," she added bitterly.

The Dark Lord narrowed his glowing eyes, as if piercing her very mind. Hermione looked back at him steadily and arched her eyebrow.

"Surely Draco has told you my feelings on the subject of war. My personal opinion is that this is less about vengeance and righteousness and more about Harry wanting to be a hero."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes further. "My understanding is that Harry Potter hates the limelight. It makes the stupid boy uncomfortable."

Hermione leaned towards him and growled, "Bullocks!"

Draco snorted in amusement as the Dark Lord chuckled. "Do tell, Dr. Granger!"

"You're aware that Ginny Weasely broke off her secret romance with Harry Potter, are you not?"

Voldemort looked sharply at Draco, as if to ask if Hermione knew of the Dark Lordnternterest in Ginny Weasely. Draco subtly shook his head, careful to make sure that Hermione didn't notice. Voldemort visibly relaxed and turned to Hermione.

"What does Ginny Weasley have to do with any of this?" he asked in a thin voice.

Hermione answered, "Harry was distraught when they broke up, despite appearances to the contrary. I overheard him after a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix one night. He told Ron that if he could finally kill you, Ginny Weasley could find some peace. It had something to do about what happened in The Chamber of Secrets, but he didn't give Ron the details. I was under the impression that Ron knew what he was talking about. I have no idea what really happened all those years ago, and I know Harry's carrying a secret. I guess he doesn't trust me anymore," she said flatly.

"He'd be right not to trust you, my dear," interjected Draco. Hermione allowed herself an evil smile.

"At any rate," she continued, "Harry said that if he killed you, then he could be a hero in Ginny's eyes and she could put the past behind her. He seemed to think that she still needed to get past what happened all those years ago. He confided to Ron that once you were dead, she'd have to take him back." She shook her head in disapproval. "He's willing to risk an all-out war just to impress his bloody girlfriend! Let's just say I have no faith in his judgment. Harry has turned into an egomaniac," she spat.

Voldemort kept his gaze on Hermione but asked Draco, "Is she telling the truth, my boy? Is she having doubts about Harry Potter?"

"Absolutely," said Draco firmly. "Hermione thinks there are other ways to solve the political differences you have with The Order of the Phoenix, don't you, my love?"

Hermione nodded. "Albus Dumbledore is pushing for war, the old fool. I swear, I think he's gone soft in the head. Are you determined to fight him?"

Voldemort gave a weak shrug. "I see no other alternative, at this point. Although Mr. Malfoy has been advocating diplomacy. I assume this is your doing, Dr. Granger?"

Hermione nodded her head vigorously. "I'm hoping, my Lord."

Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he remarked, "Well, there may be a way, but first I have to know how far you're willing to go. What price are you willing to pay in order to have peace?"

"I'll do just about anything."

Voldemort gave a low laugh. "You haven't even heard my proposal yet. Tell me, Dr. Granger, do you know anything about The Sentient Healing Ritual?"

Hermione had just been about to take a sip of tea when the cup went crashing to the floor and shattered into several pieces. Voldemort was momentarily startled, but he gathered himposmposure quickly while Hermione muttered her apologies. She stood up and turned, hesitating before bending over to pick up the broken china. She didn't even react to what she was seeing.

There was a large bookshelf behind her chair and Severus had made his way up, winding between books and shelves as he'd climbed higher and higher. Hermione looked at him briefly, but long enough to notice that he was peeking out behind a statue of Morgan Le Fay that was resting next to a high row of heavy books. He was just slithering back behind the large figurine when Hermione stood back up, shards of china in hand, and sat down.

She prayed that he'd completed the first part of his task.

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While Severus had been transforming into a snake for the better part of ten years, he still couldn't quite get used to the feeling of being so small and inconsequential. Of course, he was a highly venomous snake, but even so, he was still just a snake. However, it did have it's advantages: He could slide himself into tightces ces and slither about completely unnoticed, which was most useful in his life as a spy. Until recently, he'd managed to keep it a secret from everybody except for Albus. To say that he was unregistered was an understatement.

He'd felt Hermione's gut tighten in apprehension and could feel her fear as her breath became shallow when they walked into Voldemort's cottage. He longed to comfort her but knew that whatever the price, Hermione would come through for them. He had no doubt.

Once he'd released himself from her ankle, he stayn thn the relative safety under her chair, waiting and listening for a time where he felt safe enough to poke his head out to explore. At one po he' he'd wound his way around Hermione's robe, only to see Draco looking down at him. It had only been a brief look, but Severus knew him well enough to recognize the amused glimmer in his eye.

The little bugger was enjoying this, damn him.

The only disadvantage to being a snake was his rather poor eyesight, but through the years, he'd learned to compensate by using his keen sense of smell. Using his undulating forked tongue, he could actually taste the things he was smelling, as if tasting the very air around him. While, as a man, he loved the taste of Hermione's skin, flicking his tongue on her as a snake was even more incredible . . . his sense was completely heightened.

