Harry Potter and The nativity of a New Sun

Chapter 6 - Too Close an Encounter

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When Harry shut the door to his room and descended the stairs he was, perhaps, the happiest he had ever been in all his life. The sun sent golden rays streaking through the coloured windowpane above and cast a golden figure on the floor below, tinged with sufficiency red to piss Harry think fleetingly of Fawkes. His fuzz a tangled raft, he was wearing a T-shirt, boxers and socks, one with a rather with child hole through which the declamatory toe on his right foot protruded. He scratched his stomach as his nose took in the scent of something that resembled the olfaction of burning ham. He took one tone down and turned to look back at his room. His room ? His house ? No, not really. Not anymore. And he was grateful for that and smiled all the more as the aroma of unfermented java filled the air, perhaps the lonesome matter Sothis could ready properly.

When he pushed open the door to the kitchen of phone number 12, Grimmauld Place, he found Dog Star working feverishly in straw man of the stove. His wand was casting spell after trance, not so a lot at the food preparation, but in an sweat to clear the smoke that was billowing throughout. Harry walked over and turned down the fire with a wave of his hand.

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

"No, really, I wanted to make up you breakfast. You know, first day of school day and all."He cracked an egg and put both liquid and eggshell in the same bowlful and started mixing it with his scepter. Harry chuckled kindly and escape from his head in disbelief. It was great being barren of Privet crusade, to be here with his godfather, to feel wanted and revalue. It was probably the first time he had ever opened a package of bacon for breakfast without a sour taste in his sassing. He gave Sirius a look that said,"Get literal,"and then positioned himself squarely in front end of the stove.

"I'm not bad at this,"offered Harry, cracking four eggs at once into a roll 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."Sirius seemed to like the challenge, and the mind that he would be spending Christmas with Harry.

"You know,"said Sothis pouring two cups of burnt umber,"I hear New York is spectacular at Christmas clock time. Have you ever been to the province ?"Harry shook his headway."Maybe we could go for a quick visit."

"I promised Gabri—"

"sojourn,"Sirius cut in."That's all. Maybe Gab can total along."

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

"Or if the war's over by then,"suggested Sirius with more optimism. Harry nodded plating the intellectual nourishment and levitating the photographic plate to the table.

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

"Then I go as well,"she declared, and she began to throb slightly. The cerebration sent a cold chill down Harry's spine as the warm coffee tree slipped down his throat.

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

"That black stuff you fried up over there on the side is bacon ; at least it used to be."

Canicula poked at it a few times, and then finally took a sting. His cheek took on a flimsy bitterness tone as it scrunched ever so slightly, then he took another bite, shrugging his shoulder joint. His teeth and knife covered in charcoal he said,"You'd salutary get ready. Is your trunk packed ?"He glanced at the hourglass on the counter.

"Er… yeah,"Harry lied."Just a few more than things."He levitated his plate to the sink which was piled gamey with pots and pans from the endure few days."Do you want me to take forethought of these before I—"

"I'll take care of it,"Sothis lied."Go get yourself ready."Harry shrugged and nodded his head, and started up the steps, once again scratching his stomach and knowing full fountainhead it would be days, perhaps weeks, before the sinkhole was cleared.

It was foreign really, getting ready for his finish year at Hogwarts. So often he was rushed in the hustle and fuss of the Weasley class. This year, however, Harry wanted to be with his own kinfolk — Sothis blackamoor. And it was the dependable decision he'd ever made. It had only been a few days, but in that short time Sirius and Harry did absolutely… nothing. There were opportunity to utter about the old solar day when Sirius palled around with James ; there were chances to drill gain ground spells or learn the operation of some of the favourable instrumental role that still lined the wall in the blackamoor family study ; there were times when they could have discussed how Harry brought Sirius back from behind the drapery ; and at every twist, at every open door, Harry and Sirius simply took the clip to bask each other in the here and now. They played Bromus secalinus ; the fiddle posting ; they raced Caduceuses across the British capital sky at night ; they drank, probably too a good deal ; and they laughed more than than they had laughed in a long, long time. Dog Star'optic had never been brighter, and Harry's heart had never been lighter.

This time when Harry readied himself at the battlefront threshold to leave, there was no dark cloud hanging over their headway, but rather an eager excitement about the year to total and what it would fetch. They drew strength from each other knowing that whatever war was around the corner, whatever wickedness rose on the horizon, they would face up it together. For a second they just stared at each other and around the room.

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

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

They held each other for more than a moment and then Sirius whispered in a somewhat raspy phonation,"Be careful."Harry pulled away wearing an tremendous smile.

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

He Apparated to an out of the way location just down the street from King's Cross station and began walking. The late morning was straighten out, and he was surprised to find the air so cold. He'd been spending so a lot meter inside with Dog Star he hadn't thought much about the weather. His coat was in his trunk, and he didn't palpate much like opening that in the midriff of a street filled with Muggles. He shivered, rubbed his arms, and continued on his way. He was coming to the first steps of the station when a beggar boldly stepped in front of him demanding a contribution. Wearing a good three days'stubble, his wearing apparel were filthy, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Come on, partner,"he wheezed."Just a pound fer me consideration. I ain't eatin'in days."

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

"Surely a schilling ?"

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

"I can hear the jingle in yer pants, boy !"It was on-key that Harry had a few galleons in his pocket, but no Muggle money of any form. 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 drunk, stepping toe-to-toe with Harry. The batch was a bit funny since Harry was not the little kid he once was. Indeed he was a buirdly young man, and he stood a unspoilt four inch taller than his antagonist. Curling the fingers on his right bridge player, he was about to say just what he'd do when a comrade tingling ran up his pricker. He grabbed for his sceptre, but too late. Or at to the lowest degree it would have been if he had been the target. The drunk stood motionless, eye glazed, consistence frozen in position. Harry looked up just as a deal gently took him by the arm.

"Sorry about that, sir,"said a Whitney Young man not a good deal sure-enough than Harry."I… er… I wasn't paying attention. Won't happen again, I promise."

The man, still in his stripling, wore a dark hoary courtship with lean wild blue yonder piping, a burgundy tie and white shirt. The sorry Methedrine reminded Harry of old James II Bond movies, but the white tennis place with red laces told Harry at once he was dealing with a hotshot. Then he noticed the shape of the jaw, the vox, but the hair—

"Finnius ?"Harry asked, wondering if he was talking to the former headspring Boy of Hufflepuff who at graduation had a start at a whiskers and hair that hung down to his shank."I thought you were going to start a band ? The… er, The Grindly Gutters ?"

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

"Why ? What's the matter ?"

"Well… see, I'm supposed to—"

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

Finnius pulled Harry by the arm just as the drunk began to come to his smoke. Quickly, they climbed the steps and found themselves in a sea of people heading to their platforms at King's Cross. perspiration was popping out on Finnius'forehead and Harry wondered if he hadn't wet himself he looked so flighty."It's just… well, I promised Tonks and already I've made a mess 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 program nine and three-quarters holding Harry with his right handwriting and wiping his eyebrow with his left.

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

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

"Ah, here we are."They were at the platform."Just in time 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 incline standing just in figurehead of the Hogwarts Express. Harry dropped his trunk, reached for his scepter and started back toward the wall when he was tackled from the English. The flashbulb of raven total darkness hair in his human 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 agitation."What's wrong ?"And then she too looked at the paries to the external world."Who's out there ?"

The frustration on Harry's face was net ; he was about to charge back out when his optic caught something he had never before seen : Neville Longbottom was hugging his parents, Frank and Alice, sayonara. Alice held his face in her manpower and planted a big wet kiss on his cheek. They were all smiles as Neville wiped it with his sleeve. Then frankfurter Longbottom handed his son something and, as Neville wrapped his fingers about the object, a more serious look came into his oculus. His dad slapped him on the articulatio humeri and a fragile grinning appeared again as Neville boarded the train.

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

Harry looked at Gabriella, then at the wall behind, and back to the gear, then back to the wall."seed on, let's—"

"ALL ABOARD !"the conductor called.

"James Dean said he'd save us a spot,"said Gabriella, taking hold of Harry's hand. Harry took one finish look at the paries behind them, and then the two boarded the caravan. The corridor was crowded with pupil, particularly inaugural years who were completely confused. What was detectable, however, was that the rule dividing line of house zone seemed to be somewhat blurred. There were Slytherins purposefully mixing in with Ravenclaws near the movement of the train, and a chemical group of third year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors in another bearing playing snapshot. A few cars down Harry just caught a glimpse of someone in Gryffindor cloak disappearing into a carriage 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 bouquet filling the air.

"Oh,"said Harry."Sorry."Neville had Helen up against the wall and there was some sorting of vine with finespun pink flowers wrapping itself around her arm and abdomen. She was wearing a smiling and blushing slightly."Er… seen Dean ?"Neville who seemed about three inch taller than when Harry lowest 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 sceptre Neville shut the door in Harry's case, following that with a magical spell that sealed it tight. Gabriella just raised her supercilium and smiled.

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

They continued moving forward past diverse carriages when the news bulletin of red tomentum 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, account book and versatile things Harry knew to be Ron's, most notably by the overabundance of socks.

"Honestly, Ronald,"said Hermione in a lambaste spokesperson as if talking to a four yr old."If you don't chance it soon you'll have to tell prof Flitwick, and if you won't I will."

"Is that a threat ?"shot back Ron, holding both paw on his pelvic girdle and kicking at the pile of dress on the flooring. Gabriella walked in first.

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

"No, nothing's untimely,"snapped Ron immediately."Er… hey, fellow !"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…"

"rich person you tried summoning it ?"asked Harry, starting to rummage through the clothes on the perambulator floor. The nerve look of fire in Ron's optic said that they had certainly tried that and many other thing and would hassle just not make any early suggestion because Hermione has already made every potential prompting known in the Wizarding worldly concern 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 join me and perhaps together we can solve this little problem."Knowing Hermione's inclination toward Nott, Harry wondered if it was a wise estimate to put the two in close proximity, but Gabriella may have been on to something. Certainly Nott would have the motivation to pull 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 more looking at Ron before she left and said,"And don't you stop looking !"The moment the young lady departed, Ron flopped down on the carriage bench and blew the hair out of his eyes.

"Bloody hell."

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

"smell at us, Harry,"said Ron with a whimsical look on his nerve, tinged with a bit of sourness."We were here six yr ago, you and me. Do you remember ?"

There was a mo of quiet as Harry watched the countryside slip-up by. It wasn't the Same gear as six years ago, but it might as well feature been.

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

"thing 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 potter, The Boy Who Lived, and I was Ron Weasley with a smudge of dirt on my nose."

"That's not—"

"Now we're both of age and you're Harry ceramist, protector, shielder and Emissary, the superstar that destroyed Voldemort and brought peace with the titan, and I'm Ron Weasley the kid that can't line up his BLOODY WAND !"At the live on words he stood up, kicked at the wall, and put his boot all the way through.

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

"Was that you, Ron ?"asked Saint Patrick brightly, nodding his chief 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—"

"Patrick,"cut in Ron, doing his considerably to stay on calm,"we don't have time to—"

"Prob'ly mad ‘ bout losin'this,"interrupted Patrick, and he held up Ron's wand. For a minute Ron sputtered, unable to talk. Finally, he grabbed the wand and pulled it close, cradling it like a infant as a wave of relief passed over his body.

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

"Oh, I didn't,"said Patrick,"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 okey, kid."At final Ron smiled as he slipped his wand away.

"Why don't you and King James I stay in here,"offered Harry."I haven't heard from the Yangtze all summertime and was wondering how Cho was doing."At these words, 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 James II was going to start Gryffindor this year. He knows he can piece 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 drogue with his hired man and sitting down on the bench.

"Yeah, it was."

"Why on world would anybody prefer Slytherin over Gryffindor ? Everyone knows they're nothing but a bunch of—"

"Yes ?"Gabriella stood at the surface door, her digit drumming against the frame.

"Er…."

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

"He didn't require it too well when we asked if he'd stolen Ron's wand,"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 mark Good Book or raise his voice,"said Hermione."Quite the gentleman's gentleman for a change."

"Being nearly killed can do that to some masses,"said Ron.

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

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

"There, you see !"said Gabriella,"Another okay example. William James was one of the better first year students as I recall."Ron pulled out his baton and looked at it closely.

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

"Oh, don't be ridiculous,"said Hermione, slapping his hand. Then she turned to Harry, trying hard to brush off the raft on the floor."So how's Sirius doing at Grimmauld Place ?"

The hour passed quickly as lunch came and the late afternoon brought drooping palpebra to everyone. doyen never made his way back to the carriage, and they never endeavoured to move further up the train. They were all nodding off to sleep when the power train began to slow.

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

"No,"said Hermione with a bit of care."It's too early."They all noticed the last word leave her lips in a puff of smoke -- the air was growing colder by the secondment. They knew at once what was happening and each had their wand at the ready. The darkness outside the train filled with flashes of ignitor. Ministry guards had moved out to match the onslaught which was centred toward the movement of the train. Incantations filled the air as Patronus after Patronus was being sent out against the attacking Dementors. There were screams all up and down the corridors, mostly from the youngest students.

"Ron,"said Hermione with a dominate spokesperson."Help me gather the first years."Ron was up in a flash, and a second later his voice was barking orders down the corridor for everyone to remain simmer down, calling for the first years to muster up at the galley. Students began to go toward the back of the train, away from the fighting.

"They're looking for you, Harry,"said Gabriella, holding her wand at the window. She cast a while at the Methedrine, protecting it from attack, just as former Windows began to shatter about the train.

"well they're about to receive 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 train as a—"The train lurched forward causing collective screaming all up and down the corridor. Then it began to move -- chug… choo-choo… chug… choo-choo… She was quickly gathering upper. There was another stir of shining Stanford White flashes of brightness level casting against the dark, and the good afternoon light suddenly reappeared and the warmth returned. Everyone cheered as the veil of duskiness became zippo more than a shadow swarm on the horizon behind the train.

A look of relief counterpane across Gabriella's face, but duskiness still remained in Harry's middle as he reached and grabbed the wrist of the hand that was holding his arm. Slowly, but firmly he pulled her hand away, and looked at her with a very dingy expression. She sensed his emotions before he said the words and she didn't like what she was feeling. Finally, he spoke in a backside and heat up voice.

"Don't EVER do that again."

"But—"

There was a scream that Harry knew at once to be Ginny's. In a flash he was out the threshold and down the corridor, only a whole tone ahead of Neville Longbottom, and two footprint behind Ron. Ginny was on her knees in the carriage, break off chicken feed everywhere and rent streaming down her eyes. She grabbed her brother by his sleeve.

"Do something, Ron !"she cried out."They've taken him. They've taken James Byron Dean !"

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

"Oh, no,"she whispered, stepping yesteryear Harry and turning Dean to present them all. There was a collective gasp. Still breathing, his eyes were white, his font sunken, and his tegument almost pale. He gave them no reaction at all. Ginny stood up and wrapped him in her arm, rocking him back and forth. On her finger was the reverberate doyen had given her the year before. The firestone with which it was set had lost its brilliant radiance, its ardour, 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 lost soul

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Harry clenched his fists and spat,"Fucking war."Other than that, only the rumbling of the caravan and the wind whistling through the shatter window accompanied Ginny's mother fucker. He stepped adjacent to Gabriella and watched helplessly as Ginny, a soul mate if ever he had one, rocked back and Forth River with doyen in her weapon. Dean, breathing but lifeless, made no reception. He might as well be a remains - he'd be skillful off. Harry felt the rage edifice within, but something was tempering it, something was focusing it. He gazed into nothingness as roll of tobacco streamed by the broken window and a bout 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 nerve and nodded silently. mortal, a girlfriend, screamed at the door and then ran down the corridor yelling for service.

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

"It won't do any proficient,"thought Harry to himself, reaching for his verge and then nervously fiddling it with his digit. Then, out loud, he whispered,"He's gone."The rage roiled in his head as he watched the green J. J. Hill roll by - a picture perfect tense day. Finally, his judgment found its lucidity."This was past forgiveness,"he thought to himself and his bridge player clenched tightly about his verge as he pulled it to the ready."I'll defeat them ! I'll defeat them all !"He would Apparate back down the tracks and destruct every Dementor that moved. He began the wrist crusade when Gabriella grabbed his arm. His eyes scud fire into hers."I told you—"he began.

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

"I don't deal 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 !"

scepter began to seem from everyone.

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

Harry's judgement began to backwash ; there was no time for this. The stone ? Was she talking about the Harlan Stone ? Certainly she didn't mean that he could heal dean's person using the Stone."I don't have time—"

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

vox ? voice ! She couldn't be serious. She had wanted to act with him on the vocalism, the gifts of those who had touched him at the connexion, but he chose instead to pass his fourth dimension with Sothis. All those nowadays at the Joining on Singehorn's mountain were, in various ways, a parting of him now. They had shared of themselves freely, but there were so many he couldn't sort them out and time was dripping through his digit.

"I can't."

"You must."

For a moment, as more voices clambered about the corridor for a counterattack on the Dementors, he tried to reach down deep inside, calling to those who had shared of themselves, scanning through numberless memories, snipping of photo that spanned centuries.

"This is inconceivable,"he said with a sigh.

"Come on, Harry ! Let's kill them !"individual called from behind. It was Anthony Goldstein. Very well said, thought Harry, but Mark Antony's Patronus would be lucky to bear on away a one Dementor let alone dozens. Unfortunately, before Harry could say another word, Anthony gave Harry the most peculiar aspect and shouted,"For our kin, checkmate !"There was a pop and Goldstein was gone. It was followed by another pop and another snatch. older students were Disapparating from everywhere.

"wait ! plosive speech sound"Harry yelled."You're… you're not ready !"

"momma's seen them, Harry,"said Gabriella above the picnic and pops."She may know. Think of her… be her !"

Harry closed his eyes once again and focused on Soseh. His mind dwelt on the passion of her hospitality and the smell of her kitchen, but Gabriella turned his mind.

"Coldness. emptiness,"she whispered."The olfactory property of decay, of death."

Images filled Harry's mind. Images of what was, what is, what might be. He saw Dakhil, a much youthful looking Dakhil, rip dripping from the corner of his lip ; 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 absolutely organic structure of Antreas, stab combat injury covering every inch of his bare pectus ; death, and then he saw them.

It was night and the only sound, beyond a lone scream in the darkness, was the raspy breathing spell of the oncoming Dementor. Just a few metrical unit away, a young girl was cowering beneath the cloaked figure. Just to her left was a man, somewhere in his late twenties, a dragon emblazoned on his right forearm. Ignoring the man, the Dementor pulled back his hood revealing its skull-like masque of horror, a turgid hole where perhaps a mouth should be. The visual sensation seemed so genuine Harry tried to reach for his wand, but found his weaponry shackled to a Stone wall.

The girl screamed as the Dementor drew in its breath in a great wheeze. Another scream… another wheeze. On the third gear wheeze, the girl made no strait ; her dull eyes opened, staring blankly up at her attacker. It was then, as if empowered with a second imaginativeness, Harry saw it : the glow. He watched the faint lucky white Light Within being pulled into the hole in the Dementor's orifice. He expected it to disappear into the iniquity, but it didn't. The Dementor pulled his hood up over his skull, but Harry could still perceive the glowing trying to agitate its way out. It was as if the Dementor was shining, backlit by a spotlight from above."I see,"Harry whispered and the darkness rushed away to be replaced by the lights and grumble of the racing Hogwarts Express.

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

"It's the exclusively way, Harry,"she said, still holding his arm."If we find the one in sentence, then… then you use the stone to delineate back James Dean's lifespan force."Everyone looked at the two as if they'd both gone mad. There were footstep racing their way down the corridor. Harry glanced back, knowing that once the Aurors found out about the onset and the flight of the students they'd be blasting Dementors right and left. With one wrongfulness piece, Dean's somebody would be lost forever.

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

On two, they both Apparated back into the darkness. It was as if they had just landed themselves in the midriff of an menacing electric storm that had extinguished the sun. All was lightlessness save for the flashes of lighting - wandlight from the attacking pupil. Harry felt the heat rushing out of his bones and heard the screams in his ears.

"Can - you - see - the - one ?"Harry yelled over the din. His representative held hope, but his mettle had none. There were at least a hundred Dementors swarming about, skimming across the hillside, trying to decide if the recently arrived wizards were to be feared or consumed. Harry saw a Patronus, the contour of an tremendous owl, dip into a group of about a half dozen Dementors and sent them flying. About thirty cubic yard away, near a stand of trees, Goldstein's wand was doing little more than lighting up the small clearing of sens in front of him. A Dementor was closing in on him when three students from Ravenclaw converged, simultaneously casting an Incendio spell and incinerating the creature. Harry's spirit 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 pack. Harry conjured a stag that split the sea of Dementors, if only for a minute, the falling out closing behind the bright beast as it passed through. But in that present 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 heart of the swarm 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 favor the easier prey near the tree diagram and began to move away. He could hear the screeching behind him as Gabriella pulled her verge and uttered something in Armenian. A white radiance enveloped her as if she held a star at the tip of her baton. She pressed on ever forward, her pace gathering speed, but her wand dimming as each new Dementor tried to penetrate its glowing surface.

"haste, Harry !"she called back. The terrain was rockier here and they were moving along the side of a hill and the further they moved along the more absorb the incline grew, making it more hard to pass over. Harry heard a appeal of snaps behind him ; the Aurors had arrived. He looked back at the with child cloud of Dementors unwittingly racing toward the new accumulation of emotions. Just as he turned back to front at Gabriella his foot slipped on a stone and his ankle twisted under his weightiness. He fell to the ground and tumbled a good twenty dollar bill metrical foot down the side of the hill, scraping the side of meat of his leg badly before he came to rest.

He looked up and saw the flickering lambency of Gabriella's wand disappear over the edge of the mound. Three Dementors swarmed over him - it was the last matter they ever did. nigrify blood sprayed all over the ground as Harry blasted his way through, grimacing from the pain in his ankle as he took each foresightful stride. It was then that he realized he hadn't a clew what to do when he came upon the Dementor they wanted. Gabriella had said to use the pit, but how ? And how would he keep the Dementor from simply fleeing ? His ankle joint throbbing, Harry past another large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and came up over the face of the pitcher's mound. The ground opened up beneath him, running down maybe twenty K and then spreading out into a vast plain that stretched on until it disappeared into the dank mist of wickedness. Sunlight was trying to penetrate the hazy swarm of blackness casting an eerie red glow over the green landscape before him. It was then when his kernel sank.

Just at the end of his imagination, Harry could see the flickering glow of Gabriella's wand. Only now it was more flutter than luminosity. About her were two Dementors, the only two to be seen and they were circling her care piranha. Each would swoop up around and then plunge at Gabriella only to bounce from her failing shield charm. It wouldn't be tenacious before—

The shield failed, and Harry heard her scream. He was too far away to do anything but run, and that's just what he did. He ran with all his might, pain stabbing at his leg with each smash at the priming as if a snapping ophidian were ever at his heels. He was perhaps fifty yards away when an enormous red light burst from Gabriella's verge, filled the air about her, and one of the Dementors burst into flame. Harry could hear its gurgling yell as it tried to fly away, but plunged into the locoweed starting a small fire, inkiness sess billowing upward. Harry was now twenty dollar bill yards away as he watched the second Dementor crouch over Gabriella and he heard her screaming.

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

"No !"Harry cried. The Auror looked only briefly at Harry then set to cast a trance 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 clip Harry could hear the raspy wheeze of the Dementor as it tried to pull away her psyche. With a keen jump Harry jumped forward, wrapped his arm around Gabriella and the two of them rolled away from beneath the grasp of the Dementor. When they came to rest, Gabriella was on top of him ; the fortunate 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 opening and swung back and Forth in front of Harry's typeface. He had remembered McGonagall's words :"For time of darkness."And then he heard the voice of Dumbledore, as if he were whispering in Harry's ear, only the whispering was coming from Harry's lips.

"Really, Nicolas ? An glamour halcyon mountain range will trap them ? I never heard of such a thing."

The Dementor's growing wheeze signalled its approach when Harry grabbed the lilliputian halcyon chain off Gabriella's neck opening. He rolled her to the English, feeling the frigid approaching from behind. With one last keen travail he heaved himself upward, tossed the strand in the air and cast a spell he had never uttered before, but one that Dumbledore knew. The tiny golden chain grew snakelike in embodiment and dimension, but its head was the straits of a king of beasts with flaming red centre. With the moving picture of his wand Harry levitated the glowing, gold, lion-headed Hydra toward the coming cold, and it began to loop itself around the Dementor several times. round and round in less time than it takes to untie a shoelace the Dementor was cinched tight from head to toe. Struggling to run, the black beast could not move and ultimately fell to the grass.

"Harry ?"Gabriella's voice whispered weakly from hindquarters."Harry ?"

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

"The gem. Use the stone before the others come."

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

In an instant, Harry found himself in what he had, in his own nous, decided was an antechamber of sorts. All was white waiting for his request. For a moment his mind hovered on Gabriella, but he knew he was forbidden on using it to the vantage of another in the Votary. Instead, he called to the open nothingness,"Show me Dean's soul !"

He expected to see a vortex of people of color, but instead he saw a swirl of black. His heart skipped for fright that he had done something wrong, but his own emotional state held pissed to the indigence to save his protagonist if at all possible. The swarthiness spread head before him and in this emptiness a stench filled Harry's nostrils. It was then when he realized where he was, what he was entering - the life force of the Dementor.

Blackness and rot filled his visual sensation. chain of oily fibre hung from above and when Harry looked to see their extraction, all that was seeable was utter dark. He was reminded of the crevasse into which he and Sirius had fallen and a very actual part of him wanted to go out this place as quickly as possible. He was cold and growing colder as he forced is mind's eye to press onward into the astuteness of the Dementor's center, an insatiable need to feed.

At inaugural, the sounds were aloof echo coming from down a long tunnel, voices perhaps, or animals screaming. Harry moved toward the sound and found the darkness pressing in all around him. Though in here he really had no bodily variant, something wet and gluey splattered against his face ; the desire to wretch was firm. Then he heard the sound again.

Yes, they were screams, but human screams, calling just ahead. Floating deeper into the darkness, his fundament tangled on something he could not see. He pulled and freed himself and then realized his dentition 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 lilliputian plot of Patrick White no bigger than a postage stamp international nautical mile away. He could be there and back to safety in the photoflash of a persuasion.

Then he heard a voice, discharge and strong above the others, telling them to still down, to mind. It was familiar, but it wasn't James Byron Dean's. There was something nurturing about this voice, something that made one flavour safe. Harry pressed forward. It felt comparable hours, although it was probably little more than the time it takes a whizz to winkle, when he saw the deliquium golden glow ahead. He ached and felt that at any moment he would collapse and be trapped in this iniquity forever. The vocalisation called out again and his pulse quickened as he hurried forward. Against his torso he felt the ace of ice-cold hands pulling at his sprit, trying to stop him, but still he moved ahead. The cold was unbearable, the sense of concern was overwhelming, and that's when he saw him, towering improbable above the others huddled in the black muck : Mr. Silverton. It was the same wizard from Hogsmeade that had tried to spare genus Draco's living the class before, but had failed in the attempt. Harry had always seen him as a rather spiritless yet friendly man when he visited Hogsmeade, but here he stood taller than biography, translucent in a aureate splendor.

"Hurry, save the children !"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 feet. They were there, nearly a dozen psyche, children mostly. Each was translucent, each glowed bright, though some More than others. The smart of these was the young inkiness virtuoso, who seemed utterly lost. Dean looked straight at Harry, but did not recognize him.

"service,"he pleaded in a light, raspy voice."Where am I ?"

"No one stays behind,"Harry said to Silverton."I'm taking you all."And without another watchword he reached out his hands and with his idea summoned the souls toward him. Silverton stood house as if guarding the procession, guiding them toward Harry's process. starting time, and almost unforced, came Dean, then a young lady friend with black hair… a boy with burnished puritanic eyes… and on… and on…. Each soul came to… came into Harry as if he were an enormous vacuum pulling them in. When the final stage left the quagmire at Silverton's feet the elder necromancer smiled.

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

The frigidity was pressing in on Harry once again, fighting one in conclusion dire plan of attack to keep 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 rush away with a great tearing sound. Harry felt as if his legs were being pulled backward by a lead that held him tight to the world bum. Flashes of varying tincture of greyness screamed by, and then with a tremendous wooosh Harry found himself back in his consistence on the grassy force field looking upward at the milky-blue sky.

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

He felt dizzy, then secure, more muscular than he had ever felt. But then he realized why ; he still held their liveliness force. He could use this muscularity, this world power in the war to amount. They could be victorious ! Then, a slowly sigh slipped past his lips, and before he lifted his promontory off the grass he closed his eyes and whispered,"Hhhhome."It was a longsighted, slow, dyspneic countersign that sent quiver down Gabriella's acantha. He could sense the energy plinking out from within him as each soul drifted upward. Perhaps it was a delusion, for Gabriella said later she saw no such vision, but before Harry the translucent eubstance of all the children hovered for a consequence just above him. They looked down, smiling when at last Mr. Silverton emerged. He took the small girl's deal and in the next import they all rose above the treetops and disappeared from heap, Dean travelling with them ever upward.

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

A lone bout spilt from his eye when Gabriella reached down and lifted his straits into her lap. Harry raised his hand and summoned the lucky Ernst Boris Chain that surrounded the Dementor."This is yours I think,"he said softly.

"But—"

"It's dead,"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 month.

The air blasted with the composition of two loud papa as a brace of Aurors appeared clad in red Ministerial gown. One noticed the Auror some yards away on the ground still stiffened by Harry's while. The other reached down to serve Harry and Gabriella to their feet.

"You can't check 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 calculate on it."You've got to return to the train. young lady, will you help—"

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

They appeared in the corridor of the wagon 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 quarry. If Gabriella hadn't been holding his hand… He didn't want to imagine about it.

He was a bit dizzy and disorientate, but he grabbed a posture door handle and pulled himself up to his feet, taking a shaky step forward."Dean,"he muttered."I've got to see if…"He began to crumple to the floor when Gabriella grabbed his arm. He looked at her clinch paw and then at her centre 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 optic darted up the corridor.

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

Two cars down there was a throng of educatee that only parted when they realized who it was. When Harry made it to Dean's car he stepped in to look straight in on Ron's back. His dress were a mess of mud and pine tree needles, and the side of his shirt was torn, blotch of rakehell seeping through, red mixing with splattered black. His red hair's-breadth draped down over an arm that was hugging him plastered. It was Ginny's and she was crying. Harry's heart plummeted and he dropped his head ; they had failed. James Byron Dean had died.

It was then that he heard Gabriella fall in a knifelike gasp as she gripped his forearm. He looked up to see her pointing at Ginny's hand. On her ring finger's breadth was the golden band doyen had given her, only now the firestone was glowing as bright as ever, shining through the strands of Ron's red hair.

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

It was doyen's representative, talking about Ron. It was trembling but decipherable and Harry watched as two branch of recondite umber wrapped around the redheaded brother and sister in a large hug.

"Dean ?"choked Harry, his affectionateness skipping out of his chest and the tips of his finger and diggings of his understructure starting to tingle.

"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 mo later her arms were around Harry, tears streaming down here brass and cheers rising up all around the train. Soon, they were all necking. Word gap that the countermove had been a succeeder, at least with the assistance of the Aurors that had been guarding the string. If it hadn't been for—

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

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

Harry turned to see a very contuse and a very beaten-up Susan B. Anthony Goldstein. There was desiccated grass in his hair and a bit of blood at the corner of his mouth, and he still clutched his wand as if ready to cast another spell at whomever or whatever might cross him.

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

"Cho said you weren't that smart,"sneered Susan Brownell 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 gaudy enough so everyone could get wind."If it hadn't been for you—"

"That's the one !"

Everyone turned to see two Aurors in their castellated Ministerial gown making their way through the multitude of student. One, the one pointing his finger at Harry, was promptly recognized. It was the Auror Harry had dropped in the field. He was holding the other Auror by the arm and pulling her almost against her will.

"That's the one, right there - with the shabu. I'd recognize the face anywhere. Greasy little git."The pair parted the crowd and were now in good order in nominal head of Harry."Thought you could get away with it, did yeh ? Little prat. You could have had us all killed."Then he turned to the other Auror, a very tall woman with deep blue eyes and an expression somewhere between exasperation and exhaustion. She was about to say something when Mark Anthony Goldstein stepped in front of Harry.

"Do you have any clue who you're talking to ?"he asked with a smug air of favourable position that almost sounded Ministerial. Certainly, Marcus Antonius was destined for great things in government. It was then that the charwoman recognized Harry, but the other Auror was having none of it.

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

"What's this ?"the Auror yelled, and he pulled his verge. In reaction, over two XII wands suddenly appeared pointed directly at him, inch from his nerve. The woman reached up to pull her companion's helping hand down just when there was another voice from the far end of the carriage.

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

"Dad !"cried Ron, whose elevation gave him the dependable view over all his peers. sceptre quickly found their way back to their right positions as all the students tried to act as normally as possible, considering they had just been through a Dementor attack.

"Ronny. Ginny."He was trying not to record that he was there to learn the status of his own children, but the tremble in his phonation and the look of easing on his boldness were obvious for all to hear and see."I came as soon as I heard."Then his heart met Harry's as he moved past the two Aurors and a aspect of admiration filled them."Harry ?"he breathed in skepticism."I had heard you were taken. That your soul—"

"That was James Byron Dean, sir,"answered Harry.

"Dean ? Beasts of Bulgaria, not—"His center saw dean standing following to Ginny."I… I don't understand."

"Harry brought him back, Dad,"Ginny answered her founder's questioning center."He brought his psyche back."Chester Alan 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,"spat Strickman."It's not possible ! This little prat—"

"SHUT UP !"yelled Minister Weasley."If you say another Holy Writ, I'll have him do the Lapp to you as he did to Voldemort !"The word stung many ears and there was a corporate groan, but not as universally as there might consume been the year before. Only then did Strickman finally gain who he had been calling a bottom.

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

"You're dismissed,"shot the pastor,"both of you."It was the female person 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 counterattack. If it hadn't been for him, I'd have never reached the Dementor that had James Dean's soul."

President Arthur was still struggling, trying to embrace what it was that Harry was saying. Nonetheless, he patted Anthony about the shoulders and said,"fountainhead done, immature man. Goldstein is it ? Yes, I know your mother. Runs a coven in Colchester."He gave Anthony, who was now beaming, another pat."Well done."Arthur then turned and hugged his two children and then he said in a loud voice,"I'm glad everyone's safe and I assure you the relaxation of your trip will be uninterrupted, if not completely boring."

With the bickering and fighting over, most the pupil returned to their pushchair, muttering about the battle as they went, and the crowd in the corridor thinned. President Arthur Weasley put his arm around Harry just as Hermione entered the caravan car.

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

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

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

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

"What is it, sir ?"

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

"I don't hold much trust that the walls at the Ministry are any in force, sir."

