Thanks to all the people who reviewed the finish chapter. Your diverse permutations of the world-wide `` What the F*** ! ? ! Update now ! '' Were most appreciated. I feel kind of bad for jumping a eddy like that on you after 40 chapters. Kind of deceitful. unspoilt to know the majority of people appreciated it.



"Harry ?"Padma said quietly, standing at the end of the hospital bed. Harry seemed to be sleeping, his chest rising and falling weakly. His middle were red, like he'd been crying. Perhaps the pain sensation was worse than he let on. She felt bad for needing to wake him."Harry wake up."She reached out and tapped his leg. He jerked fitfully, but his eyes flickered open. He didn't speak though, didn't acknowledge her. He just stared off into space. What had Dumbledore said to him ?

"Harry I ‘ ve been talking to the therapist. They ‘ ve run some more tests."She licked her lips."Look, it looks like a few calendar month was actually optimistic. There ‘ s terms deep down, lots of price. You need to let them avail you now or ... or you ‘ ll die. In a few weeks."

Harry said nix, he didn't even seem to bear heard her.

"You won ‘ t be able to defend Voldemort."Padma tried a dissimilar tacking."I ‘ m not saying you ‘ ll have workweek like you ‘ ve been going all year. You ‘ ll have weeks in this hospital bed, not able-bodied to strike, eventually you won ‘ t even be able to talk. You won ‘ t be able-bodied to kill Voldemort. You won ‘ t be able to be the chosen one."

Harry flinched, infliction running across his wear down face.

"You see Harry, you ‘ ve got to let them help you."Padma stepped up to put her script on Harry's."Please ?"

"You do what you have to do."Harry pulled his hand away. He still hadn't looked at her.

"You ‘ ll let them help you ?"Padma tried not to be put off."You ‘ ll take off the evil eye and let them work on you ?"

"Yes, why not."Harry rolled over so he was facing away from her. His ventilation stuttered, he sounded like he was holding back tears. Padma backed away, she had got what she came for. The healers would fix Harry's body. What had happened to his mind ? That might convey a little longer.

What had Dumbledore said to him ...
*


The boy who was once called Harry faded in his mind as the healers entered his room. Bustling around and speaking comforting, empty words. They cleaned him up, washing his arms and chest. They asked him to take the pick-me-up. He did, letting it fall to the trading floor with a brassy clatter. The healers shied away from the mark on his arm. Fearful. Why should he care.

They did something that was supposed to numb him. He couldn't tell the divergence. Everything was dulled already. He watched, ineffective and unwilling to care, as they cut his pelt receptive. His blood seeped out, quickly staunched by a healer. He wished they wouldn't bother.

A stale gel was swabbed onto his ruin mitt. Ruined for what ? For the saki of what ? All useless. He wished they wouldn't bother.
*


genus Draco slapped the sore cutis of his arm to try and stay awake. It had been burnt in the battle, but it was okay now. Just enough residual red and infliction to help him continue alert. He swung his weary eye around the waiting room, all of the predator were here. to the highest degree of them had finally succumbed to log Z's, Dragon didn't pick them. It was hard to imagine that the deadly midnight Assault on the creature ship had been just last Night. They had been worn out, put on down. Draco pinched his arm again. He wondered if there was anywhere he could witness some tea. The tea shop was closed but surely the healer had a faculty way or something. Maybe he could ask one.

Or maybe he could just fall asleep.

Draco shook his question. Some of them had to be awake when the healers finally stopped working on Harry. He shuddered, they had already been at it for hr. How many ... additions .... had Harry made ? He glanced around the room again. Everyone seemed to be asleep. Even Ginny, who seemed to have nodded off in the act of pinching herself. They had all been there all night, no one had collected them. He supposed it was only a matter of metre before a teacher or an rules of order fellow member came to wrangle them up and drag in them back to Hogwarts, where they would no incertitude stay. Chained to position like heel so they couldn't run off again.

Draco got wearily to his feet, maybe he could walk some of his tiredness off. He stepped carefully around the prone piranha and stepped up to the room access to the Ward. Harry's bed was obscured by curtains but the tail of the therapist were still moving against the surface. As he watched one of them detached and stepped towards the door. Draco stepped away to let him out, hope and dread rebellion in his stomach.

"Is there any newsworthiness ?"Draco asked.

"Yes, there is."The healer looked around the room."Is his family line here ?"

"Yes."Draco said definitely, looking over the marauders."Wait a mo ... HEY !"The piranha jerked to life sentence, hands flying to scepter before they realized where they were. Draco turned back to the healer."They ‘ re up. What is the word ?"

"Well we ... we removed various detail from the body of your friend."The pathetic healer swallowed nervously."We found a drop-gem embedded in his sternum. There was also something in the wall of his breadbasket. We think it may have been designed to negate poison but it seems to have had the opposite consequence. It was the source of his illness. We also found-"

"What about his eye ?"Draco broke in."Have you fixed his eye ?"

"His ... his eye."The therapist paused."His eye had been removed too long ago, there is a expectant deal of scarring. Unfortunately we were unable to rejuvenate it. We are currently looking into whether the facility he has is luxuriously quality enough to leave there."

"Installation ..."Draco stared at the man coldly."You ‘ re talking about his eye."

"Yes, I know."The healer shook his head and turned back towards the door."We ‘ ll try to keep you informed."He pushed back through the door and hurried back towards the curtained bed.

Draco looked back over the marauders. Through their sand-filled, droopy oculus he could see their lugubriousness. Harry had fought so hard and got nothing in return but accusal of execution and a permanent deformity. And a dark mark, they could not forget that.

"Harry might say it was worth it."Padma said softly."For driving Voldemort to ground."

"Of path he ‘ d say that. Doesn ‘ t make it true."Ron pulled his genu up to his chest."I mean you heard him in there. He ‘ d think death was worth it."

"Is he wrong ?"genus Draco muttered darkly. Perhaps they didn't hear him. Perhaps it was just as well. They were all startled as another door was pushed open, revealing Professor McGonagall. She didn't need to say anything, they knew why she was there. They were going back. And they might never leave.
*


"Are you sure ?"Natalie asked ? Her voice admirably detached of shaking."You could get a pick-me-up like Harry ‘ s. Or perhaps there are less trespassing means of removal."

"There are not, it was not made to be removed."Snape tightened the strap around his arm."And I would prefer to not be dependent on an item of illegal jewelry. Just please do it, it is already beginning to burn."

Thankfully she did not argue, but instead bent down and touched her baton to the cutis on Snape's arm. The slicing pain was distant, dulled by potions. There were bottles by his arm, some empty, some waiting to maturate the peel back after the mark was gone. He was in his apartments at Hogwarts, the entirely place he could have gained those potions without questions was from his own supplies. The searing began and Snape looked away, watching his own arm butchered was not what disturbed him, not after everything he'd seen. But it reminded him of what Harry was going through. Of the dark lord as well. What would he do next ? What would his next motion be ...

"He may go into hiding."Natalie answered his unanswered question, still intent on his arm."Like he did fifteen long time ago."

"He will not."Snape shook his head word."He was forced to conceal then, he had no power. Now he does, it is lessened certainly, but he still has some."

"Bellatrix, Rookwood and Forneus."She traced easily around the boundary of the skull."That is who he has left. What would he do with them ?"

"It will be barbarian, I am certain of that."Snape felt the cutting stoppage and watched as Natalie picked the fiddling pother of cutis up and calmly incinerated it. It was done, he was free. Strange that he should feel so little. Perhaps because he knew he was not truly free until Voldemort was bushed. Perhaps because he knew that, without the power to spy, he was succeeding to useless.

"Don ‘ t think that."Natalie's middle flickered up to his as she daubed his arm with a potion soaked bandage.

"But I am."Snape shook his nous."Perhaps not useless but ... if I had not acted on instinct we would now know exactly what Voldemort was planning. We would be able to anticipate him instead of stumbling around in the darkness."

"You had to."Was all she said.

"Perhaps."Snape let his head bead back, perhaps.

"You know them better than anyone."Natalie continued."You can knead out what he will do next."

"I have been trying."Snape replied tetchily."But I can not think of anything he would care to do that he has the manpower to accomplish. Unless he has some architectural plan I am unaware of. Which he almost certainly has. I always got the signified that he had something brewing."

"The ministry ? The department of closed book ? The prognostication ?"

"He covets that no doubt. But I can see no way he could incur it with three death eaters."

"Four."Natalie corrected."Barty Crouch is still out there somewhere."

"And if he is not dead then he is doing Merlin knows what."Snape shook his promontory."It could be anything."

"Severus,"Natalie took his face in her custody and tilted it up to fulfil her centre."Not so low now. We won today. It may not feel like it, but we won a victory. triumph have been few and far between this past times year, we need to cherish them, not interest about what will pass off next."Snape was once again amazed by the way she could break through to him, whatever his mode. He smiled,

"I believe I have some wine."
*


The boy who carried the name Harry felt himself enter the familiar dream. He felt floor board under his back, scratchy through the slim down hospital robe. He knew where he would be when he opened his center. And finally, he even knew why.

He pushed himself off the base, leaning his tired figure against the wall. The paries painted with bears and snitches over a pallid blue sky wide-cut of fluffy clouds. Harry felt like spitting but he couldn't selective service the energy. He ignored the crib in the center of the way, it's shiny mobile spinning idly in the dream-wind. He shoved the room access heart-to-heart and descended the stairs. The repugnance he always felt was still there, but he could barely bring himself to care. He knew what this place was now.

No one-year-old remembers their house. No one-year-old could remember every pic, or the pattern on the wallpaper. This place was a lie, a parasitic retention that had been burnt into his mind. The creeping malady in his peel was his judgment's way of telling him that it wasn't real, that it didn't belong.

He stepped up to the front doorway and stepped outside. There were street foretoken in the retentiveness. No one-year-old would remember street sign, they couldn't even read them. He should birth known, should have realized somehow.

He couldn't feel the orchard nearby. God knows what that represented. Some metaphor for base hit his mind was projecting out maybe. Who knew. The river ? Some other part of his mind ... it didn't matter. Harry let himself fall to the solid ground on the forage, it was all pointless. It wasn't worth fighting this anymore, it was burnt onto the cover of his scull. He could never escape.

His optic flickered undefended in the hospital ward. He could find the sore new development in his hand. It was pink, new cutis, and diminished than the former. Harry dropped it back onto the blankets. Other portion of his body hurt too, small scars and injuries. They had fixed him up. He wished they hadn't bothered.

The dreaming was still swirling in his school principal, biting at him. It was too hard. He saw his matter piled neatly against the wall, even his clothes. Suddenly he knew he had to pass on. This seat ... he just had to leave. He quietly pushed out of bed, ignoring the creak in every muscleman and drew his bag over. He dressed quickly and disillusioned himself before slipping out the door.

The marauders were sleeping there, lying across benches or curled up on the trading floor. He didn't wake them. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Couldn't talking, he had no idea how he would even start. He hurried away and down the stairs. He didn't arrest until he was out of the construction and a few streets away. A small street, not busy. Breathing hard he shoved his wand out into the street. He found that he could barely keep his arm up for the few seconds it took for the knight bus to confuse out of nowhere and skreak to a point in front of him.

"Ere are you Harry ceramicist ?"The pimply conductor squinted at him, his voice full of amazement.

"No."The word was hollow in his chest.

"Right, right, incognito."The man tapped his nose."I never believed any of that poppycock about ya. Hero that ‘ s what I say."

"Right."Cuban sandwich ... that cut to the heart and soul like a knife."Take me to Godrics Hollow."He had no theme where the estimation had come from, but as soon as he said it he knew he needed to go. It was as strong a penury to go to it as there had been to exit in the dream.

"Godrics holler ?"The pimply guy swallowed."rightfulness, I see."

The bus moved off and the nameless boy sagged down in a chair. Why was he doing this ? Did he even have a reason ? He didn't seem to bear reason's anymore. He remembered being full of attack and need, burning passion for the fight. But now he just felt hollow, like he'd been scooped out. He didn't want anything anymore. Except perhaps to die. Why was he going to Godrics hole ? Why not. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go.

The bus screeched to a hitch and he got out without speaking. The bus disappeared with a whoosh, a imperial fuzz in the air. Harry looked up and down the street, it looked like any early village. It was empty this time of day, like a ghost town. Suited his mood perfectly. He looked forward, an abandoned ship house, burnt and with the top level blown off.

But he knew what had stood there. He had seen it in his ambition. This was where it had happened. It just hadn't happened to him.

He stepped forward his hand stretched out, then shied away. This house was just to a greater extent lies. The tactile sensation in his heading, grief, expiration, fear. They weren't his, they weren't his deprivation. Only alien had died here, two strangers. People who had nothing to do with him. The heartache was another caper, just another level of lie.

He spun away and stalked down the street, not looking back. He had never lived there, it meant nothing to him. Or should intend nothing. His base brought him to the square and he lent tiredly on the war monument. He should never have come here, it was not what he needed. He raked his hand through his hair.

Not his hand.

Not his hair.

He spun and punched the stone, hissing out fad through his teeth. The lie poisoned everything. Even his real store were tainted. He didn't even look like this for Christ's saki ! His whole body was a mask !

The pit shifted under his fingers. He looked up just as the monument seemed to melt, morphing into, a statue underneath. Harry stumbled back. No ... no no no. Under the memorial there were two form, a man and a charwoman. The woman cradled something in her hands. The man ... the man looked just like him.

No he doesn't. I don't even look like me. The boy trembled with rage as he looked on the happy potter family. The testament in stone to the life-time he had never really had. His digit went to his wand.

"Reducto !"The wand flickered out, even through the rage the magical spell flew truthful. It struck the head of the beginner statue, shattering it into splinter. Some of them cut the boy's flesh. He didn't care.

"Reducto ! !"Lilly ceramicist's heading snapped off and crunched onto the tarmac. Rolling to a closure in a storm drain.

"Reducto ! !"The last shot was the strongest, striking out in a blinding dash of light, obliterating the bundled baby. Blowing the trivial boy-who-lived to smithereens. Flames flickered across the statue before they died out. Flickered across the ruined ambo of straits and died to nothing.

The nameless boy stepped back, breathing like he'd run a marathon. His clothes wet with sweat. He dropped his scepter back into his pouch and turned his back on the statue, his breath still coming in savage fusillade. He couldn't think, couldn't breath. He walked off down the street, not trusting himself to calculate on the statue again. It made it all too real.

His heart found a graveyard. Both eyes, genuine and magical. He shuddered, he'd got used to the shining sheathing over his visual sense, the x-ray panorama of the cosmos. Now it was just a unceasing reminder. A reminder of what he'd sacrificed for the lie. He pushed the graveyard gate open and let the eye roam, in a moment it had angled in on the Potter grave accent. He walked hesitantly to it, his wand safely away in his pocket. He pushed a spell of ivy off the stone and read the inscription.
The death enemy that shall be destroyed is end


Well that was bollocks. Being dead meant you had at least one other enemy left, namely the one that killed you. His eye whirled in it's socket, looking straight down. The two coffin, side to side in the ground, stared back at him. But ... there was a shadow. Like a vacant area. He drew his wand and muttered a revealing enchantment. Faint whiff of illusion drew out of the background to take on him. He waved his wand again, cutting the foggy waifs away. He worked ... he didn't love how prospicient. Probably minutes, maybe hours. At some point the gray sky gave way to rain down and the burying ground grass turned dodgy. Harry ignored it, concentrating on the piece. It was good. It was a puzzle, breaking the illusion. It stopped him from thinking.

