A True Belonging

Chapter 14

I'm running, and it's dark. So dark. What am I running from? Who's chasing me? I don't care look behind me in fear of finding out what waits back there. But then there's screaming. So much screaming. I have to look now. Who's screaming? Who? I turn around, at least I think I do, it's too dark to tell. But then I'm screaming. Screaming so much. And there's blood, my blood. The screams catch in my throat, make a gurgling sound as the blood rushes up my throat and out my mouth. My vision is blurry as I finally make out the figure above me. All I see is green now. Green and hatred and excitement and insanity. Me.

I wake up with a choked sob, struggling to push away the heavy weight clutching itself to my body.

"Shhh Harry, it's just me. You were having a nightmare. Hey, you're safe love, you're safe now." I hear Tom's voice, more than I register what he is saying, and quickly stop struggling, collapsing mindlessly against him and let myself sob into his shoulder.

Three weeks later Tom and I are in his office again. We had just gotten confirmation from Remus that the werewolves will join the battle as well, and now we are talking about using different people's abilities.

"I have an animagus form." I speak up, looking from the paper I had been writing on.

"Oh?" he raises an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yeah, a blue Phoenix actually."

"Hmm that might come in handy. When did this happen?"

I shrug, "a few years ago."

"I think you should enter the battle in that form and then change back when I give a signal. That could give us another advantage."

"Alright, I can do that. What kind of signal?" I ask, writing the idea on the paper along with the other plans we had made so far.

"Something through our link, probably. It would be easiest and not detected that way." I nod in agreement, writing it down.

"What about the minister?" I ask, brow creasing.

"I have Lucius gathering information against him right now. He will be back later to give me what he has so far and we can go through it then."

I help the twins build traps to place throughout Hogwarts. These traps are small, enough to fit in the palm of someone's hand, and have a circular shape. They are made with black slate stone, two pieces spelled together and an expansion charm between them where holes are carved into the middles. On the outside there are multiple runes carved into it, which once activated will trigger the trap. The traps themselves are aimed at trapping and injuring, but not killing. Once captured by the trap, you can only get out by deactivating the runes. So far we have made 137, but there has to be enough to place on every floor of Hogwarts. Which is why I am helping.

By the end of summer break, Tom and I have everything planned out and have told those who need to know. We are taking Hogwarts from all sides. I will take them from inside, with Draco, Pansy, Blaise, and Luna. Tom will come in from the entrance with his inner circle, vampires from the left, werewolves on the right and the rest of the death eaters from behind. Draco, Pansy, Blaise, Luna and myself will put the traps up two weeks in advance. We placed runes on them that will make them undetectable.

It takes 4 nights to get all the traps set up on each floor, and the four of us spend the night in the room of requirement, skipping classes the following day. We are currently all lounging in the room of requirement, eating light meals in silence before the battle is to begin. Luna, Draco and I are sharing a couch across from Blaise and Pansy who are wrapped around each other as much as they possibly can be.

"You remember the plan?" I ask quietly, swallowing a piece of treacle tart. It's Luna who answers me.

"Of course. We aren't going to forget Harry, it's going to be fine." her smile is soft, voice gentle. I sigh, knowing she is probably right.

"Right. So after we all safely get through this battle, what are your plans?" Pansy asks with a small smile, "my first plan is to get engaged to Blaise, whenever he decides to ask. Then maybe travel the world."

"Of course I'm going to ask. I just don't plan to tell you when." Blaise sorts, tugging her closer to him. She rolls her eyes, but grins up at him. I can see the love they have for each other, and it makes my chest ache for Tom.

"I think I'll become a mediwitch, maybe. Or a writer. Maybe even both." Luna has a far away look in her eyes, dreamy as though imagining herself in the future. I can't help but smile at this, glad they ask have plans. 'What are my plans, though? I think...'

"Tom. I want to maybe be with him, if he wishes to be with me. And I want to keep all of us together as friends. Maybe I'll be Tom's right hand man for a while longer."

"Of course he wants to be with you Harry." Draco scoffs at me, smirking, "he's never looked at anyone else the way he looks at you. My plan is to be the best Malfoy ever."

"Yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes, smiling. 'The summer was extremely hard on all of us. However, we have gotten closer and thanks to Tom I'm doing better than I had been. I'm not completely better and I probably never will be, but it's progress. That's more than I had ever been hoping for. I couldn't have gotten this far without my friends and Tom.'

"Harry?" I twitch slightly at the sound of Tom speaking through the link, sighing a second later before standing up.

"Here. Ready?" I reply back to him, watching everyone tense and stand up.

"Ready."

I take a deep breath, letting it slowly out before turning to my friends. No. Before turning to my family.

"Let's go." I change into my blue Phoenix animagus form a second later, and we all leave the room, wands in hand, Draco speaking the words to activate the traps. Now they will be triggered by movement.