"No. No, I know you don't,"answered the Minister as he stopped to bet at Harry."But this is something too important to talk over anywhere else, even at Hogwarts. I'll send for you in a workweek or so, okay ?"Harry nodded."And don't headache, Harry. Where we're going no one knows about. Not even I knew about it until just utmost week. But if what you say is true about Malfoy and the Dementors, and certainly this attack points to that, we must act soon and we must act decisively. It's metre 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 Potter and the giving birth of a New Sun

Chapter 8 - Engaged

~~~***~~~

The Snitch flitted upward time and time again only to be snatched into his helping hand after every escape. He was actually getting quite practiced at it really. Nearly twenty hour without a—

"darn !"

The Snitch slipped through Dean's fingerbreadth and began to zip about the boys'dormitory, bouncing off the wall above Harry's point. With a news bulletin, few but Ginny Weasley could prize, Harry had his deal around the wing orb.

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

Madame Pomfrey had prescribed the physical exertion of Snitch snatching as a sort of therapy to serve Dean regain ascendancy of his neuro-synapses. Even though Harry had returned Dean's soul, he was feeling somewhat disconnected from himself. It was difficult to explicate just exactly how he was disconnected. Sometimes he would reach for something, like a Shaker of table salt, and it would screw up through his digit for no reason. Sometimes his erotic love for Ginny was strong, while at former prison term it seemed as if he had no tactual sensation for her at all. In Magical Arts, Dean would paint portraiture of birds, animal, or even citizenry but the images wouldn't movement ; they remained lifeless on the canvass. It was all very unknown, and no one, not even madam Pomfrey, knew exactly what to do.

"No one's ever had their mortal reattached,"Madame Pomfrey had said shortly after they had arrived at Hogwarts castling. Her solution was to try to re-stitch Dean's mortal by having him exercise both his body and spirit.

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

"Nah, Gin,"answered Dean, truly run through."I'm… a bit tired."

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

"Thanks,"said dean with a faint smiling. They kissed and Ginny turned toward the staircase down to the Common room.

They had been at Hogwarts for three mean solar day and even though the familiar rhythm of classes and track work pulsed on at Hogwarts, something was distinctly different. Maybe it was the fire on the train, the anticipation of what was to number, or simply that they were in their final year. Whatever it was, there existed, nigh certainly, a tangible horse sense of anticipation as if it any import something spectacularly wonderful, or devastatingly horrific was about to chance.

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

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

There was a sudden scream from down in the Gryffindor Common room. It was Hermione's scream ; Harry was sure. Not an instant later, Ginny cried out, followed by a cacophony of shrieking that rivalled the arriving hooter during the good morning post.In an instant, both Harry and doyen had their scepter at the ready, and started cautiously for the landing. Just as Harry was about to look down on the Common room below, St. Patrick appeared from the bit days'dorm ; his wand also drawn and his face concerned. There was a third year passing Patrick and running the early direction, trying to escape whatever danger was causing the tumult. Harry didn't make out the boy from behind, but the cerebration of a Noel Coward in his house bristled the dorsum of his neck."A Gryffindor ?"Harry cried out.

The moment's distraction was enough to cause dean to chance him slightly from hindquarters. Harry tried to adjust his basis by stepping forward, only there was zippo on the circular staircase to maltreat out on. Instead, he completely lost his balance and began tumbling, down and around, capitulum over heals until he landed prostrate onto the floor. Dazed, he looked up to see Ron on the solid ground also. fountainhead, almost… he was down to one knee, a feel of pure terror in his oculus. Harry grabbed his dependable Friend by the shirtsleeve and pulled himself up aligning back to punt with Ron.

"Where are they ?"he cried to Ron over his shoulder, wand at the ready. 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 face, Harry noticed the with child number of Gryffindors looking down at him, all with rather interbreeding expressions on their faces. It was Parvati who stepped over and grabbed him by the nape of the neck opening, pulling him away from Ron.

"You idiot !"she hissed under her breath.

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

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

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

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

"Bloody snake pit,"Harry whispered, stunned by what he was seeing. Parvati pinched his neck and pulled him to his feet. Dean was stepping slowly down the staircase and came to a plosive on the lower flight, wrapping his arm about Ginny's waistline. She had been transfixed, but the warm up ghost caught her attention and she wrapped both her arms about James Byron Dean, smiling as she watched her brother propose.

"Yeah, yeah,"said Ron, wiping his forehead with his give arm while still holding out the ring with his right. He was spooky, his script shaky, and Harry wondered if he wouldn't faint at any bit. But when Ron's middle rejoined Hermione's the vibration stopped and he regained his voice. He held the ring a bit higher.

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

He never had the chance to land up. In that New York minute, Hermione was down on her knees kissing him deeply, and the park room whooped out a cheer that was heard throughout Hogwarts castle. Later, even Hagrid said he heard the revel when he was out feeding the venomous lava lizards.

"Well ?"cried out Seamus."Answer him right !"To this there was rolling refrain of"Here, here !"called out mostly from the masculine members of Gryffindor. Hermione pulled herself away from Ron's rima oris and he held the ringing before her.

Hermione held out her bridge player and said breathlessly,"Yes !"There was another cheer, more resounding than the first of all, as Ron slipped the diamond closed chain upon her finger. They kissed again.

Harry wasn't sure who was responsible for, but suddenly food and potable appeared, and before you could flash music was playing, masses were dancing and an off-the-cuff party was in full lilt in the Gryffindor Common elbow room. It was tacky and boisterous, but Hermione had set a silencing charm on the walls, and outside of Gryffindor the Night was hushed. Harry poured himself a drink and suddenly felt very awkward. Everyone was congratulating Ron and Hermione, hugging them, smiling. Harry sunk back into the corner. Why hadn't Ron told him that he was about to purpose ? He watched the smiles and the laugh, but somehow couldn't feel any warmth himself. Indeed, the opinion that were passing through his mind brought back memories of the year before, bad memories of jealously and uncontrollable anger. He gulped the potable, and poured another.

Still standing in the corner, Harry was watching Neville help doyen back up the staircase to the boys'dormitory, when a voice startled him.

"Pretty amazin'ain't it ?"

Patrick was seated in a chair next to Harry. How long had he been there ? to the highest degree of the vernal students had gone to bed or were ushered away. A slack song began to make for and Ron took Hermione in his limb. The candle flame 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 drink."Amazing."

"I mean,"Patrick continued,"to love mortal so much."Still sitting, he pulled his knees up to his Kuki and wrapped his arms around his ramification just gazing at the dancers."Do you think he'd die for her ?"The query was odd, but St. Patrick was young and Harry was a bit drunk.

"He'd die for anybody in this way,"Harry answered with hard tone of pridefulness."Merlin, he almost did last year, more times than I can—"Harry stopped and looked into his glass, drinking the remains in one terminal splash against the backrest of his pharynx. He could find the burn make its way down his pectus as he stared at the void field glass and could feel it take with guilt. How often had he put both of his friends in jeopardy ? They would both sacrifice themselves to save Harry, and if the war was truly issue forth, and it was, Harry knew they'd risk of infection life and arm once again.

"Do you call up you'll marry Gabriella ?"Patrick asked, filling the silence. Harry whispered something and the field glass in his hand vanished. St. Patrick raised an eyebrow, but said zip about the wandless magic.

"Gabriella ?"Harry asked, looking blankly ahead. He chuckled to himself, but the laugh was more sad than well-chosen. Already she'd risked her life history and the school yr hadn't even started. How many more friends would take in to die before—"

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

"I'm sorry ?"asked Harry. Saint Patrick looked up at him with an facial expression that was torn, shredded in some way Harry couldn't comprehend, at to the lowest degree not in his present state of mind.

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

"Patrick, that's not true."

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

Harry was warm, his question cloudy, and the associate riot were calling from the fog in his head. It's not your battle, Harry. Let it go.

"What is your problem ! ?"Lavender's voice snapped. She was only a few inches in front of Harry, and her facial expression was very cross."Are you going to put up here all alone all night ?"

"I was just talking to—"He turned to orient to Patrick, but the boy was gone. Harry looked about and then to the staircase, but the minute twelvemonth 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 hazard you're happy for them. merlin knows you'll be the godfather to all their youngster ; now start acting like it."Lavender pulled Harry onto the dance floor."I never thought you'd ask !"

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

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

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

"Why, I'd screw some punch too, Harry. Thank you for asking."She deliberately stepped down on his foot, surd, and then whispered in Harry's ear,"So facilitate me, Harry thrower, if you ruin this evening for them I'll curse you from here to Durmstrang."A flash later her face was all grinning as she squeezed Harry tight just behind the human elbow and walked over to wear Ron and Hermione were standing.

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

"I… I'm happy for you ; for you both,"Harry started as Lavender began to pour herself a cup of punch. Still smiling at Ron and Hermione he took the cup out of Lavender's 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 sincere tone of regret,"but I didn't pluck up the courageousness until you were at Grimmauld Place."Harry just looked at Ron like the answer made absolutely no gumption."You said you didn't want to be disturbed… remember ?"

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

"Blimey ! You're joking, right ?"Ron interrupted, drawing in Harry's irritation 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 utmost nighttime ? Were you too officious last Night ?"Harry snapped, and then he remembered not seeing Ron final Night."Where were you anyway ?"Hermione began to crimson violently.

"It's none of your bloody business where I was last nighttime,"said Ron, his voice elevated."You're not my keeper, Harry."At this he pointed his digit and jabbed Harry in the chest, pushing him backward. Harry's back bumped into Lavender's cup of punch sending it splashing down the battlefront of her dress. The two untried men took no bill. Harry balled his right wing hand into a fist and pulled back ready to let contrive.

"I should…"he began. Ron stepped nigh, clenching his own clenched 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 hearts were pounding so quickly. Finally, a small smile shattered Harry's scowl and he let go. He threw his right clenched fist past Ron's left ear. Ron saw the smile and returned the wayward biff with an cut from his own right hired hand that flew past Harry's midsection and up under his left-hand arm. The two clenched in a machismo sort of way.

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

"I know,"Ron answered quietly with a strong grin.

"I… I don't want to lose you. Not again."Harry pulled back so that his vision took in both Ron and Hermione."Not now."Hermione stepped close. She remembered uttering the Lapp parole to Harry in conclusion year at the Ministry and she remembered what Harry said.

"You're not going to turn a loss 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 much to drink and his intelligence were taking on a undertone of regret.

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

"Harry !"

"I want them to be as smart as Hermione and as fast as… as…"

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

"Ron !"

Harry's optic were beginning to fog with dampness. If they continued to crusade by his side, he might lose them. Patrick was right ; it wasn't worth it. Their nestling 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 mightily now."He turned without saying another word, without looking at another face, and left the Common room.

The halls were quiet ; it was nearly curfew. A few educatee were sprinkled here or there, talking or making their way back to their student residence. Harry walked aimlessly down the stone steps and found himself near where Tonks had her old office hold up class. They had yet to learn who would be teaching Defence Against the darkness Arts. That stratum had been cancelled this daybreak. The lanterns dimmed a bit, signalling that it was time to return to the student residence, but Harry didn't hold much by that signal. He'd rarely obeyed it in all his years at Hogwarts, and he wasn't about to—

"Hey, Potter."

It was Blaise Zabini rounding the gloomy corner of the corridor and saying Harry's gens without a drip of caustic remark. It was odd, Harry thought, to see Blaise so far off the beaten caterpillar tread, especially at this metre of night. Cloak and dagger clobber wasn't component part of Blaise's physical composition. The handsome ace was more comfortable standing in the centre of a group of others to be looked at and admired. He hung with Draco on occasion, but never when it meant risk was about. That sort of material was for Nott, or Crabbe or G-Greg. A frisson passed down Harry's spinal column recalling the Death of his acquaintance lastly year.

"Blaise,"Harry answered with a nod.

The two passed shoulder to shoulder when the tip of Blaise's wand touched Harry's hand. Harry felt a firearm of sheepskin suddenly appear on his medal and his fingers curled around it. He stopped to look back at Blaise, but the Slytherin never stopped walking and never turned back to await at Harry. Finally, Blaise disappeared about the end of the corridor and Harry held up the government note to read it.
Do you escape me ? Sorry about the wickedness on the power train. Sent somebody to warn you at the post, but an Auror intervened. I heard Weasles bought a pretty expensive hoop in Diagon Alley. You two aren't engaged now are you ?

Since I can't be there, my messenger is going to help oneself be my center and ears at Hogwarts. Don't state a person or it may think 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 company at Gryffindor, Harry sat down on the Harlan Stone floor and leaned back against the stone wall.

"Lumos !"he whispered. He held up the note and read it again. Was it really from Draco ? And what was he supposed to mouth with Dumbledore about ? What was it he had sensed during the joining ? Hol… Hor… Horcrux ? It seemed so remote now. Perhaps it was some sort of arcanum arm that the Dementors would use against the Centaurs. Perhaps it was—

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

Harry spun on the Logos, jumping to his feet and preparing his defense reaction. A dark design emerged, dimly lit by the faint glow of Harry's wand.

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

"Impressive."The Word dripped with sarcasm."I would have thought you would draw a blank my name again the moment you returned to England."He drew nearer and Harry lifted his wand higher."Put your scepter away, boy,"rebuked Dakhil sternly,"or I'll… let's see… What do they yell it ? I'll take level away from your planetary house. Although why you would care about such meaningless games when the war is upon you is incomprehensible to me."Harry lowered his wand and the lighting was extinguished. They were in pure darkness.

"You can't take—"

"Oh, I believe any professor can—"

"You're not a professor ! You can't… Oh, no."He leaned back against the wall and, in the darkness, noticed the thin wind of light emanating from a bats door, the door to Tonks'office. Harry sighed."Defence Against the shadow Arts, is it ?"Harry could order by the low grunt that a grimace had appeared on Dakhil's face. Clearly, he didn't like the idea any Sir Thomas More than Harry.

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

Harry shoved Dragon's annotation into his pocket, clenched his teeth, and followed. Once, after banging his knee, he tried to fire up his wand but was scolded by Dakhil who insisted on tot duskiness."Can you not see ?"Dakhil sneered.

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

"There is an energy that binds all living things together, Harry. You draw from it every meter you cast a spell. It pulsates on the malarky as the hint of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ; it bubbles from the soil crawling with insect and rophy. In the very darkest of plaza, it shines as a pharos to all who would call on its name. It is a skill all members of the Votary learn before the Joining, save for you."Dakhil stopped. The odor was strong here, damp and dank and musty with a strong sense of radioactive decay."Even in death, life history is reborn. hand out to it."

"I can't see a bloody—"

"Not with your centre, fall guy !"Harry heard Dakhil sit as an old wooden bench creaked under his system of weights."What Soseh sees in you…"

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

Harry had seen the aliveness force of others he had try to cure. It was like going to another plane of existence. He just needed to…"stress,"he whispered to himself. In the darkness Harry closed his optic and opened his mind, reaching out for anything however low that might point life. At first there was nothing, and then a brilliant luminescence 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 social organisation surrounding them were splattered with an eerie fluorescent fixture paint and lit up by a black light."I see,"he whispered in amazement.

"As long as one sees, one is never lost."Dakhil pulled his baton and a wonderful burst of igniter shattered against the rampart breaking through to open air. The two emerged from some broken down shanty into the profoundness of the forest.

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

"Your enemies, even though they hide behind such grand structures are brighter still. It is a all-important skill. With one hired man, Dakhil pulled Harry out of the sliver of wood and stood him on his feet in the wood."Now look up."

Harry looked to the sky. It was sprayed with whizz of every people of color imaginable. But in the centre was a aristocratic gleam brighter than all the others, a fortunate track following it in the sky.

"Ebyrth,"Harry whispered.

"Correct, Mr. potter,"said Dakhil, slapping Harry on the shoulder. He started walking past the tree back to the castle which glowed bright through the branches."As I said earlier, your time to die is near at hand. You may not realize it yet, Mr. potter, but, aside from both being in the Votary, you and I have one thing, at least, in common."

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

"We are both already dead."




Harry thrower and the Birth of a New Sun
Chapter 9 - The Bending of quad and Time
~~~***~~~


The rhythmic drubbing of Gabriella's heart lulled Harry as she stroked the face of his headspring with her hand. He sighed deeply as she played with the hints of curl that wrapped about his shoulder. He forced himself to continue awake, if only to savour every moment that he was being held in her arms. Through the thin out slits in his eyes he watched the lake vanish and reappear into view as his head rose and fell with each breath she took. The sparkling waters brought his judgement 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 situation to ask her, he thought. A patrician air brought with it the aplomb breath of fall and for a moment he thought he could smell the cool off saltiness air of the sea. Yes, the perfect place.

"We'll fille dinner,"she whispered.

"I never want to move again,"he muttered, barely opening his rim. Her handwriting slipped down to his berm and then stroked the sinew of his arms. They were sore and yet with her touch he could feel the ache ebb away.

"If you're going to continue working for Hagrid in the forest,"she said more firmly,"you're going to need to hold open up your strength."Her fingerbreadth slipped down to his slope and playfully gave him a flying mite.

"AYY !"he said, jumping. It was more tickle than annoyance, to a greater extent plenty than poke."Not fair ! I was… I was just going…"He closed his eyes and began to lay his mind back down on her chest.

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

An prototype of Grigor flashed across Harry's mind and a dusty shiver ran down his back… he hesitated. How could she cognise ? She couldn't. She was so lots like her father, and for the abbreviated of moment Harry was taken back to the torture chamber at the Ministry -- the chamber where Sirius had been lost and found again, the chamber where Gabriella's Father-God, Grigor, had held his hand out innocently toward Harry, just as Gabriella was now doing, only to bind him and prepare him for death.

He drew in a mystifying breath, shook the memory from his intellect, and took Gabriella's script, rising to his aching feet. They both whisked away the dry leaves that clung to the bottoms of their gown and turned toward the castle. Harry could feel the con game in his stage as they climbed the palace 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 present moment and leaned her head against his berm. Harry, however, was too sore to step higher. Even Madame Pomfrey's potions weren't enough to murder the throbbing that worked its way into both sinew and os. A nerve in his right second joint shot a jolt of annoyance up into his back and his gaze turned toward the forest.

working for Hagrid ? No. For the last few hebdomad he'd been training with the Centaurs. Only he'd felt uncomfortable sharing that with Gabriella. He had never been capable to bring up a conversation with Gabriella about them without her making an alibi to change the discipline. It was clean-cut she did not like Centaurs, but she never explained why and Harry was unwilling to labor the egress. Another twinge flicked down the muscle of his bequeath calf and his psyche drifted to the day's training school term. Recalling why his legs hurt so, he wasn't so sure as shooting he liked Centaurs either.

"Jump, Harry Potter ! leap"cried Ronan. The red-haired centaur fired an arrow that nicked the left field blackguard of Harry's bare foot."Speed 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 decelerate."If one of our number needs aid, would you just walk to their side ?"

"I'm… not… walking…"yelled Harry back over his articulatio humeri, as he ran from the Centaur barefoot through the forest. His lungs were bursting for air and his feet were on fire. He'd already run for air mile ; Ronan would make him run miles more. For his section, Harry had already decided that there was nothing the Centaurs could throw at him that he couldn't handle.

"Ayyy !"he cried, slashing his invertebrate foot against a jaggy gemstone.

"Run !"

Perhaps he was wrong.

He had been forbidden to use a verge, and wore naught but a thong made of tree barque wrapped about his waistline with a case for a small sticker used to slash at vines and other vegetation that blocked his way as he ran. In one bridge player he held the sticker and in the former he carried a gem nearly too tumid to fully savvy. In battle he would carry a buckler, but a pit was more unenviable to cover, forcing more muscles to hoist and operate it. He was being trained as all colts 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 aloofness, and Felspar, whose lustrous Patrick Victor Martindale White coat shone like a sensation ahead - way ahead. travail dripped into his eyes and he wiped his hilltop with his veracious forearm. Running blindly he slashed wildly at a Tentacula that reached for his neck opening.

"You should take in seen that, stripling, long before it struck at you !"cried Ronan, loping along. There was the speech sound of a thwwwwp and a few rate ahead Harry saw a tumid spider drained near the path he was taking, an pointer between its eyes. Looking back as he ran ahead Harry tripped on a root, twisted his ankle and fell to the background, his left knee grinding into a collection of small stones. The digit of his left manus were crushed between the stone he was carrying and the stones upon which he'd just fallen. The obelisk fell from his right hand and skittered forward, but before it came to pillow, Harry reached his mitt forward and without saying a word the sticker returned to his grasp. There was a cold-shoulder oink from Ronan. It was neither disparaging, nor approving. It was more a oink of satisfaction, but Harry did not face back into Ronan's eyes to see if the atonement was directed toward him. His stifle and hands bleeding, he stood to his feet and began to run again. Now, even Felspar was out of prospect. He'd taken only three or four footstep before Ronan called.

"closure !"

Breathing hard, Harry turned and for the first time all afternoon he looked up into the centaur's eyes.

"I… I can… arrest them,"Harry heaved.

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

"I hate… riddles,"breathed Harry.

"Shahan and felspar have been studying for X the essence of earthly concern's closed book. It will pack them ten more to actualize what is already at your fingertips."The Centaurus stepped closer, forcing Harry to stoop his neck upward. A brawn twanged past his right field ear. Still Ronan advanced until he was only column inch from Harry, who could reek the unknown mix of perspiration and hair. Ronan looked skyward.

"To see without eyes, to experience without fingers, to hear without pinna, to taste without tongue…,"he looked back down at Harry and tapped him on the side of his nose,"…to tone without nostril. These are gifts you have already been given, and yet you know them not ; you have but to divulge them."With a movement that was but a blur to Harry, Ronan notched another arrow and snapshot at a expectant flying… affair with large teeth that was advancing on them. It fell silently to the forest flooring. To Ronan it was like little Thomas More than swatting a fly. He continued,"You must learn the powerfulness that took your sacrifice and cleansed you, the business leader that has no speciality. What you must get over, Harry Potter, what you must endeavour to attain is to be without being."Harry scrunched his olfactory organ splotched with dirt.

"Did I say ? I really hate riddles,"he muttered, beginning to catch his breath.

"Take my handwriting, kid,"commanded Ronan.

The moment Harry took the Centaur's script the humankind spun upon its fountainhead. Green and brown and yellow and gold flashed past them in a swirl of people of colour. Then, inexplicably, Ronan was gone, and Harry was suddenly running, loping, galloping. He felt giddy, proud, arrogant, childish…

"I told you the mavin was a role player !"he cried back over his berm."Ronan's an old fool !"He kicked his heals and quicken forward, the wind whistling past his ear.

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

"Nothing but silly centaur fairytales from a doddering old fool !"Harry yelled back, but his centre were steadfast forward. The flag was ahead ; he could see it, maybe three or four geographical mile ahead. A smile Split across his face, an arrogant smile ; he was going to win this race and show Ronan wrong, leaven to all of them that HE, Shahan, was the Centaurus that would preserve them from the onslaught 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 blackamoor as darkest coal. He was Shahan, the lead-in Centaur colt. But how ? His caput twisted forward toward the waiting flag and the gathering of Centaurs that watched to see if Ronan's prophecy was cipher Sir Thomas More than wind and myth.

Where would I be ?

"The flag,"Harry whispered to himself, to Ronan, to the jazz. He focused again. He knew how to get there with a wand : visual sensation, Pathway, Reconstruction Period -- Apparation. But he had no wand and even if he did, there was no way to Apparate in the Forbidden Forest. The signal flag, a red beacon fire in the length, was maybe two kilometres ahead of Shahan now and probably three kilometres from where Harry's body stood breathless back in the wood with Ronan. He'd been practicing wandless thaumaturgy all summer. What if… ?

Harry willed himself from the optic of Shahan and back to his own body. There was a snap - he had returned, his lungs still gasping for air and Ronan still at his side. Harry closed his eyes and his judgement imaged the flag that was ahead ; he imagined being there. Space and time began to tumble, swirling itself, revealing itself. A pathway that moved with his will, guided by Ronan, appeared before Harry. He took in a inscrutable breathing time and stepped forward onto the path. The great duet of length between himself and the red flag suddenly collapsed. Felspar was just out of reaching, Shahan appeared to be only a few paces in front of her, and the red sword lily appeared as just a few 10 of metres away. Harry began to run. The colours of the timber swirled by him, as if everything stood still, including the two Centaurs. He ran past Felspar and then Shahan and, in an instant, he appeared only in from the flag that marked the end of the race. He was surrounded be centaur of every colour, each with boisterous optic marked by only the slightest astonishment of his arrival. As he came to rest, he saw, in the aloofness, Shahan and only a few pace behind him feldspar. They were both galloping like the idle words, swallowing up vast swath of turf with each tread. They would be upon him soon.

Harry felt it was, somehow, a cheat. Could all Centaurs bend space and fourth dimension ? His center caught Shahan's in the distance, and the once confident, defiant gaze turned to one of near repugnance. He galloped faster, as if possessed, but it was no use. With one hand, his bloody left, Harry reached up and pulled the crimson flag from its monetary standard. There was a collective sunniness as Harry held the sword lily over his caput, spinning to establish the gathering. It was then that he saw Ronan, standing in the centre of the group of nearly one hundred Centaurs. An moment later Shahan pulled up at Harry's face, his breath heavy, his pelage lathered with sweat.

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

"No,"answered Ronan, stepping forward from the others."He used the acquirement you yourself may one day master, Shahan."Ronan turned to the other Centaur."He has been given the gifts."With this there was a general murmur and neigh of surprise and approval from the Centaur herd. Facing the others, Ronan flanked Harry nudging him forward just as feldspar arrived, also out of breath, a gash upon her compensate front flank.

"I foretold of the coming star,"Ronan called to the gathering."And yet you did not believe. I sought out the Sacrifice against your will, and the waters returned him to us. Only once before has this ever happened, and when that struggle was won so too began the Great Age of Centaurus !"Harry expected a cheerfulness, but none came. Instead, there was an almost emotionless acknowledgment of Ronan's'statement."This,"he pointed toward Harry, naked and bloodstained, his lungs still craving for to a greater extent oxygen,"this is our forfeit. Cleansed and returned, he shall lead us to victory !"Again there was little to a greater extent than the nods and stomps of the Centaurus at the gathering. 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 pseud !"cried Shahan in a step that was more revive than any Centaur Harry had ever seen. He stepped forward, pushing Harry aside, but Harry ignored the rudeness and focused his attention on feldspar."He's no leader ! He's a adept ! It's jiggery-pokery I tell you."

"Let me avail you,"whispered Harry as he held his open script a few inches away from the gash on Felspar's flank. Harry closed his eyes and muttered the incantation that he knew would work with his wand, and then something caused him to put out further, to reach beyond. His hand had not touched the Centaur, but he could sense the blood, slippery wet, between his fingerbreadth. He reached out without moving and willed the slash shut, and the gash obeyed, closing as if a curtain had been pulled shut tight about the wound.

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

"The chosen heals !"asserted a heavy, female Centaur from the gather. A chestnut coat and no bow about her shoulder, she stepped forward from the others."Did the amnionic fluid teach you these endowment or is this genius ?"The last word was disparaging and even evoked some boo from the others.

"mother !"cried feldspar."He's the elect. How dare you question his giving !"felspar, wound healed, turned to Harry and bowed low on one genu."As long as Ebyrth refulgence, I am in your table service. Only death will cheat us of time."

A issue of other Centaurs followed in kind, each bending low to one human knee and bowing their mind. Ronan approached Harry, nodding his headway and bending to one knee as well.

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

The vision of Hagrid's cabin firmly fixed in his mind, Harry willed himself there. Again a path opened up and he took off running. Moments later, he found himself where he began the day, seated on Hagrid's death chair side by side to the electrocution ardor, Fang laying at his side and Hagrid singing some vocal in Daniel Chester French. The log on the fervency cracked as Harry, still naked, looked at his Gryffindor robes that hung from a come-on near the door. The way they were draped over the hook they almost looked literal - lifelike, as if they contained some purport all their own. Harry's breadbasket churned just as Hagrid turned, surprised to see 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 store. He had learned something great today, and he'd learned it from the Centaurs.

"Harry ? Are you okay ?"

Harry looked down into her eyes and smiled. He was sore and tired ; darkness doughnut hung under his optic. The idea of going inside to front three scrolls on the healing plants of Kirkcaldy was almost too much to bear.

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

"facial expression, you're tired and it's time for dinner party,"she said, deliberately changing the conversation."We can talk about the sensation later."Harry nodded silently and together they entered the castling and began to walk to the Great Hall.

Near a with child suit of armour Harry noticed Patrick talking to James Chang Jiang. King James I was leaning against the Harlan Stone rampart, his arms crossed as well as his leg. He was either extremely bored, or he didn't like what he was hearing. Still, Patrick was quite passionate about it ; his arms were swinging wildly about and more than once Harry heard him put forward his voice.

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

King James I noticed Harry and Gabriella and stood straighter, stopping St. Patrick's fib with a motility of his paw. Harry smiled and waved, and Jesse James returned the gesture with a smile of his own. Saint Patrick turned to see who Saint James was looking at and when he saw Harry, his face bore an expression of great business organisation.

"No curiosity,"Harry thought,"I feel like I'm going to blow glob. I must look like hell."As he and Gabriella continued toward the Great Hall for dinner, the more nauseous 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."

St. Patrick followed King James I into the Great Hall just as Ron and Hermione appeared from Gryffindor column. They were headed, arm in arm, into the Great antechamber when Ron noticed Gabriella trying to help Harry toward the stairway that led to the hospital wing.

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

"What happened ?"

"I'm amercement, really,"demanded Harry, and in fact he was beginning to palpate better although the floor was still a bit unfirm under his feet. They stepped him over to a yearn bench beneath a expectant portrayal of a not bad 9th one C battle vista. Harry hated it here, he always had ; the clank and crash of sword against armour was always deafening when the combatants weren't sipping tea together, discussing whose strategy was superior in the last battle. Ron noticed a bruise beneath Harry's pick up and leaned in close to Harry's ear.

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

"CHHHHT,"shot Harry with a bam of air between his clenched teeth, trying to quiet is supporter. Seated between a mind-reader and an empath, Harry had petty hope of keeping anything mysterious, but he didn't want to talk over his grooming with the centaur in front of Gabriella.

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

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

So, Hermione knew. So much for Ron's sworn oath that he wouldn't tell a mortal. Harry rolled his centre and shook his pass knowing that Hermione was only partially chasten. She was in good order about the skewer parting, but Harry knew at once Ron would take the protect part the wrongfulness way. He did.

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

"Ron,"Harry began, holding up his hand,"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 gaze darted away to look at Ron who was ignoring Gabriella's question and was now standing in a miff and about ready 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 time I could. This morning 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 than interest than anger.

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

"This cockcrow you were supposed to help prof Barghouti's moment year category for their dadaism lesson,"scolded Hermione, also rising.

"What variety of trial run ?

"Who are they ?"

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

Harry feigned dizziness again and tilted in toward Ron who grabbed him by the berm."I think I need to eat,"he muttered, and then leaning closer he whispered to Ron,"Saturday."Gabriella knew he was feeling fine ; she could sense that. Hermione knew he was feeling mulct ; she'd say the Harry thrower Good 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 severance for Merlin's sake."He put Harry's arm about his shoulder."semen on, mate. Let's get you a bite and then we can go over the weekend's praxis docket. I know Ginny's been playing fine as Chaser and all, but I think if…."

In the Great Asaph Hall, Dumbledore had the houses sit wherever they wished for breakfast and luncheon, but for dinner each house ate at separate tables from the others. It was a compromise between the imaginativeness of the future tense and a deference for custom. Tonight, Harry was grateful because it meant, for a while at least, he and Gabriella would be separated. As they entered the Great Hall she kissed him on the cheek, holding his left hired man. He toyed with the golden band he'd given her the class before on valentine's. There was a spark in her eyes and a sly smile upon her face.

"You will secern me later ?"she asked, but the tone was more suggestive of a program line than a interrogation.

"You know already. You just won't talk about it."His smile had a mite of sadness as their fingerbreadth let go of each other. Her scintillation faded and her eyes would not hold his regard as she turned away. Harry did not take care back as he followed Ron to the Gryffindor mesa.

Lavender and Anapurna were having an invigorate conversation about the meaning of a large stain on the tablecloth. Annapurna had spilt her drink and it left a dark, twirling abstract of something resembling, at least to Harry, a large toadstool. He sat down realizing he did, very much, need to eat.

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

"A Grus,"countered Parvati, pointing at the hanker crooked cervix of the toadstool.

"That makes no signified,"said Lavender."No, it's a Celtic spiral and,"she pointed to some dark interior spots,"with these here it would represent interminable life."

"No. See this here ? The way the whorls dismiss away ? Not interminable life… life, death, and metempsychosis. It's clearly a Stephen Crane,"Parvati said, pointing out the bird's features."Here are the eyes, the curled neck, the long legs."She grew more confident with each verbal description.

"Then you're both right,"chimed in Hermione. The two young ladies looked up, stunned verbalism on both their faces."The crane represents longevity. unending life… longevity… Lapplander thing."She shrugged her shoulder joint and took a bit of dinner.

"NooOoo,"both Parvati and Lavender harmonized in a rather foresightful and melodic tune."It could mean deception if—"

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

"That looks like a turbid pool to me, Harry"said Ron, chewing on a marijuana cigarette of boodle."See the with child ripples flowin'down the table."

"Honestly, Ron,"sighed Hermione, whisking out her scepter and vanishing the tea and brand together.

"HERMIONE !"cried Lavender.

"How could you !"scolded Parvati.

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

"Come on, Lavender."Parvati spun on her heals and took off, Lavender right behind her, but not before she shot a scathing glare at Hermione. No Sooner had they left the mesa than Ron let out a snort, a opus 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 pungency of dough and looked at Harry's crustal plate."Are you going to eat those ?"he asked pointing at some check. Harry just glared back. Ron shrugged and took another collation of bread.

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

"Oh, right, and you two are the notice duo for honest and candid discussions."

"Harry,"said Hermione without losing stride,"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 voice just enough for those around him to break 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 calmness. The aspect was faze because he knew his own expression was giving him away."Well I have,"he insisted, pushing his plate in for good measure.

He wasn't sure the dramatic event was having the effect he wanted. Ron simply nipped one of his remnant buffalo chip and Hermione only let out a foresighted disapproving suspiration. Past the point of retort, at least for this argument, Harry stood up and left the Great residence in as foul a mood as he could rally. His mind focused on the Gryffindor table, 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 footsteps behind him. He stopped and turned ; only no one was there. He looked over past a suit of armour 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 portrait of the Fat Lady when there was a tap on his hired hand and a voicelessness in his ear.

"Your twenty-four hours grow short."

Harry felt the note appear on his palm and spun at once.

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

Harry unfolded the piece of lambskin."They think it's at the Ministry. Is it ?"was all it said. The portrait swung open up and Harry quickly moved to hide the note, only he didn't have to. It flashed in a puff of smoke and disappeared. Neville stepped out of the Gryffindor park room followed by the most improbable of faces - Severus Snape. Strangely neither took much bill of Harry. Beyond a slight foreland nod by Neville, it was as if he didn't even exist.

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

"Quit restating the obvious, Longbottom,"replied Snape without so much 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 decently brightness. If I can borrow some…"and the conversation faded away.

Amazed, Harry shook his drumhead and turned toward the portrait of the Fat dame.

"Password ?"she asked with a smile.

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

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


Harry Potter and the nascence of a New Sun

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




Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.
The silver medal legal document rose and fell on Dumbledore's mahogany desk as Harry stroked Fawkes'feathers, waiting for the headmaster to generate. Not much bigger than a breadbox, it was a strange collection of gears and springs and Harry spent some clip trying to deduce its import. The widget, rimmed with winged fauna Harry couldn't recognize, reminded him of a similar device in the Black family estate at Grimmauld Place. It too had the same broadside ringing that ran up a notched staircase only the Black device was lucky, its winged creatures looked more menacing, and Harry had never seen it engage.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.

stab by a leaping, another ash gray ring ran up the staircase only to pass on the top, falter, and fall into a pile below. The great deal seemed to be shrinking as Harry stood watching, but he could not see where the hoop disappeared to, nor could he describe the source for the band that sprung forth from the bottomland. There it was - a never ending procession that seemed to experience no purpose.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Unable to carry himself, Harry reached out and grabbed the silver ring before it had a chance to fall from atop the modest staircase. The scene changed and he suddenly found himself on the Hogwarts limited walking toward the presence of the gearing, two yard behind Greg Goyle. But, this couldn't be - Greg was drained. It took him a instant to realize that he'd traveled back in time. They were about to strain the front of the train ; Greg wasn't dead, he was about to die.

Harry tried to speak, but no give-and-take came. He tried to arrive at his hired hand up to end Greg, but it would not move. ineffectual to hold in his motion, Harry could do zip but watch account unfold as it had last yr. He poked his school principal into a carriage, telling a group of fifth year what was up.

"I've been wondering what was taking so long with the solid food streetcar,"said Ernie Macmillan. Harry explained that the professors had gone missing and Ernie joined him to tell apart the trouble. As Harry slipped back out of the carriage with Ernie, Goyle took the point and started toward the front of the geartrain. Once again Harry tried to stop his friend when, through the crank room access to the box ahead, Harry saw a beldame in dark gown suddenly appear in the corridor. Anaxarete. Harry wished he could throw away a killing torment, but it was no use ; he could do naught. She glanced back, revealing a sinister smile and piercing green eyes. Harry tried to place himself in front of Greg, but was unable to reach Goyle's broad berm. It didn't matter ; an flash later she was gone and an instant after that the front of the train exploded with a tremendous white flash.

Harry fell to the floor of Dumbledore's office, the silver gray ring firmly clenched within his workforce. He was shaking, the explosion still ringing in his spike, when he opened his optic and found Dumbledore looking down at him. The headmaster set with difficultness to one knee and held out his hired hand.

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

Harry took Dumbledore's hand and rose to his pes. He held the ring out between his thumb and index finger.

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

Tink.

It fell into the pile below which now was growing larger as Dumbledore stood and spoke with Harry.

"It is a remembering leger of sorts… a photo album."Dumbledore moved to his desk and sat down, leaning back against his chair."Different for each who reads it."Harry couldn't help but think that the greatest maven of the age was beginning to designate signs of wear. He had grown much thinner 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 remove your memories so that you can bet them over later. You can select the remembering to remove, to examine."He leaned forward and held his bridge player together."This is a Möbius Machine. It reflects a champion's life story. It is a never ending loop that plays over and over again, shrinking or expanding to accommodate the viewer. Each silver band is a ringlet of a portion of your life. While the rings play in lodge, there is no way, unfortunately, to determine which memory, which life experience you will visit."

A frisson past tense by Harry again, and for a moment he thought he felt the breath of dying susurration 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 train ; when I was with Greg, just when… just when…"

"I understand."Dumbledore sighed. He stood and walked back to the twist. He waived his baton and uttered an incantation and the rings stopped running up the staircase, and fell wherever they were in the bicycle."I wish your memories could be happier, Harry. I would hate to see you as a tottering old man, sitting down in a cold part wondering if you could gamble reliving the disaster that grasping a few rings might convey. Guy Fawkes quietly vocalized his accord, as Dumbledore slipped his baton away and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder."I know you have been chosen, Harry. But you need not place yourself between the Centaurs and the Dementors ; it is not your war."

"You said it yourself, professor,"said Harry, looking up into Dumbledore's still bright blue eye,"it's the paths 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 good matter to do. Lucius Malfoy is going to use this to try and sweep the darkness back across this terra firma, and I won't let him."Harry's own eyes were fierce with decision and defiance."I've been training with Ronan."Harry paused."Are Centaur magical ?"

"Very much so, Harry,"said Dumbledore with a smile."It is folly for wizards to consider they are the most powerful fauna on this land. You know, of course, Centaurs have keen sight and are skilled with a bow, but these thing are forcible attainment that many whizz 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 address, nudging its flight along the way. They can bend distance and time, Harry. Even while virtuoso are unable to Apparate on Hogwarts undercoat, Ronan can disappear and reappear wherever he pleases simply by using his mind."

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

Dumbledore said null. Harry could tell by his expression that he was impressed, or surprised, but the old wizard made no Christian Bible of it. Instead he stood from his chair and walked over to his telescope.

"They are much advantageously stewards of such acquirement than wizards would ever be,"the aged thaumaturge whispered, looking down into the lens 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 ilk of Lucius and his ilk."He adjusted the focus."They have no strength in numbers, no allies for support, no sanctuary in which to hide. It's only a affair of time."

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

"Lucius is no tomfool,"answered Dumbledore."He'll remain hidden for as long as possible and only strike when he thinks he can win."The mavin looked up."He can't win, Harry."But Harry wasn't so surely. He turned his rachis on Dumbledore and walked over to Fawkes, stroking the bird's plumage. Harry didn't know how to get it up, but he had to ask.

"What if… what if he had a arm ? A privy arm ?"

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

"A… A Horcrux."

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

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

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

Dumbledore finally quieted them all by threatening to bring down a sheet of duskiness. His boldness was tomb, almost pale and the feel of his phonation was filled with great concern. Harry knew at once that whatever a Horcrux was, it was dark magic, but then… did he bear otherwise ?

"Harry,"began Dumbledore slowly, his voice quite and sombre,"what makes you believe that Lucius Malfoy would use a Horcrux ?"Harry turned away from Dumbledore, not bequeath to observe eye contact."Certainly such word does not come from our Friend the Centaurs."

"Well… I… I heard that…"He stalled and then turned back to look Dumbledore. How could he make out how one employed a Horcrux if he didn't even know what one was ?"Professor, what is a Horcrux ?"Dumbledore walked back to the ash grey machine that was now quiet on the board. He tapped it with his baton and the silver gang began to roll again. He took a closed chain and held it in his script for but a minute when he laughed and placed it back along its path.

"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 Death Eater when Voldemort first returned. She joined the ordination of the Phoenix soon after. Since then, she's been our solid ally against the darkness."This new news had Harry's head spinning just a bit. He'd always assumed…. Dumbledore turned back to the silver gray machine."Can you imagine what it would be like if professor McGonagall did not take the memory of the murder of her husband ?"

"I… I suppose she'd be happy."

"But she is well-chosen, Harry. Certainly, if you were to ask, she would wish that he was still at her side, but she is very happy."Dumbledore's helping hand squeezed the wooden mesa and he drew in a deeply breathing spell. When he turned to look back into Harry's eyes, his case was tomb and his own centre ass."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 soul there."Harry, I know with whom you would like to part. You should love that it is disallow. I would not even speak of it with you, had you not brought it up first. Do I have your password ?"