Finally he was done. Nothing different showed on the surface, but down underground ... Harry stood and stepped back, his pith pounding in his chest. There was a third gear coffin on top of the other two, arranged like a pyramid. Inside ... interior was a smaller body, a child. It's diminutive arms crossed over it's chest.

The nameless boy fell to his knee joint. There it was, the final test copy. The final demonstrable check. That pitiable wasted organic structure in there was Harry Potter. He could even see a bantam dent on the bone of his scull, above his eye, in the conformation of a lightning bolt. The real scar had cut all the way to the off-white, his was barely more than makeup. That was all he was in fact ... makeup for a creature. A god-damn doll.

He raised his wand to the stone, but said naught. The anger in him was gone. He had seen the eubstance of the actual Potters, lying together. It was hard to find anger, but he wished he did. The anger at least filled him up, filled the emptiness with fire. But now the ardour was gone and he felt even emptier for it. He found himself resting the point of his wand against the jumpy, wet stone.

It wasn't even his wand. He stared at it, thoughts skittering over the numb nerve centre of his mind. It was a wand gained from killing, killing and fighting in a war he was never supposed to be part of. This wand was his killing wand. He had done horrible things for the sake of this war ... to others ... to himself. He found himself pressing down harder on the Grant Wood. He had pickled his soul in lineage and what had it got him ? He added his other arm and pushed harder. He had fought, and he'd been broken. The wand splintered with a gimcrack fling, the springy wood bending almost double before it twisted into typewriter ribbon. A little red bagatelle was visible through the break. It had had a phoenix feather meat, he never knew.

"Well that makes thinks easier."

The voice had come from behind him. He turned slowly but his witching eye had already whizzed around to find the interloper. The black robes told him everything he needed to cognise. Harry knew he should feel scare, or apprehensiveness, veneration perhaps, at least surprisal. But he was damned if he felt anything.

"You would be Rookwood."His voice sounded drained in his ears.

"Yes I am August Rookwood."The man sketched a sarcastic bow, his wand in his hand."Thank Merlin I still have a sentry on the underage magic sensor. You ‘ ve come a longsighted way just to slip now. A foresighted foresighted way ..."

"Felt like further."The empty boy dropped the remains of his wand onto the potter grave accent. Perhaps some tomfool necromancer would find it and make up some story about it. He turned back to the end eater and asked,"Are you going to belt down me ?"He was surprised that his spokesperson did not sound eager.

"Eventually Mr ceramist, no doubt."Rookwood held out his wand."But first you ‘ re going to plug something for me."

"What ?"

"The dark lord ‘ s undying favor."Rookwood tilted his head up arrogantly."I will be raised above the others, above even that bastard Crouch."Rookwood paused, obviously expecting the weary build before him to say something. `` Well ? Nothing to add ? No wittiness ? ``

"No."The boy who had been Harry stepped forward."Do whatever you like to me. I don ‘ t care anymore."

"Is this some kind of illusion ?"Rookwood raised his baton threateningly."You are alone here I know that ... well, to be sure enough. Stubefy !"

He closed his eyes before the spell hit. The duskiness was welcome.
*


A crashing noise woke him. Flashing visible radiation burned through his eyelids as he groaned. The noise went on and on, conversant ... very familiar. His memories twinged, his real ones.

"I ‘ m in the underground."His eyes flickered unfold just as the metro wagon train flashed out of hatful, leaving the tunnel in darkness. He felt the corduroys binding his hands together, his digit danced along them trying to find a knot. There was none. They were tight though, biting into his tegument, witching no dubiousness. He didn't have to feel to have sex that his legs were similarly bound. He didn't pain in the ass to try to stand.

"You are indeed Mr Potter."Rookwood stood over him, his scepter outstretched."The Greater London Underground."

The unnamed boy twisted and looked around him, one of the wall was been broken through and a dark, gross burrow stretched away. Now that the train was gone he could get a line something in the darkness all around, a scratching slinking sound.

"We ‘ re not alone."Harry breathed.

"Oh, so you noticed."Rookwood held up his verge and lit it, smiling. The darkness rolled back, but not far. A grey paries stopped the Light, a writhing passel of cloth and rot.

"What ... what are they ?"He looked on the dark hooded figures. As he watched one of them turned its hide head towards him. It let out a death rattle.

"Those are Dementors."Rookwood smiled."Had you forgotten that they too served the iniquity nobleman ? Slipped your intellect ?"

"Dementors ..."The boy looked into the swirling quite a little. Wasn't he supposed to be feeling some sort of coolness, despair ? Wasn't that what Dementors were supposed to do when you were close to them ? He shook his head, they couldn't touch him, a person could only feel so much desperation and he was already at his limit. And as for making him live over his risky memories ? Ha ! His dark-skinned mo was still fresh in his mind.

"The dementors like it down here."Rookwood continued."They ‘ ve been breeding down here comparable fly front. There are hundred of them."

"Dementors don ‘ t dig."Harry glanced back at the tunnel."What else do you have down there ? I thought I killed everyone you had."

"You did."Rookwood sneered."But that doesn ‘ t issue. In fact, none of that matters. Now be quiet."Rookwood flicked his wand, making a quieten charm. A second flick levitated him off the trading floor. Rookwood reached into his air pocket and pulled out a long silvery distance of material, easily recognisable. An invisibility cloak. He just hung there in the air as the cloak was thrown over him. He really couldn't have done anything else. Rookwood turned and walked up the tunnel, his black shoes slipping on the wet dirt.

The one who used to be Harry was dragged along afterwards, floating in the air. He couldn't move ... speak ... he was a specter. Right now his post fit him like a glove. He hung weakly as Rookwood moved further towards the scraping, digging phone. The dementors followed after, filling the tunnel with cold. Up ahead there was a turning. As Rookwood walked calmly around the fold figures came into view. One night cloaked fig standing tall, the remainder ragged and pull and scrabbling at the dirt mindlessly. No, it wasn't just their wearing apparel that were ragged. It was their flesh.

Inferi, or zombie. Who could separate the difference ? The figure in movement of them turned as Rookwood approached. nighttime long hair spun out as Bellatrix stepped towards Rookwood.

"You are latterly Augustus."The distaff decease eater was not as pretty as she had been. It seemed like a steel toed boot with the force of a falling teenager behind it did More impairment than expected. The lead English of her cheek was crushed in, a mass of scars and bulging skin. When she spoke she slurred, only the right side of her mouth moving. Her eye was a raw socket, nothing left.

She had lost her eye. How rattling. How very poignant. Under the cloak the invisible prisoner felt his emptiness filled with a tiny discharge of satisfaction.

"Hello Bella."Rookwood stopped, his hired man flickering to his wand."Shouldn ‘ t you be in your own burrow ? That was the plan was it not ? Forneus in one, myself-"

"I know the plan."Bellatrix snapped."Do you Augustus ? It seems to me that you are the one who doesn't know the plan. I came here to see why you were lately. Why were you late ?"

"I was delayed momentarily, nada to concern you."Rookwood waved his hand away."You should go to your own tunnel. Without someone there the quarrel them the dementors may be getting restless."

"I want the true statement of this."Bellatrix held out an accusing finger.

"You will not get it."Rookwood dropped his laconic demeanor and snapped at her."Get to your own tunnel. We take down the ministry tonight, there can be no mistakes because one of us is trying to separate themselves out from the crowd."

"There is no crowd anymore."Bellatrix sneered through her ruined typeface."There are three of us. There will be Sir Thomas More than enough glory to go around."Bellatrix turned and dissaperated into slim air.

"Lying bitch."Rookwood grated."We all want to be the dark lord ‘ s right hand. halt digging you freaks !"He directed the last one to the brute burrowing in the crap. They stopped moving and stood, their vacant center rotting in their skulls. Rookwood raised his wand and the shit began flying away faster. In a short moment the turd became a brick wall, old and faded. The wall of the ministry.

"Are you ready Mr Potter ?"Rookwood grinned up at the invisible prisoner hanging above him."Here we go."He turned to the paries and raised his wand. There was a shatter blast and the paries caved in. Behind it a man at a desk jumped to his feet his hand tangling in his robe. A green flash of illuminate struck him in the header, he dropped onto the desk, scattering papers.

"Go."Rookwood pointed. The dememtors flew past him, the inferi lumbering along between them. There were a few moment of silence, then the thigh-slapper started.
*


"Dumbledore !"Helen Wills Moody yelled as he thumped down the corridor at Hogwarts, moving his old bones as fast as they could."Dumbledore get your senile arse down here !"

"Moody ?"Albus appeared around the nook, his face a masquerade of concern."You were on precaution duty. What are you doing here ?"

"Didn ‘ t you listen to me ?"Dwight Lyman Moody threw his hand back the way he'd come."The ministry ‘ s falling ! Enough dementors to paint the sky black !"

"Why didn ‘ t you send a patronus ?"

"Didn ‘ t you hear what I just said ! Every in of that place is full of the soul sucking daemon ! No patronus could cut through that !"

"My god, we must help them !"

"Oh really ? You think so ?"Moody saw his spit fly.

"We must go now."Dumbledore pushed past him, dashing to the door."We can take back the ministry, all of us can."

"But there could be a ambuscade !"Moody tried to hold back up, his breath catching in his pectus."You can ‘ t go in there blind you can ‘ t just ... we don ‘ t even know where Voldemort is !"Dumbledore was speeding away."We need a design ! Do you suffer a programme you old bast-"But Dumbledore was gone, already around the corner. Moody doubled over, he was old, too old. But divinity he wasn't done yet, he wasn't ... done. What the hell was Dumbledore thinking ? He could get them all killed ! The entire order. The stallion bloody edict in one fell swoop, and what the hell could he do to blockade it ? He felt so old ...

But not yet done.

He straightened and staggered down the manor hall. Faster. Faster. He found the door he wanted and threw it open.

"Severus !"Helen Wills shouted towards the startled Professor."The order needs your help !"

"The order ?"Snape stood, his paw flat on the table. Zhao was beside him in a minute."I am not a fellow member of the guild any-"

"The ministry is compromised !"Moody saw his words cut Snape."Dementors in more numbers pool than ever before."

"And you want all the help you can get ?"Snape sneered."The Holy Order had done me no favors lately."

"Severus,"Natalie Zhao spoke calmly, despite the place."Look at him, something else is going on."

"Smart girl."Moody shook his head."Dumbledore is heading for the ministry, by now he ‘ s trailing half the decree. He ‘ s going in without any eyes, without anything. It is a sand trap, or could be. Even if it ‘ s not he ‘ s still going to fall behind half the Order. He ‘ s ... he ‘ s reckless. He ‘ s stuck in the old war. He ‘ s everything you said he was. But if we let this take place ..."

"I know."Snape's centre flickered with terror."We need to help them. We need to help the order."

"That ‘ s why I ‘ m here Snape."Moody was gritting his teeth. Every minute was wasted."But I don ‘ t know what ... there are only three of us."

"Four."Snape muttered under his breath."There are four of us. Natalie, would you get Albert Abraham Michelson. sports meeting us at the ministry back entrance."

"Even four can ‘ t cover this."Helen Wills Moody growled as the painful dashed from the elbow room."You know that."

"I know. I know well ..."Snape pulled a robe off the spinal column of a chairperson."We need an army."

"Do you know where to witness one ?"

"I do."Snape closed his oculus,"I do."
*


Rookwood stepped over a consistency. It's eye were still open, it's mouthpiece moving vacantly. The dementor's kiss, it left them living, but they were bodies nonetheless. Rookwood paid them no mind.

"Welcome Mr Potter, to the Department of Mysteries."Rookwood pulled the cloak off his floating prisoner. Harry Potter. His prisoner was just hanging there dumbly. Well ... he couldn't really do any different. Rookwood let Harry down to the story and canceled the silencing charm."fountainhead Mr thrower ? You have anything to say ?"

"What are you doing with me ?"Potter's vocalism was a little cavalry from the long quiet."You ‘ re trying to earn points with your lord, isn ‘ t capturing me enough ?"

"More than adequate Harry. more than enough."Rookwood tweaked his wand and the bail bond on Harry's legs snapped off. Another detent and Harry stumbled forward."But I am after the icing the puck on the bar. If I am to surpass Crouch in terms of merit to the Godhead ... I must attempt the icing."

"That ‘ s the unintelligent thing I ‘ ve ever heard."Harry said dully.

"fountainhead I didn ‘ t ask you."Rookwood hurried forward through the ministry, he had to slow down a instant later though as Harry shuffled along behind him."rushing up !"

"My feet are deceased. Your ropes were too tight."

"Just move."Rookwood walked back and grabbed Harry by the battlefront of his shirt. The dementors were still swirling by the ceiling, looking for victim. There were still a few left. Not enough to trouble over though. He stepped into out into the memory position, pulling his funnily compliant charge past the tank of brains. He stopped by the door to the demise bedchamber, there was the sound of go from within, someone holding out perhaps. He pushed the room access undetermined in time to see a whiz scrambling away from an inferi slip and downfall. The corpse-warrior grabbed the blubbering unnameable in it's unbendable grip and threw him away with insensate military capability. Screaming as he flew across the room, his scream was cut off as he fell through the archway in the center. The mantle ruffled for a moment, then went still again.

Rookwood hid a shudder, he was never entirely well-to-do with the execution hepatic portal vein. Harry watched from his side with dull eyes. What was legal injury with the boy ? Never psyche. Rookwood picked his way around the boundary of the room, giving the inferi a all-encompassing birth, and pushed open the door at the other side.

"wellspring Potter here we are."Rookwood gestured impressively at the depository financial institution of shelves in nominal head of them, each one with row upon row of tiny spheres."This is the hall of prophecy."

"These are vaticination ?"Harry sniffed disbelievingly as Rookwood dragged him along the line of shelves."They look like snow-globes."

"They are phonograph recording of prophecies, and they are the reason we are here."Rookwood glanced down at the boy he was dragging along."Did you know there was a prophecy made about you ?"

Harry didn't answer, but he sniffed again, his mouth twisting into a sneer.

"I assume that was a yes."Rookwood glanced up at the act on the ledge, yes this was it."The divination concerned you and the dark lord, you know that too ?"

Once again the boy stayed silent. Rookwood poked him in the back to set him walking up to where the prophecy was held.

"The dark lord is very tidal bore to get his hands on the prophecy. That prophecy."Rookwood pointed at the particular orb."And I will be the one to give it to him. My icing, you could say."

"What do you involve me for ?"Potter was staring at the orb with barely contained hatred. What was going on ? ... Never psyche, it wasn't important.

"Shall I tell you something about the vaticination of the section of mysteries ? They are keyed, protected. Only sealed people can abstract them from where they lie. Namely the multitude they have been made about. So the only multitude who can take this prophecy are the dark lord, and you. ``

ceramist stared at the orb for a moment longer, the words sinking into him. Then he threw his head back and laughed, laughed so arduous his middle ran with tears. It was a chemical reaction Rookwood had not expected. Laughter, but not in jest, not in joy. This was a sulphurous laugh, total of wickedness. What was going on ?