Twisted, but true nonetheless.

Curled in the relative safety under the chair, he nudged his head out, flicking his tongue until he could taste them . . . books. Lots and lots of books. There were old, musty books, straight ahead. Writhing quickly, he made his way to the side of the bookcase, all the while; Hermione and Draco were keeping Voldemort busy with his back turned away from the shelves. Once the plan had been formulated, Severus had taken the time to practice his climbing skills that day, and he found himself going up, up the shelves, finding nooks and crannies to curl in while he maneuvered his way to what appeared to be a large statue. There was room enough for him to curl himself behind the porcelain figure.

He waited.

Holding himself very still, he concentrated on the sound of Voldemort's voice, the Dark Lord but a shadowy silhouette. When Voldemort mentioned The Sentient Healing Ritual, Hermione had dropped the cup of tea, on cue.

With the Dark Lord distracted, Severus did something that very, very few wizards were capable of doing in an Animagus form.

He cast the traceless Tracking Charm on Voldemort.

He could feel the magic surging from within him, somehow knowing that it had worked. If there was one thing that Severus Snape was capable of, it was total concentration, even in the face of death and chaos. This ability had saved his life on more than one occasion and now, with so much at stake, Severus conjured up all the magic in his soul to cast that spell.

He could hearmiormione picking up the broken teacup and again, he waited for the next step.

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

Draco got halfway up to help Hermione, but she'd moved quickly, babbling all the while about how sorry she was. Voldemort's attention was completely on the flustered woman and while he couldn't see his uncle very well in the dim light, he'd felt pretty certain that Severus had been able to cast the spell. His eyes fell upon Hermione, admiring how she was holding up under the strain. While she'd had her doubts, she was uniquely capable of this deception. He felt a swell of pride for her and for his uncle, as well.

Hermione seated herself and looked imploringly at Draco. "Did you know about this?"

"Now love, I thought it best if our Lord be the one to tell you about The Sentient Healing Ritual. Just hear him out, it's rather intriguing."

Voldemort gave Hermione a thoughtful gaze. "Draco was under the impression that you didn't know anything about the ritual. I take it he was wrong?"

"Not entirely, my Lord. You've caught me off guard. During my studies in Edinburgh, it was something that was discussed in general, but more as an historical curiosity. Nobody knows much about it, the books have been lost for centuries and the details of the ritual have been lost. The only thing I know is that it's the ultimate healing and that it's only been done a couple of times in history. I know nothing of it beyond that."

"I have a confession to make," said the Dark Lord, leaning over to whisper to hn a n a harsh rasp. "I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice that I'm very ill. While my powers are not at an all-time low, the last few years fighting Harry Potter have taken a toll. The danger here is that if I succumb, if my power fails, I will have no control over my warriors. They will strike out on their own and anarchy will reign. War would be inevitable. The only thing keeping them in check is myself. They await my orders. I have to be restored to my former power in order for diplomacy to rule the day. It's the only way to avert war."

"The lying bastard," thought Hermione. She smiled sweetly at him.

"To be honest with you, I have a hard time believing you want peace, my Lord. How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"You don't, my dear. However, you might look to Mr. Malfoy for advice. He tells me that he loves you very much. I doubt that he would let you undergo a process that would harm you in any way."

Draco went over and knelt beside Hermione. He took her hand, kissing it in obvious reassurance. "You're not in any danger, my sweet. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I enjoy the privilege of High Rank amongst our Lord's servants. There will be nothing but peace and reward if you go through with this." He gave her his most sincere look.

Hermione turned to Voldemort. "But how do you know about The Sentient Healing Ritual? The books have been lost!"

Voldemort allowed himself an indulgent chuckle. "I have found the book."

"Oh! That's incredible!" Hermione let her natural excitement creep into her voice. "Can I read it? I must see it! Oh, this is unbelievable!"

Voldemort lifted himself and walked unsteadily to the shelf. Severus moved himself back into a corner of the bookshelf, as far as he could go. He held himself very, very still.

The Dark Lord reached out at chest level and pulled a big black book from the shelf. Draco rose, asking if he needed any help, but Voldemort shook his head and tightly clutched the volume to his chest as he went over to his chair. He laid it open in his lap and looking up, he spoke.

"I have the last known copy, Dr. Granger. Let me direct you to the proper chapter." He handed her the book.

Scanning it, she was disappointed to see it was written in an unfamiliar language. She looked up inquiringly at Voldemort who answered obv obvious question. "It's written in Manx Gaelic, the language of the ancient peoples of The Isle of Man. Sentient Healing originated and thrived there while Britain and Scotland fought over her land. Once the people were conquered, the language eventually died out. The books were lost during the earlier wars."