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

"Imagine for a mo that I could split you into three mass. Not copy mind you, but three distinct constituent of your very essence… your someone. One would stay with the soundbox you now possess ; the other two would be put away for depot you might say. If you, the theatrical role of you that inhabits the consistence you now have, were to die, one of the other parting would seek out another soundbox to inhabit… to verify. You, part of you, would live again."

"Part of me ?"

"The part that you hid away."Again Dumbledore turned to the simple machine on the table."The pile of rings that you see in front of me here, Harry, is bombastic than your was. Why ?"

"You have more memories, more than experiences."

"Precisely ! But a split soul would only take with it portions, apparition of the memory the original soul carried. Imagine, my boy, if you had to choose… what part of your soul would you cut up away ? What constituent of you would remain ? There are many choices. You could carve out the bad memories, perhaps the demise of Greg Goyle, and go on believing that he had never died ? But then, what would chance if you were to die, and the Horcrux storing only the bad memories was released ? What variety of soured soul would remain ?

"Then there are those wizards who believe that it is the tragedy of a wizard's aliveness that drives him forward ? Such a wizard might keep the tragic store 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 essence of who we are, what we have become, both good and malefic, darkness and light. A wizard must determine how to separate each slice of joy and rue into tiny pieces, sprinkling a little bit of everything into each component of your mortal, splintering all you ever were into shards of obscure methamphetamine hydrochloride that can never really be made whole again. Tell me, Harry, what choice would you puddle ?"

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

"No, Harry, nor would I."Dumbledore's berm drooped slightly as if a large weight sat squarely upon them."Thankfully, most wizards and witches would refuse to choose as well. Fewer still know that there is such a course one can take ; and only the most herculean of those would be able to remove it."Suddenly looking quite tired, Dumbledore returned to the president behind his desk and let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes."The Horcrux is simply the storage vessel… it could be a rock, a cloak, a cup—"

"But Lucius—"

"Think, Harry,"Dumbledore interrupted."It might even be a book…"There was a long suspension. Harry could hear a number of the portrait on the wall mumbling to themselves. Clearly they were unhappy with the guidance of the conversation, particularly Phineas.

"The journal ?"Harry answered finally, his voice more certain than incertain, and with each new question the doubtfulness vanished."Tom Riddle's journal ? That was a Horcrux ? Voldemort used a Horcrux."

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

"But I saw Voldemort die,"said Harry."There was naught left."

"Yes,"said Dumbledore, nodding."You also saw Tom Riddle die in the sleeping accommodation of Secrets. I had always assumed he had divided himself in two. Who would run a risk fracturing themselves more than once ?"Dumbledore chuckled to himself grimly."Who indeed ?"Then he turned back to Harry."This tidings palls the horizon with a new shadow. Tell me, Harry, why you believe that someone is employing a Horcrux because, if someone is, Voldemort is most certainly behind it."

Again, Harry found himself turning away. He didn't want this tidings. He thought it had something to do with Lucius, with the war that would soon be upon them. He didn't want to consider what he had felt all summer, what he had felt since returning to Hogwarts, that Voldemort was somehow still alive. But where ? How ? Harry, his eyes 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.

"Well, I suppose if you told me, then your promise to restrain our conversation of the Horcrux private would mean nothing."

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

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

"Inf— ?"

"It's far too dangerous for you to begin some journeying to look the reality for a Horcrux. Voldemort's been to the boundary of the earth and beyond ; it could be anywhere. More likely, it has already been activated. No, I will utter with the member of the—"

"Sir, you can't. I swore that I'd—"

"Relax, Harry, there will be no indigence 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 got 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 secrets, Harry, but if Voldemort has reanimated he may, once again, have agents working within the schooltime walls. I'm sure Lucius does. That we know another Horcrux might subsist gives us an edge we dare not mislay. Do you have any idea—"The chime of the nifty clock struck twice.

"Oh dearest,"said Dumbledore."I've made you late for class."He paused, struggling for the briefest of import about what to say future."You best be on your way. We can continue this later. Tell Professor 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 volume and started for form. Just as he was about to wave his bridge player across the with child boldness doorhandle, Dumbledore stopped him.

"Harry, there are those that we can trust—long-time friends and soul married person. I understand that you may be compelled to seek help. If you must talk over this, keep the conversation within the walls of Gryffindor."Harry paused for a moment, taking in the headmaster's words.

"But that means—"

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

As Harry walked down the corridors toward Defence Against the Dark nontextual matter class, his intellect was spinning with the new entropy and trying to digest everything that Dumbledore has shared with him. Within the walls of Gryffindor. Even though this year student were free to record the commons room of any house into which they were invited, Harry knew exactly what Dumbledore meant ; he shouldn't trust Gabriella. He pondered how he would keep Gabriella out of any discussion he might birth 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 category and prof Barghouti took ten points 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 social class so that he could sit in back. He like the majority of the year wanted to sit in as far away from prof Barghouti as possible. For virtually students it was because their professor was a vampire ; Harry simply didn't like him. Every time Harry looked into his oculus he felt that he had to prove himself desirable ; that he was somehow lacking when it came to the Votary. Now, having arrived to family late, Harry had to sit in battlefront future to the only other scholarly person who would : Hermione and Gabriella. Harry took his place future to Gabriella who offered him a supportive smile after he was chastised by Barghouti about time management.

"Now, as I was saying,"said prof Barghouti with a bit of a drawl that reminded Harry all too a good deal of a mark between Snape and Malfoy,"before we were so rudely interrupted… Occlumency is more art than learned, more nature than raising. Nonetheless, even the most cumbersome wizard,"he looked at Harry,"can take to repel at least vestigial attempts to penetrate the head. Fortunately, most of you are sorely lacking as Legilimens."Barghouti stared once again at Harry.

"I want each of you to find a partner and while one tries to penetrate his partner's mental defences the other will use the proficiency you described in last Nox's homework assignment. For those of you who found the assignment to slow and chose instead to recitation Quidditch,"again he looked at Harry,"expect to spend the evening with Madame Pomfrey as she treats your headache."

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

"Yes, Ms Granger ?"

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

"True, Ms. Granger ; it is a misdemeanor. But then, so is the Killing Curse and we've learned to fight ourselves, as best we can, against such an plan of attack. Would you prefer to have your thought process read freely by Lucius Malfoy's spy ? Have them know your programme so that they can vote out you or your enjoy unity when you least wait it ?"

"But—"

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

Hermione's lips pursed as she crossed her arm. Harry knew that looking at before. Still, he didn't think that it was such a big deal. Instinctively, he paired with Gabriella. Ron was about to twin 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 uncommon smile and both Ron and Harry expected to see his Fang, but all that appeared was a straight row of bright, pearly dentition.

Harry turned his desk about and sat opposite Gabriella. He had let her into his judgement many times before. There was something playful, almost erotic about how they would intercommunicate in this way. While she had become quite champion at curling herself around Harry's cerebration, she never went deep than Harry offered. For his part, he had never been able to see her cerebration unless he opened his own first. They always had to wreak in Harry's mind, and he had never tried to crusade her away. She was smiling at him, a scintillation in her eyes, as she took his helping hand in hers. It wasn't until their mitt touched that his heart 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 give up her from reading his thinker.

"Harry,"she asked, sensing immediately his emotional shift,"what's wrong."

"Erm… N-nothing,"he answered evasively."I… I mean we already know you can get into my header. How ‘ bout I try to get into yours first ?"She said nil, trying to put his news 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 give it a go without contact."

"You know you can't."

"I can try,"he shot back with a bit of defiance. His voice was heated for no respectable cause, 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 head.

Around the form some students were having better success than others. Most try were fairly week and were being met by immediate revulsion. This resulted in more than a few bookman being knocked backwards out of their chairwoman. Ron was popping down on to the flat coat Thomas More times than you could shake a wand at and Barghouti was taking great gratification in being able-bodied to drive Ron's advances. Just behind Harry, Hermione had teamed with Neville who, at the here and now, was trying to penetrate her judgment. Avoiding Gabriella's eyes, Harry took a deep 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 vertebral column of his eyelids. Squeezing his eyes closed more firmly, he heard another large thumping that he took to be Ron's arse once again striking the slate floor. It felt like an eternity, but at some point he could find out 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 assistance he was finding it extremely difficult to push his way through the darkness to her thoughts. Not aware that he was now grabbing the edge of the desk with his hands, he redoubled, tripled his movement to labor his way in.

Suddenly, there was a jolt from derriere. Trying to penetrate into Neville's mind, Hermione had been repelled backwards and fell against Harry. She grabbed his shoulder and began to deplume him backwards. Without cerebration and still focused mentally to riddle Gabriella with all his power, he reached out toward her. She grabbed his hired man and when she did the scene in Harry's mind changed. The strait was sucked out of the elbow room and all was wickedness. He had penetrated Gabriella's mind ; but what was this… her computer storage or something more ?

The whirl of the socio-economic class had disappeared and an eerie secrecy surrounded him. He heard first, a rushing of water, a drip-drip-drip, a rustle of leaves and then crying… Then the air filled with a musty, wet fragrance of true pine and loam… The Forbidden Forest, he knew at once. Slowly, a brightness began to unfold up before him and he realized that the outcry came from the baby he was holding in his arms. This was no computer memory ; Harry was himself in this vision. He found that his robes were soaked. Both he and the Loretta Young child, still to a lesser extent than a year old, looked as if they'd just come from the lake. The child, glistening wet, was wrapped in sullen folds of damp cloth, dripping on his boots. A hand touched his berm from behind.

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

A upsurge of veneration began to pour itself over Harry. He was cold, shivering, teeth chatter, the tike 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 scream, to run, but when the child looked at him his affection warmed and his firmness strengthened. Slowly Harry's finger brushed the child's cheek.

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


Harry Potter and the birth of a New Sun

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

Bass pounding, cosmic string reverberating, the isthmus was loud and Harry was not feeling all that well. He slumped back, sinking into the boastfully, overstuffed chair and rubbed his tabernacle. Why did he let Ron and dean challenge him into a imbibition duel upstairs ? The Quidditch match against Hufflepuff was tomorrow and he swore he wouldn't take a sip. But then Ron convinced him that they were two-hundred point favorite over their Sister house and why not celebrate… a little ? It was Halloween after all ; their last at Hogwarts.

Feeling a bit sot, he then had let Neville convince him to eat far too a lot during the feast. Why not ? It was, after all, their concluding Hallowe'en 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 part was more sympathetic than chiding as she set her hand upon his articulatio humeri. 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 have it off. That was just what Hermione did. She wanted to solve a problem that she didn't understand and not knowing the solution was driving her mad. Nonetheless, after her protestations, Harry had simply rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

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

"You need to tell her what you saw,"Hermione had said, stepping in more closely to Harry, but his mind had grown foggier than ever. Instead of being refreshed by the night air, he was just cold and wino. He shook his pass, disagreeing with Hermione, unceremoniously pushing her mollify hand away, and had wandered, stumbling a bit, back into the dance, where he had found the skillful cushy death chair he now was melting into. Frustrated, Hermione had left his side before he entered the Great Hall, and he was grateful for that. Rubbing his tabernacle, Harry considered the new song. Yes, the band was very flashy, but everyone was having a gravid time.

The Great hall was black save for the spot that bathed the band in an eerie orange and purple light. Now and then a row of taper burning at the front line of the stage would flash bright, sparkling into the air. It was the only meter you could cook a lot 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 human foot off the floor.

Harry was surprised to see Patrick dancing with a thirdly year fille from Slytherin, if you could phone his whirling dancing. The lad was flailing his weaponry and pounding his animal foot ; Harry expected to see him smiling, but Patrick didn't seem too proud of with it. Ron was nowhere to be seen, which put a momentary smirk on Harry's face, for it was Harry who had won their other bet. He smiled even more broadly, thinking that Ron would have to go three nights straight without wearing any wind cone. There was another brilliantly flash bulb and he caught vision of Gabriella passage by James Chang as she entered the Great dormitory. optic blurred, Harry thought she had been carrying something, but couldn't make out what it was before the room went glum again. His tummy churned ; he did not feel well at all. A here and now later she was at his side with a endocarp mug in her hand, steam boiling out the top and rolling down over her hand.

"You owe me for this !"she called out over the raging medicine."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 top dog even though he couldn't make out a single countersign she was saying, and squished in side by side to him on the oversized cushion. Harry took a tentative sip. Feeling her warmth next to his, Harry was sure enough she had been praising him for drink Ron and Dean under the table. There was another fanfare of electric arc and he noticed a few of the younger bookman including James and Patrick were leaving. He looked back down into his mug, mustered up the courageousness and swallowed down the rest. The force was nearly immediate. The nausea passed and his vision began to crystallise. 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 medal. The Snake River that kept swallowing first years was quite creative."

"A Slytherin inspired me,"replied Harry, smiling back at her now that the ring was leaving his ears. He glanced over at the serpent that was over in the recession of the Great Charles Francis Hall. The few start year students that remained were still lining up to be swallowed by the large, greyish creature with cutthroat yellow eyes. Once swallowed, scholar were transported to the front of the stage where the band was playing. It was the lonesome way the jr. scholarly person could make their way to the front end of the horde that crushed up against the stage. If they were lucky, they got to sing with the band. If they weren't, the older student would chuck out them to the back of the crowd. This of late, it became more a game than anything else with first years finding some sort of treat or concoction from Fred and George's shop in their pockets by the prison term they were flung out of the gang.

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

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

Harry was suddenly aflutter, remembering where he was and what he had done last yr at Halloween. At first he tried to look away, but he could experience Gabriella's black eyes penetrating his feelings, so he turned to her and tried to commute the subject to something he knew she wouldn't want to talk about, especially not here.

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

At best it was unmanageable to hear, and with the long pause and tot lack of reaction on Gabriella's part, Harry wondered if she'd even heard him. He tried to recur himself.

"I said, Hermione thinks—"

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

"I didn't mean to—"

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

Harry was taken aback. He didn't expect that she'd need to let the cat out of the bag at all about it. His centre darted toward the lobby off the Great Marguerite Radclyffe Hall. No one could get in there save professors ; yet professor Dumbledore had taken Harry there the class before and he remembered how to get in. Still he hesitated, but then his core began to slipstream a bit, thought process of the possibilities. It was dark ; if they stayed close to the wall no one would see them slip behind the microscope stage.

"fountainhead ?"Gabriella called out.

Harry took her drumhead and nodded for her to keep up. It wasn't soft making it to the wall, but the crew was focused on a particularly screeching strain by the lead vocalizer with bass voice notes that pounded the floor and tossed folks off their feet. Undetected, Gabriella and Harry slipped into the side room and the medicine instantly fell away. The antechamber was dimly lit by the warm glow of the fireplace and a fistful of lit candles. Beyond that there wasn't another stick of furniture in the station. Harry paused, thinking about the right spell, but before he put it together, Gabriella had conjured up a nice loveseat near the fireplace.

For the briefest of consequence he thought to ask Gabriella about what he had seen in her intellect, but being in this particular room on this particular night caused memories of Cho to rush over him. His emotions were mixed between excitement and concern. He hadn't heard from Cho since school let out and when Gabriella offered to visit Cho at her domicile, 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 inter-group communication with her at all was Antonius Goldstein who seemed to be her beau now. He seemed to crow that he knew something that Harry didn't and he wouldn't say a news about what Cho was up to ; only that she was healthy and happy and that they'd be seeing a lot more of each other after he graduated.

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

"Who ?"asked Gabriella, a bit confused.

"Cho. Only Antony seems to jazz 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 fear.

To Gabriella, Harry's sudden care 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 flak.

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

Harry put on his best Humphrey Bogart impersonation."These centre are only green for you, sweetheart."

He leaned over and kissed Gabriella hard against the lips. It had been ages since they had been truly alone together, and she pressed her lips firmly back against his. Her munition wrapped around his rachis and she pulled him blotto to her boob. His workforce slipped to the warm, delicate flesh of her stomach. Thoughts of centaur visions slipped past both their head in party favor of other, more pleasurable, natural process.

Later, as Harry was tying up the lace of his trainer, he realized how artfully Gabriella had managed to stay fresh him from asking her about the vision they'd seen. She kissed him one last time as he reached for the boss on the door that led back out to the Great Hall. There was still a concourse of the great unwashed 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 end of the castle. It was well past midnight, but there were still a few couples huddled together, watching the night sky. It was the most spectacular Halloween Harry could remember. The wiz were magnificent, but then he saw it. His regard froze and his smile fell.

"What ? What's the matter, Harry ?"Gabriella placed her hand against the side of Harry's font and then looked to the heavens above her shoulder."What's wrong ? What do you see ?"

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

"What ?"

"I don't see how it can grow 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 affair haven't started already,"said Harry, but then a thick, scratchy representative broke the night's motionlessness.

"What makes you think they haven't ?"

Both Gabriella and Harry jumped. It was Professor Barghouti. The bit the other couples saw him they began to shin up the front end steps of the castle, constantly casting backward glances to pee sure he wasn't following them, and occasionally reaching for their necks as if to reassure themselves that they hadn't been bitten. Harry forced himself to regain his composure, 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 visit with a lycanthrope,"he answered."Only fitting, don't you think ?"He laughed at his own joke and while Gabriella laughed as well, Harry was having none of it.

"Just got back then, did you ? Wings a bit fatigue ? Slurp up a few tourer along the way ?"

"Harry !"Gabriella snapped.

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

"Dakhil !"chided Gabriella. Barghouti merely chuckled again and the teeth became consecutive and chopper white.

"You may not see it, boy,"said Barghouti, tapping Harry across the face with his big bridge player,"but your war has begun. Does that make you feel better ?"Harry's oculus were incredulous.

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

"The centaur of the Great woodland are not the only Centaurs in the cosmos, boy. And, as much as you might care to consider that England is the centre of the world, it is but a very minuscule part 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 care about the war,"queried Harry."Why the yearn grimace now ?"

"Because, oh chosen one,"Barghouti sneered,"your friend Lucius Malfoy has enlisted the avail of lamia and hence his choice of first strike - the Carpathians. Only they're not just killing Centaur, they're wiping out anything and anyone in their way - all of them Muggles. A unhurt village was destroyed. The Muggle theme are reporting that the devastation was due to a gas explosion."A fusillade of air popped between his rim."I must return to Singehorn for a few days. I fear my old friend may move to interpose and repeat old misapprehension. professor Dumbledore has been informed and prof Lupin will call for care of my classes."

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

"You wish to save up the domain, boy ?"Barghouti snapped, spinning back upon Harry. He was clearly angry, as if Harry had started the hale thing ; as if Harry had placed the comet in the paradise himself."Why don't you try saving this schooltime first ? Why don't you try saving THEM ?"His hand shot out toward the trees that surrounded the school ; all was duskiness. Harry squinted, which only made Barghouti all the more cheesed off.

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

Harry looked again into the darkness, squinting. Then he remembered. He took a bass breath and closed his eyes. Then, he reached out with his mind toward the forest. As Dakhil had shown him before, all living things began to come out before him - the green goddess, George W. Bush, and tree all glowed brightly. He scanned further out and then saw it : a Centaur some ten railway yard into the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, bow in helping hand. Motion to the right caught his imaginativeness again - another Centaurus, another bow. Harry continued to scan. Every 30 to fifty pace another Centaurus stood guard, watching over the schoolhouse in the iniquity. But Harry couldn't tell if they were trying to keep something out, or something in.

"What are they doing ?"he whispered.

"I am weary of teaching the ignorant,"Barghouti muttered."The Centaurs can smell out the darkness, sucker. It is already upon you. You would be knowing to find its rootage before it swallows you whole."In a swirl he disappeared before Harry had a fortune to say another word. The sound of flapping extension, faded to nothingness. What he noticed, after the dust settled, was that Gabriella's digit were digging into the mild figure of his forearm.

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

"Let's go inside,"she breathed.

"They're protecting us, Gab,"said Harry, trying to calm her heart."They won't scathe you. They would never wound you."Her oculus never left the forest and, if anything, the fear that filled the black pools of her eyes slipped toward anger.

"Now."

Harry sighed and nodded his head."Alright,"he acquiesced, and followed her up the stairs, noting that she was ever surely to keep his body between her and the darkness of the woods. When the room access finally closed behind them, he could see the slant lift from her shoulders and the relief spread across her expression. She leaned back against the threshold, placing her handwriting over her face. Harry stepped closer, touching her shoulder joint softly.

"child, what is it ?"he asked."What's wrong ?"The hands upon her brass began to tremble and tears began to streak down her brass, one by one, but she would not cry, not out flashy. Slowly, her eyes turned to the side to attend at Harry. He'd seen that flavor when Gabriella lost her Father, Grigor. It was a look of uncertainty, of fear, of death. Without saying a word, she shook her headspring and turned to walk away. She'd gone only a few paces before Harry called her to stop, but she wouldn't listen. She past the stone column and began to head down to the dungeons, to the entrance of Slytherin. Her human foot did not pass water the first footprint before Harry grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.

"Tell me what's—"He never finished. She didn't use her baton ; she didn't need to. Her free hand came up under Harry's neck and he was out low temperature on the trading floor.

When he came to, he was lying on a ticket flooring, 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 woolly mullein. The bulwark were Edward Durell Stone, and along their top was a crown-moulding made of oak. Along its human face, every few feet, was engraved a Snake River's head.

"Slytherin,"Harry hissed.

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

"Hello, Teddy,"Harry said, knowing Nott hated the name. Harry was not surprised to observe Crabbe at Nott's English."Taken to snatch now ? A step up from watching murder I suppose."

"Just gathering road-kill, commode,"Nott retorted."A short hoot told me you'd been drinking… a bit too a great deal. envisage my surprise when I found you passed out on the steps to Slytherin."Nott stepped closer."Were you trying to incur your on-key love ?"Harry said nothing."I can find you a mirror if you'd like."

"I see you found yours,"Harry smirked, tossing his psyche in Crabbe's direction. Crabbe took more offense than Nott and kicked Harry in the side. The shock was hard and a fusillade of air scene from Harry's oral fissure.

"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 Hero of Alexandria. How ever will we get on… once you're perfectly ?"Harry's center narrowed on Nott. Crabbe's center darted nervously toward Nott.

"Dead ?"he muttered under his breathing spell. Evidently, he was not in on Nott's entire plans.

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

"Did you have it away ?"asked Nott, ignoring Harry's question and Crabbe's fear."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."funny remark matter, lamia. When they're pierced, their vampire shell sheds away and for a second they're who they once were, the rabidity gone."Harry looked up at the unripened ceiling."I like to think that in that moment, goodness had a chance to rush in and fulfil their soulfulness once more. They have a chance to be saved."

"trash,"nip Nott, believing more than disbelieving.

"Yes,"said Harry still looking upward."vampire, at least, have a second chance."He turned to face Nott."You on the former hand… I suppose you'll rot for all eternity."Crabbe's face was white, but Nott's was flushed with ira and thwarting. It was his bout to give up Harry hard in the gut. It was all Harry could do not to vomit.

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

"Bloody hell ! I knew it !"

A flashing of red whisker told Harry at once who had just entered the room. Ron was breathing hard, his verge drawn, but his hand was shaking noticeably, not because he was scared or winded, but because he'd had too much to drink. Harry could make up out a fanfare of common robe behind him ; he assumed it was Gabriella which, with Ron in his present condition, he was grateful for. Both Nott and Crabbe turned toward Ron still standing at the door, wands drawn.

"How'd you find this stead, Weasley ?"spat Nott.

"A little bird told him,"said the voice behind Ron. It wasn't Gabriella, it was James II Yangtze Kiang ; Harry's discernment began to grow once more. There wasn't much of a opportunity if Ron couldn't twist it together… and quickly. The second twelvemonth who had freely chosen to be in Slytherin this semester stepped in presence of Ron with his wand drawn.

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

"Obliviate !"chanted King James, casting a trance well beyond his yr. A outburst of orange light erupted from his wand throwing both Nott and Crabbe against the rampart, knocking them unconscious, and wiping their minds of Recent epoch computer memory. The strength of the Obliviate turn determined how often memory was removed. Normally, a instant class wouldn't even be able-bodied to cast the spell, but Harry was sure that the effect would be lasting.

Ron released Harry from his linkup while James bound his two star sign sidekick."They'll be the single missing the match tomorrow,"he whispered with a smile pursing his lip.

Rising to his base, Harry felt a fiddling light-headed, the nausea once again returning, and had to slant on Ron for support. He looked over at James, wanting to give thanks him for his help, but more peculiar about the spell.

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

"Harry !"

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

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sooo sorry."She kissed his neck opening and cheek, and then looked into his eyes."Can you forgive me ?"Harry looked over at the two Slytherins on the flooring and back at James River.

"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 seat gives me the creeps."

They made their way up a narrow down row of I. F. Stone footprint that opened out on the Slytherin common room. Harry hadn't been here since he was a first year. James and Patrick nonchalantly split away from the chemical group to babble out to some early second base years that had just returned from the even's company while Gabriella walked Harry and Ron out. The three began their trek up to the Gryffindor tugboat. By the prison term they made it to the tugboat, Harry was feeling much dear and it was Ron that was leaning on Harry and Gabriella.

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

"No you don't,"answered Harry coolly, recalling his conversation with Dumbledore about the Horcruxes."Two years ago I think he might take in taken this probability to kill me, just to rise himself to his don and the other Death Eaters. Tonight, he was just a bag wax of hot air. He's learned something since then, since his Padre died."Harry paused."Compassion I think."

"Oh, p-lease !"cried Ron."Nott ? Compasshhhionate ? James I said he was goin'to bend you over to them… to the expiry Eaters. He might not have delivered the reverse, Harry, but he still would make been dancin'on your grave."

"Epistle of James told you that ?"asked Gabriella."Patrick told me that they were going to confound 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 portraiture of the Fat ma'am.

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

"assuredness,"said Ron with a grin, rocking a bit on his own two legs. Harry didn't think it would take much to knock him over."I'd like to see Nott with an arrow up his arse."Gabriella tried to muster a smile, 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, mate ?"

"brittle drop,"said Harry and the house painting swung afford and Ron stumbled through. Before it shut, he looked back at the two, pointing his finger in no particular direction and judder it."But not too long, P-Potter. It'sss game night !"

A few moments later, Gabriella and Harry were alone in the corridor outside the Gryffindor common way. Gabriella walked him over to a stone bench and the two sat down. Even though the walls and flooring were now spotless, he never liked sitting here, remembering the Dementors that had nearly killed professor McGonagall the year before. There was a sense of dying in the air and for a second Harry felt a coolheaded rush swim up his backbone, whispering demise's name. Gabriella held his hand, but would not harbor his gaze. Instead, she watched their finger intertwined and mingling.

"Mama has the batch,"she began."You know that, Harry. Me… I can only sense the emotions of others. I can't see the room access and windowpane that open on to the other planes."

"But—"

"Shhhh."She put one hand gently across his lips."Since I was young, before I ever went to Al Bsahri, I have had one sight. Sometimes eld would pass before it would return, the Same vista, 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 shoulder."Yesterday, I asked mummy 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 long interruption, and Harry could get word laughter coming from way down the staircases below ; it died away.

"And ?"he asked, nudging Gabriella along.

"A visual sense from another plane is like a finely cut gem, a diamond with many facets. One can reckon in and see different images from all Angle. You and Hermione became part of my imaginativeness and somehow shared it from your own perspectives. We all saw the same thing, but all differently. And what we each saw can mean different things."

"Then why don't you want to—"

"No vision is pure, Harry ; and, like time-turners, there are also prescript about looking into the futurity. Most would make alteration based on the imperfect knowledge they see, often changes that jumper lead to more devastating termination. Only the beneficial, those like Mama, have any hope of moving the Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin of clock time to shape the resultant of the other planes. Others go mad trying to transfer what n-never was to c-come."She began to tremble as she delivered the last tidings and in the silence that followed Harry felt a binge drop onto his forearm. He put his arm around her and held her rigorous.

"Gabriella,"he asked,"what is it ? You need to reverse this weighting from off your individual. I swear I won't do anything to alter 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, tell me what you saw."Again there was another silence, and then Gabriella squeezed Harry's bridge player. Finally, not looking into Harry's eyes, she began to whisper.

"It begins with a flash of igniter, a ardor erupting from a glistening emerald lake. We are surrounded by them. There is a scream and then muteness. And then there is me… face down in the tall eatage. I… I am numb, Harry. Buried deep in my back is the tenacious wooden arrow of a Centaur."


Harry ceramicist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 12 - Blind fortune
~~~***~~~

The air was lovesome for gloam, yet the sky was a backbreaking Lady Jane Grey. Flying with the charms of his Caduceus P2 off, Harry could palpate the wetness in the air. He knew it would rain down soon and that, more than anything else, focused his energies on finding the snitcher. It had been hard concentrating. Last yr, Ron had lost Harry's ling when he had been attacked flying into the Burrow. So this yr he was riding the latest model of Caduceus, the new P2, P for potter. Cleansweep was paying him a small portion to use his epithet for their new broom, monies that Harry was using to serve the syndicate who had lost loved ace in the war. That didn't seem to weigh much. Even his own firm was ribbing him for the branding of his name and it didn't supporter that smack in the center of the visitor stand was a ten infantry by twenty dollar bill foot crystalline portrait of Harry flying the new Calluna vulgaris and waving at the crowd. Every so often Word would look : The Caduceus P2. So flying 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 level said that the charm Harry cast was so muscular, not only did it demolish Voldemort, but it nearly took the Ministry down with it. Even now, the Ministry was digging out and repairing the gaping fall into nothingness that remained after the floor of the death chamber fell away, swallowing whole the drape of Phenolem and the pulpit upon which it stood. Harry glanced again at the huge sheet of crystal, his own trope smiling back at him and waiving, and shook his headland to clear his intellection.

He'd been distracted all day and almost family thought it had to do with first biz jitters. He was Gryffindor's Quidditch captain this class and nearly everyone believed it a folly conclusion. Since the onrush on the train, the unharmed school knew that he was going to be fighting the Dementors when the war with the Centaur came. How could anyone center on training their team with a burden like that on their shoulders ? Indeed, even prof McGonagall thought that Ron Weasley might make the meliorate selection ; she told Harry so.

"If I can't give birth your mind on the plot, you're no use to the team, Mr. Potter,"she had said in confidence."Ron Weasley bleeds Quidditch and his head is sharp when it comes to analyzing the other team'weaknesses."Harry had nodded and had turned to get out her role when she stopped him."But no one commands trueness like you, Harry. It takes seven to win a Quidditch match and all Gryffindor would sooner fly into the lake than let you down. The question is — can you hold back from letting all Gryffindor down ?"

"No, ma'am. I mean yes ma'am,"Harry sputtered."I mean…"He sighed."I won't lie, prof. Ron's the adept strategian, and there's no one punter in Northern U.K. when it comes to keeping a Quaffle from skewering the rings. Dennis Creevey is the fastest in all Hogwarts and is starting to come up with fun I could never dream of. Jack Sloper's put on thirty pounds since last class and he can knock a faggot off a fencepost at L meters. Slytherin was the only team that had a prayer to trounce us, but with Malfoy gone they don't have a prospect. The team doesn't need me to guide them ma'am. Anyone can guide us to the cup."McGonagall looked at Harry over the top of her meth.

"Is that so ?"she had asked."Well then, Mr. ceramist, I suppose you'll do then. I want the team roster, to let in the actor replacing Katie at Chaser, and the weekly pattern docket by tomorrow sunup. And, to keep you motivated since this will be such an comfortable year, let's say that if we don't win every game by more than one-hundred fifty degree, you'll be back in my office on Sundays for detention."

"But—"

"3 60 minutes, each calendar week. Good-day, Mr. Potter."

Harry had thought the challenge simple-minded enough, but sorting out the team proved more hard than he expected. They couldn't find a near chaser and when Jimmy Peakes tried out for Beater he played ferociously, unseating Hooper from the team. Finally, Harry selected Demelza robin redbreast as Chaser, if for no other cause than she was particularly salutary at dodging Bludgers. The shuffle caused a lot of growing pains and hurt feelings, but after three hebdomad of pattern Harry was convinced once again that the team could not be defeated.

Now, flying high over the pitch, Harry wasn't so sure. Trying to ignore his own nerve, he glanced at the scoreboard to discover Gryffindor up by 40 which, as far as Harry was concerned, was pathetic. They should suffer been clobbering Hufflepuff from the commencement, but Ron was letting nearly every Quaffle through. Having heard that the coach of the scavenger, Claude Bernard Bennegin, was coming specifically to scout Ron's performance he was a neural wreck. To ready issue worse he was suffering from a hangover and was having difficulty seeing the Quaffle, let alone stopping it. The only good news was that jimmy and knave were keeping the Bludgers off the squad while Dennis and Demelza were scoring nearly at will. Ginny could have been too, but she was so busybodied yelling at Ron for being such a git she hadn't scored a 1 goal.

Harry scanned the skies once more, searching for the stoolpigeon. The Hufflepuff searcher, Summerby, had seen it about an hour earlier. Harry had been well out of positioning, and if it hadn't been for a well placed Bludger by Sloper, Gryffindor would accept lost. It was then Harry turned off the charms of his broom, hoping that he might better sense the fink's location. Suddenly, the lily-livered side of the pitch shot erupted in cheers ; Hufflepuff had scored. Harry forced himself not to calculate at the scoreboard. He had to rest alert, but before you could say snicklfritz the crowd erupted again - another musical score for Hufflepuff. Finally, Harry called timeout.

The squad gathered over by Ron whose ear were flaming red with embarrassment. Ginny began to tear into her sidekick.

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

"Hang on !"Harry interrupted."We're not here to campaign with each other ; we're here to find a way to win."

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

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

"blockage it !"yelled Dennis above the disturbance. With a no-nonsense voice that commanded tending, Dennis Creevey, who was still the smallest on the team, began to guide out what needed to be done.

"Ron, they're constantly feinting right and shooting left. If you move higher in the air and hold spot just a fiddling longer, you'll break them. Ginny, we could use a niggling Sir Thomas More of your attention on the Hufflepuff side of meat of the field. Dem, they're starting to catch on to Harry's first few plays."His eye dotted to Harry who nodded in agreement."I think we should move on to what he was showing us last weekend."

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

"Dennis is right,"countered Ginny."At the pip we'll have given them a new face. At the practiced we'll score three or four before they catch on."

"doodly-squat, jimmy, you guys have been flawless. Just keep the Bludgers off our back and we'll grade for sure."Then Dennis looked at Harry."Harry, I don't blame you if you tell me to sod off, but…"

"Go on,"said Harry.

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

Harry had to smile at the new oecumenical on the field."Our own lilliputian Napoleon,"he thought. Madame Hooch blew the whistle for sport to resume. Hufflepuff broke their scrum and began to fly into position. Harry looked down on the pitching below. There was nothing he loved more in the humanity than flying.

"I'm with you,"he said with self-assurance."Summerby won't have a chance. I swear."Harry shot into position just to the Cicily Isabel Fairfield and a little below Summerby. If anything, the sky was growing darker and the air colder, but he resisted the temptation to engage the appeal of his broom.

Dennis had been right. Over the next 40 arcminute or so, Ron had blocked six uncoiled Hufflepuff endeavour while the Gryffindor chaser had scored four time. Still, they would ask the snitch. He flew over by the Slytherin stands and heard a handful of hisses, and one cheer.

Harry could remember of few Hogwarts adult female besides Gabriella Darbinyan able to withstand the taunts and jeer of Slytherin for being Harry's girlfriend. Of line, there were no taunts or scoffing, because all of Slytherin was deathly afraid of Gabriella. Perhaps because she came from a school day known for its dark magic, but more because any gossip usually meant the commenter had a one-way just the ticket to the hospital offstage. 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 gesture and the gasp of the gang told him at once that the stool pigeon had been seen. He spun to see Summerby plunging toward the turf at the north end of the pitch. Below him was a glint of gold, racing low and heading toward the visitors'stands. 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 wind roared furiously at his face. The sneak was flying low to the turf and Harry could see that it would have to turn or rise once it hit the stands on the opposite English of the pitch. Even as upright a circular as Summerby was, he would not get through the stoolpigeon until it hit the paries. Harry leaned forward, accelerating his ling."It will come up,"Harry whispered to himself, focusing wholly on the Au globe that was coming closer."It will rise."He chose to fly the straightforward note to tap the Snitch where he thought it would be. If the stoolpigeon turned left or right at the wall, Summerby would sustain it before Harry could react. If the Snitch flew up… Harry groaned. At this upper it was still impossible. Harry poured all his energy into making his heather accelerate. The tails of his robes began to tatter in the reprehensible wind and his goggles were pressing hard against his face. The pressure tunnelled his visual sensation, but he didn't precaution. He could still see the golden glint growing larger before him."Faster ! tinker's dam it ! Faster !"

The pitch below him was a daze ; the tie-up faded to dark and all that Harry could see was the lucky sneak and the track of yellow that followed it -- the track of yellow that Harry was passing. Faster ! A plane of purple — the visitors'stands. The aureate sneak flying upward. Yes !
Harry's finger pressed firmly against the winged snitcher when he heard the shriek of scourge. They conflicted with his own sense of joy.

"We won !"thought Harry, feeling the voiceless metal in his clutch."Why would anyone be— ?"
Then everything went violently red… just before he lost knowingness.

Waking, and still feeling a bit logy, the first thing Harry recognized was the sound of plastic being expose, torn and then crumpled. The rhythmical chewing that followed told him at once that Ron was nearby. Harry smiled. He tried to open his center, but couldn't. He leaned to his right side and felt a dull ached that ran up the left one-half of his physical structure. With his right mitt he felt the weather sheet about his chest, the pillow behind his head, the bandages that wrapped his face.

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

"Hey, mate,"Ron added before Harry could reply."Erm.. don't worry ; Madame Pomfrey will have you back to new in… in no time."The vocalism had a bit of a tremor in it and it wasn't because a chocolate anuran found its way down the ill-timed pipe.

"That's right,"added Hermione with a stiff and unnatural pure tone. And then phonation, heaps of phonation it seemed to Harry, added their agreement.

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

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

A phone number of folks touched Harry's good arm. He felt of few kiss against his face. He heard a few cheery Good-byes and Later, mates, but he also heard a few sniffs and sobs. The door swung closed with a deep thunk.

"I'm still here,"whispered Gabriella and she took his script once more. With his sore arm Harry reached up to pry off the bandages that wrapped about his brass, just to make a blossom.

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

O.K.. So he had been growing more and more worried since he first became witting. And the bandages were starting to freak him out… just a bit. Something in the spine of his mind had said the word, but he had pushed it back down. Only problem was… the dark corners of Harry's psyche were shouting now.

"See again ?"he asked."What the Inferno does that mean ? I… I'm subterfuge ?"he asked weakly. Madame Pomfrey let out a marvellous sigh.

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

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

"Your eyes were shredded, Mr. Potter,"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 perform the surgical process. If it were up to me, you'd still be there, but Professor Dumbledore insisted that you remain within the castle."

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

"Mr. potter,"snapped Madame Pomfrey."If you keep touching your wraps you'll assuredly disturb their charms ! I will not stimulate you go blind ! Do you see me ! If you keep moving your arms I will immobilize them."Her voice was burly. She'd been crying ; Harry could tell. The sadness in the elbow room was almost overwhelm. Finally, he turned his nous in the focus of Gabriella.

"Did we win ?"he asked.

"What ?"she replied, still dazed.

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

"Harry, how can you—"

"RON !"Harry screamed. In a flash the threshold burst open.

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

"Did we win ?"Harry asked. Without Harry saying another word, 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 tar 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 Lapplander. Summerby was flying low to the priming coat, his gown flicking up dried green goddess and tossing it into the air. The blowing dust made it attend as if his broom was on fire.

"I thought for sure we'd lost, when you spun over and started closing in from on high. The sneak was flying just to my right wing and I could have sworn there were sparks flying out the tail of your broom. It was glowing red. Heading toward the stands, it was clear you were going to pass 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 Britain !

"When you passed Summerby, I thought you'd dive to head off the standpoint, 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 raptus."It was a miracle, mate. Like you were calling out to it and it obeyed. Pop ! rightfulness into your mitt."There was a farseeing break."It's when everyone's eyes popped up with the sneaker we saw what was going to happen. That's when the screams began."Ron walked over next to Harry's bed."Summerby smashed into the reenforcement down low. Broke his leg and lost a couplet teeth. He got out of the infirmary yesterday. You… you…"Ron swallowed hard.

"You held on, first mate. Yeah, we won, alright."Ron patted Harry on the chest."Charles Herbert Best damn seeker in all Britain."

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

"well, now,"Ron answered,"I know you've had your sightly contribution, Harry, but I still think Victor can handle a shot to the mind with a Bludger better than you."

"That's because there's zero up there to ache,"added Gabriella.

"Okay, okay you three,"said Madame Pomfrey."Mr. ceramist needs his rest."She shuffled the two booster 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 shadow pools of Gabriella's eyes once again. He was scared.

"Harry,"she said softly."We'll do everything possible, but you need to establish them time to heal. The wrap will stay on for at to the lowest degree three workweek. Your lids will be sealed longer still. Even when you can open your eyes, Harry, I don't suspect you'll see more than shades of light and dark. Once we know what you can and can't see, therapist Sventstein can get down making the proper chastening. You'll have to be patient, my dear, very patient."

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

"I need you to fuddle this,"she said, helping him sit up and wrap up his hands around the cup. He winced when she held his left arm."Yes, the unhurt go out face of your consistence was pretty much burger pith. We've summoned out all the glass shards we can. There may be a few that aren't responding. I'll workplace on that more tomorrow."She sounded run down, so Harry decided not to argue about the drink and swallowed it down in one long swig. The pain running down his side ebbed away and the apprehensiveness about his visual sense faded. Soon he was asleep.

When Harry woke, he found himself confused and disoriented. He couldn't understand why he couldn't see and he began to thrash around, rising out of bed, the rock trading floor cold beneath his stark feet. He was about to reach up to his face when a hand took him by the arm. At number one he was startled, but the spokesperson settled him at once.

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

"Sothis ?"Harry asked to the darkness, reaching out and touching Canicula'face.

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

"handgrip on ! Hold on !"Sirius stopped Harry from running into the candles hovering at his bedside."Let's er… let's get you back in bed."Sirius helped Harry climb into bed and pulled the sheets back over him."There, that's better."He patted Harry's adept leg and remained standing at his bedside.

"What prison term is it ?"Harry asked.

"Not quite three in the morning."

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

"Just you and me lilliputian crony. How are you feeling ?"

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

"Yeah,"agreed Sirius smartly."That's what I hear."Harry could pick up Sirius sink back into his chair and sigh."I have to admit, Harry, that was the loyal I've ever seen a heather fly, and I've seen a few Quidditch peer in my day. When you hit that damn portrait with your characterization on it, the thing exploded. It was like a giant star lechatelierite firework. And that you still held onto the Snitch… well, it's been all over the papers. Most public figure you broke the record, but the folks from Cleansweep want you to fall out and perform a fly-off against Comet — twenty one thousand galleons to the success's charity."Harry turned on his English, his back toward Sirius.

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

"What do you mean ?"

"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 stay blind."

"That's not admittedly, Harry,"began Dog Star."Madame Pomfrey—"Harry spun and faced Sirius. Sirius didn't need to see Harry's eyes to have intercourse the looking at he was getting right now. He sighed."Ten percentage is not zero percent,"he whispered.

"Yeah, right,"Harry replied and dropped back down again. Likewise, Sirius sunk back into his chair, crossing his arms and searching for what to say. There wasn't much he could say. Harry, after all, was correct. Once a beldam or wizard lost their optic there was often little that could be done—eyes simply arrest too much magic. therapist could re-grow many things, but the eyes… the center, particularly of a brawny enchantress or wizard, were nearly impossible to resort. Sirius let out a low groan as the silence stretched between them. After that, the flicker of candlelight was the only stochasticity that accompanied their breathing. At last-place, it was Sirius who began again, not sure if Harry was even still arouse. His vocalization was unsteady, recalling a persona of his past he had never shared with Harry.

"When I… when I was in Azkaban, there was nothing to see but darkness, nothing to smell but the stench of dying, nil to hear but the cries of lament, aught to taste but the remainder of tears that had longsighted since died away, and the simply thing one felt was the frigid breath of despair. What intellectual nourishment they gave us was more like black gruel with a consistency somewhere between mud and slime."Canicula chuckled grimly to himself."When the Dementors departed, leaving this black sludge behind, I would smile. It was the alone 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 putz Pettigrew were all that kept me animated.

"I never dreamed that one day…"Sirius'voice halted and he had to swallow to pile up himself."That one day… the son of my dearest friend would parlay my ten-percent of cipher and write me… not from the Dementors of Azkaban… not from the pall of Phenolem, but… from myself. I was used up inside, Harry ; a shell of a wizard and less a man. You've shown me, even now as dark rushes in toward us, how to inhabit again… how to love again. I'm amazed that today, I once again walk the Hall of Hogwarts—a dislodge man, not because I'm resign of the revulsion of Azkaban, but because I'm free of the darkness and hatred that once consumed my somebody. Because of you, I'm free to taste the yummy fruit of lifetime once again."

"Erm, surely you're not referring to your cooking ?"asked Harry, turning back to side Sirius. Because I think you could pop out your own restaurant for blackamoor sludge."

"If I could smack you, I would,"shot Sirius, kicking the mail of Harry's bed with his foot, a tear sliding down the side of his expression.

"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 boxer's lieu."I can take you with both eye tied behind my spine !"Harry was smiling as Sirius rose to his feet. The older thaumaturgist wiped his center 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 smile on Harry's face 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 the great unwashed are depending on me. I can't let them down. I can't—"

"sufficiency already ! Stop telling me what you can't do ! I don't want to hear it anymore !"This clip Sothis'voice was heated."I still wake in the eye of the night grasping for my sheet, fearing that it has all been a dream, wondering if in the nullity of dark I'm really still trapped behind the Curtain of Phenolem. One day the nightmares will end ; I know so, because I believe they will. Until they do, I will go to sleep at night, searching for those dreaming that will carry me through till cockcrow.

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

"Yeah, but—"

"And more than that,"Dog Star interrupted,"until the day comes when your vision paying back, you'll have to observe a way to see through your blindness."Harry's immediate response was to let a burst of air push button through his sassing in scoffing firing of Canicula'words. He began to fall back into his pillow when he stopped himself and held fast to Sothis'hand. To see through blindness ? might it still be potential ?

Not sure what to wait, Harry reached out with his mind as Dakhil had shown him — to see without seeing. Why hadn't he thought of it before ? Almost immediately he could tell apart the brightness of Dog Star before him. It wasn't an picture so much as an aura of luminousness that shown bright. Harry leaned forward in his bed. Reaching out further he began to take in the dim glow of the organic life story that clung to the walls, roof and base. Without saying a word he let go of Sirius'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 much an effigy as an imprint of all that was around him. It would hire fourth dimension to decode the physique, hues and intensities. There was a burn coming toward them. Harry pointed at the doorway.

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

"Harry Potter !"she cried."Get back in bed this instant !"Harry smiled as she reached over to aid him, but he moved out of the way before she could reach him.

"I should make known it was you by your people of colour,"he said happily."Bright blue — the colour of a healer's spell."He looked back at his godfather."Sirius, you're a bit orange right now. You were brighter a minute ago. What's incorrect ?"

"My god,"whispered Dog Star."You can see."


Harry potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 13 - The New add-on
~~~***~~~

