Harry potter and The Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 6 - Too finis an Encounter

~~~***~~~


When Harry shut the doorway to his room and descended the steps he was, perhaps, the happiest he had ever been in all his biography. The sun sent golden rays streaking through the coloured windows above and cast a golden figure on the base below, tinged with enough red to make Harry reckon fleetingly of Fawkes. His hair a dishevel slew, he was wearing a T-shirt, boxers and socks, one with a rather large hole through which the large toe on his right foot protruded. He scratched his stomach as his nose took in the odour of something that resembled the smell of burning ham. He took one step down and turned to seem back at his way. His room ? His house ? No, not really. Not anymore. And he was thankful for that and smiled all the more as the odour of unfermented coffee filled the air, perhaps the lonesome thing Sirius could cook properly.

When he pushed open the door to the kitchen of bit twelve, Grimmauld Place, he found Dog Star working feverishly in forepart of the cooking stove. His wand was casting turn after charm, not so a great deal at the food for thought cooking, but in an crusade to net the smoke that was billowing throughout. Harry walked over and turned down the flame with a wave of his hand.

"Here,"he said gently,"let me help."His godfather looked wounded.

"No, really, I wanted to make you breakfast. You know, firstly day of shoal and all."He cracked an egg and put both liquid and shell in the same bowl and started mixing it with his scepter. Harry chuckled kindly and shook his head in disbelief. It was enceinte being free of Privet Drive, to be here with his godfather, to finger require and value. It was probably the first meter he had ever opened a package of Sir Francis Bacon for breakfast without a moody taste in his mouth. He gave Sothis a looking at that said,"Get real,"and then positioned himself squarely in strawman of the stove.

"I'm not bad at this,"offered Harry, cracking four eggs at once into a bowlful and discarding the shells with a movie of his wand. Sirius shrugged and started to sit, but Harry stopped him."Oh no you don't. You need to see how this is done, and when I come back for Christmas it'll be your turn."Dog Star seemed to like the challenge, and the idea that he would be spending Christmas with Harry.

"You know,"said Sirius pouring two cup of coffee,"I hear New House of York is spectacular at Christmas time. Have you ever been to the States ?"Harry rock his chief."Maybe we could go for a immediate visit."

"I promised Gabri—"

"Visit,"Sirius cut in."That's all. Maybe Gab can hail along."

"If we're not at war,"said Harry glumly.

"Or if the war's over by then,"suggested Canicula with Sir Thomas More optimism. Harry nodded plating the food and levitating the plateful to the table.

Sirius ate like a dog and finished in about three minutes. Harry was more pensive, and while he did cease, it took him much longer. The nice thing about being of age was that he didn't have to walk or conduct a car to go to King's Cross post. For that topic, he didn't need to go to King's crossbreeding at all ; he could Apparate to Hogsmeade and walk in from there. Only the Head Boy and forefront Girl had to take the gear with their housemates, and this year the head word Girl was none other than Hermione Granger. Odd, Harry thought, considering she'd nearly killed Theodore Nott last class. He smiled and took another sip of java. Hermione didn't know who the Head Boy was, but it wasn't Ron. Still, the redhead and his girl were inseparable and so Harry would be travelling too. When Harry told Gabriella he would be going to Hogwarts by train, her case fell momentarily and grew concerned.

"Then I go as well,"she declared, and she began to shiver slightly. The thought sent a cold chill down Harry's backbone as the warm up deep brown slipped down his throat.

"Any more bacon ?"asked Sirius rummaging through the crusted genus Pan about the stove.

"That Black person clobber you fried up over there on the face is bacon ; at least it used to be."

Sirius poked at it a few times, and then finally took a bite. His face took on a little bitter tone as it scrunched ever so slightly, then he took another chomp, shrugging his articulatio humeri. His teeth and tongue covered in charcoal he said,"You'd better get ready. Is your trunk packed ?"He glanced at the hourglass on the counter.

"Er… yeah,"Harry lied."Just a few more things."He levitated his plate to the sump which was piled high with pots and cooking pan from the last few Clarence Day."Do you require me to shoot forethought of these before I—"

"I'll take care of it,"Dog Star lied."Go get yourself ready."Harry shrugged and nodded his brain, and started up the steps, once again scratching his abdomen and knowing replete wellspring it would be Clarence Day, perhaps weeks, before the swallow hole was cleared.

It was strange really, getting ready for his last year at Hogwarts. So often he was rushed in the hustle and bustle of the Weasley home. This year, however, Harry wanted to be with his own family line — Sirius Black. And it was the advantageously decision he'd ever made. It had only been a few days, but in that shortstop time Sirius and Harry did absolutely… nothing. There were opportunity to talk about the old sidereal day when Sirius palled around with St. James ; there were hazard to praxis move on spell or check the functioning of some of the gold instruments that still lined the walls in the Black crime syndicate cogitation ; there were times when they could take in discussed how Harry brought Sirius back from behind the curtain ; and at every turn, at every open door, Harry and Dog Star simply took the time to enjoy each early in the here and now. They played chess ; the played cards ; they raced Caduceuses across the London sky at Nox ; they drank, probably too a great deal ; and they laughed more than they had laughed in a retentive, tenacious meter. Canicula'middle had never been brighter, and Harry's nitty-gritty had never been lighter.

This sentence when Harry readied himself at the breast doorway to provide, there was no iniquity swarm hanging over their heads, but rather an tidal bore excitement about the yr to descend and what it would bring. They drew strength from each former knowing that whatever war was around the box, whatever dark rose on the horizon, they would face it together. For a consequence they just stared at each former and around the room.

"Er… Right then,"began Sirius."Off you go."He nervously patted the sides of his hips with his hands.

"I'll… I'll owl you when I get in,"replied Harry. Sirius nodded. Silence."rightfield, then."There was another prospicient pause."Bloody hell,"Harry cursed and he walked over and pulled Sirius to him tightly with a grand hug. Dog Star responded in kind.

They held each other for more than than a second and then Canicula whispered in a somewhat rasping spokesperson,"Be careful."Harry pulled away wearing an tremendous smile.

"I've never been anything but !"He winked, there was a cracking, and he was gone.

He Apparated to an out of the way localization just down the street from King's crossbreeding post and began walking. The recently break of the day was crystallise, and he was surprised to regain the air so cold. He'd been spending so much time inside with Sothis he hadn't thought much about the weather. His coat was in his proboscis, and he didn't experience much like opening that in the middle of a street filled with Muggles. He shivered, rubbed his arms, and continued on his way. He was coming to the starting time dance step of the station when a beggar boldly stepped in presence of him demanding a contribution. Wearing a trade good three days'stubble, his clothes were filthy, and his breathing space smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Come on, mate,"he wheezed."Just a Sudanese pound fer me condition. I ain't eatin'in days."

"Sorry,"said Harry earnestly,"I don't have a pound."

"Surely a schilling ?"

Harry kept walking trying to disregard the intruder."Really,"he said over his berm,"I don't have any money."The man grabbed Harry by the arm.

"I can hear the doggerel in yer bloomers, boy !"It was true that Harry had a few galleons in his pocket, but no Muggle money of any variety. He was sorry for that, but he was irritated for being called a boy and he turned to face the beggar.

"Call me a boy again, and you—"

"You'll what !"spat the wino, stepping toe-to-toe with Harry. The sight was a bit mirthful since Harry was not the small child he once was. Indeed he was a burly new man, and he stood a in force four inches taller than his opposer. Curling the fingers on his good hand, he was about to say just what he'd do when a intimate tingling ran up his spine. He grabbed for his wand, but too late. Or at least it would have been if he had been the objective. The drunk stood motionless, eyes glazed, body frozen in military position. Harry looked up just as a hand gently took him by the arm.

"Sorry about that, sir,"said a new man not often older than Harry."I… er… I wasn't paying attention. Won't happen again, I promise."

The man, still in his teens, wore a dour gray-haired suit with slender blue piping, a Burgundy wine tie and white shirt. The dark spyglass reminded Harry of old James bail picture show, but the whitened tennis horseshoe with red lacing told Harry at once he was dealing with a whizz. Then he noticed the shape of the jaw, the phonation, but the hair—

"Finnius ?"Harry asked, wondering if he was talking to the quondam promontory Boy of Hufflepuff who at gradation had a start at a beard and hairsbreadth that hung down to his waist."I thought you were going to start a band ? The… er, The Grindly toilet ?"

"Erm,"said Finnius, looking around nervously,"can we keep on going ?"

"Why ? What's the thing ?"

"Well… see, I'm supposed to—"

"Not you ?"Harry exclaimed in incredulity."Surely the Ministry—"

Finnius pulled Harry by the arm just as the drunk began to come to his weed. Quickly, they climbed the steps and found themselves in a sea of people heading to their platforms at King's hybridizing. Perspiration was popping out on Finnius'forehead and Harry wondered if he hadn't wet himself he looked so unquiet."It's just… well, I promised Tonks and already I've made a pickle of things."

"You work with Tonks ?"Harry asked with a bit more excitement and interest group. He hadn't heard from her all summer, and she wasn't at the Joining with Singehorn."Is she okay ? Where is she ?"Finnius continued to usher Harry toward platform nine and three-quarters holding Harry with his right hand and wiping his brow with his left.

"Yeah, well, she's the one that convinced me I could be an Auror. Said she'd railroad train me, see… herself. But since that business at the Ministry last year, she's been in and out of infirmary and… well, now she's in and… well, she made me promise. See ?"

Harry didn't see, and he was getting a bit irritated. He yanked his arm out of Finnius'grip."What do you think she's in hospital ? What's unseasonable ?"Finnius looked away from Harry's intense gaze.

"Ah, here we are."They were at the platform."Just in sentence too !"Before Harry could say another word, Finnius gave him a bit of a shove and he plunged through the wall and found himself on the other side standing just in front of the Hogwarts express mail. Harry dropped his torso, reached for his wand and started back toward the paries when he was tackled from the face. The jiffy of predate black hair in his face told him at once it was Gabriella.

"You made it !"she cried."I was beginning to think—"She stopped, sensing at once that Harry's emotions were in turmoil."What's damage ?"And then she too looked at the wall to the international world."Who's out there ?"

The defeat on Harry's nerve was clear ; he was about to commove back out when his center caught something he had never before seen : Neville Longbottom was hugging his parents, Frank and Alice, so long. Alice held his font in her hands and planted a big wet kiss on his cheek. They were all smiling as Neville wiped it with his sleeve. Then Frank Longbottom handed his son something and, as Neville wrapped his fingerbreadth about the object, a more serious look came into his oculus. His dad slapped him on the shoulder and a thin out smiling appeared again as Neville boarded the train.

"He's capitulum Boy,"Gabriella said warmly.

Harry looked at Gabriella, then at the bulwark behind, and back to the train, then back to the wall."Come on, let's—"

"ALL ABOARD !"the music director called.

"Dean said he'd save us a spot,"said Gabriella, taking hold of Harry's hand. Harry took one last facial expression at the wall behind them, and then the two boarded the train. The corridor was crowded with scholarly person, particularly first year who were completely confused. What was detectable, however, was that the normal demarcation of house zone seemed to be somewhat blurred. There were Slytherins purposefully mixing in with Ravenclaws near the front of the train, and a mathematical group of tertiary yr Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors in another equipage playing snap. A few cars down Harry just caught a glimpse of person in Gryffindor robes disappearing into a stroller and so he and Gabriella followed. He pushed open the carriage door only to walk in on Neville and Helen of Troy kissing ; a sweet aroma filling the air.

"Oh,"said Harry."Sorry."Neville had Helen up against the wall and there was some sort of vine with delicate pink flowers wrapping itself around her arm and belly. She was wearing a smile and blushing slightly."Er… seen Dean ?"Neville who seemed about three inches taller than when Harry hold up saw him which was only a few weeks ago spoke through a beaming smile.

"Yeah, he's up forward."Then, with a positive flick of his wand Neville shut the door in Harry's aspect, following that with a charm that sealed it tight. Gabriella just raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"See what happens when you're late."She smacked Harry's stomach."That could have been us !"

They continued moving forward past assorted equipage when the wink of red pilus caught Harry's eye. It was Ron, and he was bickering with Hermione. The floor of the carriage they were in was littered with clothes, Scripture and several things Harry knew to be Ron's, most notably by the overabundance of socks.

"Honestly, Ronald,"said Hermione in a chide vocalization as if talking to a four year old."If you don't find it soon you'll have to secernate prof Flitwick, and if you won't I will."

"Is that a threat ?"stab back Ron, holding both custody on his hips and kicking at the hatful of dress on the storey. Gabriella walked in first.

"Is there something wrong ?"she asked gently, Harry only a step behind her.

"No, cypher's wrong,"snapped Ron immediately."Er… hey, partner !"he said with a wave at Harry.

"He's lost his wand,"exclaimed Hermione.

"I haven't lost anything,"retorted Ron in defiance."I've just… er…"

"have you tried summoning it ?"asked Harry, starting to rummage through the clothes on the equipage floor. The steeled facial expression of blast in Ron's center said that they had certainly tried that and many other things and would beset just not create any other prompting because Hermione has already made every possible prompting known in the Wizarding earth and none of them have worked.

"Hermione,"said Gabriella with a tone that Harry had come to know all too well, and yet was still new to Hermione."Perhaps one of my Slytherin housemates is playing a trick, most likely Teddy. Would you link up me and perhaps together we can work this little problem."Knowing Hermione's disposition toward Nott, Harry wondered if it was a wise theme to put the two in stopping point propinquity, but Gabriella may get been on to something. Certainly Nott would have the motivation to pull in a stunt like this, but perhaps Gabriella just wanted to get Hermione away from Ron for a bit. He smiled to himself realizing that it was probably both.

"Sure,"said Hermione. She cast one Thomas More look at Ron before she left and said,"And don't you stop looking !"The second the missy departed, Ron flopped down on the carriage bench and blew the hair out of his eyes.

"Bloody hell."

"Well, Fred or George VI can certainly get you a new wand,"offered Harry, sitting down across from Ron."Or maybe we can creep out this weekend and Apparate to Ollivanders."Unfortunately, Ron's look did not brighten at the suggestion.

"Look at us, Harry,"said Ron with a whimsical look on his human face, tinged with a bit of sourness."We were here six years ago, you and me. Do you think back ?"

There was a moment of silence as Harry watched the countryside solecism by. It wasn't the same train as six years ago, but it might as well have been.

"Yeah,"said Harry, almost in a rustle as he nodded his head,"I remember."

"Things haven't changed much."

"They've changed loads."Harry reached forward and pulled on the small goatee now sprouting from Ron's chin.

"Really ?"asked Ron with a snicker."Back then you were Harry ceramist, The Boy Who Lived, and I was Ron Weasley with a smudge of soil on my nose."

"That's not—"

"Now we're both of age and you're Harry Potter, guardian, defender and emissary, the virtuoso that destroyed Voldemort and brought peace with the giants, and I'm Ron Weasley the kid that can't find his BLOODY sceptre !"At the live on Christian Bible he stood up, kicked at the rampart, and put his iron boot all the way through.

Harry was trying to muster something to say when the door began to give. Angry, Ron instinctively reached for his sceptre to slam the door shut, but it wasn't there. He growled like a king of beasts and was about to physically slam the door shut when Patrick O'Riley, now in his second year, poked his head through.

"Was that you, Ron ?"asked Patrick brightly, nodding his head toward the hole that now protruded into the corridor. Then he noticed Harry."Hey, Harry ! dean said you were going to be up in his carriage."

"Later,"answered Harry."Right now I'm just—"

"St. Patrick,"cut in Ron, doing his best to continue chill out,"we don't have time to—"

"Prob'ly mad ‘ bout losin'this,"interrupted St. Patrick, and he held up Ron's baton. For a present moment Ron sputtered, unable to speak. Finally, he grabbed the wand and pulled it close, cradling it like a baby as a waving of assuagement passed over his body.

"Where'd you find it ?"asked Harry.

"Oh, I didn't,"said Patrick,"Jesse James did. When he showed it teh me, I knew at once whose it was. He was on his way teh take it teh Flitwick, but I told him I'd get it teh yeh."

"Er… thanks,"answered Ron."You're okay, kid."At last Ron smiled as he slipped his verge away.

"Why don't you and St. James stay in here,"offered Harry."I haven't heard from the Chang all summer and was wondering how Cho was doing."At these dustup, Patrick became noticeably uncomfortable.

"Gee, Harry,"he answered, looking back down the corridor,"we're already hangin'out with the Slytherins."

"Slytherins ?"asked Harry."I thought Epistle of James was going to start Gryffindor this year. He knows he can pick whatever house he wants doesn't he ?"

"Yeah, well, he changed his mind o'er the summer, I guess."Again he glanced nervously down the hall."Well… see yeh !"He smiled and disappeared down the corridor to the back of the train.

"That was a bit odd,"said Ron, sweeping away a few pairs of socks with his paw and sitting down on the bench.

"Yeah, it was."

"Why on earth would anybody choose Slytherin over Gryffindor ? Everyone knows they're cypher but a bunch of—"

"Yes ?"Gabriella stood at the overt room access, her finger drumming against the frame.

"Er…."

"…Sweethearts !"chimed Hermione gaily as she stepped into the pram with Gabriella."Except maybe… Teddy."She flopped down future to Ron.

"He didn't aim it too well when we asked if he'd stolen Ron's scepter,"continued Gabriella as she sat next to Harry. Hermione took Ron's paw and pulled him close to her.

"No, but he didn't dare use a cross Word of God or raise his voice,"said Hermione."Quite the gentleman's gentleman for a change."

"existence nearly killed can do that to some people,"said Ron.

"I could feel right away he was telling the truth,"said Gabriella,"so we decided to make out back. Patrick told us he found your wand."

"No, James Chang found it,"said Harry."Patrick only returned it. Did he tell you that James II has decided to go with Slytherin this yr ?"

"There, you see !"said Gabriella,"Another fine case. Saint James was one of the better first-class honours degree twelvemonth students as I recall."Ron pulled out his wand and looked at it closely.

"I should probably have it examined,"he said."Maybe Nott put him up to it."

"Oh, don't be derisory,"said Hermione, slapping his hand. Then she turned to Harry, trying hard to ignore the mess on the story."So how's Dog Star doing at Grimmauld space ?"

The hours passed quickly as lunch came and the of late afternoon brought drooping eyelid to everyone. Dean never made his way back to the rig, and they never endeavoured to move further up the train. They were all nodding off to log Z's when the train began to slow.

"Hogsmeade ?"asked Ron groggily. The midday sun seemed suddenly to fleet to darkness as if someone had just pulled down the curtain.

"No,"said Hermione with a bit of concern."It's too early."They all noticed the last word leave her lips in a whiff of smoke -- the air was growing colder by the second. They knew at once what was happening and each had their wand at the ready. The dark outside the train filled with news bulletin of igniter. Ministry safeguard had moved out to assemble the bombardment which was centred toward the presence of the train. incantation filled the air as Patronus after Patronus was being sent out against the assault Dementors. There were screeching all up and down the corridors, mostly from the youngest students.

"Ron,"said Hermione with a commanding voice."avail me amass the starting time years."Ron was up in a fanfare, and a consequence later his voice was barking order down the corridor for everyone to remain calm down, calling for the first years to muster at the galley. scholarly person began to move toward the backside of the caravan, away from the fighting.

"They're looking for you, Harry,"said Gabriella, holding her wand at the window. She cast a spell at the drinking glass, protecting it from attack, just as other windows began to shatter about the train.

"wellspring they're about to find me !"shot Harry as he started for the door. Gabriella grabbed his arm.

"You can't be serious. Who knows how many are out there. Your best using the railroad train as a—"The train lurched forward causing collective belly laugh all up and down the corridor. Then it began to move -- chug… choo-choo… chug… choo-choo… She was quickly gathering speed. There was another flurry of vivid T. H. White flashes of light cast against the darkness, and the afternoon light suddenly reappeared and the passion returned. Everyone cheered as the veil of dark became nothing More than a night cloud on the horizon behind the train.

A look of relief spread across Gabriella's face, but duskiness still remained in Harry's eyes as he reached and grabbed the wrist of the paw that was holding his arm. Slowly, but firmly he pulled her mitt away, and looked at her with a very grim formula. She sensed his emotions before he said the words and she didn't like what she was feeling. Finally, he spoke in a stern and heated voice.

"Don't EVER do that again."

"But—"

There was a shrieking that Harry knew at once to be Ginny's. In a trice he was out the door and down the corridor, only a step ahead of Neville Longbottom, and two steps behind Ron. Ginny was on her genu in the carriage, broken glass everywhere and tears streaming down her oculus. She grabbed her buddy by his sleeve.

"Do something, Ron !"she cried out."They've taken him. They've taken dean !"

"But… but he's right here, Gin"answered Ron, looking at James Byron Dean who was still seated on his chairwoman, but looking out the window at the rural mise en scene running past. It was Gabriella who noticed first.

"Oh, no,"she whispered, stepping past Harry and turning Dean to face up them all. There was a collective gasp. Still breathing, his centre were space, his face sunken, and his skin almost pale. He gave them no reaction at all. Ginny stood up and wrapped him in her arms, rocking him back and Forth River. On her digit was the ring dean had given her the year before. The firestone with which it was set had lost its brilliant glowing, its fire, its love extinguished.

"They've taken him,"she cried again."They've taken his soul."




Harry potter and the Burden of Becoming

Chapter 7 - The doomed Soul

~~~***~~~


Harry clenched his fist and spat,"piece of tail war."Other than that, only the rumbling of the train and the wind whistling through the shattered window accompanied Ginny's breathlessness. He stepped adjacent to Gabriella and watched helplessly as Ginny, a person teammate if ever he had one, rocked back and forth with Dean in her arms. James Byron Dean, breathing but lifeless, made no response. He might as well be a corpse - he'd be dear off. Harry felt the rage building within, but something was tempering it, something was focusing it. He gazed into wind as dope streamed by the broken window and a tear tracked down his cheek.

"Ginny,"Gabriella whispered, then louder,"Ginny."The redhead, her face wet, looked up at Gabriella."May I see him ?"Ginny sniffed, wiped her cheek and nodded silently. somebody, a girl, screamed at the room access and then ran down the corridor yelling for help.

"I'll get a Healer,"said Neville despondently to Harry. His voice was very much older and much sad than Harry had ever heard before. They both knew it was pointless.

"It won't do any beneficial,"thought Harry to himself, reaching for his wand and then nervously fiddling it with his finger. Then, out loud, he whispered,"He's gone."The rage roiled in his thinker as he watched the green hills roll by - a picture perfect day. Finally, his head found its lucidity."This was past forgiveness,"he thought to himself and his hand clenched tightly about his baton as he pulled it to the ready."I'll vote out them ! I'll vote out them all !"He would Apparate back down the cart track and destroy every Dementor that moved. He began the carpus motility when Gabriella grabbed his arm. His eye shot fire into hers."I told you—"he began.

"You're not thinking,"interrupted Gabriella, staring at him intently with disconsolate black eyes that demanded he not be so brash.

"I don't give care how many of them there are !"cried Harry.

"I'm with you, Harry !"yelled Ron."We'll kill ‘ em all !"

"YEAH !"cried others."LET'S GO !"

wand began to look from everyone.

"Harry !"shot Gabriella."THINK !"She pulled him close."You know a just way !"

Harry's mind began to race ; there was no time for this. The stone ? Was she talking about the stone ? Certainly she didn't mean that he could heal Dean's someone using the stone."I don't have time—"

"Your interpreter, Harry,"she said softly but with a abrupt tone.

vocalism ? Voices ! She couldn't be serious. She had wanted to work on with him on the voices, the giving of those who had touched him at the Joining, but he chose instead to spend his time with Sirius. All those present at the Joining on Singehorn's batch were, in several ways, a part of him now. They had shared of themselves freely, but there were so many he couldn't screen them out and time was dripping through his finger.

"I can't."

"You must."

For a moment, as more vocalisation clambered about the corridor for a counterattack on the Dementors, he tried to reach down rich inside, calling to those who had shared of themselves, scanning through countless memories, snippets of pictures that spanned centuries.

"This is insufferable,"he said with a suspiration.

"Come on, Harry ! Let's belt down them !"someone called from seat. It was Anthony Goldstein. Very well said, thought Harry, but Anthony's Patronus would be lucky to push away a single Dementor let alone dozens. Unfortunately, before Harry could say another Christian Bible, Anthony gave Harry the most peculiar look and shouted,"For our family, first mate !"There was a pop and Goldstein was gone. It was followed by another pop and another snapshot. elder students were Disapparating from everywhere.

"hold ! stop consonant"Harry yelled."You're… you're not quick !"

"mummy's seen them, Harry,"said Gabriella above the snaps and papa."She may bonk. Think of her… be her !"

Harry closed his eyes once again and focused on Soseh. His head dwelt on the warmness of her cordial reception and the aroma of her kitchen, but Gabriella turned his mind.

"Coldness. vacuum,"she whispered."The sense of smell of decay, of death."

figure filled Harry's mind. picture of what was, what is, what might be. He saw Dakhil, a much younger looking Dakhil, blood dripping from the turning point of his mouth ; he saw himself hanging from the window on Privet Drive, an odd glow surrounding his half-naked body ; he saw Grigor looking cruel and defiant ; he saw the cold utter consistence of Antreas, stab wounds covering every inch of his bare pectus ; Death, and then he saw them.

It was night and the entirely auditory sensation, beyond a lone screeching in the darkness, was the grating breath of the oncoming Dementor. Just a few metrical foot away, a young girl was cowering beneath the cloaked figure. Just to her left was a man, somewhere in his late twenty dollar bill, a dragon emblazoned on his aright forearm. Ignoring the man, the Dementor pulled back his exhaust hood revealing its skull-like masquerade party of horror, a turgid hole where perhaps a mouth should be. The vision seemed so rattling Harry tried to reach for his wand, but found his munition shackled to a gem wall.

The girl screamed as the Dementor drew in its breathing space in a great wheeze. Another scream… another wheeze. On the tertiary wheeze, the daughter made no sound ; her dull eyes opened, staring blankly up at her attacker. It was then, as if empowered with a second vision, Harry saw it : the incandescence. He watched the deliquium prosperous white light being pulled into the hole in the Dementor's porta. He expected it to melt into the dark, but it didn't. The Dementor pulled his hood up over his skull, but Harry could still perceive the glow trying to fight its way out. It was as if the Dementor was shining, backlit by a spotlight from above."I see,"Harry whispered and the swarthiness rushed away to be replaced by the lights and rumblings of the racing Hogwarts Express.

"I see !"cried Harry."I…"He paused."Soseh can see,"he said slowly shaking his forefront."Soseh has the gift, I don't, at least not yet. I haven't tried. There's no way I can—"Gabriella's center were fixed on his. He knew she bore her mother's talent of sight, and her eyes were telling him that she too must go."No,"he said flatly."You're staying here."

"It's the lone way, Harry,"she said, still holding his arm."If we find the one in time, then… then you use the stone to draw back James Dean's spirit force."Everyone looked at the two as if they'd both gone mad. There were pace racing their way down the corridor. Harry glanced back, knowing that once the Aurors found out about the flak and the flight of stairs of the students they'd be blasting Dementors right and left. With one wrong magic spell, James Dean's soul would be lost forever.

"We must go now,"she insisted. Harry held the hand clutching his arm and nodded his assent.

On two, they both Apparated back into the darkness. It was as if they had just landed themselves in the middle of an ominous electrical storm that had extinguished the sun. All was blackness save for the flashgun of lighting - wandlight from the attacking scholarly person. Harry felt the heat rushing out of his os and heard the screech in his ears.

"Can - you - see - the - one ?"Harry yelled over the din. His part held hope, but his affection had none. There were at least a hundred Dementors swarming about, skimming across the hillside, trying to decide if the recently arrived thaumaturgist were to be feared or consumed. Harry saw a Patronus, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe of an enormous owl, dip into a radical of about a half dozen Dementors and sent them flying. About thirty railway yard away, near a stand of trees, Goldstein's sceptre was doing little more than lighting up the small clearing of grass in front of him. A Dementor was closing in on him when three student from Ravenclaw converged, simultaneously casting an Incendio magical spell and incinerating the creature. Harry's heart skipped. Could that have been—

"This way !"hailed Gabriella, pulling on Harry's arm as she held her eyes shut. She was pulling them closer into the clique. Harry conjured a hart that split the sea of Dementors, if only for a instant, the rift closing behind the burnished wildcat as it passed through. But in that moment, Gabriella squeezed Harry's arm.

"Yes !"she said with more certainty. Her eyes still closed she cried,"Follow me !"

They were plunging right into the affection of the cloud of blackness. Gabriella was moving more swiftly. She let go of Harry's arm and began to jog ahead. Harry followed sending another Patronus ahead of her and splitting them away. Rather than focus on Harry and Gabriella, the Dementors seemed to opt the easier prey near the trees and began to displace away. He could get wind the screams behind him as Gabriella pulled her wand and uttered something in Armenian. A Edward Douglas White Jr. glow enveloped her as if she held a lead at the tip of her wand. She pressed on ever forward, her pace gathering pep pill, but her scepter dimming as each new Dementor tried to penetrate its glowing surface.

"hurriedness, Harry !"she called back. The terrain was rockier here and they were moving along the English of a Hill and the encourage they moved along the more steep the slope grew, making it more difficult to traverse. Harry heard a solicitation of snaps behind him ; the Aurors had arrived. He looked back at the great swarm of Dementors unwittingly racing toward the new collection of emotions. Just as he turned back to look at Gabriella his base slipped on a stone and his ankle twisted under his weightiness. He fell to the ground and tumbled a commodity XX feet down the position of the hill, scraping the incline of his leg badly before he came to rest.

He looked up and saw the flickering freshness of Gabriella's wand disappear over the edge of the hill. Three Dementors swarmed over him - it was the lastly thing they ever did. melanize blood sprayed all over the reason as Harry blasted his way through, grimacing from the pain in his ankle as he took each hanker stride. It was then that he realized he hadn't a cue what to do when he came upon the Dementor they wanted. Gabriella had said to use the pit, but how ? And how would he sustain the Dementor from simply fleeing ? His mortise joint throbbing, Harry past another large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and came up over the side of the hill. The ground opened up beneath him, running down maybe twenty grounds and then spreading out into a huge plain that stretched on until it disappeared into the clammy mist of swarthiness. Sunlight was trying to penetrate the hazy swarm of blackness casting an eerie red incandescence over the immature landscape before him. It was then when his heart sank.

Just at the end of his vision, Harry could see the flickering glow of Gabriella's wand. Only now it was more glint than Light. About her were two Dementors, the only two to be seen and they were circling her like predator. Each would swoop up around and then dip at Gabriella only to bounce from her failing harbor charm. It wouldn't be longsighted before—

The buckler failed, and Harry heard her screech. He was too far away to do anything but run, and that's just what he did. He ran with all his might, hurt stabbing at his leg with each strike at the ground as if a snapping snake were ever at his heel. He was perhaps L 1000 away when an enormous red light burst from Gabriella's baton, filled the air about her, and one of the Dementors burst into flame. Harry could hear its gurgling war cry as it tried to fly away, but plunged into the grass starting a small fire, black skunk billowing upward. Harry was now twenty grounds away as he watched the second Dementor crouch over Gabriella and he heard her wow.

There was a pop just off to his rightfield. An Auror appeared, wand drawn.

"No !"Harry cried. The Auror looked only briefly at Harry then set to spew a magical spell at the Dementor hovering over Gabriella.

"Petrificus Totalus !"called Harry. The Auror went erect and fell to the ground. Ten 1000. Gabriella screamed again and this time Harry could hear the raspy wheeze of the Dementor as it tried to root for away her soul. With a swell jump Harry jumped forward, wrapped his arm around Gabriella and the two of them rolled away from beneath the grip of the Dementor. When they came to roost, Gabriella was on top of him ; the golden necklace he had given her with the Gryffindor signet - a lion baring two crimson red eyes - that came from professor McGonagall hung round her neck and swung back and Forth River in front of Harry's brass. He had remembered McGonagall's countersign :"For clock time of darkness."And then he heard the vocalism of Dumbledore, as if he were whispering in Harry's ear, only the whisper was coming from Harry's lips.

"Really, Nicolas ? An glamour golden chain will trap them ? I never heard of such a thing."

The Dementor's growing wheeze signalled its approach when Harry grabbed the tiny golden chain off Gabriella's neck. He rolled her to the side, feeling the cold approaching from behind. With one last gravid attempt he heaved himself upward, tossed the Ernst Boris Chain in the air and cast a spell he had never uttered before, but one that Dumbledore knew. The lilliputian golden chemical chain grew snakelike in shape and proportion, but its question was the head of a Leo with flaming red eyes. With the flick of his wand Harry levitated the glowing, gilt, lion-headed Snake toward the coming low temperature, and it began to loop itself around the Dementor several times. Round and round in LE time than it takes to undo a shoe string the Dementor was cinched tight from school principal to toe. Struggling to get by, the contraband beast could not strike and ultimately fell to the pasture.

"Harry ?"Gabriella's phonation whispered weakly from behind."Harry ?"

He knelt down by her side at once."Are you okay ?"he asked.

"The Isidor Feinstein Stone. Use the stone before the others come."

The vivificus stone had not been used since it was charged at the connection. Singehorn had told Harry that fire was good but love was something far more sufferable. And the Harlan Stone, snuggled close to Harry's liver, was already covered in Harry's blood. All that remained was the incantation :"Bravery, sapience, Love."

In an instant, Harry found himself in what he had, in his own mind, decided was an antechamber of sorts. All was white-hot waiting for his asking. For a mo his idea hovered on Gabriella, but he knew he was forbidden on using it to the advantage of another in the Votary. Instead, he called to the spread out wind,"appearance me doyen's soul !"

He expected to see a swirl of colouring material, but instead he saw a swirl of dim. His heart skipped for fear that he had done something awry, but his own smell held tight to the indigence to save his acquaintance if at all possible. The iniquity spread before him and in this emptiness a stench filled Harry's anterior naris. It was then when he realized where he was, what he was entering - the life military force of the Dementor.

total darkness and rot filled his visual sensation. Strand of oily fibre hung from above and when Harry looked to see their origin, all that was visible was talk duskiness. He was reminded of the crevasse into which he and Dog Star had fallen and a very real part of him wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible. He was cold and growing colder as he forced is beware's eye to press onward into the depth of the Dementor's essence, an unsatiable need to feed.

At first, the audio were distant sound reflection coming from down a recollective tunnel, voices perhaps, or brute screaming. Harry moved toward the speech sound and found the darkness press in all around him. Though in here he really had no corporeal form, something wet and pasty splattered against his face ; the desire to wretch was strong. Then he heard the sounds again.

Yes, they were screaming, but human sidesplitter, calling just ahead. Floating deeper into the darkness, his foot tangled on something he could not see. He pulled and freed himself and then realized his teeth were chattering."This is not possible,"he thought to himself and now an even greater part of him wanted to return."I can't do this."He glanced back to see a bantam patch of white no bigger than a postage postage stamp Roman mile away. He could be there and back to safety in the flash of a cerebration.

Then he heard a spokesperson, clear and inviolable above the others, telling them to quiet down down, to listen. It was familiar, but it wasn't Dean's. There was something nurturing about this voice, something that made one feel dependable. Harry pressed forward. It felt ilk 60 minutes, although it was probably little more than the time it takes a star to twinkle, when he saw the faint golden incandescence ahead. He ached and felt that at any second he would collapse and be trapped in this darkness forever. The voice called out again and his pulse quickened as he hurried forward. Against his consistence he felt the sense experience of ice-cold paw pulling at his sprit, trying to arrest him, but still he moved ahead. The cold was unbearable, the sense of concern was overwhelming, and that's when he saw him, towering tall above the others huddled in the black muck : Mr. Silverton. It was the like adept from Hogsmeade that had tried to save genus Draco's life the class before, but had failed in the attack. Harry had always seen him as a rather meek yet well-disposed man when he visited Hogsmeade, but here he stood taller than sprightliness, translucent in a prosperous brilliancy.

"rush, save the fry !"he called out to Harry, and then he added as if he'd always known,"protector of the Innocent !"

Harry looked down to see those huddled at Silverton's substructure. They were there, nearly a dozen souls, children mostly. Each was translucent, each glowed bright, though some Thomas More than others. The vivid of these was the untested black ace, who seemed utterly lost. Dean looked straight at Harry, but did not recognize him.

"Help,"he pleaded in a unaccented, grating voice."Where am I ?"

"No one stays behind,"Harry said to Silverton."I'm taking you all."And without another word he reached out his bridge player and with his head summoned the souls toward him. Silverton stood business firm as if guarding the rise, guiding them toward Harry's summons. First, and most unforced, came Dean, then a young fille with black hair… a boy with bright blueness eyes… and on… and on…. Each soul came to… came into Harry as if he were an tremendous vacuum pulling them in. When the last left the mire at Silverton's metrical foot the older superstar smiled.

"You have done well,"he said warmly."tone ending us now, and I will lead them home."

The cold was pressing in on Harry once again, fighting one last desperate onset to hold back its precious treasure as Silverton floated toward Harry.

"H-Home ?"Harry asked through chattering teeth."H-Heaven ? D-Dean needs t-to—"

"Release us, Harry,"breathed Silverton as he became one with Harry.

"Home."

The blackness began to festinate away with a not bad lacrimation sound. Harry felt as if his legs were being pulled backward by a tether that held him tight to the humans can. flash bulb of varying shades of gray screamed past, and then with a tremendous wooosh Harry found himself back in his trunk on the grassy field looking upward at the milky-blue sky.

"Harry !"Gabriella cried as his eyes blinked against the sudden brightness.

He felt dizzy, then firm, more knock-down than he had ever felt. But then he realized why ; he still held their biography force. He could use this energy, this might in the war to occur. They could be victorious ! Then, a slow sigh slipped past his backtalk, and before he lifted his head off the grass he closed his eyes and whispered,"Hhhhome."It was a farseeing, easy, dyspnoeic word that sent shudder down Gabriella's spine. He could experience the energy plinking out from within him as each soul drifted upward. Perhaps it was a hallucination, for Gabriella said later she saw no such vision, but before Harry the translucent consistency of all the baby hovered for a moment just above him. They looked down, smiling when at last Mr. Silverton emerged. He took the small miss's hand and in the succeeding moment they all rose above the crown and disappeared from great deal, Dean travelling with them ever upward.

Harry was sealed he heard Dean's voice utter,"Goodbye."

A lone tear spilt from his eye when Gabriella reached down and lifted his forefront into her lap. Harry raised his handwriting and summoned the golden chain that surrounded the Dementor."This is yours I think,"he said softly.

"But—"

"It's numb,"Harry answered before she could ask. And indeed the Dementor lay lifeless on the ground, deflated somewhat, as if it had been decaying there for months.

The air blasted with the report of two forte dada as a couplet of Aurors appeared clad in red Ministerial robes. One noticed the Auror some yards away on the primer still stiffened by Harry's spell. The other reached down to help oneself Harry and Gabriella to their metrical foot.

"You can't stop here,"the Auror said, then he noticed who he was speaking with and turned to his companion."It's thrower !"He held Harry more firmly as if his life might reckon on it."You've got to give back to the train. misfire, will you help—"

"Hey ! He fired on—"the Auror that had been petrified began, but in that jiffy both Harry and Gabriella had Apparated back to the geartrain.

They appeared in the corridor of the train, near the rear, and Harry stumbled to the flooring when he landed. He hated Apparation, and this was his first attempt at hitting a moving target. If Gabriella hadn't been holding his hand… He didn't want to believe about it.

He was a bit dizzy and disoriented, but he grabbed a rig doorway handle and pulled himself up to his groundwork, taking a trembling step forward."Dean,"he muttered."I've got to see if…"He began to crumple to the level when Gabriella grabbed his arm. He looked at her clenched hand and then at her eyes and smiled."Thank you,"he said softly."Did I ever tell you that I thought you were brilliant ?"Her face did not smile back. Her nerves were too wracked with concern as her heart darted up the corridor.

"Yes, yes,"said Harry."Let's go."

Two auto down there was a multitude of scholarly person that only parted when they realized who it was. When Harry made it to doyen's car he stepped in to see straight in on Ron's back. His wearing apparel were a quite a little of mud and true pine needles, and the slope of his shirt was torn, blotch of line seeping through, red mixing with splattered Joseph Black. His red tomentum draped down over an arm that was hugging him tight. It was Ginny's and she was crying. Harry's heart plummeted and he dropped his brain ; they had failed. Dean had died.

It was then that he heard Gabriella give a sharp gasp as she gripped his forearm. He looked up to see her pointing at Ginny's hand. On her ring fingerbreadth was the gold band Dean had given her, only now the firestone was glowing as bright as ever, shining through the chain of Ron's red hair.

"He's mulct Gin ; Madame Pomfrey will have him patched up in no time."

It was James Byron Dean's phonation, talking about Ron. It was shaky but clear and Harry watched as two arms of thick chocolate wrapped around the redheaded brother and sister in a enceinte hug.

"Dean ?"choked Harry, his heart skipping out of his chest and the peak of his finger and launchpad of his feet starting to prickle.

"Harry ?"asked Dean from behind the Weasley's. Ron spun round and, as he did so, Ginny saw Harry. She immediately let out a squeal of joy. A second later her munition were around Harry, tears streaming down here brass and sunniness rising up all around the train. Soon, they were all snuggling. Word of God spread that the counterattack had been a success, at least with the avail of the Aurors that had been guarding the train. If it hadn't been for—

"Where's Mark Antony ?"injection Harry, realizing that the last he saw was what could only be called a herd of Dementors stampeding away from Harry and toward the Ravenclaw.

"Right here, Potter ; no thanks to you."

Harry turned to see a very bruised and a very beat-up Susan B. Anthony Goldstein. There was dehydrated grass in his whisker and a bit of blood at the recess of his rima oris, and he still clutched his wand as if ready to couch another spell at whomever or whatever might sweep him.

"pigeon hawk's beard,"said Harry, stunned."You're alive."

"Cho said you weren't that smart,"sneered Anthony with somewhat of a chip on his shoulder,"but I don't think she realized just how daft you really are."He was itching for a fight, but Harry simply smiled.

"You were brilliant out there today, Goldstein,"said Harry loud enough so everyone could hear."If it hadn't been for you—"

"That's the one !"

Everyone turned to see two Aurors in their embattled Ministerial robes making their way through the concourse of students. One, the one pointing his digit at Harry, was promptly recognized. It was the Auror Harry had dropped in the field. He was holding the other Auror by the sleeve and pulling her almost against her will.

"That's the one, right there - with the methamphetamine hydrochloride. I'd accredit the look anywhere. Greasy little git."The duad parted the crowd and were now right in front of Harry."opinion you could get away with it, did yeh ? minuscule prat. You could deliver had us all killed."Then he turned to the early Auror, a very marvelous cleaning lady with deep low-spirited eyes and an expression somewhere between exasperation and exhaustion. She was about to say something when Anthony Goldstein stepped in front man of Harry.

"Do you have any cue who you're talking to ?"he asked with a smug air of superiority that almost sounded Ministerial. Certainly, Anthony was destined for big affair in politics. It was then that the woman recognized Harry, but the early Auror was having none of it.

"Get out of my way, you !"he shoved Marcus Antonius to the side, and almost at once there was a rush of students like a wave breaking against the shore filling the gap and forcing the two Aurors backwards.

"What's this ?"the Auror yelled, and he pulled his wand. In answer, over two dozen sceptre suddenly appeared pointed directly at him, in from his face. The char reached up to pull her companion's bridge player down just when there was another interpreter from the far end of the carriage.

"Strickman ! PUT THAT DOWN !"If Susan Anthony's voice was Ministerial, the new voice was all that and more than. Strickman's eye widened in shock. He'd heard this part before, shoemaker's last year when he graduated from the Auror Academy. Everyone turned and saw the electrical shock of red hair and knew at once who it was.

"Dad !"cried Ron, whose superlative gave him the estimable sentiment over all his peers. scepter quickly found their way back to their right spatial relation as all the students tried to act as normally as potential, considering they had just been through a Dementor attack.

"Ronny. Ginny."He was trying not to show that he was there to larn the position of his own kid, but the tremble in his vocalization and the feeling of moderation on his face were obvious for all to find out and see."I came as soon as I heard."Then his centre met Harry's as he moved past the two Aurors and a expression of wonder filled them."Harry ?"he breathed in disbelief."I had heard you were taken. That your soul—"

"That was Dean, sir,"answered Harry.

"Dean ? Beasts of Bulgaria, not—"His eyes saw James Dean standing next to Ginny."I… I don't understand."

"Harry brought him back, Dad,"Ginny answered her father's questioning eyes."He brought his individual back."President Arthur Weasley looked at his daughter and saw that she was sincere. Then he looked back at Harry.

"That… that's not possible,"he whispered."Not even Dumbledore—"

"That's right, minister of religion,"spat Strickman."It's not possible ! This niggling prat—"

"SHUT UP !"yelled Minister Weasley."If you say another Book, I'll have him do the Saami to you as he did to Voldemort !"The word stung many ears and there was a collective groan, but not as universally as there might sustain been the year before. Only then did Strickman finally actualise who he had been calling a can.

"P-P-Potter ?"He began to apologize, not to diplomatic minister Weasley, but to Harry ; he never had a chance.

"You're dismissed,"shot the parson,"both of you."It was the distaff Auror who was now doing the grabbing and dragging as she pulled Strickman by the back of his cloak and tossed him into the forward carriage.

"Here's your fighter, sir,"said Harry, pulling the grimy Goldstein forward."He led the counterplay. If it hadn't been for him, I'd have never reached the Dementor that had Dean's soul."

Arthur was still struggling, trying to comprehend what it was that Harry was saying. Nonetheless, he patted Anthony about the berm and said,"wellspring done, Cy Young man. Goldstein is it ? Yes, I know your mother. Runs a coven in Colchester."He gave Anthony, who was now beaming, another pat."wellspring done."Arthur then turned and hugged his two children and then he said in a loud part,"I'm glad everyone's safety and I assure you the rest of your slip will be uninterrupted, if not completely boring."

With the bicker and fighting over, most the educatee returned to their pram, muttering about the battle as they went, and the crowd in the corridor thinned. Arthur Weasley put his arm around Harry just as Hermione entered the geartrain car.

"Harry, you're condom !"she cried."They're saying you captured a—"

"Hermione,"interrupted Mr. Weasley,"might I have a word with Harry… alone ?"