'' So that 's it is it ? '' Harry choked out, his dead middle still glistening."What a bitter joke"

"What ?"Rookwood shook his head.

"And if someone else grabs one ?"Harry reached out his hand."What happens then ?"

"If they are very lucky they might get out with only Major injuries."Rookwood answered confusedly."But in all likelihood ? They would die. Screaming."

"Really ?"The Potter boy's hand hovered over the purl Methedrine."To hell with it."His fingerbreadth closed around the orb.
*


Minerva screamed as she threw her patronus against the grew rampart before her, knowing it was too latterly. The dementors scattered but a lifeless organic structure fell from their clutch bag. An auror. Subjected to the kiss.

Minerva shuddered, she only hoped it had been quick. She spun as common cold mitt grabbed her from behind, crushing her with insensate intensity. The breath fled from her lungs and she felt ribs crack. In desperation she transformed and dashed away on four feet, spinning and changing back to plant a fireball in the breast of the inferi that had held her. As soon as it was gone another took it's place.

They were overrun, there were too many !

"Help me ! Oh god help me !"A figure ran from out of the madness, his green bowler still clutched in his script."Please !"

"Get out of here you fool !"McGonagall shoved Fudge away. She could not address with him. Her eyes searched through the scrambling people for the head of the order."Dumbledore ! Dumbledore we must pull back !"

She could not see him, she could not see anything. Despair was her just word of advice and she spun, a shining light throwing a dementor away that had been practically on her back. She didn't even know where they were anymore, near the courts possibly. Down in the oceanic abyss, no escape.

She heard a shriek from her left and sent a patronus wildly into the surging gang. The scream cut off sharply. Whether she had had any effect she did not recognize, she had to transform again to dance out of the way of a swooping dementor and snapped back to send another shining light to hold them back again. But her body was sap, her wand arm tired.

decomposition flesh filled her nostrils and she tried to bring in her baton around. Too slowly. The dead fist crunched into the side of her top dog and she fell. She brought her wand up and blew the dead build to shards, profligate already dripping into her eyes. They needed assistance, and there was no one to collapse it.

No one.
*


The orb came complimentary in Potter's script, it's faint radiance shining through his fingertips. Rookwood felt his heart leap, but the thrower boy was staring at the vaticination like it was a live snake.

"commodity, good. Now give it to me !"Rookwood demanded, but the boy didn't move.

"Not possible."Harry shook his head."Saw the body ..."The consistence ? He wasn't making any sense.

"Just sacrifice me the bloody orb !"Rookwood made to grab it but ceramicist slipped away.

"It ‘ s not ... It ‘ s not ... Can ‘ t."Suddenly the white luminance faltered. A chintzy whine filled the air, like grinding gears. Harry held up his deal, slowly uncurling his digit. In the middle of the Edward Douglas White Jr. a flyspeck spike of wickedness was growing, like ink in milk. The blackness grew until it covered the whole inside of the orb, it was no long shining glass but a round orb of obsidian. The whine grew in the air, biting into his auricle. Suddenly there was a fizzing crackle and ceramicist yelped in pain in the neck, spilling the prophecy onto the floor. Rookwood cried out, it would cave in for indisputable ! But when the orb struck the ground it squelched, spreading out like clay. bullet rose from the blackened glass.

Rookwood incline forwards and held his hand out over it. The high temperature was unendurable this finish and he had to shy back. The vaticination had melted. Melted into a steaming pool on the floor.

The ceramist boy ... he did this !

"What did you do ?"Rookwood snarled. Potter backed away, his hands held up.

"Not me, Dumbledore. He must accept switched them."

"Dumbledore could not get touched the prophecy !"

"He could if it was already played out."potter glanced at the muck on the floor."A trap, or else his phantasy on me step in somehow."

"You speak madness."Rookwood reached out to seize the boy but just as he did so the solid ground shook, throwing them both off their feet."What the underworld is that ?"

"He ‘ s come."The thrower boy was staring through the ceiling like a lunatic, his face again an empty mask of horror."He ‘ s come."
*


Suddenly the dementors went still, floating off their foe to vibrate by the ceiling. The silence broken only be the groaning of the wounded. Minerva 's eyes found the entrance to the ski tow, it 's mesh orifice in a grating clang. Stepping out into the corridor, Negro robes floating behind him and a hired hand curled in a undulation to the puppet swirling above, was the dark master himself. Minerva felt her heart jumping to her throat. She glanced around, the society was in tag. Only Dumbledore stood marvellous, the rest period of them were covered in blood and shaking from the exertion of the conflict. There was no force-out here to stop a nighttime lord, no force at all.

Voldermort's eyes found a quivering lump on the story and he smiled. Ignoring Dumbledore the nighttime lord crooked a fingerbreadth, pulling the figure to his feet. The green bowler was gone, but the blanch build remained.

"Ah, Cornelius."Voldemort chuckled."Remember back when you used to bid me up to your federal agency for tea ? Back when you were just a department head and I, just a innocent boy. Oh how far we ‘ ve come."

"Please ..."Fudge whimpered."Please don ‘ t hurt me."

"Hurt you Cornelius ? But why would I necessitate to ?"Voldemort gestured to the ceiling."Even as I speak the rest of your ministry has already been overrun. The ministry you so roll in the hay is a nest of individual sucking shade. Why would I need to spite you ? I already have everything I wanted from you."

"Tom,"Dumbledore's interpreter spoke out subdued in the shadow."You can not possibly think I will let this endure ?"

"No old man, I do not."Voldemort flicked his scepter towards the headmaster. Fudge dropped to the floor and scampered away down the corridor."I think you will do as you have always done. Stand bravely in the case of the tide, and be swept under."

"Tom I shall-"

"No !"Voldemort cut the headmaster off with a acuate word."I have grown tired of you."Voldemort raised his hand and the Dementors fell like hunting mortarboard. Minerva was forced to fight for her life against the grey hoard, spinning around her like a vortex of death. And in heartbeat of light beyond that vortex she could see Dumbledore rushing towards his foe, his wand out like a sword.

Minerva tried to cut her way forward. Tried to get to them, to help. But the puppy love was too great. An inferi had her arm in it's vice like grip and she blew it off with flaming. Another took it's place too quickly. Far too quickly. There was a gouty arthritis of purpleness light that cut through the air, momentarily beating back the dementors. Through the gap she could see the dueling wizards in the center of all this, Dumbledore raising the very Stone of the floor in a bulwark against the wickedness noble, but it was blasted to shreds just as quickly. Dumbledore was driven to his knees.

Minerva dashed towards him but the grey masses closed between them. She cast another patronus before her but it was absorbed almost immediately. She felt an arm grip hers and spun to cauterize it off before she recognized the face.

"Remus !"She moved back to endorse with the loup-garou, spinning her patronus into a circle around them."We need to get to them !"

"It is too late for that !"He shouted back.

"Then what do you declare oneself !"

"We die."Lupin delivered that last in a flavourless growl."We are finished."

"We are not !"Minerva tried to throw another patronus but the despair was sinking in and it faltered as Andrew Dickson White mist, easily brushed aside by the specter. Suddenly there was a burst of tearing noise, breaking the flagstones and making the sleeping room milkshake with it's military unit. As it died there a flash of red Light Within and a high cruel laugh.

"That is the trump you could do ?"The articulation of Voldemort was unmistakable."I win old man."

The dementors parted for a moment, like clouds in malarky. The dark Lord stood over the sprawled form of the Headmaster, his boot on Dumbeldore's neck. Minerva felt despair that had null to do with the dementors. She let her wand mitt drop to her side. They had lost. It was all over.

"Expecto Patronum !"A chorus of hard interpreter cried the spell and the elbow room was filled with a wall of light. Minerva watched as a charging white-hot king of beasts crashed into the massed var. before her, a snarling wolf running at it's heels.

"You ! Traitor !"Voldemort had his wand drawn and had spun to face the lift. Minerva turned to depend but saw just one figure standing there, his arms crossed in arrogant casualness.

"Step away from the Headmaster."Snape had his wand drawn and flicked it down towards the dark Lord."I have not seen eye to eye with him of late but it would be a pity if he died."

"I will kill you !"Voldemort surged forward and Snape's wand stabbed forward. There was a flashgun of light and Snape was thrown backwards. He stumbled and pushed himself up, driving a savage blow of freeze out lead at the dark lord.

Minerva dashed forward to help him but once again found a hand gripping her arm.

"Minerva !"A head appeared out of nowhere as a cloak was thrown back. Natalie Zhao ? What in pigeon hawk's name ?"Minerva the scholarly person can ‘ t keep them back forever and sooner or later Voldemort ‘ s going to question where those other patronus came from."

"The students ?"

"The marauders."Natalie snapped."Now come on !"

"But Snape-"

"Is holding him back !"The indefinable grabbed a prone physique on the story."Now order your hoi polloi to fall back before everyone else is dead !"
*


The boy who had been Harry didn't know where he was. There had been a mad dash away from Rookwood, screaming and dashing through the mix-up of battle, then there had been some stairs, then a corridor ... The sounds of battle were everywhere, coming out of the paries. He had just kept running., unable to do anything else. His tenderness raced beyond what any homo exertion should sustain forced it to. His mind was clean, a dead weight. Today had been a lifetime.

The shattering interference of a spell exploded from the left and he dashed away like a rat. He had to get out.

"ejaculate on saltation with me you mangled bitch !"Michelson came into persuasion down a long hall, throwing bolts of lightning at Bellatrix and laughing like a madman.

He had to get out. He dashed into a stairway and almost tripped over a eubstance on the floor. Pink hair, auror ‘ s robes. Oh no ...

He crouched down on the base, his finger's breadth going to Tonk's neck on instinct. He did not really expect to witness anything, her peel was blanch and ...

She had a pulse.

The nameless boy had to shield her organic structure as a shining laser of something cut through the wall above them. The duel was raging just on the other side of the paries. She wouldn't have a pulse for long if he left her here.

So long ... His mastermind was grayish sludge, he just wanted to shut down. He had no wand and his muscles were pee. They would never contact base hit anyway, this stead was a warzone. But on the other hand ... Tonks.

Putting a bore articulatio humeri under her arm, he lifted her up.



recapitulation and you will grow fairy wings that will let you fly.


Due to other commitments my postings may get a trivial advance apart for a piece. Sorry everybody.



Snape let himself down tiredly on the bound of the jet of magical brethren. Every ivory ached and his arm was tied up to his physical structure in a sling. There was no time for healing yet though, no clip at all.

"Stay back. !"Natalie was shouting calmly ( a tough compounding to master ), raising her hands to the crowd of ministry subsister."Just stay there and the healers will get to you ! And you get out of here !"The last was directed to a daily prophet reporter furiously scratching away at a notebook computer.

The other slope of the manor hall, back behind the open fireplace, a line of layer were set up for triage. From where he sat Snape could see Elizabeth heath lying sedated, her hand clutched by her constant associate Vanessa. She would be alright though, a little cold and quiet for weeks to get along and likely not ever wanting to play a dementor again but she would live. Oh to feature just one of them back in his house, or any of the predator. They had fought like tigers, like attack dogs with wands.

One of the doors slammed unfold and Markus stepped out angrily. His robes were mostly burnt off and he had blood running down the incline of his chest but he seemed unaware of these little details.

"She got away."The massive necromancer reached the edge of the fountain and plunged his promontory under the control surface. A moment later he lifted it up and pushed his wet hair out of his eyes."Bellatrix."

"The marauders told me you had gone after her."

"She reached one of their bloody tunnels."Markus grated."Fought her all the way down it but when she got beyond the wards she disapparated."

"Then she is out of the fight at least."Snape nodded, he would fill any triumph he could get."Forneus is in detention and Rookwood is numbered among the dead."

"So I'm the only one who missed his mark."Markus shook nebulizer of water out of his pilus."Sorry mate."

"Bella has Thomas More liveliness than a cat, do not call up any Thomas More of it."

"You say that but ... I 'm not used to failing, never done it before. '' Marcus shed his ruined gown and dumped it carelessly on the level before glancing around at the mix-up. `` What ‘ s happening here ? Did we get everybody out ?"

"We have taken back almost of the ministry. I believe all of the piranha deserve Os"

'' They deserve crashing medal ! ``

'' Yes but I can not give them medals. You however can give them Os. '' Snape smiled a fain grin and saw it returned tolerant. He gestured towards the lift with his good arm."Voldemort holds the department of mystery. Or to put it another way he is trapped there. He has placed a Barbara Ward on the face lifting and on all staircases."

"I can break through."Michelson nodded arrogantly. `` throw me five minute of arc. ``

"I doubt that you could do it in five or five hundred."Snape shook his head."I know that Aaron Montgomery Ward. There is only one way to get through it, and that is with a dark mark on your arm."

"wellspring then you can-"A. A. Michelson cut off as Snape pulled up his sleeve to reveal the newly cut skin."Oh."

"Yes, and it ‘ s sorry than that."Snape bowed his head."He has hostages down there, order members and unspeakables who survived."

"How many ?"

"Ten, we think."Snape glanced up to meet Markus'eyes."Including lupin ... and Dumbledore."

"Mother of god."Michelson slammed his fist into his palm."So it ‘ s a stalemate ?"

"For now, until he makes his motion. He can not await forever."Snape felt a small tingle run through him. Whatever the dark nobleman's move would be it would be the death of at to the lowest degree some of those hostage. Probably all.

'' What the ... '' Suddenly Albert Abraham Michelson was on his groundwork, an expression of stupor on his face. `` Falco columbarius 's ... Harry ? ``

A mo later Snape saw what he had seen. Out of a passageway Harry was stumbling, a prone body weighing him down and his case a grey masque. He did n't look up, did n't recognise anything, just stepped directly to the nearest bed and lay his gist down bedside a shocked healer. Snape rushed forward and saw marauders stand in every corner of the room, running towards the unexpected sight of their leader.

'' Harry. '' Draco came to a stop just in front Harry. `` Harry what are you doing he- ''

'' Tonks is hurt. '' Harry broke in. `` You should try to search after her, she 's your cousin. ``

'' Harry are you all right ? '' Hermione reached out to concern him but he flinched away. `` What is it Harry ? ``

'' I 'm fine. '' Harry was almost curling up under their stares, hugging his arms close to his chest.

'' Are you hurt ? '' Padma asked. `` The healer could loo- ''

'' I said I 'm fine. Just ... go away. ``

'' How did you get out of the infirmary ? ``

'' Where 's your baton ? ``

'' Shut up. ``

'' How did you get to the ministry ? ``

'' I SAID SHUT UP ! '' Harry yelled angrily. As the marauders shied back there was a blast of heating system from behind them. Snape spun around in time to see the fountain of magical brethren go red hot and begin melting, dissolving into the water with a hiss. But the amber was not disappearing, it was staying there in the water, mixing with the piddle. Harry forgotten, Snape stepped forward as the surviving monastic order members, ministry workers and vulture surrounded the pool of gold.

It was like a mirror, shining with yellow twinkle up to the ceiling. As they watched it faded to silver, then to grey, then finally to pure Andrew Dickson White. The white resolved into condition, colours bloomed out of the pure light. As the shapes coalesced Snape heard a screeching from soul on the former side of the pool and almost felt like following suit.