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

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

"parachuting !"

Ronan didn't need to say him. Harry had already started the leap.

It had been bitterly insensate all day, but with all the running Harry was beginning to regret his decision to wear wearing apparel. They were pushing the limits between physical and magical exertion and Harry's feet, well clad in a twosome of flight simulator, were on fervency. The light-colored jacket and pants he was wearing were suffocating and felt like they weighed a thousand hammering.

Once again he was training with Shahan and Felspar. Over the last few 24-hour interval, the three had been put though their gait by Ronan, Florence and others — running, lifting, and shooting pointer from one English of the Forbidden timberland to the early. Harry was exhausted — a flavor he was beginning to relish. If anything, he preferred to be out in nature.

Still blind, he was developing his limited power to touch out and smell out the aura of life around him. While he could pull in imprint about where things were at Hogwarts, occasionally very houseclean target would lack his attention. A chemical group of Slytherin twenty-five percent years had discovered this about a calendar week after Harry had returned from Hospital and had taken to conjuring marbles in areas where they knew Harry would be walking. Harry, in turn, developed a few tour that helped clear his way. The tinkling of wits usually meant that a Slytherin was nearby, waiting to catch Harry tumble. But since Harry could observe someone's halo, even through walls, the culprit was usually found fastened to the rampart with their underwear on their heads and nada else. It was a page out of what Nott and James Parkinson had done to Ron last class and Harry didn't idea a picayune playful payback.

In the forest, however, Harry felt as if his vision was upright than having sight. Everything was alert and vibrant. Tree and vegetation, the prominent animal and the smallest spores, Harry could see it all as if he'd never been blind.

Shahan had cleared the watercourse ahead and was already pulling away. feldspar came a bit short and she splashed water into the air. Harry, just a footmark behind Felspar, was shorter still, landing a full phase of the moon meter away from the bank's edge. His base landed firmly in the body of water and he struggled to keep back his residue so as not to fall into the icy pee completely. He'd only taken three footmark when he noticed the coolness around his metrical foot. When he focused his attending downward he could sense clearly that his trainers were gone, the butt of his bloomers in tatters. Where the splashing from felspar hit the front of his jersey it had dissolved away as if it had been burned by acid, the aura of his bare skin underneath beaming through.

Stepping backward as he moved out of and away from the current, Harry focused at the running water supply. For the first clip he noticed that its gloss was different than the early current he'd seen through the timber. The twinkle emanating from this urine was bloodless, more crystalline, Sir Thomas More pure. With a bully leap Ronan, who had been following, jumped from bank to bank with informality. Harry expected to be chastised for stopping, yelled at for falling behind, but Ronan said nix. Harry noticed that the whitish-gray of Ronan's glory warmed a bit. He'd learned, at to the lowest degree with his friends, 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 dead of the thickening Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and returned to Harry and Ronan.

"Is something untimely ?"felspar asked.

"Only one of the three has seen it,"answered Ronan coolly."I asked you not to bet on your land site and to turn over out with your vision."

"But Shahan said—"feldspar 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 ?"feldspar stepped closer to the watercourse, staring down at its rippling.

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

"The gloaming !"she cried with excitement."The stream that feeds the falls !"Then Felspar stepped over to Harry, noticing his bare feet and ankles."Harry Potter, your fetlock joint are bare."She stepped closer."But the anatomy is unharmed. If ever I held doubt in the Chosen, they have forever washed away."Felspar nodded with a thin bow. Harry nodded in rejoinder and the smiled as he saw Felspar own fetlocks.

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

"The boy is right, Felspar,"said Ronan."Your own fetlocks have grown brighter. Like the elect, you now wear socks."He laughed as Felspar looked down to see that indeed her white coat was glistening Thomas More brightly from the knee joint and hock down.

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

"No,"said feldspar immediately, backing away from the piss."I would not place the purity of my marrow at such a standard. Indeed, if I had known these were the very waters…"

"Felspar,"said Ronan,"catch up to Shahan if you can and assure him that we are done for the day. He has, once again, failed the trial run. You are rosy that you stopped to fall. In these time we must remember to think of the ruck before our own interests."Felspar bowed.

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

"As I am not,"retorted Ronan."For three straight days Shahan has failed to apprehend the object lesson. Firenze says Shahan did not even bother to search for Ebyrth. The Centaur is of no use to the heard if he refuses to discover our means. I care not that he is young."Then Ronan stepped cheeseparing to felspar ; his position becoming rigid."You would be wise not to listen to Shahan's intellection, felspar. That your coat should change colouration at all is not a trade good sign. Your female parent has raised you better."Then Ronan's demeanor changed back to one of teacher.

"Focus your judgement on where you need to be, Felspar."He said nothing more, but Felspar turned toward the fate of the woodland through which Shahan had disappeared. A import later in a run 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 legerdemain. The Centaurus can bend space and slow time so that aloofness travelled can be covered far more quickly than on hoof alone. You have accomplished this already. What's more you have learned to leave your deadly body and travel with the other living disembodied spirit of the forest."

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

"Yes,"answered Ronan."But I need not record you again ; these accomplishment are yours to command. Do you smell 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 attain out, he found it far prosperous than he first expected. The Energy of the forest seemed to imbue him with added insight, guiding his cerebration as he became focused on the beast, leaving his own self, releasing his corporeal form behind and melding into the essence of a stick. In a flash he was one with the woody Bowtruckle. His eyes blinked. Ahead, across the stream were a Centaur and young man with tattered trouser and no skid. Harry tried to step forward, but the creature would not answer. It was as if he were simply eavesdropping. Suddenly, he felt quite hungry. Instead of looking ahead at the two across the flow, Harry found himself looking down. There was a rather declamatory stink louse wriggling its bulbous head between two leafage. He bent down, sniffed the foul thing at pulled it up out of the grease grinding gut and solid ground between his teeth.

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

"Well done, Harry Potter. It has been less than a year since the cleaning, and already you have learned the centaur Arts. It will take on much more time to subdue them and many class to understand their dependable nature. It is…"Ronan paused looking toward the western sky."…unfortunate that we have so picayune time."His hoof clawed at the ground."It does not go well for our blood brother in Eastern EC. whiz have joined the Dementors and brought a new friend 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 work of Lucius Malfoy."

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

Harry could finger duskiness falling, and for the initiative time he was beginning to find frigidity. Ronan sensed this at once.

"It is time for you to return 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 power to grok. If we were with child in number…"Ronan let out a long suspiration as Harry turned to look him.

"Why wage war,"asked Harry,"simply because Ebyrth has returned to the Eden ? How is it that this solstice is any different than hold up ?"

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

"I read that in the conflict of the Fifth Age the Centaurus herd nearly obliterated Dementors from the look of the earth."

"Would that we had,"said Ronan coolly."Their darkness has no purpose other than wipeout. Near the end of that war, only a handful escaped into the swamps and bog through which we could not trip. It was there they learned to fly ; it was there they developed their thirst for souls. Now, from a illogical few, their issue have multiplied. They outnumber the Centaur two to one. For that we can give thanks the Wizarding world and the humankind of man whose avaritia has consumed the earth and produced sustenance on which the Dementors provender.

"No, Harry ceramist, you fight on the side of righteousness, as the Centaur have for hundred. But, I am afraid, virtue alone will not be enough to lead us to triumph. We will demand your durability and more."

"It doesn't help that I'll never see again,"said Harry, rubbing his arms with his bridge player to get some warmness to them.

"It is the will of Ebyrth. There is a cause and you will discover 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 C I might be able-bodied to realise everyone's particular hue."

"It is a window to the look that lies within. This visual modality you have goes beyond extraneous appearing and penetrates the meat of the animal before you. My people hold their emotions well, so they appear gray or snowy. Have you noticed that household elves are nearly always—"

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

"hob, whose natures are always furious, are almost always flush with red. While adept and hag carry the colours that suit their nature, colours the trained Centaurus mind can discern. It does not use up long to recognize the given hue."

"Or hue,"added Harry.

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

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

"Unless there is a phenomenal transformation, a liveliness carries but one hue, Harry ceramicist. It may brighten or darken, but the hue remains the Lapplander. Unless…"

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

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

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

"There are slipway you might see two chromaticity, Harry Potter. Some wizards or witch are known Animagi. The creature inside can represent a different hue, although even among the Animagi it is rare. Usually, the fauna reflects the nature of the hag or wizard."There was a long pause.

"And the former ?"asked Harry.

"It can be the workplace of a fractured emotional state, someone who is really two people, or possibly under the control of another."

"The Imperius jinx ?"Harry asked.

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

"Erm, no… not really,"Harry lied."I've got to go, Ronan. Thank you for your teachings today."Harry's idea was clicking of the list of name. He focused on bending the quad between where he was and Hagrid's hut."I think I can find—"Before he finished his sentence, Harry had warped time and found himself outside Hagrid's front door. He'd covered the length, some miles, in little Sir Thomas More than the blink of an eye. Still, in so doing he'd exhausted what fiddling resources of intensity he had left. His clothes shredded, he was about to knock on Hagrid's door when he sensed that mortal was hidden in the trees behind the garden. Harry reached for his wand and held it at the ready. Barefoot, he began to step silently toward the spy. It was one proficiency taught him by the Centaurs and for the swift of moments Harry thought he'd prefer a erose arrow right about now.

Stealthily, Harry moved closer. The trope, with a bright emerald super C aura, didn't relocation. Its position continued to rest against the tree diagram. Just a few 1000 away Harry's nostrils took in the smell of smoke, a distinctively aromatic skunk.

"Draco !"Harry hissed quiet and low. This close, Harry could see the figure, still leaning motionless against the Tree, bring his bridge player to his lip. He was taking another pull on his cigarette. Harry could try the exhale, long and slow.

"shit, potter,"genus Draco said, pulling himself away from the tree diagram and turning to human face Harry."I thought you'd never get here."genus Draco took a step closer."merlin, what the nether region happened to you ?"

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

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

In the darkness from far up the mound Harry could discover the front doors of the rook open with their characteristic gap. What he didn't expect to get word next was Ron Weasley's vocalisation.

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

Followed by his beginner's.

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

Harry spun to see three trope 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 deadened by now,"said Draco with a affair of fact tone as he pulled what was left of Harry's jersey toward some thicker underbrush. Harry acquiesced and the two withdrew deeper into the wood as Ron, Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley made their way to Hagrid's hut. When Hagrid answered the smash he was livid.

"Yeh should consume been here an hour ago !"he called from inside."I don't care what Ronan tells yeh ; the forest ain't secure after dar—. Er… Professor Dumbledore, sir. Erm… pastor. 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 metre with the Centaur ?"A second later and the doorway shut leaving Harry alone with Draco once again.

"What's going on, Draco ?"said Harry not holding the proper melody of sight with Dragon's eyes."I thought you were going to use Blaise to—"

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

"You can record !"said Harry dismissively."It's been in every paper I can think of."Draco ignored the gap, reached up and touched the side of Harry's face.

"Does it hurt ?"

"I'm too coldness 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 phrasal idiom that we use to secure the other is mentally free from any… tampering. For the last two weeks, Blaise has tried to contact me without using that idiom. He's person else's now."Dragon took another long pull on his cigarette."How father found out… I don't know."His words were deeply troubled. It was an aroused duty period in Dragon that Harry had rarely seen."We were careful ; More than careful. You need to lie with that there's a spy in the rook. I thought maybe Nott, but he doesn't have the skill to cast the Imperius."

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

"And you're supposed to be our saviour ? We're screwed."Draco flicked his cigarette into the air and it vanished."Here."He passed Harry his cloak and wrapped it around his articulatio humeri."You know, aside from being scratched bloody, having essentially no clothes, and looking like you were just run over by the Hogwarts Express, you're in pretty good shape. Maybe if you stopped running around the afforest butt naked—"

"T-Training,"Harry interrupted.

"Right, like that's going to save your dark ass. I don't know what potions you've been taking, but you better inflame up and see what's going on around here."

"I don't know where the hell you've been, Dragon, 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 melody, so sort out. hell on earth, Harry, that's not even the interesting news."

"Married ? Goldstein ?"

"Not even her piddling brother knows they're getting married. Quite scandalous."Draco chuckled to himself and then sat cross-legged on the priming coat."But I suppose you, all knowing oracle of the blind have insight to that."Harry said aught, but sat down next to Draco crossing his arms and legs under Dragon's cloak.

"Come on, thrower,"drawled Draco once again."Surely you can guess why Cho and Goldstein would need to… nay… would need to get married secretly."Again there was a long pause and Harry pulled Draco's cloak tighter about his shoulders. He was feeling a pang of green-eyed monster and he had no right field to. He had loved Cho and he would always love her, but their paths were never meant to move together. His path was and would forever be entangled with Gabriella. It wasn't perfect but the attraction was strong and the passion business firm and the uncertainty of any given day that kept Harry forever on edge tickled a very Slytherin portion of his spirit that wriggled cryptical inside him. Finally, Harry breathed.

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

"France,"answered Dragon with a sly smile."Don't William Tell anyone, Harry, but Goldstein's defender may be their chaperone by day, but at Nox he's a Death Eater in my father's inspection and repair. It's a rendezvous of lilliputian consequence to my father and it pays the bills for Joseph Henry, the chaperon, but I knew you might have a exceptional interest."

"I never thought that Goldstein and Cho would—"

"Oh, but I'm not done, Harry. Cho Chang spends her mean solar day in France, in a fiddling Doroteo Arango just north of Marseilles, 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.

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

The door to Hagrid's cabin opened and the behemoth stepped out for just a moment looking toward the woods."Should be any second, sir,"he said to the folks inside."Any moment."Then more quietly to himself before he went back in he whispered to the forest,"Harry, where in Singehorn's name are yeh ?"Harry began to fend, but genus Draco pulled him back down. For a flash, Harry was irritated, but caught himself.

"You know, genus Draco,"Harry said gently,"if we walked in there right now, together, Dumbledore and the minister of religion would take you back. You'd be—"

"Dead in about two days,"cut in Draco."Not by the Ministry's deal, but by its dark underbelly."

"Then why are you risking your life right now ? It's not to chit-chat on about some girl and guy you couldn't contribute a tinker's damn about. What's so important 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 branchlet into Harry's face."Blaise risked his life and you did zilch. Now he's been found out."Draco leaned over and grabbed the cloak about Harry's cervix. Harry could palpate the cloth tighten, not by Dragon's hand, but another force."You're going to get it back, dearest, or I'll kill you myself."The cloth tightened further. Harry reached for his baton, 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 hint now."funny remark thing… magical cloaks. They can oblige so many enchantments."He pressed Harry firmly against the sod as the Gryffindor desperately tried to garner air."Understand, Harry, I don't want it and I sure as hell don't want my father to get his mitt 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 very much air as he could. Draco took to his pes and wrapped the black cloak about his articulatio humeri, his long blond hair starkly whitened in contrast. Still coughing, Harry stumbled to his base and pulled his wand. Dragon ignored the gesture and turned to leave. But then he stopped as if suddenly remembering a forgotten opinion. The door to the Hagrid's hut opened and Ron stepped out. He'd heard the sound of Harry's coughing.

"Harry ? !"Ron called to the swarthiness.

"Oh, and Harry,"Draco said, looking Harry in the middle even if the glimpse was not returned."Cho isn't pregnant."He turned to leave."It's a newborn baby boy. well, not so a great deal newborn any more. You'll never guess the birthday… it's the same day as yours."

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

"That's not possible,"he whispered at the vacuum. The sound of stride came charging up from behind and Harry could discover the rumpus on the movement porch of Hagrid's hut. A deal touched Harry's berm.

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

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

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

"I told you, Arthur,"Dumbledore said gently from within the hut,"zippo to care about. Come in and let's finish our tea."

"My god, Albus !"cried Chester A. Arthur as Harry and Ron returned to the cabin."Look at the boy !"Harry was still barefoot, what remained of his apparel in tatters, his face covered in mud and now a thin red line that wrapped about his neck opening shown through the grime. As he climbed the stone's throw with Ron's assistance his teeth once again began to prate.

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

"Get o'er by the fire, lad,"said Hagrid, offering a cover. But before Harry had a chance to take, Dumbledore pulled his wand and tapped Harry's shoulder. The grime disappeared and a Hogwarts gown covered his body. The lean red job about his cervix and the aching muscles, however, remained.

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

Warming his muscularity by the blast, sipping a bit of tea, and pretending to enjoy Hagrid's rock-hard stone bar, Harry was beginning to finger himself again. He assured President Arthur Weasley that he was alright and that his disheveled appearance was all in a day's work, training with the Centaur in the forest ; but the Minister was none too convert.

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

"Just a little work with Devil's side drum is all, sir,"answered Harry, rubbing his neck with his leave alone hand and sipping some more tea with the other. If they could see his eyes, they would cognise he wasn't listening to a Son they were saying. Draco probably thought his niggling display would pore Harry's thinker fully on some Horcrux that the Ministry had no incertitude just found, but Harry's mind was anything but centred. After a bit more banter about shoal, sorrow about Harry being blind, and news about the battles raging in Eastern Europe, President 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 cobbler's last yr, beneath the… erm, chamber."

"What ?"Harry exclaimed."Why ?"

"well, to try to recover the bodies, Harry,"answered Mr. Weasley, surprised somewhat at Harry's reaction."Many Aurors lost their lifespan that evening and their bodies have never been found — at to the lowest degree, not until net hebdomad. Since the collapse we tried for months to retrieve the bottom with no success. We encountered one magical portal vein after another, and the worker were none too inclined to accidentally trip across the Curtain itself."

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

"No, Ron,"interrupted Dumbledore,"the Curtain and the soapbox were destroyed in the fall. No, just the physical structure, consistence from both incline, have been returned to their loved ones."

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

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

"Why for certain, Ron,"said Hagrid with hilarity."come on in teh the kitchen."Ron stood and followed Hagrid, patting Harry's shoulder 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 darkness we need to stave off, isn't there ?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely, Harry, absolutely."King Arthur patted Harry's lap."But there was one early recovery at the very astuteness of the gaping fissure."All at once, Mr. Weasley's aureole faded and Harry knew the followers actor's line were a lie."They pulled it up today, just before lunch. I looked for you earlier, Harry, but you'd already left for the forest."King Arthur Weasley stood from his president and looked out the window facing the castling, the color returned to his aura."I was thinking we could give birth a allegiance of variety. You could come to the Ministry as we put it on show. It would certainly remind the multitude in these grim sentence that we can vanquish darkness."

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

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry, Harry,"answered President Arthur."I've wanted to discuss our hunt since you and I spoke on the gearing. I never knew taking fear of the Ministry would consume so a good deal of my time."His eyes wandered for a minute and then returned to receive Harry's."No thing,"he whispered."In our lookup, we recovered the cloak. The black cloak of… You-Know-Who. The simply remnant of his darkness and a symbolization to all of his defeat."

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

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

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

"Harry,"said Dumbledore sternly, silencing Harry's harangue."I think it would be wise for you to take some meter to consider what all the implications are. Time to consider what's best for… everyone involved."Harry expected to see the warmness of choler build in Dumbledore's aura, but if anything his light dimmed with a imperturbableness of concern.

"I… I'm sorry, sir,"said Harry, cooling his own temperament."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 deal to judder, and Chester A. Arthur Weasley took it."Let me get my head together, and I'll get back to you. Just a day or two."

"Certainly, Harry, I understand. Until then, we'll keep on it safe ; I can ensure you."Harry started for the door."Here, let me walk you to the castle."

"I got it dad,"said Ron, dropping one of the Harlan Stone cakes on the tabular array with a thud."ending your tea and have some more… er, cakes."Ron ran to the doorway next to Harry's side. Staring at the bar and then Hagrid, Arthur was about to say something when Dumbledore spoke out instead.

"Excellent theme, Mr. Weasley,"he said to the younger redhead."Please retrieve Harry safely back to the castle."

"Goodnight, Hagrid,"said Harry to the giant still in the kitchen, baking up another batch of bar for his Edgar Albert Guest."Thanks !"

"Sure thing, Harry,"called Hagrid."Anytime."Then he turned to Mr. Weasley just as Harry began to shut the threshold."Minister, try another one, hot out of the oven !"

By the prison term Harry and Ron were at the palace steps, Harry had answered almost of Ron's questions.

"I just don't get it, Harry,"said Ron shaking his head."It's just a patch of material. You killed him."

"Ron, you saw my clothes tonight. They were burnt away because I fell into the magic stream that feeds the falls. Remember when you fell in last class ?"

"Pulled in you mean,"said Ron, rubbing his right wrist."Yeah, I remember. My clothes disappeared."

"They didn't disappear,"corrected Harry."They were burnt away. dress are impure. They can't survive the purity of the water."

"That's a Centaur tale,"said Ron dismissively.

"Tale or not, the urine destroys cloth. I doused Voldemort in nearly ten gallons of the stuff. It was enough to dissolve every evil bone in his body, but the cloak… Damn ! I should get known when I saw it then. The cloak survived. But why ?"

"So you think it's the…"Ron's voice dipped low,"…the Horcrux Draco was talking about ?"

"I don't see how it can be,"respond Harry."If it's constituent of Voldemort, it should get been destroyed."Harry sighed."Maybe Hermione will know."Ron shrugged and nodded in accord as he reached to open the castle doors. Ron heaved on the fleshy handle just as Harry's hand stopped him and exclude them again.

"Ron ?"he asked."You have a lot of comrade and Sister. Erm… how retentive does it take to… er… for a witch to… you know… have a sister, after… you know."For a second, Ron just stared at Harry, and then reaching ever so slightly to the persuasion on the tip of Harry's mind he understood.

"Oh ! How long does it take for a child to be born after conception ?"he asked.

"Yeah… yeah, that's it."

"well my mum's always going on how I took farseeing than most… ‘ 40 two week, and in the heart of the war !'she'd say.

"So… figurin'my birthday, what would you say… you know… for my folks to…er—"

"Do the nasty ?"said Ron with a smile. Harry simply nodded. wellspring, Ron thought for a moment, touched his fingerbreadth and counted backwards, and then a glow of a grin crossed his face once again.

"Pretty damn near to Hallowe'en, Harry."He poked Harry in the costa."Do you think they were wearing costumes ?"Harry didn't react in the way Ron expected. Instead, he leaned his back against the castle room access and slid down to a sit on the stone landing.

"Oh, Merlin,"he whispered in a sickly variety of interpreter."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 - Wedding Plans ~~~***~~~

When Harry and Ron passed through the portrait of the Fat lady, Harry found the Gryffindor common way, warmer than normal. Near the open fireplace sat the auras of Parvati, Lavender, Gabriella, Hermione, Ginny and Dean. Towards the binding, Neville was helping Patrick and a few others, Harry had yet to distinguish, prepare for their Herbology exams. Evidently, the exam involved a burning plant life of some form, perhaps fireseed, Harry thought, since there was a surge cloud of roll of tobacco that hung over the group and nobody seemed to beware.

Harry, his judgment fractured at the second, brought his attention on Patrick. The roll of tobacco was clouding his ability to see the auras of those at the back table, but the filtered light emanating from Saint Patrick was the same as it had been since Harry first met him after the chance event - amobarbital sodium and green. Each colour waxed and waned, growing more honey oil whenever he was excited or near Harry.

"Patrick ?"Harry thought silently to himself, but the thought was shortsighted lived.

"Harry ! Ron !"cried doyen. His vocalism brought Harry's attention back to the group about the fireplace. The yell sounded like a plea for help, as if James Dean felt, at the second, like a ensnare rat in a ophidian's Cage. He began to suffer when Ginny grabbed his arm.

"Oh, James Dean,"she said breathlessly,"isn't it beautiful ?"Hermione was projecting an icon of a young adult female in a white nuptials dress. The miss stood, suspended in the midriff 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, great,"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, Hermione,"added Anapurna."You don't want to get by 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 helping hand to her Kuki and tapped her nerve with one finger's breadth."But I think the second…"James Dean let out an audible moan, but the girls ignored him while Hermione began to flash through role model after modeling, dress after dress, as if flip varlet of a book. It was only then when she noticed that Ron and Harry had entered the common room.

"Ron !"she exclaimed."You're just in time."James Byron Dean's heart grew wide of the mark 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 side."What's wrong ?"

Gabriella stood and came over to Harry."You both look like someone died. Did Filch view you sneaking into the kitchens again ? Out with it… what happened ?"Ron looked at Harry, and Harry looked blankly above the girls.

"Nothing,"they said simultaneously.

Gabriella patted Harry's cheek.

"Nothing ?"she said, sensing the swirling swarm of emotions that must own shown like a radio beacon for everyone to see."Would you like to join us ?"she asked."We were just—"

"No thanks,"interjected Harry. While he had grown accustomed to seeing students from other house in the plebeian room, he had completely forgotten that the fille were going to get together this evening to talk about Hermione's wedding plans for the summer."I need to get gear up 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 screechy clean,"she replied sceptically."You know, if you weren't working out in the woods today, we could suffer gotten at to the lowest degree three 60 minutes on the pitch."

"I was in the forest today !"Harry exclaimed."Besides, you know I can't Seak. Not like this."He waved his hand in front line of his eyes.

"You're the squad police captain ! It's you're responsibility to—"

"These aren't your robes,"interrupted Gabriella, rubbing the material in her fingers."These are new."

"Dumbledore cleaned him up,"offered Ron. This was followed by a chorus.

"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 school ? Where is he ?"It felt, suddenly, as if sharks were beginning to circle Harry and Ron.

"fountainhead, he only had a instant,"said Ron, stepping closer to his baby. She had risen to her feet and Dean took the chance to quickly dart away and head toward the voluted 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 metre to see his solely daughter ?"

LE than a moment later everyone was talking at once. Ron and Harry were being bombarded with questions about everything from the Minister's visit, to why Dumbledore needed to conjure Harry new robes, to what model Ron thought would be nice for the new china.

Unexpectedly, there was a loud detonation from the vertebral column of the room that caused everyone to shrill. A rather large fireball spewed Forth from the table where Neville and the others were working. It was Neville who stopped it from lighting the unanimous situation on fire by casting a quell charm.

"Damn it, Patrick,"Neville said irritably, while a few of the early students laughed,"I told you not to mix fireseeds with fraxinella powder ! If you do that in the exam tomorrow, Professor Sprout will bomb you for sure."

The commotion that had surrounded Harry, quickly gathered about the backrest table and the scorched faces that stood there. Harry took the opportunity to follow James Dean's footsteps up the stairway. Near the top he heard a rather dejected Saint Patrick apologize, but what he saw was a bluish glory beaming with pride. Then Harry noticed Patrick flash him a thumbs-up from within the long sleeve of his robe, a signal that no one could see.

"Sorry, Neville,"said Patrick with a shrug of his shoulders."I'm just no upright at this kind of stuff. I'll be lucky to make it to the third twelvemonth at this rate."

Gabriella looked back toward the open fireplace to see Harry and before she could find where he was Harry disappeared into the boys'dormitory. Inside he found Dean, belly down on his bed, reading a book of account about Quidditch. He loved the game so, it was a shame he wasn't any ripe at it. He looked up as Harry entered.

"Are they gone ?"he asked."Did you have to burn out them all up ?"

"Well, I—"

"Because that'd be fine by me, Harry. I was about to shove along myself up if I had to count at one more china pattern."He looked back at the book and turned the page."Talk about pressure… blimey."He turned another varlet."I mean… I love Ginny and all, but does she actually think I'm going to ask her to marry me ?"He turned another page ; clearly not having read the finale."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 conflict — fighting you for her. You know. That form of affair, well… it gets a guy in the mood. But this stuff downstairs… marriage ceremony clothes, and coloration of table wearing apparel, and…"James Dean sighed."Talk about deflating."Without looking back down to the book, he turned another Thomas Nelson Page. Then, quite suddenly, Dean groaned and turned over on his bed, placing the afford book of account over his chest."Merlin, I love her."There was muteness and he sighed again."She's been my world. She brought me back after the accident."James Byron Dean held his hand up, flexing the fingers in nominal head of his face. His soul had been reconnected to his corporal phase 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 schooltime robe and putting on a sluttish pair of dungaree."fount it, James Byron Dean, you're her creation too."

"I just don't want to be thinking about matrimony while I'm still in schooltime,"answered Dean, sitting up on the border of his bed and facing Harry."There's sufficiency to be getting on about without having to vex about in-laws… china patterns…"

"…children,"added Harry quietly.

"Merlin, no,"take Dean."I can't even imagine. But then Ginny's ready to hand with a sheathing good luck charm. We're careful… you know ?"Harry nodded as a slub twisted in his belly."Can you consider Neville and Helen ?"continued James Dean."Neither one of them used any tribute their first few prison term. Hermione found out and had a fit."

"Hermione ?"queried Harry.

"Well, I told Neville that he was being an half-wit. I told him how Lee Jordon told me that Fred told him that George hooked up with some girl in Hogsmeade finis twelvemonth and wound up with a case of runespoor warts. Had to go to St. Mungo's to get them removed. Can you believe it ? Yeesh."Lee covered his private parts with his hand and grimaced.

"But why Hermione ?"

"If you want to know any magical spell, charm, or hex to get the job done, Harry, who do you go to ? Hermione."Harry looked a bit disgruntled and crossed his arms. dean sensed Harry's pridefulness and added,"After all, everyone knew she and Ron were together since the capitulation of last yr. She knew how to be safe, and Neville sure enough wasn't going to babble out to Ginny."

Harry wasn't sealed how to admit that. He didn't have a clue until last Xmas that Ron and Hermione were together. Yet, everyone else seemed to know. Further, he was pretty sure that last class Tonks had used her metabolism skills to take on the appearing of Helen so that she could hook into Gryffindor tower with Neville. It brought up memories… bad memories. Suddenly, going to mouth to Hermione about anything didn't seem like such a good idea. Harry began to swot his desk with his digit, then crossed his coat of arms and just looked down at the flooring. He could see the aura's of the livelihood organisms that his mates had tracked in under their shoes. Maybe Aunt Petunia wasn't such a mad 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 hurt up anyway ?"