"But--"

"I've had the details of the ritual translated. I took the liberty of making you a copy." He handed her a sheath of parchments that were folded within the book.

Hermione glanced at the parchments, reading quickly. The ritual involved their wands, two goblets, a potion and a spell. There also was to be symbolic representation in the form of an image of a white flower, as well as some snow in a vial and the lighting of an orange candle. The orange candle was to be anointed in musk, cinnamon, frankincense and rosemary oil, used to symbolize the renewing energy of the Sun�s rebirth.

There was absolutely no mention of the consequences of the ritual, how it rendered the healer completely drained of his or her magic. Instead, there was a paragraph about how ancient Sentients used the ritual to not only heal others, but to strengthen their own magical abilities.

A complete lie.

"Well, this doesn't look too bad," Hermione said quietly. "It sounds like it's beneficial for all involved."

"That's the beauty of it, Dr. Granger," said Voldemort. "This is a no-lose situation. We both get stronger, I reign in my Death Eaters and both sides meet on equal terms, with equal strength. I see a bringing together of both sides. We all want what's best for our people, do we not? Think of it! You can openly be with the man you love . . . no more defending yourself against those who oppose your relationship with Mr. Malfoy. No more dangerous attacks from both sides. You can spend the rest of your lives together peacefully. All of your dreamsl bel be realized. I see a very bright future for you. You can have anything you want. A new hospital of your own, even . . . endless money for research. Think of the good you could do, my dear."

He paused to allow his words to sink in.

"Isn't it wonderful, my love?" murmured Draco. "It's the solution to all our problems."

Hermione continued reading. "It says here that the ritual should be held during the Festival of Imbolc." She looked up, startled. "Ts les less than a week away."

"Do you understand the importance of Imbolc?" asked Voldemort. "According to legend, the Old Woman of winter, the Cailleach, is reborn as the Bride, the Young Maiden of Spring, fragile yet growing stronger each day as the sun rekindles its fire, turning scarcity into abundance. Read this paragraph out loud, so Draco can hear it. It's on the third page of the parchment."

Hermione quoted the page: "Bride with her white wand is said to breathe life into the mouth of the dead Winter and bring him to open his eyes to the tears and the smiles, the sighs and the laughter of Spring. The venom of the cold is said to tremble for its safety on Bride's Day, and to flee for its life on Patrick's Day." Her eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh!"

"Exactly!" rumbled the Dark Lord. "You, my dear, are the bride, and with your healing powers, you will bring the dead Winter, or myself, back to life. Imbolc is the day that the Sentient healing power is at its most potent."

He paused to allow them to completely take in what he'd said.

"There isn't much time, Dr. Granger. I have to know if you'll undergo the ritual with me. Without you, all is lost." It was obvious Voldemort had not lost his flair for the dramatic.

"I--" Hermione began.

Suddenly, there was a shout from the doorway and to Draco and Hermione's surprise, Lucius Malfoy stepped quickly into the room. His eyes barely flicked on them before turning to Voldemort. "My Lord! I beg your pardon for the intrusion, but I'm afraid that something has come up that needs your attention immediately. A woman recently Apparated near Malfoy Manor and was picked up by my guards. She was rather disoriented, but she gave her identity. I know you'll want to speak with her."

"Who is it?" asked Draco in curiosity.

Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son and looked inquiringly at the Dark Lord, who nodded his assent. "Yes, tell us," he said. "Who does she say she is?"

"It's Taryn Butler, my Lord."

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There was a moment of stunned silence before Voldemort took command of the situation. "Put her in the Interrogation Room. I'll attend to this shortly," he snapped. He turned to Hermione and noticed the rattled look on both Draco and Hermione's facIt wIt was absolutely genuine.

From his place on the bookshelf, Severus heard everything and marveled at Albus Dumbledore. "Say what you will," he thought. "The man is absolutely brilliant." The only thing they'd told Hermione and Draco was that there was to be a major diversion, something that would break up the meeting and clear the room so that Severus could duplicate the book. Albus told Hermione that he wanted their reaction to be completely genuine. They were to do whatever Voldemort instructed and the rest would be up to Severus. While Filius had been keeping track of both Hermione and Draco through the crystal ball, Albus had been coordinating the efforts to bring Taryn Butler to Malfoy Sr.'s attention. It had to be timed just perfectly.

Voldemort looked as angry as a red boil. "I thought you told me she was dead, Mr. Malfoy!" he roared.

Draco swallowed hard. He let his natural ability to think on his feet take over. "My Lord," he said firmly. "I assure you that I knew nothing of this. Albus Dumbledore doesn't even know we're here. And while you can criticize me for not knowing Taryn Butler is alive, surely you understand that even Dumbledore knows that it's best not to divulge everything to all members of The Order of the Phoenix. It would make him very vulnerable. Instead, like yourself, he spreads his information amongst us in fractured pieces. Perhaps he figured that he would tell us all about this in a meeting, when it's all over. Although," he frowned, "I don't know why he's allowed her to be released, when he went through all the trouble to fake her death."