In the pool, rippling on the Earth's surface of the liquid state, was an image of lord Voldemort. He was standing in what was clearly the department of mysteries. The wand in his hand was long and wan, it was not the one Snape was used to seeing him use. It was unmistakably Dumbledore 's wand. Behind the wickedness God Almighty, lined up and chained together, were ten wizards. Though the picture was faded and the colours ran together Snape could easily recognize the two on the end. Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.

The Voldemort epitome turned towards them and spoke, his vox sounding deep and echoic like it was coming from the bottom of a well.

'' Good wizards of the ministry, '' The wickedness lord greeted amicably. `` appendage of the rescript of the capital of Arizona and the salutary child. What you are seeing is the inside of the department of mysteries, where all the great closed book are hidden. All the deepest magic of the ministry is within these walls, all controlled by me. ``

'' He 's lying. '' Natalie assured the panicking wizards around her. `` There 's zero down there he could use. ``

'' And look at my Quaker here, '' Voldemort gestured out over his prisoner. `` They all fought. They all failed, such is the cost of defying Creator Voldemort. '' He took a big money of wands out of his pocket and hovered it into the air. With a gout of flame they burnt into ash. `` Such is the price ... And look who we have here ... '' Voldemort crooked a finger and Fudge was dragged forward, his bonds separating from the others. He came to a stop by the nighttime lord 's base and looked up with pained eyes.

'' Are you going to ... to vote out me ? '' Fudge stuttered out.

'' Yes. '' Voldemort answered simply.

'' But but ... I. ``

'' I am going to obliterate you you miserable petty man, whatever you say. ``

'' Then ... then. '' Fudge seemed to breath a piddling easier. `` Do you remember when I used to invite you up for tea ? Back when I was ... I was a section hear and you were ... you were younger. ``

'' Yes ? ``

'' Well I spat in your tea. '' Fudge shuddered out through gritted teeth. `` Every time. Even back then you were a creepy slight freak. ``

'' You ... '' Voldemort seemed to grow in menace, his eyes blazing. `` Why do you tell me this ? Surely you know it is superfluous ! ``

'' My ... my dear boy. '' Fudge stuttered, his heart still to the flooring. `` Defiance ... is never p ... p ... pointless. ``

'' Avada Kedavra ! ``

Green light filled the pocket billiards of water and for a moment none of them could see anything. Snape felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest. The spark cleared in sentence for them too see the dark overlord savagely kicking the minister 's body to the side and stabbing his wand towards Dumbledore. The headmaster was thrown forward roughly.

Snape swallowed worriedly. The dark nobleman was showing them this to demonstrate his index but Fudge had openly defied him. Voldemort would be enraged.

'' Well old man ! '' Voldemort stabbed his sceptre down at Dumbledore, a bolt of electricity charring a cakehole in the Headmaster 's robe. `` Do you not have something to say ? Some go word before I take your life. ``

Dumbledore just stayed tacit. It was only from the light rise and fall of his chest that Snape could state he was still alive.

'' Speak Albus ! ... Crucio ! '' Voldemort held the headmaster in the throws of the straining whammy for a few moments before releasing him. `` You will speak ! There has been too much between us, you have been my enemy for too foresightful for me to let you end it this way. You will receipt that I have won, you will say it ! You will acknowledge this victory in some way before I kill you with your own wand ! ``

Dumbledore did n't even seem at the dark lord. In a rage Voldemort slashed his wand through the air, dragging Dumbledore to his feet.

'' You will speak ! '' The snake in the grass like face was set with barbarous anger. `` You will mouth before you die ! ``

'' I ... '' Dumbledore wet his lip and tried again. `` I am make to die. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I am gear up ... '' Dumbledore closed his eyes. `` I am make to die for everything I have done. Those are my last words, the but ones you will get. shoot down me. ``

'' You ... Cruci ... '' Voldemort raised his verge to form the curse but let it die on his lips. Snape could almost see him dragging his emotions back under control. `` But of course, how could I traverse a in conclusion postulation. Avada Kedavra ! ``

It was as if time froze. The pond exploded with green light again and Snape's throat closed, every muscle tensing. The other watchers around the pool held their custody to their faces, or shook there head word ... they would not consider it. The green sparkle faded and the consistence of Albus Dumbledore dropped to the ground. It crumpled like a theme napkin, his beard trailing onto the floor like a rag.

So fell Albus Dumbledore. Snape felt a lowly manus worm into his. Natalie 's hand. He did n't know whether she was offering comfort or asking for it. Perhaps both.

'' Here dies Albus Dumbledore. '' Voldemort laughed. `` A fool to the end, and in the end a dashing hopes. So there you are, two hostage suddenly. I have eight left and all will die if you do not pay me what I want. I want Harry potter. Bring him to me in one half-hour or I will wipe out another, perhaps the loup-garou. I am surely no one will neglect him. But if any of you wish to see these wizards alive, then you know what you must do. Bring. Me. Harry. Potter ! ``

The pool went grim and Snape stepped back. All around him people seemed to be going mad, crying and shouting to one another in disarray. His middle were only trying to encounter one form. Harry thrower. He swept the crowd. Nothing.

Snape turned to the entering in clip to see the doors snap shut.
*


The nameless boy crashed out of the phone box and dashed away, his feet slipping on the wet pavement. Rain splattered against his aspect as he ran out into the streets. He did n't even know why he was running, just that he had to get away. All of them would look to him, would reckon at him and anticipate to see Harry thrower. Expect to see their savior, when all there was was a fraud. He dashed past the hoi polloi in the street, some of them turning to look at his odd clothing and panic construction, but he was running too fast and they were left behind.

He heedlessly ran into the road and heard the screech of breakout. He prayed that one of the railcar would hit him. His metrical unit would not hold back moving and the sound of hooter was left behind. His magic eye painted the world in shimmering curtain of fantasm, distorted by the raindrops settling on it 's surface. He pushed past a man in a suit of clothes and heard the man yell. He could n't kibosh track. Had to get away. But what he was running from could not be escaped. He was running from realness. The rain ran like a river. Roaring like the river.

Finally, with his marrow licking like a jack-hammer, he collapsed on the cold, wet sidewalk. He lay there, his feet still twitching, and breathed. He had collapsed in an alleyway, dark and dirty. delay ...

He turned to lie on his backrest as his magic eye swivelled around, taking in every detail. He had been here before ... This was the alley where it all started, where Hagrid had caught him so many years ago. There was the drainpipe he had climbed ... the roof he had hid ... He had come a to the full circle, entirely.

Heedless of the driving rain he opened his back talk and laughed. Laughed in vestal tartness. If only he had never stopped here, had never been caught, had never gone to Hogwarts. Then he would never have known, would never possess known any of this. He would have been able to keep on being Harry thrower. He felt tears running down his face and mingling with the rain, freezing him to the bone.

But there was affectionateness. A little full stop of heating at his chest. He dug his hand into his shirt and slowly drew it out.

His pendent. Pythea's pendent. Worn so long he had almost forgotten it was there. But now it was glowing like a star, so bright beneath the gray sky. He knelt and held it cupped in both hands, staring at it in admiration as a silverish mist swirled out from the dot. It pooled in his custody, swirling and sifting. Slowly the sparkling liquid rose, shaped and colored and separated until two eyeball hung in the air by his hired man. One of burnished gold, the former pure white.

'' Harry ... ''

The white orb shifted, moved and expanded. It shaped into a figure, every curve ball glowing with igniter, every flowing line of credit of her unadulterated white attire and her porcelain skin.

'' Thea ... '' He breathed.

'' Harry I wish I could have come sooner. '' Thea stepped forward and encased his handwriting in hers.

'' Another illusion- ''

'' No. '' Pythea shook her heading. `` This is no deception. This is really me talking, from Greece. I thought you might need my help. ``

'' Your ... aid ? ``

'' You 're lost. Lost in the woods. '' Thea smiled faintly. The golden orb was still circling her, pulsing faintly. `` And I am the prophesier. I thought you might need a scout out. That was why I gave you this all those years ago, to help you bump your way. In your darkest hour. You need to discover your way again Harry, or else were all doomed. ``

'' Thea, '' The boy ducked his head, his eye squeezing shut. `` I 'm not who you think I am. I 'm not the one you were trying to avail, not the Chosen one. I 'm not- ''

'' I know who you are. '' Pythea said simply.

'' You ... you do ? But then why ? ``

'' Harry did you think I was helping you all these old age because you were the chosen one ? '' Thea laughed lightly, her crystal voice filling the nihility between the buildings with joy. `` I was n't helping you because you were Harry thrower I was helping you because you were you. ``

'' Do n't promise me that. Do n't call me Harry. ``

'' It 's your name if you want it to be. Or chose another epithet. '' Pythea smiled. `` When I first met you you were calling yourself seaman. ``

'' Stop. '' Too painful. storage of pleasant clip,

'' I will not stop. I will never stop trying to facilitate you. I knew the here and now I met you that you were n't the choose one. I mean delight Harry, I 'm the schoolma'am of divination. Did you honestly think for a present moment that I would miss a thing like that ? I saw who you were. I also saw that, in a world without Leslie Townes Hope, you were the only shining chance. ``

'' You ... you saw something about me ? My future ? ``

'' I saw nothing about your futurity. I saw everything about you. '' Pythea knelt to meet him eye to eye. `` I saw you a brave and true soul who would fight down for this world even if the entire domain was against him. I saw someone who could get struck down a thousand times and would still pluck himself up. I saw that the darkness lord would rise and I hoped ... I did n't do it but I hoped that you would never warp before him. With the humankind in peril and the future uncertain I took the best chance the world had. I took a prospect on you. In a time of complete despair, I trusted you. ``

'' But, I ca n't fight anymore. '' The boy dropped his eyes. `` I just ... I just feel empty. You do n't know what it 's like to receive person walk up to you and abduct your entire liveliness, everything you believe, right out from under you. ``

'' I do. '' Pythea replied simply.

"Really ?"Harry swallowed."Wh ... what did you do ?"

"I gave him a necklace."Pythea smiled. `` But I do n't expect you to accept what you have to do from me, which is why I brought him. '' Pythea gestured up to the golden sphere. `` You've carried this necklace close to your heart for almost four old age now. I think it's prison term you saw what's inside. Do n't die Harry, please do n't die. I 'll see you soon. '' She faded into nothing, leaving just the favourable orb left. As soon as she was gone it began stretching and shaping.

'' Um what do I do ? '' An unsure vocalism came from the growing cloud of mist. `` I just speak into it ? ``

The shape resolved into a figure. His yearn robe were buttoned tightly and long arm, rolled up now to establish his implements of war. Those robe were intimate. Tonks had worn them net twelvemonth, auror trainee gown. The expression remained foggy for a moment More then coalesced, becoming a firm model in golden light, right down to the endure tousled hair.

The boy who had been Harry 's mouthpiece fell open in shock. He was looking up into his own face. No ... no there were departure. The jaw was more luff, sharper, the eye closer together. He did n't have a scar on his neck, nor a sullen mark on his arm. He looked onetime too, at to the lowest degree two years if he was an aurors apprentice. God ... was it possible ? Was this ... Harry Potter ?

'' I do n't quite understand this. '' The ghostly golden human body said. `` Your supporter, Pythea, she says that you 're in a different human race or ... or dimension or something. A different fourth dimension too. I do n't quiet understand it, need Hermione for that sort of thing. ``

'' So do I ... '' A grumble rustling. Disbelief.

'' Your friend says I wo n't remember recording this, wo n't recollect any of it. '' The bod was just staring into space as it spoke. Apparently this one was a true transcription. `` But if ... if I understand what she 's explained to me then your world is very different from mine. For one thing ... I 'm not in it. I died. ``

The golden Harry glanced to the trading floor, shaking his head.

'' I wish I knew why but ... your friend wo n't tell apart me. Something about lessening the preventive as much as possible. There are other things I wish I could narrate you, matter you really should be intimate about- '' The recording skewed like still for a moment then continued. `` But apparently I 'm not allowed to say them either. All she 's told me is that you, you were told you were me. Until very recently you thought you were me ... or will. The time thing is really confusing me. I 'm recording this in my future, to be given to you in your past, to play in your pose. Apparently Pythea thinks that maybe I can say something to you .... maybe explain ... I do n't know. I do n't bed what I 'm saying. I ca n't guess what you 're going through. It 's like ... It 's like you 're an orphan all over again. Except this time it 's regretful because you know you had a past it 's just been taken. I know you must feel like crawling into a kettle of fish and dying, I 've felt like that. When my godfather died I ... but that 's not the Lapplander really. I do n't fuck what I 'm saying. ``

The ghostly figure began pacing up and down.

'' I do n't be intimate what I 'm supposed to say to you. '' The Harry stopped pacing and spread his work force. `` Except that, that it gets better. I 've been through and through thing as bad as you, and I 'm probably the only person you 'll ever cope with that can say that. Your friend says that, since I 'm dead in your world, the job of fighting Voldemort falls to you. I ca n't say it'going to be soft, but you know that. In fact I ca n't remember of anything that I could say to carry you to convey the job. Except that you have to. The world depends on it. And I know that the humankind has n't done you any favour. Maybe right now you feel like you 'd rather let the world be destroyed for everything it 's done to you. I do n't know what I can say to win over you that 's not true except for two thing. One, it gets better. It really, really does. Eventually. And two ... ''

The shadow chassis licked it 's lips.

'' Do you know how many regularisation are broken by this kind of inter-dimensional passage ? Certain commonwealth still have the death punishment for messing around in parallel worlds. Just getting here, the effort it must have taken. The hazard your Quaker has taken just to get this message to you .... I guess what I 'm saying is that even if the entire respite of the world is hell right now you 've got one someone who 's willing to run a risk everything for you. Risk her liveliness. So if nothing else ... fight for her. ``

The name faded. It 's eyes lasted the longest, staring out into the rainwater, then they too were gone and the alley was dark again. The boy on the priming coat stood, slowly and with aid, but he stood.

'' Wow ... '' He said softly. `` What a dork. ``

He chuckled to himself, the laughter building. His hands went to his abdomen as he threw his head back and laughed, the rainfall trickling down his face. That was Harry ceramicist was it ? Git. I mean who talks like that ? Screw him. Screw the excessively dramatic, hesitant bastard. If that childish gimboid can pull through the public I sure as hell can.

He pushed his pelting soaked hair's-breadth out of his eyes. It was like the void was, somehow tell. It was still there, the gaping vacancy, it was just that all the important parts of him, the things that made him who he was, were outside it. He settled the little eggshell necklace back around his neck. Just a shell now, it's conjuration gone. But not wearing it was unthinkable. It was part of him, the real him, and he needed it back. Especially since he intended to foot the biggest fight of his life.

He needed a plan though .... and if he was going to subsist a fight with the greatest colored wiz in the humans it would need to be a bloody good plan. Or a bloody insane one. Let's see, he had no advantages. Voldemort held all the cards. Voldemort could belt down him without thinking. And Voldemort had surety. On the early bridge player Voldemort was alone, he had no death eater, no wickedness creatures, no servants.

Whatever plan he came up with it would come down to just the two of them. A clean battle. Which he would lose.

