Ron got hurt - 2

"Great, I suppose we could just use him as a hostage," Ron said, nodding towards Wormtail.

"They won't care," Harry replied, shaking his head. "We're going to have to fight our way out. We just have to reach the opening of the cave and get back on the rocks. We can Apparate right from there. That's what I did with Professor Dumbledore."

"It's getting there that'll be the hard part," Ginny said, taking a deep breath as if steeling herself for what was to come.

"How many of them are there?" Harry asked. "Did you get a good look?"

Hermione shook her head. "I didn't get a chance to count, but I'd say maybe half a dozen." She bit her lip while looking directly at Harry. "Harry, there's one more thing."

"What's that?" Harry asked, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"Snape was leading them," Ron spat.

Harry set his mouth in a grim line. A cold fury clenched at his heart whenever he heard the name of his former Potions Professor mentioned. The idea that he was here now – just outside the archway – filled Harry with a burning desire for revenge.

"Harry," Hermione said, holding up her arms. "Don't do anything stupid. You've destroyed the Horcrux, but there is still one more to find. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible. It's the other Horcrux that matters now, not Professor Snape."

Harry remembered the night he'd chased Snape across the Hogwarts' grounds, feeling such rage and fury. He'd wanted nothing more than to take Snape's life in return for the life Snape had just taken from Harry. He hadn't cared about anything else, not the prophecy, not Voldemort, not anything; he'd only wanted revenge.

Now that some time had passed, he still felt that boiling anger toward his former Potions master, but he was calm enough to realize that he did have a job to do. Still, he wasn't about to let Snape get away again if he could help it.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid, Hermione," Harry said, his voice deadly calm. "But if I can get him, I'm going to do it."

"Never mind Snape," Ginny snapped, grabbing his arm and spinning him towards her. "There's no guarantee that Voldemort isn't out there by now."

Harry's eyes widened. Ginny was right. The reason Voldemort had assigned Wormtail, Crabbe, and the others to this task was because they weren't bright enough to ask questions. Why, then, was Snape here at all? Voldemort would want to deal with anyone near his precious Horcruxes, personally.

Even if it weren't for the fact one Horcrux remained unaccounted for, Harry didn't feel ready to face Voldemort. He'd thought there would be more time – time to plan and strategize and to get his things in order – time to say goodbye.

"Ginny's right," Hermione said, her eyes widening. "Harry, what if Voldemort is out there?"

"Did you see him before the archway closed?" Harry asked, his eyes scanning the solid wall covering the arch.

"I don't know," Ron said, beginning to sound panicked. "I was focused on Snape. I didn't pay attention to any of the others."

Harry shook his head. "If Voldemort was there, you'd know. He's unmistakable," he said grimly.

"It doesn't mean he couldn't have arrived since the arch closed," Hermione said.

"This is what we're going to do. When I open that arch, I want everyone to stand clear just in case they cast spells first. If they do, we at least have better cover here. If not, we need to stick together and get out as fast as possible. Once you're outside the perimeter of the cave, Apparate to headquarters. I'll take Wormtail with me," Harry replied.