"Oh, certainly, sir,"she answered. And as Harry and the Minister started down the corridor he could see Hermione grab Gabriella's handwriting and heard her ask what had happened as they disappeared into the rig with James Dean, Ginny and Ron.

"Harry,"began Mr. Weasley,"I need to mouth with you about something very crucial. I was hoping to take you back to the Ministry with me right now, but under the lot it's perhaps effective that you stay put. Once you're settled at the school, I'll call for you."

"What is it, sir ?"

"Not here, not now, Harry. The walls…"Mr. Weasley smiled, but it was not a felicitous smile."…the walls have ears."

"I don't hold a good deal religion that the walls at the Ministry are any unspoiled, sir."

"No. No, I know you don't,"answered the rector as he stopped to look at Harry."But this is something too important to talk over anywhere else, even at Hogwarts. I'll send for you in a calendar week or so, okay ?"Harry nodded."And don't worry, Harry. Where we're going no one knows about. Not even I knew about it until just last week. But if what you say is confessedly about Malfoy and the Dementors, and certainly this approach points to that, we must act soon and we must act decisively. It's time to take the offensive."

"You know I'll do whatever it takes,"answered Harry.

"I know you will, son,"answered Arthur."I know you will. That's what frightens me."


Harry ceramist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 8 - Engaged

~~~***~~~

The Snitch flitted upward time and fourth dimension again only to be snatched into his hand after every escape. He was actually getting quite good at it really. Nearly XX second without a—

"Damn !"

The snitcher slipped through Dean's finger's breadth and began to zip about the boys'dormitory room, bouncing off the rampart above Harry's head. With a flash, few but Ginny Weasley could apprise, Harry had his script around the winged orb.

"That was great, dean !"said Harry earnestly, handing the Snitch to Ginny who was sitting next to Dean on his bed. While Dean was practicing, Harry had been reading a story headlined Miracle at St. Mungo's which described how nearly a XII patients, all victims of Dementor attacks, had suddenly and inexplicably awakened - their souls intact. He turned the page with a smile as Dean continued to practice.

Madame Pomfrey had prescribed the workout of Snitch snatching as a kind of therapy to help Dean retrieve control of his neuro-synapses. Even though Harry had returned Dean's soul, he was feeling somewhat disconnected from himself. It was hard to explain just exactly how he was disconnected. Sometimes he would reach for something, like a Shaker of salt, and it would screw up through his fingers for no reason. Sometimes his love for Ginny was strong, while at other multiplication it seemed as if he had no feelings for her at all. In sorcerous fine art, James Byron Dean would paint portraits of birds, animals, or even people but the images wouldn't move ; they remained lifeless on the canvass. It was all very strange, and no one, not even Madam Pomfrey, knew exactly what to do.

"No one's ever had their someone reattached,"Madame Pomfrey had said shortly after they had arrived at Hogwarts castle. Her solution was to try to re-stitch James Dean's mortal by having him practice both his torso and flavor.

Ginny held steadfast at Dean's side ; a lesser woman would have got left at once. Watching the two of them these last few days, Harry wondered if his passion for Gabriella would be able to withstand such a test of faith. Somewhere, deep down inside, he felt it would, perhaps it already had, and he smiled as Ginny stroked Dean's back, encouraging him to try again.

"Nah, Gin,"answered James Dean, truly wash up."I'm… a bit tired."

"You're right hand, babe,"Ginny replied."Rest a bit and we can go to dinner later."

"Thanks,"said James Dean with a weak smile. They kissed and Ginny turned toward the stairway down to the green room.

They had been at Hogwarts for three sidereal day and even though the conversant cycle of classes and course work pulsed on at Hogwarts, something was distinctly dissimilar. Maybe it was the attack on the train, the expectancy of what was to get along, or simply that they were in their final yr. Whatever it was, there existed, well-nigh certainly, a tangible sense of anticipation as if it any moment something spectacularly wonderful, or devastatingly dreadful was about to happen.

As Ginny stepped from their way, Harry turned to doyen and said warmly,"She's wonderful, isn't she ?"

"She's my macrocosm, Harry."He lay down on his pillow, folding his arms behind his head word."I wish I knew why… sometimes…"Dean let out a large sigh and turned over on his incline, his back toward Harry. Over the last year, James Dean had grown confident in his relationship with Ginny and Harry no longer escape from the institution on which their human relationship was anchored. Dean continued,"I think… maybe this twelvemonth at Christmas—"

There was a sudden shriek from down in the Gryffindor Common room. It was Hermione's howler ; Harry was trusted. Not an instant later, Ginny cried out, followed by a cacophony of screeches that rivalled the arriving owls during the morning post.In an instant, both Harry and Dean had their sceptre at the make, and started cautiously for the landing place. Just as Harry was about to look down on the park room below, Saint Patrick appeared from the Second years'dormitory ; his wand also drawn and his face concerned. There was a thirdly class passing Patrick and running the other steering, trying to escape whatever peril was causing the commotion. Harry didn't discern the boy from behind, but the mentation of a coward in his menage bristled the back of his cervix."A Gryffindor ?"Harry cried out.

The instant's distraction was enough to cause Dean to bump him slightly from behind. Harry tried to adjust his footing by stepping forward, only there was nothing on the broadsheet staircase to step out on. Instead, he completely lost his equalizer and began tumbling, down and around, head over heals until he landed prostrate onto the floor. Dazed, he looked up to see Ron on the ground also. wellspring, almost… he was down to one knee, a look of thoroughgoing panic in his eye. Harry grabbed his best protagonist by the shirtsleeve and pulled himself up aligning back to back with Ron.

"Where are they ?"he cried to Ron over his berm, wand at the prepare. Quickly, he spun around and saw Hermione looking down at him."What's going on ?"Harry asked excitedly."Why did you scream ?"Then, looking to the side, Harry noticed the large routine of Gryffindors looking down at him, all with rather transversal expressions on their faces. It was Parvati who stepped over and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulling him away from Ron.

"You idiot !"she hissed under her breath.

Her cheeks a brighter colour of red than Ron's hair, Hermione had to cover her mouth to hold on from laughing. It wasn't until then that Harry noticed Ron was holding something in his bridge player - something gold and shiny.

"Er… so, yeah then…"Ron sputtered."Well ?"Hermione was about to say something when Lavender poked Ron in the shoulder.

"well, what ?"Lavender said sharply."Go on, Ron. Ask her properly."There was a general murmur of consent to this, mostly of the feminine persuasion.

"Yes, go on, Ron,"followed by,"Do it right."

"Bloody inferno,"Harry whispered, stunned by what he was seeing. Parvati pinched his neck and pulled him to his feet. Dean was stepping slowly down the stairway and came to a diaphragm on the lower escape, wrapping his arm about Ginny's waist. She had been transfixed, but the warm tinge caught her attention and she wrapped both her arms about Dean, smiling as she watched her brother propose.

"Yeah, yeah,"said Ron, wiping his forehead with his allow for sleeve while still holding out the halo with his right. He was spooky, his bridge player shaky, and Harry wondered if he wouldn't faint at any mo. But when Ron's middle rejoined Hermione's the trembling stopped and he regained his vocalism. He held the ring a bit higher.

"As I was saying before our dearest friend dropped in,"he cast Harry a glance and smiled,"would you do me the pureness of being Mrs. Ronald Weasley."There was a suspension."Or Mrs. Ronald Granger… you know… however that's supposed to put to work, if you want to keep back your—"

He never had the prospect to finish up. In that minute, Hermione was down on her knee kissing him deeply, and the Common room whooped out a cheer that was heard throughout Hogwarts castle. Later, even Hagrid said he heard the revelry when he was out feeding the venomous lava lizards.

"Well ?"cried out Seamus."result him proper !"To this there was rolling Greek chorus of"Here, here !"called out mostly from the masculine fellow member of Gryffindor. Hermione pulled herself away from Ron's mouth and he held the ring before her.

Hermione held out her hand and said breathlessly,"Yes !"There was another cheer, more resounding than the first, as Ron slipped the diamond doughnut upon her fingerbreadth. They kissed again.

Harry wasn't sure who was responsible, but suddenly nutrient and drink appeared, and before you could blink medicine was playing, hoi polloi were dancing and an unrehearsed party was in full moon swing in the Gryffindor commons room. It was meretricious and fierce, but Hermione had set a silencing spell on the walls, and outside of Gryffindor the night was tranquillity. Harry poured himself a potable and suddenly felt very awkward. Everyone was congratulating Ron and Hermione, hugging them, smiling. Harry sunk back into the street corner. Why hadn't Ron told him that he was about to propose ? He watched the grin and the laughter, but somehow couldn't find any passion himself. Indeed, the thoughts that were passing through his nous brought back memories of the year before, bad retentivity of jealously and uncontrollable choler. He gulped the deglutition, and poured another.

Still standing in the corner, Harry was watching Neville help James Dean back up the staircase to the son'dorm, when a part startled him.

"Pretty amazin'ain't it ?"

Patrick was seated in a chair next to Harry. How long had he been there ? Most of the young scholar had gone to bed or were ushered away. A slow Sung dynasty began to work and Ron took Hermione in his arms. The candlelight in the Common Room dimmed and soon everyone was dancing. Harry watched as Ron and Hermione appeared for a moment and then slipped back into the crowd and, suddenly, he realized that it would never be the same.

"Yeah,"Harry whispered back, taking another drinkable."Amazing."

"I mean,"St. Patrick continued,"to love someone so much."Still sitting, he pulled his articulatio genus up to his chin and wrapped his munition around his legs just gazing at the dancer."Do you think he'd die for her ?"The interrogation was odd, but Patrick was young and Harry was a bit drunk.

"He'd die for anybody in this room,"Harry answered with strong smell of pride."Merlin, he almost did last year, More times than I can—"Harry stopped and looked into his glass, drinking the remains in one final splash against the rachis of his pharynx. He could feel the burn make its way down his dresser as he stared at the empty glass and could palpate it occupy with guilt. How often had he put both of his champion in jeopardy ? They would both sacrifice themselves to save Harry, and if the war was truly arrive, and it was, Harry knew they'd danger life history and arm once again.

"Do you think you'll marry Gabriella ?"Patrick asked, filling the silence. Harry whispered something and the glass in his hand vanished. Patrick raised an brow, but said nothing about the wandless magic.

"Gabriella ?"Harry asked, looking blankly ahead. He chuckled to himself, but the laughter was more sad than happy. Already she'd risked her life-time and the schooltime year hadn't even started. How many More champion would own to die before—"

"I don't think I'll marry,"said St. Patrick emphatically."No tyke fer me."

"I'm sorry ?"asked Harry. Patrick looked up at him with an expression that was torn, shredded in some way Harry couldn't comprehend, at least not in his present commonwealth of mind.

"No kids. No orphans."Patrick uncurled his stage and stood up, walking over to Harry."I plan teh fight, Harry. There's no way fer love if there's the chance you'll die."

"Patrick, that's not true."

"Ain't it ? I won't leave grief behind. I won't leave my youngster without a da. Not like me parents did me. I mean, you were a baby fer Falco columbarius's sake, and yer parents are out fightin'Voldemort. Why didn't they just leave well enough alone ? Wouldn't yeh rather have ‘ em at yer side right now ?"

Harry was affectionate, his head cloudy, and the familiar screams were calling from the fog in his nous. It's not your battle, Harry. Let it go.

"What is your problem ! ?"Lavender's representative snapped. She was only a few column inch in front of Harry, and her facial expression was very hybridisation."Are you going to stand here all alone all night ?"

"I was just talking to—"He turned to show to Patrick, but the boy was gone. Harry looked about and then to the staircase, but the bit year was no where to be found.

"If you don't think they've noticed,"hissed Lavender,"you're wrong."She grabbed him by the arm."Now get out there and pretend you're felicitous for them. Merlin knows you'll be the godfather to all their nipper ; now start acting like it."Lavender pulled Harry onto the dance trading floor."I never thought you'd ask !"

She danced with Harry, haltingly toward the just engaged couple, and then deliberately twirled her cooperator into Ron just as the song was ending.

"Hey, Harry,"said Ron, smiling."Whew, I could use a geological fault ; how ‘ bout you Hermione ?"

"Some punch would be nice,"she answered with a scintillation in her eye. She took Ron by the arm and they started to walk toward the snacks. Harry just stood, his human foot frozen. Finally, Lavender took him by the arm.

"Why, I'd love some punch too, Harry. Thank you for asking."She deliberately stepped down on his foundation, hard, and then whispered in Harry's ear,"So aid me, Harry Potter, if you ruin this evening for them I'll jinx you from here to Durmstrang."A flash later her boldness was all smiles as she squeezed Harry tight just behind the elbow and walked over to bear Ron and Hermione were standing.

Another pat on Ron's shoulder and a hug for Hermione. Harry swallowed hard.

"I… I'm glad for you ; for you both,"Harry started as Lavender began to rain cats and dogs herself a cup of punch. Still smiling at Ron and Hermione he took the cup out of Lavender's hired hand without asking and gulped it down with one swig."It's fantastic."He took the ladle from Lavender's hand and poured himself another cup."I mean… Wow ! What a surprise."He gulped again.

"I was going to tell you,"said Ron with a earnest note of ruefulness,"but I didn't pluck up the braveness until you were at Grimmauld Place."Harry just looked at Ron like the reply made absolutely no horse sense."You said you didn't want to be disturbed… think back ?"

"Yes, I remember,"replied Harry, turning his back completely on Lavender to face Ron. The heating was definitely rising under his dog collar."But surely… on the train—"

"Blimey ! You're joking, right ?"Ron interrupted, drawing in Harry's temper and reflecting it back. It was a dance the two played many times and Hermione took notice.

"Now, Ron, I think what Harry's trying—"

"And last Nox ? Were you too engaged last night ?"Harry snapped, and then he remembered not seeing Ron hold out dark."Where were you anyway ?"Hermione began to flush violently.

"It's none of your bloody occupation where I was final Nox,"said Ron, his vox elevated."You're not my keeper, Harry."At this he pointed his fingerbreadth and jabbed Harry in the chest, pushing him backward. Harry's back bumped into Lavender's cup of punch sending it splashing down the front of her wearing apparel. The two young men took no notice. Harry balled his right hired hand into a fist and pulled back make to let bemuse.

"I should…"he began. Ron stepped nigh, clenching his own fist and drawing them near his chin.

"You should what ?"he challenged.

They stood there, toe to toe for more than a few heartbeats ; not too long considering their inwardness were pounding so quickly. Finally, a small smile shattered Harry's scowl and he let go. He threw his right field fist past Ron's left ear. Ron saw the smile and returned the wayward punch with an tenderloin from his own right handwriting that flew past Harry's midsection and up under his impart arm. The two clenched in a machismo kind of way.

"You know I love you,"Harry whispered in Ron's ear."I love you both."

"I know,"Ron answered quietly with a warmly smile.

"I… I don't want to lose you. Not again."Harry pulled back so that his visual modality took in both Ron and Hermione."Not now."Hermione stepped close. She remembered uttering the Saame words to Harry last yr at the Ministry and she remembered what Harry said.

"You're not going to mislay us, Harry,"she said, tenderly taking him by the arm. Harry grabbed her and pulled her into the hug. He'd had a piffling too a lot to fuddle and his words were taking on a tinge of regret.

"I want to see a 12 little bushy haired, freckle faced Weasley's running about. Do you hear me ! ?"

"Harry !"

"I want them to be as fresh as Hermione and as patriotic as… as…"

"As me !"Ron helped Harry polish off."And don't forget they'll be brilliant Quidditch players just like me too ! Let's Hope they don't take after their mother when it comes to flying, eh Harry ?"

"Ron !"

Harry's heart were beginning to fog with moistness. If they continued to fight by his face, he might fall back them. Patrick was right ; it wasn't worth it. Their children deserved to have both their parents. Harry squeezed both Ron and Hermione tightly toward him.

"It's splendid. I… I just can't be here redress now."He turned without saying another word, without looking at another typeface, and left the Common room.

The Charles Francis Hall were quiet ; it was nearly curfew. A few student were sprinkled here or there, talking or making their way back to their dorms. Harry walked aimlessly down the gemstone steps and found himself near where Tonks had her old spot last class. They had yet to learn who would be teaching Defence Against the night art. That division had been cancelled this morning. The lanterns dimmed a bit, signalling that it was time to rejoin to the dorm, but Harry didn't hold much by that sign. He'd rarely obeyed it in all his days at Hogwarts, and he wasn't about to—

"Hey, Potter."

It was Blaise Zabini rounding the dark corner of the corridor and saying Harry's name without a drip of caustic remark. It was odd, Harry thought, to see Blaise so far off the beaten cut, especially at this time of night. Cloak and dagger clobber wasn't part of Blaise's makeup. The handsome wizard was more comfortable standing in the Centre of a group of others to be looked at and admired. He hung with Dragon on affair, but never when it meant danger was about. That sort of stuff was for Nott, or Crabbe or G-Greg. A frisson passed down Harry's spinal column recalling the death of his Friend last year.

"Blaise,"Harry answered with a nod.

The two passed shoulder to shoulder when the tip of Blaise's wand touched Harry's paw. Harry felt a small-arm of lambskin suddenly appear on his palm and his fingers curled around it. He stopped to look back at Blaise, but the Slytherin never stopped walking and never turned back to look at Harry. Finally, Blaise disappeared about the end of the corridor and Harry held up the billet to say it.
Do you miss me ? Sorry about the wickedness on the train. Sent someone to discourage you at the station, but an Auror intervened. I heard Weasles bought a pretty expensive mob in Diagon back street. You two aren't engaged now are you ?

Since I can't be there, my messenger is going to help be my eyes and ear at Hogwarts. Don't differentiate a soul or it may mean his life. Have you spoken to the old dodder about it yet ? Hurry or it may be too late.


He just finished when the lanterns went dark, signalling curfew. Instead of returning to the party at Gryffindor, Harry sat down on the stone floor and leaned back against the Harlan Fisk Stone wall.

"Lumos !"he whispered. He held up the note of hand and read it again. Was it really from Dragon ? And what was he supposed to speak with Dumbledore about ? What was it he had sensed during the joining ? Hol… Hor… Horcrux ? It seemed so distant now. Perhaps it was some kind of secret weapon that the Dementors would use against the Centaurs. Perhaps it was—

"Out all alone, boy ? Do you think that Stephen Samuel Wise ?"

Harry spun on the words, jumping to his substructure and preparing his denial. A dark digit emerged, dimly lit by the syncope glow of Harry's scepter.

"Dakhil !"Harry hissed. What was the leader of the Votary doing here ?

"Impressive."The Logos dripped with sarcasm."I would have thought you would forget my name again the minute you returned to England."He drew nearer and Harry lifted his wand higher."Put your wand away, boy,"rebuked Dakhil sternly,"or I'll… let's see… What do they shout it ? I'll take distributor point away from your house. Although why you would care about such meaningless secret plan when the war is upon you is incomprehensible to me."Harry lowered his wand and the luminosity was extinguished. They were in utter darkness.

"You can't take—"

"Oh, I believe any prof can—"

"You're not a professor ! You can't… Oh, no."He leaned back against the wall and, in the duskiness, noticed the thin out hint of light emanating from a roughened door, the door to Tonks'office. Harry sighed."Defence Against the Dark Arts, is it ?"Harry could tell by the low oink that a grimace had appeared on Dakhil's face. Clearly, he didn't like the musical theme any Thomas More than Harry.

"I'm afraid so,"he answered."And instead of taking spot away, perhaps it is time for your kickoff lesson."He spun his cloak and disappeared into the darkness."Follow me, boy !"

Harry shoved Draco's note into his pocket, clenched his teeth, and followed. Once, after banging his knee, he tried to get off his verge but was scolded by Dakhil who insisted on sum darkness."Can you not see ?"Dakhil sneered.

"I'm no lamia,"retorted Harry. Dakhil stopped.

"There is an push that binds all endure things together, Harry. You draw from it every fourth dimension you cast a spell. It pulsates on the wind as the breath of the trees ; it bubbles from the soil crawling with worms and roaches. In the very darkest of places, it shines as a beacon to all who would call on its name. It is a attainment all members of the Votary learn before the connexion, save for you."Dakhil stopped. The olfactory perception was warm here, damp and dank and musty with a strong gumption of decline."Even in death, life is reborn. Reach out to it."

"I can't see a bloody—"

"Not with your eye, fool !"Harry heard Dakhil sit as an old wooden judiciary creaked under his weight."What Soseh sees in you…"

"She uses more than her optic, I suppose."

Harry had seen the biography power of others he had try to bring around. It was like going to another plane of macrocosm. He just needed to…"Focus,"he whispered to himself. In the darkness Harry closed his eyes and opened his nous, reaching out for anything however small that might indicate lifespan. At initiative there was nada, and then a burnished glow began to appear, red and throbbing."Dakhil,"Harry thought. And then he saw it, the corridor they were in. Something was glowing on the walls. Mould ? Spores ? It was as if the construction surrounding them were splattered with an eerie fluorescent fixture key and lit up by a fateful visible radiation."I see,"he whispered in astonishment.

"As long as one sees, one is never lost."Dakhil pulled his wand and a terrible burst of light shattered against the wall breaking through to open air. The two emerged from some broken down shack into the deepness of the forest.

"The trees !"Harry said, looking at the white glowing pillars that climbed to the sky.

"Your enemy, even though they hide behind such fantastic structures are brighter still. It is a of the essence acquisition. With one manus, Dakhil pulled Harry out of the splinters of woods and stood him on his feet in the timberland."Now look up."

Harry looked to the sky. It was sprayed with sensation of every colour imaginable. But in the heart was a blue glowing brighter than all the others, a golden lead following it in the sky.

"Ebyrth,"Harry whispered.

"Correct, Mr. ceramist,"said Dakhil, slapping Harry on the shoulder. He started walking past the trees back to the castle which glowed bright through the branch."As I said earlier, your time to die is near at deal. You may not realise it yet, Mr. Potter, but, aside from both being in the Votary, you and I have one thing, at to the lowest degree, in common."

"And what's that ?"Harry said with more of a sneer than anything else.

"We are both already dead."




Harry Potter and the nascence of a New Sun
Chapter 9 - The Bending of place and prison term
~~~***~~~


The rhythmical beating of Gabriella's heart lulled Harry as she stroked the side of his forefront with her deal. He sighed deeply as she played with the pinch of curl that wrapped about his shoulders. He forced himself to stay awake, if only to relish every second that he was being held in her arms. Through the thin slit in his heart he watched the lake vanish and reappear into view as his headway rose and fell with each breath she took. The sparkling water supply brought his mind to the beaches of Lebanese Republic and he visualized walking with her at the ocean, watching the waves crash again and again against the shore. It would be a perfect place to ask her, he thought. A appease snap brought with it the cool hint of tumble and for a instant he thought he could smell the cool salt air of the sea. Yes, the perfect place.

"We'll fille dinner,"she whispered.

"I never want to incite again,"he muttered, barely opening his lips. Her hand slipped down to his shoulder and then stroked the muscles of his blazonry. They were sore and yet with her soupcon he could feel the ache ebb away.

"If you're going to keep working for Hagrid in the forest,"she said more firmly,"you're going to postulate to keep open up your strength."Her digit slipped down to his side and playfully gave him a quick pinch.

"AYY !"he said, jumping. It was more tickle than pain, more than good deal than poke."Not fair ! I was… I was just going…"He closed his heart and began to lay his head back down on her chest.

"Oh no you don't,"she said, pushing his berm back and sitting up herself."I like what working for Hagrid's done to you."She slapped his stomach which held tight."Besides, mammy would belt down me if she heard I let you skip a meal."She rose to her feet."semen on, let's get you fed."She held out her hand to assist Harry to his feet. Her head was turned so that her regard was not at Harry but at the castle.

An figure of Grigor flashed across Harry's mind and a coldness thrill ran down his back… he hesitated. How could she jazz ? She couldn't. She was so a great deal like her father, and for the abbreviated of moments Harry was taken back to the torment chamber at the Ministry -- the chamber where Sirius had been lost and found again, the chamber where Gabriella's father, Grigor, had held his hand out innocently toward Harry, just as Gabriella was now doing, only to bind him and set up him for demise.

He drew in a deep breath, shook the retention from his judgment, and took Gabriella's hand, rising to his aching invertebrate foot. They both whisked away the dry leaves that clung to the tooshie of their robe and turned toward the castle. Harry could feel the sting in his leg as they climbed the castle steps. Halfway up he stopped, wrapped his arm about Gabriella's waist and paused to look at the lake. She took it as a romantic moment and leaned her caput against his shoulder. Harry, however, was too sore to step higher. Even Madame Pomfrey's potions weren't enough to off the throb that worked its way into both muscle and os. A nerve in his rectify thigh shot a jolt of pain up into his back and his gaze turned toward the forest.

Working for Hagrid ? No. For the cobbler's last few calendar week he'd been training with the Centaurs. Only he'd felt uncomfortable share-out that with Gabriella. He had never been able-bodied to bring up a conversation with Gabriella about them without her making an self-justification to change the study. It was clear she did not like Centaurus, but she never explained why and Harry was unwilling to agitate the issuance. Another twinge flicked down the muscleman of his provide calf and his mind drifted to the day's training session. Recalling why his legs hurt so, he wasn't so sure he liked Centaurs either.

"Jump, Harry Potter ! start"cried Ronan. The red-haired Centaur fired an arrow that nicked the leave alone heel of Harry's bare foot."velocity is a Centaur's greatest ally. With it we can outpace the Dementors when they try to flee. Run !"he bellowed as Harry began to slacken."If one of our number penury aid, would you just walk to their slope ?"

"I'm… not… walking…"yelled Harry back over his shoulder, as he ran from the centaur barefoot through the timberland. His lungs were bursting for air and his infantry were on fire. He'd already run for miles ; Ronan would construct him run miles more. For his part, Harry had already decided that there was nothing the Centaurs could throw at him that he couldn't handle.

"Ayyy !"he cried, slashing his animal foot against a scraggy stone.

"Run !"

Perhaps he was faulty.

He had been forbidden to use a scepter, and wore naught but a thong made of Tree barque wrapped about his waist with a sheath for a small dagger used to slash at vines and former vegetation that blocked his way as he ran. In one script he held the sticker and in the other he carried a Harlan Fisk Stone nearly too vauntingly to fully grasp. In engagement he would carry a shield, but a Edward Durell Stone was more unenviable to handle, forcing more muscles to lift and control it. He was being trained as all Colt were. In fact, there were two Colt running far ahead of him already - Shahan, with a coat so dark Harry could no longer see him in the distance, and feldspar, whose bright livid coat shone like a superstar ahead - way ahead. effort dripped into his eye and he wiped his hilltop with his right forearm. Running blindly he slashed wildly at a Tentacula that reached for his cervix.

"You should have seen that, stripling, long before it struck at you !"cried Ronan, loping along. There was the sound of a thwwwwp and a few paces ahead Harry saw a large spider dead near the way of life he was taking, an arrow between its optic. Looking back as he ran ahead Harry tripped on a root, twisted his ankle and fell to the ground, his left field knee grinding into a collection of small stones. The fingerbreadth of his left paw were crushed between the stone he was carrying and the Edward Durell Stone upon which he'd just fallen. The sticker fell from his right handwriting and skittered forward, but before it came to rest, Harry reached his hand forward and without saying a word the sticker returned to his hold. There was a slight oink from Ronan. It was neither disparaging, nor approving. It was more a grunt of satisfaction, but Harry did not depend back into Ronan's middle to see if the expiation was directed toward him. His knees and hands haemorrhage, he stood to his human foot and began to run again. Now, even Felspar was out of prospect. He'd taken only three or four stride before Ronan called.

"Stop !"

breathing hard, Harry turned and for the first clip all afternoon he looked up into the Centaurus's eyes.

"I… I can… overtake them,"Harry heaved.

"I know you can, stripling, but do you roll in the hay how ?"Ronan smiled, revealing a sly grin. Harry had never seen such a look on the nerve of a Centaur before. It was riddle.

"I hate… enigma,"breathed Harry.

"Shahan and feldspar have been studying for X the gist of Earth's mystery story. It will conduct them tenner more to recognize what is already at your fingertips."The Centaurus stepped closer, forcing Harry to turn away his cervix upward. A muscle twanged past his good ear. Still Ronan advanced until he was only inch from Harry, who could smell the foreign mix of sweat and hairsbreadth. Ronan looked skyward.

"To see without oculus, to feel without fingers, to get wind without spike, to try without tongue…,"he looked back down at Harry and tapped him on the side of meat of his nose,"…to smell without nostrils. These are gifts you have already been given, and yet you know them not ; you have but to unwrap them."With a movement that was but a blur to Harry, Ronan notched another arrow and crack at a large flying… thing with gravid teeth that was advancing on them. It fell silently to the forest flooring. To Ronan it was ilk little more than swatting a fly. He continued,"You must learn the power that took your forfeiture and cleansed you, the power that has no long suit. What you must dominate, Harry thrower, what you must endeavour to reach is to be without being."Harry scrunched his pry splotched with dirt.

"Did I say ? I really hate brain-teaser,"he muttered, beginning to enchant his breath.

"Take my paw, nestling,"commanded Ronan.

The moment Harry took the Centaur's hand the Earth spun upon its head. Green and brown and yellow and amber flashed past them in a swirl of color. Then, inexplicably, Ronan was gone, and Harry was suddenly running, loping, galloping. He felt giddy, majestic, chesty, childish…

"I told you the superstar was a sham !"he cried back over his berm."Ronan's an old gull !"He kicked his heals and speed forward, the current of air whistling past his capitulum.

"You're wrong !"yelled a voice from hind end."He's been chosen ! Ronan said so !"

"Nothing but silly Centaur fairy story from a doddering old motley fool !"Harry yelled back, but his heart were steadfast forward. The flag was ahead ; he could see it, maybe three or four Roman mile ahead. A smile split across his look, an arrogant smile ; he was going to win this race and rise Ronan wrong, raise to all of them that HE, Shahan, was the Centaur that would hold open them from the outpouring of Dementors that was soon to come.

A voice whispered in Harry's ear. It was Ronan's."You see with Shahan's eyes. Where would you be, Harry Potter ?"

Harry looked back. Behind him was feldspar, the dazzling white centaur that he'd been racing. Then he noticed his own haunches. They were black as darkest coal. He was Shahan, the leash centaur colt. But how ? His psyche twisted forward toward the waiting flag and the assemblage of Centaurs that watched to see if Ronan's prophecy was zero more than wind and myth.

Where would I be ?

"The flag,"Harry whispered to himself, to Ronan, to the nothingness. He focused again. He knew how to get there with a wand : imaginativeness, footpath, Reconstruction Period -- Apparation. But he had no verge and even if he did, there was no way to Apparate in the Forbidden forest. The flag, a red beacon in the distance, was maybe two klick ahead of Shahan now and probably three kilometres from where Harry's consistency stood breathless back in the forest with Ronan. He'd been practicing wandless magic all summer. What if… ?

Harry willed himself from the eyes of Shahan and back to his own consistency. There was a snap - he had returned, his lungs still gasping for air and Ronan still at his side. Harry closed his oculus and his mind imaged the flag that was ahead ; he imagined being there. Space and metre began to crumble, swirling itself, revealing itself. A pathway that moved with his will, guided by Ronan, appeared before Harry. He took in a deep breathing spell and stepped forward onto the path. The big distich of distance between himself and the red flag suddenly collapsed. feldspar was just out of ambit, Shahan appeared to be only a few tread in front end of her, and the red flag appeared as just a few ten of metres away. Harry began to run. The colours of the forest swirled by him, as if everything stood still, including the two Centaurus. He ran past tense felspar and then Shahan and, in an instant, he appeared only inches from the flag that marked the end of the raceway. He was surrounded be Centaur of every colour, each with bowelless centre marked by only the tenuous astonishment of his arrival. As he came to perch, he saw, in the distance, Shahan and only a few strides behind him Felspar. They were both galloping like the wind, swallowing up huge swaths of turf with each stride. They would be upon him soon.

Harry felt it was, somehow, a cheater. Could all Centaurs bend outer space and fourth dimension ? His oculus caught Shahan's in the distance, and the once confident, noncompliant gaze turned to one of dear horror. He galloped faster, as if possessed, but it was no use. With one hand, his bloody left, Harry reached up and pulled the crimson pin from its standard. There was a collective cheer as Harry held the flag over his head, spinning to show the gathering. It was then that he saw Ronan, standing in the centre of the radical of nearly one c Centaurs. An moment later Shahan pulled up at Harry's side, his hint heavy, his coat lathered with sweat.

"That's not potential !"he cried."He… he used his wand !"

"No,"answered Ronan, stepping forward from the others."He used the skills you yourself may one day master, Shahan."Ronan turned to the other Centaurs."He has been given the gifts."With this there was a ecumenical murmur and neigh of surprise and approving from the Centaurus herd. Facing the others, Ronan flanked Harry nudging him forward just as feldspar arrived, also out of hint, a slice upon her right front flank.

"I foretold of the coming wiz,"Ronan called to the gathering."And yet you did not think. I sought out the ritual killing against your will, and the H2O returned him to us. Only once before has this ever happened, and when that engagement was won so too began the Great Age of Centaurs !"Harry expected a cheer, but none came. Instead, there was an almost emotionless acknowledgment of Ronan's'assertion."This,"he pointed toward Harry, naked and bloodstained, his lungs still craving for more oxygen,"this is our Sacrifice. Cleansed and returned, he shall conduce us to triumph !"Again there was little Sir Thomas More than the nods and stomps of the centaur at the gather. No one refuted Ronan's claims.

"You're hurt,"said Harry, approaching Felspar and looking carefully at the wound.

"It was a Bearwicken,"said Felspar quietly.

"He's a fraud !"cried Shahan in a tone that was more liven up than any Centaur Harry had ever seen. He stepped forward, pushing Harry aside, but Harry ignored the crudity and focused his attention on feldspar."He's no drawing card ! He's a wizard ! It's trickery I tell you."

"Let me assist you,"whispered Harry as he held his open hand a few column inch away from the gash on Felspar's flank. Harry closed his eye and muttered the conjuration that he knew would do work with his wand, and then something caused him to extend further, to reach beyond. His hired man had not touched the Centaur, but he could feel the blood, slippery wet, between his fingers. He reached out without moving and willed the gash shut, and the cut obeyed, closing as if a pall had been pulled shut stringent about the wound.

"Like all maven, he'll kill us all when we turn our back !"yelled Shahan again.

"The Chosen heals !"asserted a large, distaff Centaurus from the assembly. A chestnut tree pelage and no bow about her shoulder, she stepped forward from the others."Did the waters teach you these gift or is this wizardry ?"The cobbler's last Scripture was disparaging and even evoked some hissing from the others.

"mother !"cried Felspar."He's the Chosen. How dare you question his giving !"feldspar, injury healed, turned to Harry and bowed low on one knee."As long as Ebyrth shine, I am in your service. Only death will shaft us of time."

A number of other Centaurus followed in kind, each bending low to one knee and bowing their caput. Ronan approached Harry, nodding his psyche and bend to one knee as well.

"You still lack strong suit and endurance, Harry potter, but these things can be learned. Now, it is sentence to rest."He held his hand to Harry's heart."Return to the forest's friend."Harry's mind immediately thought of Hagrid."Run !"

The vision of Hagrid's cabin firmly fixed in his intellect, Harry willed himself there. Again a way opened up and he took off running. here and now later, he found himself where he began the day, seated on Hagrid's chair succeeding to the burning fire, Fang laying at his side and Hagrid singing some birdsong in Daniel Chester French. The logarithm on the fervor cracked as Harry, still naked, looked at his Gryffindor robes that hung from a hook shot near the doorway. The way they were draped over the hook they almost looked real - lifelike, as if they contained some flavour all their own. Harry's breadbasket churned just as Hagrid turned, surprised to find Harry in his hut.

"Harry ?"

"Harry ? Shall we go inside ?"Gabriella had spun to face Harry whose eyes were distant and bent on the far horizon above the lake. Her voice snapped him back from reliving the retentiveness. He had learned something great today, and he'd learned it from the Centaurs.

"Harry ? Are you okay ?"

Harry looked down into her middle and smiled. He was sore and tired ; grim rings hung under his heart. The thought process of going inside to front three gyre on the healing plants of Kirkcaldy was almost too very much to bear.

"They're not that bad you know,"he whispered. Her eyebrows furled in mental confusion."Centaurs,"he added.

"feel, you're tired and it's time for dinner,"she said, deliberately changing the conversation."We can verbalise about the stars later."Harry nodded silently and together they entered the castle and began to take the air to the Great mansion house.

Near a magnanimous suit of clothes of armour Harry noticed St. Patrick talking to King James I Chang. James was leaning against the Harlan Fiske Stone wall, his arms crossed as well as his legs. He was either extremely blase, or he didn't like what he was hearing. Still, Patrick was quite passionate about it ; his munition were swinging wildly about and more than once Harry heard him put up his voice.

"It's gone I tell yeh ! There nothin'there but debris. And there's no way I'm—"

Saint James the Apostle noticed Harry and Gabriella and stood straighter, stopping Saint Patrick's story with a move of his hand. Harry smiled and waved, and King James I returned the gesture with a smile of his own. Saint Patrick turned to see who James was looking at and when he saw Harry, his look bore an formula of great business organisation.

"No wonder,"Harry thought,"I feel like I'm going to blow clod. I must seem like hell."As he and Gabriella continued toward the Great G. Stanley Hall for dinner, the more vile he felt.

"Great,"he muttered to Gabriella who was picking up on his sudden change in emotion.

"I'm taking you to Madame Pomfrey,"Gabriella insisted."Something's wrong."She turned him to the staircase.

"I can't climb those."

"I'll levitate you if I have to."

Patrick followed King James into the Great Hall just as Ron and Hermione appeared from Gryffindor tower. They were headed, arm in arm, into the Great mansion when Ron noticed Gabriella trying to avail Harry toward the staircase that led to the hospital wing.

"Harry ?"called Ron. Quickly, he came over to Harry and helped Gabriella support him. Hermione was right behind him.

"What happened ?"

"I'm amercement, really,"demanded Harry, and in fact he was beginning to feel better although the floor was still a bit unsteady under his feet. They stepped him over to a farsighted bench beneath a boastfully portrait of a great ninth century fight tantrum. Harry hated it here, he always had ; the clang and crash of sword against armour was always deafening when the battler weren't sipping tea together, discussing whose scheme was Lake Superior in the last conflict. Ron noticed a bruise beneath Harry's neckband and leaned in close to Harry's ear.

"You went out again today, didn't you ?"he whispered. His timbre was more raging than concerned.

"CHHHHT,"shot Harry with a blast of air between his clench tooth, trying to quiet is friend. Seated between a mind-reader and an empath, Harry had slight hope of keeping anything enigma, but he didn't want to discuss his training with the Centaurs in straw man of Gabriella.

"You said you'd remove me,"complained Ron."‘ The next meter I go,'you said."Ron crossed his arms."I thought maybe this year would be different."Harry opened his mouth to explain.

"Ron,"injected Hermione,"they'd just as soon skewer you as anything else. Harry's just trying to protect you."

So, Hermione knew. So much for Ron's sworn expletive that he wouldn't say a soul. Harry rolled his eye and shook his head knowing that Hermione was only partially even up. She was right about the skewer part, but Harry knew at once Ron would take the protect part the wrongly way. He did.

"I don't need Harry's protective covering ! We're at war !"

"Ron,"Harry began, holding up his deal,"the thing is—"

"Skewer you ?"asked Gabriella."What are you talking about ? Was Hagrid making you work with Stabbing Snapspiders again ?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed on Harry, whose own regard darted away to look at Ron who was ignoring Gabriella's interrogation and was now standing in a seeing red and about set to storm off. Harry stood too, the dizziness he was feeling all but gone.

"Ron,"Harry said, taking hold of Ron's arm,"I said you would go with me the next clock time I could. This morning time I asked you know who, and they said I had to go by myself. I had a test… of sorts."

"Test ?"asked Ron, now with more interest than anger.

"They ?"asked Gabriella, taking to her feet.

"This morning you were supposed to help prof Barghouti's second class course of study for their DADA lesson,"scolded Hermione, also rising.

"What variety of test ?

"Who are they ?"

"Didn't you hear what happened to little Nolie Langston from Slytherin ?"

Harry feigned dizziness again and tilted in toward Ron who grabbed him by the shoulder."I think I need to eat,"he muttered, and then leaning closer he whispered to Ron,"Saturday."Gabriella knew he was feeling amercement ; she could smell out that. Hermione knew he was feeling fine ; she'd translate the Harry ceramicist book long ago. Both women just glared, while Ron was steadfast.

"Can't you see the man's exhausted ? He has to eat !"he exclaimed."Blimey ! Give him a break for Merlin's sake."He put Harry's arm about his articulatio humeri."ejaculate on, mate. Let's get you a bite and then we can go over the weekend's practice schedule. I know Ginny's been playing fine as pursuer and all, but I think if…."

In the Great hall, Dumbledore had the houses sit wherever they wished for breakfast and lunch, but for dinner party each mansion ate at separate tables from the others. It was a compromise between the vision of the future and a respect for custom. Tonight, Harry was grateful because it meant, for a while at to the lowest degree, he and Gabriella would be separated. As they entered the Great Hall she kissed him on the cheek, holding his left bridge player. He toyed with the golden ring he'd given her the twelvemonth before on Valentine's. There was a twinkle in her eyes and a sly grin upon her face.

"You will tell me later ?"she asked, but the whole tone was more suggestive of a financial statement than a question.

"You know already. You just won't public lecture about it."His smile had a tinge of sadness as their fingers let go of each early. Her twinkle faded and her middle would not hold his gaze as she turned away. Harry did not calculate back as he followed Ron to the Gryffindor table.

Lavender and Parvati were having an liven up conversation about the substance of a large stain on the tablecloth. Parvati had spilt her potable and it left a nighttime, twirling outline of something resembling, at to the lowest degree to Harry, a large toadstool. He sat down realizing he did, very much, need to eat.

"It's a Celtic spiral,"said Lavender, her finger tracking the outline of the top of the toadstool.

"A Crane,"countered Parvati, pointing at the long crooked cervix of the toadstool.

"That makes no sense,"said Lavender."No, it's a Celtic whorl and,"she pointed to some dark privileged office,"with these here it would be interminable life."

"No. See this here ? The way the whorls break up away ? Not unending life… life story, last, and conversion. It's clearly a crane,"Parvati said, pointing out the bird's features."Here are the middle, the curled neck, the long legs."She grew more confident with each description.

"Then you're both right,"chimed in Hermione. The two young ladies looked up, stupid expressions on both their faces."The crane represents longevity. Eternal life… longevity… same thing."She shrugged her shoulder and took a bite of dinner.

"NooOoo,"both Annapurna and Lavender harmonized in a rather long and melodic melodic line."It could mean deception if—"

Deliberately, Harry accidentally spilled his tea onto the stain covering up any discernable point. The liquid began to pullulate off the edge toward Parvati and Lavender and they both took to their feet.

"That looks like a murky pool to me, Harry"said Ron, chewing on a stick of pelf."See the expectant ripple flowin'down the table."

"Honestly, Ron,"sighed Hermione, whisking out her wand and vanishing the tea and smear together.

"HERMIONE !"cried Lavender.

"How could you !"scolded Parvati.

"ME ?"queried Hermione, clearly flummoxed."But they—"

"semen on, Lavender."Parvati spun on her heals and took off, Lavender right hand behind her, but not before she shot a scathing glare at Hermione. No sooner had they left the tabular array than Ron let out a snicker, a patch of bread shooting from his nose.

"Ronald Weasley, I should…"

"Honestly, Hermione, Harry just wants to eat. You can't begrudge the man his peace after all he's been through today."Ron took another morsel of bread and looked at Harry's plate."Are you going to eat those ?"he asked pointing at some chips. Harry just glared back. Ron shrugged and took another sharpness of bread.

"And as for you,"Hermione continued, now turning to Harry,"you better severalise Gabriella straight away what you're up to, or it'll spoil what you both have."Setting down his fork, Harry looked up at her.

"Oh, right wing, and you two are the poster couple for honest and spread discussions."

"Harry,"said Hermione without losing step,"you know there's something bothering her. You need to find out what it is."

"Don't you think I've tried ! ?"asked Harry, raising his interpreter just enough for those around him to stop their conversations. He knew he hadn't, not really, but he also knew that Hermione didn't know. Her eyes simply looked into his, probing, her expression calm. The looking at was enervate because he knew his own expression was giving him away."Well I have,"he insisted, pushing his dental plate in for right measure.

He wasn't sure the drama was having the effect he wanted. Ron simply nipped one of his leftover chips and Hermione only let out a yearn disapproving sigh. Past the spot of homecoming, at least for this tilt, Harry stood up and left the Great Hall in as foul a mood as he could come up. His judgment focused on the Gryffindor board, he didn't notice the Slytherin that stood as well and followed him out of the Great Hall.

Harry was moving down the corridor toward Gryffindor when he heard the step behind him. He stopped and turned ; only no one was there. He looked over past a wooing of armor and then behind a pillar - still no one. Tired, if not completely exhausted, he continued toward Gryffindor and his awaiting homework. He was nearly at the portraiture of the Fat Lady when there was a tap on his deal and a susurration in his ear.

"Your years grow short."

Harry felt the notation appear on his ribbon and spun at once.

"Blaise ?"he whispered back, but there was no answer.

Harry unfolded the part of parchment."They think it's at the Ministry. Is it ?"was all it said. The portrait swung spread out and Harry quickly moved to hide the note, only he didn't have to. It flashed in a pouf of pot and disappeared. Neville stepped out of the Gryffindor commons way followed by the most unconvincing of faces - Severus Snape. Strangely neither took much notice of Harry. Beyond a svelte principal nod by Neville, it was as if he didn't even exist.

"The matter is, Professor,"Neville was saying as he past Harry,"if the two roots are to experience the effect you want, they'll have to be grown to exactly the same length."

"Quit restating the obvious, Longbottom,"replied Snape without so a lot as a nod toward Harry as he past."The questions is can you do it ?"Neville scratched his chin as they disappeared down the corridor.

"I think so, with the right Christ Within. If I can take over some…"and the conversation faded away.

Amazed, Harry shook his head and turned toward the portraiture of the Fat Lady.

"parole ?"she asked with a smile.

Just before he answered, Harry paused, scratching his Kuki much as Neville had just done. What was at the Ministry ? The Horcrux that Draco had mentioned ? Whatever that was.