So make it an unjust fight.

His brim curled into a smiling. There it was, there was the idea. A Harry Potter plan.

Smiling, he walked out of the alley. He picked up his yard and he reached the street, how much of his half minute was gone ? He had lost all cut of time. He broke into a run. He knew he should go faster but he would help no one if he was to jade to oppose. It seemed an age until the phone box came into view, sticking up out of the street. Harry got in, then pressed the code on the receiver.

"Welcome to the ministry of magic. Please state your figure and business."The phone said flatly.

"Harry Potter."Said Harry smiling."I ‘ m here to lay aside the world."

The automobile apparently took him a little too literally as ...
Harry ceramicist
Messiah


... Clattered into the hop-picker. Harry didn't bother to find fault it up. If he didn't know who he was now no badge was gon na say him. He dissilusioned himself before the room access slid open again and stepped out into the ministry foyer. There was a level of organized topsy-turvydom and another swelled horizontal surface of disorganized chaos. Harry ignored it and his magic trick eye picked out the predator. The were all clustered in one post. Harry wandered over to them and quietly said,

"Don ‘ t relocation. Don ‘ t give them and sign you ‘ re hearing me. Just ejaculate over here behind that chimney where we can ‘ t be seen."

The predator's stiffened, but to their quotation none of them gave the biz away. Harry followed them as they slowly rose and nonchalantly wandered behind the massive fireplace. Once they were all behind Harry dropped his deception and smiled at his friends.

"Hi guys. I ‘ m back."

"Harry are you ..."Hermione began, then paused."Are you ... feeling better ?"

"I ‘ m sorry for yelling at you, at all of you. And yes I ‘ m ... I ‘ m better."The evacuate post in his bureau begged to differ but he ignored it."I ‘ m opinion .... I ‘ m better."

"Harry what did Dumbledore say to-"Padma began but Harry cut her off.

"There ‘ s no clip, how much prison term we got until the first surety goes ?"

"Five minutes."Draco pointed at the clock.

"Good that ... that might be enough."

"You ‘ re going to struggle him aren ‘ t you ?"Neville asked in a small vocalism."You ‘ re going down to fight him."

"Yes."Harry nodded, and there was a sudden consumption of breath from the predator."But I have a plan ! Seriously guy rope, it ‘ s ok. I have a plan."

"Do you recall how badly some of your other plans have gone ?"Padma asked dryly.

"Oh please, you know I blank those from my memory."Harry grinned."Anyway I need three things. matter I need your assistance with."

"You got it Harry."Ginny went into severe modal value."Whatever you need."

"well firstly I ‘ ll need a wand."Harry bit his lip."And I can ‘ t guarantee you ‘ ll get it back."

A timberland of hands were stretched out towards him. Every bingle wand. Harry picked one at random and tried a dewy-eyed charm. It was stuttery and faint. No honorable. He picked another and almost set his hair on fire. The third the spell came out right but the baton felt weird. The quarter ... Harry did first one spell then another ... then another ... they all came out perfect. His centre came up to assemble Malfoy's grey ones.

"Keep it."The Slytherin boy nodded."I can afford a new one."

"Thank you."Harry pocketed the wand."The arcsecond matter I need is healing. Just a quick refresher. I ‘ m to weary and roll in the hay up to agitate like this."

"Here."Ginny drew a bottle out of her robes."I swiped it from the triage center. I thought you might demand it if you came back."

Harry took the bottle with a grin and tipped it back into his rima oris. The warm chocolaty liquid seemed to drain into every aching muscular tissue and off-white, making him palpate like he was well rested and healthy rather than at the sharpness of weariness.

"And thirdly we need to make something."Harry handed the nursing bottle back."It ‘ ll be guileful but if I handle the good luck charm and someone else does the transfig we should be capable to manage it. Oh ! And I ‘ ve idea of a fourth thing. I ‘ ll need a distraction."
*


"Here ! facial expression !"Snape was shocked out of his thoughts by the yell. His middle found the source in the young Weasley child, crouched down by the fountain. Ginny was furiously jabbing at the pool, waving him over. `` It 's going clear-cut again. I can see something ! '' Snape dashed over, staring down into the inky iniquity. He could see nothing.

'' Where ? '' Snape asked hurriedly.

'' There, there by the recession. ``

'' I see nothing. ``

'' flavour. ``

'' girl Weasley there is zero there. ``

'' There was ! ``

'' There is not now- '' Snape 's eyes flickered up to fit those of his student. A flicker of memory twitched behind those optic. He pushed ... No ! Snape spun and dashed to the lift, but the grating was already slamming shut. Snape came crashing up against the Montgomery Ward. The magical barrier sparking against his skin like unchanging. He could n't get through. Before his optic the dissilusionment fell and Harry thrower was standing there, looking back at him. Snape felt citizenry crowding all around, murmuring, speaking, crying. All pressed up to one slope of the barrier, and on the other ... just Harry.

'' Harry, please. '' Snape held his handwriting out to the wall of the cellblock. `` Do n't do this. ``

'' Eight people. '' The kid shrugged. `` VIII people or me. Choice is pretty obvious. ``

'' Foolish boy. You do n't have to do this. ``

'' I know I do n't. '' Harry nodded, a faint smile on his case. `` I 'm doing it anyway. like me fate. ``

The face lift started down. Snape held Harry 's eyes all the way till he was out of sight. Right at the end, just before he disappeared, Snape could have sworn he saw a wink.
*


The raise grate slid open and Harry stepped warily out into the corridor. The wreckage of conflict was everywhere, great nick gone from the bulwark and doors blown off their hinges. This was n't the section of secret yet though. Just the courtrooms. Harry 's eye whirled wildly as he picked his way around the wreckage. The door to the department came into view, a blank rectangle at the end of a long corridor. Harry could see nothing beyond the door, not even with his magic eye. Some sort of security must extend around the department of mysteries. For the sake of his plan he hoped it did n't continue inside the department too. Harry raised his wand to his neck and spoke the sonerous charm.

'' Tom Riddle ! '' Harry 's amplified vocalism shook the bricks in the paries. `` I 'm here. '' There was a import 's postponement, then.

'' Welcome Mr Potter. '' A similarly booming voice sounded down the hallway. `` I was not sure you would come. ``

'' Why would I stay away Tommy boy. We 're like old acquaintance. '' Harry was poised to run at any minute if this went wrong. `` You 've got eight people in there. Those citizenry deserve to get out, so lets make a bargain, gentleman 's understanding between friends. I go in. All of them go out. ``

"Those are the price I gave."Voldemort sounded amused.

Harry waited in silence for a instant ... then the threshold at the end of the corridor swung open. Grinning quietly to himself, Harry walked in. The scene was just as it had been reflected in the pool, the rail line of captive, the wreckage, and Voldemort standing in the nitty-gritty. The trunk of Fudge and Dumbledore were lying where they fell. The room was the circle room, the spinning room. Rookwood had taken him through it earlier. But it was n't spinning now, some of the doors had been knocked off their hinges and he could see into the suite beyond.

'' Seen everything you need to Mr thrower ? '' Voldemort asked icily. `` Taken in all the entropy ? ``

'' Yep, '' Harry replied chirpily. `` So ... the prisoners. ``

'' Of path. '' Voldemort gestured mildly. The chains on the prisoners crashed to the ground.

'' Go on Guy. '' Harry stood out of the way so they could get to the doors. `` Get out of here. '' Slowly, the prisoners began to mix towards the door.

"They ‘ ll be able to get out ?"Harry asked."Past the Mary Augusta Arnold Ward ?"

"In only stops hoi polloi from entering, not from leaving."

'' Ok, fine. Wait ! '' Harry held up a hired man, then pointed to Lupin and a mesomorphic looking auror. `` Fudge and Dumbledore, take them up with you. ``

lupine bent to cradle the organic structure of his teacher and lifted him up. As he passed Harry on the way out their eyes met. lupine leant down to Harry 's ear and whispered,

'' I hope he kills you. '' Harry had to laugh. Some matter did n't change.

As the last man trouped out Harry pushed the door shut and locked it. The heavy bolts sliding into place sounded like a hammer.

'' fountainhead Mr potter. '' Voldemort smiled like a Snake. `` It is down to just you and me. The kings in our little chess plot. The cat's-paw are gone, the rooks are taken. Now it is just down to you and me. ``

"Have you never even played chess game ?"Harry quirked an eyebrow."If all you have is the two kings that 's a stalemate snake face. You ca n't checkmate with one king."

"I was being metaphorical."

Harry rolled his centre and picked a solve space of story. He pointed his wand down.

'' calx. '' A glass line appeared on the floor. Harry drew his wand around in a rough rectangle then stepped back and measured his handiwork by eye. `` Tommy boy render me your opinion. Does that look like 14 human foot to you ? ``

'' What in pigeon hawk 's name are you doing ? ``

'' Well we have to have a duel. '' Harry shrugged. `` might as well do it by the Scripture. ``

'' A rule star 's affaire d'honneur ? '' Voldemort seemed almost make to chuckle. `` My my Mr Potter I can not tell you how refreshing it is to agitate against you and not Dumbledore. It is ... so gratifying to be surprised. ``

'' I am unpredictable. '' Harry shrugged and stepped up to the midsection of the rectangle. He put his wand into his sack and held his bridge player away from it to show he was n't touching it. `` But I believe that the future stride is to bow to one another. Like man. ``

'' This will be interesting. '' Voldemort smiled and stepped up to the dueling political program, similarly holstering his wand. `` I hope your supporter are enjoying this. ``

'' What are you ... '' Harry paused. `` Are they watching ? ``

'' Of course. ``

'' Hmm ... '' Harry grinned up at the ceiling. `` Hope you like this guys. It 's going to be one hell of a show. ``

'' Shall we get started ? '' Voldemort stepped up to the shopping centre of the rectangle and bowed. Harry bowed in spell, then stuck out his hand.

'' We part as ally. '' Harry smiled. Voldemort chuckled wryly and encircled Harry 's hand in his own. Harry pulled forward and hugged the blow out of the water dark lord. He released him quickly and laughed. `` Tom brain-teaser it 's been a pleasure, and an honor. ``

'' Surprising to the end. '' Voldemort murmured.

'' I believe it 's seven pace ? '' Harry turned and heard Voldemort do the same. `` One ... ''

'' Two ... ''

'' Three ... ''

'' Stupefy ! '' Harry whirled and jabbed his wand. The spell flared across the room. Just before it hit the dark lord seemed to waver and fade into mist. The magical spell passed right through his book binding and exploded in sparks against the rampart. Voldemort turned and rematerialized, a mocking sneer on his face,

'' Jumping the numeration Mr thrower ? That was your masterful plan ? ``

'' Worth a shot. ``

'' No, Mr potter. It was not. ``

'' squall me Harry. ``

'' I will not. '' Voldemort raised his wand. `` goodbye Mr potter. I wish you all the best in the next world. Avada Kedavra ! ``

Harry closed his eye and smiled as a New York minute of luminance filled the room.



inspection or the vicious chicken with the DEAD EYES that only I can see will kill me.


A lot of masses seem unhappy about my shop cliffhangers. Well it got you to review did n't it ?





The light snapped off and Harry opened his heart. Voldemort was staring down at the thing in his hand.

'' Hmm ... '' Harry frowned in mock disarray. `` Your baton appears to stimulate turned into a chicken. ``

The chicken managed to liberate itself and dropped to the floor. It took a facial expression at the two adept on either incline of it and wisely decided to be elsewhere. Squawking and flapping it scampered through an open door.

"Was it, meant to call on into a volaille ?"Harry tapped his Kuki thoughtfully."Is this some poultry version of the killing curse I was not previously aware of ? Is that a chicken of last ? Or perhaps ..."Harry's paw dipped into his pouch."Were you looking for ... this wand."

Voldemort's eye went wide.

"I mean for god ‘ s sake mate. Never let a pickpocket hug you."Harry chuckled."I mean that ‘ s just stupid."

The iniquity lord's hand twitched to his pocket.

"Oh expression !"Harry drew something else from his gown."And here ‘ s your other wand. How did that get in there ? Bet you ‘ re regretting incinerating all those other wand ‘ s now ain't cha ?"

"Potter you ..."Voldemort boiled with anger."You ... you ... you ..."

"Me. Me. Me."Harry grinned like a tiger."The moral of the story Tommy boy is this : Don ‘ t you EVER mess with a marauder because we can sink you. And we never lose."

"ceramicist I will-"

"Shut up."Harry stabbed his wand forward, keeping the other two safe in his left hired man."Shut your ugly murdering human face. Happy, polite, ‘ lets all be B.F.F.s ‘ sentence is officially over. Now is the metre for the other thing. The bloody hate filled battle that culminates with the violent death of you."

"You think you can win ?"Voldemort hissed out through clenched teeth."Even without a wand I am still the wickedness lord. I am still Sir Thomas More than a match for you."

"Evens the playing field a bit though doesn ‘ t it."Harry cracked his neck first to one English, then another."So come on snake face. Hit me. Hit me with your best shot."

The dark God Almighty hissed, his fingers clenching into pincer. Then a moment later he exploded into bullet, whisking away through an capable door. What the ? Harry 's magic eye focused through the wall, onto the floor in the next room. On the floor adjacent to a prone trunk was-

WAND !

Harry 's feet moved of their own accord and skidded across the floor to the door. His own wand lashed out.

'' Difindo ! '' The scepter on the storey snapped just as the cloud coalesced around it and but Harry was already moving again. His eye making rampart and room access meaningless. Another body, another scepter ! He felt the smoke behind him, catching up.

He rolled as it passed operating expense and snarled, `` Tempesto ! '' The cloud convulsed as malarky lashed through it but it stayed together, swirling and reforming like ink. Harry dashed along the floor and snapped the sceptre up from beside the bundle of robe that was all that was left of the dupe of an inferi. He skidded to a halt, his eye dancing madly to find any remaining wands ... nix in the prophecy room ...

The cloud circled, reeking of malice. Harry could almost feel Voldemort doing the same check that he was, using dark magic trick to find any remaining arm. The cloud contracted then shot away like a calamary. Harry was off and after it in a second, a arcsecond to a greater extent and his eye had found it's target. The death chamber, a scepter rolled into a crevice in the level. Harry pelted through the corridor, the grim smoke ahead of him. Too far ! Too quick !

Harry threw another crack ahead of him, kicking up shards of debris but the moment it reached the swarm it was squashed like a Gaul. The wind going flat in mid air. The sess disappeared under a door and Harry crashed through it a moment later. The wand ! Right there ! Voldemort reappeared with a thunderclap and jabbed his hand forward. The wand leapt from the floor and spun towards the nighttime lord. Harry aimed desperately,

"Ferio !"

There was a crack from the air and matchwood clattered on the floor. The darkness lord's hand snapped back like he'd been stung.

"That ‘ s the hold out of them snake-face."Harry panted. Keeping his verge trained on the dark lord he stepped down the footstep till he was next to the fluttering arch. He picked the three scepter he'd acquired out of his scoop and chucked them through the velum. The wickedness cloth fluttered for a mo, then went still."All scepter ‘ s out of gambol, except for my one. And the lonesome way you ‘ re getting that is to pry it from my cold dead hands."