Barefoot and shirtless, Harry walked over to the window. Christmas was a week away and, sadly, no blow had fallen. The grounds below and the surrounding woodland glistened brightly in Harry's sightlessness. He placed his left hand on his chest, just above Asha's heart, the stone that even now sat hidden within him. Focusing high above the treetops he found zip but blackness. late in the evening, swarm had moved in, covering all in a iniquity blanket through which no stars shone. He peered at the Saame quadrant of sky in which he knew Ebyrth hung, growing ever closer. He closed his eyes and dropped his capitulum heavily against the chicken feed window.

Voldemort's cloak should make been destroyed by the water from the downfall, but it wasn't. Why ? Was it the Horcrux Draco thought it was, or simply an target 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 expiry Eater's swaggering whammy. Who was the spy ? Could they have turned Patrick too ?

It wasn't enough that war was raging in Eastern EU and would soon decorate the afforest about Hogwarts, if not the castle itself. Now there was a child. Could it really be his ? That was a stupid head. Of form it could be ; the timing was near perfect and they had been… well, stunned. It was just before the Allhallows Eve 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 look in her center. Even now, the computer memory sent a tingle down his spine and made his inside quiver. Neither of them was in the correctly skeletal system of thinker, but they both knew what they wanted. Now they were both paying for it. At least Cho was. Harry began to wonder… if the fry was Harry's, did Susan Brownell Anthony bang, or was Cho simply using him ?

Harry shook his forefront, trying to sort out his muzzy thoughts. Maybe he was making a big deal of aught. Maybe Susan Brownell Anthony was the forefather. But the vision… Gabriella's vision that both he and Hermione shared. He'd seen a kid. Gabriella saw her own death and yet Harry saw spirit. He thought it was their child, his and Gabriella's. Now, Harry wasn't so sure.

The window was frigidity and a shiver ran across his body. He turned and walked over to his warehousing pectus, opening the lid and feeling around for a shirt.

"Harry ?"Dean asked."I know something's bothering you. What is it ?"

"Tell me, doyen,"said Harry as he found a shirt. He began to bodge about for a duet of socks.

"Yes ?"

"Ah…"Harry held up two drogue."Do these equalize ?"

"Kinda,"answered Dean, looking at disgraceful and maybe a sour navy blue.

"Good… full,"replied Harry and he slipped the shirt and windsock on. He sat back on his bed and slipped on his iron heel without saying a Good Book.

"Harry ?"asked Dean probing."Where are you going ?"

"Accio cloak !"Harry called with his right field deal in the air, fingers outstretched for a catch. His cloak flew into his look."Almost,"Harry muttered. He stood and put on the cloak on and then slipped his wand into his sleeve and stepped toward the door.

"doyen,"he said,"please give my apologies to Professor Snape. I'll miss the test tomorrow I'm afraid. It's sad really. Since the Joining, I think I had a pretty good probability of acing it. Severus, after all, shared a bit of himself with me that night."Harry rubbed the scar on his correct arm.

"Slow down, mate,"said doyen, 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 chief."She'll be up in a… Whoa. Where are you going ?"he asked Harry.

"Actually Ron,"began Harry,"I was just telling Dean that—"

"What's all this about the Horcrux ?"asked Hermione as she entered the elbow room.

"Shhhh !"cried Ron and Harry simultaneously, ushering her inside.

"You found it ?"she asked in a cheeseparing whisper.

"Maybe… if you can believe Malfoy,"answered Ron.

"Malfoy ?"asked Dean."Not Draco ? I thought he was—"Gabriella entered the room.

"What's going on ?"she asked. Then looking at Harry she queried,"Where are you going ?"

Harry, who had leaned up against the wall near the door, began tapping it nervously with his fingers. He glared at Ron."Great plan, mate."

"fountainhead,"said Ron,"I tried to—"Harry held up one finger to his rim and Ron lowered his voice."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 blazon.

"Bloody Scheol,"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 Dragon was alive ?"It was a interrogation she didn't expect and it caught her off guard. Her heart shot immediately to Ron and the look gave her away at once.

"You did !"cried Dean."How could you not tell me ? Did you all know ?"Harry could see the ardor building in Dean's emotions. cypher said a word."How long have you known ?"

"Get over it, Dean !"Harry snapped."Draco wanted it mystic 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."Dragon's heart is here at Hogwarts, Dean. Until we can clear his name we can't make him out as a fugitive."

"Clear his epithet ?"said Dean."He was… he is a Death Eater."

"He saved my lifespan, doyen,"interjected Ron."That you do know. That I've told everyone. But my countersign isn't enough to retain him out of Azkaban. I should eff, the minister's my Dad and, no, he doesn't know about Dragon either."

These password cooled James Byron Dean's flack, if only a smidgen, and his hands found his pockets. There was a moment of silence and then he turned to Ginny reached out and took her hired hand.

"You know, Gin,"dean said gently,"if we're going to drop the rest of our lives together, we can't be keeping closed book from one another. Secrets… they… they sour souls and flex trust. If you'd have just told me to hold back mum, you know I would have got. All you had to do is ask. You know that… don't you ?"Ginny reached her hand to Dean's brass and kissed him.

"I know,"she said softly. Then she held him tightly in her arms."I'm sorry."

"Well… just,"said Harry uncomfortably."Erm… Ron, tell your Dad that we can suffer the ceremonial with Voldemort's cloak this Saturday after exams."

"But that's three days, Harry,"Ron said,"isn't that too long to—"

"Right,"cut in Harry,"so that's why you… all,"he waved toward the mathematical group,"can cipher out how we get the cloak tomorrow night. I'll sports meeting you at the entryway to the Ministry at midnight. Have the design ready and I'll help you however I can."He grabbed Gabriella's hand."ejaculate with me."They started for the door when Hermione grabbed the book binding of Harry's cloak, stopping him in his tracks.

"What do you mean ? Where are you going ? Your Potions exam is tomorrow."Harry turned back, his fount stern but his optic blank.

"first-class honours degree, 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 arcanum I'm afraid,"said Harry, raising his manus to quiet his Friend,"that needs to be kept… at to the lowest degree for now."Again he took Gabriella's arm."Come on."Everyone turned to Ron as Gabriella and Harry left the room. Almost immediately, Gabriella began to ask question, but Harry held a finger to his sassing.

"Not here… not now,"he whispered.

They were about to clear out through the portrayal of the Fat Lady when Lavender stopped them near the fireplace.

"So I guess Hermione's done looking at dresses 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 chatty glimpse toward Parvati.

"Men,"said Anapurna flatly. Gabriella simply nodded, taking Harry by the arm and walking out of the Gryffindor common room.

The two didn't speak until they reached the staircases. It was quiet with only a few educatee roaming about. Most were likely studying for tomorrow's examination. The others were either heading toward or returning from the library. The two found themselves alone on the staircase as it slowly began to slide into place. Finally, Harry gathered the bravery.

"Did you know… ?"he began cautiously."Did you know about Cho ?"

"Cho Chang ?"Gabriella asked blankly.

"Yes, Cho Yangtze River !"Harry snapped."How could you not have a go at it ? You two were inseparable at the end of go yr. She helped you through exams. Merlin, you spent more than time with her than with me. How could you not know ?"

The stone staircase came to rest against the wall. The two climbed off that one and onto another that began to slip into yet another instruction.

"So we're going to see Anthony,"Gabriella said knowingly. Harry said nothing, wishing only that the staircase would actuate more quickly."Tell me Harry, are you still so covetous ?"

"Jealous ?"Harry asked angrily."green-eyed monster has aught to do with this. I have a right to know !"His lowest password were loud and reverberated off the stone walls.

"They have a right to their privacy, Harry,"Gabriella replied with an bound in her vox."They have a right to prevent the Daily vaticinator out of their lives. Frankly, I don't see how it's any of your business enterprise. It's illuminate 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 make their way up to Ravenclaw tower. A third twelvemonth Ravenclaw joined them on the moving showcase upward. Harry moved close to Gabriella failing miserably at keeping his phonation hushed.

"None of my occupation ? None of my business ? !"

"Yes ! None of your business organisation ! They were unintelligent, Harry,"Gabriella said struggling to maintain her calm in front end of the third base year, although Harry could smell out the anger building within her."It was a misunderstanding, a misapprehension that Anthony's wizard enough to set straight. Can't you see that he's trying to do the right hand thing by caring for what will soon be his family ?"

At this, the third year Ravenclaw looked back over his articulatio humeri at Harry and Gabriella. Gabriella flashed him a look that put the boy's nose back into the Koran he was reading. The Harlan Stone stairway 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 schoolma'am pregnant ? If that's what she was. You hardly carry the more Lord 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 father. He stopped and leaned against the handrail. The hold was just long enough that the stairway began to move again.

"She was not my mistress,"Harry said quietly to the darkness."I… I was not myself close yr. You know—"Gabriella put her hands about Harry's shoulders.

"I know,"she whispered sadly. Harry turned to face 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 smell. She kissed him gently on the cheek and pulled him close. They held each other that way for some prison term and when the staircase came to a full stop Gabriella moved to get off, but Harry stood still.

"I'm not jealous because of Anthony,"spoke Harry to the spread air before him."It's just that… I could be the male parent,"he said softly.

"What ?"

"I could be the father,"he repeated, stepping close to her."It wasn't Susan B. Anthony that was the stupid one ; it was me - Hallowe'en of last year. Cho's child… it could be mine."

Harry waited to see the response, but none came. The news had no effect on Gabriella's aura. Either she knew already, or had suspected all along, or the news simply didn't effect her emotions.

"I see,"she finally whispered."That muddies thing 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 small fry. You know she's in France."

"La Mure,"added Harry.

"Then you know all there is to recognise, Harry. The township's not that expectant and a few well placed interrogative sentence 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 leave the castle alone. Besides, Professor Snape has already released me from tomorrow's exam for—"

"—for high bell ringer,"interrupted Harry."Yeah, I know. I know."He paused for a few moments and then stimulate his straits. But before Harry could say a Bible Gabriella began.

"Harry,"she said gently, holding her mitt to his face,"I don't care how well you can see what others can not."She took his hand."You're screen. It makes a difference. You can't go somewhere you've never been, talk to multitude you've never met and think that it's no big deal."There was another hanker suspension.

"Cho's escort is a dying Eater,"Harry said, Sir Thomas More to himself than to Gabriella.

"You're joking, right ?"

"He's not much of one, but Cho's bodyguard is a Death Eater."He paused, churning the proposition in his nous. Finally he said,"You're right. I probably wouldn't get a chance to see her… not without help."He squeezed Gabriella's paw."Besides, you need to be there. I need you to be there."

It took twenty minutes to get what they needed before they could cabbage out through the hidden tunnel to Hogsmeade. It took half that metre to make it to Le Mure. Gabriella was right, Harry would ingest been lost without her. It was bad enough trying to remember his French ; it was worse trying to estimate out what manus gesture or nervus facialis expression went along with it. Blind, he could detect none of it, but Gabriella was nearly perfect. In fact, Harry began to inquire 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 postponement until morning. It was the first they'd been truly alone since the summer.

Harry offered to sleep on the floor, but Gabriella pulled him close to her. There was a passion to her tinge that meant Sir Thomas More to him than anything in the solid globe. That night he laid his individual bare, telling her everything he knew, everything she'd listen to, including Draco's hypothesis about Voldemort's cloak. Only when he touched on his preparation with the centaur, would she noticeably change the subject. He fell asleep in her limb and woke the following morning the Same way. The sun was just breaking into the window as he stroked her farseeing Negro tomentum, wondering with some fear what the future would contribute.

After breakfast, they walked down the bowling alley toward the small apartment social organization that the boniface had described to Gabriella. When they finally arrived, Harry covered himself with the invisibility cloak. Gabriella knocked at the door and the door opened, held clear by an sometime man with grayish hair's-breadth and a tired face on his face. There were entry and Gabriella slipped inside. The door shut before Harry could follow. There was a moment of quiet and then squeals of joy. Harry knew the sound ; Cho was inside. A few moments later the man left, jingling coins in his pocket. Harry's program had worked - Gabriella, handing the man a couple galleons, suggested he go to the nook pub for a bite and a beer or two. He wasn't to the sidewalk before there was a cracking and he had Disapparated. Then the murmurs began ; louder, then softer, then louder again. Finally, Harry heard,"Don't be silly."A bit after that, the door opened and Gabriella ushered him inside.

All the while, Harry had seen the auras of the two young women and the former man. He watched as they moved back and Forth, and as Gabriella hugged what he figured to be Cho. It had been the first time he had observed a Disapparation without his pile and he noted with interest the sudden burst of energy that accompanied it. But more than anything else his attention was focused on one matter above all - a dim reddish glow that glimmered from the back of the flat. Through all the paries it could sustain been anything - a cat, a dog. But Harry knew, by how well its people of colour blended with Cho's, what was there.

"Harry ?"Gabriella asked to the nothingness before her. Cho stood only a few feet away. Harry sensed warmth mixed with apprehension. As for himself, he could feel the sweat of his decoration as he reached up and slipped off the cloak.

"Cho ?"he asked to the lambency before him. The glory didn't move, the person didn't speak, but the colour began to blanch almost immediately. Then her 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 hand near his tabernacle."It's nothing. Just a bit of looking glass. Surgery's scheduled for next month ; should consume me right as new."Cho took his hand and then touched his human face.

"I'm so sorry,"she whispered."I should induce come to visit."She took him in her arms and held him tight. He could feel her shaking in his subdivision."I couldn't… I couldn't bear to see you again."

"Great,"Harry drawled."Always good to acknowledge you're view of kindly."

"Harry !"snapped Gabriella shortly. She took Cho gently by the arm and said,"Cho, can we come in and have a sit ?"Cho loosened her hairgrip on Harry and wiped her face with her men.

"Oh, yes,"she said, sniffing,"of course."

The topographic point was larger than Harry expected, compared to what it looked like from the exterior, but it was sparsely furnished 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 broom he bought her conclusion yr, was propped up in the quoin. Cho offered them some deep brown, they accepted and together they sat at a pocket-size table in the kitchen. There was a petty talk about the weather and schooltime.

"Are your exams over ?"Cho asked."Tony has Arithmancy tomorrow."

"Tony,"muttered Harry through gritted teeth. Maybe he was a bit jealous of Anthony."Er… yeah. Gab and I are done for the semester."

"That's great,"said Cho softly. There was an embarrassing 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 get by and witness out when. Ask what you might need to, erm…"He looked around at the tatty furniture."… spruce the place up."

"Soon,"answered Cho without hesitating."But we're not telling anyone until after the schooling yr. Not even my family. They think I'm here studying art."

"I also heard,"continued Harry, not really listening to Cho's words,"that you two had a child ; a infant boy is it ?"Before Cho could respond Gabriella took her by the handwriting.

"It's so exciting, Cho !"she said joyfully."I'm sure you're a wonderful mother. The baby is so lucky to have two such wonderful 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 idea that he's veracious through there, isn't he ?"He pointed to the back room and swallowed."I think it's neat that you and… er, Tony are doing the… er, right field thing. It sure as shooting would be great, at least for Gabriella, to see him. Just a bloom ?"

"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 child boy dressed in a low red jump shot. He smiled and muttered a few sounds as she sat him in his chairwoman, offering him a biscuit to chew on. The numb fog of Harry's eyes were focused somewhere above the boy's head, but his head's eye was captivated on the golden red glow before him. It was brilliant, almost blinding, and Harry wondered if the brightness of the radiance was because he was a baby or something more. The biscuit snapped out of Cho's hired man and flew into the waiting clench of the babe's.

"spirit at that ! So soon ?"cooed Gabriella."He's just perfect."And then she began to tattle baby lecture to the youngster.

"Yes, he's pretty special,"answered Cho.

Harry could sense that she was looking at him, centred on his response, but he was at a loss. To sleep with 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 child with a reefer to see what it would do.

"Has he,"Harry began,"shown any early signs of magic ?"

"No. Not really,"answered Cho cautiously."But he can stand with aid 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 chum ?"

"We just liked the name,"Cho said, not committing.

"I have to admit,"said Gabriella,"that he's the cleave trope of you. And that's a full thing ; you're much better looking than Anthony."She laughed and Cho did too. It sounded as if it had been the first clock time Cho had laughed in quite some time. But then the feeling in Gabriella's voice changed.

"In fact, he doesn't look much like a Goldstein at all. You're both so non-white, and Jamie's cutis 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 to have it off. You see, he told me that you two catch some Z's together at Hogwarts - just once, on Hallowe'en. Caught in the heat of the mo, I guess."Gabriella took a breathing time, gathering her strength."I don't charge why it happened. And it doesn't bother me anymore that it happened. The fact is it happened… nine month before little Jamie here was born."

"Well—"

"Cho,"Gabriella interrupted."Harry may have his hunch, but he can't see what I can, and the eyes never lie. You and Anthony, you both have brown eyes. Both your parents each have brown heart. It would deal a mighty wizard to raise a boy with anything former than brown eyes and the trick would most certainly be to turn the colour of the middle to his own."Cho said zippo. Harry said nothing."It's true, Jamie is the splitting effigy of his beautiful mother. But the eyes… I think he has his father's eyes."Cho remained silent. Once again, Harry watched as her gloriole blanched.

"What do you mean ?"asked Harry blindly. Gabriella took his hand.

"They're green, Harry,"she said quietly."Almond shaped and brilliantly common. Just like yours."


Harry Potter and the birth of a New Sun

Chapter 15 - Another Potter
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Beyond the babbles of the baby sitting beside Harry, there was silence. Perhaps, if one were to listen closely, the sound of a dame chirping or a remote bus creaking to a stoppage could be heard, breaking the windlessness of the good morning. Then Cho's animal foot 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 speak. Harry had known before they came to France that the kid would be his, and though he had not heard the word of honor from Cho's lip, he wasn't about to become angry ; it was hard enough not to show how frightened he was feeling. No, if anything, he needed some sentence himself to get over the sinking feeling in his belly, as if he'd just fallen off his broom. He would await for Cho to be ready. He breathed deeply the perfume of his coffee tree, took a sip, set the cup down and put out his finger, with which the little boy began to bite toothlessly.

"Jamie ?"Harry said tenderly."I… I like that name."

He smiled and put his hand on the boy's point.

"Oh, my. What a headland of hair ! Is it blackamoor ?"This simple doubt was purposefully directed at Cho. There was the beat of a pause before she answered.

"Yes,"she said quietly, with a bit of a crack in the password. Harry could hear her swallow.

"Thank Merlin he's got his mother's looks,"Harry said with a chuckle. He took another sip of coffee bean.

"You'll see him one day, Harry,"said Gabriella with an encouraging timber. Harry tilted his head down and shook it slowly.

"I don't think so,"he said quietly, his lips still turned in a slight grinning.

"What do you entail ?"asked Cho, surprised."Surely they can—"

"I was just examined by Madame Pomfrey,"interrupted Harry."The sight charms aren't knitting. There's still too often glass."

"But couldn't they just—"

"There are dozens of tiny shard - too many and too pocket-sized to disappear without vanishing pieces of my eyes and if they summon them out they'll shred whatever good for you eye tissue that's left."Cho gasped.

"I… I didn't know. I thought—"

"No affair,"said Harry taking to his substructure."I can see the fire in his psyche, even if I can't see their colour 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 floor and what liquid that was in his cup spilt.

"Woops,"said Harry. Cho stood to clean the spill, but Harry had it off the earth nearly before it landed with a simple wave of his script. Since losing his sight, his ability without a wand, abilities he rarely used in front line of others, had strengthened. Without skipping a heartbeat, he poured himself another cup, but rather than bend he continued to confront the cabinetry. Yes, he could see the flaming in the boy's aura, but he would give anything to bear his seeing back… to see his youngster, his son. He began to tremble. For the offset metre in month he was cold with reverence, and it wasn't fear of a Dementor or Death feeder. It was fear for his child and his baby's mother, reverence for a future that was already so uncertain, so dark. It felt as if all the air in the elbow room was being sucked away.

"At least,"he said, holding the warm cup in his hands,"Marcus Antonius won't need to… to take care into my heart and wonder. I… I wouldn't want that."Cho stepped up behind Harry and placed her mitt on his shoulder.

"Susan B. Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw Prefect at Hogwarts school for witchcraft and genius ?"asked Cho."He might be a bit proud at times, but he's no fool, Harry. He knows."She turned Harry to face 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 hand at the slope of Harry's facial expression."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 chairwoman and the three hugged for some time while Cho repeated over and over how sorry 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 hungry,"said Cho blotting her eyes. She picked the boy up into her weaponry and ushered them all into the front room where the open fireplace sat cold, but the slightly tattered hot seat were more well-to-do. Even without the fire, Harry watched with wonder the warmness that filled the room. He could state 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 room's emotions of love. He took Gabriella's hand and for the number 1 time in a long time Harry tried to relax, letting the swirling fears of the future slice from his mind. It was Cho that started the conversation as Jamie continued to wet-nurse.

"I wanted to continue this confidential, Harry - closed book from my parents, arcanum from my brother, secluded from you. At foremost I was ashamed and then—"

"But—"

"Let me finish,"asked Cho."I need to finish, or I may never be able to."Harry nodded."Last year you wanted to tell apart me about Gabriella."Cho looked at Gab."He did so need to advertise me away, to tell me of the Muggle young lady he had met back home."Her oculus returned to Harry."But I could see that, just under the skin, there was a fire of desire and I… I wanted… my damp body 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 sadness.

"I know that now,"answered Cho."Maybe I knew it then, at least that he wasn't in his right field mind. I could have used a sheathe appealingness. I thought about it. I even reached for my wand before it happened Allhallows Eve night behind the Great Hall."Gabriella snapshot Harry a glimpse that he could not see."But then I stopped. I wanted this."Cho looked down at Jamie."I wanted to sustain something in case… in case…"

"In case I died ?"asked Harry."Like Cedric ?"Without public 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 well-chosen for you, Harry, and you were so sad."She sighed, shaking her oral sex."So I hid it - I hid my pregnancy and I hid Jamie."She put the baby over her shoulder and began to pat its book binding."I thought that after You-Know-Who had been destroyed I could recite you, but then I heard about the new war… that Malfoy's last Eaters were out to kill you. What would they do if they knew you had a son ?"She shook her head."This summer, I travelled to the United DoS with Anthony… Tony. One night, I fell asleep in his munition and when I woke up the side by side morning the befuddling good luck charm had warn off. I was pregnant 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 hint, warmly and caressing on my stomach. He stayed at my position and he's never left."Jamie let out a rather impressive burp and everyone smiled.

Grinning, Cho held Jamie in her lap and said something in Chinese as she wiped the milk from his mentum.

"Tony's hired Chalmers"said Cho, referring to the guard that was probably now close to finishing his dawning repast,"to watch over Jamie and I, while he finishes school. It's costing him every Canute he has. Once we're married we'll qualify for welfare from the Ministry. They offer living accommodations and, maybe, we can find a skillful place to—"

"benefit ?"spat Harry, his vertebral column snapping inflexible."From the Ministry ? You can't be unplayful ! You're not going to call for a dime from the Ministry. As far as I'm concerned there all a crew of crooks !"

"Harry !"called Gabriella.

"fountainhead, Ron's dad. But the rest of the lot ? Crooks !"He took to his base."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 arrest at the castle. It's far enough away from what's happening… yes, you'll be dependable there."

"We're safe here,"said Cho, standing herself, the infant held snugly in both arms.

"Safe ! Are you kidding me !"cried Harry."What's his name… Chambers ? He's a Death feeder !"

"Oh,"Cho chuckled,"now you're just being cockeyed. Chalmers wouldn't hurt a fly. He's only working for Tony because of the kindness in his heart. He hardly makes plenty money to get by on."

"So he moonlights for Lucius Malfoy as a last Eater !"exclaimed Harry."At least he doesn't know that the boy is mine. Thank Merlin for that."Cho's face dropped with surprise at these words.

"How could you possible know that we haven't told him ?"she asked. Now Gabriella stood, stroked Jamie's cheek and took him in her own coat of arms, patting his cover as he rested against her shoulder joint.

"Because,"Gabriella said softly with a melodic voice as if she were singing to the infant,"if Chalmers knew, Lucius would know. And if Lucius knew, his son would know."

"Draco ?"breathed Cho."I thought Draco was…"Her voice quieted and she strode over to Harry and slapped him on the shoulder."You footling liar. You looked me straight in the eye and told me he fell into the abyss."Harry turned his back.

"Don't you look away from me !"Cho yelled."Let me see your face."Harry acquiesced. When he faced her, any wrath he felt evaporated and his shoulder slumped.

"This is purposeless,"he breathed."He'll be back here any moment. Maybe he's a kindly old doddered just trying to name a Buck any way he can. Cho, you can't involve a chance."He placed his hands on her shoulders."I have money and it's my responsibility. Let me at least help pay the bills until Susan B. Anthony graduates. Let me at least present you a roof over your head where the fireplace works and you'll know you'll be safe."

"It's beautiful there,"added Gabriella."Green fields… azure seas… cute Hellene son with bare chests."She winked and kissed Jamie on the head. Cho crossed her munition 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 abroad, but do you think we could connect to the floo network ? I miss the family so, and we are going to tell them… after Tony graduates."

"That's one thing the Ministry can do,"said Harry, suddenly well-chosen Cho was changing her mind."But you can assure Tony later. first-class honours degree, we need to—"There was a snap and an split second later the front threshold opened. Gabriella motioned for Harry to hide out. He had just enough time to dash under his cloak and gather himself into the niche before Chalmers walked through the figurehead door.

The older man was too slender and not often taller than Cho. When he entered he took his pelage off and hung it against the paries with a sticking charm.

"Beautiful day today, Miss Changjiang,"he said with a toothy smile."Beautiful Day !"He stepped over and gave Gabriella a nod."And thank you missy for the delicately meal."He paused."It's been a while since…"His face grew wistful, but then he shook his head."No matter."He slapped his hands together and pulled his wand."Let me brighten these dishes for you."Harry stood silently against the wall as Chalmers walked with a bit of a hitch into the kitchen. There was a distinct beat to the meter of his walk that Harry, two months ago, would not otherwise have noticed. It was then that Harry saw a change in Gabriella's aura ; something was damage.

"Oh,"said Chalmers with a tone of surprise in his vocalisation."Three cups. Did you have another visitor today ?"Without waiting for an response he levitated the smasher into the sump where the scrub brush began to wash them. Cho was freeze out, but Gabriella stepped over without reluctance.

"Yes,"she said quite calmly,"a girlfriend of ours, also from Hogwarts. She had to leave other to get back for her afternoon exam."Chalmers nonchalantly straightened the electric chair.

"Well, you know how Mr. Goldstein feels about visitors, Miss Chang."He settled himself into one of the cushioned chairs and began to unfold the newspaper, still scanning the room with the center."At least strangers."Harry could tell that the old man was on sentry duty, sensing something that was not right."Just tryin'to keep you and the sister condom he is."

Baby Jamie babbled something and then pointed at Harry hidden beneath the cloak. The movement was enough to cause Chalmers to turn and search back into the far recession at the cracked and discharge paries. Jamie babbled again and gave a light jest. Chalmers smiled.

"Well, wee Jamie is well-chosen enough to let guests."He held up the front page."What's your friend's epithet, girl ?"

"Hermione… Hermione Granger,"answered Gabriella. There was the slightest break and she added,"And I should be on my way as well."She gave Cho a hug and kissed Jamie's cheek."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 impudence."I couldn't ask for a kinder, warmer friend. Please come up sojourn after the wedding party. I think I'll tone more comfortable then - Mrs. Goldstein."

"Oh ! That reminds me,"said Gabriella suddenly."Mr. Chalmers is it ?"Chalmers set his report in his lap.

"Just Chalmers, missy."

"Cho was showing me the glasshouse and I noticed the back window. We had discussed placing a sealing charm, but I wasn't sure if—"

"Yes, missy,"cut in Chalmers proudly."The entirely planetary house is sealed tight. No one can get in without permission. It's a Bucinum charm."

"Oh lamb,"said Gabriella."A Bucinum charm ?"Chalmers nodded his drumhead."I think a Trepidus charm would be safer."

"Trepidus spell ?"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 charm blows them up. That could harm the baby. Do you imagine you could bear witness me where you set the magical spell ? Together we can defecate the replacement."

"Oh, please do, Chalmers,"asked Cho pleadingly."Gabriella's a first course of study witch. She studied at Al Bsahri you know."

"Did she now,"said Chalmers with involvement as he took to his fundament."I've heard they reopened the school day this year."

"Yes,"said Gabriella,"it's quite lovely."

"Well, let's have a look around and see what we can do."Together, Chalmers and Gabriella made their way to the book binding of the house, leaving Cho and Jamie alone with Harry. Even as Harry moved toward the front door beneath his invisibility cloak, Jamie followed him with his gaze, pointing with his hand. Cho walked to the door and opened it.

"When… when do you marry Gold— Anthony ?"Harry asked.

"Christmas,"Cho answered. She tried to induce the Scripture audio exciting and vibrant, but it fell flat tire.

"Cho, you don't have to—"

"Don't I ?"Cho snapped."Don't I ? Tony loves me for all the world. He'd risk his aliveness to protect me… and your son. He's honest, hardworking, and… and… and I'm marrying him on Christmas."Jamie wriggled in her blazon, both manpower outstretched toward Harry.

"You deserve to be happy,"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 threshold behind her. She lifted his cloak to reveal his face.

"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 lips, and then draped the cloak back over him."I'll ask him about your offering. He's a proud man, Harry, and a bit obstinate. You should be able-bodied to apprize 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 centre were sad. Jamie began to suck on his fingers. The door opened and Gabriella appeared followed closely by Chalmers.

"Ah, here you are,"said Gabriella. The sun was quick on her face as she put her arms out and gave Gabriella a hug."The apartment is sealed tight."Cho took in a deep breath.

"Good, thank you,"she said."I was just giving Jamie a little sun."

"Which he can get through the window, my dear,"said Chalmers herding Cho back into the family."Now come inside."He seemed quite protective, but Harry wondered if it wasn't something more."A delight to match you, missy Darbinyan, was it ?"

"Yes, and a pleasure it was to meet you,"Gabriella replied."It's good to see my friends in such OK bridge player. Cho, I'll be by before tenacious with those gifts I promised."

"Gifts ?"Cho asked."Oh, yes, gifts. Yes, yes, anytime. Be safe ; there's a quiet space to Apparate just behind that gray building over there."They kissed sayonara 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 stoop. Gabriella waved one concluding meter as she turned the corner out of sight. Harry was about to overstretch off the cloak when she stopped him.

"arrest hidden,"Gabriella whispered."We're being followed."Harry spun and there behind the building they'd just passed were the auras of two small figures. They hadn't been there a minute before.

"Did you see them ?"Harry asked."I didn't hear an Apparation."

"family elves,"Gabriella whispered,"at to the lowest degree one of them. The other… I can't tell."

"But there weren't any house elves at the house,"said Harry.

"I know,"she replied."They must go 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 state highway as me ? It was foolishness !"

"He'd have found out soon enough,"said Gabriella with a sigh as the two turned another recess. The street was deserted save for two Whitney 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 street corner, but Harry stayed her hand.

"Gab, no,"he whispered."Grimmauld Place."

"But—"

"Now !"

A instant later they found themselves on the streets of capital of the United Kingdom, just outside of number 12, Grimmauld topographic point. They waited to see if they might have been followed, then checked that the streets were clear. Finally, Harry uncloaked and walked up the steps to the door, knocking twice. The door opened of its own accord and the two walked in. There was a rustling, a thud, and then Sothis appeared atop the staircase wearing boxers and a tee shirt. Wand drawn he pointed it blindly toward the door.

"halt !"he screamed."Or I'll obliterate you !"

"I hope not,"answered Harry."I'm kinda hungry."

"Harry ?"Sirius said, blinking his eyes."Harry what the hell… Gabriella ?"Sirius made an attempt at slicking back his hair and started down the stairs.

"It's after noon,"Harry said."Don't tell me you were still sleeping."

"I was up late lastly night. Remus finished grading papers and we— Hey, isn't your Potions exam today ?"Sirius'eyes shot to the threshold."And why didn't you use the floo ? What's going on ?"

"Erm… can we eat first,"asked Harry.

"What,"sprout Sirius in a singularly insistent tone,"is… going… on ? !"

"Sirius,"said Gabriella softly,"I think it full if we sit down."

"You do, do you ?"snipped Sirius, but Gabriella's sinister eyes caught a soft-spot in Sirius'bark."Well… okay."

The three moved into the kitchen and Sirius started toward the stove. He grabbed a spatula and summoned some sausage balloon when Gabriella took his hand.

"Here,"she said softly,"let me do that. You sit with Harry."Sirius moved to the tabular array and sat opposite his godson.

"Well ?"Sirius queried."It's obvious something's afoot. spit it out."Harry tried, but he couldn't hold in his godfather's gaze.

"I… I, erm…"He sucked in a large gulp of air and exhaled."Igoterpregnant."

"What ?"Sirius asked."What was that ?"

"I… I got her pregnant."

"What !"Sirius stood and spun towards Gabriella."You're meaning ?"Gabriella turned the blimp with her scepter."How could you—"

"Let him land up,"she replied, floating three photographic plate out onto the table.

"Not Gabriella,"Harry said. Dog Star turned back to grimace Harry."Cho… Cho Chang."Dog Star fell back into his hot seat.

"Are you sure ?"asked Sirius with a disbelieving tone."Because sometimes beldam can—"

"Oh,"cut in Gabriella sharply."He's sure."

"Merlin,"he whispered, scratching his chin."Harry, you should have a go at it better."

"I know. I know I should know better."

"And you,"Sothis 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 plates and added some warmed bonce.

"It was last year,"she answered sitting down and handing Canicula a fork.

"The infant was born in July,"said Harry."On my birthday. His name is Jamie."

Dog Star'fork fell with a clank onto the home, splattering red beans onto his white-ish tee shirt.

"A b-boy ? Jamie ?"

"They're living in a dump,"said Harry quickly,"and I can't have my son living like that. I won't have another Potter live with rubble and wanderer, not as long as it's in my power. So, I offered to have them bide at your castle. You know… until Susan Brownell Anthony alumnus. Merlin deliver his soul if he ever—"

"My castle ? Antony ? 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. Sothis then began a speech that lasted for nearly thirty minutes and included a few address to Harry's parents. But when Harry began to probe thick Sirius changed the depicted object. After venting about Harry's folly, he had agreed to take Anthony, Cho and Jamie in and aid in any way he could.

The sausages Cho cooked little Sir Thomas More than a memory, Sothis grew hungry again and he convinced them to go to a Thai eating house that he had found just a few blockage away. When they arrived, Harry discovered that it was run by an old Muggle, but frequented by a turn of witches and wizards. The casual flashes of trick that occurred never seemed to unnerve the old man. Dog Star called him a Savant, a Muggle in tune with the magic of the raw world but possessing no skill his own. Harry was half-way through his Panang Curry when he realized that tonight he was to meet Ron and Hermione at the Ministry.

"The cloak,"he muttered suddenly to himself, before taking another raciness.

"What's that, Harry ?"asked Canicula. Harry looked up into Dog Star'oculus ; they were smiling. Harry's blindness didn't allow him to see that the creases that had once drawn the sides of Sirius'middle down were now curling upward. But he could smell the brightness of the air in his godfather's expression. For a moment, Harry considered telling Sirius of their plans at the Ministry. Gabriella touched his deal.

"More tea ?"the waiter asked, and all three nodded. Harry continued to see toward Canicula who was as happy as ever. The thought of asking Sirius to help them, particularly at the Ministry, curdled the curry in Harry's breadbasket.

"I said I almost choked,"Harry said with a cough.

"You're eating too fast,"said Gabriella knowingly, rubbing his arm and smiling."It's not a race."

"Probably the curry,"said Sirius, taking another sting."It's a bit risque tonight."

"Yeah… yeah that's it,"Harry answered. He wiped his mouthpiece with his nappy and set it on the table."Erm… Actually, I think I effective be—"

"Harry,"interrupted Gabriella,"I have to go before it gets past times midnight."

"Is it getting that recently ?"asked Sirius, his mouth one-half fully. Harry shot her a coup d'oeil ; his back talk frowned. He didn't want her at the Ministry any more than he wanted Sirius. There were too many memories—bad memories. Then she said something that surprised even Harry.

"I need to see Jamie,"she said,"just for a instant. I should suffer taken charge of it this morning, but I forgot. I've not been in tune with the old style for some clip. Mama would be disappointed in me."Unconsciously, Harry began to rub the Dragon scar that was emblazoned on his right on forearm.

He remembered what Gabriella's mother, Soseh, had said at the end of last schooling year."The approval is inscribed on the males of each generation by the char of the generation before. It will be Gabriella's duty to turn over the blessing to your sons."Once it was clear that Harry would go for Jamie as his son, it was Gabriella's duty, by swearword, that she pass to him the boon of Asha.

"The Votary,"Harry whispered quietly, staring down at the sports stadium of yellowness and gold. Then his dull heart looked toward hers."It's too grievous,"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 option. It must be done, and the Oklahoman it's done the dandy the power of Jamie's blessing, of his protection. He'll penury Asha's help in these times of darkness."

"You mentioned the Death eater bodyguard, but you didn't mention that you were followed,"said Sirius, his eyes turning toward Harry with a more serious glare.

"Draco said that Chalmers doesn't study night, at to the lowest degree not for Goldstein. Sothis, you need to go with her, hold her rubber. That way you can see Jamie and pass on the news, maybe convince Cho to locomote into the castle tonight while Chalmers is away."

"And you ?"Dog Star asked.

"I'll just head back to Hogwarts. If the two were a yoke of Lucius'thugs out to get me it'd be considerably if I wasn't there."Sirius sighed, looking longingly at an unmoved barbecue spare rib. He licked his lips and pushed his plate forward.

"Very well, let's go."They paid and made their way outside and down the street, finding a more remote alley often used by the visiting Wiccan and maven to Apparate. Canicula took Harry by the arm and looked him in the eyes, but Harry turned away to look down the street as a car past by.

"heterosexual person to Hogwarts,"said Sirius sternly,"okay, Harry ?"

"Straight to Hogwarts,"Harry agreed. Gabriella kissed him on the face.

"I can see your emotions roiling,"she whispered in his ear."Be open-eyed and say, ‘ Hi !'to Ron and Hermione for me."She pulled her wand as did Sirius."Oh, and don't worry ; Jamie will be mulct. I'll make sure that no evil harms your child."Harry tried to muster up a smile.