"Erm, sorry,"said Harry,"changed my mind."He turned and headed back down the corridor, wondering if his secret tone bestower was still nearby. As much as he hated the thought of climbing back up the stairway, he had to go down and mouth with Dumbledore. Besides, the three scrolls on the healing plants of Kirkcaldy could wait till later.


Harry ceramicist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 10 - sight
~~~***~~~




Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.
The silver grey instrument rose and fell on Dumbledore's mahogany desk as Harry stroked Fawkes'plume, waiting for the headmaster to regress. Not much bighearted than a bread-bin, it was a strange collection of gears and springs and Harry spent some time trying to infer its significance. The contraption, rimmed with winged fauna Harry couldn't recognize, reminded him of a standardized device in the Shirley Temple family land at Grimmauld Place. It too had the same handbill anchor ring that ran up a notched staircase only the Black device was golden, its winged fauna looked more menacing, and Harry had never seen it operate.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.

Shot by a spring, another silver halo ran up the staircase only to reach the top, falter, and fall into a hatful below. The tidy sum seemed to be shrinking as Harry stood observation, but he could not see where the gang disappeared to, nor could he hear the seed for the ring that sprung Forth from the butt. There it was - a never ending onward motion that seemed to have no determination.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Unable to contain himself, Harry reached out and grabbed the silver ring before it had a chance to shine from atop the small staircase. The scene changed and he suddenly found himself on the Hogwarts Express walking toward the figurehead of the train, two step behind Greg Goyle. But, this couldn't be - Greg was dead. It took him a moment to agnise that he'd traveled back in meter. They were about to reach the straw man of the train ; Greg wasn't dead, he was about to die.

Harry tried to verbalize, but no Logos came. He tried to pass on his hand up to discontinue Greg, but it would not move. Unable to control his motion, Harry could do nothing but watch account blossom as it had stopping point class. He poked his head into a equipage, telling a grouping of 5th yr what was up.

"I've been wondering what was taking so long with the food trolley,"said Ernie Macmillan. Harry explained that the professors had gone missing and Ernie joined him to discern the trouble. As Harry slipped back out of the rig with Ernie, Goyle took the point and started toward the battlefront of the train. Once again Harry tried to stop his booster when, through the trash room access to the box ahead, Harry saw a witch in obscure robes suddenly appear in the corridor. Anaxarete. Harry wished he could cast a killing curse, but it was no use ; he could do nothing. She glanced back, revealing a sinister grin and piercing greenish eyes. Harry tried to place himself in front of Greg, but was unable to pass Goyle's broad shoulders. It didn't thing ; an instant later she was gone and an trice after that the battlefront of the gear exploded with a wonderful white flash.

Harry fell to the floor of Dumbledore's role, the silver ring firmly clenched within his manpower. He was shaking, the plosion still ringing in his ears, when he opened his oculus and found Dumbledore looking down at him. The headmaster bent with difficulty to one knee and held out his hand.

"I take it you did not detect yourself in one of prof Binns'lectures, Harry ?"

Harry took Dumbledore's hand and rose to his foundation. He held the ring out between his thumb and forefinger.

"What… what is it ?"he asked still shaken. Dumbledore took the ring and placed it back atop the silver staircase.

Tink.

It fell into the big money below which now was growing bombastic as Dumbledore stood and spoke with Harry.

"It is a memory book of sorts… a pic album."Dumbledore moved to his desk and sat down, leaning back against his chair."Different for each who reads it."Harry couldn't supporter but think that the expectant wizard of the age was beginning to show signs of wear. He had grown much fragile since Harry last saw him at the end of the school year, and his hands were beginning to curl in an unnatural way.

"Like a Pensieve ?"Harry asked.

"Not quite, Harry,"replied the Headmaster."A Pensieve lets you store or dispatch your memories so that you can look them over later. You can pick out the memory to remove, to examine."He leaned forward and held his hands together."This is a Möbius Machine. It reflects a sensation's life account. It is a never ending loop that plays over and over again, shrinking or expanding to accommodate the viewer. Each fluent circle is a ringlet of a portion of your animation. While the doughnut play in order, there is no way, unfortunately, to check which computer storage, which sprightliness experience you will visit."

A shiver past tense by Harry again, and for a moment he thought he felt the breather of destruction whisper its name against the nape of his neck.

"I take it, Harry,"continued Dumbledore,"that your experience was not a pleasant one."

"No, sir,"answered Harry, sitting himself."It was… on the wagon train ; when I was with Greg, just when… just when…"

"I understand."Dumbledore sighed. He stood and walked back to the device. He waived his baton and uttered an incantation and the rings stopped running up the stairway, and fell wherever they were in the cycle."I wish your memory could be happier, Harry. I would hate to see you as a tottering old man, sitting down in a dusty business office wondering if you could risk reliving the tragedy that grasping a few ring might get. Guy Fawkes quietly vocalized his agreement, as Dumbledore slipped his baton away and placed his paw on Harry's shoulder."I know you have been chosen, Harry. But you need not place yourself between the Centaur and the Dementors ; it is not your war."

"You said it yourself, prof,"said Harry, looking up into Dumbledore's still bright blasphemous eyes,"it's the course we choose that make us who we are. I'm not doing this because I was chosen. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do. Lucius Malfoy is going to use this to try and sweep the darkness back across this land, and I won't let him."Harry's own eye were trigger-happy with determination and defiance."I've been training with Ronan."Harry paused."Are Centaurs charming ?"

"Very much so, Harry,"said Dumbledore with a smile."It is folly for wizard to believe they are the most powerful animal on this dry land. You know, of course, centaur have keen sight and are skilled with a bow, but these things are physical skill that many wizards dismiss. Ahh… not so, Harry… not so. Why do you think a Centaur never misses his target ?"Harry shrugged."Because a skilled Centaur can follow the arrow all the way to its destination, nudging its escape along the way. They can bow space and time, Harry. Even while sensation are ineffective to Apparate on Hogwarts grounds, Ronan can disappear and reappear wherever he pleases simply by using his mind."

"He showed me today. He taught me today."

Dumbledore said naught. Harry could evidence by his look that he was strike, or surprised, but the old sensation made no Word of it. Instead he stood from his death chair and walked over to his telescope.

"They are a lot better steward of such acquirement than whizz would ever be,"the get on whiz whispered, looking down into the lense of the telescope. The instrument was fixed on the portion of the sky through which the comet Ebyrth was now passing. Harry no longer needed a telescope to see the comet's bright tail.

"It is not your war, Harry,"said Dumbledore still looking into the lens."The Ministry can handle the likes of Lucius and his ilk."He adjusted the focus."They have no forcefulness in numbers, no allies for support, no sanctuary in which to hide. It's only a matter of time."

"Then why harbour't they been caught ?"asked Harry."It's been months, and nothing."

"Lucius is no fool,"answered Dumbledore."He'll remain hidden for as long as potential and only hit when he thinks he can win."The maven looked up."He can't win, Harry."But Harry wasn't so sure as shooting. He turned his dorsum on Dumbledore and walked over to Fawkes, stroking the bird's feathering. Harry didn't know how to take it up, but he had to ask.

"What if… what if he had a weapon ? A secret arm ?"

"mystery weapon ?"asked Dumbledore, turning to face Harry more fully."What do you mean ?"

"A… A Horcrux."

The portrait that were earlier minding their own business, napping, reading the paper, or off to some former place were suddenly thrown into a ruction. The headmasters of old began complaining at once about the impudence of the Young man to discuss such subject here.

"It's an abomination, Albus !"one cried.

"Lucius is cunningly evilness,"called Phineas,"But he would never crawl to such depths."

Dumbledore finally quieted them all by threatening to bestow down a weather sheet of darkness. His boldness was grave, almost pale and the pure tone of his voice was filled with slap-up business organisation. Harry knew at once that whatever a Horcrux was, it was morose magic, but then… did he wait otherwise ?

"Harry,"began Dumbledore slowly, his voice quite and sombre,"what makes you believe that Lucius Malfoy would employ a Horcrux ?"Harry turned away from Dumbledore, not willing to maintain eye contact."Certainly such news program does not come from our friend the Centaurs."

"Well… I… I heard that…"He stalled and then turned back to face Dumbledore. How could he know how one employed a Horcrux if he didn't even acknowledge what one was ?"Professor, what is a Horcrux ?"Dumbledore walked back to the silver machine that was now smooth on the tabular array. He tapped it with his sceptre and the silver rings began to flap again. He took a closed chain and held it in his hired man for but a instant when he laughed and placed it back along its track.

"Precious,"he whispered to himself."So precious."

"Professor ?"

"It was the day when Professor McGonagall asked me if I enjoyed teaching at Hogwarts. She was thinking of applying to teach here as well, but wasn't sure if her husband would agree."

"Husband ?"asked Harry incredulously."prof McGonagall was married ?"

"Oh yes, Harry,"answered Dumbledore."And very happily I might add. He was killed by a end feeder when Voldemort first returned. She joined the Order of the Phoenix soon after. Since then, she's been our strongest ally against the darkness."This new intelligence had Harry's chief spinning just a bit. He'd always assumed…. Dumbledore turned back to the silver machine."Can you imagine what it would be like if professor McGonagall did not have the memory board of the murder of her husband ?"

"I… I suppose she'd be happy."

"But she is happy, Harry. Certainly, if you were to ask, she would wish well that he was still at her incline, but she is very happy."Dumbledore's custody squeezed the wooden table and he drew in a trench breath. When he turned to wait back into Harry's center, his face was grave accent and his own eyes tail end."What I'm about to tell you, Harry, is not supposed to leave this room."Harry glanced toward the door as if there might be someone there."Harry, I know with whom you would wish to part. You should roll in the hay that it is taboo. I would not even speak of it with you, had you not brought it up first. Do I receive your word ?"

"Yes, sir,"replied Harry, his vocalisation belittled than he thought it should be. He began to enquire if he should have ever asked. Dumbledore stepped close.

"Imagine for a moment that I could split you into three citizenry. Not copy mind you, but three distinct parts of your very essence… your individual. One would stay with the consistency you now possess ; the early two would be put away for reposition you might say. If you, the portion of you that inhabits the body you now have, were to die, one of the former parts would seek out another body to inhabit… to ensure. You, part of you, would live again."

"Part of me ?"

"The portion that you hid away."Again Dumbledore turned to the automobile on the table."The pile of pack that you see in front of me here, Harry, is larger than your was. Why ?"

"You have more memories, more experiences."

"Precisely ! But a disconnected soul would only take with it portions, shadows of the memory board the master copy soul carried. Imagine, my boy, if you had to choose… what share of your soulfulness would you carve away ? What part of you would stay ? There are many pick. You could chip at out the bad computer storage, perhaps the death of Greg Goyle, and go on believing that he had never died ? But then, what would bump if you were to die, and the Horcrux storing only the bad memories was released ? What sort of acidify soul would stay ?

"Then there are those wizards who believe that it is the tragedy of a wizard's life that drives him forward ? Such a ace might go on the tragic computer storage at the ready erasing all joy and happiness, perhaps the day you first arrived at Hogwarts ?.

"And it's not just retentiveness, Harry. It's also the sum of who we are, what we have become, both near and iniquity, dark and light. A whizz must decide how to separate each slice of joy and sorrow into tiny pieces, sprinkling a little bit of everything into each part of your soulfulness, splintering all you ever were into shards of fogged Methedrine that can never really be made unhurt again. Tell me, Harry, what choice would you make ?"

"I… I wouldn't choose such a life, sir,"replied Harry, horrified of the sentiment.

"No, Harry, nor would I."Dumbledore's shoulders drooped slightly as if a prominent weight sat square upon them."Thankfully, virtually wizards and witches would refuse to prefer as well. Fewer still know that there is such a path one can direct ; and only the most mightily of those would be capable to take it."Suddenly looking quite tired, Dumbledore returned to the chair behind his desk and let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes."The Horcrux is simply the repositing vessel… it could be a rock'n'roll, a cloak, a cup—"

"But Lucius—"

"Think, Harry,"Dumbledore interrupted."It might even be a book…"There was a long break. Harry could hear a bit of the portraits on the bulwark gumming to themselves. Clearly they were infelicitous with the way of the conversation, particularly Phineas.

"The diary ?"Harry answered finally, his spokesperson more certain than uncertain, and with each new enquiry the uncertainty vanished."Tom Riddle's diary ? That was a Horcrux ? Voldemort used a Horcrux."

"Lucius is cunning, ruthless and evilness, but I have seen deeply into his center. He could not master the Horcrux even if he desired to."

"But I saw Voldemort die,"said Harry."There was nothing left."

"Yes,"said Dumbledore, nodding."You also saw Tom Riddle die in the Chamber of secret. I had always assumed he had divided himself in two. Who would risk fracturing themselves more than once ?"Dumbledore chuckled to himself grimly."Who indeed ?"Then he turned back to Harry."This news program palls the skyline with a new darkness. severalize me, Harry, why you believe that someone is employing a Horcrux because, if somebody is, Voldemort is most certainly behind it."

Again, Harry found himself turning away. He didn't want this news. He thought it had something to do with Lucius, with the war that would soon be upon them. He didn't want to believe what he had felt all summertime, what he had felt since returning to Hogwarts, that Voldemort was somehow still alive. But where ? How ? Harry, his center sincere, looked back at Dumbledore.

"Sir, I… I can't. I gave my word."Dumbledore's center narrowed and then, quite naturally, he smiled back.

"fountainhead, I suppose if you told me, then your promise to keep our conversation of the Horcrux private would intend nothing."

"If it does exist,"Harry said anxiously,"we have to find it before it's too late."

"Harry,"said Dumbledore with grave business concern,"such amnionic fluid are filled with Grindylows and Inferi."Harry looked at Dumbledore, confused.

"Inf— ?"

"It's far too grave for you to begin some journey to search the earth for a Horcrux. Voldemort's been to the edges of the ball and beyond ; it could be anywhere. More belike, it has already been activated. No, I will speak with the members of the—"

"Sir, you can't. I swore that I'd—"

"Relax, Harry, there will be no demand to implicate your involvement. In fact, it's more to our advantage to keep your name completely out of the picture."

Dumbledore breathed in deeply and closed his eyes as he slowly let out his breath."Yes, I think I understand. He didn't just split himself in two. He may not have stopped at three. There's no telling."He walked over and stroked Fawkes'plumage, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to say."I despise arcanum, Harry, but if Voldemort has reanimated he may, once again, have broker working within the school wall. I'm sure Lucius does. That we know another Horcrux might exist gives us an edge we dare not suffer. Do you have any idea—"The chimes of the great clock struck twice.

"Oh dear,"said Dumbledore."I've made you belatedly for class."He paused, struggling for the briefest of moments about what to say next."You best be on your way. We can go along this later. Tell prof Barghouti it was all my fault and I'll confer with him about it later."

"But—"

"Go on, Harry,"interrupted Dumbledore.

Harry sighed, grabbed his books and started for form. Just as he was about to flap his hand across the large brass doorhandle, Dumbledore stopped him.

"Harry, there are those that we can trust—long-time friends and individual checkmate. I understand that you may be compelled to try assistance. If you must discuss this, hold on the conversation within the walls of Gryffindor."Harry paused for a bit, taking in the headmaster's word.

"But that means—"

"You know what it means. Now, be on your way."

As Harry walked down the corridors toward defensive measure Against the darkness Arts class, his thinker was spinning with the new selective information and trying to suffer everything that Dumbledore has shared with him. Within the wall of Gryffindor. Even though this year students were complimentary to enter the park Room of any business firm into which they were invited, Harry knew exactly what Dumbledore meant ; he shouldn't trust Gabriella. He pondered how he would proceed Gabriella out of any discussion he might have with Ron or Hermione concerning the Horcrux. Maybe he was better off not saying anything to anybody. His concerns about Gabriella faded quickly, however, when arrived late to class and Professor Barghouti took ten point in time away from Gryffindor for Harry's tardiness. He wouldn't let Harry say a Holy Scripture about where he was or who he was with.

Normally, Harry arrived early to class so that he could sit in back. He like the majority of the class wanted to sit in as far away from professor Barghouti as potential. For nearly students it was because their professor was a vampire ; Harry simply didn't like him. Every clock time Harry looked into his heart he felt that he had to examine himself worthy ; that he was somehow lacking when it came to the Votary. Now, having arrived to family late, Harry had to sit in movement future to the only early bookman who would : Hermione and Gabriella. Harry took his seat side by side to Gabriella who offered him a supportive smile after he was chastised by Barghouti about time management.

"Now, as I was saying,"said Professor Barghouti with a bit of a drawl that reminded Harry all too much of a Cross between Snape and Malfoy,"before we were so rudely interrupted… Occlumency is more art than learned, more nature than fostering. Nonetheless, even the most inept wizard,"he looked at Harry,"can learn to repel at to the lowest degree underlying attempts to penetrate the intellect. Fortunately, most of you are sorely lacking as Legilimens."Barghouti stared once again at Harry.

"I want each of you to detect a better half and while one try to penetrate his cooperator's mental defences the other will use the technique you described in lowest Night's preparation assignment. For those of you who found the assignment to tedious and pick out instead to practice session Quidditch,"again he looked at Harry,"expect to spend the eventide with Madame Pomfrey as she treats your headache."

"But, professor,"complained Hermione while raising her hand.

"Yes, Ms sodbuster ?"

"What if people don't want to have their minds read ? It is, after all, a violation of personal space."

"True, Ms. Granger ; it is a violation. But then, so is the Killing Curse and we've learned to defend ourselves, as best we can, against such an onslaught. Would you prefer to have your thought process read freely by Lucius Malfoy's spy ? Have them know your plans so that they can kill you or your have it off unity when you least expect it ?"

"But—"

"Pair with individual you trust,"he interrupted."We'll talk of this no more."

Hermione's lips pursed as she crossed her weaponry. Harry knew that facial expression before. Still, he didn't think that it was such a big deal. Instinctively, he paired with Gabriella. Ron was about to geminate with Hermione when Barghouti grabbed him by the arm.

"I think not, Mr. Weasley. I understand you're quite gifted in this area. Today, you can be my partner."Barghouti offered a rarified smile and both Ron and Harry expected to see his fangs, but all that appeared was a straight row of bright, pearly tooth.

Harry turned his desk about and sat opposite Gabriella. He had let her into his mind many fourth dimension before. There was something playful, almost erotic about how they would communicate in this way. While she had become quite adept at curling herself around Harry's opinion, she never went cryptic than Harry offered. For his part, he had never been able to see her thought unless he opened his own first. They always had to play in Harry's brain, and he had never tried to push her away. She was smiling at him, a sparkling in her center, as she took his hand in hers. It wasn't until their hands touched that his kernel skipped. Foremost in his mind was something he couldn't let her see — his conversation with Dumbledore. His hand pulled away ; he couldn't stop her from sensing his emotions, but he could stop her from reading his thinker.

"Harry,"she asked, sensing immediately his excited break,"what's wrong."

"Erm… N-nothing,"he answered evasively."I… I mean we already know you can get into my head. How ‘ bout I try to get into yours first ?"She said nothing, trying to put his Son in alignment with the feelings she was sensing."That's okay, isn't it ?"he asked.

"Sure,"she said slowly. She reached out her hands again, but Harry placed his own in his lap.

"Erm… Let me consecrate it a go without contact."

"You know you can't."

"I can try,"he frivol away back with a bit of defiance. His articulation was heated for no good intellect, and he knew she'd sense that as well. If he stayed flustered, she'd be right ; there would be no way for him to come close to reading her mind.

Around the class some students were having better success than others. Most attempts were fairly week and were being met by immediate repulsion. This resulted in more than a few bookman being knocked backwards out of their chairs. Ron was popping down on to the ground more times than you could escape from a sceptre at and Barghouti was taking majuscule satisfaction in being able to snub Ron's progress. Just behind Harry, Hermione had teamed with Neville who, at the moment, was trying to perforate her mind. Avoiding Gabriella's eyes, Harry took a bass breath.

"Ready ?"he asked.

"Go tiger,"said Gabriella with a smile.

Harry began to focus as best he could on Gabriella's thoughts, but all he was sensing was the rachis of his eyelid. Squeezing his eyes closed more firmly, he heard another large thump that he took to be Ron's rear end once again striking the slate base. It felt like an eternity, but at some point he could hear Gabriella calling his name. Not with her mouth, but with her mind. Instead of pushing him back, she was trying to coax him in. Even with the helper he was finding it extremely hard to advertise his way through the iniquity to her thoughts. Not mindful that he was now grabbing the edge of the desk with his hands, he redoubled, tripled his cause to push his way in.

Suddenly, there was a jolt from behind. Trying to get through into Neville's mind, Hermione had been repelled backwards and fell against Harry. She grabbed his shoulder and began to pluck him backwards. Without thinking and still focused mentally to penetrate Gabriella with all his big businessman, he reached out toward her. She grabbed his hands and when she did the aspect in Harry's mind changed. The sound was sucked out of the room and all was darkness. He had penetrated Gabriella's psyche ; but what was this… her memory board or something Sir Thomas More ?

The commotion of the class had disappeared and an eerie silence surrounded him. He heard first, a rushing of weewee, a drip-drip-drip, a rustle of leaves and then crying… Then the air filled with a musty, wet scent of true pine and loam… The Forbidden Forest, he knew at once. Slowly, a brightness began to open up up before him and he realized that the crying came from the child he was holding in his arm. This was no memory board ; Harry was himself in this sight. He found that his robes were soaked. Both he and the youthful child, still less than a year old, looked as if they'd just come from the lake. The baby, glistening wet, was wrapped in night folds of damp fabric, dripping on his kick. A manus touched his shoulder from behind.

"You'll have to admit care of him now, Harry."It was Hermione, her articulation seeped in sadness."She'd want it that way."

A rush of fearfulness began to pour itself over Harry. He was low temperature, shivering, teeth chattering, the child in his arms continued to cry out for its female parent, but Harry knew that it was a cry that would never be answered. He wanted to shout, to run, but when the tyke looked at him his bosom warmed and his resolve strengthened. Slowly Harry's finger brushed the child's cheek.

"You know,"he whispered, quelling the child's tears,"you have your mother's eyes."


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 11 - Notty Boy
~~~***~~~

Bass throbbing, strings reverberating, the band was loud and Harry was not feeling all that well. He slumped back, sinking into the big, overstuffed chair and rubbed his temples. Why did he let Ron and dean challenge him into a drinking duel upstairs ? The Quidditch mates against Hufflepuff was tomorrow and he swore he wouldn't take a sip. But then Ron convinced him that they were two-hundred decimal point ducky over their baby house and why not celebrate… a little ? It was Halloween after all ; their last at Hogwarts.

Feeling a bit drunk, he then had let Neville convince him to eat far too much during the fete. Why not ? It was, after all, their last Halloween together. And then when he had stepped outside for some fresh air, Hermione started in on him again.

"I saw it. You saw it. By the way she's acting, all three of us saw it, Harry."Her vocalisation was more harmonic than chiding as she set her hired man upon his shoulder joint. She had tried this approach once already ; it hadn't worked then either. Harry didn't know why she wouldn't just let it go. Okay, that was a lie - he did get it on. That was just what Hermione did. She wanted to work out a trouble that she didn't understand and not knowing the reply was driving her mad. Nonetheless, after her protestations, Harry had simply rolled his middle and shrugged his berm.

"If she doesn't want to talk about it, then—"

"You need to differentiate her what you saw,"Hermione had said, stepping in more closely to Harry, but his intellect had grown foggier than ever. Instead of being refreshed by the night air, he was just cold and rummy. He shook his headspring, disagreeing with Hermione, unceremoniously pushing her assuage hand away, and had wandered, stumbling a bit, back into the dance, where he had found the nice cushy chairperson he now was melting into. Frustrated, Hermione had left his side before he entered the Great Hall, and he was thankful for that. Rubbing his temples, Harry considered the new song. Yes, the band was very gimcrack, but everyone was having a swell time.

The Great Granville Stanley Hall was dark save for the spots that bathed the striation in an eerie orange and regal lightness. Now and then a row of candles burning at the front of the phase would flash bright, sparkling into the air. It was the only metre you could earn much of anything out, except when a professor's wand grew bright, lighting up two snogging students typically in a darkened corner covered by the fog that floated some three feet off the flooring.

Harry was surprised to see Patrick dancing with a tierce year girl from Slytherin, if you could promise his gyrations dancing. The lad was flailing his munition and pounding his metrical foot ; Harry expected to see him smiling, but Patrick didn't seem too please with it. Ron was nowhere to be seen, which put a momentary smirk on Harry's facial expression, for it was Harry who had won their earlier bet. He smiled even more broadly, thinking that Ron would have to go three nights straight without wearing any air sock. There was another hopeful newsbreak and he caught raft of Gabriella passing by James Chang as she entered the Great Hall. Eyes blurred, Harry thought she had been carrying something, but couldn't make out what it was before the elbow room went dark again. His breadbasket churned ; he did not feel well at all. A mo later she was at his side of meat with a stone mug in her hired man, steam boiling out the top and rolling down over her bridge player.

"You owe me for this !"she called out over the raging euphony."Ginny told me what you did upstairs. You can't do that, Harry. It's too dangerous for you to be this vulnerable."She handed the mug to Harry, who was nodding his head even though he couldn't make out a one Bible she was saying, and squished in next to him on the oversized cushion. Harry took a probationary sip. Feeling her warmth next to his, Harry was sure she had been praising him for imbibition Ron and Dean under the tabular array. There was another photoflash of electric discharge and he noticed a few of the younger students including James I and Patrick were leaving. He looked back down into his mug, mustered up the courage and swallowed down the repose. The effect was nearly immediate. The nausea passed and his vision began to exculpate. He was feeling better, but he was growing tired. When he set the mug down, Gabriella took him by the hands.

"You did a wonderful job helping professor Flitwick with the laurel wreath. The ophidian that kept swallowing initiatory years was quite creative."

"A Slytherin inspired me,"replied Harry, smiling back at her now that the ringing was leaving his ears. He glanced over at the Snake River that was over in the quoin of the Great G. Stanley Hall. The few first gear year students that remained were still lining up to be swallowed by the large, greyish creature with cutthroat yellow centre. Once swallowed, students were transported to the front end of the level where the band was playing. It was the only way the untested students could ready their way to the front of the host that crushed up against the stage. If they were lucky, they got to sing with the band. If they weren't, the older scholarly person would toss them to the back of the crew. This belatedly, it became more a biz than anything else with first gear long time finding some sort of treat or concoction from Fred and George's store in their pockets by the fourth dimension they were flung out of the crew.

"I can't believe you're the only one who offered to help,"said Gabriella.

"Flitwick usually does it all himself. Er… net year… I made a promise, I guess."

Harry was suddenly nervous, remembering where he was and what he had done death class at Halloween. At first he tried to wait away, but he could feel Gabriella's pitch blackness eye penetrating his feelings, so he turned to her and tried to deepen the bailiwick to something he knew she wouldn't want to talk about, especially not here.

"You know… Hermione thinks you should differentiate us what we saw."

At secure it was difficult to hear, and with the retentive interruption and total lack of reaction on Gabriella's part, Harry wondered if she'd even heard him. He tried to duplicate himself.

"I said, Hermione thinks—"

"I know what Hermione thinks,"Gabriella snapped."AND I know what YOU think."She let go of Harry's hands and crossed her weapons system and legs. Her eyes were not angry, they were sad, almost frightened.

"I didn't mean value to—"

"You just don't understand, Harry."Her jaw was set as they watched another for the first time year go flying off the stage and be thrown to the backbone of the Great Hall, disappearing into the swirling fog that hung low on the flooring. Without looking at Harry, she yelled,"Is there somewhere we can go so we're not screaming at each other ! ?"

Harry was taken aback. He didn't expect that she'd want to talk at all about it. His eyes darted toward the vestibule off the Great anteroom. No one could get in there save prof ; yet prof Dumbledore had taken Harry there the class before and he remembered how to get in. Still he hesitated, but then his heart began to raceway a bit, thinking of the possibilities. It was dark ; if they stayed close to the wall no one would see them slip behind the stagecoach.

"well ?"Gabriella called out.

Harry took her head and nodded for her to survey. It wasn't sluttish making it to the rampart, but the bunch was focused on a particularly screeching song by the leash Isaac Merrit Singer with bass notes that pounded the floor and tossed common people off their feet. Undetected, Gabriella and Harry slipped into the side of meat room and the music instantly fell away. The antechamber was dimly lit by the tender gleam of the fireplace and a handful of lit wax light. Beyond that there wasn't another joint of article of furniture in the post. Harry paused, thinking about the right magical spell, but before he put it together, Gabriella had conjured up a nice loveseat near the fireplace.

For the briefest of minute he thought to ask Gabriella about what he had seen in her head, but being in this particular room on this finical Nox caused memories of Cho to hasten over him. His emotions were mixed between excitement and care. He hadn't heard from Cho since schooling let out and when Gabriella offered to visit Cho at her home, Mrs. Chang said that she had gone to the commonwealth and wouldn't be back for the rest of summer. The only scholar who had any contact with her at all was Anthony Goldstein who seemed to be her boyfriend now. He seemed to crow that he knew something that Harry didn't and he wouldn't say a Holy Scripture about what Cho was up to ; only that she was healthy and well-chosen and that they'd be seeing a lot Sir Thomas More of each other after he graduated.

"Has she answered your varsity letter ?"Harry whispered without thinking.

"Who ?"asked Gabriella, a bit confound.

"Cho. Only Anthony seems to cognize anything, but he seems to be playing Prince Valiant by keeping mum. Have you heard anything ?"

"You know I haven't,"answered Gabriella."Why do you—"

"I hope she hasn't relapsed,"said Harry with concern.

To Gabriella, Harry's sudden business organization for Cho was odd, out of place. Why here ? Why now ? Still, it was somehow heart-warming, and she took his hands again as they sat down together by the flame.

"If something was wrongfulness, we would own heard,"she said comfortingly."If anything, Anthony's filled with pride and happiness. I can sense it. He feels as if he's doing something tremendously crucial. Is it so bad if he won't share ? Why ?"She smiled devilishly."Are you overjealous ?"Gabriella pinched Harry's side and made him yelp.

Harry put on his best Bogart imposture."These eyes are only special K for you, sweetheart."

He leaned over and kissed Gabriella hard against the lips. It had been historic period since they had been truly alone together, and she pressed her lips firmly back against his. Her arm wrapped around his spinal column and she pulled him besotted to her breast. His hands slipped to the warm, soft flesh of her belly. Thoughts of Centaur imaginativeness slipped past both their brain in favour of other, more enjoyable, natural process.

Later, as Harry was tying up the lace of his flight simulator, he realized how artfully Gabriella had managed to keep him from asking her about the imaginativeness they'd seen. She kissed him one last time as he reached for the knob on the door that led back out to the Great Hall. There was still a throng of people crowding against the stage when they slipped back out of the ante-chamber. They chose not to dance and instead made their way out to the front of the palace. It was well yesteryear midnight, but there were still a few couple huddled together, watching the night sky. It was the most spectacular Halloween Harry could remember. The wizard were brilliant, but then he saw it. His gaze froze and his smile fell.

"What ? What's the matter, Harry ?"Gabriella placed her hand against the English of Harry's face and then looked to the promised land above her shoulder."What's wrong ? What do you see ?"

"Ebyrth,"said Harry flatly. Gabriella leaned her pass against his shoulder joint and patted his back, saying zilch. Harry sighed deeply."I… I just don't get it."

"What ?"

"I don't see how it can acquire often brighter. I see it during the day now."

"It may be bright for you,"she answered quietly,"but most the rest of us can't yet see it at all."

"Where's the war ? I don't know why things haven't started already,"said Harry, but then a abstruse, spotty vox broke the Nox's stillness.

"What makes you think they haven't ?"

Both Gabriella and Harry jumped. It was prof Barghouti. The moment the former distich saw him they began to scramble up the fronts steps of the castle, constantly casting backward glances to create surely he wasn't following them, and occasionally reaching for their neck as if to reassure themselves that they hadn't been bitten. Harry forced himself to regain his calmness, but Gabriella had beaten him to it.

"Dakhil, where have you been ?"she asked."I've been looking for you all day ?"

"I had a sojourn with a werewolf,"he answered."Only appointment, don't you think ?"He laughed at his own antic and while Gabriella laughed as well, Harry was having none of it.

"Just got back then, did you ? wing a bit tired ? Slurp up a few tourists along the way ?"

"Harry !"Gabriella snapped.

"Yes, boy,"said Barghouti unimpressed,"as a matter of fact…,"he ran his tongue across his teeth, and this time a row of jagged, razor-sharp dentition appeared,"…I did."

"Dakhil !"chided Gabriella. Barghouti merely chuckled again and the teeth became straight and pearly snowy.

"You may not see it, boy,"said Barghouti, tapping Harry across the font with his vauntingly hand,"but your war has begun. Does that make you finger better ?"Harry's eyes were incredulous.

"What do you stand for ?"he asked."There hasn't been an incident since the train."

"The Centaurus of the Great Forest are not the alone Centaur in the world, boy. And, as lots as you might wish to believe that England is the midpoint of the macrocosm, it is but a very small section of it."He looked at Gabriella."It is as I had feared. The war has begun at home."

"I thought you said you didn't tutelage about the war,"queried Harry."Why the long face now ?"

"Because, oh chosen one,"Barghouti sneered,"your friend Lucius Malfoy has enlisted the assist of vampires and hence his choice of first strike - the Carpathian Mountains. Only they're not just killing Centaurs, they're wiping out anything and anyone in their route - all of them Muggles. A whole small town was destroyed. The Muggle newspaper publisher are reporting that the devastation was due to a gas explosion."A burst of air popped between his rim."I must return to Singehorn for a few days. I fear my old friend may move to interfere and repeat old mistakes. professor Dumbledore has been informed and prof Lupin will take guardianship of my classes."

"Wait ! I'm going with you,"said Harry emphatically. Barghouti snickered and turned."I said—"

"You wish to economise the cosmos, boy ?"Barghouti snapped, spinning back upon Harry. He was clearly wild, as if Harry had started the whole affair ; as if Harry had placed the comet in the sphere himself."Why don't you try saving this school first ? Why don't you try saving THEM ?"His manus shot out toward the trees that surrounded the school ; all was swarthiness. Harry squinted, which only made Barghouti all the more infuriate.

"Have you learned aught ?"he cried. There was a small squeal from one of the remaining students near the castling room access who quickly ran inside, slamming the door behind her."Can you not SEE ?"

Harry looked again into the shadow, squinting. Then he remembered. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then, he reached out with his mind toward the forest. As Dakhil had shown him before, all living matter began to appear before him - the grass, scrub, and tree diagram all glowed brightly. He scanned further out and then saw it : a Centaurus some ten yards into the trees, bow in paw. Motion to the right wing caught his vision again - another Centaur, another bow. Harry continued to scan. Every thirty to fifty yards another Centaur stood guard, watching over the schooling in the wickedness. But Harry couldn't William Tell if they were trying to go along something out, or something in.

"What are they doing ?"he whispered.

"I am weary of teaching the ignorant,"Barghouti muttered."The Centaurs can smell the darkness, mug. It is already upon you. You would be smart to determine its reservoir before it swallows you whole."In a swirl he disappeared before Harry had a prospect to say another word. The strait of flapping offstage, faded to nothingness. What he noticed, after the debris settled, was that Gabriella's fingers were digging into the soft flesh of his forearm.

"What— ?"He looked over at her and saw pure fear on her face. She was mesmerized, staring intently at the shadow of the wood. Then he realized that she was searching for what Harry could see, but she could not. She was afraid of the Centaurs. She took a footmark behind Harry, almost as if using him as a buckler against the darkness, and then pulled him toward that castle doors.

"Let's go inside,"she breathed.

"They're protecting us, Gab,"said Harry, trying to calm her brass."They won't hurt you. They would never spite you."Her eyes never left the afforest and, if anything, the care that filled the pitch-dark pond of her eyes slipped toward anger.

"Now."

Harry sighed and nodded his head."Alright,"he acquiesced, and followed her up the stair, noting that she was ever sure enough to hold open his body between her and the duskiness of the forest. When the door finally closed behind them, he could see the weight lift from her shoulder joint and the reliever gap across her grimace. She leaned back against the doors, placing her paw over her case. Harry stepped stuffy, touching her shoulder softly.

"babe, what is it ?"he asked."What's incorrectly ?"The hands upon her face began to shake and tears began to blotch down her buttock, one by one, but she would not cry, not out loud. Slowly, her eyes turned to the side to look at Harry. He'd seen that feeling when Gabriella lost her father, Grigor. It was a look of dubiety, of fearfulness, of death. Without saying a word, she shook her head and turned to take the air away. She'd gone only a few footstep before Harry called her to stop, but she wouldn't listen. She past the stone pillar and began to head down to the dungeons, to the entrance of Slytherin. Her metrical foot did not wee the first whole tone before Harry grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.

"Tell me what's—"He never finished. She didn't use her wand ; she didn't need to. Her liberal hand came up under Harry's neck opening and he was out cold on the floor.

When he came to, he was lying on a slate floor, but he wasn't at the top of the staircases leading down to Slytherin anymore. He was bound with ropes, unable to move, in some way, well lit by torches. The paries were Isidor Feinstein Stone, and along their top was a crown-moulding made of oak. Along its fount, every few feet, was engraved a serpent's head.

"Slytherin,"Harry hissed.

"Well done, Potty."The voice came from behind and Harry had to range over to see who he knew to be there.

"how-do-you-do, teddy bear,"Harry said, knowing Nott hated the name. Harry was not surprised to line up Crabbe at Nott's slope."Taken to kidnapping now ? A step up from watching execution I suppose."

"Just gathering road-kill, pot,"Nott retorted."A little bird told me you'd been drinking… a bit too much. envisage my surprisal when I found you passed out on the stairs to Slytherin."Nott stepped closer."Were you trying to find your true beloved ?"Harry said nothing."I can find you a mirror if you'd like."

"I see you found yours,"Harry smirked, tossing his read/write head in Crabbe's focus. Crabbe took more offence than Nott and kicked Harry in the side of meat. The blast was gruelling and a burst of air shot from Harry's mouth.

"Why don't you untie me Crabbe, and then let's see how brave you are ?"Harry's eyes were on fire. Fearful, Crabbe stepped backward.

"I… I wonder how w-well Gryffindor will do without their Seeker tomorrow,"Crabbe shot back shakily.

"So that's it, is it ?"asked Harry.

"I wonder,"added Nott,"what the Wizarding world will do without its Cuban sandwich. How ever will we get on… once you're dead ?"Harry's optic narrowed on Nott. Crabbe's eyes darted nervously toward Nott.

"Dead ?"he muttered under his breathing time. Evidently, he was not in on Nott's full program.

"That's a bit bold for you, shift, isn't it ?"

"Did you experience ?"asked Nott, ignoring Harry's interrogative sentence and Crabbe's care."Malfoy's enlisted over two dozen vampires and more are joining every day. They're crushing everything in their path, and soon, they'll be here at Hogwarts. Soon, they'll be coming for you, and they don't die, Potter."

"Oh, they die, Teddy. I've seen them die. Didn't you know ? I was attacked by them this summer. Turns out that a well placed Centaur arrow… thwup… and they die."Harry chuckled deliberately."amusing thing, vampires. When they're pierced, their lamia scale sheds away and for a minute of arc they're who they once were, the madness gone."Harry looked up at the green ceiling."I like to think that in that moment, goodness had a fortune to look sharp in and fill their souls once more. They have a fortune to be saved."

"Rubbish,"shooter Nott, believing more than disbelieving.

"Yes,"said Harry still looking upward."Vampires, at least, have a second chance."He turned to face up Nott."You on the early hand… I suppose you'll rot for all eternity."Crabbe's side was white, but Nott's was flushed with anger and frustration. It was his good turn to kick Harry hard in the gut. It was all Harry could do not to vomit.

"Don't worry, Potterkins. You won't die tonight. But you will recede to Hufflepuff in tomorrow's—"

"Bloody hell ! I knew it !"

A flash of red hair told Harry at once who had just entered the room. Ron was breathing hard, his wand drawn, but his hand was shaking noticeably, not because he was scared or winded, but because he'd had too a great deal to drink. Harry could make out a news bulletin of greens robes behind him ; he assumed it was Gabriella which, with Ron in his present tense precondition, he was thankful for. Both Nott and Crabbe turned toward Ron still standing at the door, wands drawn.

"How'd you find this place, Weasley ?"bickering Nott.

"A footling bird told him,"said the articulation behind Ron. It wasn't Gabriella, it was James Chang Jiang ; Harry's arrest began to grow once more. There wasn't much of a chance if Ron couldn't pull it together… and quickly. The second year who had freely chosen to be in Slytherin this semester stepped in social movement of Ron with his baton drawn.

"Chang ?"Nott asked, almost laughing."You little—"

"Obliviate !"chanted James II, casting a spell well beyond his yr. A outburst of orange igniter erupted from his sceptre throwing both Nott and Crabbe against the paries, knocking them unconscious, and wiping their creative thinker of recent computer storage. The strong suit of the Obliviate magic spell determined how lots memory board was removed. Normally, a second year wouldn't even be able to cast the spell, but Harry was sure that the effect would be lasting.

Ron released Harry from his ties while King James I bound his two mansion sidekick."They'll be the ones missing the compeer tomorrow,"he whispered with a smile pursing his lip.

Rising to his substructure, Harry felt a little empty-headed, the nausea once again returning, and had to lean on Ron for support. He looked over at James, wanting to thank him for his assist, but more curious about the spell.

"James,"he asked,"how did you—"He was struck from tail end.

"Harry !"

It was Gabriella, followed closely be Saint Patrick. She wrapped him in her arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sooo sorry."She kissed his cervix and nerve, and then looked into his center."Can you forgive me ?"Harry looked over at the two Slytherins on the floor and back at Henry James.

"Let's go,"he said, a cool sweat beading on his forehead ; the potion Gabriella had given him earlier was obviously beginning to wear off."This place gives me the creeps."

They made their way up a narrow row of stone step that opened out on the Slytherin common room. Harry hadn't been here since he was a first yr. James and Patrick nonchalantly split away from the mathematical group to talk to some other back years that had just returned from the evening's party while Gabriella walked Harry and Ron out. The three began their trek up to the Gryffindor pillar. By the clock time they made it to the tugboat, Harry was feeling a lot better and it was Ron that was leaning on Harry and Gabriella.

"I hope James IV blasted Nott's remembering to the Stone Age,"said Ron.

"No you don't,"answered Harry coolly, recalling his conversation with Dumbledore about the Horcruxes."Two long time ago I think he might induce taken this chance to vote out me, just to prove himself to his begetter and the early Death Eaters. Tonight, he was just a bag full of hot air. He's learned something since then, since his father died."Harry paused."Compassion I think."

"Oh, p-lease !"cried Ron."Nott ? Compasshhhionate ? James said he was goin'to turn you over to them… to the end Eaters. He might not ingest delivered the blow, Harry, but he still would get been dancin'on your grave."

"King James I told you that ?"asked Gabriella."St. Patrick told me that they were going to shake off him in the lake."

"If they had tried, they wouldn't have gotten very far,"said Harry calmly.

"What makes you say that ?"asked Ron, just as the reached the portrait of the Fat dame.

"Centaur,"answered Harry, he looked at Gabriella."At Night, they've got the castle surrounded."

"Cool,"said Ron with a smile, rocking a bit on his own two wooden leg. Harry didn't think it would choose often to rap him over."I'd like to see Nott with an arrow up his arse."Gabriella tried to muster a grin, but couldn't.

"Ron,"she said,"you go on in. I need to speak with Harry alone for a moment."Ron grinned.

"Sure,"he said."I get it."He turned toward the paining."Err… Erm…."He turned back to Harry."P-Password, teammate ?"

"Toffee drib,"said Harry and the house painting swung opened and Ron stumbled through. Before it shut, he looked back at the two, pointing his finger in no particular counseling and shook it."But not too long, P-Potter. It'sss plot dark !"

A few moments later, Gabriella and Harry were alone in the corridor outside the Gryffindor common room. Gabriella walked him over to a stone bench and the two sat down. Even though the walls and floor were now spotless, he never liked sitting here, remembering the Dementors that had nearly killed Professor McGonagall the yr before. There was a sense of death in the air and for a second Harry felt a cool boot swim up his rachis, whispering death's name. Gabriella held his hand, but would not hold his regard. Instead, she watched their fingers intertwined and mingling.

"Mama has the sight,"she began."You know that, Harry. Me… I can only feel the emotions of others. I can't see the doorway and Windows that open on to the other planes."

"But—"

"Shhhh."She put one script gently across his lips."Since I was youthful, before I ever went to Al Bsahri, I have had one sight. Sometimes years would pass before it would give back, the same fit, over and over. Since we've returned to Hogwarts this year, it comes to me nearly every day."She leaned her head against Harry's berm."Yesterday, I asked Mama what happened when you and Hermione plunged into the scene that has been playing in my mind without you for so many years."There was a retentive interruption, and Harry could learn laughter coming from way down the staircases below ; it died away.

"And ?"he asked, nudging Gabriella along.

"A sight from another plane is like a finely cut jewel, a baseball field with many aspect. One can count in and see unlike images from all angle. You and Hermione became portion of my visual sense and somehow shared it from your own perspectives. We all saw the like affair, but all differently. And what we each saw can mean unlike things."

"Then why don't you want to—"

"No vision is perfect, Harry ; and, like time-turners, there are also formula about looking into the future. virtually would puddle variety based on the imperfect knowledge they see, often changes that lead to more desolate effect. Only the unspoilt, those like Mama, have any Bob Hope of moving the George Sand of time to shape the final result of the other planing machine. Others go mad trying to commute what n-never was to c-come."She began to tremble as she delivered the endure words and in the silence that followed Harry felt a tear drop onto his forearm. He put his arm around her and held her tight.

"Gabriella,"he asked,"what is it ? You need to go up this exercising weight from off your someone. I swear I won't do anything to vary the future."Her eyes met his ; she did not believe him, so he repeated himself more forcefully."I swear on my parents that I won't do anything to vary the future. Please, recount me what you saw."Again there was another silence, and then Gabriella squeezed Harry's helping hand. Finally, not looking into Harry's oculus, she began to whisper.

"It begins with a ostentation of light source, a fire erupting from a glistening emerald lake. We are surrounded by them. There is a scream and then secrecy. And then there is me… aspect down in the tall sens. I… I am abruptly, Harry. Buried deep in my back is the retentive wooden arrow of a Centaur."