"What an excellent suggestion Mr Potter."

Harry had just a moments warning before the orb of darkness flew from the iniquity lord's hand. Harry spun behind the archway and ducked down.

"Accio !"The judiciary behind Voldemort shot forward towards his caput. The night lord spun and shattered it with a hissed curse."Jupitall !"The ball-lightning hissed from Harry's baton and forced the dark lord to duck to the side. The orb exploded against the bulwark, filling the room with sparks. Voldemort spun and cried,

"Garta !"

Harry felt the flagstones beneath his human foot disappear and he plummeted into darkness. He jabbed his wand straight up.

"Hammus Missus !"chemical chain shot up and slammed into the ceiling far above."Rapellet !"The Chain felt like it jerked his arm out of its socket as it pulled him up into the lightness. As he shot from the ground like a bullet a globe of darkness flew towards him.

person not expecting it would have been hit. individual without a magic eye.

Harry kicked off the edge of the archway and swung out of the way. He let go of the chain of mountains and aimed at the dark figure below him.

"Avada Kedavra !"The greens light left him stunned but he landed like a cat on the side of the ill-use arena. The killing jinx blew a maw in the wall but Voldemort was dashing away, disappearing through a doorway."ejaculate back you slimy coward !"Harry was laughing with bloodlust and raced after him, his eye tracking him through the tangle of mansion house. Harry dashed back through the entrance hall and dead reckoning into a long way of desks. Voldemort's fleeing shadow was just visible at the former end.

"Avada Kedavra !"The nightmare curse sped through the wreckage but Voldemort spun and summoned a desk into it's path. The burst filled the air with emerald sparks. Three thunderbolt of lightning thundered through the plosion and Harry threw himself to the side. One of them grazed past his leg and he bit back a cry of painful sensation. A freezing charm numbed the burnt physical body as Harry furiously dashed after the iniquity overlord. As he skidded to a halt in the hall of vaticination the nighttime Maker disappeared. Harry furiously glanced one way then the other, but neither eye could piece up a suggestion. A wisp of rundle curled around one of the shelves, only to disappear a moment later. Harry cursed, the eye wasn't so respectable for incorporeal things. He slowly turned, letting his eyes sweep through the break between the shelves. Voldemort was in here somewhere. Harry closed the door and whispered a poisonous trap on anyone who tried to get through it. Voldemort wouldn't be able to crack it, some things required a wand.

Harry walked slowly out into the divination Granville Stanley Hall. The glass spheres had not escaped the carnage of the battle, many were left in glittering shard on the marble floor. The picayune snaps of methamphetamine hydrochloride cracked under his boots. Was that smoke ? Harry 's spunk hammered in his chest. Was that a-

powerhouse ! Harry spun and yelled,

'' Ferio ! '' The hex blasted into a spinning orb of flaming, exploding it in the air and throwing Harry backwards into a ledge. The woodwind instrument buckled and Harry fell through backwards in a pile of burning splinters. There was an ill creaking sound and Harry had to scramble to get out of the way of the collapsing shelves. Orbs of shining smoke bounced off his shoulders and shattered on the floor, their white gage spilling out and going inky black like swirl of midnight.

Harry 's eye swirled and he just caught a glimpse of the dark robed human body before he dissolved again. Harry picked himself up and held himself at preparedness. This was like a bloody gunfight, it was all about who was quicker to the draw. Unfortunately Voldemort did n't actually have to draw ... The air moved, Harry moved faster.

'' Symplegades ! '' Voldemort appeared out of nowhere but Harry had already cast his trance. The shelf crashed together as if drawn by magnet. The morose lord 's shadowy form was trapped between them. Before Harry could rove another spell the shelf exploded outwards, Voldemort stepping out wreathed in flaming. He raised his hands, about to go smoke again. Harry stabbed his wand out again.

'' Tartrate ! '' It was a untamed stab in the wickedness. The charm was used to pass water liquidness into jelly. Voldemort stumbled, his descriptor blurring a moment but not turning to smoke. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The dark Divine threw his mitt forward and a slab of the marble level was thrown into the air to catch the curse. Voldemort hissed and the attack behind him leapt up into a chromatography column of flame, curling and splitting into a radiance red snaked head. The serpent roared and bit forward, it 's teeth dripping with molten venom.

'' Excalabus ! '' Harry slashed through the burning at the stake apparition but his polishing sword slipped through it like body of water, leaving not a scratch. The Hydra impress forward like a viper and Harry dropped to the floor, his brow charring off his face. `` Ardor-Algidus ! '' Harry yelled the fire freezing charm and jump up into the hellfire lusus naturae. He stabbed his wand at the shadow beyond the inferno and yelled the killing whammy again. The redness flashed to green and Harry could see the dark noble 's aghast expression as he had to sidestep a turn from within his own creation.

Harry did n't establish him an inch, he threw himself forward, shot another whammy at his off balance opposition and found a cloud of black tongue flying in his face. He dropped to the trading floor and heard them clatter behind him. He threw himself to the side but the tongue jerked to follow him. He grabbed a board of shelf from the floor and spun it in front end of him, hearing the big thunk of the blades impacting the wood. Harry spun to confront the dark God Almighty and banished the knives towards him. Voldemort waved his hand distastefully and the knife melted into smoke.

The night lord was panting, breath hissing in and out through his lipless mouth.

'' You can not win. '' He hissed, ire and lordliness battling for hump in his phonation. `` You must actualise that YOU CAN NOT WIN ! ``

'' Shut. Up. Wanker. '' Harry gasped through heavy breaths.

'' You are just extending your suffering ! ``

'' Is n't that what life is all about ? '' Harry drew himself up, grinning. `` And besides- Ferio ! '' The spell caught the dark lord by surprise, smacking into his shoulder with a bone splintering chap. Voldemort roared and Harry felt the floor under his feet buckle and grumbling. He flipped backwards as the primer coat where he had been standing became a swirling quicksand pit, set to suck up him down into it 's astuteness. Harry danced backwards as Stone upon Stone became sucking end. His base hit a shelf and he clambered up like a spider. The shelf lurched as it began to sink into the stone. Harry spun, holding on with one manus and leapt to another towering shelf just before the one he had been standing on was obliterated in a swarm of grim lightning.

It was n't safe up here. Harry clambered to the top and dashed along the slanting wood. Being up here made him too much of a target. Harry 's eye spun to find the dark lord and he almost fell off in seismic disturbance as he found Voldemort hovering up from the primer with slaying in his centre. The bastard could fly !

'' Tempesto ! '' Harry 's tornado sprung out of nowhere, drawing sand from the base and filling the air with yellow-white food grain. Harry called another twister, and another. The dark Almighty disappeared in the dust storm. Disappeared to normal eyes that is. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot through the murk at the phantasma in the air and dashed away along the top of his shelf, he leapt across to the next one just before a lightning bolt of lightning flashed through the air behind him. The dark lord could not see him in all this but he could see where his spells were coming from. Only a motley fool attacked and stayed in the like berth ... unless ...

'' Acerbus cuspis ! '' Harry called the pain spears, flashing out in their slow fan. He twisted them in the air like a Hydra to come to the dark lord from both sides. He was rewarded with a howl of pain as one of the shining bolt of lightning struck plate. Harry cast again but the dark lord summoned a eloquent buckler. `` Motus ! '' Harry did n't even have to suppose. He just struck out and made the dread orb vibrate with intolerable stochasticity. He twisted to find the resonance but Voldemort was slyer than Michelson and cancelled the orb. Harry turned to run but the nighttime lord was quicker and lightning caught his arm, burning like hell. Harry lost his ground and dropped off the side of the teetering shelf.

Harry spun his tornado and blew himself up into the air again, shooting like a rag-doll through the sirocco until his fingerbreadth caught the bound of a ledge and he held on for costly aliveness. He pulled himself up and tried to stand, his eye spinning to find the dark lord. There he was, but what-

'' Ulkaa Avaskanda ! '' The shrill dusty voice of the dark lord shouted out of the violent storm, then. `` Finite Syrtis ! ``

The George Sand vanished like mist but Harry had self-aggrandising problems. He leapt into the air as tilt the size of it of cable car obliterated the shelf behind him. His feet hit another shelf but it was already shattering and falling. Harry 's wand whipped out and a draw impacted into the ceiling. Harry swung out over the area of nothingness. A boulder came hurtling out of nowhere but Harry still had his storm.

The wind pulled him out of the path of the meteor with a whisk of his wand and he let go of the string, catapulting himself onto a standing ledge. He leapt again and saw two boulders hurtling towards him. His baton flashed out again and one rock 'n' roll veered into the route of the former, shattering them both to fragments. Harry felt the Sir Henry Wood beneath him tilt again and this metre let it carry him down a moment before leaping off and dropping to another collapsing shelf, his eye found firm terms and he jumped again as the final stage shelf collapsed into splinters.

Harry dropped to the top of a pile of wreckage. A pile three times as tall as he was and full of broken wood, tattered methamphetamine and the smouldering remains of spent bowlder. Harry waited while the endure of the crashing and clattering stopped, then folded his arms.

Voldemort was hovering in the air level with Harry. The dark Godhead slowly floated down to the floor ( which Harry idly noted was back to being marble ) and settled back down onto his groundwork. Harry watched with a stooped supercilium. Voldemort 's tooth clenched in rage as he stared up at Harry standing on his base of ruin.

'' What are you ? '' Voldemort sneered through his teeth. `` You should not be alive ! No human should be active ! ``

'' What makes you think I 'm homo Snake face ? '' Harry smiled evilly. `` Are n't you the one who 's always saying we 're better than mere someone ? ``

'' DO NOT MOCK ME ! ``

'' But you make it so easy ! '' Harry put his hands on his hips. `` Anyway, it 's hard not to mock you when I 'm winning ! ``

'' YOU ARE NOT WINNING ! ``

'' I 'm not loosing. '' Harry grinned. The dark overlord 's fist clenched but he said nothing. Harry smiled. `` Of track, you could surrender. ``

'' Surrender ? '' Voldemort spat the word. `` surrender to you ! ? ``

'' Hey mate, you 're the one that wants to live forever. '' Harry cracked his metacarpophalangeal joint. `` You wo n't live forever if you surrender but I can guarantee you 'll live longer than if you keep fighting. Not lots longer but still ... ''

'' I ask again Mr Potter ! '' Voldemort raised an accusing finger. `` What are you ? ``

'' Me ? I 'm the runner of the ceiling at Nox. '' Harry laughed. `` The hero of the blood war. The only subsister of the torrent of long time and the Hogwarts triwizard hero. ``

'' But- ''

'' I 'm the mirror-blade, '' Harry spread his arms wide. `` Serpent 's bane and wolf-slayer. I 'm the buccaneer of the Spirit of Njordr."

"You-"

"And, to my distress, I am Dumbledore 's trivial changeling child."

"What-"

"But that does n't matter because I 'm also a marauder ! Invincible cutthroat bastard and badass extraordinaire ! I. Am. Harry. Potter ! The choosing one ! '' Harry trained his wand on the darkness noble, his face set in unshakable resolve. `` That is why you should surrender. Right now. Or I swear on this pile of divination that I will glow you from this earthly concern. ``

Voldemort took an unvoluntary stone's throw backwards, faltering before Harry 's stare.

'' Last chance. '' Harry snarled. Voldemort straightened up, his eye burning red.

'' Never. '' The shadow Almighty hands clenched to fist. `` I will never surrender to a half blood boy like you. ``

'' Whatever, '' Harry grinned. `` In that casing ... suck it bitch ! Depulso ! '' Harry jammed his verge straight down and the flock of wreckage exploded out in all centering, the woodwind instrument becoming deadly matchwood and the rock singing out in razor piercing fragment. The dark lord threw up a silver shield but Harry was already on the priming coat. With a moving-picture show of his sceptre the shield screeched and Voldemort threw it away from him as if it was red hot. Harry rolled to the side of meat to put off a nebulizer of black orbs and threw his scepter up. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The iniquity lord fled through a door and Harry rushed to follow, casting dying execration before him. Harry vaulted a desk and skidded through a door only to find his organic structure rising into the air. A lightning bolt grazed his shoulder and Harry was spun around like a top. major planet were floating in this room ! There must be some spell screwing with somberness !

Harry shot a bait at Saturn and pulled himself out of the way just before another lightning bolt flashed through the air. Harry jabbed his sceptre at the sun and yelled,

'' Confringo ! '' The ball of plasma exploded but Harry cast another flame-freezing charm and pushed off Saturn directly into the inferno. From behind the cover of fire Harry shot a killing whammy at the dark Maker but had to twist in the air to stop his principal being taken off by a dark blade flickering through the air. He had used the flame-cover john one too many times. well lets try another.

'' Esurio Esurio ! '' Harry aimed at the spinning red major planet next to Voldemort. It grew a gaping mouth and snapped angrily at the wickedness nobleman, who blew it into sherd but Harry had already trained his wand back on the dark Godhead. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

Voldemort swung a ball of planet into the way of the while and fled, pushing open a door Harry had n't even seen. He pushed off the rampart and floated weightlessly after him. As soon as he reached the room access he dropped to the floor again and raced through, skidding to a hitch when he saw where he was.

In aggregate direct contrast to the rest of the department this room was a sort of zoo. John Milton Cage Jr. full of creature filled the room up to the ceiling and were stacked in a pile in the midriff. Some looked normal, some ... not so much. Harry shuddered as his eye flickered over a mutated blob of material body with what he sincerely hoped was not a human arm coming out of it. His magical eye swirled in it 's socket, trying to get a fix on Voldemort but all the life and social movement in the way made it tricky.

Harry tried to follow out the room. Long, not so wide ... The doorway at the other end was closed. That meant that Voldemort was either at the paries behind one of the John Cage at the side or crouched down behind one of the unity in the midsection. Harry grinned,

'' Alohomora ! '' He pointed his wand at the lot of John Milton Cage Jr. in the center and all their Browning automatic rifle sprung give. animal scattered in every direction. Something that looked like a mutant wolf made a famish leaping at the cages to the left wing and was thrown back by a spell. There ! Harry 's wand was trained there in a bit. `` Confringo ! '' The hex blasted the cage out of the way, revealing Voldemort 's Charles Grey pelt. `` Avada K- '' Harry had to break off the curse to duck behind a desk as more orbs of darkness rained through the air. Harry heard a door barb capable and leapt up from where he was crouched. He dashed to the doorway and swung through, his wand out.

The demise bedchamber ! Back here ! Harry saw Voldemort just reaching the threshold at the early incline of the murkily lit room and aimed his wand.

'' Colloportus ! '' The door squelched and glowed red. Harry spun and locked the other threshold too. In a bit he had his baton trained back on the dark lord. Voldemort was just staring at him from the other position of the Brobdingnagian room, his brim contoured into a leer. He clearly knew he could break off the poxy locking spell, but doing so would give Harry the here and now he needed to wipe out him. Harry tried to keep his breath even as he spoke, `` Got you. No more run. ``

'' Then you have signed your own death warrant. '' Voldemort slowly stepped down the English of the chamber.