"Did I ever tell you how much I loved you ?"he asked and then they kissed."I'll see you at school in the morning. proceed her condom, Sirius."There was a snap and both Gabriella and Sirius had vanished. Harry focused his vision to another part of London and in the next moment found himself at a telephone box above the entrance to the Ministry. As off-putting as Apparating was for Harry, he was ill prepared for what happened succeeding.

"Stupefy !"The bang of red light hit Harry squarely in the thorax, knocking him backward some ten to twenty feet, his wand tumbling from his paw."There, Harrington,"a large cloaked figure said with a rather blusterous vocalization, picking up Harry's sceptre,"and you were about quick to wet your pants. He is a boy, after all."Still on his spine Harry could feel them stepping toward him.

"I… am not… a… boy !"he rasped. This made the closest wizard laugh, but the smaller man behind him said nil.

"Well, I've got your wand, piddling 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 front of the Death eater's cloak looked as if a large saber had just slashed across it, tearing cloth and flesh alike up and outward. Harry could find the blood spatter his fount. The Death feeder screamed falling to his knees. Unsteadily, Harry stood. The whole place seemed to be spinning. He was airheaded and a garner sensation of nausea was building inside.

"Accio wand !"he cried, wrenching his baton from the expiry Eater's clasp and in to his own hired hand. Limping forward he yelled"BOY ?"Then he placed his baton on the os frontale of his foe."BOY ?"line continued to filter from beneath the crouching Death eater's ribs and between the workforce that clutched his chest."Who do you work for ?"Harry asked, already knowing the resolution.

Harry had focused so a great deal attention on the large Death Eater, he had neglected the smaller one that had retreated to the shadows.

"I said WHO - DO - YOU - employment FOR !"Standing over his cowering victim, it was then that he noticed the lights - lots of lights. Five to a greater extent aura had Apparated ; he was surrounded. Seemingly emboldened by the new arrivals, the minor Death feeder emerged from the shadows and held out his wand.

"Expel—"There were three trance cast almost simultaneously that stopped the wizard before he had a opportunity to finish.

"Stupefy !"“ Diffindo !"and Harry's buckler appeal,"Contego !"

Only, Harry didn't need the buckler charm… for himself. The first spell came from one of the approaching auras Harry presumed to be Sir Thomas More expiry eater. The bolt, not the strongest Harry had ever seen, knocked the pocket-sized mavin backward, albeit only a few feet. Fearing for his life, and rightfully so, the lilliputian Death eater Disapparated. The indorse turn came from yet another aura, modest yet vivid. It was directed at the crippled maven crouching before Harry. The result was terrible and instantaneous ; the Death eater's point fell to the gravelled paving and his trunk slumped forward, draining pedigree at Harry's feet, a boiling kitty of luminosity like lave erupting from a volcano.

Harry spun to face the five superstar approaching him, holding his wand high. Two showed mite of both red and green in their atmosphere as they drew nearer."Imperious scourge ?"Harry wondered. And then a phonation came to him that startled him more than that of the previous last feeder.

"Bloody hell, James ! What in Merlin's public figure did you do that for ?"

The colour, the canter, the tone… Harry knew at once it was Ron Weasley.


Harry Potter and the parturition of a New Sun

Chapter 16 - The burden Calls
~~~***~~~

"He was reaching for his wand,"said James, pointing at the decapitated end Eater at Harry's feet."He was going to kill Harry !"

"He was on his knees,"snapped Hermione."Harry had him firmly in control."

"He didn'have the… that small guy in control,"countered Patrick."I had teh take him down."

"You're just lucky he was as frightened as a molamar in urine,"said Anthony Goldstein with a rather haughty representative.

"Goldstein ?"asked Harry in surprise as the group converged on him.

"tinker's dam, thrower,"said Goldstein,"you're a bloody quite a little. And I do mean bloody. Scourgify !"The splatters covering the movement of Harry's case, shirt and gasp vanished, though the pool on the pavement remained."There, that's better."

"Who in underworld told Goldstein ?"cried Harry.

"Actually, Potter,"replied Goldstein,"I stumbled on this merry company as they tried to abstract out. Seemed like a honest DA mission.

"Are you kidding ?"snapped Harry, gazing at the aura of the man who'd be his son's father. There was a purity about it, but Harry was to enkindle to reckon 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 rakehell, pooling at his ft. Hermione ran over to him and hugged him.

"Who were they ?"she asked."nobody's supposed to have intercourse we're here."

"That's what I thought,"answered Harry."I was trying to get an answer when James here decided to play the butcher."Harry turned to the mo twelvemonth."The adjacent time I need your service Chang, I'll ask for it."Harry sensed at once the anger edifice within the small-scale whiz, but then it subsided almost as quickly as it came.

"I… I was just trying too intemperate I guess,"answered James."It was scary."

"And why are you two,"Harry pointed to both St. James and Patrick,"here in the first situation ? Stumble across the troupe as well ?"He shot Ron a glance and wished he could carry centre of decease.

"St. Patrick overheard our plan and said he'd knock off if we didn't bring ‘ em along,"answered Ron."It was supposed to be quiet ; I didn't figure we'd run into destruction Eaters."

"If that's what they were,"said Harry, still holding his scepter at the ready."They acted more like hired punk than Death Eaters."

The Nox air was moth-eaten and placid. He could palpate the dampness of a slender mist wrap about his typeface, sending shivers down his spine. For a consequence he thought of Dementors, but the nip, this chilled clamminess was something else, something more nonrational. The rustling of death were swirling ; somehow Harry knew that. And not for the man that had just been slain, the voicelessness were telling Harry that more would soon join the all in man at his feet. But who ?

"Goldstein,"Harry said suddenly,"Mark Anthony, really you… you have to—"

"fountainhead, we're here now,"said James."Dispatchio !"The drained wizard and the pool of rip beneath him vanished."Let's say we get in, get the cloak and get out before anymore… er, sorry wizards show up. Wouldn't want Luci—"

"Where'd you learn that spell ?"queried Hermione."That's 5th year."James I shrugged his shoulder joint.

"My sister I guess,"he said."She's the saucy one in the family."

"Yeah… I see,"said Harry, noticing Saint James'glory fade from viridity to red then back from red to green. For the inaugural time, he thought James might not really be an friend."Ron, maybe you should take—"

"James is proper,"interrupted Anthony."adept if we get down into the Ministry before another dozen last feeder Apparate in."

"But—"

"Harry,"interrupted Hermione,"let's just get downstairs. We can speak then."Harry heaved a suspiration and the chemical group squeezed into the phone booth. Ron said the password his male parent had told him and a silvern orb appeared, scanning Ron in a poorly White light. Then, with a jar, the lift began to plummet. Harry tried to look at Ron and hint to the redhead that he should read Harry's idea, but his oculus were blank and Ron didn't distinguish the facial verbal expression as he once would have. Harry silently cursed his blindness.

Harry's center began to quicken. If the two indorsement yr were under the Imperious swearing, they were in all likelihood in Lucius Malfoy's control. He was feeling strongly like he wanted to wretch onto the polished marble floors just as the threshold opened onto the splendid entrance residence hall of the Ministry of Magic. The six stepped out, wands drawn.

After only a few paces, they all saw where the cloak was to be displayed - it was obvious. A vauntingly glass case had already been erected. On a terminal was the torso of a manakin and next to that a golden statue of Harry with his wand drawn. They all stepped closer. There was no cloak, but there was a plaque. It read,"This internet site commemorates the licking of the wickedness Wizard Voldemort by the thou Wizard Harry Potter, Order of Merlin, start Class, who faced his foe wand-to-wand and struck him down."
"Order of pigeon hawk ?"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 ceremony,"said Harry shortly."No darkness cloak, no return of Voldemort, no ceremony. Ron, do you have any idea where—"

There was a ringing coming from down the hall and a faint glow that was growing nearer. It sounded as if someone were humming. The group began to deplumate back, away from the presentation pillow slip ; all, that is, except James I. Harry went to snap up 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 severalise me for sure, not even Gabriella."Harry held more tightly to King James I'robe and began to pull him bodily across the storey.

"Saint James the Apostle,"Harry said, huffing between his dentition,"there are some thing you can't believe. First, never trust a Bible Trelawney says unless she sounds like a goblin on fire whisky. Second, never believe a countersign 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 back of his collar until they were hidden between two marble columns.

"Bold lyric, Harry,"continued James passively."But I never believed you could quiver master Voldemort wand-to-wand. distinguish me, is there still a part of the nighttime Lord that courses through your veins ? That could be utilitarian, if—"

"Shhh."All was mute, save for the episodic crack ember from one of the fireplaces that surrounded the distinguished entry hall and the humming that was growing louder by the minute. Again Harry tried to get together Ron's tending, but he was busy whispering something in Hermione's ear as they clung together behind a suit of armour opposite the Fountain of Magical blood brother. At another column just behind Harry and Jesse James, Patrick and Mark Antony crouched. The whispers of death were growing louder. So gaudy, in fact, that Harry turned to see if perhaps a ghost or something more were at his correctly position. Only James was there, kneeling quietly on the flooring.

The Christ Within grew brighter and then the hag appeared. Harry could make out her aura, a shimmering gold, but not her feature film at this distance. In front of her was a cloak levitated some two feet off the dry land. She was approaching the display character when James began to worm under Harry's hand.

"cargo hold still,"he whispered, but the marble paries took in the audio, repeat them about, amplifying the disturbance such that it was audible to the witch at the display case. Harry noticed the hesitation. He expected her to rick, but she did not. Instead, she levitated the cloak onto the torso within the display event and closed the glass room access. She cast a magic spell with her wand and then turned as if to pull up stakes. In turning, she revealed her face to the others, but Harry was still unable to spot who the witch was. From the faint pant from across the hall it was straighten out that Hermione, for one, knew who it was. The witch stepped toward the natural spring and took something out of her sac, perhaps a coin, Harry couldn't tell. In a motion that was as graceful and as cunning as any Harry had ever seen, she flipped the object into the outflow. It spun high into the air and, just as it crested in its arc, her former hired hand pointed her wand toward it and cast the patch.

"Immobulus !"Harry recognized the voice at once ; it was molly Weasley, Ron's mother.

Half of the lightness leaving her wand passed the coin cleanly and struck the crone and wizard by the wooing of armour. The other half, however, glinted off the coin, reflecting toward and blasting the two wizards next to the column behind Harry. With one tour she had immobilized Ron, Hermione, Anthony and Patrick. Again, James wriggled under Harry's grasp and again Harry held him fast.

"I know you're there,"Mrs Weasley said with a voice that held no fear."I'm afraid it's well after time of day. If you're lost, I'm certainly I can help you find your way. Come out from behind the column and let's see where you belong. Shall we ?"

Again James pushed against the free weight of Harry who was pressing him arduous against the marble floor. Finally, Harry had had enough. He couldn't risk what Henry James might do.

"Incarcerous !"he called. Ropes sprung from his wand and began to roll themselves about Saint James the Apostle.

"Sectumsempra !"cried James, slashing the R-2 with his verge and pushing Harry away. Then he pointed his baton at Mrs. Weasley."Avada Ked— !"
"Stupefy !"she called, her spell interrupting the boy's. The red luminance nearly struck Saint James the Apostle who deflected it at the last present moment, sending the beam into the roof above, showering them all with spell of marble and splinters of walnut. This was no second gear year wizard.

Harry jumped to his groundwork and cast his own stunning charm, but again James deflected it. It was then that mollie Weasley noticed who he was.

"Harry ?"she called.

"Hide, Mrs Weasley !"he cried in proceeds."skin !"

King James cast a jet of red Inner Light Harry's way. Harry focused on where he needed to be—out of the beam of light's path. Suddenly, everything slowed and he found himself running to the right, toward the fountain, just as the bolt of red passed his leave elbow. James smiled.

"Impressssive, Harry,"James River hissed in a much higher, dusty voice, a vocalisation that shook Harry to the nucleus. It couldn't be."You've learned well from the Centaurus. I did as well ; although I suspect my methods of extracting the cognition I required were somewhat different than yours."There was another thunderbolt, light-green, and again Harry disappeared and reappeared into another part of the idealistic hall.

"Diffindo !"called Mrs. Weasley. Her spell struck Jesse James on the left-hand shoulder, leaving a tight slash. Jesse James spun on the witch.

"Avada Kedavra !"

This time the green light sailed toward mollie Weasley. Harry began to levitate a marble bench into the beam's path, but quickly realized the workbench was too heavy and would not travel fast enough. Instead he ran, slowing time and bending the space between them tightly together. He grabbed her by the berm and pushed her to the footing just as the bam past the twain, smashing into the wall behind and showering them with dust and rock. Harry landed on his back as Mrs. Weasley landed on top of him, knocking the air out of his chest.

"Harry,"she said sternly as only a mother could,"what are you doing here ? What's going on ?"

"It… it's Voldemort,"he gasped trying to obtain air that wasn't there."He's… back."He wheezed, sucking in a shortstop 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 capable. She ignored his beckon and faced the small boy now standing only a few ft in front of her.

"farewell 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 I as his eyes shot toward the night cloak still protected behind the sealed spyglass. Harry rose to his articulatio genus, trying to fetch air back into his lungs."The truth is that there are only two thing in this elbow room I want… and you're not one of them."His wand rose in unison with Harry's, only Harry was unable to heave the spell.

"Avada Kedavra !"

Placing himself between Mrs Weasley and Voldemort, Harry tried to rise up in front of the jet of dark-green but the pop hex would win the race this time ; he knew that. For her part, mollie Weasley cast a shield spell about them both, hoping to head off the spell, but they all knew it wouldn't work. In her last twinkling of biography her hands gripped Harry by the shoulders and she cast a glance down into his blind centre, a glance that held love and compassion, a glance that was filled with concern not for herself but for the boy before her… a glance he couldn't see. She fell bushed to the story.

"NO !"cried Harry as he spun and shake off another slashing piece against Jesse James who deflected it with repose."You're being controlled, James ! Fight back !"James only laughed.

"YOU stood face-to-face with the Great Dark overlord Voldemort and defeated him ?"James mocked."What a antic !"

With Mrs Weasley absolutely, the spell she cast on the other four wizards began to break off. Slowly, they were coming to there senses, working to retrieve controller of their motions. James walked over to a groaning Patrick who was still prone on the floor. He grabbed Saint Patrick's fuzz and pulled his head off the priming coat.

"This one here,"called St. James the Apostle, his voice echoing off the rampart,"thinks of you as a crony, potter. He'd Sooner die than see you fall to harm. Yet he's betrayed you at my every control. Shall I kill him next ?"

"Expelliarmus !"Harry cried, but once again King James deflected the spell.

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Potter ? Even with the acquirement of the Centaurs, you're as slow as your dead parents. Nonetheless, you could be utile ; the Malfoy boy suggested as a good deal. I heard, perhaps, he's not as dead as everyone thinks."He released Saint Patrick whose forefront cracked against the gemstone floor. But instead of striking at Harry, James held his verge to the shabu showing subject."Diffindo !"The blast of light struck the glass, but held firm as if swallowing the Energy Department of the bam, the glass began to glow. For the first time, the smile on James Yangtze Kiang's expression disappeared."Diffindo !"he called again, and again the energy was absorbed and the glass grew brighter still.

"You've stamp out your just hazard for opening the slip,"Harry sneered."But then… I always heard that that was one of your greatest weaknesses… TOM… being pudden-head !"

Another blast of light slam toward Harry ; it was red not green, not a killing curse word. Once more, Harry slipped out of its way. This fourth dimension he moved quickly around and behind James reappearing with his baton drawn.

"Stupefy !"Harry cried, sending a blast of red at James'back, but again the sensation deflected the spell as if swatting a fly and then turned back toward the display case."You're not trying to belt down me, Tom. Why not ?"

"I'll killing you sssoon enough,"James slithered."kickoff, the cloak. Then, I need to elicit something of mine that you stole from me when you were a babe. Soon, I will be—"Suddenly two more go came from beyond the fountain. Ron and Hermione had revived themselves enough to fight, but barely.

"No ! Get out of here !"Harry screamed."It's Voldemort ! Run !"

"I don't have time for this,"cried St. James, sending three more clap of light source at the methamphetamine case. On the third base bolt the glass cracked, but only just. Harry could tell that the charm that James had cast over the net few minutes were draining him. He looked trite, almost vulnerable. At the same consequence the ardour ringing the grand hall roared to lifespan.

"Finally,"Harry whispered,"some help."maven after wiz appeared at each hearth, brandishing their wands."Whatever time you thought you had has just expired, Tom."

The room erupted in red light. Seven blasts came at the pocket-sized necromancer by the display case. Two struck true while the others struck the glowing glass, shattering it completely. The large methamphetamine hydrochloride sherd that scattered the floor, however, were still glowing as brightly as ever. There were Thomas More gust of red directed at Harry.

"It's me !"he yelled."Harry Potter !"

"Harry !"cried Hermione from the far position of the hall."It's not the Ministry ! It's—"A good time of red dropped her to the ground.

"Hermione !"cried Ron."He cast a spell knocking the wizard by Hermione backward into the wall with a loud crevice. He pointed towards another wizard and ran at him."leave-taking her alone, you bloody—"There was a fire of purple and he too fell to the floor.

"We're students !"Harry yelled, but it only focused the attention of another battery of red bolt his way. Harry cast a cuticle appealingness and sent them flying in every conceivable counseling. The blow weakened him."Are you crazy ? ! We're—"And then he noticed it - the unmistakably bright emerald park halo of Draco Malfoy, stepping from the flames of one of the fireplaces. He had warned Harry and now it was too of late.

Simultaneously, ropes began to purl about Ron, Hermione, St. Patrick, and well-nigh importantly James IV who was still motionless on the storey. Somehow Marcus Antonius had managed an outflow and stood at Harry's English. There were nearly a dozen Death Eaters moving in on them.

"subscribe the cloak, Dragon,"drawled a tall thaumaturge in dark melanise robes with deep red lining.

"Lucius ?"Harry sneered in the wizard's direction."Is that you ? I should experience known by the sickening chickenhearted colour."The wiz said nothing, trying to brush aside Harry."Now that I'm screen, 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, thrower,"he snapped.

"Now, now… sticks and stones…. But then I guess six month with Dementors and stupid will curdle anyone's conversational capabilities."Harry could see that Draco was moving over the glowing glass and into the eccentric to retrieve the robe. Harry turned to face him.

"Hey ! blonde bastard ! I wouldn't go in there if I were—"

"What's this ?"Draco cried out. He had come to molly Weasley's body. The colour of his aura blanched."I gave specific orders ! Who cast a killing condemnation ?"Harry could tell immediately that Draco was livid.

"gathering the cloak !"yelled Lucius.

"But father—"

"NOW !"

"Don't do it !"yelled Harry.

Draco moved forward toward the case. Suddenly, the shattered glass that was still glowing with the energy it had absorbed exploded in a magnificent white trice. Draco flew up into the air, nearly striking the ceiling, and then landed with a sickening compaction against the marble level.

"Draco !"cried Lucius. Goldstein took the distraction as his chance. His baton erupted with bright bluish igniter, but instead of being directed at one of the dying feeder, it was directed toward one of the portrayal hanging high on the paries of the grand hall. The portrait sparked, zapping the aged wizard that had, so far, slept through the ruckus.

"Hey,"the wizard in the portrayal yelped."No indigence for—"

"Get help you idiot !"yelled Goldstein. The wizard in the portrayal, seeing the destruction, disappeared instantly."It won't be long now,"Goldstein muttered, staring at the empty portrayal.

There was another outburst of spells headed at the two wizards and together they fended them off, but Harry was growing weak by the moment. Lucius ignored Goldstein's vociferation for aid, he ignored the battle of wands, and he ignored the crumpled mountain on the floor that was his son. Instead, unwilling to tint it himself, he pointed to the cloak that was still standing in the windowless display guinea pig.

"The cloak !"he yelled again. After some hesitation, another decease Eater approached the fatal textile and grabbed it just as James, still bound by roofy, began to come in to his sense. With lust-filled eyes, Lucius only half glanced at Dragon, still motionless on the floor, descent dripping from the corner of his oral cavity. Instead, he focused fully on the lightlessness robe held before him.

"Luciusss,"uttered James breathlessly,"you fool."

Malfoy wrenched the textile out of the Death feeder's manpower. Quickly, he slipped it on and waited as if anticipating something to take place.

"You expected, maybe, a coronation ?"Harry sneered."Perhaps a crown and trumpets as we all bow down to kiss your arse ? It's a stupe piece of cloth !"

"Kill him,"Malfoy drawled, pointing with his good arm toward Harry."kill HIM !"Harry grabbed Anthony by the arm as the bolts of green approached and in an flash they were on the former side of the resplendent student residence that now appeared more like a war geographical zone than the showpiece 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 marriage ceremony,"Harry snapped. He took in a deep breath, reaching out with his idea to cull any magic he could from the macrocosm around him. He let out a long, dense exhale and pointed his sceptre at the level.

"Festio !"he cried, ripping dozens of marble tiles upward and sending them toward his adversaries. The Death feeder tried to shatter the tiles with spells, but the action only served to create thou of tiny projectiles all headed in their direction. A few cast shield appeal in time, but most were struck. Above the din of thigh-slapper, Harry could hear James cursing Lucius.

"dismission me, you idiot ! Release me now."But Malfoy, ignorant of King James'true identicalness, ignored the boy's pleadings. He had what he came for and was beginning to take the air toward his son when snaps began to fill the way. Auror after Auror was Apparating within the M mansion house. In an flash, spells were flying everywhere. Blast after blow of light, cutting down wizard after star, witch after witch. The elbow room was filled with staring mayhem and Harry, his shoulders slumped with tiredness, moved to enter the affray. Before Harry could require a full footfall, Goldstein grabbed him by the articulatio humeri.

"You're no good to anybody numb,"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 Eaters before he too was stunned and fell to the primer coat. It was then that Harry noticed Saint James the Apostle. He was beginning to slip free of the bonds that held him. Lucius, on the other hand, had abandoned everyone, including his son, and was racing to the floo. A deadbolt of Orange River light struck the wall behind Harry, casting stone and dust down his back. Lucius was about ready to fly the coop. Harry focused on where he needed to be and before Lucius had taken another step, Harry was standing in figurehead of him, blocking the entrance to the fireplace.

"Silencio !"Harry whispered, holding his hired hand between the cloak's folds of black textile and directly against Malfoy's chest of drawers. The wizard tried to redact a spell, but was deaf-mute."Now, what with the sporty arm and all… that's what I call an melioration. You should remember to button up before you step out, Lucius. Now, make off the cloak before I blast it off."Malfoy's eyes glowed with pure hatred and he raised his sceptre."Expelliarmus !"Harry whispered again and Malfoy's sceptre flew from his hand. There was an expression of surprise in Malfoy's centre that made Harry smile.

"Now,"continued Harry,"as I was saying, take aim off the—"With a sudden shove from behind, Malfoy fell forward onto Harry and they both tumbled to the flooring. It was then that Harry noticed that James had freed himself and now, forgoing the use of a scepter, had his helping hand around Malfoy's throat, squeezing… squeezing. He was in a frenzy of pure hatred and anger.

"Do you know who I am ?"cried William James."Look into my eyes !"

Lucius, even Harry, saw the flaming of red light in Saint James'eyes.

"N-Not pos-sible,"he gasped, ineffective to breathe."D-Dead."Then the wax fruition struck him."I-I never knew."

"You know now,"King James spat between gritted dentition."And now is sssoon enough."A blast of red light came from the far wall and struck James in the side of meat, but before he released his clench on Lucius, a iniquity acrid grass issued from his mouth and nostril. To Harry, it was a current of K evil leaving the red rear. King James'bobby pin on Lucius released and the blonde superstar gasped for air, but instead of air he sucked in nada but locoweed. Voldemort had penetrated him. Stunned, Harry saw the super C surroundings the yellow and snuffle it out. Lucius took to his feet as a blast of red struck him in the back. cypher happened. It bounced off him, off the cloak he was wearing, like body of water off a duck's back. Before Harry could respond, Lucius, Voldemort and the cloak had vanished in a swirl of jet flame.

There were a match more clap, a distich more snaps, and a duo more shrieking of pain, but finally the room fell silent. Only the sound of rock scraping against the base, as the remaining Aurors stepped across the debris, broke the quiet.

"parson, over here. It's your… over here, sir. Please."For the first time, Harry realized that Arthur Weasley had been among the Aurors that had come to protect the Ministry. He watched as the hotshot walked toward the shatter presentation causa, while the Auror that called him levitated a wooden beam that had fallen over Molly Weasley up and out of the way. It landed with a dull thud.

"molly ?"he uttered as if trying to gently wake somebody from a deep quietus."molly,"he said again only louder."molly !"He grabbed his wife in his arms, pulling her up out of the dust ; pebbles cascaded to the floor."Oh my god, no. No… no… no… no… NOOO !"he screamed. The grand hall rumbled, shaking howitzer loose from the paries onto the floor below as Mr. Weasley buried his head into the corner of his wife's neck. He continued to buckle great sobs as Harry looked down at James, prone on the story, arms outstretched toward the fireside. The commons was gone ; only blue remained, but the light was weak and flickered. He was near destruction. The second yr began to grown, slowly looking up to find Harry.

"H-Harry ? H-Help… I… I can't…."And he collapsed to the floor. Harry looked around at the devastation. Henry James was not the only one near decease. Instinctively, he pulled his wand to summon the Heart of Asha, but before he could range the spell, snap after centering began to fill the Granville Stanley Hall ; healer were appearing. In a subject of seconds nearly a 12 Healers had Apparated into the Ministry. One, an honest-to-goodness adept with shaggy white haircloth, was at King 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 knockout ? Because I'm not detecting any—"

"He was possessed by Voldemort,"Harry cut in. The Healer cringed, looking up at Harry with disbelief.

"smell son,"he said derisively,"you shouldn't go around—"

"hoot it !"Harry screamed."His spirit's been sundered ! It probably has been all yr. Voldemort just left him to take on another emcee. If you don't hurry, he'll die."For only a second, the therapist tried to read the face of Harry's face. He was old enough to bang what Harry meant. He remembered the old war and he didn't need to be told twice. Without saying another discussion, the Healer rose to his feet and a photoflash of tremendous purpleness light source left his verge bathing James IV in its glow from read/write head to toe.

Harry stepped back, twisting his ankle on a rock beneath his foot. He cursed. former than the citizenry swarming about the Radclyffe Hall, it was difficult to spend a penny anything out. His imaginativeness was truly failing him in the rocky mess. He could see Mr. Weasley and heard his shit, and tried to find fault his way through the junk as Auror and healer alike seemed to give-up the ghost 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 River. He needed to help… he needed to chase after Lucius, after Voldemort… he needed to —"

"curate !"person cried out."minister of religion ! It's your son !"Harry turned his aid on a incandescence that lay prone on the trading floor near an Auror's feet.

"My god, Hotspur ? !"cried Mr. Weasley still reeling from the loss of his wife.

"No, sir,"the Auror replied."It's your untested boy, Ron. Looks like a stunner is all."

"That's not possible,"whispered 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 right arm was starting to prick with botheration."Voldemort's back."

"What ?"

"A Horcrux,"Harry whispered nonsensically, stumbling closer to Mr. Malfoy and rubbing his right on forearm with his unexpended deal. It itched."There must deliver been to a greater extent than one. We… we came for the cloak."

"Jonah,"called another healer to the old man that was working on King James,"I need your help. It's the Malfoy boy. What's his epithet, Draco ?"

"I thought he was dead ?"the old man called back. The untested Healer looked down at Dragon 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 base."You knew they were coming ?"

Harry was feeling dazed. He looked toward Draco, toward Arthur Weasley. His right arm was aching. He had reached Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and his heart began to sink further.

"No one was supposed to be here,"Harry said thinly, his voice hoarse with sorrow."I just wanted to ruin the cloak before… before…"Mr. Weasley rose to his feet.

"She loved you like a son !"he yelled and slapped Harry punishing across the face."AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER !"

The blow knocked Harry backwards and he slipped on the slack gemstone that scattered the trading floor. Rising to one cubital joint he could sample the blood that was dripping from his cut lip, and then he noticed his right forearm - it was glowing. A thin etch of a rune had appeared, the Viswa Vajra. Harry had always wondered when it would happen, in what way 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 alternative but to obey.

The Minister of Magic who had loved Harry as his own son was demanding answer, solvent Harry desperately wanted to give. Dragon and James River lay near dying, and Harry had it in his great power to easily keep open them both. Voldemort had escaped with a new body and another piece of his soul, and Harry anxiously needed to chase after them - the Wizarding World was again at risk of exposure. Once more, last began to whisper in his ear and he began to shiver.

In spite of that, none of it mattered. He had sworn an oath ; it was a burden all fellow member of the Votary carried. He was being summoned and so, clutching his wand, he focused on where he needed to be. He felt a soft touch sensation on his shoulder and heard Hermione scream his name. He looked up at her, wishing he could convey the sorrowfulness weighing on his soul.

"Harry…"

He was gone.


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 17 - The Summoning
~~~***~~~

When Dakhil left Harry at the rock steps leading to the front doors of Hogwarts Castle, Harry had pleaded that he too fight the onslaught of Dementors and Death Eaters raging against Dakhil's homeland in the Carpathian Mountains. The vampire should take in been gone for only a few days, but it had been weeks and Dakhil had not returned nor had he sent Good Book of the condition of the struggle. The Daily vaticinator had been worthless, only reporting the difficulties that the several European Ministries were having trying to disguise the numerous inhumanity as natural disasters. more worrying was that Antreas had left shortly after Dakhil and had not been heard from since. Everyone who had left to fight seemed to vanish into a great maelstrom of malarkey.

Before he disappeared, Dakhil had told Harry that his job was to protect Hogwarts, to protect the Centaurs of the Great Forest from a darkness within the school day. Harry brushed the impression of dark inside the castle walls aside, believing it was a backhanded vilification toward Harry, but now he was paying for it. Maybe that's why they were summoning him, he had failed in his one mission. Voldemort had not only escaped, but he had captured his Horcrux and was quick to devolve to power. Or was he ?

Voldemort had said he needed only two things in the magisterial Charles Francis Hall of the Ministry - his old mordant cloak and Harry. He had asked earlier if there was still component part of the Dark Lord that coursed through Harry's mineral vein. What St. James the Apostle, what Voldemort didn't know was that the darkness, Voldemort's stain, had been washed away by the cleaning of the declension in the Great Forest. Perhaps, Voldemort was too weak without this other division of himself, perhaps—

It was hot, painfully hot - the number one thing Harry noticed when he finally appeared at the summoning site - hot and night. Not dark in the horse sense that there was no light, although it was that too ; a lack of light wouldn't matter to a unsighted man. No, it was dark in the sense that Harry saw nothing. There was no life history here, no life in any counseling, just rut, an vivid, blistering heating that appeared, to Harry, like a dull fog as he looked to the night 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 Deutschland. He was drained, ineffective to roll another spell, and the richness of the earth's DOE, normally plentiful in this area, was parched like an arid desert. There was nothing for Harry to soak up on to replenish what witching DOE he could cast. Instead, he used the world power of the centaur to deflect space and slow prison term, and he ran. He ran until his shoes wore through and fell away ; he ran over rivers that supported his weight as if they were frozen solid ; he ran past flying shuttle that hovered in the air like floating balloons. He ran for what felt same solar day, stopping only to drink from the occasional stream or creek. At one period, just outside Vienna, he had grabbed one-half of a sandwich from the hand of a passer-by who might as well have been a statue frozen in time. His leg ached, his lungs wanted to burst and all he could find out was the representative of Ronan compelling him forward, not to assemble the call of the Centaur, but to answer the summoning of the tartar.

By the time he had begun the terminal raise, his judgment was blurred with weariness. He had paid no card to the mountain he had been climbing. Sweat burning his blind eyes, he had ignored the shriek and the fires through which he had past. He didn't see the transition from biography to death. He only knew one matter - the summoning site. He would not betray again, even as the cobbler's last drops of strength left his being.

This… this was the pip ; he was indisputable. Huge draft of air splashed down his burn lungs unable to quench his thirst for oxygen. His publicise feet burned. Almost forgetfully, he held out his verge, hand shaking from exhaustion and mind knowing that he would not be able to cast a patch even if he wanted to. Sweat dripped down his os frontale ; the heat was intolerable. He stood for a moment, verge outstretched, squinting with go wrong eyes into the duskiness. Merlin, it was hot. He moved to involve a step forward, an blistering smell filling his nostrils, when his left leg cramped and he fell face first hard into the stony ground. He didn't have the Department of Energy to pull away from the scorching rock, nor could he spatter out the Sand and bantam pebbles that filled his mouth and burned his tongue.

"Maybe,"he thought,"if I rest for just—"He passed out, dropping his baton at his side.

unconscious on the sweltering dry land, swirls of smoke and Light Within coalesced in his judgment forming a scene of darkness and despair. Even in his dream the spirit of burning flesh was unbearable. Yet, in his dream he could see - his vision, his lot was as goodness as ever. The gage and the olfactory perception cleared and he found himself at the free fall, the falls where Gabriella lay face down in the tall supergrass, an arrow sunk deep into her rear. In the air was sadness. No… more than sorrow - there was anger. It was Ron, screaming, screaming….

"NOOOOOOO !"

The dry land shook.

"Take him ! Take him now ! rush !"

The scene changed. He was flying… flying in the air. bouncing. On a Hippogriff. Bounce. Harry felt a jarring hurting against the face of his ribs. He blinked. The blindness had returned, but he could sense that there was a light beneath him. bounciness. A mortal.

"hurry !"

The voice… he knew that voice. The shadow was clearing from his mind. He was waking. He was being carried. A group of five was climbing up the side of the slew. One had Harry over his shoulder. Weakly, Harry began to struggle to free himself.

"Easy, Harry,"the young man holding him said gently, but with some urgency in his representative."When we get you back to the stronghold, we'll consider a looking at at the Robert Burns. Praise Asha you're a member of the Votary, or you'd be dead."

"An-Antreas ?"Harry muttered. He hadn't heard the vocalisation of Gabriella's chum since the summertime, but there was still no mistaking the undeniable intonation that was the exact replica of Antreas'founding father, Grigor."What… What's going on ?"

"There will be time for answers later !"cried another part."Run !"Harry knew at once the early man speechmaking. He also recognized the aura ; it was Dakhil. Troubling was the sentience of concern, even fright in Dakhil's voice. He'd never heard that before, even when they were being attacked by vampires last summer. What was more troubling, however, was something that had bothered Harry since his last lesson with Ronan, something he had seen in Dakhil ever since the vampire first taught him to see without seeing. The nimbus of Dakhil faded from red to empurple and bet on to red again. There were two role present in his aura. For the first time since he'd arrived at the plenty of Singehorn, Harry felt cold.

They continued to rush up the mountain. Occasionally, Dakhil or one of the others would cast spell back in the charge from which they came. Harry could not see, nor could he sense what it was they were firing upon. Curiously, there were no spells cast in restoration. Soon, he began to note trees, vegetation, sprightliness. After a few arcminute more, the band came to a large endocarp rampart. One of the men cast a piece and an entry appeared. They passed through and the chess opening in the stone sealed behind them. The full company sighed with relief once they entered the compound.

"What… what's going on ?"Harry asked weakly."Where are we ? Who were you firing at ? What— ?"

"Slow down. decelerate down,"cut in Antreas."Let me see your face."Antreas lifted Harry's chin up and examined the remaining side, the like position that fell unconscious mind into the scorching earth. He reached up and pulled the glasses from Harry's look, glasses he continued to fall apart in the hope, or perhaps as a symbol to others, that one day he might see again. There was an plain tearing sound, and Harry could feel the charge card rims pull away from the skin on his face. When he reached to exact the glasses out of Antreas'hand, he could severalise that the leave half of the frame was nearly melted away. He didn't want to cogitate what his face must wait like. It didn't hurt. Harry moved to reach it but Antreas grabbed his hand.

"No !"he snapped, one-half trying to stay the distress in his own voice. He chuckled, but not convincingly."It… it's zero, Harry. It's just respectable if you don't—"

"See that he has his own healer's tent at once !"ordered Dakhil to one of the other men that were in the radical. The man began to slowly limp away."hastiness,"Dakhil yelled."Hurry before there's nada left of his face to put back together !"If Antreas had tried to still 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 chemical compound."assist carry the boy into the cave. I won't lose another one tonight !"

With Antreas'avail, they carried Harry further up the mountain. Dakhil followed, but was unwilling to help. Typical, Harry thought. There was a small outcrop of stone off to the slope and they turned toward it as Dakhil continued upward. Antreas stopped.

"If Singehorn is ineffective to call the others in time,"he said,"we'll have to send for the Centaur you spoke of."

"You were brave today, my son,"said Dakhil warmly."It is well-defined your father is with you. Your mother would be lofty. continue 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 to hollo for our acquaintance, not tonight."He sighed with a deep doleful breath."Still we must stay with the design ; it's our only hope. More may arrive before the lunation's rise tomorrow."

Facing a Harlan F. 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 aspect closed behind them Antreas called back to Dakhil who had followed them most of the way

"And the Centaur ?"he called.

"He's in your arms,"replied Dakhil, just as the endocarp archway sealed the shut inside.

"weirdo,"said the Russian, referring to Dakhil."He'll kill us all."There was a wand 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 for certain no one would omit you. The next time you speak of the Votary, take care to select the words carefully. I may have to strike the offending tongue."The Russian said zilch as Antreas pulled the wand back and the handle on Harry became more sure. They turned a recession and the cave opened out into a neat hall filled with wound. To Harry, it looked as if a hundred lights had been spread across the floor. Almost immediately a murmur vowel 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 throw been caught in the crossfire."“ He's the Chosen !"
"Marek !"cried Dakhil."Marek ! This is a antecedency !"Harry noticed an Orange River colour on the far side rise up from the ground. Marek was busy treating another patient role and as he stood, Harry could severalise that he was a large man.

"They're ALL priorities !"he called back."Have one of the others—"

"Damn it ! NOW !"yelled Antreas. This was not the Same Antreas that had waved good-bye to Harry and Gabriella as they began their summer vacation. That Antreas was still trying to perfect his wand study, and his confidence interacting with multitude was shaky at estimable. While he made a adequate neighbor on Privet driveway, he was an absolute jam around former wizards. This Antreas, however, the one standing before Harry, was more than just a base soldier in this mountain engagement. He was clearly individual of import.

Disgruntled, but acquiescing, Marek began to get across the Asaph Hall as the three moved Harry into one of the tents that were set up along the position of the large bedroom. He was placed on a bed, business firm, but more comfortable than a blanket on the endocarp story outside. Once he was down, the two men left Antreas alone with Harry. For some time neither rundle and Harry noted his friend's discomfort.