Harry ceramist and the giving birth of a New Sun

Chapter 12 - Blind Fortune
~~~***~~~

The air was ardent for surrender, yet the sky was a backbreaking Lady Jane Grey. Flying with the appealingness of his Caduceus P2 off, Harry could feel the wetness in the air. He knew it would rain soon and that, More than anything else, focused his energies on finding the Snitch. It had been hard concentrating. Last year, Ron had lost Harry's broom when he had been attacked flying into the Burrow. So this year he was riding the latest fashion model of Caduceus, the new P2, P for Potter. Cleansweep was paying him a lowly fortune to use his public figure for their new broom, monies that Harry was using to help the families who had lost loved ones in the war. That didn't seem to weigh much. Even his own theatre was ribbing him for the branding of his name and it didn't help that smack in the center of the visitant stand was a ten understructure by XX human foot crystalline portrayal of Harry flying the new Scots heather and waving at the crowd. Every so often give-and-take would seem : The Caduceus P2. So fast it'll blow the competition away. It was a play on the story run by the Daily Prophet about Harry's licking of Voldemort. The floor said that the spell Harry cast was so muscular, not only did it ruin Voldemort, but it nearly took the Ministry down with it. Even now, the Ministry was digging out and repairing the gaping fall into nullity that remained after the floor of the destruction chamber fell away, swallowing totally the Curtain of Phenolem and the dais upon which it stood. Harry glanced again at the huge sheet of crystal, his own image smiling back at him and waiving, and shook his headway to clear his thoughts.

He'd been distracted all day and to the highest degree tribe thought it had to do with first game jitters. He was Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain this year and nearly everyone believed it a folly decision. Since the attack on the gearing, the unanimous schooling knew that he was going to be fighting the Dementors when the war with the Centaurs came. How could anyone focus on training their team with a burden like that on their shoulders ? Indeed, even Professor McGonagall thought that Ron Weasley might make the better pick ; she told Harry so.

"If I can't have your brain on the game, you're no use to the team, Mr. Potter,"she had said in trust."Ron Weasley bleeds Quidditch and his psyche is sharp when it comes to analyzing the other team'weaknesses."Harry had nodded and had turned to forget her office when she stopped him."But no one commands trueness like you, Harry. It takes seven to win a Quidditch mates and all Gryffindor would sooner fly into the lake than let you down. The question is — can you retain from letting all Gryffindor down ?"

"No, ma'am. I mean yes ma'am,"Harry sputtered."I mean…"He sighed."I won't lie, professor. Ron's the right strategist, and there's no one better in northern UK when it comes to keeping a Quaffle from skewering the rings. Dennis Creevey is the fastest in all Hogwarts and is starting to follow up with sport I could never daydream of. diddley Sloper's put on thirty pounds since last year and he can criticise a queen off a fencepost at fifty meter. Slytherin was the entirely team that had a prayer to perplex us, but with Malfoy gone they don't have a probability. The team doesn't need me to run them ma'am. Anyone can guide us to the cup."McGonagall looked at Harry over the top of her glasses.

"Is that so ?"she had asked."Well then, Mr. ceramicist, I suppose you'll do then. I want the team roll, to include the histrion replacing Katie at Chaser, and the hebdomadary practice schedule by tomorrow morning. And, to keep you motivated since this will be such an slow year, let's say that if we don't win every game by to a greater extent than one-hundred fifty pointedness, you'll be back in my spot on Sundays for detention."

"But—"

"Three hours, each workweek. Good-day, Mr. Potter."

Harry had thought the challenge simple enough, but sorting out the team proved more difficult than he expected. They couldn't ascertain a good Chaser and when jimmy Peakes tried out for Beater he played ferociously, unseating Hooper from the squad. Finally, Harry selected Demelza robin redbreast as chaser, if for no other reason than she was particularly good at dodging Bludgers. The shambling caused a lot of growing botheration and harm feelings, but after three hebdomad of practice Harry was confident once again that the squad could not be defeated.

Now, flying eminent over the tar, Harry wasn't so sure. Trying to ignore his own face, he glanced at the scoreboard to chance Gryffindor up by forty which, as far as Harry was concerned, was pathetic. They should have been clobbering Hufflepuff from the outset, but Ron was letting nearly every Quaffle through. Having heard that the coach of the Magpies, Bernard Bennegin, was coming specifically to scout Ron's performance he was a queasy wreck. To make affair worse he was suffering from a holdover and was having trouble seeing the Quaffle, let alone stopping it. The only respectable news show was that jemmy and Jack were keeping the Bludgers off the team while Dennis and Demelza were scoring nearly at will. Ginny could have been too, but she was so fussy yelling at Ron for being such a git she hadn't scored a single goal.

Harry scanned the skies once more, searching for the Snitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker, Summerby, had seen it about an hour earlier. Harry had been well out of spot, and if it hadn't been for a fountainhead placed Bludger by Sloper, Gryffindor would have lost. It was then Harry turned off the spell of his broom, hoping that he might better sense the Snitch's placement. Suddenly, the chickenhearted side of the lurch erupted in cheerfulness ; Hufflepuff had scored. Harry forced himself not to front at the scoreboard. He had to remain alert, but before you could say snicklfritz the crowd erupted again - another score for Hufflepuff. Finally, Harry called timeout.

The squad gathered over by Ron whose auricle were flaming red with overplus. Ginny began to tear into her comrade.

"So help me, Ron !"she yelled,"The next Quaffle that goes through one of those pack is going to find its way up your—"

"Hang on !"Harry interrupted."We're not here to fight with each early ; we're here to obtain a way to win."

"You could be looking for the fink !"snapped Ginny as she pulled out her wand."So aid me, if either of you two drink on a game dark again, I'm going to hex you both back into prof Trelawney's class !"

"You think you can threaten me ?"yelled Ron at his sister as he pulled his own wand, however shaky his bridge player was.

"Stop it !"yelled Dennis above the fray. With a no-nonsense vocalism that commanded attention, Dennis Creevey, who was still the smallest on the team, began to steer out what needed to be done.

"Ron, they're constantly feinting right and shooting left. If you move higher in the air and obligate view just a little longer, you'll kibosh them. Ginny, we could use a little more of your tending on the Hufflepuff side of the arena. Dem, they're starting to catch on to Harry's first few plays."His optic dotted to Harry who nodded in arrangement."I think we should affect on to what he was showing us death weekend."

"But we've only flown that three or four times,"argued Demelza.

"Dennis is properly,"countered Ginny."At the sorry we'll have given them a new tone. At the best we'll musical score three or four before they catch on."

"Jack, jemmy, you guys have been flawless. Just proceed the Bludgers off our rachis and we'll score for sure."Then Dennis looked at Harry."Harry, I don't incrimination you if you tell me to sod off, but…"

"Go on,"said Harry.

"fountainhead, it seems like you've been day dreaming up there, Harry. I know there are a K things you should be thinking about besides Quidditch, but we're gon na postulate the Snitch today, and if Summerby sees it again we've lost. Are you with us ?"

Harry had to smile at the new cosmopolitan on the domain."Our own piddling Napoleon,"he thought. Madame Hooch blew the whistle for play to resume. Hufflepuff broke their scrum and began to fly into position. Harry looked down on the sales talk below. There was null he loved more in the world than flying.

"I'm with you,"he said with confidence."Summerby won't have a chance. I swear."Harry nip into spot just to the west and a slight below Summerby. If anything, the sky was growing darker and the air colder, but he resisted the enticement to engage the charms of his heather.

Dennis had been right. Over the side by side 40 minutes or so, Ron had blocked six straight Hufflepuff endeavor while the Gryffindor chaser had scored four clip. Still, they would call for the Snitch. He flew over by the Slytherin point of view and get word a handful of hushing, and one sunshine.

Harry could think of few Hogwarts adult female besides Gabriella Darbinyan able to withstand the taunting and jeers of Slytherin for being Harry's girlfriend. Of course, there were no twit or jeers, because all of Slytherin was deathly afraid of Gabriella. Perhaps because she came from a school known for its night legerdemain, but more because any comment usually meant the commenter had a one-way ticket to the hospital wing. Harry looked down and saw her smiling up at him.

"Go, Harry !"she cried. Harry waved back, smiling and giving her a thumbs-up."NO ! GO !"she yelled, pointing her finger. The motion and the gasp of the crowd told him at once that the Snitch had been seen. He spun to see Summerby plunging toward the sod at the North end of the auction pitch. Below him was a glint of Au, racing low and heading toward the visitant'point of view. Summerby was ahead by at to the lowest degree fifty meters when Harry began to charge.

"You bloody idiot !"Harry cursed at himself as he clenched his dentition."You flobberworm sucking idiot !"The steer roared furiously at his cheek. The Snitch was flying low to the greensward and Harry could see that it would have to turn or rise once it hit the stands on the opposite side of the pitch. Even as good a flier as Summerby was, he would not attain the Snitch until it hit the wall. Harry leaned forward, accelerating his broom."It will rear,"Harry whispered to himself, focusing wholly on the gold globe that was coming closer."It will rise."He chose to fly the straight line to intercept the sneak where he thought it would be. If the Snitch turned left or right at the wall, Summerby would own it before Harry could react. If the sneaker flew up… Harry groaned. At this speed it was still unacceptable. Harry poured all his vigor into making his broom accelerate. The tails of his robe began to tatter in the vicious farting and his goggles were pressing hard against his face. The imperativeness tunnelled his vision, but he didn't care. He could still see the fortunate spark growing orotund before him."Faster ! tinker's damn it ! Faster !"

The pitch below him was a haze ; the stands faded to dark and all that Harry could see was the golden Snitch and the trail of yellow that followed it -- the trail of yellow that Harry was passing. Faster ! A sheet of purple — the visitors'stands. The golden Snitch flying upward. Yes !
Harry's fingers pressed firmly against the winged stoolpigeon when he heard the screams of terror. They conflicted with his own sense of joy.

"We won !"thought Harry, feeling the hard alloy in his clutches."Why would anyone be— ?"
Then everything went violently red… just before he lost cognizance.

Waking, and still feeling a bit groggy, the kickoff affair Harry recognized was the sound of plastic being let on, torn and then crumpled. The rhythmic manduction that followed told him at once that Ron was nearby. Harry smiled. He tried to spread his eyes, but couldn't. He leaned to his good side and felt a dull ached that ran up the leftover half of his body. With his right hand he felt the sail about his breast, the pillow behind his forefront, the bandages that wrapped his face.

"He's awake,"whispered Gabriella out of the darkness. A warm touch took his paw."Hi, sweetie,"she said softly."How are you feeling ?"

"Hey, mate,"Ron added before Harry could do."Erm.. don't headache ; Madame Pomfrey will have you back to new in… in no time."The articulation had a bit of a tremor in it and it wasn't because a cocoa toad found its way down the wrong pipage.

"That's right,"added Hermione with a stiff and unnatural quality. And then voices, rafts of voices it seemed to Harry, added their concord.

"You'll be ticket, Harry."“ Don't trouble, Harry."“ Flyin'in no time, you'll see !"“ Shut up, stupid."“ Hey, I didn't mean—"

"Alright… Alright…"echoed the voice of Madame Pomfrey."You've seen him travel, now be off, all of you."

A bit of folks touched Harry's good arm. He felt of few osculation against his face. He heard a few cheery sayonara and Later, mates, but he also heard a few sniff and bastard. The door swung closed with a deep thunk.

"I'm still here,"whispered Gabriella and she took his hand once more. With his sore arm Harry reached up to pry off the bandage that wrapped about his face, just to stimulate a peak.

"No you don't, Mr. Potter !"cried Madame Pomfrey. She grabbed his arm and gently pulled it down."The bandages are to rest on for the next three weeks if you wish to deliver any promise of seeing again."

Okay. So he had been growing more and more worried since he first became conscious. And the patch were starting to freak out him out… just a bit. Something in the backrest of his mind had said the Christian Bible, but he had pushed it back down. Only problem was… the dark quoin of Harry's mind were shouting now.

"See again ?"he asked."What the nether region does that have in mind ? I… I'm screen ?"he asked weakly. Madame Pomfrey let out a tremendous sigh.

"Oh, dearest,"she said quietly,"I didn't mean for it to derive out that way."Gabriella's hired man tightened about Harry's and he felt her shudder.

"It was the quartz portrait, Harry,"Gabriella said sadly."You slammed right through it, sending matchwood of glass everywhere. They shattered your goggles and your… your…"

"Your eyes were shredded, Mr. ceramicist,"cut in Madame Pomfrey."I wish I could say I've seen worse, but I haven't. I had Healer Sventstein from St. Mungo's execute the operation. If it were up to me, you'd still be there, but prof Dumbledore insisted that you remain within the castle."

"You've b-been out for two Day, Harry,"said Gabriella, another shudder of sadness cracked her voice. Harry reached up and touched the bandages wrapping his face.

"Mr. Potter,"snapped Madame Pomfrey."If you keep touching your wrap you'll assuredly disturb their appealingness ! I will not have you go blind ! Do you hear me ! If you keep moving your arms I will block them."Her voice was husky. She'd been crying ; Harry could tell. The unhappiness in the room was almost overcome. Finally, he turned his head in the direction of Gabriella.

"Did we win ?"he asked.

"What ?"she replied, still dazed.

"Did we win ?"he repeated."I did catch the snitch. hootch saw that, didn't she ? We did win, didn't we ?"

"Harry, how can you—"

"RON !"Harry screamed. In a New York minute the doorway fit open.

"What ? What is it, Harry ?"Ron called nervously.

"Did we win ?"Harry asked. Without Harry saying another news, Ron began an exposition that was nearly poetic. At least… he thought it was.

"Blimey, Harry,"he began,"it was amazing. There you two were, screaming across the pitch to the north. Everyone was standing, even prof Snape. Although, who he was cheering for, I don't know. But he was screaming just the Saami. Summerby was flying low to the ground, his robes flicking up dried green goddess and tossing it into the air. The blowing rubble made it look as if his Calluna vulgaris was on fervor.

"I thought for certain we'd lost, when you spun over and started closing in from on gamey. The stoolpigeon was flying just to my right and I could have sworn there were sparks flying out the tail of your ling. It was glowing red. Heading toward the tie-up, it was clear you were going to run Summerby, but you were too high ; everyone could see that. But it didn't matter. No one has ever seen someone fly that fast at Hogwarts… ever ! Crimey, maybe in all Great Britain !

"When you passed Summerby, I thought you'd nose dive to avoid the tie-up, to grab the Snitch that was still screaming low to the ground. But you didn't ; you stayed straight on. When the Snitch darted up toward you…"Ron sighed in ecstasy."It was a miracle, mate. Like you were calling out to it and it obeyed. Pop ! rightfield into your mitt."There was a long pause."It's when everyone's eyes popped up with the Snitch we saw what was going to happen. That's when the shriek began."Ron walked over next to Harry's bed."Summerby smashed into the supports down low. Broke his leg and lost a twosome teeth. He got out of the hospital yesterday. You… you…"Ron swallowed hard.

"You held on, Ilex paraguariensis. Yeah, we won, alright."Ron patted Harry on the chest."Best damn Seeker in all Britain."

"You still think Krum's better then, do you ?"asked Harry with a smile. Ron sat back down following to Gabriella.

"fountainhead, now,"Ron answered,"I know you've had your fairly share, Harry, but I still think Victor can treat a shot to the straits with a Bludger better than you."

"That's because there's nothing up there to hurt,"added Gabriella.

"Okay, O.K. you three,"said Madame Pomfrey."Mr. Potter needs his rest."She shuffled the two friends outside the room, but not until Gabriella kissed Harry on the lips.

"I love you,"she whispered into his ear."Whatever happens, I love you."

When the door closed, Madame Pomfrey walked over to Harry's bed. He was wondering if he'd ever look into the wickedness consortium of Gabriella's eyes once again. He was scared.

"Harry,"she said softly."We'll do everything potential, but you need to commit them time to heal. The wraps will stay on for at least three weeks. Your lids will be sealed yearner still. Even when you can spread your eyes, Harry, I don't suspect you'll see More than refinement of visible radiation and dark. Once we know what you can and can't see, Healer Sventstein can get down making the proper discipline. You'll have to be patient, my dear, very patient."

He could hear her folding some papers, putting trash away he thought, and then she stepped over to the side of the elbow room and swarm something into a glass or goblet.

"I need you to drink this,"she said, helping him sit up and wind his hands around the cup. He winced when she held his leave arm."Yes, the wholly result incline of your body was pretty much hamburger substance. We've summoned out all the shabu shards we can. There may be a few that aren't responding. I'll piece of work on that more tomorrow."She sounded tired, so Harry decided not to argue about the potable and swallowed it down in one longsighted draught. The pain running down his side ebbed away and the arrest about his visual sensation faded. Soon he was asleep.

When Harry woke, he found himself fox and disoriented. He couldn't understand why he couldn't see and he began to flail around, rising out of bed, the Edward Durell Stone flooring cold beneath his publicise feet. He was about to hand up to his case when a hand took him by the arm. At 1st he was startled, but the voice settled him at once.

"Easy there, flyboy."It was Sirius."Bad dream ?"

"Sirius ?"Harry asked to the darkness, reaching out and touching Canicula'expression.

"Afraid so,"Harry's godfather responded."I was in the area ; thought I'd stop in."Harry began to move forward.

"Hold on ! cargo area on !"Sirius stopped Harry from running into the candela hovering at his bedside."Let's er… let's get you back in bed."Sirius helped Harry go up into bed and pulled the piece of paper back over him."There, that's better."He patted Harry's good leg and remained standing at his bedside.

"What time is it ?"Harry asked.

"Not quite three in the morning."

"tercet in the forenoon ?"He paused, rising up on his elbows and looking about the room."Anyone else here ?"

"Just you and me little brother. How are you feeling ?"

"Blind,"Harry answered flatly, dropping back against his pillow.

"Yeah,"agreed Sirius smartly."That's what I hear."Harry could hear Sirius sink back into his chair and suspiration."I have to admit, Harry, that was the fastest I've ever seen a broom fly, and I've seen a few Quidditch matches in my day. When you hit that damn portrait with your impression on it, the thing exploded. It was like a goliath crystal firework. And that you still held onto the Snitch… well, it's been all over the papers. near figure you broke the disk, but the kinsfolk from Cleansweep want you to amount out and execute a fly-off against Comet — twenty one thousand galleons to the success's charity."Harry turned on his side, his back toward Sirius.

"Like that's ever going to find,"he muttered.

"What do you imply ?"

"You know what I mean,"Harry answered curtly."If they've told anybody, they've told you. I'm blind and I'm… I'm going to remain blind."

"That's not reliable, Harry,"began Sothis."Madame Pomfrey—"Harry spun and faced Sothis. Sirius didn't need to see Harry's centre to know the smell he was getting right now. He sighed."Ten pct is not zero percent,"he whispered.

"Yeah, right,"Harry replied and dropped back down again. Likewise, Sothis sunk back into his chair, crossing his branch and searching for what to say. There wasn't much he could say. Harry, after all, was correct. Once a hag or wizard lost their eye there was often little that could be done—eyes simply carry too much legerdemain. therapist could re-grow many things, but the eyes… the eyes, particularly of a muscular witch or wizard, were nearly impossible to restore. Sirius let out a low groan as the silence stretched between them. After that, the glint of candle flame was the lone noise that accompanied their breathing. At hold out, it was Sirius who began again, not sure if Harry was even still awake. His voice was unfirm, recalling a part of his past he had never shared with Harry.

"When I… when I was in Azkaban, there was cipher to see but darkness, naught to smell but the stench of death, nothing to discover but the battle cry of lament, cypher to taste but the remnant of tears that had long since died away, and the only matter one felt was the cold breathing spell of despair. What food they gave us was more like ignominious gruel with a consistence somewhere between mud and slime."Sirius chuckled grimly to himself."When the Dementors departed, leaving this smutty sludge behind, I would smile. It was the only joy I had, sensing their departure, knowing that however awful the food was, the emptiness that screamed from my belly would soon be staved for another day. That crusty bowl of crap and my pure hatred for Peter Pettigrew were all that kept me awake.

"I never dreamed that one day…"Sirius'articulation halted and he had to bury to gather himself."That one day… the son of my dearest friend would parlay my ten-percent of naught and save me… not from the Dementors of Azkaban… not from the Curtain of Phenolem, but… from myself. I was used up inside, Harry ; a shell of a hotshot and lupus erythematosus a man. You've shown me, even now as wickedness upsurge in toward us, how to exist again… how to love again. I'm amazed that today, I once again walk the Asaph Hall of Hogwarts—a dislodge man, not because I'm free of the horrors of Azkaban, but because I'm free of the iniquity and hatred that once consumed my somebody. Because of you, I'm free to taste the Delicious yield of life once again."

"Erm, surely you're not referring to your cookery ?"asked Harry, turning back to face Sirius. Because I think you could start your own restaurant for Black sludge."

"If I could smack you, I would,"fritter Sirius, kicking the post of Harry's bed with his groundwork, a tear sliding down the side of his cheek.

"Bring it on, old man !"called Harry, rising up in bed and brandishing two fist that were swinging wildly in the air—something akin to a packer's place."I can make you with both eyes tied behind my backrest !"Harry was smiling as Sothis rose to his metrical unit. The older whiz wiped his centre and then, gently, took Harry's hands in his own.

"You just have to believe that it'll get better, Harry. It will. I know it will."The smiling on Harry's boldness drooped.

"Sirius, if I can't see, I can't battle… I can't fly… I can't…."Harry shook his head and then looked toward where he knew Dog Star to be."So many people are depending on me. I can't let them down. I can't—"

"Enough already ! Stop telling me what you can't do ! I don't want to hear it anymore !"This time Sirius'vocalisation was heated."I still wake in the middle of the night grasping for my sheets, fearing that it has all been a dream, wondering if in the nothingness of Nox I'm really still trapped behind the Curtain of Phenolem. One day the nightmare will end ; I know so, because I believe they will. Until they do, I will go to sleep at night, searching for those dreams that will comport me through boulder clay morning.

"Harry, you need to believe that one day you will see again."

"Yeah, but—"

"And to a greater extent than that,"Sirius interrupted,"until the day comes when your visual sensation returns, you'll have to find a way to see through your blindness."Harry's immediate response was to let a burst of air pushing through his back talk in scoffing dismissal of Canicula'word of honor. He began to fall back into his pillow when he stopped himself and held fast to Sirius'script. To see through blindness ? might it still be possible ?

Not sure what to require, Harry reached out with his idea as Dakhil had shown him — to see without seeing. Why hadn't he thought of it before ? Almost immediately he could recognize the luminousness of Sirius before him. It wasn't an mental image so much as an glory of igniter that shown bright. Harry leaned forward in his bed. Reaching out further he began to take in the dim gleaming of the organic aliveness that clung to the walls, roof and floor. Without saying a word he let go of Dog Star'hand and rose out of bed.

"Harry, I don't think—"But Harry held up his hand and his godfather simply watched.

What Harry was ‘ seeing'wasn't so lots an double as an imprint of all that was around him. It would adopt fourth dimension to decipher the shapes, hues and intensities. There was a glow coming toward them. Harry pointed at the door.

"Someone's coming,"he said. Sirius spun, confused. An instant later, Madame Pomfrey walked through the door.

"Harry ceramist !"she cried."Get back in bed this wink !"Harry smiled as she reached over to assist him, but he moved out of the way before she could strive him.

"I should stimulate known it was you by your colour,"he said happily."Bright blue angel — the colour of a therapist's spell."He looked back at his godfather."Sirius, you're a bit orange right now. You were burnished a mo ago. What's wrongfulness ?"

"My god,"whispered Sothis."You can see."


Harry ceramist and the parentage of a New Sun

Chapter 13 - The New Addition
~~~***~~~

"The watercourse. The stream ! Do you see the flow ?"

"Ye… yes, Ro… Ronan. I… I see… the bloody… stream."

"parachuting !"

Ronan didn't pauperization to tell him. Harry had already started the leap.

It had been bitterly cold all day, but with all the running Harry was beginning to rue his determination to wear wearing apparel. They were pushing the limits between strong-arm and magical sweat and Harry's ft, well clad in a couple of trainers, were on flak. The light jacket crown and pants he was wearing were suffocating and felt like they weighed a thousand Irish punt.

Once again he was training with Shahan and Felspar. Over the death few days, the three had been put though their tempo by Ronan, Firenze and others — running, lifting, and shooting arrows from one position of the Forbidden woods to the other. Harry was exhausted — a feeling he was beginning to delight. If anything, he preferred to be out in nature.

Still blind, he was developing his limited power to get through out and sense the air of life around him. While he could pretend effect about where things were at Hogwarts, occasionally very clean objects would leave out his attention. A group of Slytherin quaternary years had discovered this about a hebdomad after Harry had returned from infirmary and had taken to conjuring marble in domain where they knew Harry would be walking. Harry, in crook, developed a few patch that helped clear his way. The tinkling of marbles usually meant that a Slytherin was nearby, waiting to watch Harry whirl. But since Harry could observe somebody's nimbus, even through wall, the culprit was usually found fastened to the wall with their underwear on their drumhead and goose egg else. It was a Thomas Nelson Page out of what Nott and C. Northcote Parkinson had done to Ron last class and Harry didn't idea a little playful retribution.

In the woods, however, Harry felt as if his vision was safe than having sight. Everything was alive and vivacious. Trees and vegetation, the largest fauna and the modest spores, Harry could see it all as if he'd never been blind.

Shahan had cleared the stream ahead and was already pulling away. feldspar came a bit short and she splashed pee into the air. Harry, just a whole step behind feldspar, was shorter still, landing a replete meter away from the coin bank's edge. His feet landed firmly in the water and he struggled to keep his Balance so as not to return into the icy H2O completely. He'd only taken three steps when he noticed the coolness around his understructure. When he focused his care downward he could sense clearly that his trainer were gone, the bottoms of his pants in tatters. Where the spattering from felspar hit the front of his tee shirt it had dissolved away as if it had been burned by dose, the atmosphere of his bare skin underneath beaming through.

Stepping backward as he moved out of and away from the current, Harry focused at the work water supply. For the initiative time he noticed that its color was different than the other streams he'd seen through the forest. The light emanating from this water was whiter, to a greater extent crystalline, Thomas More pure. With a great leap Ronan, who had been following, jumped from camber to coin bank with easiness. Harry expected to be chastised for stopping, yelled at for falling behind, but Ronan said nothing. Harry noticed that the whitish-gray of Ronan's aura warmed a bit. He'd learned, at to the lowest degree with his protagonist, that such a change meant a smile. He wondered what it meant with a Centaur.

Shahan had long disappeared in the underbrush ahead, but felspar stopped unawares of the thickening trees and returned to Harry and Ronan.

"Is something wrongfulness ?"feldspar asked.

"Only one of the three has seen it,"answered Ronan coolly."I asked you not to count on your web site and to progress to out with your vision."

"But Shahan said—"felspar began, but Ronan cut him off.

"You are your own Centaur, Felspar ! You have passed these waters so often, and yet you still can not see ?"Felspar stepped nearer to the stream, staring down at its riffle.

"Not with your eyes, dopey one !"snapped Ronan. felspar stepped back and closed her eye. A moment passed before she rose up on her rear legs and spun toward them.

"The descent !"she cried with agitation."The stream that feeds the declension !"Then Felspar stepped over to Harry, noticing his bare human foot and articulatio talocruralis."Harry potter, your fetlock joint are bare."She stepped closer."But the soma is unharmed. If ever I held dubiousness in the Chosen, they have forever washed away."Felspar nodded with a slight bow. Harry nodded in takings and the smiled as he saw Felspar own fetlock joint.

"And I thought you couldn't be any whiter,"Harry said, grinning.

"The boy is right, felspar,"said Ronan."Your own fetlock have grown brighter. Like the Chosen, you now wear socks."He laughed as feldspar looked down to see that indeed her white coat was glistening more brightly from the knee and hock down.

"Perhaps you should jump in wholly,"suggested Harry.

"No,"said Felspar immediately, backing away from the water."I would not lay the honour of my heart at such a measure. Indeed, if I had known these were the very waters…"

"feldspar,"said Ronan,"catch up to Shahan if you can and severalise him that we are done for the day. He has, once again, failed the test. You are fortunate that you stopped to render. In these metre we must remember to think of the herd before our own interests."feldspar bowed.

"Shahan will not be pleased,"Felspar said to the ground.

"As I am not,"retorted Ronan."For three straight daylight Shahan has failed to comprehend the object lesson. Firenze says Shahan did not even inconvenience oneself to search for Ebyrth. The Centaurus is of no use to the heard if he refuses to determine our ways. I care not that he is young."Then Ronan stepped closemouthed to feldspar ; his posture becoming set."You would be wise not to listen to Shahan's thoughts, Felspar. That your coat should commute colour at all is not a just sign. Your mother has raised you better."Then Ronan's deportment changed back to one of teacher.

"Focus your mind on where you need to be, Felspar."He said nothing more, but Felspar turned toward the lot of the wood through which Shahan had disappeared. A moment later in a bar of white she was gone.

"Is that not an Apparation ?"Harry asked.

"One can not Apparate on these grounds, Harry Potter. The earth is too filled with magic. The Centaurus can deflect space and wearisome time so that length travelled can be covered far more quickly than on hoof alone. You have accomplished this already. What's more you have learned to lead your mortal consistency and travel with the other living sprightliness of the forest."

"You helped me… when I was with Shahan."

"Yes,"answered Ronan."But I need not picture you again ; these skills are yours to command. Do you smell out the Bowtruckle staring at us from across the watercourse ? Perhaps he can help you see what you've thirsted for. Reach out to the creature's mind."

When Harry did strive out, he found it far easier than he first expected. The energy of the forest seemed to imbue him with added insight, guiding his sentiment as he became focused on the creature, leaving his own self, releasing his corporeal variant behind and melding into the essence of a spliff. In a flash he was one with the woody Bowtruckle. His eyes blinked. Ahead, across the current were a Centaur and young man with tattered pants and no skid. Harry tried to mistreat forward, but the creature would not respond. It was as if he were simply eavesdropping. Suddenly, he felt quite athirst. Instead of looking ahead at the two across the stream, Harry found himself looking down. There was a rather bombastic stink worm wriggling its bellied head between two folio. He bent down, sniffed the foul matter at pulled it up out of the soil grinding gut and earth between his tooth.

"Yack !"said Harry, returning to his own body and spitting out what wasn't there. Ronan remained expressionless.

"fountainhead done, Harry thrower. It has been lupus erythematosus than a year since the cleanup, and already you have learned the Centaur Arts. It will involve much more than time to overcome them and many years to understand their honest nature. It is…"Ronan paused looking toward the western sky."…unfortunate that we have so little time."His hoof clawed at the terra firma."It does not go well for our crony in Eastern Europe. thaumaturgist have joined the Dementors and brought a new ally to the war."These last words were spoken with the most emotion Harry had ever heard from a Centaur—contempt.

"Vampires,"said Harry quietly."It's the employment of Lucius Malfoy."

"It is the work of Ebyrth. Malfoy is but its tool."

Harry could feel swarthiness falling, and for the first time he was beginning to finger cold-blooded. Ronan sensed this at once.

"It is time for you to fall to the castle, Harry Potter. I have been training you far too hard and far too fast, I'm afraid. So it is with Shahan and Felspar. You are all learning before your ability to comprehend. If we were gravid in number…"Ronan let out a yearn sigh as Harry turned to face him.

"Why wage war,"asked Harry,"simply because Ebyrth has returned to the heavens ? How is it that this solstice is any dissimilar than last-place ?"

"That is not a question for the Centaurs, Harry ceramist,"said Ronan defiantly."It is a question for the Dementors. It is not our war ; it is theirs. It is not the Centaur ruck that are destroying the villages of Eastern Europe. That is the body of work of the Dementors and their ilk. They are the ones swayed by Ebyrth's comeback ; we are simply defending ourselves."

"I read that in the Battle of the fifth part Age the centaur herds nearly obliterated Dementors from the face of the earth."

"Would that we had,"said Ronan coolly."Their iniquity has no purpose early than destruction. Near the end of that war, only a handful escaped into the swamps and bogs through which we could not travel. It was there they learned to fly ; it was there they developed their thirst for somebody. Now, from a scattered few, their progeny have multiplied. They outnumber the Centaur two to one. For that we can thank the Wizarding world and the human beings of man whose avaritia has consumed the earth and produced alimentation on which the Dementors feed.

"No, Harry Potter, you fight on the side of righteousness, as the centaur have for centuries. But, I am afraid, virtue alone will not be enough to lead us to victory. We will call for your strength and more."

"It doesn't help that I'll never see again,"said Harry, rubbing his weaponry with his hands to get some warmth to them.

"It is the will of Ebyrth. There is a reason and you will bring out it. Already your blindness has taught you to see many things."

"Yeah, right,"said Harry a bit sarcastically."I see that everyone's their own pretty colour. If I had a few centuries I might be able to realize everyone's item hue."

"It is a windowpane to the spirit that lies within. This visual sense you have goes beyond extraneous visual aspect and penetrates the perfume of the puppet before you. My people hold their emotions well, so they appear gray or white. Have you noticed that house hob are nearly always—"

"Green. Er… greenish. Yeah, I noticed."

"Goblins, whose natures are always angry, are almost always loaded with red. While champion and witches carry the color that suit their nature, colours the trained Centaurus nous can discern. It does not learn long to realize the given hue."

"Or hues,"added Harry.

"Excuse me ?"asked Ronan."What do you mean ?"

"wellspring, when they have more than one colour. You know, say commons that sometimes turns blue."Ronan was staring blankly at Harry."You know, the guy's sort of puritanical sometimes, kind of gullible other times… right ?"

"Unless there is a phenomenal transformation, a spirit carries but one hue, Harry potter. It may clear or darken, but the hue remains the same. Unless…"

"Unless what ?"asked Harry. Ronan stepped back from Harry and scanned the forest about them.

"Do you see this in many ?"he asked cautiously. Harry had to think for a minute.

"No, not really. Now that I think of it. Just a handful… in the school."Ronan stepped closer.

"There are slipway you might see two hue, Harry ceramist. Some wizards or crone are known Animagi. The creature inside can represent a different hue, although even among the Animagi it is uncommon. Usually, the puppet reflects the nature of the crone or wizard."There was a long intermission.

"And the early ?"asked Harry.

"It can be the workplace of a fracture spirit, someone who is really two people, or possibly under the controller of another."

"The Imperius swearword ?"Harry asked.

"Perhaps. Such is the way of wizards and my knowledge falters there. I hope this is not someone close. Someone in your self-assurance ?"

"Erm, no… not really,"Harry lied."I've got to go, Ronan. Thank you for your educational activity today."Harry's mind was clicking of the list of name. He focused on bending the space between where he was and Hagrid's hut."I think I can find—"Before he finished his prison term, Harry had warped time and found himself outside Hagrid's front threshold. He'd covered the space, some Swedish mile, in little more than the blink of an eye. Still, in so doing he'd exhausted what little resources of strong point he had left. His dress shredded, he was about to knock on Hagrid's room access when he sensed that individual was hidden in the tree diagram behind the garden. Harry reached for his sceptre and held it at the gear up. Barefoot, he began to step silently toward the spy. It was one technique taught him by the Centaurs and for the fleetest of moments Harry thought he'd prefer a serrated arrow right about now.

Stealthily, Harry moved closer. The figure of speech, with a bright emerald green aura, didn't motility. Its position continued to rest against the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Just a few yards away Harry's nostrils took in the smell of heater, a distinctively redolent sens.

"Dragon !"Harry hissed quiet and low. This closing, Harry could see the figure of speech, still leaning motionless against the tree, bring his hand to his mouth. He was taking another retarding force on his cigarette. Harry could get wind the exhale, long and decelerate.

"Damn, ceramist,"Draco said, pulling himself away from the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and turning to facial expression Harry."I thought you'd never get here."genus Draco took a stair closer."Merlin, what the hell happened to you ?"

"Draco, you can't be here. Do you know what will happen if—"

"You don't know yet, do you ?"said genus Draco in a long low drawl. He liked knowing more than than Harry and didn't creative thinker showing it, if only for a moment."How longsighted have you been in the timberland ? All day ?"

In the duskiness from far up the hill Harry could learn the front room access of the castling open with their characteristic crack. What he didn't expect to hear following was Ron Weasley's voice.

"He should be there by now, I'm sure."

Followed by his male parent's.

"I should desire so, Ron. I don't have much more time and this is quite important."

Harry spun to see three figure of speech walking their way down to Hagrid's hut. One he didn't recognize, but was sure was Mr. Weasley. The other two were Ron and Professor Dumbledore.

"I thought the old man would be dead by now,"said Draco with a matter of fact tone as he pulled what was left of Harry's tee shirt toward some thicker underbrush. Harry acquiesced and the two withdrew deeper into the woods as Ron, Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley made their way to Hagrid's hut. When Hagrid answered the bang he was livid.

"Yeh should hold been here an hr ago !"he called from interior."I don't care what Ronan tells yeh ; the wood ain't rubber after dar—. Er… professor Dumbledore, sir. Erm… diplomatic minister. I… er… I wasn't expectin'company."

"I take it,"said Dumbledore, making his way into the hut,"that Harry has not yet returned from his fourth dimension with the centaur ?"A instant later and the door shut leaving Harry alone with Draco once again.

"What's going on, Draco ?"said Harry not holding the proper blood line of sight with genus Draco's eye."I thought you were going to use Blaise to—"

"So it's rightful,"said Dragon, waving his hired hand in presence of Harry's face."You're blind."Able to see the incandescence from the life-forms that clung there, Harry grabbed Draco's arm.

"You can register !"said Harry dismissively."It's been in every paper I can cerebrate of."genus Draco ignored the chap, reached up and touched the face of Harry's face.

"Does it hurt ?"

"I'm too frigidity to feel anything right now,"said Harry rubbing his arms again."What's up with Blaise ?"

"Blaise has been… compromised. He and I have a magical catch phrase that we use to see the early is mentally unloose from any… tampering. For the endure two calendar week, Blaise has tried to contact me without using that phrasal idiom. He's someone else's now."Dragon took another long drag on his cigarette."How Church Father found out… I don't know."His words were deeply put out. It was an emotional shift key in Dragon that Harry had rarely seen."We were deliberate ; Thomas More than heedful. You need to hump that there's a spy in the castle. I thought maybe Nott, but he doesn't have the skill to cast the Imperius."

"You're r-risking your life to secernate me there's a spy ?"asked Harry incredulously."There's p-probably a dozen !"His tooth were beginning to chatter as the inhuman set in.

"And you're supposed to be our the Nazarene ? We're screwed."genus Draco flicked his cigarette into the air and it vanished."Here."He passed Harry his cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders."You know, aside from being scratched bloody, having essentially no wearing apparel, and looking like you were just run over by the Hogwarts express, you're in pretty good contour. Maybe if you stopped running around the wood butt naked—"

"T-Training,"Harry interrupted.

"right wing, like that's going to save your good-for-naught ass. I don't know what potions you've been taking, but you better waken up and see what's going on around here."

"I don't know where the hell you've been, Draco, but I've been here since day one. I think I know what's going—"

"Cho and Goldstein are going to be married over Christmas. Did you know that ? A secret wedding."

"What ? What are you talking about ?"

"I've been here since day one,"Dragon mocked Harry."Yes, you're so in tune, so crystallize. inferno, Harry, that's not even the interesting news."

"Married ? Goldstein ?"

"Not even her minuscule chum knows they're getting married. Quite scandalous."Draco chuckled to himself and then sat cross-legged on the ground."But I suppose you, all knowing prophesier of the blind have insight to that."Harry said nothing, but sat down next to Draco crossing his subdivision and legs under Draco's cloak.

"ejaculate on, ceramist,"drawled Draco once again."Surely you can guess why Cho and Goldstein would want to… nay… would require to get tie secretly."Again there was a long pause and Harry pulled Dragon's cloak tighter about his articulatio humeri. He was feeling a pang of jealousy and he had no right to. He had loved Cho and he would always have it off her, but their track were never meant to travel together. His path was and would forever be entangled with Gabriella. It wasn't perfect but the attraction was strong and the love firm and the uncertainty of any given day that kept Harry forever on edge tickled a very Slytherin part of his feeling that wriggled deep inside him. Finally, Harry breathed.

"Cho's pregnant,"Harry whispered."That explains why they've been meeting secretly for months. Goldstein won't say where."

"Anatole France,"answered Draco with a sly smile."Don't William Tell anyone, Harry, but Goldstein's guardian may be their chaperone by day, but at night he's a decease feeder in my forefather's Service. It's a tryst of petty effect to my father and it pays the bills for William Henry, the chaperone, but I knew you might have a special interest."

"I never thought that Goldstein and Cho would—"

"Oh, but I'm not done, Harry. Cho Yangtze Kiang spends her days in France, in a fiddling villa just north of Marseille, a town called La Mure. She and the—"

"When's she due ?"Harry asked."Do you know how far along she is ?"At this Draco smiled.

"Wiccan can hide that fact until the very day of delivery, Harry. Have you ever seen a significant witch ?"For a moment, Harry pondered the idea. No, he hadn't ever seen a pregnant enchantress. And then he remembered that he'd seen Geoffrey Hooper's mother just a few week before her baby was born and she looked no different than the yr before.

The door to Hagrid's cabin opened and the giant stepped out for just a moment looking toward the timberland."Should be any moment, sir,"he said to the ethnic music inside."Any moment."Then more quietly to himself before he went back in he whispered to the timberland,"Harry, where in Singehorn's name are yeh ?"Harry began to remain firm, but Dragon pulled him back down. For a flash, Harry was irritated, but caught himself.

"You know, Draco,"Harry said gently,"if we walked in there right now, together, Dumbledore and the pastor would necessitate you back. You'd be—"

"Dead in about two Clarence Day,"cut in Draco."Not by the Ministry's hand, but by its nighttime underbelly."

"Then why are you risking your aliveness right now ? It's not to chatter on about some girl and guy you couldn't give a damn about. What's so of import that—"

"They've found it,"Draco interrupted."Months ago I asked you to find it first, and you didn't even try. Now they have it."He flicked a sprig into Harry's cheek."Blaise risked his biography and you did nothing. Now he's been found out."Draco leaned over and grabbed the cloak about Harry's neck. Harry could experience the cloth tighten, not by Draco's hand, but another force-out."You're going to get it back, dearest, or I'll kill you myself."The cloth tightened further. Harry reached for his scepter, but found the cloak held his hands tight.

"Draco,"he gasped,"I don't know what you're—"

"Save it for someone who gives a damn."He leaned over Harry who was gasping for intimation now."Funny thing… magical cloaks. They can arrest so many enchantments."He pressed Harry firmly against the sod as the Gryffindor desperately tried to gather air."Understand, Harry, I don't want it and I sure as hell don't want my founding father to get his hands on it. But he will if they have their way. Get it out of the Ministry before it's too late."

All of a sudden, the cloak released Harry and he began to cough, heaving in as often air as he could. Draco took to his feet and wrapped the black cloak about his articulatio humeri, his long blond hair starkly E. B. White in direct contrast. Still coughing, Harry stumbled to his infantry and pulled his wand. Draco ignored the gesture and turned to go out. But then he stopped as if suddenly remembering a forgotten thought. The door to the Hagrid's hut opened and Ron stepped out. He'd heard the sound of Harry's cough.

"Harry ? !"Ron called to the darkness.

"Oh, and Harry,"Draco said, looking Harry in the center even if the coup d'oeil was not returned."Cho isn't pregnant."He turned to leave."It's a newborn infant boy. Well, not so much newborn any more. You'll never guess the birthday… it's the same day as yours."

"Harry !"Ron called again. This time, by the shade in Ron's voice, Harry knew they'd been seen. He focused back toward the hut, but when he turned back to Dragon, the Slytherin was gone.

"That's not possible,"he whispered at the emptiness. The sound of footsteps came charging up from behind and Harry could pick up the tumult on the battlefront porch of Hagrid's hut. A hand touched Harry's articulatio humeri.

"Was that who I think it was ?"Ron asked quietly. Harry simply nodded."That can't be adept,"Ron muttered.

"No. No, Ron, it's not."

"Harry ? Is that you my boy ?"King Arthur Weasley called from the hut."Harry, hail inside. Get out of the cold."

"I told you, Arthur,"Dumbledore said gently from within the hut,"nothing to worry about. hail in and let's end up our tea."

"My god, Albus !"cried Chester Alan Arthur as Harry and Ron returned to the cabin."Look at the boy !"Harry was still barefoot, what remained of his clothes in tag end, his face covered in mud and now a thin red pipeline that wrapped about his neck shown through the grunge. As he climbed the steps with Ron's assistance his teeth once again began to gibber.

"Yes, yes,"said Dumbledore, dispassionately."I see they've been working you rather hard today, Harry."The statement was more interrogative sentence than anything."A lot to think about ?"Harry just nodded and walked through the door."Well, it's not going to get any light, untested man."

"Get o'er by the fervour, lad,"said Hagrid, offering a blanket. But before Harry had a chance to accept, Dumbledore pulled his sceptre and tapped Harry's shoulder. The grunge disappeared and a Hogwarts robe covered his body. The thin red origin about his neck and the aching muscles, however, remained.

"Hagrid,"said Dumbledore,"perhaps some tea and some…"Harry tried to catch Dumbledore's eyes to tell him to stop, but found, as it had been since his accident, he could no longer effectively commune silently with his eyes."…stone cakes."

Warming his musculus by the fire, sipping a bit of tea, and pretending to delight Hagrid's rock-hard Harlan F. Stone cakes, Harry was beginning to feel himself again. He assured Arthur Weasley that he was mulct and that his dishevelled appearance was all in a day's work, training with the Centaurs in the timber ; but the Minister was none too convince.

"Your clothes were in tag end, Harry, and it still looks as if you've been strangled."

"Just a small piece of work with Devil's snare drum is all, sir,"answered Harry, rubbing his cervix with his odd hand and sipping some more tea with the other. If they could see his eyes, they would know he wasn't listening to a word they were saying. Draco probably thought his little display would centre Harry's judgement fully on some Horcrux that the Ministry had no question just found, but Harry's mind was anything but centred. After a bit more backchat about school, sorrow about Harry being blind, and news show about the battles raging in Eastern European Union, Arthur Weasley finally got down to the purpose of his visit.

"You know, I'm sure,"he began,"that we have been excavating the collapse that occurred at the Ministry last year, beneath the… erm, chamber."

"What ?"Harry exclaimed."Why ?"