"I intend to find out, Mr. Malfoy." He turned to Hermione and gave her a smile. "I'm sorry, my dear, but I must cut this short. I so wanted to continue tng wng with you. Of course, you have free choice in this matter, I would not dream of forcing you. You may Disapte fte from the cottage grounds. One of my servants will see you out. I hope you don't mind, but I feel that I'll need Draco's assistance in this matter, so he'll be staying. I'm sure you'll understand."

Hermione smiled at him and nodded. "I have to confess my Lord, I was most apprehensive about meeting you. However, I now see you in a completely new light. Draco believes you're sincere and I trust Draco with my life. This has been most interesting. We'll be in touch." She held out her hand for him to kiss.

"Stupid cow," thought Voldemort as he pressed a frozen kiss on her hand.

"Fucking bastard," thought Hermione, as she suppressed the urge to vomit.

Voldemort slowly walked over to the book and pulled out the translated parchments. "Here," he said. "Take this with you. I'll need your answer soon, preferably within 24 hours. Send word with Mr. Malfoy. I must have several days to prepare the potion for the ritual, should you agree."

"Until we meet again, my Lord," Hermione murmured. She was led out of the room by a Death Eater, leaving only Lucius, Draco and Voldemort. Of course, Severus was coiled in a dark corner, listening to everything.

"How did it go, Excellency?" asked Malfoy, Sr.

Voldemort chuckled. "Better than I'd hoped. Your son's charm must be irresistible. I'm completely certain the girl is going to undergo the ritual. But for now, we must deal with Taryn Butler. Follow me, gentlemen."

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

Once the room was completely cleared, Severus quickly slid down the bookcase, careful not to knock over the statue as he went around it. Slithering over to the table that held the book, he did what was probably the most dangerous part of the plan:

He transformed himself back into a human.

They'd debated and debated this part of the plot, but there was no getting around it. He was a very talented wizard, but casting a series of secret spells on objects he could barely see as a snake was just too risky. Not to mention the fact that nev never previously attempted to wield his magic as a snake. His Animagus form had been used solely for stealth purposes, with the intention of getting him from one place to another, in secret.

So it had been decided that he was going to have to transform back to a human to complete the last part of his task. Looking around quickly, he went to the opened book, which was still lying on the table.

Using magic was going to be tricky, but they were relying on two things to aid them in their task: One was that Voldemort had absolutely no idea that Severus was alive and that he could transform as a snake. The Dark Lord had been getting a little careless with his security, a little arrogant and Severus knew that nobody had entertained the possibility that a spy was currently within the cottage. Wizards, even experienced, powerful ones like Voldemort, could not see what they did not expect.

The second thing working in their favor was that, short of serving Harry Potter on a silver platter, having Taryn Butler make an unexpected appearance completely and profoundly distracted Voldemort and Malfoy, Sr. Severus was certain that if he worked quickly and efficiently, he would be able to escape unnoticed.

He quickly muttered a duplicating spell and conjured a second copy of "Arcanus Sentiens". He then reduced the duplicated book to a very tiny size and walked over to the bookcase, tucking the small tome behind the shelves, on the floor.

One of the first things he'd noticed while climbing up the shelves as a snake was that the bookcase was situated on a far wall, next to a window. There was a small gap behind the shelves, into which a snake could easily crawl. The gap was also small enough to hide a tiny book. Severus shoved the small book in the gap and darted his eyes around the room.

Muttering another spell, he created a small, deep hole in the stone wall behind the bookcase . . . again, a hole that could easily accommodate a snake.

Severus looked around quickly, giving the room one last perusal. Transforming himself back into the adder, he allowed himself a moment to wonder how Draco was doing. "I hope the boy is all right," he thought anxiously, before sliding back behind the bookcase. Clenching the tiny book in his mouth, he escaped through the newly formed hole to the outside of the cottage, his snake form still intact. He was easily able to dart amongst the trees and rocks, his inky blackness hidden in the darkness. He eventually made his way down the path to the ocean where, transforming himself back into a human, he allowed one last look towards the cabin before Disapparating back to Hogwarts.

His last thought was of his nephew.

Until Draco Malfoy appeared back at the school, Severus was going to have an anxious time of it. The plan would not be a success unless Draco was able to get away unscathed from the Dark Lord and his father. He also knew that they would not hesitate to kill Draco if they thought he'd betrayed them.

"Please Merlin," he thought. "Let the boy come home safely."

To be continued . . .

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A/N: Thanks to the gang for the nice reviews in the last chapter. Things are coming to a head (so to speak)!
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