"What is it Antreas ?"Harry asked. As he spoke, Harry noticed that the slope of his fount didn't seem to travel correctly. Still, there was no painfulness.

"I'm so dreary, Harry,"Antreas replied."If I had known… We were losing background and… Dakhil must have thought it would be dependable. Our outer perimeter was half a mile down the mountain when he must have asked Singehorn to summon you. But then, they came so fast."

"Who ?"

"The Dementors. They've been swarming the mountain for solar day. They've grown so thick they can blob out the sun and when that happens it gives their allies, a band of about thirty wizard lamia, exempt rein to attack during the day. This wasn't our war, but ultimately the dragons had no option. The Dementors were moving in on their rookery. Half a dozen firedrake left to singe the world and pass on no animation behind. Not even a member of the Votary could survive such fire. We had no way of letting you know, no way of knowing ourselves when… that you'd…"A big volley of air shot from Antreas'brim.

"Dakhil had Singehorn summon me ?"

"Harry, there was no way of knowing. You passed out right in the middle of the incineration. It had to stimulate been over two c degrees. One of the sentry saw you first, but it was too hot. Only the Votary could get in to retrieve you."Harry remembered Dakhil walking through the combustion flame just before the Joining ; he understood these words."The Joining helped you to survive, training would stimulate been better. Your face… you've been burned… badly burned."

"But it doesn't hurt,"Harry said. He was feeling More tired by the minute.

"That's because there's zippo left to injure. Your frame is—"Marek pushed through the chess opening of the collapsible shelter.

"And what's this antecedence ?"he said wearily."Another case of damn Dementor frost— Oh… Oh, my."He cast Antreas a glimpse."One of the civilians ?"he asked, not recognizing the young man he'd met over the summer."A Muggle caught in the fire ?"Assessing the large height of the man before him and listening closely to his voice, it was Harry who first made the connection. It was the same Marek that had taken in Ron, Hermione and the others after the vampire attempt.

"Marek ?"Harry asked hoarsely, finding it more unmanageable by the minute to go his jaw."It's me, Harry… Harry Potter. 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 wheel spoke of. That would explain affair. Yes, that would explain a lot."Marek reached into his robes."I haven't had to deal with one of these for years,"Marek whispered,"but with dragons about, such burns are not rare. Praise Asha you're Votary."He leaned in close to Harry."What happened to your eyes ?"

"methamphetamine hydrochloride,"Harry replied, wearily."hatful of glass."

"Hmmm. well, let's get started. Harry, lie back."Harry obliged."I have something far better than a deoxyephedrine of water."He watched Marek raise his verge over his burned look."This should only take away a few hours."

"hr ?"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 shift, Harry,"said Antreas."There's no way you could have known."

"Yes, admirable qualities, Harry. But as Antreas has said—"

"I am NOT a priority ! I won't—"wild blue yonder light erupted from Marek's wand and before he could say another password, Harry was asleep on the cot and Marek began his workplace. The last thing he remembered was a crackle speech sound and Marek's sombre 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, match !"

"Fred ? Fred is that you ?"

Slowly, Harry began to retrieve consciousness. He tried to lean up, but someone pressed gently back on his shoulder. His eyes closed, Harry sensed that there were two mass in the room. Shaking the cobweb free, he finally recognized the aura of the former mortal.

"Remus ?"

"Yes, Harry,"replied Remus lupin,"Fred and I are both here. We have been for about three days."

"Three day !"Harry exclaimed, once again trying to ascend and once again being held down by Remus."I've been here for three twenty-four hours ?"

"No, ditz,"Fred laughed."We've been here for three daytime. 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 sluttish way ?"

While Fred was talking, Harry realized there was something on his expression. He reached his script up and felt the bandages wrapping his head.

"An interesting look, if you ask me,"said Fred."Kind of a toque gone mad. All in all I'd say it's an betterment. The great thing is, Harry, they gave you a whole new header ! Moody volunteered his."Fred laughed again and this fourth dimension Remus joined him. A moth-eaten frisson 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 twenty-four hour period, he might not know….

"Why aren't you home ?"Harry asked."Where's George ?"

"I'm flying solo, better half,"said Fred."George is minding the shops."

"No one can locomote in or out,"said Remus."shadow is unacceptable. It's a miracle that you made it animated. I'm sorry that—"

"What about substance,"Harry interrupted."Can messages get in ?"

"Not for two sidereal day,"said Remus."The Dementors have the wholly mountainside surrounded. I tried a Patronus. It passed through a few twelve, 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 cone, Harry."

"Fred,"Harry began, muffled by the bandage surrounding his face. He tried to muster up the courage, but in the last bit 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 darkness decide when and where to strike. They're mostly lamia and Dementors with a handful of Death Eaters sprinkled in for good beat. Last we heard Lucius may have let himself get turned."

"Turned ?"Harry asked.

"The sentry were out early this morning, Harry,"said Remus, moving over and sitting next to Fred."We've seen him off and on in these piece for hebdomad. Only this morning… this morning they say he looked more vampire 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 sick. If Lucius was here that meant Voldemort was here. Were they looking for him ? For Harry ? His heart began to race. There was too much to do and too little prison term. He needed to tell somebody, but whom ? His hint quickened and Remus took notice.

"Harry… you need to—"

"He's alive !"Harry shouted."He's still alive !"There was a forgetful pause. Remus knew almost immediately what Harry meant, but wasn't sure if his intelligence were the result of some sort of side-effect from one of the potions. Fred didn't understand.

"What do you think of, Harry ? Who's alive ?"

"Voldemort,"gasped Harry, taking in a bully intimation of air through the bandage covering his face. He walked over to the side of the tent and held the fabric in his fingers. To his psyche, it had a dull orange appearing, probably spores of some variety. He didn't want to say more ; he couldn't. But he had to. He could experience his heart pounding in his bureau - it hurt. His breathing grew laboured, weighed down by the burden of what he was about to contribution.

"Somehow… I don't know… I don't jazz how, but he took controller of King James I Chang, Cho's younger brother. He's been deep down James, controlling him all class at school. He was waiting for something… something significant. 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 ash of his demise. They dug deep, your beginner dug trench for what should have been left to the depths."

"Yeah,"said Fred cautiously, not really for sure what to think about Harry's ramblings."Mum and Dad were all excited. It was supposed to be a big wad. Sorry we had to pull you away from the honour observance to be in this hell on earth. I'm not supposed to tell, but Dad's lined you up for ordering of Merl—"

"It was a Horcrux,"hissed Harry through gritted teeth. Remus understood and gasped, but Fred still didn't clench what Harry was saying."Can you trust it ? Lucius wanted it for himself - maybe to distil whatever essence Voldemort had left of himself in it."Harry madly grabbed Fred's robes."Don't you see ? I had to destroy it… to destroy the cloak."

"calm air 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 take 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 haughty Curse. I thought I'd be able to command him."He breathed hard again."But I couldn't. It wasn't a hex, it was Voldemort. I couldn't stop him. I tried—"He turned back to boldness Fred."He… Voldemort used the Killing Curse, Fred. I tried… I swear on Merlin's grave… I tried."

"What are you talking about, Harry ?"Fred's Scripture were lull, nervous and uncertain.

"cobbler's last night, before Singehorn summoned me, in the exalted entrance hall of the Ministry, Voldemort… Voldemort killed your mother."shortstop pant of air volley from Harry's lungs and he fell on his knees in front of Fred."She's dead… she's… dead."Clutching at the underside of Fred's gown, Harry began to gasp great breathlessness. His voice was infirm and slender."She's dead."Fred pushed Harry away and took to his feet.

"Stop saying that !"he yelled."She's not utterly ! She's not ! I just saw her before we came here. She was going to… she was going…"He slapped his hand 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 dreaming, that's all."Remus was quiet down, stoic. He didn't speak and he didn't move. Fred pulled his wand and held it in Remus'face.

"TELL HIM !"

Remus held his arm out wide and, slowly, shook his head.

"No."Fred whispered, shaking his head vigorously in reply."No, it's not… it's not… oh god."

His hands fell limp at his side of meat and his sceptre dropped to the base, tinkling and then rolling in the secretiveness. Fred shuddered, fell into Lupin's implements of war and began to cry.

They stayed like that for some time, Harry on the flooring, Fred in Lupin's coat of arms, all three of them crying. Until now, Harry hadn't had the chance to mourn Molly's death. The pain was deep and biting. In the tears and quiet, Harry wished he could take it back. His action mechanism had cost another life and the anger in Arthur Weasley's vocalization echoed within his brain.

His thoughts turned to the others who had been murdered in the battle and he wondered if James had made it."I may never know,"he whispered to himself.

As the sadness began to subside, he mulled over how Fred and Remus had described the scout's sighting of Lucius. If the reports were true and Malfoy had returned to the mountain, then molly's murderer was within stretch. Harry's bother began to turn to see red. The flaps on the collapsible shelter furled open and in walk Marek

"Remus, I— What in Merlin's public figure is up with you three ?"he said with a rather gruff voice.

"We just found out. Fred's female parent has been killed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,"answered Remus calmly.

"That… that's not possible,"said Marek, half believing the wrangle to be straight. Fred turned, wiping his eyes.

"I've got to see if I can get home,"he said. He started toward the exit, but Marek took him by the arm.

"Fred, we're surrounded."

The red-header 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 recollect it would do to him to misplace you both ?"Fred said nothing."If you're going to put your liveliness on the line, Fred, make it enumeration ; make it matter."Remus stepped toward him and held Fred by the shoulders, looking him in the center.

"Tonight,"he said with self-confidence and hostage."Tonight, you'll have your chance, Fred."

"Why tonight ?"asked Harry.

"There are about sixty of us, Harry,"said Remus,"counting me and Fred. Tonight the moon turns full. We'll attack with the dragons, a few dozen Centaurs, and—"

"full moon moonshine ?"asked Harry. He picked himself up off the floor and stood."Full moon ? 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 cycle. There are few creatures on earth that can challenge a vampire. Surrounded by Dementors as they are now, even wizards have fiddling hope of conducting an good fire. They're a werewolf's natural prey ; Dementors and lamia percentage a darkness that… How can I put it ? Is tasty for a werewolf."

"punter than chocolate, they tell me,"added Fred, with an eerie gleam in his eye.

"Besides the dragons,"added Remus,"only one creature can break through both defences. Dakhil discussed it with me some meter ago and we both agreed - we needed a loup-garou army. I couldn't convince most, but I've win over enough."

"sixty doesn't make an army, Remus,"said Harry, stepping closer."sixty 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 tranquillise assurance."Yes, we could have more in our number, but even with Arthur as Minister, the suspicion of my kind runs deep."

"Our form, Remus ! And they'll be more than surprised,"snapped Fred."They'll be bloody petrified !"

"Well,"said Harry sardonically,"bloody anyway."

The bandages wrapping his face were hot and profound and he was only just able-bodied to balk the temptation to rip them off so that he could strike the itch that was growing stronger by the minute. He placed both his script flat against the business firm bed, curling the covers in his fingers as they balled up into clenched fist. Without looking up, he took in a breath and swallowed.

"Remus… Fred… You need to sympathize everything. Lucius Malfoy isn't a vampire. The scouts… what they saw down on the mountainside this morning… It may have looked like Lucius, but it wasn't. Yeah, he's been taken over very well, but not by a vampire. His spirit has been consumed by Voldemort. Lucius is Voldemort."He turned to face them."sixty loup-garou, sixty flying dragon, sixty of anything… it won't be enough."earshot Harry's tidings, Remus stepped forward and placed a hand warmly about Harry's neck.

"No, Harry,"he said."No, it won't be adequate. But then, it never was. That's why we have you."


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 18 - The Ring of Onyx
~~~***~~~

The stone step were heavy, larger it seemed to Harry, than they were before. Yet, the Saame thin Patrick Victor Martindale White cloud dusted the Amytal sky, and the heated air brought Harry's mind back to his summertime locomotion with Gabriella in Lebanon. His mind's eye flashed to a visual modality of her smooth, dark embrown skin and twinkling black eyes, and he wondered how she was fairing with Cho and his son, Jamie. His marrow skipped at the mentation and he drew in a breath to becalm his nerves. He stepped upward through the large Harlan Fiske Stone tower, upward toward the remains of the dandy Asiatic castle. Up ahead, seated on a watch crystal bench intricately carved in an complicate pattern was a boastfully black man in green and brown robe - Singehorn.

On the eve of the counterattack, the Dragon had asked that the young wizard meet him in this sheet of cognisance that they might speak with one another. Here, in this other world, Harry could not only speak to the Dragon, he could see. He had no bandaged head, no wand, only a Andrew Dickson White robe 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 moonlight would spring up, the lycanthrope, including Remus and Fred, would sprain and the battle would begin. It had taken Harry quite some time to shut down out all the distractions that were happening about him, but finally he made it.

As he drew closer to the Dragon, the descendant of Asha whose melody Harry had sworn to protect, he noticed that the man looked more aged than before and that his external respiration was gruelling, grind. With cause, Harry heaved himself upward onto another Stone measure, and then another. On the step before reaching the landing where Singehorn sat in one of the two crystal benches, Harry saw a large mob made of Black onyx. He stopped for a moment to await at it. The dragon coughed a bottomless throaty cough.

"Go on,"he said with a deep scratchy voice."option it up."

Harry reached down and took the gang into his compensate hand. It was large than Harry expected. Holding it in the fingers of both hands he examined it from all English.

"I… I know this ring,"Harry said, trying to recall how or from where."I've seen it before."Singehorn shifted his tremendous weight and grimaced somewhat.

"The band,"he said,"is known to many, but few alive today have seen it with their own eyes. For those few that saw it worn by its last master key, it was most potential the lastly matter they saw. He was known for using the band to kill."Suddenly, Harry remembered.

"Pravus,"he whispered, remembering the portrait of the dreary superstar's manus Greg Goyle had shown him finale year. Singehorn growled, long and low. Clearly, he did not enjoy the sound of the name.

"Very good,"answered the dragon."Very good. Come… sit."

Harry climbed the last turgid footmark and tried to sprinkle the front end of his white robes which had grown brown from the desert sand. Singehorn laughed and, as Harry looked up, the man's mouth erupted in flaming, enveloping Harry in a peachy white flash bulb. In the next instant, Harry's robes were white again and he was unscathed. Harry examined his hands, expecting to see singe Marks, but cipher was there.

"Sit,"said Singehorn again. Unlike his final stage sojourn with the man before him, the young sorcerer sat obediently across from his schoolmaster.

"My child… not for fifty days has that ring been held by human 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 duskiness had been, at last, beaten back for just. 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 slight, light cicatrix that ran along the man's cheek, a scar that wasn't there before the Joining. Over the last few calendar month, the firedrake had seen engagement.

"Do you see the ring on Dakhil's finger ?"he continued."No, Harry… Soseh trusts Dakhil and I would intrust Soseh with my life, but his fate lies on a unlike path."

"You need to know, sir,"said Harry with some importunity in his voice."I've seen… I've seen two spirits inside him. He may be under the control of another."Singehorn smiled and began to laugh. It was loud and thunderous, not the chemical reaction Harry had expected.

"He's a lamia, my child,"the dragon said finally."He fights the spirit inside him every waking import. Few have learned to control the thirst for unused blood, the desire for death. None have fought more heroically than Dakhil Barghouti to stave off his own personal demon. But his course will soon head elsewhere and I will need person to take up his faculty as Primate of the Votary. He would favor I choose now, before his circumstances befalls him."

Harry's eyes widened in unbelief. Rolling the ring in his fingerbreadth he looked up at Singehorn then back down at the hoop. Finally, he set it in his palm and held it out to the Dragon.

"I can't, sir,"he said, shaking his school principal."Whatever powers this ring holds, I'm not ready."

"What ? No enquiry about what the halo does ? What military strength it might get you ?"

"No, sir,"Harry replied, reaching yet further toward Singehorn. The dragon did not remove the ring from Harry's medallion, but instead leaned back on the bench.

"Not even if the annulus might serve you defeat the one who killed Molly Weasley and so many more ?"Harry shook his foreland."What if it would help you win the war against these Dementors, saving the lives of countless Centaurs ; these creatures you seem to care so often about ?"Singehorn leaned in again."Are you so sure that you wouldn't wish to finally destroy the wight that killed your parents ?"

For a mo, Harry's outstretched arm receded. Once more he held the ringing between thumb and forefinger, wondering what strength it might bring him. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Finally, he shook his school principal once more.

"No, sir,"he said softly still rolling the ring in his finger's breadth."When I was conclusion here, you reminded me our calling : Bravery… Wisdom… Love."Harry shuddered, swallowing heavily."You also told me that I needed to operate on my wisdom."Harry took in a trench breathing space as his centre grew foggy."But I've been treasured suddenly in that compliments all year, eh ? I brought Voldemort into the Ministry. I brought him face-to-face with Mrs. Weasley. I should induce known…. I should receive been wiser. Now, he's at your doorstep, threatening to destroy all we stand for."Holding back his crying, Harry held the ring out once again."Whatever force the gang bears, there are others more worthy than me."

With lightening speed, frighteningly fast for such a large physical body, Singehorn grabbed Harry's hand in his own, his monolithic paw wrapping around Harry's entire clenched fist and arm, squeezing the pack into the anatomy of Harry's palm and scorching the back of Harry's hand. His red eyes glared with steeled determination into Harry's and his claws drew lineage from Harry's human body.

"Tell me, my son, when the wickedness spreads across this mountain and threatens my children and my tyke's children what will you do ? There are only so many sway to mount and the cloud will not protect us."Harry said nothing."When your friends charge down the mountainside to get together my kin in the attack against the sludge that surrounds us, will you hide… a blind rat in a shadow cave ?"The tartar's claws dug deeper, but Harry refused to cry out.

"I'd… sooner… die."

"Harry, the monster seeks you out, but he does not desire you idle, 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 thaumaturge. In his ignorance, in his weakened res publica, he can be defeated."

"Then I don't need the ring,"Harry said calmly, withstanding the pain.

"If solely it was so simple,"sighed Singehorn, still holding Harry's script house."Before the Cleansing at the downfall, you joined."

"Joined ?"

"The shadow that was once in your veins… now flows through another's."

Harry's heart began to race. Another's ?
"Your inherited."

"Jamie,"Harry whispered.

"You would sooner die than see my children harmed. What would you do to protect your shaver ?"asked Singehorn.

"My… son."

Harry's fingerbreadth, almost instinctively, tightened around the ring burning the flesh of his palm and in that wink his vision filled with a tremendous flash of E. B. White. Singehorn's voice became dark and ominous.

"I will not say your decisiveness is wise, but it is our exclusively course. Forgive me, my baby, for the power will down you. Soseh has foreseen your greed turn to grief. On the day the dragons mark the sky, you will begin to know your true strong point. How you emerge from your failing will limit the fate of us all."

Suddenly, Harry's deal was gone, all before him iniquity. When he breathed in, the moistness must odour of the bandages 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 fourth dimension to be placidity, I'll rip your throat out,"snapped Dakhil in a low, hissing voice."We will go when Singehorn says we can go. Do NOT disturb the boy."

Still seated on the floor, his legs folded beneath him, Harry reached out his intellect and sensed the two men arguing to his left field. The one, a bright wild blue yonder aura was clearly frightened ; the other flashed red and then purple. The red appeared to be winning and Harry wasn't sure that was a effective affair for the man in gamey whose colouration was fading so fast Harry thought he might wet himself. He wasn't the lone one nearby that was frightened. In the great cavern just beyond the sway wall where Harry sat, score of men mulled about nervously waiting for the final parliamentary procedure to attack. Harry was about to move, to indicate to the others that he had returned, when the orangeness colour of Marek moved into the room where he sat.

He slipped over and placed his manus on Dakhil's back and the two walked to the far side of the tent. They whispered and then the whisper grew louder.

"Marek,"Dakhil hissed,"I need to know. What is your opinion ?"

"As a healer or a Warrior ?"the man that had worked on Harry's boldness replied. He was upset, irritated perhaps of the conflict that would soon be bringing the dying to his doorsill."If we were home, I'd leave the bandages on for at least another week."

"The boy can't fight like that."

"Then leave the boy behind."

Two voices harmonized :"No !"Simultaneously, Harry and Dakhil rejected Marek's suggestion.

"You've returned,"said Dakhil quietly."trade good. The clock time is near. The wax moon will soon rise over the side of the mount. We must charter advantage of every instant it brings us the werewolf'intensity. Dawn will derive far too quickly I'm afraid."

Harry held his hand to his expression."And these ? You can remove these ?"

"Really, Harry,"answered Marek,"if only you could spare two more days… two more."

"The engagement will be over by dayspring,"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 fighting,"Marek said to Harry. Then he turned to Dakhil."What possible reward does a boy bring this battle beyond more bloodshed ?"Steadying his feet on the dusty rock, Harry stood.

"I am no boy !"he said defiantly. Marek ignored him.

"Dakhil,"the healer continued,"there is no intellect to put his life… What ? What is it ?"

There was silence. Harry too noticed the alteration in Dakhil's aura that was likely now being mimicked by the vampire's face. The red had darkened into a plentiful scarlet - the emotion was a strong one, whatever it was.

"Dakhil, what are you looking at ?"Marek continued.

As Harry stood, his hands, which had been covered by the sleeve of his gown while he sat, became exposed. There, on the middle finger of Harry's veracious paw was a ring. angry at being called a boy, Harry had not noticed the added weight on his finger.

"Well… that can't be skillful,"said Dakhil with a rather coolheaded 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 finger met Grant Wood, that he realized there was a tintinnabulation on his finger. He let go his wand and held the ring with his left over hand. He moved to take it off, but the mob would not move. He pulled again, and again the gang held its traveling bag about the bone of his veracious center finger's breadth.

"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 mould the annulus from his fingerbreadth.

"shit the day I met you, boy,"said Dakhil, again in a quiet, matter of fact whole step."She's seen my death, which is not such a peachy concern for a vampire when such events can be centuries 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 divinity, or I'm going to die before the summer solstice. Curse you,"Dakhil said dryly,"I always wanted to make it to the millennium."

"You're both talking gibberish,"said Marek."Would you STOP that,"he said to Harry."You're starting to bleed."Harry turned his senses downward and watched as the glowing drip mold of blood fell to the floor from his finger. Marek pulled his wand and healed the finger."Now leave the damn ring alone. Here, let me slay it."

He cast a while and null happened, nothing but the scratchy laughter from Dakhil. He tried a different spell and still the ringing stayed clamped about Harry's finger.

"We don't have time for this,"said Harry finally."facial expression, just accept the bandages off. localize a shield good luck charm about the skin if you must, but I can't—"

"Very well,"cut in Marek with a sigh."But it's not your cutis that I was worried about."Sit over here."He led Harry to a stone terrace.

"What do you mean ?"Harry asked.

"Well, Harry, while I was working on your brass, I thought I might see if I couldn't do something about your eyes."

"But I've seen cipher,"said Harry."Certainly through this gauze bandage, I could discern—"

"I've sealed your lids shut so the eyes beneath could bring around as the piece worked and weaved."He stepped closer to Harry."Son, two more days… two More daylight and I'm sure that the knitting will be complete."

"And I'll see again ?"asked Harry with a spark of hope in his vocalism.

"You might."

"Well… look… it's dark anyway,"Harry said."Take off the bandages and leave my center sealed. I'll be well off not trying to discern aim in the darkness. I've gotten used to not seeing and trying to squinch in the murky Night may just prepare things worse."

"There's the problem,"said Dakhil."The objects you wish to make out are Dementors. They suck the life from all about them. To your vision they would be darkness and on the scorched mountainside where very minuscule life remains, it would be near inconceivable to detect them."

At this it was Harry's twist to gag.

"Dakhil, I don't need my sight to know 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 back your eyes sealed. If you make it through the nighttime Harry, your face should be re-wrapped immediately. A shield charm 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 take heed the howling already."

And indeed he could, they all could. Some of the wizard lycanthrope were growing anxious. Outside, the moon was nearing the crest of the eastern apparent horizon and some were having difficulty controlling their metamorphosis even inside the cavern, away from the moonshine. Typically, such difficulties were had by newly converted wolfman, those who had recently become. Harry wondered how Fred was fairing.

When Dakhil removed the gauze bandage, Harry immediately reached up to his fount to touch, but the harbor charm stopped his fingers.

"It feels like an shell,"Harry whispered.

"And it won't protect your face much Thomas More than one,"added Marek."Remember that, when you're out there playing the hero."Harry was about to protest but, preceded by a hiss, unexpected words left Dakhil's mouth first.

"An Acolyte of the Votary does not play at anything !"Dakhil's stature was suddenly somewhat larger, and his aura somewhat redder."You would be wise to remember your side, Marek. With one thought the boy could destroy you."

"Yes… yes, of course,"Marek apologized."I'm sorry… I… I truly am sorry."

There was fearfulness in his words, far more fear than Harry thought the situation warranted. piece of him understood, something he remembered from the connexion, but there wasn't time to well for its source ; it was sentence for action. Harry stood and began to take the air toward the large sleeping accommodation.

"One moment, boy,"said Dakhil with a matter of fact shade. Harry stopped, turned and, before he had an twinkling to oppose, Dakhil had cast a spell on him. Nothing happened.

"What… what was that ?"Harry demanded, still reaching for his wand.

"He's changed the colour of your robes, Harry,"said Marek."They're no longer white ; they're crimson."

"archpriest Potter,"said Dakhil in an exceptionally raspy voice followed by a scant blasting cough."Your deed, when I die."He sighed."Asha protect us."Harry looked down, but could smell out no discernable departure."Don't concern, boy ; those who have travelled the course through right training will sleep with at once the significance of your gown. We'd best haste. There won't be time for a lot of a speech."

Harry and Dakhil left the tent and entered the cavern ; it had emptied out onto the versant, staging for the battle to come. Soon, the gate would spread and the soldiers would talk down upon their foeman. Harry and Dakhil walked down the cave and as it narrowed toward its way out a Cy Young man came up and touched Harry by the sleeve.

"Asha be with you,"he said tilting his head in a slight bow.

"And with you,"replied Harry without forethought. Why did I say that ?
The cavern door opened and, for a second, Harry was blinded by the many auras gathered outside. He could see that some of the loup-garou had already turned, and a radical of ace was having difficulty restraining them. No one seemed distracted by the howling, a ululation that ruffle with give-and-take in Harry's mind - kill, bite, blood ! He turned to see if person was talking to him, but no one was there. Another lycanthrope howled.

"solitaire, my friends,"called Harry to the snapping creatures and the wolves quieted at his row. That was not my interpreter, thought Harry. Or was it ?

Everyone was listening to Antreas who stood upon a orotund outcropping of rock above the growing din. His words were amplified, but Harry wasn't sure the increased strength was essential. He was calling out in a impregnable and commanding voice and Harry wondered why this part wasn't Dakhil's.

"….is all we need. Together we will be triumphant ! Together we will banish the darkness into the abyss !"The world began to rumble with clapping. Harry noticed four giants pounding their metrical unit with favorable reception.

"giant star ?"he asked Dakhil."I didn't notice any heavyweight when I arrived."

"They climbed over from the sheer drop on the endorse position of the mountain. That way is not guarded save by Dementors, and they have no effect on such simple creatures. So it is with the werewolves."

"It'll m-make for a b-bloody decease Eater busting surprise."

"Fred ?"

The redhead was clearly agitated, seemingly in the midst of the change.

"Fred, please… don't—"

"The high priest has ARRIVED !"cried Antreas with a bounce vox. He was referring to Dakhil, but Harry could feel hundreds of eyes turn toward him simultaneously. keep for the howling and the occasional go being cast a short way of life down the James Jerome Hill, all became silent.

"Let's apply them what they want, boy,"said Dakhil."Up you go."He levitated Harry some twenty fundament in the air. Harry's sum began to race as he rose, wondering what he might say.

It was like rising over the embers of a dying fire, each glowing aura a flyspeck coal burning against the shadow. There were hundreds gathered here. Some fell to their articulatio genus as Harry rose ; most stood silently. behemoth, Centaurs, sorcerer and werewolves, a ragtag and bobtail assembling of misfits all collected to push together against the malevolency Lucius Malfoy had co-opted for his own malevolent design.

Lucius probably hoped he would retrieve the cloak and arrive at this place of battle to celebrate a bang-up triumph, the low gear of many. Little did he hump that his former master would take up mansion in his body - if only long enough to take over Harry's. But that would never, could never happen. How the worm had turned on the blonde-haired paterfamilias. Soon, it would turn on the iniquity worming within him. Harry raised his arms to the heavens above, a giant comet was clearly visible in the night's sky.

"Ebyrth marks its reappearance and now we find ourselves at its mercy. While some have come to answer the new sun's call, others are here to protect our flying dragon brothers against the darkness that wishes to destroy all in its route. Tonight we fight as one. Tonight we fight with the strength of hulk, the magic of hotshot, the ferocity of werewolves, the Wisdom of Centaurs, and the essence of dragons !"

No sooner had the dustup left his oral cavity, than the thunderous SWOOP-SWOOP filled the air and four enormous dragons flew over the bunch, blotting out the superstar and then coming to rest at the top of the great stone wall. Singehorn wasn't among them, but Harry, though having never met them, knew their names. The three Male were Rakesh, Talisan, and Igneus, and the down female was Tanwen. As if being called, Harry looked toward Talisan, the largest of the four, with green-black scales and fierce red eyes.

"archpriest !"the creature cried out."We follow you in battle. What are your orders !"

All around Harry, whizz were clasping their hand to their auricle, some falling to their knees, because of the animal's great roaring. And yet, Harry could understand everything he said. How is this possible ? This was no meditation.

"Your parliamentary procedure, Primate ?"cried the dragon again, and again those around Harry winced in pain.

"burn them !"yelled Harry."Burn them till your bellies turn moth-eaten. You, Tanwen, fly high above the paries. Let no enemy past the Gates. Do not leave your post. We must preserve the rookery at all costs !"Harry pulled his red robes tight about his shoulders.

"surface the gates !"called Antreas and the ground forces erupted in cheers and howls. A few wolfman snapped at their ally, but most caught the scent of their hated foes, enticing their senses with a bloodlust for Dementor, and quickly they began to charge ahead, down the mountainside. Dakhil brought Harry down to earth as the crowd together hillside flowed out through the gate. Harry began to run, following the rushing lunar time period, but someone grabbed his berm and pulled him around ; it was Antreas.

"Your clip is at hand, Harry,"he said with a stout vocalisation."I'll lead the first wave ; I dare not speak it to the others, but don't think for a hour we'll deliver the goods. The spotter have told me the situation… it's dire. When we begin to strike back, and we will fall back… that's when we'll need you."Harry was about to debate, but Antreas was already swept away in the current of bodies rushing through the gate. Undaunted, Harry began to keep an eye on, only this fourth dimension Dakhil stopped him.

"William Tell me, boy,"he murmured quietly beneath the roaring rush of necromancer pushing by."Why are you here ?"

"To fight Voldemort,"Harry fuss, turning to leave. Dakhil held his arm fast and Harry glared back with furious oculus.

"Really ?"queried Dakhil, still calm down, still becalm, still holding Harry's arm with a vice-like grip."Are you… sure ?"Harry tried to deplumate away, but couldn't. He pulled his scepter."You don't need a wand to dismiss me, boy. You're the high priest now, or will be soon. If you think you no longer need my services, then dissolve me ! You need only address the Logos ; separate me to be gone !"

He was goading Harry, trying to make him angry, trying to paint a picture a response. Harry slipped his baton away.

"You are the Primate,"he said softly."Not me."

"maven will never stick with a lamia, boy,"answered Dakhil."But for some reason, Asha only knows why, they will take after you. The sapience of Grigor Darbinyan now flows in his son's veins. Would you push aside Antreas ? Shall we charge with the rest ? What are your Holy Order ?"

"I'm here to attend my oath, to protect the line of Asha… as are you. We stay to protect the rookery."Harry noted a gleaming in Dakhil's aura… a smile ? The last of the world-class wave had passed through the logic gate, leaving two monster, one Dragon, a vi Centaurs and some thirty wizards to wait for further rules of order, orders that Harry would have to present. Knowing that the number at his side were too few to resist off the coming attack, his view turned to the shadow, hiding at the bottomland of the mountain, searching for some way that they might defeat him.

"He won't reveal himself,"said Harry, slowly,"until he believes they've won, that he can ill-use up and charter me as his trophy. Antreas is compensate, to appropriate Lucius and the darkness that consumes him, the first waving must fail."

"The enemy's numbers are too with child,"said Dakhil, releasing his grip."Even with those still remaining, we have no hope of winning in manoeuvre battle."

"Then the second wave must be a surprisal. We must sustain until the last possible moment."

"Even then, boy, the Numbers are against us."

"Maybe,"answered Harry,"But we need only impinge on down one foe. What will our foeman do when their general dies ? When Lucius and his professional spill ?"

"It is impossible to captivate vapour with your bare hands. Who among us, might I ask, will bring 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 ceramicist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 19 - The start Battle
~~~***~~~
flaming and smoke roiled in the air from the battle below, bearing the odour of bite anatomy and blood into the secure compound guarding the rookery of the dragon, where Harry and the others waited. The worldly concern shook as the titan, fighting their common opposition below, cast Lucy Stone the size of train-cars crashing down upon their opposition. howling, screaming, and the roar of dragon-fire reverberated between the stone bulwark, echoing down the canyons and pitching wildly between Harry's ears. He couldn't see the fight raging on the versant below, none of them could. But then, they didn't need to see what was happening to know that it was not going well. The burning odour was growing stronger, the shaking Earth was more spartan, and the howl and scream filled the air more than ever. The battle was coming closer, higher up the plenty. Soon, it would be at the compound bulwark.

Harry grew more anxious by the moment. His offset instinct had been to attack outright, but both Antreas and Dakhil had stopped him. Ignoring the soundness of a thaumaturgist that had survived centuries was folly and Harry knew that they must wait. The second wave would assault when their opposition were most wear down. If Harry's force could give their short letter, if they could keep bounder to throat, perhaps the advancing darkness would retreat down the great deal, down to where Lucius Malfoy, now possessed by Voldemort, most certainly waited.

When the start wave began its blast, Harry had quietly sent the best Centaur archers high onto the versant leading down from the North logic gate. Hiding gamy in the hills, they would flank the advancing darkness and bang when Harry gave the signaling. Along the edges of the former side of the valley, Harry sent the two remaining giants, Florge and scrum, to wait hidden among the rocks. There they would agree the in high spirits ground, preventing any Death Eaters from running away from the onslaught of Centaur arrow. Once they were set into stead, the giants looked like a large outcropping of Stone, nothing more. With lot they would mow down loads with their golf-club, great tree torso bristling with mordacious metal pikes the distance of Harry's arm.

Hearing, smelling, feeling the first wave retreat back toward the chief logic gate, Harry impatiently waited to lead the second wave through a hidden gate that skirted the English of the vale wall. Then they would know if there was any hope at all. Already, Centaur runner brought back report that the bit of the opposition was twice what was start cerebration - over two-hundred Dementors, nearly a one C vampires, dozens of ace, and five giants of their own. Clearly, the numbers were against them and they all knew it.

About a low fire, Harry sat with Dakhil and two other fellow member 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 brown hair and a perpetual three day'increment of whiskers. Half of his will ear was missing and he had a wildness about his piercing blueish eyes that, as Dakhil described, would frighten any living person that dared to cross sceptre with him. As for Katana, she was quiet, almost subdued. Even sightless, Harry could discern how her black peel contrasted against the silver mail ringlets that covered her upper torso. Set against her quiet mode was the red aura 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 significance. The blast crackled and the sausage balloon popped, sending a steaming small fry of burning fat onto Mikael's arm. He yelped, but Dakhil only laughed.

"I wish that was the only sting you would take in tonight, Mikael,"said the vampire, grimly staring into the flaming, turning the sausages on the spear and watching the dripping grunge send little flash of fire overlapping upwards.

"How you are hungry, Dakhil,"replied Mikael, shaking his head and moving close once again to warm himself by the fervency."They arrive at doorsill before you finish."Again, Dakhil laughed.

"You should cognise by now, my Ukrainian friend,"said Dakhil with a grin,"I don't eat blimp. The boy here looked a bit swooning and I thought he should build up his strength."He held the head of the shaft before Harry's face, the sizzling sausage splattering specks of hot fat against the carapace charm protecting Harry's exposed face."One should never gather their maker on an void stomach."

"Thank you,"Harry said with a thin smile. He took the blimp between quarter round and forefinger, but it neither seared nor burned. Without flinching, Harry slid the sausage off the spear's metal period and took a bite. Once again, he detected a momentary smile in the glory of Dakhil. To the vampire's left, Katana let out a minor snigger. She stood, her curl jingling as she did so, and then she looked upward to the night sky where the smaller dragon Tanwen circled.

"Even as Ebyrth reveals itself to the globe, Asha's blessing is upon you, untried star,"she said with a low voice that was calm and as trench as the lake outside Hogwarts."This is good… for the clock time has come. Prepare."

Scantly had the words left her lips than a rattling roar exploded operating cost. Talisan, the largest of the four dragons, appeared from no where, plummeting from the sky, streaking fire and weed behind him and smashing to the ground, tumbling into a radical of adept that most certainly would have died in the collision had not Katana turned their care toward the rampart when she stood. Immediately, pandemonium struck the refugee camp. Even though many knew their posts, some adept called out to snipe directly through the main gate, some scattered for the secret side logic gate, some ran toward the quite a little's tunnels. The Centaur were calling for solitaire, and all were yelling at the top of their lungs.

"SILENCE !"cried Dakhil, his articulation reverberating off the canyon walls."Everyone, motion in formation toward the magnetic north gate ! There we wait until the mark comes."

"But—"

"We will snipe when the signboard comes ; not before ! NOW MOVE !"

While the confusion subsided, Harry moved toward the fallen dragon.

"Where are you going ?"questioned Dakhil.

"Talisan needs service,"reply Harry continuing to take the air to the flying dragon.

"Your orders were to—"

"I know what the program is, Dakhil ! I made it !"Harry yelled.

"We don't have metre for this, boy !"

"I have all the time I need,"snapped Harry in counter."Now go ! Lead the others and I'll articulation you when I'm done."

"Marek can manage for the—"

"GO !"

With his sceptre still sheathed, Harry concentrated his mind. Bending quad was easier than slowing time, even Ronan, his Centaur trainer, had admitted that. But Harry needed time, even just a little more to preserve Talisan's life. Right now, he was compelled. He felt that healing the dragon was more important than all the residuum of it. He wasn't sure why, but he had to do what he could. He centred on the Word Ronan had taught him.

In timberland glen, the babbling brook is filled with silver Pisces.
Slow its flow and refuse each drip mould to put them on your dish.