"Well, to try to recover the eubstance, Harry,"answered Mr. Weasley, surprised somewhat at Harry's reaction."Many Aurors lost their lives that evening and their consistence have never been found — at to the lowest degree, not until last hebdomad. Since the collapse we tried for months to find the derriere with no success. We encountered one wizardly portal after another, and the doer were none too inclined to accidentally stumble across the Curtain itself."

"You recovered the drape of Phenolem ?"cried Ron."Why ? Why in bloody—"

"No, Ron,"interrupted Dumbledore,"the Curtain and the pulpit were destroyed in the spill. No, just the trunk, bodies from both side, have been returned to their loved ones."

"Well, yes, Albus,"added Arthur with some jumpiness."virtually of them, anyway. We have yet to get Draco Malfoy's remains."Ron began to cough.

"Hagrid,"he asked, clearing his throat once again,"do you have any more gemstone cakes ?"

"Why sure, Ron,"said Hagrid with glee."seminal fluid on in teh the kitchen."Ron stood and followed Hagrid, patting Harry's articulatio humeri on the way.

"I don't really see what any of this has to do with me, sir,"said Harry."I mean… well, I've put that behind me now. Haven't I ? There's another iniquity we need to stave off, isn't there ?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely, Harry, absolutely."Arthur patted Harry's lap."But there was one other recovery at the very deepness of the gaping fissure."All at once, Mr. Weasley's aura faded and Harry knew the following words were a lie."They pulled it up today, just before dejeuner. I looked for you earlier, Harry, but you'd already left for the forest."Arthur Weasley stood from his electric chair and looked out the window facing the castle, the people of colour returned to his halo."I was thinking we could give birth a commitment of sorts. You could come to the Ministry as we put it on show. It would certainly remind the people in these benighted time that we can vanquish darkness."

"I'm sorry, sir, but what did you recover ?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry, Harry,"answered Chester Alan Arthur."I've wanted to discuss our search since you and I spoke on the geartrain. I never knew taking aid of the Ministry would consume so much of my time."His eyes wandered for a here and now and then returned to touch Harry's."No matter,"he whispered."In our search, we recovered the cloak. The blackened cloak of… You-Know-Who. The only remnant of his swarthiness and a symbol to all of his defeat."

"Voldemort ?"snapped Harry."You have Voldemort's cloak ?"Harry turned in his chair."Burn the imprecate affair. Destroy it !"

"I knew you might feel this way, Harry,"said Arthur with understanding."That's why I came myself. You must realize what an icon you've become in the Wizarding world. Just one picture of you, perhaps wand drawn, next to the cloak of the evilness you destroyed would entail so often to—"

"It's insane !"said Harry, rising to his fundament."Do you know what that might be ? It could—"

"Harry,"said Dumbledore sternly, silencing Harry's rant."I think it would be wise for you to take some clip to consider what all the implications are. Time to debate what's honest for… everyone involved."Harry expected to see the fondness of anger build in Dumbledore's aura, but if anything his illumination dimmed with a frigidity of concern.

"I… I'm sorry, sir,"said Harry, cooling his own disposition."Yes, that's what I need Minister… time."

"Please, Harry, you needn't call me—"

"Excuse me, sir. I need to go. It's just… I'm really tired is all."Harry reached out his hand to shake, and President Arthur Weasley took it."Let me get my mind together, and I'll get back to you. Just a day or two."

"Certainly, Harry, I understand. Until then, we'll sustain it rubber ; I can ensure you."Harry started for the doorway."Here, let me take the air you to the castle."

"I got it dad,"said Ron, dropping one of the stone cakes on the table with a thump."destination your tea and have some more… er, cakes."Ron ran to the door next to Harry's side. Staring at the cake and then Hagrid, Arthur was about to say something when Dumbledore spoke out instead.

"Excellent idea, Mr. Weasley,"he said to the untested redhead."Please discover Harry safely back to the castle."

"Goodnight, Hagrid,"said Harry to the titan still in the kitchen, baking up another tidy sum of bar for his guests."Thanks !"

"Sure thing, Harry,"called Hagrid."Anytime."Then he turned to Mr. Weasley just as Harry began to shut the threshold."diplomatic minister, try another one, hot out of the oven !"

By the clock time Harry and Ron were at the castle steps, Harry had answered most of Ron's questions.

"I just don't get it, Harry,"said Ron shaking his mind."It's just a piece of textile. You killed him."

"Ron, you saw my clothes tonight. They were burnt away because I fell into the magical flow that feeds the declension. Remember when you fell in live twelvemonth ?"

"Pulled in you mean,"said Ron, rubbing his rightfield wrist."Yeah, I remember. My clothes disappeared."

"They didn't disappear,"corrected Harry."They were burnt away. dress are dirty. They can't survive the purity of the water."

"That's a Centaur tale,"said Ron dismissively.

"narration or not, the water destroys cloth. I doused Voldemort in nearly ten gallon of the stuff. It was enough to dissolve every evil off-white in his consistence, but the cloak… tinker's dam ! I should have known when I saw it then. The cloak survived. But why ?"

"So you think it's the…"Ron's articulation dipped low,"…the Horcrux Draco was talking about ?"

"I don't see how it can be,"resolve Harry."If it's voice of Voldemort, it should have been destroyed."Harry sighed."Maybe Hermione will know."Ron shrugged and nodded in correspondence as he reached to open the palace room access. Ron heaved on the heavy handgrip just as Harry's hand stopped him and close them again.

"Ron ?"he asked."You have a lot of brothers and sisters. Erm… how farseeing does it take to… er… for a witch to… you know… bear a infant, after… you know."For a secondment, Ron just stared at Harry, and then reaching ever so slightly to the opinion on the tip of Harry's mind he understood.

"Oh ! How long does it take on for a sister to be born after conception ?"he asked.

"Yeah… yeah, that's it."

"Well my mum's always going on how I took longer than most… ‘ 40 two calendar week, and in the middle of the war !'she'd say.

"So… figurin'my natal day, what would you say… you know… for my folks to…er—"

"Do the nasty ?"said Ron with a smile. Harry simply nodded. Well, Ron thought for a mo, touched his fingers and counted backwards, and then a glow of a grin crossed his expression once again.

"Pretty damn near to Halloween, Harry."He poked Harry in the costa."Do you opine they were wearing costumes ?"Harry didn't react in the way Ron expected. Instead, he leaned his back against the castling doors and slid down to a sit on the Harlan Stone landing.

"Oh, Merlin,"he whispered in a seedy sorting of articulation."Oh, bloody, fucking, Merlin."

"What ? What is it, Harry ?"

"Ron… I think… I think I'm a father."


Harry ceramicist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 14 - marriage ceremony Plans ~~~***~~~

When Harry and Ron passed through the portrait of the Fat lady, Harry found the Gryffindor common elbow room, warm than rule. Near the fireplace sat the auras of Anapurna, Lavender, Gabriella, Hermione, Ginny and Dean. Towards the rachis, Neville was helping Patrick and a few others, Harry had yet to recognize, make for their Herbology exams. Evidently, the exam involved a burning flora of some form, perhaps fireseed, Harry thought, since there was a wallow cloud of smoke that hung over the group and nobody seemed to mind.

Harry, his mind fractured at the import, brought his aid on Saint Patrick. The smoke was clouding his power to see the atmosphere of those at the back table, but the filtered light emanating from Patrick was the same as it had been since Harry first met him after the accident - blue and green. Each colouration waxed and waned, growing more green whenever he was excited or near Harry.

"Patrick ?"Harry thought silently to himself, but the thought was short circuit lived.

"Harry ! Ron !"cried Dean. His vox brought Harry's attention back to the group about the fireplace. The call sounded like a supplication for help, as if Dean felt, at the minute, like a trapped rat in a snake's cage. He began to stand up when Ginny grabbed his arm.

"Oh, doyen,"she said breathlessly,"isn't it beautiful ?"Hermione was projecting an image of a young char in a white nuptials dress. The girl stood, suspended in the middle of the five students and modelled the apparel she was wearing, slowly turning in all directions so that everyone could see, everyone that is except Harry.

"Er… yeah, heavy,"muttered Dean miserably, sinking back into the couch.

"I don't know, Gin,"said Lavender cautiously."I think the train's a little long."

"Lavender's right field, Hermione,"added Parvati."You don't want to cope with all that dragging behind you even if it's levitated."

"You could have fairy's carry it."

"I kind of like it,"Hermione said as she held her hand to her chin and tapped her brass with one finger's breadth."But I think the second…"doyen let out an audible groan, but the girls ignored him while Hermione began to flash through model after model, dress after dress, as if hitch pages of a book. It was only then when she noticed that Ron and Harry had entered the plebeian room.

"Ron !"she exclaimed."You're just in time."Dean's eyes grew broad and he shook his head as nondescriptly as he could to ward them off. Ron caught it, but Harry did not."We were just looking over dresses when—"She stopped herself mid-sentence, noticing the expression on Ron's font."What's wrongfulness ?"

Gabriella stood and came over to Harry."You both look like someone died. Did Filch catch you sneaking into the kitchens again ? Out with it… what happened ?"Ron looked at Harry, and Harry looked blankly above the lady friend.

"Nothing,"they said simultaneously.

Gabriella patted Harry's cheek.

"naught ?"she said, sensing the swirling drove of emotions that must have shown like a radio beacon for everyone to see."Would you like to get together us ?"she asked."We were just—"

"No thanks,"interjected Harry. While he had grown accustomed to seeing students from other menage in the common room, he had completely forgotten that the girls were going to get together this evening to discuss Hermione's wedding architectural plan for the summer."I need to get prepare for the Potions exam tomorrow."Ginny stood, looking at Harry.

"I thought you were supposed to be out training all day today,"she said, questioningly.

"I was."

"But you're squeaking clean and jerk,"she replied sceptically."You know, if you weren't working out in the forest today, we could take gotten at least three hours on the pitch."

"I was in the woods today !"Harry exclaimed."Besides, you know I can't Seak. Not like this."He waved his hand in presence of his eyes.

"You're the team sea captain ! It's you're responsibility to—"

"These aren't your robe,"interrupted Gabriella, rubbing the material in her finger."These are new."

"Dumbledore cleaned him up,"offered Ron. This was followed by a chorus line.

"Dumbledore ?"

"Well, er… he and Dad were at Hagrid's and—"

"Dad ?"asked Ginny."Dad's here ? Why didn't he say he was coming to schooltime ? Where is he ?"It felt, suddenly, as if sharks were beginning to encircle Harry and Ron.

"wellspring, he only had a mo,"said Ron, stepping closer to his sister. She had risen to her feet and James Byron Dean took the opportunity to quickly dash away and head toward the whorled stairway to the son'dormitory."And he needed to see Harry, so I took him over to—"

"So he saw you, but he didn't have time to see his solitary daughter ?"

Less than a moment later everyone was talking at once. Ron and Harry were being bombarded with questions about everything from the diplomatic minister's visit, to why Dumbledore needed to raise Harry new gown, to what model Ron view would be nice for the new china.

Unexpectedly, there was a loudly explosion from the back of the room that caused everyone to shrill. A rather large fireball spewed forth from the mesa where Neville and the others were working. It was Neville who stopped it from lighting the unhurt place on attack by casting a squelching spell.

"tinker's damn it, Patrick,"Neville said irritably, while a few of the other students laughed,"I told you not to mix fireseeds with dittany gunpowder ! If you do that in the exam tomorrow, professor Sprout will fail you for sure."

The commotion that had surrounded Harry, quickly gathered about the back table and the sear faces that stood there. Harry took the opportunity to postdate Dean's footsteps up the stairway. Near the top he heard a rather dejected Patrick apologize, but what he saw was a bluish gloriole beaming with pride. Then Harry noticed Patrick flash him a thumbs-up from within the long arm of his robe, a signal that no one could see.

"Sorry, Neville,"said Patrick with a shrug of his shoulders."I'm just no in force at this kind of stuff and nonsense. I'll be golden to reach it to the tierce year at this rate."

Gabriella looked back toward the hearth to find Harry and before she could find where he was Harry disappeared into the son'dormitory. Inside he found Dean, belly down on his bed, reading a book about Quidditch. He loved the game so, it was a shame he wasn't any full at it. He looked up as Harry entered.

"Are they gone ?"he asked."Did you have to tout them all up ?"

"well, I—"

"Because that'd be fine by me, Harry. I was about to blow myself up if I had to search at one to a greater extent china pattern."He looked back at the book and turned the page."talk of the town about pressure… blimey."He turned another page."I mean… I love Ginny and all, but does she actually think I'm going to ask her to wed me ?"He turned another page ; clearly not having read the last."So… last year… yeah, maybe. But that's your fault."Dean looked up, pointing a finger's breadth at Harry.

"Me ?"

"wellspring, I mean, I was in a battle — fighting you for her. You know. That sort of matter, well… it gets a guy in the humor. But this stuff downstairs… nuptials dresses, and coloration of board dress, and…"Dean sighed."talk about deflating."Without looking back down to the book, he turned another page. Then, quite suddenly, Dean groaned and turned over on his bed, placing the exposed book over his chest."merlin, I love her."There was secrecy and he sighed again."She's been my humanity. She brought me back after the accident."Dean held his hand up, flexing the fingers in front of his face. His soul had been reconnected to his corporeal class and Ginny had been there every step of the way."She didn't need to do that."

"She loves you,"said Harry, walking over to his bed, taking off his new school robes and putting on a loose pair of jeans."Face it, Dean, you're her world too."

"I just don't want to be thinking about marriage while I'm still in schooltime,"answered doyen, sitting up on the boundary of his bed and facing Harry."There's plenty to be getting on about without having to vex about in-laws… Republic of China patterns…"

"…children,"added Harry quietly.

"merlin, no,"nip Dean."I can't even imagine. But then Ginny's handy with a sheathing charm. We're careful… you know ?"Harry nodded as a knot twisted in his tum."Can you believe Neville and Helen ?"continued Dean."Neither one of them used any protection their low few sentence. Hermione found out and had a fit."

"Hermione ?"queried Harry.

"Well, I told Neville that he was being an retard. I told him how Lee Jordon told me that Fred told him that George hooked up with some girl in Hogsmeade final twelvemonth and wound up with a caseful of runespoor warts. Had to go to St. Mungo's to get them removed. Can you believe it ? Yeesh."Lee covered his fork with his manus and grimaced.

"But why Hermione ?"

"If you want to fuck any charm, magical spell, or hex to get the job done, Harry, who do you go to ? Hermione."Harry looked a bit disgruntled and crossed his arms. doyen sensed Harry's superbia and added,"After all, everyone knew she and Ron were together since the spill of last class. She knew how to be safe, and Neville for sure wasn't going to lecture to Ginny."

Harry wasn't sealed how to take that. He didn't have a clue until shoemaker's last Christmas that Ron and Hermione were together. Yet, everyone else seemed to know. Further, he was pretty sure enough that go class Tonks had used her metabolism skills to lead on the appearance of Helen so that she could sneak into Gryffindor tower with Neville. It brought up memories… bad computer storage. Suddenly, going to lecture to Hermione about anything didn't seem like such a just idea. Harry began to bone up his desk with his digit, then crossed his weaponry and just looked down at the floor. He could see the aura's of the keep organisms that his mates had tracked in under their shoe. Maybe auntie genus Petunia wasn't such a crazy bat after all - at least as far as wiping one's feet at the door was concerned.

"What's up, Harry ?"asked Dean."Why are you so twine up anyway ?"

Barefoot and shirtless, Harry walked over to the windowpane. Christmas was a week away and, sadly, no Charles Percy Snow had fallen. The grounds below and the surrounding forest glistened brightly in Harry's cecity. He placed his odd hand on his bureau, just above Asha's heart, the stone that even now sat hidden within him. Focusing high above the crown he found nothing but inkiness. Late in the evening, cloud had moved in, covering all in a wickedness cover through which no stars shone. He peered at the Saami quadrant of sky in which he knew Ebyrth hung, growing ever closer. He closed his center and dropped his header heavily against the glassful window.

Voldemort's cloak should give been destroyed by the body of water from the falls, but it wasn't. Why ? Was it the Horcrux Draco thought it was, or simply an object of power that Lucius craved ? There was a spy in the castle, probably within Gryffindor or Slytherin that had given up Blaise. He was now under a Death Eater's overbearing oath. Who was the spy ? Could they have turned Saint Patrick too ?

It wasn't enough that war was raging in Eastern EC and would soon adorn the afforest about Hogwarts, if not the castle itself. Now there was a kid. Could it really be his ? That was a unintelligent question. Of course it could be ; the timing was near arrant and they had been… well, stupid. It was just before the Halloween feast. Harry was going to tell Cho about Gabriella… let Cho know that they couldn't be together, that Gabriella was the one he truly loved. But then she touched his arm… the feeling in her center. Even now, the memory sent a tingle down his spine and made his insides quiver. Neither of them was in the right form of mind, but they both knew what they wanted. Now they were both paying for it. At least Cho was. Harry began to wonder… if the youngster was Harry's, did Mark Anthony know, or was Cho simply using him ?

Harry shook his heading, trying to clear his muddled thoughts. Maybe he was making a big deal of goose egg. Maybe Anthony was the Padre. But the vision… Gabriella's vision that both he and Hermione shared. He'd seen a small fry. Gabriella saw her own death and yet Harry saw biography. He thought it was their youngster, his and Gabriella's. Now, Harry wasn't so sure.

The window was cold and a shiver ran across his body. He turned and walked over to his warehousing dresser, opening the lid and notion around for a shirt.

"Harry ?"Dean asked."I know something's bothering you. What is it ?"

"Tell me, Dean,"said Harry as he found a shirt. He began to fumble about for a dyad of socks.

"Yes ?"

"Ah…"Harry held up two windsock."Do these match ?"

"Kinda,"answered dean, looking at black and maybe a dark Navy blueness.

"Good… in effect,"replied Harry and he slipped the shirt and socks on. He sat back on his bed and slipped on his boots without saying a word.

"Harry ?"asked doyen probing."Where are you going ?"

"Accio cloak !"Harry called with his right hand in the air, fingerbreadth outstretched for a catch. His cloak flew into his face."Almost,"Harry muttered. He stood and put on the cloak on and then slipped his verge into his sleeve and stepped toward the room access.

"Dean,"he said,"please give my excuse to Professor Snape. I'll miss the examination tomorrow I'm afraid. It's sad really. Since the connection, I think I had a pretty unspoiled chance of acing it. Severus, after all, shared a bit of himself with me that night."Harry rubbed the scar on his right arm.

"Slow down, spouse,"said dean, taking to his feet."You can't just go off—"

"Whew ! I made it !"cried Ron, jumping into their room."I never thought I'd get Hermione's attention. I finally had to go in through the backdoor, if you know what I mean."He tapped his drumhead."She'll be up in a… Whoa. Where are you going ?"he asked Harry.

"Actually Ron,"began Harry,"I was just telling doyen that—"

"What's all this about the Horcrux ?"asked Hermione as she entered the room.

"Shhhh !"cried Ron and Harry simultaneously, ushering her inside.

"You found it ?"she asked in a near rustling.

"Maybe… if you can trust Malfoy,"answered Ron.

"Malfoy ?"asked Dean."Not Draco ? I thought he was—"Gabriella entered the elbow room.

"What's going on ?"she asked. Then looking at Harry she queried,"Where are you going ?"

Harry, who had leaned up against the paries near the door, began tapping it nervously with his finger. He glared at Ron."Great programme, mate."

"Well,"said Ron,"I tried to—"Harry held up one finger to his sass and Ron lowered his spokesperson."I tried to—"Harry shook his finger at Ron. There was a bit of a rumble and Ginny burst through the door.

"What's up ?"she asked. Then she noticed Harry."What's with the cloak ?"Harry crossed his limb.

"Bloody hell,"he whispered.

"Is that what's got you so agitated Harry ?"Dean asked as Ginny slipped into his arms. Then he turned to her."Did you know Draco was alive ?"It was a head she didn't expect and it caught her off guard. Her eyes shot immediately to Ron and the looking at gave her away at once.

"You did !"cried dean."How could you not tell me ? Did you all sleep together ?"Harry could see the fire building in dean's emotions. cipher said a word."How long have you known ?"

"Get over it, doyen !"Harry snapped."Draco wanted it private and we're keeping it that way. We know because we were there. Ginny knows because her brother has a big fat mouth."Harry gestured at Ron without looking his way."Draco's heart is here at Hogwarts, James Byron Dean. Until we can clear his public figure we can't make him out as a fugitive."

"Clear his name ?"said Dean."He was… he is a Death Eater."

"He saved my life, Dean,"interjected Ron."That you do know. That I've told everyone. But my Word isn't decent to hold him out of Azkaban. I should screw, the Minister's my Dad and, no, he doesn't know about Draco either."

These Logos cooled doyen's fires, if only a smidgen, and his hands found his pockets. There was a moment of quiet and then he turned to Ginny reached out and took her hand.

"You know, Gin,"Dean said gently,"if we're going to spend the eternal rest of our animation together, we can't be keeping secrets from one another. Secrets… they… they sour souls and twist trust. If you'd have just told me to save mum, you know I would accept. All you had to do is ask. You know that… don't you ?"Ginny reached her hand to Dean's cheek and kissed him.

"I know,"she said softly. Then she held him tightly in her arms."I'm sorry."

"Well… good,"said Harry uncomfortably."Erm… Ron, tell your Dad that we can have the ceremony with Voldemort's cloak this Saturday after exams."

"But that's three 24-hour interval, Harry,"Ron said,"isn't that too long to—"

"Right,"cut in Harry,"so that's why you… all,"he waved toward the group,"can figure out how we get the cloak tomorrow night. I'll meet you at the entree to the Ministry at midnight. Have the plan ready and I'll help you however I can."He grabbed Gabriella's hand."Come with me."They started for the room access when Hermione grabbed the back of Harry's cloak, stopping him in his running.

"What do you mean ? Where are you going ? Your Potions exam is tomorrow."Harry turned back, his face stern but his eye blank.

"number one, I'm going to see a friend of mine in Ravenclaw, and then… then I'm going to France."

There was a collective,"What ! ?"from everyone but Ron.

"It's one secret I'm afraid,"said Harry, raising his hands to quiet down his Quaker,"that needs to be kept… at least for now."Again he took Gabriella's arm."cum on."Everyone turned to Ron as Gabriella and Harry left the room. Almost immediately, Gabriella began to ask questions, but Harry held a digit to his sassing.

"Not here… not now,"he whispered.

They were about to crystalize out through the portrait of the Fat noblewoman when Lavender stopped them near the hearth.

"So I guess Hermione's done looking at dress for the night ?"she asked.

"I think she and Ron might be having a bit of a row,"said Gabriella insightfully."She's definitely done for the night."

"Ooooh,"hummed Lavender as she cast a gossipy coup d'oeil toward Parvati.

"Men,"said Parvati flatly. Gabriella simply nodded, taking Harry by the arm and walking out of the Gryffindor common way.

The two didn't speak until they reached the staircases. It was quiet with only a few students roaming about. Most were in all probability studying for tomorrow's exam. The others were either heading toward or returning from the subroutine library. The two found themselves alone on the staircase as it slowly began to slide into place. Finally, Harry gathered the courage.

"Did you know… ?"he began cautiously."Did you know about Cho ?"

"Cho Chang ?"Gabriella asked blankly.

"Yes, Cho Chang !"Harry snapped."How could you not be intimate ? You two were inseparable at the end of last year. She helped you through exam. Merlin, you spent more time with her than with me. How could you not recognize ?"

The stone stairway came to breathe against the wall. The two climbed off that one and onto another that began to slew into yet another charge.

"So we're going to see Susan Brownell Anthony,"Gabriella said knowingly. Harry said nothing, wishing only that the stairway would move more quickly."Tell me Harry, are you still so jealous ?"

"Jealous ?"Harry asked angrily."green-eyed monster has nothing to do with this. I have a right to know !"His last Good Book were loud and reverberated off the Harlan Fisk Stone rampart.

"They have a right to their seclusion, Harry,"Gabriella replied with an edge in her vox."They have a right to keep the Daily vaticinator out of their lives. Frankly, I don't see how it's any of your concern. It's open Cho knew what she was talking about when she asked that I keep this from you. She said you'd react this way."

They turned and began to pass water their way up to Ravenclaw column. A third year Ravenclaw joined them on the moving guinea pig upward. Harry moved close to Gabriella failing miserably at keeping his voice hushed.

"None of my business ? None of my business enterprise ? !"

"Yes ! None of your business ! They were stupid, Harry,"Gabriella said struggling to maintain her composure in forepart of the tierce year, although Harry could sense the anger building within her."It was a error, a mistake that Anthony's wizard enough to set straight. Can't you see that he's trying to do the right thing by caring for what will soon be his sept ?"

At this, the thirdly year Ravenclaw looked back over his berm at Harry and Gabriella. Gabriella flashed him a look that put the boy's nose back into the playscript he was reading. The stone staircase came to a halt and the boy stepped off followed by Harry, but Gabriella grabbed his arm.

"What do you intend to do ?"she asked."Confront him ? Hex him for getting your… your kept woman pregnant ? If that's what she was. You hardly carry the more noble ground."

Suddenly Harry realized that Gabriella knew, but didn't know. She knew that Cho had had a child, but she didn't know that Harry could be the Padre. He stopped and leaned against the banister. The postponement was just long enough that the stairway began to run again.

"She was not my kept woman,"Harry said quietly to the darkness."I… I was not myself last year. You know—"Gabriella put her hands about Harry's shoulder joint.

"I know,"she whispered sadly. Harry turned to front her.

"I've only ever loved you,"he said.

"I know that too,"she said with a smile that Harry could not see but could sense. She kissed him gently on the cheek and pulled him close. They held each other that way for some fourth dimension and when the staircase came to a closure Gabriella moved to get off, but Harry stood still.

"I'm not envious because of Mark Antony,"spoke Harry to the unfold air before him."It's just that… I could be the Padre,"he said softly.

"What ?"

"I could be the Father-God,"he repeated, stepping close down to her."It wasn't Anthony that was the stupid one ; it was me - Halloween of finale twelvemonth. Cho's child… it could be mine."

Harry waited to see the reaction, but none came. The news had no event on Gabriella's aura. Either she knew already, or had suspected all along, or the news simply didn't issue her emotions.

"I see,"she finally whispered."That muddies affair a bit, doesn't it ?"

"I need to ask Anthony where she is,"he said firmly."I need to see her ; I need to know."

"It seems to me,"Gabriella said slyly,"that, for someone who's not supposed to know anything, you know quite a bit already. You know there's a child. You know she's in France."

"La Mure,"added Harry.

"Then you know all there is to know, Harry. The town's not that magnanimous and a few well placed questions will get us to where we need to go."

"Us ?"Harry asked.

"Don't be silly,"answered Gabriella."It's far too dangerous for you to provide the castle alone. Besides, Professor Snape has already released me from tomorrow's examination for—"

"—for mellow stain,"interrupted Harry."Yeah, I know. I know."He paused for a few bit and then shook his head. But before Harry could say a parole Gabriella began.

"Harry,"she said gently, holding her hired man to his face,"I don't care how well you can see what others can not."She took his deal."You're blind. It makes a divergence. You can't go somewhere you've never been, talk to people you've never met and think that it's no big deal."There was another long pause.

"Cho's bodyguard is a Death eater,"Harry said, to a greater extent to himself than to Gabriella.

"You're joking, right ?"

"He's not much of one, but Cho's bodyguard is a last Eater."He paused, churning the suggestion in his mind. Finally he said,"You're right. I probably wouldn't get a probability to see her… not without help."He squeezed Gabriella's script."Besides, you need to be there. I need you to be there."

It took twenty dollar bill minutes to get what they needed before they could swipe out through the blot out tunnel to Hogsmeade. It took half that meter to lay down it to Le Mure. Gabriella was right, Harry would have got been lost without her. It was bad enough trying to remember his French ; it was worse trying to figure out what hand motion or facial construction went along with it. Blind, he could detect none of it, but Gabriella was nearly hone. In fact, Harry began to wonder if she had known the way all along. Finally, knowing that Cho's apartment was just around the block, the two decided to spend the Night at a small inn and wait until morning. It was the first they'd been truly alone since the summer.

Harry offered to log Z's on the story, but Gabriella pulled him close to her. There was a warmheartedness to her touch that meant more to him than anything in the whole universe. That Night he laid his soul bare, telling her everything he knew, everything she'd listen to, including Dragon's theory about Voldemort's cloak. Only when he touched on his education with the Centaurs, would she noticeably change the matter. He fell asleep in her arms and woke the following morning the Lapp way. The sun was just breaking into the window as he stroked her longsighted inglorious hair, wondering with some fear what the time to come would bring.

After breakfast, they walked down the alley toward the small apartment structure that the host had described to Gabriella. When they finally arrived, Harry covered himself with the invisibility cloak. Gabriella knocked at the doorway and the door opened, held open by an older man with Grey hair and a tired look on his face. There were launching and Gabriella slipped inside. The door shut before Harry could abide by. There was a moment of muteness and then squeals of joy. Harry knew the sound ; Cho was inside. A few moment later the man left, jingling coins in his pocket. Harry's plan had worked - Gabriella, handing the man a couple up galleons, suggested he go to the nook pub for a chomp and a beer or two. He wasn't to the sidewalk before there was a piece of cake and he had Disapparated. Then the murmurs began ; louder, then softer, then louder again. Finally, Harry heard,"Don't be silly."A present moment after that, the threshold opened and Gabriella ushered him inside.

All the while, Harry had seen the auras of the two young woman and the older man. He watched as they moved back and Forth River, and as Gabriella hugged what he figured to be Cho. It had been the starting time clock time he had observed a Disapparation without his mickle and he noted with interest the sudden burst of vigour that accompanied it. But more than anything else his attention was focused on one thing above all - a dim cherry-red glow that glimmered from the back of the apartment. Through all the wall it could make been anything - a cat, a dog. But Harry knew, by how well its colours blended with Cho's, what was there.

"Harry ?"Gabriella asked to the nothingness before her. Cho stood only a few metrical unit away. Harry sensed warmth mixed with pinch. As for himself, he could feel the sweat of his palms as he reached up and slipped off the cloak.

"Cho ?"he asked to the glow before him. The aura didn't move, the person didn't speak, but the colour began to blanch almost immediately. Then her helping hand went to her face, covering her mouth.

"Oh, Harry,"she croaked."Tony told me about the accident, about…"Slowly she walked over to him.

"This ?"Harry asked, holding his deal near his temples."It's nothing. Just a bit of glass. Surgery's scheduled for next month ; should get me commodity as new."Cho took his hand and then touched his face.

"I'm so sorry,"she whispered."I should induce come to visit."She took him in her sleeve and held him tight. He could feel her shaking in his arms."I couldn't… I couldn't bear to see you again."

"Great,"Harry drawled."Always right to know you're thought of kindly."

"Harry !"snapped Gabriella shortly. She took Cho gently by the arm and said,"Cho, can we fare in and have a sit ?"Cho loosened her suitcase on Harry and wiped her typeface with her manpower.

"Oh, yes,"she said, sniffing,"of course."

The place was bigger than Harry expected, compared to what it looked like from the outside, but it was sparsely render and what furnishings there were appeared old and tattered. As they entered the kitchen he noted a few Ravenclaw memorabilia here and there. He even recognized a broom, the ling he bought her last year, was propped up in the corner. Cho offered them some coffee, they accepted and together they sat at a modest table in the kitchen. There was a small talk about the weather and school.

"Are your exams over ?"Cho asked."Tony has Arithmancy tomorrow."

"Tony,"muttered Harry through gritted dentition. Maybe he was a bit green-eyed of Anthony."Er… yeah. Gab and I are done for the semester."

"That's peachy,"said Cho softly. There was an inapt silence, and then, finally, Harry could wait no longer.

"I heard… I heard you and, er, Tony were going to tie the knot… get married. I told Gab we should come by and find out when. Ask what you might need to, erm…"He looked around at the shabby furniture."… spruce the topographic point up."

"Soon,"answered Cho without hesitating."But we're not telling anyone until after the school day year. Not even my folk. They think I'm here studying art."

"I also heard,"continued Harry, not really listening to Cho's word of honor,"that you two had a shaver ; a baby boy is it ?"Before Cho could suffice Gabriella took her by the mitt.

"It's so commove, Cho !"she said joyfully."I'm sure you're a marvelous female parent. The baby is so lucky to get two such fantastic parents. Both Ravenclaws !"

"Thank you, Gab,"said Cho warmly."T-Tony's been great."

"Can we see him ?"asked Gabriella excitedly."I've wanted to see him so."Cho was hesitant.

"Well,"added Harry,"I can't see him, but I have a pretty good melodic theme that he's right through there, isn't he ?"He pointed to the back room and swallowed."I think it's keen that you and… er, Tony are doing the… er, rightfulness thing. It for certain would be great, at least for Gabriella, to see him. Just a meridian ?"

"He is due to eat breakfast soon,"Cho said cautiously."Perhaps… just for a moment."

When she returned to the kitchen, Cho was carrying a baby boy dressed in a pocket-sized red jumper. He smiled and muttered a few sounds as she sat him in his chair, offering him a biscuit to chew on. The dull fog of Harry's eyes were focused somewhere above the boy's head, but his mind's eye was captivated on the halcyon red glow before him. It was smart as a whip, almost blinding, and Harry wondered if the brightness of the glow was because he was a baby or something more. The cooky snapped out of Cho's hand and flew into the waiting grip of the baby's.

"face at that ! So soon ?"cooed Gabriella."He's just perfect."And then she began to babble baby talk to the child.

"Yes, he's pretty special,"answered Cho.

Harry could sense that she was looking at him, centred on his reaction, but he was at a loss. To know for sure he would have to ask straight out. Now, here they were, and Harry didn't know what to do. He half wanted to poke the sister with a stick to see what it would do.

"Has he,"Harry began,"shown any former signs of magic ?"

"No. Not really,"answered Cho cautiously."But he can stick out with service and he's already tried to walk."She paused."I think, maybe, he'll be in Hufflepuff,"she added wistfully."He loves it when I take him to the zoo."

"What's his name ?"asked Gabriella.

"Jamie,"answered Cho.

"After your Brother ?"

"We just liked the gens,"Cho said, not committing.

"I have to admit,"said Gabriella,"that he's the splitting image of you. And that's a trade good thing ; you're much better looking than Anthony."She laughed and Cho did too. It sounded as if it had been the first time Cho had laughed in quite some sentence. But then the look in Gabriella's voice changed.

"In fact, he doesn't flavor much like a Goldstein at all. You're both so dark, and Jamie's skin is so pale."

"He… he doesn't get out much,"said Cho, growing nervous.

"Cho, you know I love you like a sister. Don't you ?"Gabriella asked gently."fountainhead, I think Harry has a right hand to make out. You see, he told me that you two slept together at Hogwarts - just once, on Halloween. Caught in the oestrus of the moment, I guess."Gabriella took a breathing time, gathering her strength."I don't tending why it happened. And it doesn't bother me anymore that it happened. The fact is it happened… nine calendar month before lilliputian Jamie here was born."

"Well—"

"Cho,"Gabriella interrupted."Harry may have his mistrust, but he can't see what I can, and the eyes never lie. You and Susan B. Anthony, you both have brown eyes. Both your parents each have brown optic. It would convey a right hotshot to produce a boy with anything early than John Brown eyes and the magic would most certainly be to flex the colour of the eye to his own."Cho said cypher. Harry said cypher."It's lawful, Jamie is the splitting simulacrum of his beautiful mother. But the eyes… I think he has his father's eyes."Cho remained silent. Once again, Harry watched as her nimbus blanched.

"What do you stand for ?"asked Harry blindly. Gabriella took his hand.

"They're gullible, Harry,"she said quietly."Almond shaped and brilliantly William Green. Just like yours."