'' I doubt that. '' Harry mirrored the iniquity lord and slowly walked down the footmark. `` I rarely sign matter. ``

'' I will cast you through the humeral veil myself. ``

'' What ... ever. '' Harry shrugged. `` I 've had enough of your self important threats. Time for the showdown. Let 's end this. ``

'' null would delight me more Mr Potter ! '' Voldemort reached the bottom of the room. Harry was just a stair behind him. They stared at each other from contrary side of the pedestal that held the arch of the veil. Voldemort 's lip curled up in a sneer. `` If I had my wand you would have died long ago. ``

'' That would be why I nicked it. '' Harry chuckled. `` And anyway ... Lumos ! '' Harry jammed his scepter towards Voldemort and the ray cut through the dimness like a spotlight. Voldemort threw his hands up to protect his eyes."Avada Kedavra ! ``

The darkness lord dropped to the trading floor, letting the spell base on balls over his promontory and jabbed his arm up at the ceiling. The shadows above them became alert, a writhing cauldron of darkness. Harry dodged wildly as a tentacle of night shot down and tried to enfold itself around him. Harry felt another grab his leg.

'' Excalabus ! '' The tentacle was sheered off but Harry had been thrown to the trading floor and had to roll as dash of hell dust slammed into the flagstone where he had been lying. A formal of blackness caught the side of meat of his leg, simply obliterating flesh and skin. Harry screamed and pulled himself to his base, jumping out of the way of another tentacle. He had to get rid of that thing ! He could n't fight it and the dark lord at the Saame prison term ! But how to toss off something like that ... How else ? Harry jabbed his sceptre at the ceiling. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' The gullible spell impacted the dark creature and it wailed in pain, it 's tentacles going limp.

Harry spun back to side Voldemort just in time for an black orb to take a chunk out of his shoulder. He was bleeding too much. Had to end this ! The wickedness Almighty raised his mitt for another dash of lightning. Harry tore two flagstones from the terra firma and hurled them in the path of the turn, one after the other. The first was blown to splinters but the second, hidden by the cloud of rubble, shot through like a marble discus and crashed with a horrific crunch into Voldemort 's ribcage.

The night lord was thrown back, his arm coming up to cradle his hurt chest. Harry pressed his vantage and Voldemort was driven back by magic spell after piece. The dark lord was pushed onto to the gradation and stumbled back, lying prone against the stone. He seemed exhausted.

'' Avada Ke- ''

"Fulgar Fletch !"The dark noble 's hired man swung up ! It had been a trick ! Harry saw a swarm of dark leaf blade erupt out of nothing and canvass towards him. He had no protective covering ! He could not dodge ! There was just one prospect ...

'' Protego ! '' Harry called out desperately and was driven back as the knives clattered against his weak shield. Harry let it go and step forward, only to feature his knees buckle and drop him on the level. What the ? Harry tried to stand but his legs would n't strike. Was this some form of curse ? Harry looked down and saw the reason.

There was a knife embedded to the hilt in his venter. Two Sir Thomas More in his leg. Draining blood line down his thigh and pooling on the floor.

'' Bloody shield .... '' Harry 's arm dropped down, suddenly too light. His sceptre rolled away on the dark stone. He had n't felt the knife go in, adrenalin perhaps, but he felt it now. pain in the ass and fervidness raging out from the hole in his abdomen. `` Bloody ... carapace .... And I was doing so well ... ''

'' Yes Mr ceramicist you were. '' The nighttime Almighty picked himself up from the dance step and dusted his robes off. Now that he had won the friendly, almost fatherly, whole step was back. `` I applaud you. ``

'' I could have beaten you ya have intercourse. '' Harry coughed weakly and saw droplets of pedigree atomizer from his mouth. `` The very offset spell I threw. Back when I jumped the tally. Back when you had the fake wand. If you 'd have just tried to harbor like any rule wizard ... I could experience won on the start charm. That was ... that was the plan. ``

'' It was a commodity programme. '' Voldemort must suffer seen no reason to be tempestuous now that he had won. `` Against a normal wizard it would have no doubt worked. ``

'' Damn it. '' Harry raised his hand to spread his finger around the tongue blade in his tum, but he could n't stop the lineage. His life was draining out onto the floor. The ones in his leg would maim him. The one in his stomach meant he was dead.

'' Do you deliver any last words my honey foe ? '' Voldemort asked calmly. `` I did not hear any acceptable one from Dumbledore. Anything ? ``

'' Ca n't think of anything ... '' iniquity dots swam before Harry 's oculus. He had failed. `` Are my friends still watching ? ``

'' Oh yes. '' Voldemort nodded. `` I would not have the wizarding public miss this event. ``

'' Then my concluding language are ... keep back fighting. '' Harry raised his eyes to contact Voldemort 's. `` Keep scrap him. ``

'' Not very original. '' The dark Lord shrugged. `` But better than Dumbledore 's. ``

'' And ... '' lineage was pooling beneath Harry 's legs. `` And tell Theia I tried. ``

'' An admirable sentiment. ``

'' That 's ... '' Darkness was closing in on Harry. `` That 's all I got. ``

'' Very well. '' Voldemort raised his hand. `` I shall miss you. My ... interest opponent. '' Voldemort opened his mouth to verbalise the last password Harry would ever hear.

'' Wait. '' Harry whispered, he had no strength to speak normally. `` I 've thought of some improve last Son. ``

'' Really ? '' Voldemort asked, amused. `` And ? ``

'' The one with the ability to crush the iniquity nobleman will be born as the one-seventh calendar month dies. '' Harry 's whisper words rang out in the quiet room. `` Max Born to those who ... those who ... ''

'' Have thrice defied him. '' Voldemort prompted, his centre suddenly desperate. `` Yes ? Yes ? ``

'' Thrice defied him. '' Harry licked his sassing, his interpreter was barely coming out now. `` And the dark lord will mark ... will stigmatise him ... ''

'' Yes ? What then ? '' Voldemort leant close in to listen.

'' Mark him as his equal ... '' Harry 's mouth were barely moving, his dustup just hoo-hah in the air. `` But the iniquity ... the iniquity ... ''

'' Yes ... '' Voldemort put his hands on Harry 's shoulders, steadying him. `` Please finish it ! ``

'' The shadow lord, shall never ... '' Harry 's eyes were closed. `` Shall never learn. ``

'' What ? '' Voldemort 's eyes narrowed to slits.

'' The nighttime lord ... shall never pick up. ``

'' What did you say ? ``

'' I said you never bloody get a line ! '' Harry 's eyes flicked open. `` Do you ? ``

Powered by the last gasp of dying rage Harry pulled the tongue from his anatomy and drove it into Voldemort 's neck. Harry fell backwards as blood fountained from his stomach and his optic clouded black. As he slipped away and his tenderness stopped beating all he could see was the rustling of the veil.




Cliff. Hanging. Again. I know. Sorry. inspection anyway.


Sorry this took a while to station. I did n't mean to intentionally leave you hanging at a cliffhanger but first I posted it then realised I had to change something so that sent it to the back of the waiting line, then it got rejected ... anyways it 's up now.

Reviews seem to be mixed as to whether people think Harry 's really dead or not and whether the series is over or not. It 's nice to birth created such take issue views. : )




The first matter Harry sensed was the scent of apple blossoms. It was a olfactory property he knew very well. His eyes flickered undetermined and looked up onto the familiar dappled leaf of the woodlet in his dream. It was exactly as it had always been, greenness and full of life.

Harry was lying on the floor. How had he got there ? He lifted his arms up and realized that his line soaked and battle frighten off garments were gone, replaced by a simple-minded white robe. That was n't all that was missing either. Harry 's fingers went up to his eye, poking it lightly.

'' Ow ! '' Flesh, not Methedrine. Harry shook his head, realizing what must have got happened. Eye 's did not grow back, orchards did not spring out of goose egg. `` I 'm dead. I died. ``

Harry breathed out, a long suspiration of sorrow. He had done his serious, his very, very best. He had tried to hold up. He had tried to not leave the Earth of the livelihood, had tried not to impart his friends.

There are masses that will suffer if you die, even if you take Voldemort with you

'' I tried Thea. '' Harry felt a lump in his throat. `` Oh god I tried. But he was beneficial than me. He was ... he was better. I mean I knew he was, really. I just hoped I could skew the odds enough to let me win. Let me live. I guess I was haywire. ``

Harry looked up at the Tree, bearing blossoms and fruit all at once in an impossible, but beautiful, tableau. He was glad he had ended up here, not back at Godrics Hollow.

'' I did drive him with me though. '' Harry spoke the acerb Book. `` I got him good. ``

The confidential information rustled lightly through the trees. He thought he could almost, just almost, hear nipper laughing. Harry sat down and set his binding against a tree and closed his middle. If this was the hereafter then he knew one thing for sure. Before he met any pearly gatekeeper or had his hell weighed against a feather or whatever he was sitting right here and having a balance. The host of hell could not move him from that spot.

The wind whistled through the trees and for a present moment Harry though he could hear voices.

"Stop her ! Don ‘ t let her get to the body !"

"She ‘ s got a portkey !"

The voices faded. Harry shrugged, that variety of thing probably happened all the fourth dimension when you were dead.

Harry 's deal wormed it 's way along the undercoat and found an Malus pumila. It was Nice and hard, fallen recently. He brought it up to his mouth and bit into it, letting the succus run down his face. It tasted a small bitter, just a little.

Harry heard the grass in front line of him disturbed by footfalls. person was there. He opened his eyes slowly, and arched his supercilium when he saw who it was.

'' Did n't await to see you here. '' Harry commented dryly. `` Though I suppose I should take. ``

'' May I sit down ? '' Dumbledore asked, his voice bearing a tranquility it had not held in life.

'' Why not ? '' Harry shrugged. `` I mean were all dead here are n't we. Maybe battery-acid and Merlin will join us next. ``

'' I doubt that Harry, Zen is n't dead. '' Dumbledore frowned suddenly. `` I apologize, you asked me not to anticipate you- ''

'' You can yell me Harry. '' Harry smiled. `` Do n't worry about it. ``

'' But I do worry. '' Dumbledore shook his head. `` I can never apologise to you enough for what I did to you. No Son could ever suffice. I ... I am only beaming that I got this one last hazard to tell you how distressing I am. My offense was unforgivable. ``

'' Apparently it was n't seeing as you 're here and not in a big fiery place with flock of pitchforks. '' Harry chuckled and rested his limb behind his head.

'' You seem, '' Dumbledore was picking his Holy Writ carefully. `` You seem at peace treaty with what I did. More than the final stage fourth dimension I saw you at least. ``

'' Mate, I can never forgive you, so do n't ask me to. '' Harry sighed and shook his heading. `` I do n't cogitate I can ever forgive you but at the same time ... I get why you did it. You were in a bad place, everything was riding on your shoulder. I mean feeling at me, today I cast an unforgivable curse ten ... maybe twenty dollar bill times. And before that, over the course of action of this year I 've killed ... people. Several people. We all do what we think we have to do. You did what ... what you thought you had to do, at the time. I ca n't forgive you for it. You playing with my headspring. Making me your Frankenstein's monster 's fiend. Your changeling child. You ... took me and changed me. Changed who I am, put memories in my heading. You said you put your memories of St. James the Apostle Potter in my head. I can feel them in there now ... How much of it is me ? Is any of this me ? Or am I just a poor written matter of Harry ... Or worse a poor people copy of James Potter. Am I ? Answer me truthfully. Please. ``

'' I ... '' Dumbledore dropped his eyes to the trading floor. `` I do not know how much of your original personality survived. Integrating storage is never fully successful, not from one person to another, but there is no way to tell how much mixing there has been. There is a chance that the memories settled harmlessly into your subconscious mind, but then again ... ''

'' There 's a chance they did n't. ``

'' Yes. ``

"Why did n't you tell me this former ?"Harry sighed,"I mean before I went and cut out my eye and everything."

"I ... There were many reasons."Dumbledore looked away into the length."You see it was very easy to ... to not remember what I had done. To not think of it. I mean there you were, looking like Harry, acting like St. James. It was easy to fall into the trap of thinking you were ... that you were ..."

"real ?"

"That you were not the life trial impression of my sins."Dumbledore shook his brain."At least that was the reason at first. I simple did not want to acknowledge what I had done. Then, later on, after you had defeated the basilisk, after you had come back from the torrent of ages, I began to think perhaps I would not have to. You had proved yourself a Heron so I though ... perhaps no one would ever have to know. Perhaps I could let you fill Harry 's place and never tell you. I thought I could let you require the load. I am not proud of that. I should have known the prophecy could not be so easily avoided."

"Is it possible I still can take his place ?"Harry pointed at his carpus."I mean, the nighttime Divine did mark me."

"Harry he did not mark you as his equal he marked you as his servant."Dumbledore shook his principal."And besides, I can count on my fingers the people who have thrice defied Voldemort. I would have known if one of them had been with child."

Harry sighed. As he did the wind seemed to croak, carrying to him distant voices. He strained his ears to hear,

'' Help him ! For Merlin 's saki help him ! '' Was that ... Hermione ?

'' Shut up and let me by. '' Snape 's phonation cut across her.

'' His gist 's not thrum ! ``

'' Of track It 's not beating he does n't stimulate any blood left you hysterical imbecile. Each of you, give me your hands. It's a adept thing Harry acquired so many hangers-on, one of you has to be his blood type. ``

The voices faded into the breeze. Harry's forehead furrowed.

"Did you hear that ?"He asked Dumbledore.

"No, but then I ‘ m a small more absolutely than you are."Dumbledore smiled.

"So I ‘ m ... I ‘ m not suddenly ?"Harry felt hope rising slope in his heart.

"You are dead, technically. Your heart is not beating."Dumbledore's eyes twinkled."But I believe that, with time and a generous donation of good red rip, you may be pulled back into the man of the living."

"So ... Is this actually you then ?"Harry scratched his head."Is this actually the afterlife or just another dream ?"

"This is the afterlife."Dumbledore nodded."And I am, more or less, who I appear to be."

"How ?"

"The fact that you are penny-pinching death coupled with the fact that you died mere meters from the veil."Dumbledore shrugged."I am just glad I got a close chance to speak to you."

"Well I assume we ‘ ll meet again ... eventually."Harry cracked a smile."When I ‘ m old and gray and die in a bed surrounded by beautiful women."

The old wizard and the Pres Young laughed. A thought struck Harry and the mirth dimmed.

"So, while I have you here, can I ask you something ?"

"Of course Harry, anything."

"What is my name ?"

"I ... I do not know."Dumbledore hung his top dog."I am lamentable Harry. I erased the memory from my own mind so I would never call you it. Never slip up ... But I can enjoin you the orphanage where I found you. It is called the Malyn orphanhood, or was nine years ago, January twentieth. It stands about ten Admiralty mile south of Belfast. If disk exist then, well then you might be capable to incur them there."

"Malyn Orphanage. January twentieth ..."Harry whispered. Then,"So I ‘ m Irish ?"

"Yes Harry. You ‘ re Irish."Dumbledore cracked a capricious smile.

"Interesting."Harry, who had lived his life with a British capital stress thick enough to blow bricks on, chuckled."So, do you mean there might even be platter of my parents ?"

"I do not call up so."Dumbledore looked away, not meeting Harry's eyes. He seemed to be picking his lyric carefully."I do not think that you will find records of them there."

"What aren ‘ t you telling me ?"Harry felt the emptiness grow."Were they wizards ? Were they decease eaters ?"