The strait about Harry became tone down. He sensed that the auras running to the North logic gate were slowing, slowing… not still, but nearly. Harry summoned the Harlan Fiske Stone of cinnabar moth from within him. Still bloody, he cast a fire spell upon it.

"Bravery, Wisdom, Love,"he whispered and was instantly transported to the white elbow room that waited for his dictation."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 enormous creature prone on the ground, the three whizz surrounding it frozen in prison term, but the dragon looked up toward Harry, blinking as if it could see him. Talisan's respiration was planetary and he coughed profligate and smoke. Then, as always, the fit paused, as if asking Harry to confirm that this indeed was the action he wished to take."Heal my ally,"Harry whispered again. Colour began to purl about… bring out bones… stunned nerves… sliced organs…a pierced lung… blood dripping on the fervour of life…"Yes, heal them… mend them all."

The scene flashed pitch blackness and Harry found himself on his knee joint, the jagged rocks tearing at his flesh, the stone of Callimorpha jacobeae in his remaining deal. Before moving he pulled his wand and hid the stone once more inside his consistency, in the lilliputian pocket left by missing liver tissue. And once again, he thought of Greg Goyle and said a small orison. Before he looked up he heard the dragon speak. His words were unsteady, but Harry could see that his injuries were healing.

"We must look sharp,"Talisan said,"the… the second gear wave… I must—"

"You must stay here,"cut in Harry."You must rest."

"I can't. It is my duty to—"

"It's your duty to listen to the bearer of the ring."It was the Dragon Tanwen, Harry knew that, but she was nowhere near. She was still flying high-pitched above the rookery. Harry wondered how he could be having this conversation, how…

"The hoop,"he whispered, touching the stone with his other hand. He took to his feet, rubbing the blackness stone between his fingers. He expected to finger somewhat empty-headed after healing the dragon, but he wasn't. Without turning, he noticed that the auras were beginning to funnel out through the due north logic gate just as the injured were coming in from the main gate. They would need aid too. He moved to see what he could do when Marek stopped him.

"Let me pack 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 life-time, but hundreds."Once more, Harry glanced to the injured streaming in. There was a impregnable urge to heal them all. Many were near death. For a present moment he hesitated and then he grudgingly nodded his caput.

"right,"said Marek."Get going."

Harry ran to the side gate, reaching it in seconds. He could hear Marek calling for help from the other therapist to get the offend inside the caves. When Harry passed through the gate, it sealed behind him leaving no shadow that it was ever there.

The mathematical group of ace and Centaurs making up the second moving ridge had not moved far past the gate. They were carefully, quietly, edging their way around the flank of their opposition. As Harry moved about one of the larger rock formations, he had his first chance to detect the advancing army. It looked formidable, but not a three to one reward. For a moment he had forgotten the Dementors, creature whose glory he could not see, but the mo did not last long. The malarkey shifted and the chill 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 early. He'd never heard anything but the chink Dementors made when communicating, but this… it sounded like lyric. Whatever it was he was hearing, they were close. He resisted the temptation to wretch just as two of his own whiz fell to their knees in fear.

There was the swoon chirp of some dirt ball, the augury, and the air immediately rang with the whistling of pointer. The Centaurs high in position among the cliffs let go their low gear volley. Screeches of Dementor and vampire alike bubbled up out of the canyon like a dense ooze of pain. An blink of an eye later, another volley of arrow filled the air, followed by more screams ; then another… and another. Moving his way to the front line of the contingent making up the attacking irregular wave, Harry could get word thaumaturgist cry out from below for their lines to change by reversal toward the side of the flock.

"Shields !"someone called. The following fusillade struck many still off guard, but was less successful among the wary wizards. Harry continued to supercharge until he came to Dakhil's shoulder.

"young woman me ?"Harry whispered. Dakhil seemed distracted.

"They're unsettled,"he said quietly."If we're going to do this, boy, we must do it now to tilt any chance of surprise. They await your command."A explosion of exasperated disgust left Dakhil's lips, but Harry didn't hesitate.

"Strike now !"he commanded."ATTACK !"

Arrows from the Centaurs stationed on the Rock above continued to rain down down upon the rear of the line of Death eater, vampires and Dementors that had now driven Antreas'first wave back through the main logic gate of the compound wall. Even as the front of this dark force was cheering for triumph, calling for their giants to sunder the great wall protecting the compound, others at the rear were screaming with fear. The whizz and Centaurs in Harry's second base moving ridge cascaded down the mountainside discharge arrow and filling the smoky air with an electrifying exhibit of wand business leader. magical spell after charm stunned, exploded and slashed their adversaries. awe was palpable and its consequence began to ripple its way toward the movement. Harry could smell out their nimbus 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 sorting of frenzied state they began feeding on the concern of their own warriors. As the frightened minions tried to scramble up the opponent hillside they came face to case with the hidden giants.

Florge and scrum rose as if ascending from the stone itself. With great strokes of their clubs they swatted their enemy back into the advancing force, back into the manic Dementors, back into a boiling broth of disorderliness that had now made its way to the front man of the lines.

What at first seemed like a rout of Harry's side was being flipped upon its head. Centaur arrows were dropping non-wizard vampires from the sky with nearly every draw of the string. Emboldened by the winner of the second wave, the healthy in Antreas'original attacking military group regrouped and began another complaint. Werewolves that had scattered to the mountainside retreating from their 1st attack also sensed the change and returned to the ruffle.

Squeezed on both side and pressed to the fore, Lucius Malfoy's USA retreated back down the tidy sum. With all the mix-up, Harry and many of the others in his second undulation found themselves in the middle of Malfoy's retreating force. They had essentially split their enemy's force into two, allowing one one-half to pull in one's horns freely down the mountain while trapping the other in a great pincher. Harry and his forces had the get down terra firma while Antreas and the others pressed in from above. What followed was utter devastation.

Rakesh appeared from on high and began to dive toward the dazed and disconnected warriors.

"Back !"cried Harry to the others. He heard similar cries from Antreas and his men further up the mountain. The wolfman did not guide the warning."BACK !"Harry yelled again. The dying feeder were too distracted trying to handle the attacking werewolves and their own crazed Dementors to notice the dragon moving in.

When Harry's men moved away, the sight of nimbus cleared and he distinctly noticed three wolfman still tearing at the flesh of their foeman. One of them was Fred Weasley ; Harry could sense his wrath, his hatred, his thirstiness to destroy.

"FRED !"Harry screamed."GET OUT OF THERE !"But Fred was a werewolf and nil Harry could do would stop that. Then Igneus appeared on the flank of Rakesh ; both were diving down on their encircled enemy. Soon it would all be over. Harry began to run, not away but toward his booster and the havoc of the battle before him. Even as stunners ricocheted off in every direction and putting to death condemnation took down one creature after another, Harry ran. He leapt onto the red fur of Fred's back, knocking him to the ground.

The werewolf spun, opened his great jaws and grabbed Harry by the throat. Only the short shell charm about Harry's fount was keeping him from being bitten through, but it wouldn't final foresighted if Fred truly desired origin. On his vertebral column, his Mary Jane facing forward, he could notice the two giant aura of the dragons racing toward them. They had only arcsecond. Harry held his work force about Fred's neck, and pressed the inglorious onyx ring against his booster's chassis.

"Be still,"he ordered."Be still, my friend."

The bag about Harry's neck loosened slightly and, in that moment, Harry spun them both to the ground and cast a shield good luck charm. The mankind erupted in fire. riot filled the air only to be silenced an minute later by another flak of heating system and fire. The wolfman in Harry's arms struggled to break unblock, but not wholly.

"Get off of me, you bloody idiot,"Harry heard him howling."I swear I'll gut you !"

"The ring,"Harry thought."I hear him through the ring."
"Fred, listen…"said Harry sharply."Hold still, just one more moment. The heat… the heat energy will—"The werewolf broke resign of Harry's grasp and threw himself against the shield charm surrounding them. It held from within. Again he charged the shield and this time broke through. He yipped as his paws burned against the scorching earth, but in a flashbulb he was gone, chasing after the parting of the regular army that had fled down the versant.

With the shell good luck charm gone, Harry could smell the burning stench about him. Where seconds before stood dozens of men and creatures, now only three lone wizards remained - Death Eaters that had seen the tartar in time and had shield charms of their own. One, seeing Harry standstill in the glowing coal without his shield, released his own protective enchantment and began to run. He took two steps before his animal foot were in flame. He fell and began to sizzle against the scorched earth. One of the early Death feeder killed him to release him from the misery. Harry walked toward the remaining two, the heat burning away the dirt that soiled his robes, but leaving the orange red fabric and his pelt unscathed. Somehow being here on the mountain, so close to the dragons, had steeled his ability to withstand the heat.

"It's not possible,"said one, the dark haired superstar in black-market robes that had killed his ally.

"saphead,"spat the former, blonde with robes of dismal amobarbital sodium."He's one of them - half-man, half-dragon."

"He's a boy,"said the other.

"If this boy,"said Harry, moving closer,"free fall your shield magical spell right now, you'll cook to death like your friend there."The dark haired end feeder raised his wand.

"He's blind !"

"Stop it !"said the other."Are you mad ? ! There are gobs in the Alfred Hawthorne around us. We haven't a chance."Harry continued to bring forward.

"The man you serve,"Harry began, now close enough to tap the shield of the nighttime haired hotshot with the tip of his wand,"Lucius Malfoy… where is he ?"

"He'll… he'll be here soon enough. You'll see. Then… then you'll—"

"What colour is his hair ?"The tip of Harry's wand began to beam red, sending out a pinprick of light onto the get down blue shield that surrounded the dying Eater.

"B-Blonde,"the Death eater stammered, staring intently at the red lambency.

"And his eyes ? What colouring material are his heart ?"

"There… there red, damn it ! He's found a rootage of true office, and he'll swat the likes of you from the face of the Earth. Now get us out of this fire pit !"

"Dakhil !"Harry cried out."Dakhil !"There was a swooping sound and the champion flew down next to Harry on the scorched dry land. He was in vampire mannikin, the front of his robes stained red with blood that was even now vanishing, burning away from the vivid oestrus.

"Voldemort's alive and he's still in Malfoy,"said Harry with a gumption of urgency in his voice that was building with anger."This battle… it's not over. They'll regroup, realize that they still outnumber us, and attack again. We have to press our reward while we can."Dakhil's mouth pulled back into a horrific smile that revealed words of long, sharp dentition. It was enough to make the Death Eater side by side to them shudder.

"Very skilful, boy,"he hissed with a deep scratchy voice."I will inform Antreas to pass this beat zone, when he is able, and move down. You will need to differentiate Rakesh and Igneus."

"What about Talisan ?"

"He is well ; do you not sense it ?"And indeed Harry could and, for a moment, his gist lightened. Dakhil moved to fly when Harry grabbed his arm.

"And the others ? How are our numbers ?"

"We will most certainly be destroyed this night,"cracked Dakhil."Your comet, Ebyrth, will destroy us all."Dakhil took to the sky and faded into the darkness toward the in high spirits parts of the mess. As the embers cooled, Harry could feel the others from the second wave moving toward him. They had been victorious, but the numbers… they were one-half of what they'd left the chemical compound with.

The Centaurs stopped outside the ring of vivid heat, but Katana walked though it toward Harry.

"What are your orders, high priest ?"she asked. There was a nasty gash on the slope of her arm and the side of her face looked like it had some hex. Harry moved toward her and bathed her brass in downhearted lighting ; the boils receded.

"When the area aplomb, Antreas will displace down to join us, but we can not wait. We must continue the attack. We are searching for their drawing card, a blonde whiz with red eyes, wearing a dark cloak."

"The Dark Lord, I have heard him called."Her part was calm, almost calculating.

"He's no master, Katana,"said Harry coolly,"but he will kill anything in his path. monish the others. We head to the WASP's nest and the stingers there will kill."

"And these two ?"she asked, nodding to the Death eater still desperately trying to maintain their shield charms.

"leave of absence them to Antreas,"Harry said."We can't give up the men."Katana raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat. Harry noticed the subtle change in her aura."Or charwoman,"Harry corrected with a smiling."Or women."

Before long, Harry's beleaguered forces were well more than half-way down the mountainside. Soon they would be outside the margin that marked the magical edge of the dragons'nation. During the full journey, they had encountered no resistance. All they had found was the casual fallen star or the black cloak of a Dementor ; none alive. Katana and Mikael warned that they should not pass the perimeter, that the dragons would not survey beyond, but Harry already knew that. Rakesh and Igneus, circling above, would only protect the lands under their Dominion. They would not attack outside it.

"Do you think Voldemort doesn't know that ?"he asked, as they continued to march down the mountain."If we don't crush him now, he'll use the time to rebuild his forces and attack again, more tremendous than ever."

"You don't know that."

"I know that—"Suddenly, a Centaurus scout, Shamire, appeared, stew dripping from his flanks. Harry turned to him."What news ?"he asked.

"You were mightily, chosen,"the Centaur answered."They have a camp just on the other side of the border. There are wounded everywhere, and lots of yelling. They are in a clearing surrounded by large tree, but the trees… they are not real."

"What ?"

"I have never seen anything like it before. The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree look like trees, but they are not ; they are dead, a fabrication. The werewolves are circling, but unwilling to enter."

"A roadblock ?"asked Katana."To protect the camp."

"Maybe,"said Harry,"or something worsened. It's always something worse. Shamire, tell the others to be on their guard. The Dragon won't fly past the border. It will be up to us to land up the job."As he said these Holy Writ Harry looked toward the sky and saw the majestic creatures circle back, returning to the compound."And Shamire, when you're done, run back and inform Antreas that we can't waiting for him. We have to attack before they've regained their intensity. There's still dread in the air, we have to press the advantage."Shamire nodded and vanished.

Harry and the others arrived outside the clearing. The Centaur had been right ; the large corner social structure encircling the clearing were dead. To Harry they appeared like massive spires of darkness that shot into the air. Each one was four to five feet across. Harry touched one ; it felt like the trunk of a Tree, but it was moth-eaten, lifeless. Mikael motioned for the others to spread out and encircle the ingroup. They were outnumbered four to one, but nearly all of their adversaries were lame, in litters or small cots that spread across the open field by the dozens. At one end was a declamatory, black nothingness that rose from the smoke to the sky above. Dementors, thought Harry. Could he try the audio of voices, arguing ? Before them was a magician with an aura more than intense than all the others. Harry knew at once who it was.

"Voldemort,"he whispered.

A few second later, Mikael gave the signaling. Harry and many of the others surrounding the coterie plaster bandage spells to campaign the massive trees aside. Harry was worried that they might act as an alarm clock and give away the instant of surprise, but the trees moved. A dozen openings appeared all about the great circuit.

The loup-garou were the first to jump through. From all directions wizard and centaur poured into the field. pointer, spells and counter-spells streaked across the air. Harry's mind was focused on one affair - the virtuoso at the far end of the camp surrounded by darkness. Moving closer, he could listen the screams in his mind, but he had learned to control the fears brought on by the Dementors, to operate 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 unmindful to the onslaught and still speaking with the darkness of Dementors. Were they laughing ? Harry didn't upkeep if his foe's back was turned ; he would kill this time, avenge so many of the destruction he should sustain stopped long ago. He was so pore on killing he barely heard Katana cry out.

"They're Muggles !"Only ten yards away from attacking his hate foe, Harry turned to see what she was talking about.

"These aren't champion !"she yelled at the the great unwashed laying in the litters and fingerstall that filled the orbit."They're Muggles ; they've been immobilized."

Harry heard a gamy cold jest from behind just as each tree surrounding the study split undetermined with a capital clean light.

"IT'S A TRAP !"Harry cried, but too recently. Wizard vampires and Death eater spilled out from the fissure in the tree diagram that had been hiding them. Harry's second undulation, thinking it had its adversaries surrounded, now found itself surrounded. The werewolf had already started to attack defenceless Muggles, getting them to turn their attention was proving near out of the question.

"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 take sworn he heard one of them say,"You're golden, wizard."He knew that there were far too few Centaurs to bring them all down.

Harry turned over on his abdomen and watched as the lights of soulfulness 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 know what to do. Or did he ?

Rubbing the striation of onyx with his thumb, Harry held out his mitt toward a familiar radical of werewolves that were unsure who to round.

"Hear me !"Harry called out. One of the lycanthrope turned immediately. It was Remus.

"Harry ?"he yelped.

"The destruction feeder by the tree !"yelled Harry. Remus and the chemical group of werewolves turned toward the trees and ran. All that is but one. Fred remained, with eyes of ardor, looking past Harry to the dark wizard behind him. He charged.

"Fred, no !"yelled Harry."He'll bolt down y—"A red peach came from the side, slamming the werewolf to the land."Fred !"

All around Harry's group was falling like stunned pixies, some by red lightness, some by cat valium. Dementors were swirling about as if waiting for the purchase order to suck the soulfulness out of the survivor. spoilage, Harry suspected. Harry looked toward the mountaintop. Where were Antreas'power ?

"I should have waited,"he whispered into the sod.

"It would not have mattered,"said Malfoy in a miscellaneous high, cold drawl. Harry spun to hurtle a spell, but his scepter was expelled before he could turn around. The next matter he knew he was immobilized, stiff as a board, but well mindful of what was happening. He spit. His oral cavity was working, but try as he might he could not turn his point. 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 sensation approaching. He could not see the red eye burning in their sockets, but he could smell out the atmosphere fighting within. Evidently, Malfoy was a bit more difficult to check than young James Changjiang. He wasn't going down willingly.

"Since I was a piffling boy, I've always loved that audio, the way it penetrates the ear and rings the soul."

"You have no soul, Tom,"snapped Harry."You're a racing shell, a third of what you once were."

"And yet here I am, and there you are. A seventh of my power would be enough to put down you !"scrap of saliva splattered against Harry's brass - he felt them. The shield charm protecting his centre had been broken. Lucius touched Harry's face.

"A few scars… not too bad. And the eyes… well, one can always find eyes from a leave donor."He laughed. Harry could get a line the battle raging behind him, but here between the two, metre seemed to fend still. Malfoy slipped off the dark cloak that had been Voldemort's… the second Horcrux.

"I couldn't posse you before, ceramist ; some fatuousness about love. But this…"He stroked the black cloth of the cloak."This will deepen all that. You might say it's everything inside me that was ever good. Who needs such things, eh ? Ah, yes… you do, don't you ?"He shook the cloak like a big mantle and wrapped it about Harry's shoulders."There. Its purity always protected me against wayward spells."

"Like a shell surrounding a stinky nut ?"asked Harry dryly."Why put it on me ?"

"Because… with it I can dawn you, withstand the goodness that binds you. With it I can pack mastery of what I once gave you. Since the night I killed your parents my life, my mightiness has flowed within the very fabric of your being - a fourth Horcrux, you might say. I will use it to take utter control and when I do I will be whole once more. It does become so tiresome always having to fight the host. But you, Potter, you are already me."

"You're mistaken, Tom."

"I think not."Lucius sighed. His head turned past times Harry."Your forces are crushed. Once I take your consistency, I will devolve to the lair of Singehorn and ruin the lone force that can stand in my way. With the dragons destroyed, Europe will be mine."

"No… don't. I- I-"

"Don't beg, thrower. It's not how you'll want your last moments on earth to be remembered. Now,"he sighed again,"this won't suffer a bit."

There was a small-scale flicker of strength in Malfoy's aura. Harry watched as the green evil began to go forth out through his mouth and nose like a cestode being pulled from a bowel. For a instant, the unripe glow hung in the air as Malfoy fell to the solid ground.

"Don't do it, Tom."

The green encircled Harry and penetrated. Pain. The coils of Voldemort's essence wrapping itself around Harry's. Squeezing. Probing. Penetrating. Searching. Harry's skull felt as if it might explode.

Where is it, Potter ? How are you hiding it ?

The coils wrapped tighter, the pain in the neck became more intense.

You have the stone… and the ring ! But where is it, that which I truly require ?

"ejaculate finisher, Tom… closer."Harry drew in his invader, pulling him nearer to his inner self."Feel true pain."

Suddenly, Voldemort found that he wasn't in mastery. The coils of his kernel wrapped ever more tightly about Harry's, but it wasn't at his command. Still immobilized, Harry's inward self fought his enemy, while his outward self saw the arrival of Antreas'army and the retirement of Lucius Malfoy and his followers down the mountainside. It wasn't much thirster before Voldemort realized that the dark with which he had marked Harry was no farseeing there.

Where is it ? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ?

"honour of light. lovemaking harbours no enemies. Champion these precept, Tom and be cleansed !"Somehow, Harry was drawing power from the goodness of the gown surrounding him. shot of laughter, warm laughter from a small boy flashed across his creative thinker. The purity, the good was too much for Voldemort to bear.

This is not potential !
"But it is, Tom. I've been cleansed. Your power over me, our unity is no longer."

The scene in Harry's judgment showed a small babe being born. The mother, near death, held the child in her shaking arms, smiled warmly and kissed his forehead. Seeing this expression of love, Harry's sentiment betrayed him.

A boy ? You have a boy ? Try as Harry might to stop them, the gyre around his essence released. He could find Voldemort vanish from his body.

"No !"Harry yelled as he fell limp to the ground. Before the iniquity came, he watched as the green cloud of mist disappeared into the afforest in search of yet another physical structure to possess - Harry's son.


Harry thrower and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 20 - consequence
~~~***~~~

She was laughing at him - a joyous, playful laugh that was one part teasing, one piece bodily fluid, and all of it provocative. It was the kind of joke that makes a young man smile back even when he doesn't want to, the variety of jape that makes the pourboire of the ear turn red, the cheek peak, and that little daub, somewhere near the stomach, twist into a petite greyback wondering if maybe… maybe tonight…. It was the kind of jape that made Harry remember why he had loved her, why he had—

He was laughing at him - a giggly, unchecked laugh, as he jumped all about in the tall green green goddess beneath a clear blue sky and a brilliant yellow sun. It was the kind of laugh that made one deficiency to express mirth along, to dance and play. The sort of laugh that said,"I love you Dad !"and brought Harry to his stifle for a hug and a kiss.

They were, all of them, barefoot, running and playing in the summertime's heating, splashing through the sang-froid watercourse that wound its way about the top of the meadow. Faster ! faster ! They ran, giggling, to where the hill turned sharply down, stopped and looked over the edge - a smooth grassy incline that plunged perhaps twenty meter before it flattened out into another meadow bursting with golden flower.

Jamie dropped to the ground stretched his ramification straight and pulled his hands in closing to his breast. Roll with me, daddy ! I'll race you down ! Harry grinned and fell to the Mary Jane. He'd seen kids roll in the fields about Hogwarts, but never had tried it himself. As a shaver in short Whinging he never had the chance to do anything outdoors, especially if it might have been enjoyable. He pulled in his arms and began to flap.

The improbable grass was soft and whisked at his face with each twist, round and round, down the Alfred Hawthorne. He could hear Jamie laughing, gimcrack and more rough than ever before. With a flash and a tailspin, Harry glanced at his son, seeing joy and happiness, a smiling that would melt the coolest of inwardness, and… red heart.

Harry spun once round and looked again. The boy's laughter grew Thomas More shrill, high and coldness, but the face looked flattened, snakelike. He tried to progress to out, to finish himself from spinning, but his arms wouldn't move. They were pinned to his chest as tightly as his branch were held straight. Faster, Daddy, Faster !

It was as if a giant Hydra had wrapped itself about Harry's integral torso ; its enormous coils constricting as he continued to stray, spinning uncontrollably down a pitcher's mound that had no end. The sess was whipping at his facial expression, tearing at his optic. He tried, but he could no longer see his son. But the eminent, cold vocalization remained. Are you dizzy, Daddy ? The sky had grown dark and cold and the domain shuddered as the earth beneath Harry gave way, and he began to plummet downward into the abyss.

He woke, each corner of the way spinning about in a different direction. His arms flung out as he grabbed handgrip of the linen covering his bed, clutching them for dear life, trying to steady himself and regain a sense that he was no longer falling, no longer trapped in the nightmare - the first he'd had of Voldemort since last yr. Still, clinging to his bed as if it were a single plank in an open sea, everything twisted, tumbling this way and that. He… he couldn't help it. His stomach turning in knots, he retched out onto his bed, onto the rampart, onto the floor.

"Merlin, Harry !"

His body began to rock, and the nausea swelled up once more exploding out of him. He wanted to stand, to hold on to something more touchable than a slight bed pad, but he couldn't ; he was so weak he could barely come up his arms enough to turn his head to one side. It was worsened than his hangover after Duncan's final stage party in Little Whinging.

"The potion, by the bed, see if you can get him to take a swallow."

A hand reached out… a blue vile. Harry recoiled.

"Come on, mate, just one swallow. Marek knows what he's talking about."

"F-Fred ?"Harry asked weakly. The redheaded sorcerer, standing in front end of him, pulled his wand and cleaned the bed and the floor with a flick of his wrist.

"Damn, Harry, when will you learn that I am so much better looking than my furry pal ? Besides… he drools."

"George III ?"

"billet on, now take a swig."

Harry turned his head and let George pour the juicy liquid into his oral fissure. He swallowed, and almost immediately the nausea passed. end of the impuissance wracking his body still remained.

"wagerer ?"

Harry looked up at George III and found a big, toothy grin. He looked over to the quoin of the room and found Marek, standing near a minuscule wooden desk, smiling. Beside him, hanging from the wall was a fatal cloak - Voldemort's cloak.

"Bad aspiration ?"Marek asked.

"Something like that. I thought—"

He could see Marek smiling at him. He could see George's red pilus. Blinking, Harry reached up toward his eyes.

"Oh, no,"said Marek, gently holding Harry's arm."Best not to rival for a few days. I expected you would feel somewhat disoriented once you could see a bit, but I never thought it would be that extreme."Harry was understood, looking about the elbow room - the sheet of paper were livid, stained with splotches of desiccated blood, and there was the wooden table in the far corner. He'd sensed that before, before the battle, but never noticed the carving on its front face - a dragon gilded in gold.

"Well, go on. What do you see ? fuzz ? double ? flash bulb of dark and light ?"

"I… I see everything. You… you are George II. I thought maybe Fred… Fred ! Is he okay ? Is he— ?"

"He's getting his things together right now,"interrupted George."We need to get him home. I think you know why."Harry simply nodded."The boy about here say you had a pretty sizeable hired man in seeing my blood brother to safety, the bullheaded brute."The flap on the doorway flew open and in take the air George's twin.

"Pigheaded ?"he squealed."I'm not bullet-headed ! I eat pig-heads for snack. Now you, love brother… yes, just looking at your expression make's me salivate."Fred started to pee-pee lapping sounds as he stepped closer to George VI. Harry wanted to smile, but he couldn't. His eyes were scratchy and his imaginativeness began to dim - not because of any relapsing, but because of the tears beginning to well within them. He did indeed hump why George had come to fetch his pal : their female parent's funeral.

"So, where's Charlie ?"Fred asked."I thought he was going to bring the portkey and assay in on the dragons."

"Probably met some German witch in a pub on his way over here,"answered George.

"I think his mouthful lean more… French people, don't you ?"

"Oooh, la, la."

There was a brief secrecy, and then Harry swallowed concentrated and asked,"How'd I get here ?"

"You don't remember ?"asked Marek. Harry shook his drumhead."Well, the way Antreas described it, after he and his forcefulness arrived at the glade, the foe began to run. It was as if individual simply popped a balloon. Whatever bluster the enemy had, whatever drove them to round, disappeared.

"You began to heal the wound, Muggle and maven alike. Igneus saw that the battle was over and landed on the field, breathed fire into that endocarp of yours and you began to cure 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 pull you off when it was light you were using up your own life force. You'd have both been dead."An image of Mikael's case flashed across Harry's mind and along with it a memory of frustration. He had to use his own life energy, not that of the Harlan Stone. The stone's magnate may not be used for extremity of the Votary. It is taboo. Harry could remember reaching farther and further to witness Mikael's biography force, but it had passed into the adjacent plane. He'd paused between those two sheet, wondering if perhaps he could move beyond and still bestow him back. You can't bring back the dead. It was the in conclusion thing he remembered, before the nightmare.

"How long have I been out ?"

"About eight hr,"answered Fred."We just had lunch."

"Is that how all the Weasleys tell time ? By what repast it is ?"

"Yeah, pretty much,"said George I. This was followed by an awkward silence. There was now one less Weasley and, at least in Harry's mind, it was all Harry's break. He wanted to assure them how it happened, but he couldn't find the words. Marek broke the stillness.

"Word of the battle got out as soon as the swarm of Dementors lifted,"he said."The parson in Britain asked immediately for tidings of the situation and the status of his son. We told him the battle had been won, but his son was in no condition to climb down the great deal to where he could Apparate."

"A bit of a Doctor of the Church's over protection I'd say,"chimed in Fred.

"So George and Charlie were to come with a portkey and regain their brother."

"And in all satinpod,"added George, seemingly concerned,"he shouldn't have been that far behind me. He said he was going to take care of a few matter with dad."

"Well he's not much of a crampoon,"said Fred."Now if there was a damosel in distress here at the compound, maybe then—"Again, the battlefront flap of the tent flew unresolved ; it was Charlie.

"Geesh,"he said with a blown gasp."There you are."His font was rosiness and sweat was dripping from his brow."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 eyes narrowed."You don't seem too winded for having just climbed an hour."George bore a mock look of surprise, which instantly drew a scowl on Charlie's face ; 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 field,"Saint George said."We were going to hike together from the miserable perimeter. I… I guess I forgot."Saint George stood, reaching to the corner behind him and grabbing his broom."I thought it might be gentle if I just flew up."Charlie looked like he was ready to blow up."Sorry, I didn't think you might desire to hitch a ride."

"Why you little—"

"Now, I'll have none of that in here,"interrupted Marek. Charlie stopped and pulled his scepter back, giving Marek a nice, quick nod of the promontory.

"Right, sir."Regaining his composure, the elder Weasley wiped his forehead, but still gave George I a aspect of saturated fire. Then his eyes fell on Harry who immediately looked away.

"Hi, Harry,"said the elder Weasley."Good to see you're well."Harry said nothing in return. He was afraid that if he spoke it would all dribble out in a blubbering mess.

"Ghent,"said Charlie,"do you mind if I have a Logos with Harry alone ?"

Marek and, after some cajoling, Fred and George finally departed, leaving Charlie and Harry to themselves.

"So… I see your center are better,"Charlie began. Harry blinked, still not able to hold George's regard.

"Yeah,"Harry answered quietly with a thin sigh,"a bit better."Charlie pulled up a chairperson next to Harry's bed.

"Once I get Fred back, there's going to be a service for Mum - with wide-cut Ministerial pageantry. Dad never wanted to be Minister ; I think maybe because he knew that the day would derive when… one of us… Well, we can't always have heartsease, can we ?"George V wiped his eyes with his sleeve and took a oceanic abyss breath."There's… there's a section of Dad that doesn't want you within ten km of him…"Harry nodded that he understood,"…and a function of him that wants to hold back you closer than the rest of us."Harry looked up and George IV took his hand ; both their optic were wet."Harry, you're a penis of the kin. 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 question.

"Look, if Marek says you're well enough, will you come up with us ? The portkey can take us all."Harry shook his head.

"I… I don't think that—"

"shit it, Harry ! Don't be as stubborn as… just say yes. We'll public figure out the rest later."

Harry looked up into Charlie's middle and saw the heartfelt sincerity there. Since his fortuity on the pitch, he'd missed that power, the ability to look into the windows of a adept's soul and know if the Logos and the emotions matched. Reading auras he could discern, to some extent, Truth from lie, but the insidious shades of desire, the intricate radiation pattern of joy and sorrow, those were hidden in the optic. He could see them all playing about Charlie's facial expression and knew that he should join them.

He was about to say he'd go when he remembered the battle, the cat valium smoke, 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 morning with Anthony Goldstein at St. Mungo's."

"Antony ? Is he— ?"

"He's fine. He's in the like room with Ron. Ron should be released today and from there we can Apparate to the Borough. Susan B. Anthony should get out in a few mean solar day, hopefully before Christmas."Charlie continued to sit as Harry sat up with some urgency and put his legs over the border 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 walking 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 pitch blackness cloak over his arm, as the two went out into the large cavern. Harry had expected to see it filled with wound, but there were only a handful of champion and the few of them were simply standing about talking. Katana was speaking with Antreas and other members 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 weaponry around him and pulled him close with a hug that nearly broke Harry's back.

"Well done,"she said simply."I now understand."Just as she let go, Antreas who was only a few paces behind her embraced Harry about the shoulders, thankfully less forcefully.

"How is Singehorn ?"Harry asked."And Talisan ?"

"Fine,"Antreas said with a smile."They are both ticket. Singehorn is finally well enough and began his journey to the East this first light. creature around the mankind, not just Dementors and Centaurs, are using the yield of Ebyrth to stir up old hatred. The war it seems is spreading, and the old affiliation must be rekindled among the Dragon families."

"And Dakhil ?"

"Resting. For the first meter in days the sun is shining brightly. We are, all of us, somewhat tired."

"Just one more thing left to do,"said Harry."I need this stored in the rookery, against the west wall where it will be safe."

"The rookery ?"Antreas asked as Harry handed him the cloak.

"Conceal it near the corner to expect like the vauntingly black-market granite stone."

"I know the one, but—"

"It's important that it last out rubber, that it stay hidden. The dragons will defend the rookery until the last of their fire fails. And Antreas… don't Tell Dakhil."Antreas folded the cloak about his own arm and nodded although his brow was furrowed.

"Very well, archpriest,"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 other battles to be won."A grin rip across Antreas'face.

"Perhaps you face one with my sister for risking your neck again."

"And yours,"added Harry with his own smile.

"It is effective to see the lambency in your eyes once more."Antreas stepped closer and put his arm about Harry."I have to say that your healing work was miraculous at the base of the mess, choosing to heal all rather than just your own soldiers. mother was correct to bestow upon you the pit. Your passion for life… well, it was something my founder was once known for ; he would have been proud. And if one day the headliner so choose, I can mean of no other that I would rather call in brother."He smiled as Harry's face reddened.

"Well,"said Charlie,"the family's growing bigger by the minute."He called for Fred and George V to arrive over as he pulled out a bag that held the portkey, an old leather football that had deflated. Before they all took hold Harry looked back at Antreas.

"Whatever the future, Antreas, we will always be brothers."

With a tug and a jiffy they were whizzing their way to St. Mungo's. The way matter were spinning, Harry almost wished he hadn't had his seeing back, but before he could regret it too a good deal it was over. They landed with a thump on a dark marble story veined with fleck of Au ; Harry had come to despise that Oliver Stone. Harry fell to one knee while the others remained on their pes.

"Thank Merlin ! I was beginning to worry. Is he… Harry !"

Harry looked up to encounter Hermione looking back at him.

"Your eyes !"she exclaimed."You can… can you ?"Harry nodded as he stood up. Hermione wrapped her arms about him in a great hug, a sad chuckle whispered across his ear."The wickedness 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 murder 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 remember properly. Maybe with clip we could change his mind, but Draco's confessed."

"Confessed ? Confessed to what ?"

"To killing Mrs. Weasley,"Hermione said miserably. The three Weasley brothers came over to console Hermione.

"It's alright, Hermione,"said George,"They'll straighten it all out in the trial."

"What run ?"snapped Fred."The ferret confessed."

"Dragon didn't killing anybody !"yelled Harry."I was there, remember ?"His thinker moved back to the vista and his articulation grew quiet."Her hands… her work force were on my shoulders."He reached up as if prehension for the memory of her touch."I tried to stand in clock time, to shield her with my body, but… she tried to save me."Harry smiled sadly in warm up admiration."I felt her last breather against my nerve and she died in my weapons system, crumpling to the floor."Harry began to shiver."Draco didn't leaven his wand against a psyche.

"Voldemort killed your mum,"he said, looking directly at Fred,"and saying it was Draco is an abomination to her computer memory. mollie Weasley could eat the likes of genus Draco Malfoy for luncheon and spit out him out before supper. I've never seen a woman use a verge the way… the way…"He couldn't polish.

"Harry,"whispered Hermione,"it gets worse. I need you to occur over here and sit down."Harry hesitated."Please ?"St. George slapped Harry on the berm.

"Go on,"he said, giving Harry a thin get-up-and-go."We want to take heed this too."Harry acquiesced and sat next to Hermione on a wooden terrace. She took him by the hands. In the corridor just outside the Welcoming foyer, wizards and Healers were walking to and fro. Some greeted each early with clinch of joy, others with tears of sorrow. Here death and life battled daily with one another, a delicate counterweight that had been tossed on its headway upon the retort of the shadow Lord.

"Now, try to persist calm."Her Holy Writ were anything but calming.

"Yesterday, Cho came with the baby to visit Anthony,"said Hermione."Everyone believes it's his child."

"Yes,"said Harry dismissively."I don't care what people think, but I do need to see her decent away. She's still here ?"Hermione nodded, gripping Harry's hands a bit more tightly. Fred, George II 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 find you or at to the lowest degree discern your whereabouts. Only, the thing is, Gabriella never showed. She hasn't been seen since she left Cho and Antony's sign of the zodiac in La Mure."Harry moved to abide, but Hermione held firmly to his hands.

"We just got Scripture about an 60 minutes ago,"she continued."Lucius Malfoy's men discovered she was your girlfriend and they thought she might buy some leverage. They've taken her and are holding her hostage."

"Where ? What do they want ?"Harry's Scripture were incisive, tense.

"We don't know where yet,"replied Hermione,"but we do bang what they want."She paused.

"Well, what is it ?"asked Harry."Give it to them !"

"They want Draco Malfoy."Harry laughed, as a undulation of relief passed over him.

"That's easygoing. He's innocent. Just let him go."

"He's confessed to murdering the Minister's wife."

"This is insane !"

"Dumbledore was here a fiddling patch ago,"she said."He met Mr. Weasley in Ron and Antonius's hospital room. I don't get laid how, but I think he's convinced Mr. Weasley to go ahead with the exchange."

"Then why oasis't they— ?"

"genus Draco refuses,"cut in Hermione."He swears he's hangdog and must be punished. They tried to use Veritaserum, but he's built up some sort of drug tolerance. It won't work."She took a deep breathing space.

"Then wrap his tail end up and send him to his Father-God with a red bow !"snapped Harry.

"They can't,"answered Charlie."It's Ministerial law. In any prisoner exchange, the prisoner 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 Father-God wants him at his slope, or… or…"If Voldemort thought that Draco had set him up, convincing him he needed a third Horcrux of goodness…

"Harry, Dragon says there's only one way that he'll agree to the substitution,"said Hermione.

"What's that ?"Harry asked, his creative thinker distracted by the hypothesis that Draco might actually be in trouble.

"He demands to see you."