Harry Potter and the parturition of a New Sun

Chapter 15 - Another Potter
~~~***~~~

Beyond the babbles of the infant sitting beside Harry, there was silence. Perhaps, if one were to listen closely, the speech sound of a birdie chirping or a distant bus creaking to a halt could be heard, breaking the stillness of the morning. Then Cho's metrical unit began to nervously tap against the side of the table. In front of Harry, she had been confronted by Gabriella with the truth, but still she would not, or could not utter. Harry had known before they came to France that the child would be his, and though he had not heard the speech from Cho's brim, he wasn't about to go angry ; it was hard enough not to show how frightened he was feeling. No, if anything, he needed some time himself to get over the sinking feeling in his breadbasket, as if he'd just fallen off his broom. He would wait for Cho to be cook. He breathed deeply the aroma of his coffee tree, took a sip, set the cup down and put out his digit, with which the slight boy began to burn toothlessly.

"Jamie ?"Harry said tenderly."I… I like that name."

He smiled and put his handwriting on the boy's drumhead.

"Oh, my. What a head of hair ! Is it black ?"This simple question was purposefully directed at Cho. There was the heartbeat of a pause before she answered.

"Yes,"she said quietly, with a bit of a crack in the Holy Writ. Harry could try her deglutition.

"Thank merlin he's got his female parent's looks,"Harry said with a chuckle. He took another sip of coffee.

"You'll see him one day, Harry,"said Gabriella with an encouraging tonicity. Harry tilted his capitulum down and agitate it slowly.

"I don't think so,"he said quietly, his sass still turned in a slight smile.

"What do you mean ?"asked Cho, surprised."Surely they can—"

"I was just examined by Madame Pomfrey,"interrupted Harry."The vision charms aren't knitting. There's still too much glass."

"But couldn't they just—"

"There are dozens of tiny fragment - too many and too small to vanish without vanishing pieces of my eyes and if they summon them out they'll shred whatever healthy eye tissue that's left."Cho gasped.

"I… I didn't know. I thought—"

"No matter,"said Harry taking to his feet."I can see the fire in his somebody, even if I can't see their semblance of his eyes."He went to the coffee pot to pour himself one more cup. On the way, he tripped on a small toy that had fallen on the story and what liquid that was in his cup spilt.

"Woops,"said Harry. Cho stood to clean the spill, but Harry had it off the primer coat nearly before it landed with a simple wave of his hand. Since losing his sight, his abilities without a wand, abilities he rarely used in front line of others, had strengthened. Without skipping a rhythm, he poured himself another cup, but rather than turn he continued to present the cabinetry. Yes, he could see the fire in the boy's aura, but he would devote anything to have his sightedness back… to see his nipper, his son. He began to tremble. For the first clock time in months he was cold with fear, and it wasn't fear of a Dementor or destruction feeder. It was fear for his child and his child's mother, fright for a future that was already so uncertain, so iniquity. It felt as if all the air in the room was being sucked away.

"At least,"he said, holding the warm cup in his hands,"Anthony won't need to… to look into my eyes and wonder. I… I wouldn't want that."Cho stepped up behind Harry and placed her hand on his shoulder joint.

"Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw Prefect at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry ?"asked Cho."He might be a bit proud at meter, but he's no fool, Harry. He knows."She turned Harry to confront her."He's always known that… that Jamie is your son. He came up with the name. Your f-father's name."She placed her bridge player at the position of Harry's face."He knew that too. I… I didn't."With these words, Cho began to cry. She held Harry by the front of his shirt and pulled him close, sobbing into his chest. Gabriella left her chair and the three hugged for some meter while Cho repeated over and over how good-for-naught she was, and Harry repeated over and over that it was okay, that he was the one who was sorry. It was little Jamie who broke up the trio as he began to cry.

"Oh… he's athirst,"said Cho blotting her center. She picked the boy up into her arms and ushered them all into the front man room where the fireplace sat cold, but the slightly tattered electric chair were more comfortable. Even without the flaming, Harry watched with curiosity the heat that filled the room. He could severalize she loved the boy deeply. Nor, was the emotion lost on Gabriella, sitting at Harry's side, who was gathering a glow herself as she took in the way's emotions of making love. He took Gabriella's hand and for the 1st time in a long time Harry tried to loosen, letting the swirling concern of the futurity fade from his mind. It was Cho that started the conversation as Jamie continued to wet-nurse.

"I wanted to keep this secret, Harry - secret from my parents, secret from my brother, secret from you. At first I was ashamed and then—"

"But—"

"Let me wind up,"asked Cho."I need to terminate, or I may never be capable to."Harry nodded."Last year you wanted to tell me about Gabriella."Cho looked at Gab."He did so want to bear on me away, to tell me of the Muggle girl he had met back home."Her middle returned to Harry."But I could see that, just under the skin, there was a flak of desire and I… I wanted… my broken soundbox wanted to be desired."

"He was cross-hexed by my parents,"said Gabriella. The words were meant to be explanatory, but Harry noted a tinge of bitterness or sorrowfulness.

"I know that now,"answered Cho."Maybe I knew it then, at least that he wasn't in his rectify intellect. I could have used a overlay spell. I thought about it. I even reached for my baton before it happened Halloween night behind the Great Hall."Gabriella dig Harry a glance that he could not see."But then I stopped. I wanted this."Cho looked down at Jamie."I wanted to have something in case… in case…"

"In casing I died ?"asked Harry."Like Cedric ?"Without speaking, Cho simply nodded.

"I was being stupid. As if I could ever… And then, when I found out about Gabriella, when we actually spoke…."Cho smiled."I was so happy for you, Harry, and you were so sad."She sighed, shaking her head."So I hid it - I hid my pregnancy and I hid Jamie."She put the infant over her shoulder joint and began to pat its back."I thought that after You-Know-Who had been destroyed I could tell you, but then I heard about the new war… that Malfoy's Death Eaters were out to kill you. What would they do if they knew you had a son ?"She shook her headland."This summer, I travelled to the United body politic with Anthony… Tony. One dark, I fell asleep in his arms and when I woke up the next morning the befuddling charm had warn off. I was meaning for all to see. In that instant I panicked, horrified by what he might think, what he might do, and in the next I felt Tony's touch, lovesome and caressing on my stomach. He stayed at my side of meat and he's never left."Jamie let out a rather telling burp and everyone smiled.

grinning, Cho held Jamie in her lap and said something in Formosan as she wiped the milk from his chin.

"Tony's hired Chalmers"said Cho, referring to the guard that was probably now close to finishing his morning meal,"to determine over Jamie and I, while he finishes schooltime. It's costing him every Cnut he has. Once we're married we'll qualify for benefits from the Ministry. They offer housing and, maybe, we can find a prissy place to—"

"Benefits ?"fuss Harry, his pricker snapping inflexible."From the Ministry ? You can't be dangerous ! You're not going to lease a dime from the Ministry. As far as I'm concerned there all a lot of crooks !"

"Harry !"called Gabriella.

"Well, Ron's dad. But the repose of the lot ? Crooks !"He took to his feet."And as far as living in Ministry housing… never ! I won't allow it."

"What do you mean you won't allow it ?"said Cho a bit heatedly."You have no say in the matter."Harry ignored her.

"You'll check at the castling. It's far enough away from what's happening… yes, you'll be dependable there."

"We're safe here,"said Cho, standing herself, the baby held snugly in both arms.

"Safe ! Are you kidding me !"weep Harry."What's his name… Chambers ? He's a Death eater !"

"Oh,"Cho chuckled,"now you're just being ludicrous. Chalmers wouldn't hurt a fly. He's only working for Tony because of the kindness in his heart. He hardly makes enough money to get by on."

"So he moonlights for Lucius Malfoy as a expiry Eater !"exclaimed Harry."At to the lowest degree he doesn't know that the boy is mine. Thank Merlin for that."Cho's human face dropped with surprise at these parole.

"How could you potential know that we haven't told him ?"she asked. Now Gabriella stood, stroked Jamie's cheek and took him in her own arms, patting his back as he rested against her shoulder.

"Because,"Gabriella said softly with a melodious voice as if she were singing to the baby,"if Chalmers knew, Lucius would eff. And if Lucius knew, his son would know."

"Draco ?"breathed Cho."I thought Draco was…"Her articulation quieted and she strode over to Harry and slapped him on the shoulder."You little liar. You looked me straight in the eye and told me he fell into the abyss."Harry turned his book binding.

"Don't you look away from me !"Cho yelled."Let me see your face."Harry acquiesced. When he faced her, any anger he felt evaporated and his berm slumped.

"This is pointless,"he breathed."He'll be back here any moment. Maybe he's a kindly old doddered just trying to reach a buck any way he can. Cho, you can't require a chance."He placed his hands on her articulatio humeri."I have money and it's my responsibility. Let me at least avail pay the bills until Antony graduates. Let me at least cave in you a ceiling over your header where the fireplace works and you'll know you'll be safe."

"It's beautiful there,"added Gabriella."super C fields… cerulean seas… cute Hellenic language boys with bare chests."She winked and kissed Jamie on the head. Cho crossed her arms and walked over to the fireplace that had no fuel for the fire.

"I… I'll have to ask Tony,"answered Cho."Do you think… I know it's unmanageable oversea, but do you think we could connect to the floo network ? I miss the family so, and we are going to separate them… after Tony graduates."

"That's one affair the Ministry can do,"said Harry, suddenly well-chosen Cho was changing her head."But you can tell Tony later. outset, we need to—"There was a snap and an flash later the battlefront door opened. Gabriella motioned for Harry to cover. He had just enough time to dart under his cloak and gather himself into the box before Chalmers walked through the front line threshold.

The older man was too fragile and not much taller than Cho. When he entered he took his coat off and hung it against the wall with a sticking appeal.

"Beautiful day today, Miss Yangtze River,"he said with a toothy smile."Beautiful Day !"He stepped over and gave Gabriella a nod."And thank you missy for the finely meal."He paused."It's been a spell since…"His grimace grew pensive, but then he shook his foreland."No matter."He slapped his handwriting together and pulled his wand."Let me clear these ravisher for you."Harry stood silently against the wall as Chalmers walked with a bit of a hobble into the kitchen. There was a distinguishable cycle to the beat of his pass that Harry, two month ago, would not otherwise have noticed. It was then that Harry saw a change in Gabriella's aura ; something was wrong.

"Oh,"said Chalmers with a pure tone of surprise in his voice."Three cupful. Did you have another visitant today ?"Without waiting for an answer he levitated the dishes into the sink where the scrubber began to wash them. Cho was rooted, but Gabriella stepped over without hesitation.

"Yes,"she said quite sedately,"a girlfriend of ours, also from Hogwarts. She had to leave ahead of time to get back for her afternoon exam."Chalmers nonchalantly straightened the death chair.

"wellspring, you know how Mr. Goldstein feels about visitant, misfire Chang."He settled himself into one of the cushioned president and began to unfold the paper, still scanning the elbow room with the eyes."At least strangers."Harry could differentiate that the old man was on safeguard, sensing something that was not right."Just tryin'to restrain you and the babe safe he is."

Baby Jamie babbled something and then pointed at Harry hidden beneath the cloak. The apparent movement was enough to cause Chalmers to turn and look back into the far corner at the cracked and vacate wall. Jamie babbled again and gave a lightsome jape. Chalmers smiled.

"wellspring, wee Jamie is happy enough to have guests."He held up the front man page."What's your friend's name, young woman ?"

"Hermione… Hermione granger,"answered Gabriella. There was the flimsy suspension and she added,"And I should be on my way as well."She gave Cho a hug and kissed Jamie's nerve."Thanks so much for letting us visit. He's just adorable and you're a grand mother."

"Thank you, Gabriella,"answered Cho, kissing Gab's cheek."I couldn't ask for a kinder, ardent admirer. Please derive visit after the nuptials. I think I'll feel more comfortable then - Mrs Goldstein."

"Oh ! That reminds me,"said Gabriella suddenly."Mr. Chalmers is it ?"Chalmers set his paper in his lap.

"Just Chalmers, missy."

"Cho was showing me the nursery and I noticed the back window. We had discussed placing a sealing appeal, but I wasn't sure if—"

"Yes, girl,"cut in Chalmers proudly."The solid house is sealed tight. No one can get in without license. It's a Bucinum charm."

"Oh lamb,"said Gabriella."A Bucinum spell ?"Chalmers nodded his headway."I think a Trepidus charm would be safer."

"Trepidus charm ?"asked Chalmers blankly.

"Oh yes,"added Cho."A Trepidus charm would be ideal."

"Certainly,"continued Gabriella,"I mean, if someone tries to break in the Bucinum appealingness blows them up. That could harm the baby. Do you suppose you could show me where you set the magical spell ? Together we can stool the replacement."

"Oh, please do, Chalmers,"asked Cho pleadingly."Gabriella's a first base grade witch. She studied at Al Bsahri you know."

"Did she now,"said Chalmers with sake as he took to his feet."I've heard they reopened the school this year."

"Yes,"said Gabriella,"it's quite lovely."

"Well, let's have a smell around and see what we can do."Together, Chalmers and Gabriella made their way to the back of the house, leaving Cho and Jamie alone with Harry. Even as Harry moved toward the nominal head door beneath his invisibility cloak, Jamie followed him with his regard, pointing with his hand. Cho walked to the door and opened it.

"When… when do you marry Gold— Anthony ?"Harry asked.

"Xmas,"Cho answered. She tried to make the word strait exciting and vibrant, but it fell directly.

"Cho, you don't have to—"

"Don't I ?"Cho snapped."Don't I ? Tony loves me for all the worldly concern. He'd jeopardy his life to protect me… and your son. He's honest, hardworking, and… and… and I'm marrying him on Christmas."Jamie wriggled in her arms, both hands outstretched toward Harry.

"You deserve to be glad,"said Harry quietly."You deserve ..."but Harry's words failed him."I'm so sorry."Cho ushered Harry outside to the front stoop and shut the door behind her. She lifted his cloak to reveal his boldness.

"Harry,"she said."Tony… he looks at me… he looks at me the way you look at Gabriella. What girl wouldn't want that ?"She leaned over and kissed him on the sassing, and then draped the cloak back over him."I'll ask him about your offering. He's a proud man, Harry, and a bit stubborn. You should be able to appreciate that."

"I love you, Cho. If there's ever anything you need… anything at all, let me know and it's yours. I'll see to it, I swear."Cho smiled, but her eye were sad. Jamie began to fellate on his fingers. The door opened and Gabriella appeared followed closely by Chalmers.

"Ah, here you are,"said Gabriella. The sun was warm on her face as she put her branch out and gave Gabriella a hug."The apartment is sealed tight."Cho took in a deeply breathing space.

"Good, thank you,"she said."I was just giving Jamie a little sun."

"Which he can get through the windowpane, my dear,"said Chalmers herding Cho back into the star sign."Now come inside."He seemed quite protective, but Harry wondered if it wasn't something more."A pleasure to adjoin you, missy Darbinyan, was it ?"

"Yes, and a pleasance it was to meet you,"Gabriella replied."It's just to see my Quaker in such fine hands. Cho, I'll be by before prospicient with those talent I promised."

"gift ?"Cho asked."Oh, yes, endowment. Yes, yes, anytime. Be rubber ; there's a muted space to Apparate just behind that gray edifice over there."They kissed good-bye and Gabriella began to walk down the street, Harry at her side. Chalmers stood for some time after Cho had gone inside, watching from the stoep. Gabriella waved one last prison term as she turned the corner out of sight. Harry was about to overstretch off the cloak when she stopped him.

"check hidden,"Gabriella whispered."We're being followed."Harry spun and there behind the edifice they'd just passed were the auras of two small frame. They hadn't been there a minute before.

"Did you see them ?"Harry asked."I didn't hear an Apparation."

"house elves,"Gabriella whispered,"at least one of them. The other… I can't tell."

"But there weren't any home elves at the theatre,"said Harry.

"I know,"she replied."They must belong to to someone else, or one's with its master."

"Who ?"

Gabriella just shrugged.

"How did he know your name ?"asked Harry.

"It just slipped out. But I don't think—"

"You don't think Lucius would just as soon see you up on a pike as me ? It was foolishness !"

"He'd have found out soon enough,"said Gabriella with a sigh as the two turned another recession. The street was deserted save for two young son playing football near the end by a chain-link fence. Gabriella pulled her wand. She was going to attack the two that were nearing the corner, but Harry stayed her hand.

"Gab, no,"he whispered."Grimmauld Place."

"But—"

"Now !"

A moment later they found themselves on the streets of London, just outside of act dozen, Grimmauld station. They waited to see if they might have been followed, then checked that the streets were crystalize. Finally, Harry uncloaked and walked up the footfall to the door, knocking twice. The threshold opened of its own accord and the two walked in. There was a rustle, a thump, and then Sirius appeared atop the stairway wearing boxers and a t-shirt. Wand drawn he pointed it blindly toward the door.

"frost !"he screamed."Or I'll obliterate you !"

"I hope not,"answered Harry."I'm kinda hungry."

"Harry ?"Sothis said, blinking his optic."Harry what the hell… Gabriella ?"Sirius made an attempt at slicking back his whisker and started down the stair.

"It's after noon,"Harry said."Don't tell me you were still sleeping."

"I was up late last night. Remus finished grading document and we— Hey, isn't your Potions exam today ?"Sirius'optic shot to the door."And why didn't you use the floo ? What's going on ?"

"Erm… can we eat first,"asked Harry.

"What,"shot Sirius in a singularly insistent tone,"is… going… on ? !"

"Sirius,"said Gabriella softly,"I think it best if we sit down."

"You do, do you ?"snipped Sirius, but Gabriella's black middle caught a soft-spot in Dog Star'bark."Well… okay."

The three moved into the kitchen and Sirius started toward the stove. He grabbed a spatula and summoned some blimp when Gabriella took his hand.

"Here,"she said softly,"let me do that. You sit with Harry."Sirius moved to the table and sat opposite his godson.

"wellspring ?"Sirius queried."It's obvious something's afoot. Spit it out."Harry tried, but he couldn't control his godfather's gaze.

"I… I, erm…"He sucked in a vauntingly draft of air and exhaled."Igoterpregnant."

"What ?"Sirius asked."What was that ?"

"I… I got her pregnant."

"What !"Sothis stood and whirl towards Gabriella."You're pregnant ?"Gabriella turned the blimp with her wand."How could you—"

"Let him complete,"she replied, floating three home out onto the board.

"Not Gabriella,"Harry said. Canicula turned back to face Harry."Cho… Cho Chang."Sirius fell back into his chairperson.

"Are you sure ?"asked Sirius with a disbelieving tonicity."Because sometimes enchantress can—"

"Oh,"cut in Gabriella sharply."He's sure."

"Merlin,"he whispered, scratching his mentum."Harry, you should have it off better."

"I know. I know I should know better."

"And you,"Sirius said, turning back to Gabriella,"why are you here with this cheating scum if Cho's running around pregnant ?"Expressionless, Gabriella placed the sausage balloon on the crustal plate and added some warmed beans.

"It was last year,"she answered sitting down and handing Canicula a crotch.

"The child was born in July,"said Harry."On my birthday. His public figure is Jamie."

Canicula'fork fell with a clank onto the photographic plate, splattering red dome onto his white-ish jersey.

"A b-boy ? Jamie ?"

"They're animation in a dumpsite,"said Harry quickly,"and I can't have my son living like that. I won't have another Potter live with rubble and spider, not as long as it's in my king. So, I offered to have them detain at your castling. You know… until Anthony grad. Merlin save his soul if he ever—"

"My castle ? Anthony ? Who's Anthony."

"Goldstein. Well Cho calls him Tone. How cheesy is that ? Anyhow, the matter is…."

It was well into the eve before Harry had set Sirius straight on all the details, uncertain as they were. Dog Star then began a spoken language that lasted for nearly thirty minutes and included a few point of reference to Harry's parents. But when Harry began to probe cryptical Sirius changed the study. After venting about Harry's stupidity, he had agreed to take Anthony, Cho and Jamie in and assist in any way he could.

The sausages Cho cooked little more than a memory, Sirius grew hungry again and he convinced them to go to a Thai restaurant that he had found just a few blocks away. When they arrived, Harry discovered that it was run by an old Muggle, but frequented by a routine of beldame and wizards. The periodic New York minute of magic that occurred never seemed to enervate the old man. Canicula called him a pundit, a Muggle in tune with the magic of the natural globe but possessing no skill his own. Harry was half-way through his Panang Curry when he realized that tonight he was to assemble Ron and Hermione at the Ministry.

"The cloak,"he muttered suddenly to himself, before taking another sharpness.

"What's that, Harry ?"asked Dog Star. Harry looked up into Sirius'eyes ; they were smiling. Harry's blindness didn't allow him to see that the crimp that had once drawn the face of Canicula'eyes down were now curling upward. But he could sense the brightness of the aura in his godfather's verbalism. For a moment, Harry considered telling Sirius of their plan at the Ministry. Gabriella touched his hired hand.

"More tea ?"the waiter asked, and all three nodded. Harry continued to count toward Sirius who was as felicitous as ever. The thinking of asking Sirius to help them, particularly at the Ministry, curdled the curry in Harry's stomach.

"I said I almost choked,"Harry said with a coughing.

"You're eating too fast,"said Gabriella knowingly, rubbing his arm and smile."It's not a race."

"Probably the curry,"said Sirius, taking another sting."It's a bit spicy tonight."

"Yeah… yeah that's it,"Harry answered. He wiped his sassing with his table napkin and set it on the board."Erm… Actually, I think I better be—"

"Harry,"interrupted Gabriella,"I have to go before it gets past midnight."

"Is it getting that belated ?"asked Sirius, his mouth half wax. Harry shot her a coup d'oeil ; his mouth frowned. He didn't want her at the Ministry any to a greater extent than he wanted Dog Star. There were too many memories—bad computer memory. Then she said something that surprised even Harry.

"I need to see Jamie,"she said,"just for a minute. I should give birth taken attention of it this morning, but I forgot. I've not been in tune with the old fashion for some time. momma would be disappointed in me."Unconsciously, Harry began to rub the dragon scar that was emblazoned on his right forearm.

He remembered what Gabriella's mother, Soseh, had said at the end of hold out schooling year."The blessing is inscribed on the male person of each contemporaries by the char of the generation before. It will be Gabriella's tariff to pass the blessing to your sons."Once it was crystallise that Harry would accept Jamie as his son, it was Gabriella's responsibility, by curse, that she pass to him the blessing of Asha.

"The Votary,"Harry whispered quietly, staring down at the arena of yellow and atomic number 79. Then his ho-hum oculus looked toward hers."It's too dangerous,"he said sharply."What if Chalmers has told them. What if he knew all along ? What if they're still there ?"

"They ? They who ?"asked Sirius.

"We were followed after we left Cho's apartment,"said Gabriella."But it makes no difference. By honour, I have no choice. It must be done, and the Sooner it's done the capital the power of Jamie's approving, of his protection. He'll need Asha's help in these times of darkness."

"You mentioned the Death Eater bodyguard, but you didn't mention that you were followed,"said Sothis, his eyes turning toward Harry with a more grievous glare.

"Draco said that Chalmers doesn't work Night, at to the lowest degree not for Goldstein. Sirius, you need to go with her, keep her safe. That way you can see Jamie and pass on the news, maybe convince Cho to move into the rook tonight while Chalmers is away."

"And you ?"Dog Star asked.

"I'll just principal back to Hogwarts. If the two were a couple of Lucius'thugs out to get me it'd be upright if I wasn't there."Dog Star sighed, looking longingly at an untouched barbeque spare rib. He licked his lips and pushed his denture forward.

"Very well, let's go."They paid and made their way outside and down the street, finding a more outside alley often used by the visiting hag and whiz to Apparate. Sirius took Harry by the arm and looked him in the heart, but Harry turned away to look down the street as a car past by.

"Straight to Hogwarts,"said Sirius sternly,"okay, Harry ?"

"Straight to Hogwarts,"Harry agreed. Gabriella kissed him on the buttock.

"I can see your emotions roiling,"she whispered in his ear."Be wakeful and say, ‘ Hi !'to Ron and Hermione for me."She pulled her wand as did Sirius."Oh, and don't worry ; Jamie will be ticket. I'll make sure that no iniquity harms your child."Harry tried to muster a grin.

"Did I ever tell you how much I loved you ?"he asked and then they kissed."I'll see you at shoal in the morning. Keep her safe, Sirius."There was a snap and both Gabriella and Canicula had vanished. Harry focused his visual sense to another contribution of John Griffith Chaney and in the next moment found himself at a telephony box above the entryway to the Ministry. As off-putting as Apparating was for Harry, he was ill prepared for what happened adjacent.

"Stupefy !"The blast of red light source hit Harry squarely in the chest, knocking him backward some ten to twenty feet, his verge tumbling from his deal."There, Harrington,"a large cloaked shape said with a rather blustery vox, picking up Harry's verge,"and you were about ready to wet your pants. He is a boy, after all."Still on his spine Harry could sense them stepping toward him.

"I… am not… a… boy !"he rasped. This made the tightlipped wizard gag, but the smaller man behind him said nix.

"well, I've got your wand, little man. I doubt you'll—"

"Diffindo !"Harry hissed, stretching his right arm forward. Orange light erupted from the shoulder down and extended out and beyond Harry's fingertips.

The battlefront of the Death feeder's cloak looked as if a large saber had just slashed across it, tearing textile and flesh alike up and outward. Harry could palpate the stock spattering his typeface. The Death Eater screamed falling to his knees. Unsteadily, Harry stood. The whole place seemed to be spinning. He was dizzy and a gathering sensation of nausea was building inside.

"Accio wand !"he cried, wrenching his baton from the Death eater's grasp and in to his own bridge player. Limping forward he yelled"BOY ?"Then he placed his sceptre on the forehead of his foe."BOY ?"origin continued to trickle from beneath the crouching dying feeder's rib and between the hands that clutched his breast."Who do you work for ?"Harry asked, already knowing the response.

Harry had focused so often attending on the large Death Eater, he had neglected the modest one that had retreated to the fantasm.

"I said WHO - DO - YOU - WORK FOR !"Standing over his cowering victim, it was then that he noticed the light source - lots of lights. Five Thomas More auras had Apparated ; he was surrounded. Seemingly emboldened by the new arrivals, the smaller demise eater emerged from the shadows and held out his sceptre.

"Expel—"There were three go cast almost simultaneously that stopped the ace before he had a chance to finish.

"Stupefy !"“ Diffindo !"and Harry's shield magic spell,"Contego !"

Only, Harry didn't need the shield charm… for himself. The first-class honours degree spell came from one of the approaching air Harry presumed to be Thomas More Death Eaters. The bolt, not the strongest Harry had ever seen, knocked the low wizard backward, albeit only a few feet. Fearing for his animation, and rightfully so, the diminutive Death eater Disapparated. The second spell came from yet another aura, belittled yet vivid. It was directed at the crippled maven crouching before Harry. The solution was frightful and instantaneous ; the destruction Eater's head fell to the gravelled sidewalk and his torso slumped forward, draining blood at Harry's metrical unit, a boiling pool of light like lave erupting from a volcano.

Harry spun to look the five wizards approaching him, holding his wand high. Two showed hints of both red and green in their auras as they drew nearer."Imperious whammy ?"Harry wondered. And then a voice came to him that startled him more than that of the previous decease feeder.

"Bloody perdition, James ! What in pigeon hawk's name did you do that for ?"

The colour, the lope, the tone… Harry knew at once it was Ron Weasley.


Harry ceramicist and the parturition of a New Sun

Chapter 16 - The Burden claim
~~~***~~~

"He was reaching for his baton,"said James, pointing at the decapitated Death Eater at Harry's foot."He was going to kill Harry !"

"He was on his knees,"snapped Hermione."Harry had him firmly in control."

"He didn'have the… that trivial guy in control,"countered Saint Patrick."I had teh take him down."

"You're just lucky he was as frightened as a molamar in weewee,"said Anthony Goldstein with a rather overbearing spokesperson.

"Goldstein ?"asked Harry in surprise as the group converged on him.

"hoot, Potter,"said Goldstein,"you're a all-fired mess. And I do mean bloody. Scourgify !"The dab covering the straw man of Harry's face, shirt and pants vanished, though the puddle on the pavement remained."There, that's better."

"Who in Hades told Goldstein ?"cried Harry.

"Actually, ceramist,"replied Goldstein,"I stumbled on this merry company as they tried to snarf out. Seemed like a good DA mission.

"Are you kidding ?"snapped Harry, gazing at the halo of the man who'd be his son's father. There was a purity about it, but Harry was to inflamed to consider it."You… you can't be here. It's too dangerous."

"Yes, I see that,"said Goldstein with a rather sarcastic tone. Gingerly, Harry stepped out of the blood, pooling at his foot. Hermione ran over to him and hugged him.

"Who were they ?"she asked."nonentity's supposed to know we're here."

"That's what I thought,"answered Harry."I was trying to get an answer when James II here decided to play the butcher."Harry turned to the s year."The next time I need your help Chang Jiang, I'll ask for it."Harry sensed at once the choler building within the small-scale wizard, but then it subsided almost as quickly as it came.

"I… I was just trying too difficult I guess,"answered James."It was scary."

"And why are you two,"Harry pointed to both James and Patrick,"here in the maiden place ? lurch across the company as well ?"He shot Ron a glance and wished he could convey heart of death.

"Patrick overheard our program and said he'd snitch if we didn't bring ‘ em along,"answered Ron."It was supposed to be quiet ; I didn't material body we'd run into destruction Eaters."

"If that's what they were,"said Harry, still holding his sceptre at the ready."They acted more like hired strong-armer than dying Eaters."

The Nox air was moth-eaten and calm. He could feel the damp of a thin out mist wrap about his nerve, sending shivers down his spine. For a here and now he thought of Dementors, but the imperturbableness, this chilled dankness was something else, something more visceral. The rustle of end were swirling ; somehow Harry knew that. And not for the man that had just been slain, the whispers were telling Harry that Sir Thomas More would soon join the dead man at his foundation. But who ?

"Goldstein,"Harry said suddenly,"Anthony, really you… you have to—"

"fountainhead, we're here now,"said James."Dispatchio !"The dead wizard and the pond of blood beneath him vanished."Let's say we get in, get the cloak and get out before anymore… er, dark-skinned mavin show up. Wouldn't want Luci—"

"Where'd you learn that trance ?"queried Hermione."That's twenty percent year."James shrugged his shoulders.

"My sister I guess,"he said."She's the smart one in the family."

"Yeah… I see,"said Harry, noticing James'aura fade from green to red then back from red to green. For the first fourth dimension, he thought James IV might not really be an friend."Ron, maybe you should take—"

"St. James the Apostle is correctly,"cut off Anthony."Best if we get down into the Ministry before another dozen Death eater Apparate in."

"But—"

"Harry,"interrupted Hermione,"let's just get downstairs. We can babble then."Harry heaved a sigh and the mathematical group squeezed into the telephone set booth. Ron said the password his Father had told him and a ash gray orb appeared, scanning Ron in a under the weather Stanford White luminance. Then, with a jar, the elevator began to plump. Harry tried to look at Ron and suggest to the redhead that he should scan Harry's mind, but his center were blank and Ron didn't tell apart the facial expression as he once would receive. Harry silently cursed his blindness.

Harry's spirit began to invigorate. If the two second years were under the Imperious Curse, they were likely in Lucius Malfoy's control. He was feeling strongly like he wanted to wretch onto the polished marble storey just as the doors opened onto the resplendent entrance anteroom of the Ministry of Magic. The six stepped out, verge drawn.

After only a few yard, they all saw where the cloak was to be displayed - it was obvious. A large glass case had already been erected. On a pole was the trunk of a mannequin and next to that a gold statue of Harry with his wand drawn. They all stepped stuffy. There was no cloak, but there was a plaque. It read,"This land site commemorates the defeat of the Dark whizz Voldemort by the Grand adept Harry Potter, Order of Merlin, first Class, who faced his foe wand-to-wand and struck him down."
"Order of Merlin ?"asked Goldstein surprised."I didn't know—"

"Neither did I,"cut in Harry.

"They'll probably award it to you during the ceremony tomorrow,"said Hermione brightly. Harry turned to her.

"If we do this right wing, there won't be any ceremonial,"said Harry shortly."No Dark cloak, no counter of Voldemort, no ceremony. Ron, do you have any melodic theme where—"

There was a sonority coming from down the manse and a deliquium glow that was growing nearer. It sounded as if somebody were humming. The group began to pull back, away from the display casing ; all, that is, except James. Harry went to grab his sleeve, but the boy wouldn't move.

"Is this it ?"he asked, still staring at the re-enactment before him."Is this how it happened ? You struck him down ? Nobody could enjoin me for sure as shooting, not even Gabriella."Harry held more tightly to James'robes and began to take out him bodily across the floor.

"James,"Harry said, huffing between his dentition,"there are some affair you can't believe. low, never believe a Word Trelawney says unless she sounds like a hobgoblin on fire whiskey. Second, never believe a discussion written in the Dailey Prophet, unless it's written by Luna Lovegood. And finally, never… ever believe anything the Ministry says - ever !"He continued dragging James by the spine of his collar until they were hidden between two marble chromatography column.

"bold word, Harry,"continued James passively."But I never believed you could beat up Lord Voldemort wand-to-wand. Tell me, is there still a theatrical role of the dark Lord that courses through your vein ? That could be useful, if—"

"Shhh."All was silent, save for the occasional cracking ember from one of the fireplaces that surrounded the wondrous entrance hall and the hum that was growing louder by the hour. Again Harry tried to gather Ron's attending, but he was busy whispering something in Hermione's ear as they clung together behind a courtship of armour opposite the Fountain of Magical Brethren. At another column just behind Harry and Henry James, Patrick and Marcus Antonius crouched. The whispers of death were growing louder. So loud, in fact, that Harry turned to see if perhaps a ghost or something more were at his ripe side. Only James was there, kneeling quietly on the story.

The light grew brighter and then the witch appeared. Harry could spend a penny out her halo, a shimmering Au, but not her features at this distance. In front of her was a cloak levitated some two fundament off the flat coat. She was approaching the display typeface when James I began to twist under Harry's mitt.

"Hold still,"he whispered, but the marble walls took in the sound, echo them about, amplifying the stochasticity such that it was hearable to the hag at the display slip. Harry noticed the hesitation. He expected her to flex, but she did not. Instead, she levitated the cloak onto the torso within the display case and closed the methamphetamine room access. She cast a charm with her sceptre and then turned as if to give. In turning, she revealed her typeface to the others, but Harry was still ineffectual to recognize who the enchantress was. From the syncope gasp from across the residence it was clear that Hermione, for one, knew who it was. The enchantress stepped toward the fountain and took something out of her scoop, perhaps a coin, Harry couldn't William Tell. In a motion that was as graceful and as cunning as any Harry had ever seen, she flipped the object into the jet. It spun high into the air and, just as it crested in its arc, her other mitt pointed her wand toward it and cast the tour.

"Immobulus !"Harry recognized the phonation at once ; it was Molly Weasley, Ron's mother.

one-half of the fall leaving her verge passed the coin cleanly and struck the witch and wizard by the suit of armour. The other half, however, glinted off the coin, reflecting toward and blasting the two ace next to the chromatography column behind Harry. With one trance she had immobilized Ron, Hermione, Anthony and Patrick. Again, Epistle of James wriggled under Harry's grasp and again Harry held him fast.

"I know you're there,"Mrs. Weasley said with a interpreter that held no fear."I'm afraid it's well after time of day. If you're lost, I'm sure enough I can help you find oneself your way. Come out from behind the column and let's see where you belong. Shall we ?"

Again James pushed against the exercising weight of Harry who was pressing him hard against the marble floor. Finally, Harry had had enough. He couldn't endangerment what James River might do.

"Incarcerous !"he called. Ropes sprung from his wand and began to wrap themselves about James.

"Sectumsempra !"cried James, slashing the circle with his wand and pushing Harry away. Then he pointed his wand at Mrs. Weasley."Avada Ked— !"
"Stupefy !"she called, her spell interrupting the boy's. The red visible light nearly struck James who deflected it at the last moment, sending the beam into the ceiling above, showering them all with musical composition of marble and splinters of walnut. This was no indorsement class wizard.

Harry jumped to his substructure and cast his own stunning piece, but again King James I deflected it. It was then that Molly Weasley noticed who he was.

"Harry ?"she called.

"Hide, Mrs. Weasley !"he cried in riposte."fell !"

James cast a jet of red light Harry's way. Harry focused on where he needed to be—out of the beam's path. Suddenly, everything slowed and he found himself running to the right, toward the fountain, just as the dash of red passed his left elbow. William James smiled.

"Impressssive, Harry,"Saint James the Apostle hissed in a much mellow, insensate voice, a spokesperson that shook Harry to the magnetic core. It couldn't be."You've learned well from the centaur. I did as well ; although I suspect my method acting of extracting the knowledge I required were somewhat different than yours."There was another bolt, green, and again Harry disappeared and reappeared into another part of the wondrous Charles Martin Hall.

"Diffindo !"called Mrs. Weasley. Her enchantment struck King James on the left shoulder, leaving a nasty virgule. St. James the Apostle spun on the witch.

"Avada Kedavra !"

This time the green light sailed toward Molly Weasley. Harry began to levitate a marble bench into the beam's path, but quickly realized the bench was too heavy and would not go fast enough. Instead he ran, slowing time and bending the space between them tightly together. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her to the ground just as the blast past the pair, smashing into the paries behind and showering them with dust and rock. Harry landed on his dorsum as Mrs. Weasley landed on top of him, knocking the air out of his chest.

"Harry,"she said sternly as only a female parent could,"what are you doing here ? What's going on ?"

"It… it's Voldemort,"he gasped trying to find air that wasn't there."He's… back."He wheezed, sucking in a short breath of air."In… James."Without questioning further, Mrs. Weasley's back went rigid and she rose to face James, to face Voldemort.

"Nooo,"Harry rasped, struggling to sit up, but barely able-bodied. She ignored his beckon and faced the pocket-size boy now standing only a few feet in movement of her.

"leave of absence the boy, Voldemort,"she commanded, brandishing her wand."He can't possibly be of any use to you, now we know the truth."

"Truth ?"queried James River as his eyes shot toward the dark cloak still protected behind the sealed glassful. Harry rose to his knees, trying to convey air back into his lungs."The trueness is that there are only two things in this way I want… and you're not one of them."His wand rose in unison with Harry's, only Harry was unable to gasp the spell.

"Avada Kedavra !"

Placing himself between Mrs Weasley and Voldemort, Harry tried to stand up up in front of the jet of green but the sidesplitting condemnation would win the airstream this time ; he knew that. For her part, molly Weasley cast a shield charm about them both, hoping to deflect the trance, but they all knew it wouldn't piece of work. In her live on instant of life her paw gripped Harry by the shoulder joint and she cast a glance down into his dim middle, a glance that held love and compassion, a coup d'oeil that was filled with concern not for herself but for the boy before her… a glance he couldn't see. She fell dead to the floor.

"NO !"holler Harry as he spun and cast another slashing spell against James who deflected it with ease."You're being controlled, James ! scrap back !"James only laughed.

"YOU stood face-to-face with the Great Dark Maker Voldemort and defeated him ?"James I mocked."What a trick !"

With Mrs. Weasley dead, the spell she cast on the other four wizards began to wear off. Slowly, they were coming to there sess, working to regain ascendency of their motions. Henry James walked over to a groaning Saint Patrick who was still prone on the floor. He grabbed Patrick's hair and pulled his caput off the ground.

"This one here,"called James, his vocalism echoing off the walls,"thinks of you as a pal, Potter. He'd sooner die than see you come to harm. Yet he's betrayed you at my every dictation. Shall I kill him next ?"

"Expelliarmus !"Harry cried, but once again James deflected the spell.

"Haven't you figured it out yet, thrower ? Even with the skills of the centaur, you're as slow as your dead parents. Nonetheless, you could be useful ; the Malfoy boy suggested as very much. I heard, perhaps, he's not as deadened as everyone thinks."He released Patrick whose header cracked against the rock floor. But instead of striking at Harry, St. James the Apostle held his sceptre to the glass display case."Diffindo !"The bang of light struck the glass, but held firm as if swallowing the vigor of the eruption, the shabu began to glow. For the first time, the smile on St. James the Apostle Chang's aspect disappeared."Diffindo !"he called again, and again the vigor was absorbed and the glass grew brighter still.

"You've pour down your only chance for opening the grammatical case,"Harry sneered."But then… I always heard that that was one of your greatest weaknesses… TOM… being dullard !"

Another blast of Christ Within crack toward Harry ; it was red not green, not a killing curse. Once Thomas More, Harry slipped out of its way. This time he moved quickly around and behind William James reappearing with his baton drawn.

"Stupefy !"Harry cried, sending a blow of red at James River'back, but again the wizard deflected the enchantment as if swatting a fly and then turned back toward the display sheath."You're not trying to kill me, Tom. Why not ?"

"I'll kill you sssoon enough,"King James slithered."First, the cloak. Then, I need to extract something of mine that you stole from me when you were a infant. Soon, I will be—"Suddenly two Thomas More spells came from beyond the fountain. Ron and Hermione had revived themselves enough to crusade, but barely.

"No ! Get out of here !"Harry screamed."It's Voldemort ! Run !"

"I don't have clip for this,"cried St. James the Apostle, sending three more blasts of light at the glassful case. On the third bolt the shabu cracked, but only just. Harry could enjoin that the spells that James had cast over the last few minutes were draining him. He looked trite, almost vulnerable. At the same moment the flaming ringing the grand hall roared to sprightliness.

"Finally,"Harry whispered,"some help."thaumaturgist after virtuoso appeared at each hearth, brandishing their sceptre."Whatever clip you thought you had has just expired, Tom."

The elbow room erupted in red light. seven blasts came at the small adept by the display font. Two struck true while the others struck the radiance chalk, shattering it completely. The magnanimous deoxyephedrine fragment that scattered the floor, however, were still glowing as brightly as ever. There were more blasts of red directed at Harry.

"It's me !"he yelled."Harry potter !"

"Harry !"cried Hermione from the far side of the hall."It's not the Ministry ! It's—"A blast of red dropped her to the ground.

"Hermione !"cried Ron."He cast a spell knocking the wizard by Hermione backward into the paries with a loud crack. He pointed towards another wizard and ran at him."leave of absence her alone, you bloody—"There was a blast of purple and he too fell to the floor.

"We're pupil !"Harry yelled, but it only focused the attention of another onslaught of red bolts his way. Harry cast a shell charm and sent them flying in every imaginable instruction. The blasts weakened him."Are you crazy ? ! We're—"And then he noticed it - the unmistakably bright emerald green halo of Draco Malfoy, stepping from the flaming of one of the fireplaces. He had warned Harry and now it was too later.

Simultaneously, ropes began to twirl about Ron, Hermione, St. Patrick, and most importantly James who was still motionless on the floor. Somehow Anthony had managed an escape and stood at Harry's side. There were nearly a dozen Death Eaters moving in on them.

"Take the cloak, genus Draco,"drawled a tall genius in dark calamitous robes with crimson lining.

"Lucius ?"Harry sneered in the virtuoso's direction."Is that you ? I should have known by the sickening yellow colour."The wizard said cypher, trying to ignore Harry."Now that I'm blind, you're much better looking in — strike that. No you're not. You're still as much a pig as you always were. Still, somehow… missing an arm suits you. How'd you lose it again ?"The goading worked.

"Big words for a blind boy, ceramist,"he snapped.

"Now, now… stick and stones…. But then I guess six months with Dementors and dullards will curdle anyone's conversational capabilities."Harry could see that Draco was moving over the burn glass and into the suit to retrieve the robe. Harry turned to face him.

"Hey ! Blonde bastard ! I wouldn't go in there if I were—"

"What's this ?"Dragon cried out. He had come to Molly Weasley's body. The coloring material of his aura blanched."I gave particular lodge ! Who cast a killing curse ?"Harry could tell immediately that Draco was black-and-blue.

"gathering the cloak !"yelled Lucius.

"But father—"

"NOW !"

"Don't do it !"yelled Harry.

Draco moved forward toward the case. Suddenly, the shattered methamphetamine that was still glowing with the energy it had absorbed exploded in a superb white flash. Draco flew up into the air, nearly striking the ceiling, and then landed with a sickening crush against the marble floor.

"genus Draco !"cried Lucius. Goldstein took the distraction as his chance. His scepter erupted with hopeful bluish light, but instead of being directed at one of the Death feeder, it was directed toward one of the portrayal hanging high on the rampart of the grand hallway. The portrayal sparked, zapping the elderly star that had, so far, slept through the tumult.

"Hey,"the wizard in the portrait yelped."No penury for—"

"Get help you idiot !"yelled Goldstein. The champion in the portrayal, seeing the destruction, disappeared instantly."It won't be long now,"Goldstein muttered, staring at the empty portrait.

There was another volley of enchantment headed at the two wizards and together they fended them off, but Harry was growing weaker by the second. Lucius ignored Goldstein's call for aid, he ignored the battle of scepter, and he ignored the wrinkle heap on the base that was his son. Instead, unwilling to touch it himself, he pointed to the cloak that was still standing in the windowless display case.

"The cloak !"he yelled again. After some hesitation, another last Eater approached the black-market material and grabbed it just as James, still bound by roach, began to come to his weed. With lust-filled eyes, Lucius only one-half glanced at Draco, still motionless on the floor, roue dripping from the corner of his mouth. Instead, he focused fully on the black robes held before him.

"Luciusss,"uttered James breathlessly,"you fool."

Malfoy wrenched the cloth out of the last Eater's hands. Quickly, he slipped it on and waited as if anticipating something to happen.

"You expected, maybe, a coronation ?"Harry sneered."Perhaps a crown and cornet as we all bow down to kiss your arse ? It's a unintelligent piece of cloth !"

"Kill him,"Malfoy drawled, pointing with his good arm toward Harry."KILL HIM !"Harry grabbed Anthony by the arm as the thunderbolt of leafy vegetable approached and in an instant they were on the other English of the resplendent hall that now appeared more like a war geographical zone than the piece de resistance of the Ministry. Looking back, they saw that the spot where they once stood was nothing now but a crater. Goldstein grabbed Harry's arm.

"How did you do—"

"You are NOT going to miss the wedding,"Harry snapped. He took in a deep breath, reaching out with his mind to cull any magic he could from the world around him. He let out a farseeing, sluggish exhale and pointed his wand at the storey.

"Festio !"he cried, ripping scads of marble tile upward and sending them toward his adversaries. The Death Eaters tried to shatter the tiles with spells, but the natural process only served to make M of petite missile all headed in their direction. A few form shell charm in time, but most were struck. Above the din of riot, Harry could discover James II cursing Lucius.

"waiver me, you idiot ! turn me now."But Malfoy, ignorant of Epistle of James'honest identity, ignored the boy's pleadings. He had what he came for and was beginning to take the air toward his son when snapshot began to sate the way. Auror after Auror was Apparating within the grand hall. In an flash, spells were flying everywhere. Blast after blast of light, cutting down wizard after wizard, witch after witch. The room was filled with everlasting mayhem and Harry, his shoulders slumped with weariness, moved to enter the fray. Before Harry could exact a full step, Goldstein grabbed him by the shoulder.

"You're no good to anybody suddenly,"he whispered."We need you, Harry. Me… I'm not much more than canon fodder."And then he charged forward ahead of Harry, taking down two Death eater before he too was stunned and fell to the terra firma. It was then that Harry noticed St. James. He was beginning to err free of the Bond that held him. Lucius, on the former hand, had abandoned everyone, including his son, and was racing to the floo. A deadbolt of orangeness tripping struck the paries behind Harry, casting stone and dust down his vertebral column. Lucius was about set to escape. Harry focused on where he needed to be and before Lucius had taken another step, Harry was standing in forepart of him, blocking the entering to the open fireplace.

"Silencio !"Harry whispered, holding his helping hand between the cloak's folds of lightlessness material and directly against Malfoy's chest. The superstar tried to cast a spell, but was deaf-and-dumb person."Now, what with the sporty arm and all… that's what I call an improvement. You should remember to button up before you step out, Lucius. Now, require off the cloak before I blast it off."Malfoy's eyes glowed with pure hatred and he raised his wand."Expelliarmus !"Harry whispered again and Malfoy's baton flew from his hand. There was an formula of surprise in Malfoy's center that made Harry smile.

"Now,"continued Harry,"as I was saying, take off the—"With a sudden shove from behind, Malfoy fell forward onto Harry and they both tumbled to the floor. It was then that Harry noticed that James had freed himself and now, forgoing the use of a sceptre, had his hands around Malfoy's throat, squeezing… squeeze. He was in a frenzy of pure hatred and anger.

"Do you live who I am ?"cried James."Look into my middle !"

Lucius, even Harry, saw the flaming of red light in James River'eyes.

"N-Not pos-sible,"he gasped, ineffectual to breathe."D-Dead."Then the wax realisation struck him."I-I never knew."

"You know now,"King James spat between gritted teeth."And now is sssoon enough."A bang of red light came from the far bulwark and struck Henry James in the side, but before he released his adhesive friction on Lucius, a dark acid smoke issued from his rima oris and anterior naris. To Harry, it was a flow of fleeceable evil leaving the red bottom. Jesse James'grip on Lucius released and the blonde wizard gasped for air, but instead of air he sucked in zip but smoke. Voldemort had penetrated him. Stunned, Harry saw the honey oil surroundings the yellow and snuffle it out. Lucius took to his feet as a blast of red struck him in the cover. Nothing happened. It bounced off him, off the cloak he was wearing, like water off a duck's back. Before Harry could react, Lucius, Voldemort and the cloak had vanished in a swirl of green flame.

There were a couple more clap, a couple more centering, and a couple more scream of nuisance, but finally the room fell silent. Only the audio of stone scraping against the level, as the remaining Aurors stepped across the rubble, broke the silence.

"Minister, over here. It's your… over here, sir. Please."For the low gear time, Harry realized that Chester A. Arthur Weasley had been among the Aurors that had come to protect the Ministry. He watched as the necromancer walked toward the shattered display cause, while the Auror that called him levitated a wooden light beam that had fallen over molly Weasley up and out of the way. It landed with a dull thump.

"Molly ?"he uttered as if trying to gently wake someone from a deep rest."molly,"he said again only louder."MOLLY !"He grabbed his wife in his arms, pulling her up out of the debris ; pebbles cascaded to the level."Oh my god, no. No… no… no… no… NOOO !"he screamed. The sublime vestibule rumbled, shaking mortar loose from the walls onto the story below as Mr. Weasley buried his head into the corner of his wife's neck opening. He continued to warp great sobs as Harry looked down at James River, prone on the storey, arms outstretched toward the hearth. The green was gone ; only blue remained, but the light was weak and flickered. He was near decease. The second year began to grown, slowly looking up to chance Harry.

"H-Harry ? H-Help… I… I can't…."And he collapsed to the floor. Harry looked around at the devastation. James was not the only one near decease. Instinctively, he pulled his wand to rally the substance of Asha, but before he could cast the spell, catch after snap began to fill the hall ; healer were appearing. In a subject of secondment nearly a dozen healer had Apparated into the Ministry. One, an senior adept with bushy bloodless hair, was at James'side almost instantly. Scanning the boy with his wand he turned to Harry.

"You're the ceramicist boy, aren't you ?"Without waiting for an answer he said quickly,"Tell me, was it a dish ? Because I'm not detecting any—"

"He was possessed by Voldemort,"Harry cut in. The therapist cringed, looking up at Harry with unbelief.

"Look son,"he said derisively,"you shouldn't go around—"

"hoot it !"Harry screamed."His spirit's been sundered ! It probably has been all class. Voldemort just left him to strike on another host. If you don't precipitation, he'll die."For only a second, the Healer tried to read the locution of Harry's brass. He was old enough to know what Harry meant. He remembered the old war and he didn't need to be told twice. Without saying another Good Book, the Healer rose to his infantry and a flash of tremendous purple light left his wand bathing St. James in its glowing from head to toe.

Harry stepped back, twisting his ankle on a rock beneath his foot. He cursed. Other than the people swarming about the Granville Stanley Hall, it was hard to wee anything out. His vision was truly failing him in the rocky tidy sum. He could see Mr. Weasley and heard his dickhead, and tried to pick his way through the dust as Auror and therapist alike seemed to pass him by as they rushed to another's aid. It was as if no one knew him, or no one cared. His emotions were sloshing back and Forth. He needed to help… he needed to tail after Lucius, after Voldemort… he needed to —"

"Minister !"someone cried out."Minister ! It's your son !"Harry turned his attention on a glowing that lay prone on the floor near an Auror's feet.

"My god, Percy ? !"cried Mr. Weasley still reeling from the loss of his wife.

"No, sir,"the Auror replied."It's your youngest boy, Ron. Looks like a looker is all."

"That's not possible,"whispered Chester Alan Arthur Weasley, unsure just what to do."He's at Hogwarts."Then he noticed Harry, stumbling blindly toward him."Harry ? My god, Harry why are you—"

"He's back,"said Harry weakly. He was tired and sore, and his good arm was starting to prickle with pain."Voldemort's back."

"What ?"

"A Horcrux,"Harry whispered nonsensically, stumbling closer to Mr. Malfoy and rubbing his good forearm with his left hand. It itched."There must consume been more than one. We… we came for the cloak."

"Jonah,"called another healer to the old man that was working on William James,"I need your assistance. It's the Malfoy boy. What's his name, genus Draco ?"

"I thought he was dead ?"the old man called back. The immature Healer looked down at genus Draco and then back up.

"Well, if he wasn't before—"

"You knew ?"asked Mr. Weasley, his voice sceptical. Gently he kissed his wife's cheek and lowered her to the level."You knew they were coming ?"

Harry was feeling dazed. He looked toward Draco, toward Arthur Weasley. His good arm was aching. He had reached Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and his marrow began to go down further.

"No one was supposed to be here,"Harry said thinly, his vocalism hoarse with sorrow."I just wanted to destroy the cloak before… before…"Mr. Weasley rose to his feet.

"She loved you like a son !"he yelled and slapped Harry hard across the face."AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER !"

The gust knocked Harry backwards and he slipped on the idle stones that scattered the flooring. Rising to one elbow he could taste the blood line that was dripping from his cut lip, and then he noticed his right hand forearm - it was glowing. A thin etch of a runic letter had appeared, the Viswa Vajra. Harry had always wondered when it would happen, in what manner it would manifest itself, and even though he'd never seen such a glow, he knew what it meant, and he knew he had no choice but to obey.

The Minister of Magic who had loved Harry as his own son was demanding reply, answers Harry desperately wanted to give. Draco and James lay near dying, and Harry had it in his power to easily relieve them both. Voldemort had escaped with a new body and another piece of music of his person, and Harry anxiously needed to give chase after them - the Wizarding macrocosm was again at hazard. Once more, death began to whisper in his ear and he began to shudder.

In spite of that, none of it mattered. He had sworn an oath ; it was a burden all appendage of the Votary carried. He was being summoned and so, clutching his baton, he focused on where he needed to be. He felt a soft touch on his shoulder and discover Hermione predict his name. He looked up at her, wishing he could impart the sadness weighing on his soulfulness.

"Harry…"

He was gone.


Harry ceramicist and the birth of a New Sun

Chapter 17 - The Summoning
~~~***~~~

When Dakhil left Harry at the I. F. Stone steps leading to the figurehead doors of Hogwarts Castle, Harry had pleaded that he too fight the onslaught of Dementors and expiry Eaters raging against Dakhil's homeland in the Carpathian Mountains. The vampire should experience been gone for only a few days, but it had been workweek and Dakhil had not returned nor had he sent Logos of the status of the battle. The Daily Prophet had been worthless, only reporting the trouble that the assorted European Ministries were having trying to mask the legion atrocities as rude tragedy. More badgering was that Antreas had left shortly after Dakhil and had not been heard from since. Everyone who had left to fight seemed to vaporize into a slap-up vortex of nothingness.

Before he disappeared, Dakhil had told Harry that his job was to protect Hogwarts, to protect the Centaurs of the Great forest from a wickedness within the schooltime. Harry brushed the notion of darkness inside the castle walls aside, believing it was a backhand insult toward Harry, but now he was paying for it. Maybe that's why they were summoning him, he had failed in his one missionary station. Voldemort had not only escape, but he had captured his Horcrux and was ready to return to power. Or was he ?

Voldemort had said he needed only two matter in the grand hall of the Ministry - his old black cloak and Harry. He had asked earlier if there was still part of the dark Divine that coursed through Harry's veins. What James, what Voldemort didn't know was that the iniquity, Voldemort's smirch, had been washed away by the cleanup of the Fall in the Great Forest. Perhaps, Voldemort was too feeble without this other constituent of himself, perhaps—

It was hot, painfully hot - the first thing Harry noticed when he finally appeared at the summoning site - hot and dreary. Not dark in the horse sense that there was no brightness level, although it was that too ; a deficiency of light wouldn't matter to a unreasoning man. No, it was dark in the signified that Harry saw nothing. There was no life here, no liveliness in any direction, just heat, an intense, blistering heating system that appeared, to Harry, like a dull haze as he looked to the Nox sky and saw Ebyrth shining as bright as ever.

He had been able to Apparate across the Channel. From there he had tried once more, but couldn't make it across Germany. He was drained, unable to mould another spell, and the richness of the earth's vigour, normally rich in this orbit, was parched like an waterless desert. There was nothing for Harry to draw on to replenish what magical vigor he could roam. Instead, he used the powers of the Centaurs to crouch blank space and slow time, and he ran. He ran until his shoes wore through and fell away ; he ran over rivers that supported his system of weights as if they were icy square ; he ran past flying shuttle that hovered in the air like floating balloons. He ran for what felt the likes of daytime, stopping only to salute from the occasional flow or brook. At one point, just outside capital of Austria, he had grabbed half of a sandwich from the hand of a passer who might as well have been a statue frozen in time. His legs ached, his lungs wanted to abound and all he could hear was the voice of Ronan compelling him forward, not to meet the call of the Centaurus, but to answer the summoning of the dragon.

By the time he had begun the final ascension, his mind was blurred with fatigue. He had paid no notice to the sight he had been climbing. Sweat burning his blind eyes, he had ignored the screeching and the fires through which he had past. He didn't see the transition from spirit to death. He only knew one matter - the summoning site. He would not go again, even as the last driblet of long suit left his being.

This… this was the smear ; he was sure. Huge gulps of air splashed down his combustion lungs ineffectual to quench his thirst for O. His unembellished feet burned. Almost forgetfully, he held out his wand, handwriting shaking from exhaustion and idea knowing that he would not be capable to cast a trance even if he wanted to. Sweat dripped down his os frontale ; the oestrus was unbearable. He stood for a second, scepter outstretched, squinting with failed oculus into the dark. Falco columbarius, it was hot. He moved to take a stone's throw forward, an acerbic olfactory property filling his anterior naris, when his left leg cramped and he fell face first hard into the stony reason. He didn't have the energy to pull away from the scorching stone, nor could he spew out the sand and diminutive pebbles that filled his mouth and burned his knife.

"Maybe,"he thought,"if I rest for just—"He passed out, dropping his wand at his side.

unconscious on the sweltering earth, swirls of locoweed and Inner Light coalesced in his brain forming a setting of darkness and despair. Even in his dreaming the olfactory property of burning flesh was unendurable. Yet, in his dream he could see - his imagination, his sight was as good as ever. The smoking and the olfactory modality cleared and he found himself at the falls, the falls where Gabriella lay face down in the tall grass, an arrow sunk deep into her backbone. In the air was gloominess. No… more than than lugubriousness - there was anger. It was Ron, screaming, screaming….

"NOOOOOOO !"

The earth shook.

"takings him ! Take him now ! hurry !"

The scene changed. He was flying… flying in the air. Bounce. On a Hippogriff. bouncing. Harry felt a jarring pain against the position of his costa. He blinked. The blindness had returned, but he could feel that there was a light beneath him. Bounce. A soul.

"hurry !"

The voice… he knew that voice. The darkness was clearing from his mind. He was waking. He was being carried. A group of five was climbing up the English of the plenty. One had Harry over his shoulder joint. Weakly, Harry began to struggle to free himself.

"Easy, Harry,"the young man holding him said gently, but with some importunity in his articulation."When we get you back to the stronghold, we'll take a expression at the burn. Praise Asha you're a penis of the Votary, or you'd be dead."

"An-Antreas ?"Harry muttered. He hadn't heard the voice of Gabriella's brother since the summer, but there was still no mistaking the undeniable intonation that was the exact replica of Antreas'beginner, Grigor."What… What's going on ?"

"There will be time for response later !"cried another voice."Run !"Harry knew at once the other man oral presentation. He also recognized the aura ; it was Dakhil. Troubling was the signified of worry, even fright in Dakhil's phonation. He'd never heard that before, even when they were being attacked by vampire last summer. What was more disturbing, however, was something that had bothered Harry since his last object lesson with Ronan, something he had seen in Dakhil ever since the vampire first taught him to see without seeing. The aura of Dakhil faded from red to purpurate and plump for to red again. There were two part present in his glory. For the number one time since he'd arrived at the pile of Singehorn, Harry felt cold.

They continued to hotfoot up the mountain. Occasionally, Dakhil or one of the others would project tour back in the direction from which they came. Harry could not see, nor could he smell what it was they were firing upon. Curiously, there were no charm cast in comeback. Soon, he began to mark trees, vegetation, life. After a few minutes more, the circle came to a boastfully stone bulwark. One of the men cast a go and an entryway appeared. They passed through and the opening in the stone sealed behind them. The total troupe sighed with easement once they entered the chemical compound.

"What… what's going on ?"Harry asked weakly."Where are we ? Who were you firing at ? What— ?"

"Slow down. Slow down,"cut in Antreas."Let me see your face."Antreas lifted Harry's chin up and examined the bequeath slope, the Saame position that fell unconscious mind into the scorching solid ground. He reached up and pulled the glasses from Harry's face, glasses he continued to bust in the hope, or perhaps as a symbolic representation to others, that one day he might see again. There was an manifest tearing speech sound, and Harry could sense the plastic brim pull away from the skin on his face. When he reached to charter the glasses out of Antreas'hand, he could assure that the impart half of the frame was nearly melted away. He didn't want to cerebrate what his nerve must depend like. It didn't detriment. Harry moved to affect it but Antreas grabbed his hand.

"No !"he snapped, half trying to quell the distress in his own spokesperson. He chuckled, but not convincingly."It… it's zilch, Harry. It's just Charles Herbert Best if you don't—"

"See that he has his own therapist's collapsible shelter at once !"ordered Dakhil to one of the former men that were in the radical. The man began to slowly limp away."precipitation,"Dakhil yelled."Hurry before there's nil left of his face to put back together !"If Antreas had tried to lull Harry's nerves, Dakhil had served to dismember them."You two,"Dakhil continued pointing at two men they had passed as they entered into the compound."supporter carry the boy into the cave. I won't lose another one tonight !"

With Antreas'help, they carried Harry further up the mountain. Dakhil followed, but was unwilling to assist. Typical, Harry thought. There was a small outcropping of rocks off to the side and they turned toward it as Dakhil continued upward. Antreas stopped.

"If Singehorn is unable to call the others in metre,"he said,"we'll have to send for the Centaur you spoke of."

"You were brave today, my son,"said Dakhil warmly."It is clear your don is with you. Your mother would be proud. Keep the boy safe and see what the healer can do with what remains."He turned to continue upward then stopped."Singehorn, I'm afraid, was not able-bodied to foretell for our friends, not tonight."He sighed with a deeply mournful breath."Still we must stay with the plan ; it's our only Hope. More may arrive before the moon's rise tomorrow."

Facing a stone wall, one of the men carrying Harry said something in a language he thought might be Russian and again an archway appeared where before was only rock and stone. Just before the rock'n'roll face closed behind them Antreas called back to Dakhil who had followed them most of the way

"And the Centaurus ?"he called.

"He's in your arms,"replied Dakhil, just as the gem archway sealed the shut inside.

"Crazy,"said the Russian, referring to Dakhil."He'll kill us all."There was a baton at his neck in an instant ; it was Antreas ’. Harry felt like he was about to be dropped.

"There are so many injured here,"said Antreas with a heated voice,"I'm sure no one would miss you. The next time you speak of the Votary, take caution to prefer the speech carefully. I may receive to expunge the offending tongue."The Russian said nothing as Antreas pulled the wand back and the hold on Harry became more sure. They turned a turning point and the cave opened out into a great Granville Stanley Hall filled with offend. To Harry, it looked as if a 100 brightness had been spread across the floor. Almost immediately a murmur rippled across the large cavern.

"Is that him ?"“ The Chosen !"“ My god what happened to his face ?"“ Dragons."“ It's just a boy."“ That's not him ; some Muggle must let been caught in the crossfire."“ He's the Chosen !"
"Marek !"cried Dakhil."Marek ! This is a precedency !"Harry noticed an orange colour on the far side rise up from the dry land. Marek was busy treating another patient and as he stood, Harry could recite that he was a large man.

"They're ALL priorities !"he called back."Have one of the others—"

"hoot it ! NOW !"yelled Antreas. This was not the same Antreas that had waved good-bye to Harry and Gabriella as they began their summertime vacation. That Antreas was still trying to perfect his sceptre work, and his authority interacting with people was shaky at just. While he made a passable neighbour on Privet driving, he was an absolute mint around other wizards. This Antreas, however, the one standing before Harry, was more than just a foot soldier in this mount battle. He was clearly someone of import.

Disgruntled, but acquiescing, Marek began to cross the lobby as the three moved Harry into one of the tent that were set up along the side of the vauntingly chamber. He was placed on a bed, firm, but more comfy than a blanket on the Oliver Stone floor outside. Once he was down, the two men left Antreas alone with Harry. For some metre neither spoke and Harry noted his booster's discomfort.

"What is it Antreas ?"Harry asked. As he spoke, Harry noticed that the position of his face didn't seem to move correctly. Still, there was no pain.

"I'm so sorry, Harry,"Antreas replied."If I had known… We were losing ground and… Dakhil must cause thought it would be condom. Our outer margin was half a mile down the mountain when he must bear asked Singehorn to muster up you. But then, they came so fast."

"Who ?"

"The Dementors. They've been swarming the mountain for days. They've grown so thick they can fleck out the sun and when that happens it gives their allies, a band of about thirty virtuoso lamia, free rein to aggress during the day. This wasn't our war, but ultimately the dragons had no choice. The Dementors were moving in on their rookery. Half a dozen flying dragon left to sear the earth and leave no life behind. Not even a phallus of the Votary could endure such fervency. We had no way of letting you know, no way of knowing ourselves when… that you'd…"A big burst of air slam from Antreas'sassing.

"Dakhil had Singehorn summon me ?"

"Harry, there was no way of knowing. You passed out right in the gist of the incineration. It had to have been over two one C academic degree. One of the lookout saw you first, but it was too hot. Only the Votary could get in to retrieve you."Harry remembered Dakhil walking through the burning flame just before the connexion ; he understood these Logos."The joining helped you to survive, training would cause been better. Your face… you've been burned… badly burned."

"But it doesn't detriment,"Harry said. He was feeling more tired by the minute.

"That's because there's naught left to hurt. Your form is—"Marek pushed through the opening of the tent.

"And what's this priority ?"he said wearily."Another suit of tinker's damn Dementor frost— Oh… Oh, my."He cast Antreas a glance."One of the civilians ?"he asked, not recognizing the Cy Young man he'd met over the summer."A Muggle caught in the fire ?"Assessing the large stature of the man before him and listening closely to his vocalization, it was Harry who first made the connection. It was the Saame Marek that had taken in Ron, Hermione and the others after the vampire onslaught.

"Marek ?"Harry asked hoarsely, finding it more difficult by the mo to be active his jaw."It's me, Harry… Harry ceramist. I could… I could sure use a glass of water."

"Yes… I remember. You've put on a few pounds. physical training ?"

"He's joined a Centaur heard in England,"said Antreas.

"So this is the one Dakhil rundle of. That would explain thing. Yes, that would excuse a lot."Marek reached into his robe."I haven't had to deal with one of these for class,"Marek whispered,"but with dragons about, such Burns are not rare. Praise Asha you're Votary."He leaned in closing curtain to Harry."What happened to your eyes ?"

"trash,"Harry replied, wearily."tidy sum of glass."

"Hmmm. Well, let's get started. Harry, lie back."Harry obliged."I have something far beneficial than a glass of water."He watched Marek put up his wand over his glow face."This should only take a few hours."

"minute ?"Harry said, bringing up his hand to grab Marek's wrist."I won't take you away from helping the others just because I buggered it again."

"It's not your fault, Harry,"said Antreas."There's no way you could have known."

"Yes, admirable quality, Harry. But as Antreas has said—"

"I am NOT a priority ! I won't—"Amytal light erupted from Marek's verge and before he could say another Christian Bible, Harry was asleep on the cot and Marek began his employment. The last thing he remembered was a crackle sound and Marek's melancholy voice.

"That'll leave a mark."

Time faded to nothingness and, when Harry woke, he sensed someone sitting at his bedside."Gabriella ?"he asked groggily.

"You wish, fellow !"

"Fred ? Fred is that you ?"

Slowly, Harry began to regain consciousness. He tried to lean up, but mortal pressed gently back on his shoulder. His middle closed, Harry sensed that there were two the great unwashed in the room. Shaking the cobwebs free, he finally recognized the glory of the other person.

"Remus ?"

"Yes, Harry,"replied Remus Lupin,"Fred and I are both here. We have been for about three days."

"threesome days !"Harry exclaimed, once again trying to rise and once again being held down by Remus."I've been here for three days ?"

"No, ditz,"Fred laughed."We've been here for three days. You've been here for about, er, fourteen hours."

"We came as soon as we heard you had arrived,"Remus added.

"I swear, Harry,"said Fred, leaning forward."Can you ever do anything the well-fixed way ?"

While Fred was talking, Harry realized there was something on his face. He reached his mitt up and felt the patch wrapping his head.

"An occupy tone, if you ask me,"said Fred."Kind of a turban gone mad. All in all I'd say it's an improvement. The bang-up matter is, Harry, they gave you a completely new fountainhead ! Helen Wills volunteered his."Fred laughed again and this metre Remus joined him. A cold shiver passed through Harry. It had suddenly sunk in that Fred… Fred Weasley, was in the Same room and if he'd been here for three years, he might not know….

"Why aren't you home ?"Harry asked."Where's George ?"

"I'm flying solo, mate,"said Fred."George is minding the shops."

"No one can travel in or out,"said Remus."Apparition is impossible. It's a miracle that you made it alive. I'm sorry that—"

"What about content,"Harry interrupted."Can messages get in ?"

"Not for two day,"said Remus."The Dementors have the whole mountainside surrounded. I tried a Patronus. It passed through a few 12, but there are just too many."

"Then you don't know,"Harry said with urgency. He sat up and this time when Remus moved to push him back down, Harry flicked his arm away. Harry tried to face Fred, but. Fred only laughed.

"You look like a walking ice-cream conoid, Harry."

"Fred,"Harry began, muffled by the patch surrounding his typeface. He tried to muster up up the courage, but in the last import it failed him."W-Why are you even here ?"

"Tonight, we go on the offensive. We're through sitting back and letting Lucius Malfoy and his army of shadow decide when and where to strike. They're mostly vampires and Dementors with a smattering of demise eater sprinkled in for good measure. Last we heard Lucius may have let himself get turned."

"Turned ?"Harry asked.

"The sentinel were out early this sunup, Harry,"said Remus, moving over and sitting next to Fred."We've seen him off and on in these parts for weeks. Only this morning… this morning they say he looked more lamia than wizard."

"He let himself be bitten, I tell yeh,"added Fred."Just to achieve immortality."

Harry felt as if he was going to be honk. If Lucius was here that meant Voldemort was here. Were they looking for him ? For Harry ? His heart began to race. There was too a lot to do and too petty metre. He needed to severalize person, but whom ? His breath quickened and Remus took notice.

"Harry… you need to—"

"He's alive !"Harry shouted."He's still alive !"There was a light intermission. Remus knew almost immediately what Harry meant, but wasn't sure if his words were the result of some kind of side-effect from one of the potions. Fred didn't understand.

"What do you mean, Harry ? Who's animated ?"

"Voldemort,"gasped Harry, taking in a not bad breath of air through the bandages covering his nerve. He walked over to the incline of the tent and held the fabric in his digit. To his mind, it had a softened orange appearance, probably spores of some sorting. He didn't want to say more ; he couldn't. But he had to. He could feel his nerve throbbing in his chest - it hurt. His breathing grew laboured, weighed down by the onus of what he was about to share.

"Somehow… I don't know… I don't fuck how, but he took control of James Chang, Cho's younger brother. He's been in spite of appearance James, controlling him all twelvemonth at schoolhouse. He was waiting for something… something important. Then I heard that they had discovered Voldemort's old cloak. It had survived even though he was destroyed. It was there… what he wanted… at the Ministry. They brought it back out of the ashes of his demise. They dug abstruse, your father dug deep for what should have been left to the depths."

"Yeah,"said Fred cautiously, not really sure what to reckon about Harry's ramblings."Mum and Dad were all excited. It was supposed to be a big bargain. Sorry we had to pull you away from the award ceremonial occasion to be in this hellhole. I'm not supposed to tell, but Dad's lined you up for guild of Merl—"

"It was a Horcrux,"hissed Harry through gritted tooth. Remus understood and gasped, but Fred still didn't clasp what Harry was saying."Can you believe it ? Lucius wanted it for himself - maybe to extract whatever essence Voldemort had left of himself in it."Harry madly grabbed Fred's gown."Don't you see ? I had to ruin it… to put down the cloak."

"calm down, Harry,"said Fred slowly, his eyes glancing toward Remus with concern."Everything's okay."

"No it's not !"yelled Harry, turning from Fred and leaned against the bed."We just wanted to necessitate it, Ron, Hermione and me… only they showed up… and then… when we got inside… your Mum was there… and then James… I thought it was an Imperious condemnation. I thought I'd be able to verify him."He breathed hard again."But I couldn't. It wasn't a swearing, it was Voldemort. I couldn't stoppage him. I tried—"He turned back to human face Fred."He… Voldemort used the putting to death Curse, Fred. I tried… I swear on Merlin's grave… I tried."

"What are you talking about, Harry ?"Fred's words were quiet, unquiet and uncertain.

"survive night, before Singehorn summoned me, in the grand entrance Hall of the Ministry, Voldemort… Voldemort killed your mother."Short gasp of air burst from Harry's lungs and he fell on his knees in presence of Fred."She's dead… she's… dead."Clutching at the bottom of Fred's robes, Harry began to heave gravid bastard. His voice was weak and flimsy."She's dead."Fred pushed Harry away and took to his metrical unit.

"Stop saying that !"he yelled."She's not dead ! She's not ! I just saw her before we came here. She was going to… she was going…"He slapped his handwriting against the bed."You're just messed up… the potions. You… you were dreaming… that's all. A- a- a- delusion or something !"He turned to Remus.

"Remus ! Tell him ! William Tell Harry it was just a dream… a bad ambition, that's all."Remus was quiet, unemotional person. He didn't speak and he didn't move. Fred pulled his verge and held it in Remus'face.

"William Tell HIM !"

Remus held his arms out blanket and, slowly, shook his pass.

"No."Fred whispered, shaking his head vigorously in answer."No, it's not… it's not… oh god."

His hands fell limp at his sides and his sceptre dropped to the trading floor, tinkling and then rolling in the secrecy. Fred shuddered, fell into lupine's arms and began to cry.

They stayed like that for some fourth dimension, Harry on the flooring, Fred in Lupin's subdivision, all three of them crying. Until now, Harry hadn't had the chance to mourn Molly's Death. The botheration was deeply and biting. In the tears and silence, Harry wished he could rent it back. His actions had cost another life and the choler in Chester Alan Arthur Weasley's vox echoed within his mind.

His thoughts turned to the others who had been murdered in the fight and he wondered if James had made it."I may never have intercourse,"he whispered to himself.

As the gloominess began to settle, he mulled over how Fred and Remus had described the scout's sighting of Lucius. If the composition were dependable and Malfoy had returned to the plenty, then Molly's murderer was within reach. Harry's pain began to turn over to anger. The flap on the tent furled open and in take the air Marek

"Remus, I— What in Falco columbarius's name is up with you three ?"he said with a rather gruff voice.

"We just found out. Fred's mother has been killed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,"answered Remus calmly.

"That… that's not possible,"said Marek, half believing the words to be true up. Fred turned, wiping his eyes.

"I've got to see if I can get base,"he said. He started toward the exit, but Marek took him by the arm.

"Fred, we're surrounded."

The redheader pulled his arm free.

"I have to go home."

"It'd be suicide, Fred."

"I don't care."

"Don't you think your mother would !"chided Remus."AND your father. What do you think it would do to him to lose you both ?"Fred said nothing."If you're going to put your life on the line, Fred, make it numeration ; make it matter."Remus stepped toward him and held Fred by the berm, looking him in the eyes.

"Tonight,"he said with confidence and guarantor."Tonight, you'll have your chance, Fred."

"Why tonight ?"asked Harry.

"There are about LX of us, Harry,"said Remus,"counting me and Fred. Tonight the lunation turns total. We'll attempt with the dragons, a few dozen Centaur, and—"

"Full moonshine ?"asked Harry. He picked himself up off the base and stood."Full lunar month ? I thought Soseh had given you a potion, given you both one to keep you from turning."

"She did, Harry,"answered Remus."But we haven't taken it during the bike. There are few creatures on earth that can challenge a vampire. Surrounded by Dementors as they are now, even superstar have little hope of conducting an effective approach. They're a werewolf's cancel prey ; Dementors and Vampires ploughshare a darkness that… How can I put it ? Is tasty for a werewolf."

"Better than chocolate, they tell me,"added Fred, with an eerie gleam in his eye.

"Besides the firedrake,"added Remus,"only one creature can break through both defense force. Dakhil discussed it with me some fourth dimension ago and we both agreed - we needed a werewolf army. I couldn't convince most, but I've convinced enough."

"Sixty doesn't make an army, Remus,"said Harry, stepping closer."60 is a snack."

"What you say is true, Harry - werewolf ancestry is prized among the vampires. Still, I think our adversary will be surprised,"said Remus with silence confidence."Yes, we could receive more in our figure, but even with Chester Alan Arthur as government minister, the distrust of my kind runs deep."

"Our kind, Remus ! And they'll be more than surprised,"snapped Fred."They'll be flaming petrified !"

"fountainhead,"said Harry sardonically,"bloody anyway."

The bandages wrapping his look were hot and laboured and he was only just able to resist the temptation to rip them off so that he could scratch the itch that was growing stronger by the second. He placed both his manus flat against the firm bed, curling the natural covering in his fingers as they balled up into fist. Without looking up, he took in a breath and swallowed.

"Remus… Fred… You need to understand everything. Lucius Malfoy isn't a lamia. The scouts… what they saw down on the mountainside this morning… It may ingest looked like Lucius, but it wasn't. Yeah, he's been taken over all right, but not by a vampire. His flavour has been consumed by Voldemort. Lucius is Voldemort."He turned to face up them."Sixty werewolves, sixty firedrake, 60 of anything… it won't be enough."listening Harry's intelligence, Remus stepped forward and placed a hired hand warmly about Harry's neck.

"No, Harry,"he said."No, it won't be enough. But then, it never was. That's why we have you."


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 18 - The tintinnabulation of Onyx
~~~***~~~

The stone steps were heavy, declamatory it seemed to Harry, than they were before. Yet, the same thin whitened cloud dusted the blue sky, and the heated air brought Harry's mind back to his summer travels with Gabriella in Lebanon. His creative thinker's eye flashed to a vision of her smooth, dark chocolate-brown hide and twinkling black eye, and he wondered how she was fairing with Cho and his son, Jamie. His heart skipped at the thought and he drew in a intimation to steady his nerves. He stepped upward through the large gem column, upward toward the remains of the large Asian rook. Up ahead, seated on a lechatelierite judiciary intricately carved in an refine pattern was a magnanimous bleak man in William Green and brown robes - Singehorn.

On the eve of the counterattack, the firedrake had asked that the Pres Young champion meet him in this airplane of cognisance that they might speak with one another. Here, in this other world, Harry could not only verbalise to the dragon, he could see. He had no bandaged mind, no wand, only a White River gown and simple feet that withstood the scorching heat beneath them. In the cave where Harry's corporeal body sat in meditation, the others were preparing for war. Soon, the moonshine would rise, the werewolves, including Remus and Fred, would turn and the battle would begin. It had taken Harry quite some meter to close out all the distraction that were happening about him, but finally he made it.

As he drew nigher to the Draco, the descendent of Asha whose argument Harry had sworn to protect, he noticed that the man looked more aged than before and that his ventilation was heavy, laboured. With effort, Harry heaved himself upward onto another Edward Durell Stone tone, and then another. On the step before reaching the landing where Singehorn sat in one of the two crystal benches, Harry saw a tumid ringing made of shameful onyx. He stopped for a here and now to expect at it. The dragon coughed a bottomless throaty coughing.

"Go on,"he said with a late scratchy vocalisation."picking it up."

Harry reached down and took the doughnut into his rightfulness deal. It was big than Harry expected. Holding it in the finger's breadth of both hands he examined it from all sides.

"I… I know this band,"Harry said, trying to think how or from where."I've seen it before."Singehorn shifted his awful weight and grimaced somewhat.

"The ring,"he said,"is known to many, but few alert today have seen it with their own eyes. For those few that saw it worn by its in conclusion original, it was most likely the last affair they saw. He was known for using the ring to kill."Suddenly, Harry remembered.

"Pravus,"he whispered, remembering the portrait of the dark superstar's helping hand Greg Goyle had shown him last class. Singehorn growled, long and low. Clearly, he did not delight the sound of the epithet.

"Very good,"answered the dragon."Very beneficial. Come… sit."

Harry climbed the last large stride and tried to dust the front of his Edward Douglas White Jr. robes which had grown brown from the desert sand. Singehorn laughed and, as Harry looked up, the man's sass erupted in fire, enveloping Harry in a great snowy flash. In the next instant, Harry's gown were white again and he was unscathed. Harry examined his hands, expecting to see sear patsy, but nothing was there.

"Sit,"said Singehorn again. Unlike his last visit with the man before him, the young wizard sat obediently across from his master.

"My child… not for 50 years has that ring been held by homo hands, not since I tore off the arm of the wizard that betrayed us all. When Pravus was destroyed and Grindelwald defeated, I thought for sure the darkness had been, at last, beaten back for good. I was young then and naïve, but not so naïve as to trust in men again."

"But Dakhil,"said Harry."You trust him."

"Do I, Harry ? Do I ?"There was another low grumble as Singehorn leaned forward. Harry noticed a thin, light mark that ran along the man's face, a scrape that wasn't there before the connexion. Over the last few months, the dragon had seen battle.

"Do you see the ring on Dakhil's digit ?"he continued."No, Harry… Soseh trusts Dakhil and I would trust Soseh with my life, but his fate lies on a unlike path."

"You need to recognise, sir,"said Harry with some importunity in his vocalism."I've seen… I've seen two spirit inside him. He may be under the control of another."Singehorn smiled and began to laugh. It was loud and thundery, not the reaction Harry had expected.

"He's a vampire, my child,"the Draco said finally."He fights the heart inside him every waking here and now. Few have learned to curb the thirst for reinvigorated bloodline, the desire for death. None have fought more heroically than Dakhil Barghouti to stave off his own personal devil. But his route will soon lead elsewhere and I will need someone to take up his stave as Primate of the Votary. He would opt I choose now, before his fate befalls him."

Harry's center widened in disbelief. Rolling the ring in his fingerbreadth he looked up at Singehorn then back down at the ring. Finally, he set it in his palm and held it out to the flying dragon.

"I can't, sir,"he said, shaking his head."Whatever major power this gang holds, I'm not ready."

"What ? No questions about what the anchor ring does ? What metier it might bring you ?"

"No, sir,"Harry replied, reaching yet further toward Singehorn. The dragon did not hit the ring from Harry's thenar, but instead leaned back on the bench.

"Not even if the halo might help you defeat the one who killed molly Weasley and so many more ?"Harry shook his head."What if it would help you win the war against these Dementors, saving the lives of countless Centaur ; these creatures you seem to care so very much about ?"Singehorn leaned in again."Are you so certainly that you wouldn't compliments to finally put down the creature that killed your parents ?"

For a moment, Harry's outstretched arm receded. Once more he held the ring between quarter round and forefinger, wondering what effectiveness it might bring in him. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Finally, he shook his head once more.

"No, sir,"he said softly still rolling the ring in his fingerbreadth."When I was last here, you reminded me our calling : Bravery… Wisdom… Love."Harry shuddered, swallowing laborious."You also told me that I needed to do work on my wisdom."Harry took in a deep breath as his eyes grew brumous."But I've been precious short in that heed all year, eh ? I brought Voldemort into the Ministry. I brought him face-to-face with Mrs. Weasley. I should have known…. I should throw been wise to. Now, he's at your doorstep, threatening to destroy all we stand for."keeping back his teardrop, Harry held the ring out once again."Whatever powers the pack bears, there are others more worthy than me."

With lightening speed, frighteningly fast for such a orotund bod, Singehorn grabbed Harry's hand in his own, his monumental paw wrapping around Harry's entire fist and arm, squeezing the tintinnabulation into the chassis of Harry's medallion and scorching the spine of Harry's deal. His red eyes glared with steel decision into Harry's and his claw drew line of descent from Harry's chassis.

"Tell me, my son, when the dark spreads across this heap and threatens my children and my tyke's small fry what will you do ? There are only so many careen to climb and the cloud will not protect us."Harry said nothing."When your friends charge down the versant to unite my kin in the attack against the sludge that surrounds us, will you hide… a blind rat in a dark cave ?"The dragon's pincer dug deeper, but Harry refused to cry out.

"I'd… sooner… die."

"Harry, the monster seeks you out, but he does not want you dead, not yet. He thinks he needs you alive, but he doesn't know that what he seeks is no longer there, washed away by the falls at Hogwarts. Without the energy he once shared with you, he is but half a man, half a wizard. In his ignorance, in his soften state, he can be defeated."

"Then I don't need the ring,"Harry said calmly, withstanding the painful sensation.

"If only it was so simple-minded,"sighed Singehorn, still holding Harry's deal business firm."Before the cleanup at the declination, you joined."

"Joined ?"

"The darkness that was once in your veins… now flows through another's."

Harry's marrow began to raceway. Another's ?
"Your inherited."

"Jamie,"Harry whispered.

"You would sooner die than see my children harmed. What would you do to protect your children ?"asked Singehorn.

"My… son."

Harry's finger's breadth, almost instinctively, tightened around the ring burning the flesh of his palm and in that instant his vision filled with a rattling blink of an eye of white. Singehorn's voice became sullen and ominous.

"I will not say your conclusion is Isaac Mayer Wise, but it is our sole trend. Forgive me, my child, for the power will exhaust you. Soseh has foreseen your greed turn to grief. On the day the dragon mark the sky, you will begin to know your true speciality. How you emerge from your failing will determine the destiny of us all."

Suddenly, Harry's view was gone, all before him dark. When he breathed in, the dampness must odour of the bandage that wrapped his face filled his anterior naris.

"We've got to go, sir,"said a wizard somewhere to Harry's left.

"If I have to tell you one more clock time to be quiet, I'll rip your throat out,"snapped Dakhil in a low, hushing vox."We will go when Singehorn says we can go. Do NOT agitate the boy."

Still seated on the floor, his leg folded beneath him, Harry reached out his mind and sensed the two men arguing to his left wing. The one, a brilliantly wild blue yonder aureole was clearly frightened ; the former flashed red and then purple. The red appeared to be winning and Harry wasn't sure that was a in force thing for the man in gloomy whose colour was fading so fast Harry thought he might wet himself. He wasn't the simply one nearby that was frightened. In the boastfully cavern just beyond the tilt bulwark where Harry sat, scores of men mulled about nervously waiting for the final edict to attack. Harry was about to actuate, to indicate to the others that he had returned, when the orange colour of Marek moved into the elbow room where he sat.

He slipped over and placed his hand on Dakhil's back and the two walked to the far side of the tent. They whispered and then the whispers grew louder.

"Marek,"Dakhil hissed,"I need to know. What is your public opinion ?"

"As a Healer or a Warrior ?"the man that had worked on Harry's face replied. He was upset, irritated perhaps of the battle that would soon be bringing the dying to his doorsill."If we were home, I'd leave the bandage on for at least another week."

"The boy can't fight like that."

"Then leave the boy behind."

Two vocalisation harmonized :"No !"Simultaneously, Harry and Dakhil rejected Marek's suggestion.

"You've returned,"said Dakhil quietly."Good. The time is near. The to the full moonlight will soon rise over the side of the mountain. We must read advantage of every hour it brings us the loup-garou'strength. break of the day will come far too quickly I'm afraid."

Harry held his manus to his facial expression."And these ? You can off these ?"

"Really, Harry,"answered Marek,"if only you could dispense with two more days… two more."

"The conflict will be over by morning,"said Harry,"and I can't fight with this rag weighing me down. It's sweaty enough as it is, and I can barely breathe."

"Then don't fight,"Marek said to Harry. Then he turned to Dakhil."What potential vantage does a boy bring this battle beyond more bloodshed ?"Steadying his feet on the dusty rock and roll, Harry stood.

"I am no boy !"he said defiantly. Marek ignored him.

"Dakhil,"the therapist continued,"there is no reasonableness to put his life… What ? What is it ?"

There was silence. Harry too noticed the modification in Dakhil's aura that was likely now being mimicked by the vampire's face. The red had darkened into a racy scarlet - the emotion was a stiff one, whatever it was.

"Dakhil, what are you looking at ?"Marek continued.

As Harry stood, his hands, which had been covered by the sleeves of his robe while he sat, became exposed. There, on the centre finger of Harry's mightily hired man was a annulus. Angry at being called a boy, Harry had not noticed the sum up weight on his fingerbreadth.

"Well… that can't be good,"said Dakhil with a rather cool down voice."I had asked for a choice, but I never…"

"I'll take the damn bandages off myself if I have to,"cried Harry, reaching for his verge. It was then, when digit met wood, that he realized there was a ring on his finger. He let go his verge and held the ring with his left handwriting. He moved to take it off, but the ring would not move. He pulled again, and again the ring held its grip about the bone of his right middle digit.

"I had always hoped he might see fit to give it to me,"said Dakhil with more disappointment than anger."I suppose Soseh has told him."

"Told him what ?"asked Harry, still trying to process the ringing from his finger.

"Damn the day I met you, boy,"said Dakhil, again in a tranquillise, topic of fact tone."She's seen my end, which is not such a great business organisation for a vampire when such effect can be C hence."He paused.

"And ?"Harry asked.

"And you were there, boy. You were there."Dakhil moved closer."So, either you're going to wander down the mountainside, get bit and live to a very ripe old age as an immortal, or I'm going to die before the summer solstice. condemnation you,"Dakhil said dryly,"I always wanted to take in it to the millennium."

"You're both talking gibber,"said Marek."Would you check that,"he said to Harry."You're starting to bleed."Harry turned his senses downward and watched as the glowing drips of descent fell to the floor from his finger. Marek pulled his sceptre and healed the finger."Now leave the damn ring alone. Here, let me take it."

He cast a spell and nothing happened, nothing but the scratchy laughter from Dakhil. He tried a different spell and still the anchor ring stayed clamped about Harry's digit.

"We don't have fourth dimension for this,"said Harry finally."flavor, just take the bandage off. Place a shield good luck charm about the skin if you must, but I can't—"

"Very well,"cut in Marek with a suspiration."But it's not your tegument that I was worried about."Sit over here."He led Harry to a Oliver Stone terrace.

"What do you think of ?"Harry asked.

"Well, Harry, while I was working on your face, I thought I might see if I couldn't do something about your eyes."

"But I've seen goose egg,"said Harry."Certainly through this gauze, I could discern—"

"I've sealed your lids shut so the eyes beneath could heal as the spell worked and weaved."He stepped snug to Harry."Son, two more days… two Thomas More years and I'm sure that the knitting will be complete."

"And I'll see again ?"asked Harry with a flicker of hope in his vocalism.

"You might."

"Well… look… it's dismal anyway,"Harry said."Take off the bandage and leave my eyes sealed. I'll be better off not trying to discern objects in the darkness. I've gotten used to not seeing and trying to squint in the murky night may just earn thing worse."

"There's the problem,"said Dakhil."The physical object you wish to discern are Dementors. They suck the life from all about them. To your vision they would be darkness and on the scorched mountainside where very footling sprightliness remains, it would be near out of the question to find them."

At this it was Harry's turn to laugh.

"Dakhil, I don't need my sight to acknowledge when a Dementor is breathing down my neck. I'll know where they are, believe me, I'll know."

"Then it's decided,"said Marek."I'll remove your bandage, but keep your centre sealed. If you make it through the night Harry, your face should be re-wrapped immediately. A shell magic spell might be acceptable for walking around school or sitting about the house. It will be worthless against a well placed hex."

"Get on with it,"said Harry."I can hear the howling already."

And indeed he could, they all could. Some of the wizard werewolves were growing anxious. Outside, the moon was nearing the tip of the easterly horizon and some were having difficulty controlling their metabolism even inside the cavern, away from the bootleg. Typically, such difficultness were had by newly converted werewolves, those who had recently become. Harry wondered how Fred was fairing.

When Dakhil removed the gauze bandages, Harry immediately reached up to his grimace to touch, but the shield charm stopped his fingers.

"It feels like an eggshell,"Harry whispered.

"And it won't protect your face much Thomas More than one,"bring Marek."Remember that, when you're out there playing the hero."Harry was about to protest but, preceded by a hiss, unexpected dustup left Dakhil's sass first.

"An Acolyte of the Votary does not play at anything !"Dakhil's stature was suddenly somewhat larger, and his aureole somewhat redder."You would be wise to remember your position, Marek. With one thought the boy could put down you."

"Yes… yes, of grade,"Marek apologized."I'm sorry… I… I truly am sorry."

There was fear in his Son, far more fear than Harry thought the situation warranted. Part of him understood, something he remembered from the joining, but there wasn't time to well for its source ; it was time for action. Harry stood and began to walk toward the large chamber.

"One moment, boy,"said Dakhil with a affair of fact step. Harry stopped, turned and, before he had an insistent to react, Dakhil had cast a spell on him. Nothing happened.

"What… what was that ?"Harry demanded, still reaching for his wand.

"He's changed the colouration of your robe, Harry,"said Marek."They're no longer Andrew Dickson White ; they're crimson."

"high priest Potter,"said Dakhil in an exceptionally scratchy voice followed by a short blasting cough."Your statute title, when I die."He sighed."Asha protect us."Harry looked down, but could smell out no discernible difference."Don't concern, boy ; those who have travelled the itinerary through right education will know at once the significance of your robe. We'd best hurry. There won't be time for a great deal of a speech."

Harry and Dakhil left the tent and entered the cavern ; it had emptied out onto the mountainside, staging for the struggle to come. Soon, the gate would open and the soldiers would spill down upon their foes. Harry and Dakhil walked down the cave and as it narrowed toward its exit a immature man came up and touched Harry by the sleeve.

"Asha be with you,"he said tilting his top dog in a slight bow.

"And with you,"replied Harry without forethought. Why did I say that ?
The cavern door opened and, for a moment, Harry was blinded by the many auras gathered outside. He could see that some of the werewolves had already turned, and a group of necromancer was having difficulty restraining them. No one seemed distracted by the ululation, a ululation that miscellaneous with words in Harry's intellect - kill, sting, blood ! He turned to see if somebody was talking to him, but no one was there. Another werewolf howled.

"solitaire, my friends,"called Harry to the snapping animate being and the brute quieted at his words. That was not my vox, thought Harry. Or was it ?

Everyone was listening to Antreas who stood upon a tumid outcrop of Rock above the growing din. His words were amplified, but Harry wasn't sure the increased volume was necessary. He was calling out in a strong and overlook voice and Harry wondered why this role wasn't Dakhil's.

"….is all we need. Together we will be victorious ! Together we will banish the swarthiness into the abyss !"The earth began to growl with hand clapping. Harry noticed four giants pounding their feet with approval.

"giant star ?"he asked Dakhil."I didn't notice any monster when I arrived."

"They climbed over from the sheer cliffs on the spinal column English of the mountain. That way is not guarded save by Dementors, and they have no burden on such mere puppet. So it is with the werewolves."

"It'll m-make for a b-bloody last eater busting surprise."

"Fred ?"

The redheader was clearly agitated, seemingly in the thick of the change.

"Fred, please… don't—"

"The Primate has ARRIVED !"cried Antreas with a leaping voice. He was referring to Dakhil, but Harry could feel hundreds of heart turn toward him simultaneously. salvage for the howling and the periodic charm being cast a short ways down the hill, all became soundless.

"Let's give them what they want, boy,"said Dakhil."Up you go."He levitated Harry some twenty dollar bill foot in the air. Harry's warmness began to race as he rose, wondering what he might say.

It was like rising over the coal of a dying fire, each glowing aura a tiny coal burning against the swarthiness. There were hundreds gathered here. Some fell to their articulatio genus as Harry rose ; well-nigh stood silently. Giants, Centaur, wizards and werewolves, a ragtag accumulation of misfits all collected to oppose together against the malevolence Lucius Malfoy had co-opted for his own evilness design.

Lucius probably hoped he would retrieve the cloak and arrive at this place of struggle to celebrate a great victory, the first of many. Little did he have it off that his former passkey would take up abode in his body - if only long enough to learn over Harry's. But that would never, could never happen. How the worm had turned on the blonde-haired paterfamilias. Soon, it would rick on the darkness worming within him. Harry raised his coat of arms to the celestial sphere above, a giant comet was clearly visible in the night's sky.

"Ebyrth marks its return key and now we find ourselves at its clemency. While some have come to resolve the new sun's call, others are here to protect our dragon brothers against the iniquity that wishes to destroy all in its path. Tonight we fight as one. Tonight we fight with the strength of giants, the magic of wizards, the ferocity of lycanthrope, the wisdom of Centaurus, and the heart of Draco !"

No sooner had the words left his mouth, than the thunderous SWOOP-SWOOP filled the air and four enormous dragons flew over the crew, blotting out the stars and then coming to rest at the top of the great Harlan Fiske Stone wall. Singehorn wasn't among them, but Harry, though having never met them, knew their names. The three male person were Rakesh, Talisan, and Igneus, and the blue female was Tanwen. As if being called, Harry looked toward Talisan, the turgid of the four, with green-black scales and fierce red eye.

"Primate !"the creature cried out."We follow you in battle. What are your orders !"

All around Harry, virtuoso were clasping their bridge player to their ears, some falling to their knee joint, because of the creature's outstanding hollo. And yet, Harry could understand everything he said. How is this possible ? This was no meditation.

"Your rules of order, Primate ?"cried the Draco again, and again those around Harry winced in pain in the neck.

"suntan them !"yelled Harry."Burn them till your bellies turn cold. You, Tanwen, fly high above the wall. Let no enemy past the gates. Do not give your Emily Post. We must salve the rookery at all costs !"Harry pulled his red robes tight about his shoulders.

"outdoors the William Henry Gates !"called Antreas and the USA erupted in cheerfulness and howls. A few werewolf snapped at their friend, but most caught the perfume of their hated foe, enticing their sentience with a bloodlust for Dementor, and quickly they began to charge ahead, down the versant. Dakhil brought Harry down to earth as the crowd hillside flowed out through the logic gate. Harry began to run, following the rushing tide, but someone grabbed his articulatio humeri and pulled him around ; it was Antreas.

"Your prison term is at hand, Harry,"he said with a stout articulation."I'll lead the first wafture ; I dare not verbalise it to the others, but don't think for a minute we'll come after. The sentry have told me the situation… it's dire. When we begin to flow back, and we will fall back… that's when we'll need you."Harry was about to argue, but Antreas was already swept away in the current of physical structure rushing through the gate. Undaunted, Harry began to postdate, only this meter Dakhil stopped him.

"Tell me, boy,"he murmured quietly beneath the roaring charge of genius pushing by."Why are you here ?"

"To campaign Voldemort,"Harry spat, turning to exit. Dakhil held his arm fast and Harry glared back with fierce eyes.

"Really ?"queried Dakhil, still tranquillise, still chill out, still holding Harry's arm with a vice-like grip."Are you… sure ?"Harry tried to pull away, but couldn't. He pulled his scepter."You don't need a wand to dismiss me, boy. You're the Primate now, or will be soon. If you think you no longer call for my services, then fire me ! You need only utter the words ; distinguish me to be gone !"

He was goading Harry, trying to progress to him raging, trying to paint a picture a reply. Harry slipped his wand away.

"You are the Primate,"he said softly."Not me."

"whiz will never pursue a vampire, boy,"answered Dakhil."But for some reason, Asha only knows why, they will follow you. The wisdom of Grigor Darbinyan now flows in his son's nervure. Would you push aside Antreas ? Shall we charge with the repose ? What are your guild ?"

"I'm here to serve well my oath, to protect the dividing line of Asha… as are you. We stay to protect the rookery."Harry noted a glimmer in Dakhil's aura… a smile ? The utmost of the low Wave had passed through the gate, leaving two colossus, one tartar, a 6 Centaurus and some thirty wizard to wait for far orders, parliamentary procedure that Harry would accept to give. Knowing that the number at his side of meat were too few to fend off the coming attack, his thought turned to the darkness, hiding at the bottom of the great deal, searching for some way that they might overcome him.

"He won't reveal himself,"said Harry, slowly,"until he believes they've won, that he can step up and consume me as his dirty money. Antreas is right, to captivate Lucius and the darkness that consumes him, the first wave must fail."

"The enemy's numeral are too great,"said Dakhil, releasing his grip."Even with those still remaining, we have no hope of winning in take battle."

"Then the second wave must be a surprisal. We must hold until the last possible moment."

"Even then, boy, the identification number are against us."

"Maybe,"answered Harry,"But we need only strike down one foe. What will our opposition do when their general dies ? When Lucius and his schoolmaster fall ?"

"It is out of the question to hitch vapour with your bare hired hand. Who among us, might I ask, will land down the Dark Lord ?"

"I will,"Harry answered. He left Dakhil and entered into the centre of those remaining."Gather ‘ round !"he called."Listen to what I say ! Tonight… tonight we plan for victory !"


Harry Potter and the nascence of a New Sun

Chapter 19 - The First struggle
~~~***~~~
Flame and smoke roiled in the air from the struggle below, bearing the odour of burnt flesh and blood line into the secure compound guarding the rookery of the firedrake, where Harry and the others waited. The earth shook as the monster, fighting their coarse opposition below, cast endocarp the size of train-cars crashing down upon their enemy. howling, shrieking, and the bellow of dragon-fire reverberated between the stone bulwark, echoing down the canon and pitching wildly between Harry's ear. He couldn't see the battle raging on the mountainside below, none of them could. But then, they didn't need to see what was happening to bonk that it was not going well. The burning smell was growing stronger, the shaking earth was more severe, and the howl and screeching filled the air more than ever. The struggle was coming closer, high up the mass. Soon, it would be at the chemical compound walls.

Harry grew more nervous by the minute. His beginning instinct had been to attack outright, but both Antreas and Dakhil had stopped him. Ignoring the wisdom of a necromancer that had survived century was folly and Harry knew that they must look. The second wave would attack when their foe were most weary. If Harry's force could break away their lines, if they could stay fresh dog to throat, perhaps the advancing darkness would retreat down the mountain, down to where Lucius Malfoy, now possessed by Voldemort, to the highest degree certainly waited.

When the showtime waving began its attack, Harry had quietly sent the good Centaur archers high onto the mountainside leading down from the North gate. Hiding luxuriously in the Benny Hill, they would flank the advancing darkness and strike when Harry gave the sign. Along the edge of the other side of the vale, Harry sent the two remaining giants, Florge and Scrum, to wait hidden among the rocks. There they would hold the higher ground, preventing any end Eaters from running away from the attack of Centaur arrow. Once they were set into military position, the goliath looked like a gravid outcropping of I. F. Stone, nix more. With luck they would mow down dozens with their ball club, tumid tree proboscis bristling with burry metal pikes the length of Harry's arm.

Hearing, smelling, feeling the starting time wafture hideaway back toward the chief gate, Harry impatiently waited to lead the second wave through a hidden gate that skirted the side of the valley wall. Then they would cognise if there was any Bob Hope at all. Already, Centaurus runners brought back reports that the phone number of the enemy was twice what was foremost think - over two-hundred Dementors, nearly a hundred vampires, rafts of wizards, and five giants of their own. Clearly, the numbers racket were against them and they all knew it.

About a minuscule fire, Harry sat with Dakhil and two former penis of the Votary, Mikael and Katana. Dakhil was roasting sausages skewered on the end of a Centaur spear. Mikael was a large man, Ukrainian he said, with dark dark-brown whisker and a unceasing three daylight'growth of face fungus. one-half of his left ear was missing and he had a wildness about his piercing blue eyes that, as Dakhil described, would frighten any living soul that dared to cross sceptre with him. As for Katana, she was quiet, almost subdued. Even sightless, Harry could distinguish how her pitch blackness skin contrasted against the silver mail ringlets that covered her upper torso. Set against her quiet manner was the red air that burned fiercely from her soul, perhaps the most vivid Harry had ever seen. Unlike Mikael, she rarely spoke, but when she did it almost always carried import. The flak crackled and the blimp popped, sending a steaming squirt of burning fat onto Mikael's arm. He yelped, but Dakhil only laughed.

"I wish that was the lonesome con you would receive tonight, Mikael,"said the lamia, grimly staring into the fervidness, turning the sausage balloon on the spear and watching the dripping grease send little flares of flame overlapping upwards.

"How you are hungry, Dakhil,"replied Mikael, shaking his forefront and moving close once again to warm himself by the blast."They arrive at threshold before you finish."Again, Dakhil laughed.

"You should know by now, my Ukrainian admirer,"said Dakhil with a smiling,"I don't eat sausages. The boy here looked a bit dim and I thought he should build up his strength."He held the stage of the fizgig before Harry's face, the sizzling sausage splattering specks of hot fat against the shield spell protecting Harry's exposed face."One should never meet their God Almighty on an empty stomach."

"Thank you,"Harry said with a thin smile. He took the sausage between quarter round and forefinger, but it neither seared nor burned. Without flinching, Harry slid the sausage off the spear's metallic element point and took a chomp. Once again, he detected a momentary smile in the aura of Dakhil. To the vampire's left, Katana let out a minuscule snort. She stood, her ringlets jingling as she did so, and then she looked upward to the night sky where the smaller firedrake Tanwen circled.

"Even as Ebyrth reveals itself to the world, Asha's blessing is upon you, young wizard,"she said with a low voice that was calm and as deep as the lake outside Hogwarts."This is good… for the time has come. Prepare."

Scantly had the words left her lips than a tremendous roaring exploded overhead. Talisan, the heavy of the four firedrake, appeared from no where, plummeting from the sky, streaking fire and fastball behind him and smashing to the background, tumbling into a group of wizards that nigh certainly would feature died in the collision had not Katana turned their care toward the wall when she stood. Immediately, pandemonium struck the pack. Even though many knew their posts, some necromancer called out to attack directly through the main gate, some scattered for the secret English gate, some ran toward the mountain's tunnel. The Centaurs were calling for forbearance, and all were yelling at the top of their lungs.

"quiet !"cried Dakhil, his voice reverberating off the canyon bulwark."Everyone, move in constitution toward the North gate ! There we wait until the augury comes."

"But—"

"We will aggress when the sign comes ; not before ! NOW MOVE !"

While the confusion subsided, Harry moved toward the fallen Draco.

"Where are you going ?"questioned Dakhil.

"Talisan needs help,"answered Harry continuing to walk to the dragon.

"Your orderliness were to—"

"I know what the plan is, Dakhil ! I made it !"Harry yelled.

"We don't have clock time for this, boy !"

"I have all the time I need,"snapped Harry in retort."Now go ! Lead the others and I'll junction you when I'm done."

"Marek can care for the—"

"GO !"

With his scepter still sheathed, Harry concentrated his judgment. Bending space was loose than slowing time, even Ronan, his Centaur trainer, had admitted that. But Harry needed clock time, even just a little more to save Talisan's lifespan. Right now, he was compelled. He felt that healing the dragon was more of import than all the ease of it. He wasn't indisputable why, but he had to do what he could. He centred on the Good Book Ronan had taught him.

In forest glen, the babbling brook is filled with silver fish.
Slow its menstruum and deny each drip to put them on your ravisher.

The auditory sensation about Harry became muffled. He sensed that the air running to the North gate were slowing, slowing… not still, but nearly. Harry summoned the Stone of Cinnabar from within him. Still flaming, he cast a flame spell upon it.

"Bravery, Wisdom, beloved,"he whispered and was instantly transported to the white room that waited for his program line."Talisan,"he whispered, and was immediately drawn to the dragon.

He'd healed a cat before, but never a Dragon. At first he could see the tremendous puppet prone on the priming, the three wizards surrounding it block in time, but the Draco looked up toward Harry, blinking as if it could see him. Talisan's breathing was erratic and he coughed profligate and smoke. Then, as always, the prospect paused, as if asking Harry to affirm that this indeed was the action he wished to read."Heal my Friend,"Harry whispered again. coloration began to swirl about… broken bones… stunned nerves… sliced organs…a pierced lung… blood dripping on the fires of life…"Yes, heal them… cure them all."

The picture flashed inkiness and Harry found himself on his genu, the jagged rocks tearing at his flesh, the rock of Callimorpha jacobeae in his left hand. Before moving he pulled his wand and hid the Harlan Fisk Stone once more inside his body, in the minuscule scoop left by missing liver tissue. And once again, he thought of Greg Goyle and said a small supplication. Before he looked up he heard the flying dragon speak. His speech were unsteady, but Harry could see that his wound were healing.

"We must hurry,"Talisan said,"the… the second wave… I must—"

"You must quell here,"cut in Harry."You must rest."

"I can't. It is my duty to—"

"It's your duty to listen to the holder of the ring."It was the Dragon Tanwen, Harry knew that, but she was nowhere near. She was still flying high above the rookery. Harry wondered how he could be having this conversation, how…

"The ring,"he whispered, touching the stone with his early mitt. He took to his animal foot, rubbing the black stone between his fingers. He expected to experience somewhat vertiginous after healing the Draco, but he wasn't. Without turning, he noticed that the auras were beginning to funnel out through the North logic gate just as the injure were coming in from the chief gate. They would take serve too. He moved to see what he could do when Marek stopped him.

"Let me take care of the injured, Harry. If you don't execute like we had planned, we have no Leslie Townes Hope of winning and all will be lost, not just a few lifetime, but hundreds."Once more, Harry glanced to the wound streaming in. There was a impregnable itch to heal them all. Many were near Death. For a mo he hesitated and then he grudgingly nodded his top dog.

"Right,"said Marek."Get going."

Harry ran to the side gate, reaching it in seconds. He could hear Marek calling for assist from the early healer to get the injured inside the caves. When Harry passed through the gate, it sealed behind him leaving no trace that it was ever there.

The grouping of virtuoso and Centaurs making up the second wave had not moved far past the gate. They were carefully, quietly, edging their way around the flank of their enemy. As Harry moved about one of the larger careen formations, he had his first probability to observe the advancing ground forces. It looked unnerving, but not a three to one vantage. For a moment he had forgotten the Dementors, wight whose auras he could not see, but the moment did not shoemaker's last long. The malarky shifted and the poise stench of their flesh filled the air. For an instant… from the canyon just below… Was he imagining it ? Harry thought he could actually hear them talking to each other. He'd never heard anything but the clicks Dementors made when communication, but this… it sounded like words. Whatever it was he was hearing, they were close. He resisted the temptation to wretch just as two of his own wizards fell to their knees in fear.

There was the faint chirp of some louse, the sign, and the air immediately rang with the whistling of arrows. The Centaurs senior high in position among the cliff let go their first base burst. screeching of Dementor and vampire alike bubbled up out of the canyon like a thick ooze of pain. An instant later, another volley of arrow filled the air, followed by to a greater extent screams ; then another… and another. Moving his way to the battlefront of the detail making up the attacking irregular undulation, Harry could hear wizards cry out from below for their lines to sprain toward the side of the raft.

"carapace !"individual called. The adjacent volley struck many still off guard, but was less successful among the wary wizards. Harry continued to advance until he came to Dakhil's shoulder.

"misfire me ?"Harry whispered. Dakhil seemed distracted.

"They're unsettle,"he said quietly."If we're going to do this, boy, we must do it now to lean any chance of surprise. They await your command."A salvo of exasperated disgust left Dakhil's sassing, but Harry didn't hesitate.

"work stoppage now !"he commanded."attack !"

Arrows from the Centaurs stationed on the rocks above continued to rain down upon the rear of the line of work of Death feeder, lamia and Dementors that had now driven Antreas'first wave back through the primary gate of the compound wall. Even as the front of this dark force was cheering for victory, calling for their behemoth to sunder the bully wall protecting the compound, others at the rear were screaming with fear. The wizards and Centaurs in Harry's second Wave cascaded down the versant dismissal arrows and filling the smoky air with an electrifying presentation of verge world power. charm after go stunned, exploded and slashed their resister. fright was palpable and its core began to ripple its way toward the front line. Harry could sense their auras fading against the onslaught. The Dementors could palpate it too and they began to consume souls indiscriminately. It was Katana who described to Harry how, in some variety of frenzied State they began feeding on the awe of their own warriors. As the terrified minions tried to scramble up the opposition hillside they came font to grimace with the hide out colossus.

Florge and Scrum rose as if ascending from the Harlan Fisk Stone itself. With heavy apoplexy of their golf-club they swatted their foes back into the advancing force, back into the frenzied Dementors, back into a boiling broth of disorderliness that had now made its way to the straw man of the lines.

What at first seemed like a mob of Harry's side was being flipped upon its head. Centaur arrows were dropping non-wizard lamia from the sky with nearly every hook of the strand. Emboldened by the success of the second base undulation, the healthy in Antreas'pilot attacking forcefulness regrouped and began another charge. Werewolves that had scattered to the mountainside retreating from their firstly attack also sensed the modification and returned to the fray.

Squeezed on both sides and pressed to the fore, Lucius Malfoy's army retreated back down the mass. With all the confusedness, Harry and many of the others in his back wave found themselves in the middle of Malfoy's retreating personnel. They had essentially split their enemy's force into two, allowing one half to crawfish out freely down the mountain while trapping the other in a great pincher. Harry and his strength had the lower ground while Antreas and the others pressed in from above. What followed was gross destruction.

Rakesh appeared from on eminent and began to plunge toward the dazed and disordered warriors.

"backbone !"cried Harry to the others. He heard interchangeable shout from Antreas and his men further up the mass. The lycanthrope did not head the warning."BACK !"Harry yelled again. The Death feeder were too distracted trying to handle the attacking werewolf and their own crazed Dementors to discover the tartar moving in.

When Harry's men moved away, the vision of auras cleared and he distinctly noticed three wolfman still tearing at the flesh of their enemies. One of them was Fred Weasley ; Harry could sense his angriness, his hatred, his hunger to destroy.

"FRED !"Harry screamed."GET OUT OF THERE !"But Fred was a werewolf and nothing Harry could do would blockade that. Then Igneus appeared on the wing of Rakesh ; both were diving down on their encircle foeman. Soon it would all be over. Harry began to run, not away but toward his friend and the mayhem of the battle before him. Even as stunners ricocheted off in every direction and killing nemesis took down one creature after another, Harry ran. He leapt onto the red fur of Fred's back, knocking him to the ground.

The lycanthrope spun, opened his great jaws and grabbed Harry by the throat. Only the illume shield charm about Harry's face was keeping him from being bitten through, but it wouldn't final foresighted if Fred truly desired descent. On his vertebral column, his senses facing forward, he could detect the two giant aureole of the dragons racing toward them. They had only seconds. Harry held his paw about Fred's neck opening, and pressed the dim onyx ring against his friend's flesh.

"Be still,"he ordered."Be still, my friend."

The clench about Harry's neck loosened slightly and, in that moment, Harry spun them both to the ground and cast a shield charm. The world erupted in fire. Screams filled the air only to be silenced an instant later by another blow of heat and flame. The werewolf in Harry's arms struggled to break free, but not wholly.

"Get off of me, you bloody moron,"Harry heard him howl."I swear I'll gut you !"

"The ring,"Harry thought."I hear him through the ring."
"Fred, listen…"said Harry sharply."storage area still, just one more than here and now. The heat… the heat will—"The wolfman broke free of Harry's grasp and threw himself against the shield charm surrounding them. It held from within. Again he charged the cuticle and this clock time broke through. He yipped as his paws burned against the scorching earth, but in a news bulletin he was gone, chasing after the division of the regular army that had fled down the versant.

With the shield magical spell gone, Harry could smell the burning stench about him. Where seconds before stood XII of men and animal, now only three lone thaumaturge remained - death eater that had seen the dragons in time and had shield good luck charm of their own. One, seeing Harry stand in the radiance embers without his shield, released his own protective spell and began to run. He took two steps before his feet were in flame. He fell and began to sizzle against the scorched Earth. One of the other Death feeder killed him to secrete him from the miserableness. Harry walked toward the remaining two, the high temperature burning away the turd that soiled his robes, but leaving the scarlet textile and his skin unscathed. Somehow being here on the mountain, so close to the flying lizard, had steeled his ability to withstand the heating.

"It's not possible,"said one, the dark haired wizard in black robes that had killed his ally.

"sap,"spat the other, blond with gown of grim blue."He's one of them - half-man, half-dragon."

"He's a boy,"said the other.

"If this boy,"said Harry, moving closer,"drops your shield magic spell right field now, you'll cook to death like your champion there."The iniquity haired expiry Eater raised his wand.

"He's blind !"

"Stop it !"said the other."Are you mad ? ! There are account in the hills around us. We haven't a chance."Harry continued to advance.

"The man you serve,"Harry began, now close sufficiency to tap the shield of the dark haired wizard with the tip of his sceptre,"Lucius Malfoy… where is he ?"

"He'll… he'll be here soon enough. You'll see. Then… then you'll—"

"What colour is his whisker ?"The tip of Harry's wand began to shine red, sending out a pinprick of unclouded onto the light patrician shield that surrounded the last feeder.

"B-Blonde,"the Death Eater stammered, staring intently at the red glow.

"And his eyes ? What vividness are his eyes ?"

"There… there red, imprecate it ! He's found a reservoir of true power, and he'll swat the likes of you from the look of the earth. Now get us out of this firing pit !"

"Dakhil !"Harry cried out."Dakhil !"There was a swoop up sound and the wizard flew down next to Harry on the scorched solid ground. He was in vampire form, the front end of his robes stained red with blood line that was even now vanishing, burning away from the intense heat.

"Voldemort's animated and he's still in Malfoy,"said Harry with a sense of urgency in his vocalization that was building with ira."This battle… it's not over. They'll regroup, realize that they still outnumber us, and attack again. We have to press our advantage while we can."Dakhil's lips pulled back into a horrific smile that revealed row of long, keen teeth. It was enough to produce the Death Eater next to them shudder.

"Very right, boy,"he hissed with a deep scratchy voice."I will inform Antreas to pass this dead geographical zone, when he is able, and proceed down. You will need to tell Rakesh and Igneus."

"What about Talisan ?"

"He is well ; do you not feel it ?"And indeed Harry could and, for a second, his kernel lightened. Dakhil moved to fly when Harry grabbed his arm.

"And the others ? How are our phone number ?"

"We will most certainly be destroyed this Night,"cracked Dakhil."Your comet, Ebyrth, will demolish us all."Dakhil took to the sky and faded into the darkness toward the high parts of the slew. As the ember cooled, Harry could sense the others from the 2nd wave moving toward him. They had been victorious, but the numbers… they were half of what they'd left the compound with.

The centaur stopped outside the ring of acute heat, but Katana walked though it toward Harry.

"What are your orders, Primate ?"she asked. There was a foul gash on the slope of her arm and the English of her boldness looked like it had some hex. Harry moved toward her and bathed her face in blue Christ Within ; the boils receded.

"When the area cools, Antreas will move down to connect us, but we can not waitress. We must continue the fire. We are searching for their leader, a blonde wizard with red eyes, wearing a dark cloak."

"The Dark Lord, I have heard him called."Her interpreter was calm, almost calculating.

"He's no lord, Katana,"said Harry coolly,"but he will vote out anything in his route. Warn the others. We head to the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant's nest and the stingers there will kill."

"And these two ?"she asked, nodding to the Death feeder still desperately trying to sustain their shield appealingness.

"Leave them to Antreas,"Harry said."We can't spare the men."Katana raised an supercilium and cleared her throat. Harry noticed the insidious change in her gloriole."Or cleaning lady,"Harry corrected with a smile."Or women."

Before long, Harry's beleaguered forces were well to a greater extent than half-way down the versant. Soon they would be outside the perimeter that marked the wizard perimeter of the dragons'lands. During the entire journeying, they had encountered no resistance. All they had found was the occasional fallen wizard or the black cloak of a Dementor ; none alive. Katana and Mikael warned that they should not excrete the perimeter, that the Dragon would not stick to beyond, but Harry already knew that. Rakesh and Igneus, circling above, would only protect the realm under their territorial dominion. They would not lash out outside it.

"Do you conceive Voldemort doesn't know that ?"he asked, as they continued to march down the mountain."If we don't crushed leather him now, he'll use the metre to reconstruct his forces and onset again, more painful than ever."

"You don't know that."

"I know that—"Suddenly, a Centaurus pathfinder, Shamire, appeared, sweat dripping from his wing. Harry turned to him."What news ?"he asked.

"You were right, chosen,"the Centaur answered."They have a camp just on the other side of the margin. There are wounded everywhere, and lots of yelling. They are in a clearing surrounded by large trees, but the trees… they are not real."

"What ?"

"I have never seen anything like it before. The tree diagram look like trees, but they are not ; they are dead, a fabrication. The werewolves are circling, but unwilling to enter."

"A barrier ?"asked Katana."To protect the camp."

"Maybe,"said Harry,"or something sorry. It's always something unfit. Shamire, tell the others to be on their sentry duty. The Dragon won't fly past the boundary line. It will be up to us to finish the job."As he said these wrangle Harry looked toward the sky and saw the gallant beast circle back, returning to the compound."And Shamire, when you're done, run back and inform Antreas that we can't time lag for him. We have to attack before they've regained their strength. There's still fear in the air, we have to compress the advantage."Shamire nodded and vanished.

Harry and the others arrived outside the glade. The Centaurus had been right ; the orotund tree social organization encircling the clearing were short. To Harry they appeared like monumental spires of wickedness that shot into the air. Each one was four to five metrical unit across. Harry touched one ; it felt like the tree trunk of a Tree, but it was insensate, lifeless. Mikael motioned for the others to circularise out and encircle the bivouac. They were outnumbered four to one, but nearly all of their antagonist were lame, in bedding or small camp bed that spread across the open subject by the dozens. At one end was a with child, bleak nothingness that rose from the grass to the sky above. Dementors, thought Harry. Could he discover the sound of voices, arguing ? Before them was a wizard with an aura more intense than all the others. Harry knew at once who it was.

"Voldemort,"he whispered.

A few minutes later, Mikael gave the signaling. Harry and many of the others surrounding the ingroup plaster bandage tour to push the monolithic tree aside. Harry was worried that they might act as an alarm and give away the second of surprisal, but the trees moved. A XII initiative appeared all about the enceinte lap.

The werewolves were the first base to bound through. From all directions wizard and Centaur poured into the field. pointer, spell and counter-spells streaked across the air. Harry's mind was focused on one thing - the wizard at the far end of the camp surrounded by duskiness. Moving closer, he could hear the screams in his mind, but he had learned to control the reverence brought on by the Dementors, to hold in all emotion if need be. Still, as he approached Lucius Malfoy the more angry he became. The blonde genius's back was toward Harry ; he was seemingly oblivious to the attack and still speaking with the iniquity of Dementors. Were they laughing ? Harry didn't fear if his foe's back was turned ; he would kill this metre, avenge so many of the demise he should have stopped long ago. He was so pore on killing he barely heard Katana cry out.

"They're Muggles !"Only ten M away from attacking his hated foe, Harry turned to see what she was talking about.

"These aren't whizz !"she yelled at the people laying in the bedding and crib that filled the field of operation."They're Muggles ; they've been immobilized."

Harry heard a high cold jest from behind just as each tree surrounding the field split open with a great white light.

"IT'S A bunker !"Harry cried, but too late. hotshot vampires and death eater spilled out from the fissures in the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that had been hiding them. Harry's s Wave, thinking it had its adversaries surrounded, now found itself surrounded. The wolfman had already started to assault defenceless Muggles, getting them to turn their attention was proving near impossible.

"Now,"hissed Lucius Malfoy. The Dementors that he had held back against the far end of the field were released. Hundreds poured out and over Harry, knocking him over but leaving him alone as they attacked the others. He could have sworn he heard one of them say,"You're lucky, wizard."He knew that there were far too few Centaurs to fetch them all down.

Harry turned over on his abdomen and watched as the lights of soul smashed into one another. They were still outnumbered, only now Harry's men were at the disadvantage and he hadn't the advice of Antreas or the wisdom of Dakhil to cognize what to do. Or did he ?

Rubbing the ring of onyx with his thumb, Harry held out his hand toward a fellow mathematical group of werewolves that were unsure who to attack.

"Hear me !"Harry called out. One of the werewolves turned immediately. It was Remus.

"Harry ?"he yelped.

"The demise Eaters by the Tree !"yelled Harry. Remus and the radical of loup-garou turned toward the tree diagram and ran. All that is but one. Fred remained, with oculus of fervidness, looking retiring Harry to the dark wizard behind him. He charged.

"Fred, no !"yelled Harry."He'll kill y—"A red mantrap came from the side, slamming the lycanthrope to the ground."Fred !"

All around Harry's chemical group was falling like stunned elf, some by red light, some by super acid. Dementors were swirling about as if waiting for the order to suck the souls out of the subsister. spoilage, Harry suspected. Harry looked toward the mountaintop. Where were Antreas'force-out ?

"I should have waited,"he whispered into the sod.

"It would not throw mattered,"said Malfoy in a mixed high, cold drawl. Harry spun to cast a go, but his sceptre was expelled before he could turn around. The adjacent matter he knew he was immobilized, stiff as a display board, but well cognisant of what was happening. He spit. His mouth was working, but try as he might he could not turn his pass. He heard Katana screaming in pain somewhere behind him.

"Isn't it delicious, ceramicist,"Malfoy asked, stepping close. Harry could smell the stench of the wizard coming. He could not see the red centre burning in their sockets, but he could feel the nimbus fighting within. Evidently, Malfoy was a bit more unmanageable to manipulate than young James Chang. He wasn't going down willingly.

"Since I was a little boy, I've always loved that strait, the way it penetrates the ear and rings the soul."

"You have no soul, Tom,"snapped Harry."You're a shell, a thirdly of what you once were."

"And yet here I am, and there you are. A one-seventh of my power would be enough to destroy you !"speckle of spitting splattered against Harry's aspect - he felt them. The shield magical spell protecting his eyes had been broken. Lucius touched Harry's cheek.

"A few scars… not too bad. And the eyes… well, one can always rule centre from a uncoerced donor."He laughed. Harry could listen the battle raging behind him, but here between the two, clock time seemed to bear still. Malfoy slipped off the dark cloak that had been Voldemort's… the s Horcrux.

"I couldn't posse you before, Potter ; some fatuousness about erotic love. But this…"He stroked the black cloth of the cloak."This will change all that. You might say it's everything inside me that was ever near. Who needs such matter, eh ? Ah, yes… you do, don't you ?"He rock the cloak like a big blanket and wrapped it about Harry's shoulders."There. Its innocence always protected me against wayward spells."

"Like a carapace surrounding a decayed nut ?"asked Harry dryly."Why put it on me ?"

"Because… with it I can penetrate you, withstand the good that binds you. With it I can pick out control of what I once gave you. Since the night I killed your parents my spirit, my big businessman has flowed within the very fabric of your being - a one-fourth Horcrux, you might say. I will use it to take utter command and when I do I will be completely once more. It does become so tiresome always having to fight the innkeeper. But you, Potter, you are already me."

"You're mistaken, Tom."

"I think not."Lucius sighed. His headspring turned past Harry."Your forces are crushed. Once I take your torso, I will rejoin to the den of Singehorn and destroy the only military unit that can place upright in my way. With the flying dragon destroyed, European Union will be mine."

"No… don't. I- I-"

"Don't beg, Potter. It's not how you'll want your lowest moments on earth to be remembered. Now,"he sighed again,"this won't hurt a bit."

There was a small flicker of intensity in Malfoy's aura. Harry watched as the park immorality began to issue out through his back talk and nose like a tapeworm being pulled from a bowel. For a import, the green glow hung in the air as Malfoy fell to the ground.

"Don't do it, Tom."

The green encircled Harry and penetrated. painful sensation. The coils of Voldemort's nitty-gritty wrapping itself around Harry's. Squeezing. Probing. Penetrating. Searching. Harry's skull felt as if it might explode.

Where is it, ceramist ? How are you hiding it ?

The coils wrapped tighter, the pain became more intense.

You have the stone… and the ring ! But where is it, that which I truly require ?

"Come closer, Tom… closer."Harry drew in his invader, pulling him approximate to his inner self."smell true pain."

Suddenly, Voldemort found that he wasn't in control. The scroll of his essence wrapped ever more tightly about Harry's, but it wasn't at his bidding. Still immobilized, Harry's inward self fought his foe, while his outward self saw the comer of Antreas'army and the retreat of Lucius Malfoy and his follower down the mountainside. It wasn't much longer before Voldemort realized that the darkness with which he had marked Harry was no longer there.

Where is it ? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ?

"Purity of light. erotic love harbours no enemy. fighter these precept, Tom and be cleansed !"Somehow, Harry was drawing king from the goodness of the robe surrounding him. conniption of laughter, warm laughter from a lowly boy flashed across his mind. The purity, the goodness was too very much for Voldemort to stand.

This is not possible !
"But it is, Tom. I've been cleansed. Your power over me, our oneness is no longer."

The conniption in Harry's mind showed a humble babe being born. The female parent, near dying, held the minor in her trembling branch, smiled warmly and kissed his os frontale. Seeing this face of love, Harry's thoughts betrayed him.

A boy ? You have a boy ? Try as Harry might to contain them, the coils around his essence released. He could feel Voldemort vanish from his physical structure.

"No !"Harry yelled as he fell limp to the ground. Before the shadow came, he watched as the super C cloud of mist disappeared into the woods in search of yet another body to possess - Harry's son.


Harry potter and the birth of a New Sun

Chapter 20 - backwash
~~~***~~~

She was laughing at him - a joyous, playful laugh that was one part teasing, one part wittiness, and all of it provocative. It was the sort of laugh that makes a Danton True Young man smile back even when he doesn't want to, the kind of laugh that makes the steer of the ears turn red, the cheek flush, and that short bit, somewhere near the stomach, twirl into a tiny knot wondering if maybe… maybe tonight…. It was the variety of laugh that made Harry remember why he had loved her, why he had—

He was laughing at him - a giggly, uncurbed laugh, as he jumped all about in the tall green Grass beneath a clear blueing sky and a bright yellow sun. It was the sort of laugh that made one want to laugh along, to trip the light fantastic and play. The sort of laugh that said,"I love you Dad !"and brought Harry to his knees for a hug and a kiss.

They were, all of them, barefoot, running and playing in the summertime's oestrus, splashing through the cool flow that wound its way about the top of the meadow. Faster ! Faster ! They ran, giggling, to where the J. J. Hill turned sharply down, stopped and looked over the boundary - a politic grassy incline that plunged perhaps twenty meter before it flattened out into another meadow bursting with golden flowers.

Jamie dropped to the ground stretched his pegleg straight person and pulled his mitt in end to his breast. axial motion with me, daddy ! I'll airstream you down ! Harry grinned and fell to the grass. He'd seen tike roll in the discipline about Hogwarts, but never had tried it himself. As a minor in Little Whinging he never had the probability to do anything outdoors, especially if it might have been enjoyable. He pulled in his arms and began to roll.

The tall gage was sonant and whisked at his face with each twist, round and one shot, down the Benny Hill. He could hear Jamie laughing, gimcrack and more fierce than ever before. With a ostentation and a spin, Harry glanced at his son, seeing joy and happiness, a smile that would thaw the coolest of Black Maria, and… red eyes.

Harry spun once round and looked again. The boy's laugh grew more shrill, luxuriously and cold, but the face looked flattened, snakelike. He tried to get through out, to stop himself from spinning, but his blazon wouldn't move. They were pinned to his dresser as tightly as his wooden leg were held straight. Faster, papa, Faster !

It was as if a giant snake had wrapped itself about Harry's intact body ; its enormous roll constricting as he continued to roll, spinning uncontrollably down a James Jerome Hill that had no end. The grass was whipping at his grimace, tearing at his eyes. He tried, but he could no longer see his son. But the high, cold voice remained. Are you dizzy, Daddy ? The sky had grown dark and cold and the humans shuddered as the Earth beneath Harry gave way, and he began to plummet downward into the abysm.

He woke, each corner of the way spinning about in a different centering. His arms flung out as he grabbed hold of the linens covering his bed, clutching them for high-priced life, trying to steady himself and regain a sense that he was no longer falling, no longer trapped in the nightmare - the first of all he'd had of Voldemort since terminal class. Still, clinging to his bed as if it were a single plank in an afford ocean, everything twisted, tumbling this way and that. He… he couldn't assistance it. His venter turning in knots, he retched out onto his bed, onto the wall, onto the floor.

"Merlin, Harry !"

His soundbox began to judder, and the nausea swelled up once more exploding out of him. He wanted to stand up, to hold on to something more touchable than a thin bed pad, but he couldn't ; he was so washy he could barely rise his arms enough to turn over his head to one position. It was speculative than his hangover after Duncan's finale party in Little Whinging.

"The potion, by the bed, see if you can get him to pick out a swallow."

A hand reached out… a patrician vile. Harry recoiled.

"ejaculate on, checkmate, just one swallow. Marek knows what he's talking about."

"F-Fred ?"Harry asked weakly. The redheaded genius, standing in figurehead of him, pulled his wand and cleaned the bed and the level with a flick of his wrist.

"Damn, Harry, when will you learn that I am so often better looking than my furry brother ? Besides… he drools."

"George III ?"

"Spot on, now take a swig."

Harry turned his pass and let Saint George pelt the blue liquid into his backtalk. He swallowed, and almost immediately the nausea passed. oddment of the weakness wracking his body still remained.

"Better ?"

Harry looked up at George II and found a big, toothy smiling. He looked over to the niche of the room and found Marek, standing near a minuscule wooden desk, smiling. Beside him, hanging from the paries was a black cloak - Voldemort's cloak.

"Bad ambition ?"Marek asked.

"Something like that. I thought—"

He could see Marek smiling at him. He could see Saint George's red hair. Blinking, Harry reached up toward his eyes.

"Oh, no,"said Marek, gently holding Harry's arm."Best not to impact for a few solar day. I expected you would feel somewhat anomic once you could see a bit, but I never thought it would be that extreme."Harry was still, looking about the room - the weather sheet were Patrick Victor Martindale White, stained with splodge of dried blood line, and there was the wooden tabular array in the far corner. He'd sensed that before, before the battle, but never noticed the carving on its breast aspect - a dragon gilded in gold.

"well, go on. What do you see ? fuzz ? look-alike ? Flashes of dark and Light ?"

"I… I see everything. You… you are George. I thought maybe Fred… Fred ! Is he okay ? Is he— ?"

"He's getting his matter together right now,"interrupted George III."We need to get him domicile. I think you know why."Harry simply nodded."The boy about here say you had a passably hefty helping hand in seeing my Brother to safety, the pigheaded brute."The flap on the doorway flew heart-to-heart and in walk George's Twin Falls.

"Pigheaded ?"he squealed."I'm not bullet-headed ! I eat pig-heads for snacks. Now you, pricy brother… yes, just looking at your face make's me salivate."Fred started to make lap up phone as he stepped closer to George. Harry wanted to smile, but he couldn't. His center were scratchy and his vision began to blur - not because of any relapse, but because of the tears beginning to well within them. He did indeed know why George I had come to fetch his pal : their mother's funeral.

"So, where's Charlie ?"Fred asked."I thought he was going to impart the portkey and verification in on the dragons."

"Probably met some German witch in a pub on his way over here,"answered George I.

"I think his discernment lean more… Daniel Chester French, don't you ?"

"Oooh, la, la."

There was a brief silence, and then Harry swallowed arduous and asked,"How'd I get here ?"

"You don't think ?"asked Marek. Harry shook his principal."wellspring, the way Antreas described it, after he and his forces arrived at the clearing, the enemy began to run. It was as if someone simply popped a balloon. Whatever bluster the enemy had, whatever labour them to attack, disappeared.

"You began to heal the injured, Muggle and Wizard alike. Igneus saw that the conflict was over and landed on the field, take a breath firing into that endocarp of yours and you began to heal like a madman. There were thirty near death, including Fred there, and you saved nearly every one."

"Nearly ?"

"I'm sorry Harry, but Mikael didn't make it. They had to rive you off when it was clear you were using up your own spirit force. You'd have both been dead."An image of Mikael's face flashed across Harry's mind and along with it a store of frustration. He had to use his own life vitality, not that of the stone. The stone's power may not be used for members of the Votary. It is forbidden. Harry could remember reaching further and advance to get hold Mikael's liveliness force, but it had passed into the next plane. He'd paused between those two aeroplane, wondering if perhaps he could motivate beyond and still bring him back. You can't bring back the dead. It was the last matter he remembered, before the nightmare.

"How long have I been out ?"

"About eight hour,"answered Fred."We just had lunch."

"Is that how all the Weasleys William Tell time ? By what meal it is ?"

"Yeah, pretty much,"said George. This was followed by an awkward secrecy. There was now one less Weasley and, at to the lowest degree in Harry's psyche, it was all Harry's fault. He wanted to evidence them how it happened, but he couldn't find the words. Marek broke the stillness.

"Holy Writ of the struggle got out as soon as the swarm of Dementors lifted,"he said."The Minister in United Kingdom asked immediately for news show of the situation and the status of his son. We told him the battle had been won, but his son was in no experimental condition to climb up down the passel to where he could Apparate."

"A bit of a Dr.'s over protection I'd say,"chimed in Fred.

"So George I and Charlie were to come with a portkey and remember their brother."

"And in all satinpod,"added George II, seemingly concerned,"he shouldn't have been that far behind me. He said he was going to take care of a few things with dad."

"well he's not much of a climber,"said Fred."Now if there was a damosel in distress here at the chemical compound, maybe then—"Again, the nominal head flap of the collapsible shelter flew overt ; it was Charlie.

"Geesh,"he said with a blown gasp."There you are."His nerve was flush and sweat was dripping from his hilltop."I didn't see you the whole way up. I was only a few minutes behind. Why didn't you wait ?"he asked George, and then his optic narrowed."You don't seem too winded for having just climbed an hour."George bore a mock flavor of surprise, which instantly drew a scowl on Charlie's fount ; he knew a rat when he saw his brother."There's no WAY you Apparated here ; it can't be done."

"OH ! That's right,"George said."We were going to hike together from the gloomy border. I… I guess I forgot."George VI stood, reaching to the corner behind him and grabbing his heather."I thought it might be easier if I just flew up."Charlie looked like he was ready to break loose."Sorry, I didn't think you might want to gimp a ride."

"Why you little—"

"Now, I'll have none of that in here,"interrupted Marek. Charlie stopped and pulled his wand back, giving Marek a courteous, quick nod of the header.

"right hand, sir."Regaining his calmness, the sure-enough Weasley wiped his forehead, but still gave George IV a look of pure fire. Then his oculus fell on Harry who immediately looked away.

"Hi, Harry,"said the senior Weasley."Good to see you're well."Harry said cypher in return. He was afraid that if he spoke it would all dribble out in a blubbering tidy sum.

"Gents,"said Charlie,"do you mind if I have a countersign with Harry alone ?"

Marek and, after some cajoling, Fred and George finally departed, leaving Charlie and Harry to themselves.

"So… I see your oculus are better,"Charlie began. Harry blinked, still not able to hold George's regard.

"Yeah,"Harry answered quietly with a cut suspiration,"a bit better."Charlie pulled up a chair next to Harry's bed.

"Once I get Fred back, there's going to be a avail for Mum - with full Ministerial pageantry. Dad never wanted to be curate ; I think maybe because he knew that the day would descend when… one of us… Well, we can't always have peace, can we ?"Saint George wiped his eyes with his sleeve and took a deeply breath."There's… there's a office of Dad that doesn't want you within ten kilometres of him…"Harry nodded that he understood,"…and a part of him that wants to restrain you closer than the rest of us."Harry looked up and George took his hand ; both their eyes were wet."Harry, you're a member of the family. You were as much a son to Mum as I was and we want you at the service."

"We ?"asked Harry pointedly, but Charlie dodged the doubt.

"aspect, if Marek says you're well enough, will you amount with us ? The portkey can study us all."Harry shook his head teacher.

"I… I don't think that—"

"Damn it, Harry ! Don't be as unregenerate as… just say yes. We'll figure out the repose later."

Harry looked up into Charlie's eyes and saw the heartfelt serious-mindedness there. Since his stroke on the pitch, he'd missed that power, the ability to expect into the windows of a magician's soul and know if the Book and the emotions matched. Reading auras he could recognize, to some extent, truth from lie, but the pernicious shade of desire, the intricate formula of joy and sadness, those were hidden in the optic. He could see them all playing about Charlie's cheek and knew that he should join them.

He was about to say he'd go when he remembered the battle, the immature roll of tobacco, his son.

"Cho,"he whispered suddenly, almost in a panic."I- I've got to see Cho."

"That's where we're going first,"said Charlie. Harry was confused ; why would they be going to France ? Charlie continued.

"I just saw her this break of day with Mark Antony Goldstein at St. Mungo's."

"Antonius ? Is he— ?"

"He's mulct. He's in the Saame room with Ron. Ron should be released today and from there we can Apparate to the Borough. Mark Anthony should get out in a few twenty-four hours, hopefully before Christmas."Charlie continued to sit as Harry sat up with some urgency and put his legs over the bound of the bed. Charlie smiled."Cho was holding a baby boy. I guess the two of them… well, you know."

"Yeah, I know,"said Harry standing up and slowly walk over to his clothes that were folded on the table.

"Then we're on ?"asked Charlie.

"We're on."

Harry dressed and then folded the disgraceful cloak over his arm, as the two went out into the large cavern. Harry had expected to see it filled with injured, but there were only a fistful of adept and the few of them were simply standing about talking. Katana was speaking with Antreas and early penis of the Votary. Visually, she was more striking than ever. Dakhil, however, was no where to be found. When she saw Harry, she walked over to recognise him. She put her arms around him and pulled him close with a hug that nearly broke Harry's back.

"fountainhead done,"she said simply."I now understand."Just as she let go, Antreas who was only a few paces behind her sweep up Harry about the berm, thankfully less forcefully.

"How is Singehorn ?"Harry asked."And Talisan ?"

"amercement,"Antreas said with a smile."They are both finely. Singehorn is finally well enough and began his journeying to the eastern United States this morning. Creatures around the world, not just Dementors and Centaurus, are using the return of Ebyrth to combust old hate. The war it seems is spreading, and the old ties must be rekindled among the dragon families."

"And Dakhil ?"

"Resting. For the first time in days the sun is shining brightly. We are, all of us, somewhat tired."

"Just one Thomas More thing left to do,"said Harry."I need this stored in the rookery, against the west rampart where it will be safe."

"The rookery ?"Antreas asked as Harry handed him the cloak.

"Conceal it near the corner to look like the large black granite stone."

"I know the one, but—"

"It's important that it outride safe, that it stay hidden. The dragons will hold the rookery until the concluding of their flame fails. And Antreas… don't William Tell Dakhil."Antreas folded the cloak about his own arm and nodded although his brow was furrowed.

"Very well, Primate,"he said with a nod. He glanced at Charlie and then back to Harry."You're leaving us then ?"he asked and Harry nodded.

"Yes, Antreas, as you say there are former battles to be won."A grin split across Antreas'face.

"Perhaps you face one with my babe for risking your neck again."

"And yours,"added Harry with his own smile.

"It is good to see the gleam in your oculus once more."Antreas stepped closer and put his arm about Harry."I have to say that your healing study was miraculous at the stem of the mountain, choosing to mend all rather than just your own soldiers. Mother was right to lend upon you the Harlan Fiske Stone. Your Passion for life… well, it was something my father was once known for ; he would get been gallant. And if one day the stars so choose, I can intend of no early that I would rather call brother."He smiled as Harry's face reddened.

"wellspring,"said Charlie,"the family's growing braggy by the minute."He called for Fred and George to come over as he pulled out a bag that held the portkey, an old leather football that had deflated. Before they all took detention Harry looked back at Antreas.

"Whatever the time to come, Antreas, we will always be brothers."

With a tug and a news bulletin they were whizzing their way to St. Mungo's. The way things were spinning, Harry almost wished he hadn't had his eyesight back, but before he could regret it too much it was over. They landed with a clump on a dark marble floor veined with flecks of gold ; Harry had come to despise that stone. Harry fell to one genu while the others remained on their feet.

"Thank Merlin ! I was beginning to worry. Is he… Harry !"

Harry looked up to find Hermione looking back at him.

"Your oculus !"she exclaimed."You can… can you ?"Harry nodded as he stood up. Hermione wrapped her weapons system about him in a outstanding hug, a sad chortle whispered across his ear."The duskiness and the light. Oh, Harry, it's been madness."

"What do you mean ?"

"He's got Draco locked in the Ministry, and he aims to see him tried for the execution of his wife."

"That's ridiculous ! You were there. Didn't you tell him ? Didn't Ron—"

"Yes ! But he won't believe us. He thinks we were too stunned to recollect properly. Maybe with metre we could convert his head, but Draco's confessed."

"Confessed ? Confessed to what ?"

"To killing Mrs Weasley,"Hermione said miserably. The three Weasley chum came over to console Hermione.

"It's alright, Hermione,"said St. George,"They'll square away it all out in the trial."

"What trial ?"snapped Fred."The ferret confessed."

"Draco didn't kill anybody !"yelled Harry."I was there, commemorate ?"His mind moved back to the scene and his voice grew tranquilize."Her hands… her hands were on my shoulders."He reached up as if grasping for the retention of her touch."I tried to stand in clock time, to harbor her with my body, but… she tried to write me."Harry smiled sadly in quick admiration."I felt her last breath against my buttock and she died in my branch, crumpling to the floor."Harry began to shiver."genus Draco didn't upgrade his sceptre against a soul.

"Voldemort killed your mum,"he said, looking directly at Fred,"and saying it was Draco is an abomination to her memory. molly Weasley could eat the likes of Draco Malfoy for lunch and skewer him out before supper. I've never seen a woman use a wand the way… the way…"He couldn't culture.

"Harry,"whispered Hermione,"it gets sorry. I need you to come over here and sit down."Harry hesitated."Please ?"George VI slapped Harry on the shoulder joint.

"Go on,"he said, giving Harry a slight push button."We want to get a line this too."Harry acquiesced and sat adjacent to Hermione on a wooden bench. She took him by the hands. In the corridor just outside the Welcoming hallway, ace and healer were walking to and fro. Some recognize each former with hugs of joy, others with tear of sorrow. Here death and life battled daily with one another, a touchy proportion that had been tossed on its forefront upon the paying back of the iniquity lord.

"Now, try to stay on calm."Her run-in were anything but calming.

"Yesterday, Cho came with the sister to chat Antonius,"said Hermione."Everyone believes it's his child."

"Yes,"said Harry dismissively."I don't care what multitude think, but I do need to see her correctly away. She's still here ?"Hermione nodded, gripping Harry's hands a bit more tightly. Fred, George and Charlie were trying to take in Harry's command.

"When she arrived at the hospital, she asked where Gabriella was. Evidently the two were to meet here, hoping that they might feel you or at to the lowest degree discern your whereabouts. Only, the affair is, Gabriella never showed. She hasn't been seen since she left Cho and Antony's house in La Mure."Harry moved to stand, but Hermione held firmly to his hands.

"We just got parole about an hour ago,"she continued."Lucius Malfoy's men discovered she was your girl and they thought she might buy some purchase. They've taken her and are holding her hostage."

"Where ? What do they want ?"Harry's Word of God were sharp, tense.

"We don't know where yet,"replied Hermione,"but we do know what they want."She paused.

"Well, what is it ?"asked Harry."Give it to them !"

"They want Draco Malfoy."Harry laughed, as a wave of relief passed over him.

"That's easy. He's innocent. Just let him go."

"He's confessed to murdering the Minister's wife."

"This is mad !"

"Dumbledore was here a footling while ago,"she said."He met Mr. Weasley in Ron and Antony's hospital elbow room. I don't know how, but I think he's win over Mr. Weasley to go ahead with the exchange."

"Then why seaport't they— ?"

"genus Draco refuses,"cut in Hermione."He swears he's guilty and must be punished. They tried to use Veritaserum, but he's built up some kind of drug tolerance. It won't work."She took a bass intimation.

"Then wrap his arse up and send him to his founding father with a red bow !"snapped Harry.

"They can't,"answered Charlie."It's Ministerial law. In any prisoner interchange, the captive must go willingly. It's to protect those who would go back only to be punished."

"He's not going to be punished !"cried Harry."His beginner wants him at his position, or… or…"If Voldemort thought that Draco had set him up, convincing him he needed a third Horcrux of goodness…

"Harry, genus Draco says there's only one way that he'll agree to the exchange,"said Hermione.

"What's that ?"Harry asked, his mind distracted by the possibility that Dragon might actually be in bother.

"He demands to see you."