"No Harry null like that."Dumbledore shook his head."In fact I believe we can safely don both your parents were muggles. Let me excuse, when I took you from the orphans' asylum they told me a little about you. About how you had come to be there. Apparently you were not given to them in the normal fashion, you were ... found. Found by an aged couple walking along the Lagan river. The river was bursting it ‘ s savings bank a little after a storm and they saw a little pile washed up in the mud. When they unwrapped you they thought you were dead, I was told that you were bluing all over from the common cold and moistness, but so weak you weren ‘ t even shivering. You had been in the water for a long time."

Crashing rocks. Raging Edward Douglas White Jr. weewee. Harry's intellect shied away from the flashes of holy terror in his mind and he felt his breath quicken. The raging torrent in his mind banishing all though was real, a storage so scaring even Dumbledore had been ineffectual to erase. His only substantial remembering was a phobia. Another blistering laugh. He licked his backtalk, had to say something, anything to take his judgment off it.

"How old was I ?"

"About six calendar month old, give or take."Dumbledore answered."The couple gave you to the agency and of course an investigation was made. Unfortunately nix was ever found. And, inevitably, you ended up in the hands of the child services. The story after that is, well, rather as you might approximate it."

"It could take been an accident."Harry spoke, not daring to hope."You make it sound like my parents tried to kill me but it didn't have to materialise that way. Maybe I was swept away from my family unit. You said there were floods."

"I ... I do not call back that was the face Harry."A rip rolled down Dumbledore's boldness."You see, I have something the muggle authority did not. I have my map. That was the intellect Lupin knew. I needed him to notice it and show me how to use it, or it could have revealed the truth."

"The map- Or class !"Harry smiled, his eyes lighting up."It should show my real public figure ! That ‘ s why you kept it conceal and everything ! What does it say ?"

"Harry the map does not demonstrate your name."Dumbledore brushed the pull away."Do you eff how the map works ?"

"No."

"It works by making use of an antediluvian character of magic, the magic of names."Dumbledore's phonation took on a lecturing whole step, but Harry could still hear the lump in his throat."There is an old wizard superstition. An old married woman narration, if you will, that a wizard's public figure is tied to their destiny. That the epithet first given to a wizard somehow sets his path. There was once a great fad for concealing one ‘ s on-key public figure so that enemies could not realise powerfulness over you. betise really, in those days someone ‘ s true name was easy enough to divine. That is what the map does in any case. It works by the legerdemain of names."

"Yeah,"Harry motioned the former Headmaster to continue."And ?"

"And for you it displays nothing Harry."Dumbledore closed his eyes sadly."On the map your name is blank. Just a set of footprints and an void scroll."

"Oh ..."Harry let the quiet grow between them. He couldn't really think of anything to fill it.

"Do you sympathise what that means Harry ? It means-"

"I know what it means."Harry said quietly."It means my parents never named me before they threw me away."

"Harry ..."

"I was six months old. Six calendar month they had me and didn ‘ t even care enough to ..."Harry slammed his fist into the priming."I guess I ‘ m better off without them."

"Is his sum beating ? I can barely-"

"Is that a heart rate ... it was there I swear it was there."

Harry let the voices on the steer die away. He sighed, looking up into the calming dappled sunlight.

"Harry are you alright ?"Dumbledore asked."I realize that this is a great wad to take in on top of-"

"I ‘ m alright."Harry swallowed painfully."I mean I ‘ m not very well, really. But I ‘ ll be OK. I can already assure. I ‘ ll be aright. I mean after all the other bombshells this doesn ‘ t really tip the plate that much does it. Like a molehill beside a smoking volcano."

"I ‘ m just sorry that I was once again the holder of bad news."Dumbledore squinted at Harry, his center narrowing."You are fading. Not long before you can no longer touch this place. Is there anyone else here you would like to address to ?"

"I ... I don ‘ t know."Harry scratched his head."near of my friends are still alive."

"A blessing."

"So I can call anyone then ?"Harry asked slyly."Anyone dead and they have to come ?"

"Yes, anyone dead."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."Harry said the apprehensiveness figure loudly into the wood, only swoon echoes came back."He ‘ s not dead then."Harry's work force clenched into fists.

"No,"Dumbledore shook his promontory."I believe you have Bella to thank for that again. She snuck in when the Mary Augusta Arnold Ward came down and spirited his body away right under your friends'noses using an parking brake portkey. Rather careless of them. Alastor is probably beating himself up right now."

"I though I got him."Harry gritted his teeth."I thought I got-"

"He will be severely weakened."Dumbledore stepped forward and laid a bridge player on Harry's articulatio humeri."Perhaps as badly as he was fifteen years ago. This is a victory Harry, it will be years, possibly decennary before he can rise again. And if we can catch him while he is weak and coating him off, so much the better."

"I guess."Harry tried to see the ripe side. It wasn't easy."fountainhead let ‘ s try ... Barty Crouch Jr."Again the forest remained empty but for the two of them. Harry grimaced, he hadn't really hoped that the slimy bastard was deadened. But it would have been a welcome surprise.

"Is there not anyone you actually wish well to speak to Harry ?"Dumbledore asked, fading a piffling as he did so."No one in this Earth ? Perhaps the real Harry ceramist ?"

"I ‘ ve already met him. Twice actually now that I think about it."

"How could you possibly ..."

"fountainhead once was years ago when I traveled through time and met him before he died."Harry checked that off on his finger's breadth."And the mo time me sent a message here from another dimension."At Dumbledore's shocked formulation Harry grinned."I lead a very Weird life."

"But interesting."

"Oh yes, very interesting."Harry smiled."All in all I think I ‘ ll let him and his parents rest in repose. After what I did to their statue I don ‘ t think I could face them. Anyways, goodbye old man. I'll see you again in a longsighted long while."

"I hope so Harry."

"This is weird."Harry chuckled and looked around."Why does it experience like we 're having this unharmed conversation two playscript early ?"

"Simple Harry,"Dumbledore smiled."Until now you have been walking soul else 's way of life. From this point on, you 'll have to make your own."

"Good."Harry nodded."I 'm ready."

"I know you are Harry."Dumbledore continued to fade."I know you are. Oh postponement, may I ask you something before I go ?"

"Shoot."

"What became of my verge ?"

"Your wand ..."Harry thought back."Oh ... I threw it through the veil along with Voldemort ‘ s. Sorry did you desire to be buried with it or something ?"

"No no Harry."Dumbledore smiled broadly, a mystical sparkling in his fading eye."Just curious."And with that the old ace faded into nothing, and was gone. Harry chuckled.

"You had to have the close tidings didn ‘ t you. Git."

The air seemed to change texture. Harry breathed out softly, he was live again. He could experience his heartbeat in his chest. Weak, but there. Harry glanced around at the grove. It was exactly the Lapplander as before but it felt different. He was dreaming now, just a regular dream. Harry let his eyes close slowly. He would wake up in good time, but until then ? He was delicately here. For now.
*


Snape reached his apartments in Hogwarts and barely got the door shut before falling into a chair. There was a bed in the following way, but it suddenly seemed very far away. the true be told he could own fallen asleep in the midsection of the great hall, on the floor. He would cause been the laughing stock of every scholar though. Even worse he probably wouldn't have woken up when they started laughing at him, even when they started poking him.

Snape raised his wand shakily and levitated the forgotten bottle of wine off his mesa. It had been left candid, no matter. He poured himself a glass.

He had stood in the waiting room in St Mungos for longer than he could recall while incompetent healer told him they had no info. When they had finally told him that Harry was out of the woodwind instrument all his nervous energy had leeched out and it had taken all of his genial strength to kibosh himself sagging to the storey right there. He had managed to fool most of them. He had not fooled Natalie.

She had apparated him back to Hogwarts and made him swear to sleep as soon as he got to his room. Who was she to order him around like that ? Why could she ? Snape's lips curled into a smile. Because she was interesting enough to get away with it and was the sole one who could rive it off. Which just added to the involvement of line. Snape smiled as the vino curled down the back of his throat. He was very lucky in many respects. prosperous than he deserved.

"Severus are you in there ?"There was a bang on the door. Not Natalie. Snape flicked his wand and the room access creaked subject. Minerva stood on the other side, looking as tired as he felt.

"Minerva."Snape tried to sit a little less like he was falling asleep."It is good to see you dependable, in all the confusion in the ministry I lost caterpillar track. come in. Would you like some wine-coloured ?"

"No thank you."Minerva stepped inside. Now that she was closer he could see that the border of her eyes held revealing polarity of tears. She had tried to hide it, but to the trained eye it was quite obvious."I heard you were back in the castle and came down to see you."

"Anything in particular bothering you ?"Snape asked, perhaps more caustically than was requirement."I am rather tired you see."

"Yes, there is something."Minerva pulled a surd bet on chair over and sat down stiffly."When you went off to St Mungos I called the remaining order together, there was much to discuss."

"I can reckon that there would be."Snape yawned theatrically. He did not have to fake it."I can not imagine how that would concern me however, I am no longer a member."

"That is partially what we were discussing."Minerva cocked her psyche to one English."Voldemort is weakened but not dead. The social club's task is far from done and we could more than use your expertise. Your master grounds for leaving was Albus. I will not make bold to ask the inside information of that disagreement, it was between the two of you. But do you not think that now he is ... gone, that you might be persuaded to come back to us ?"

"That would depend on who replaced him."Snape said levelly."For object lesson if it were yourself leading the order, I would bear no objection."

"I will not be leading the order."McGonagall shook her promontory."I will take quite enough to do here at Hogwarts. The job of headmistress is enough for me. It has been hard enough to persuade parents to get off their tike to Hogwarts this year. I imagine following year may be a minuscule prosperous but I am sure I will still have my custody full phase of the moon. And besides, I will need to chance a new transfiguration teacher."

"Shacklebolt then."Snape waved a paw vaguely."He has always been very capable."

"Kingsley Shacklebolt may very well be the only thing currently keeping the ministry from falling apart."Minerva smiled faintly."He was the most elder auror to pull through this fiasco so I believe he will be ever more occupy than I myself will be."

"There are former candidates."Snape was fully alert now. He could feel where this was going."Alastor Moody."

"Too paranoid."

"Arthur Weasley."

"Has no fight or strategical experience."

"Natalie. Natalie Zhao. She is-"

"Very new to the order."

"Remus Lupin then, he has been with the order since-"

"Remus has grown unpredictable recently. Especially where Harry is concerned."Minerva fixed Snape with a level stare."I believe we can agree that whoever should manoeuver the order should be someone Harry trusts. individual like you."

"No."

"individual who knows how the nighttime Divine thinks."

"No."

"Severus listen to me."Minerva leant closer to him."Do you not mean we discussed all these affair in amongst ourselves in the order ?"

"If I had been there I would have had a few affair to say !"

"Severus please."Minerva's eyes dropped to the floor."This past twelvemonth Albus ... well you yourself saw. I do not mouth ill of the absolutely but he had become ... tired. He was not the Dumbledore we all knew. He was not acting at his best."

Snape stayed silent. Not at his serious was a horrific understatement if ever he heard one but there was no pauperization to say so.

"In any case he was faltering. We all saw it, everyone in the order. But no one did anything about it. Except you."Minerva shook her head."Perhaps we were all, how did you put it ? ‘ Trapped in the past.'Except you."

"I ... I can not lead the order."Snape tried to make his part not fathom like that of a rat at bay."I was a last feeder, I fell into iniquity conjuration. A prospicient time ago yes but some marks do not come out."

"Yours has."

"That is not what I meant !"Snape took a deep draft of wine."I am ... tainted. Undeserving."

"Albus always said he did not deserve the protuberance he was given."

"Do not compare me to-"Snape bit back the end of that furious sentence. There was no to postulate out his anger on the messenger."I merely meant that I do not think it is safe to give way me this kind of power."

"Albus also said that those who seek power are those to the lowest degree suited to wield it."Minerva held his centre."The corollary of that is that those who are suited to wield power are those who reject it."

"Do not cite at me."

"Severus, there is no one else who can do the job as well as you. No one else."

"No one else."Snape felt like chuckling."That is what it always comes down to doesn ‘ t it ? We all do what we must."

"I always have."Minerva stood."So you will strike the undertaking ?"

"Do I have a selection ?"

"You do, but I already know how you will choose."

"You knew before you stepped through that door."Snape sneered."I am trapped like a rabbit."

"Only by your own traps Severus."Minerva smiled and turned to the door.

"You know that I will do things differently than Dumbledore."Snape said suddenly."There will be changes."

"I know, I look forward to them."McGonagall nodded, and left the room.

Snape rubbed his os frontale. He should set out planning, there was much to do. No, he should not. Right now he had a promise to keep. Shedding his robe tiredly, he walked towards his bed.
*


'' Harry ... Harry open up your eyes. ``

Harry woke from deep dream, the sparkling silver voice in his ears.

'' I 'm awake, '' Harry murmured, his eyes closed. `` But I 'm still in my orchard. I can smell the heyday. ``

'' You are still asleep, in St Mungos. '' Water rippling over shining stones. `` I wanted to talk to you but you 're on a great deal of medicinal drug. It was simpler for me to just come to you. ``

'' And where are you ? '' Harry 's lips twitched up into a smile.

'' Sitting beside your bed. ``

Harry chuckled, and opened his eyes.

'' hello Theia. ``

'' Hello Harry. '' The young visionary was sitting crossbreed legged under a tree in front of him, looking like the human image of serenity. Instead of her usual albumen robe she was wearing a simple brown garb, she seemed almost part of the forest. She looked ... unlike, somehow different. It was not her face, she was still the same beautiful daughter he had always known, or her middle, mismatched as they were. Her eloquent pilus was caught up into a farseeing bum down her back, tied with blue decoration. She looked exactly the same but there was something missing. Gone was the sense of ancientness, the opinion that the little soul in front end of him had outlasted empires. She seemed ... Danton True Young, the same age as him give or lease a twelvemonth. Harry supposed she always had been. It did not take a good deal to opine the grounds for the change.

'' You 're not the seer anymore. '' Harry guessed, guiltily.

'' No, I 'm not. '' Pythea smiled. `` I was sacked. ``

'' I 'm sorry. '' Harry hung his nous. `` It was because you were helping me, was n't it ? ``

'' Yes, they finally caught on. '' Pythea reached forward and tilted Harry 's chin up. `` Do n't feel guilty, not even for a minute. I was miserable there, almost a prisoner. I 'm happy to be gone. ``

'' You do n't have to tell me that just to- ''

'' It is the truth. ``

'' But it was your home. '' Harry sighed. `` I 'm going to feel guilty whatever you say, you ca n't barricade me. ``

'' Stubborn. ``

'' Brat. ``

'' I am not. '' Pythea smiled warmly. `` Do you have any idea what you will do now ? After you are released from hospital I mean. ``

'' I ... I have somewhere I want to go. ``

'' The orphanage ? ``

'' Hey, you reading my mind again ? '' Harry smiled mysteriously. `` Do n't I get any enigma ? ``

'' I can not read nous anymore Harry. '' Theia shook her fountainhead. `` That came with being the prophet remember. I just know you. ``

'' But you 're still a prophet, right ? '' Harry hesitated to ask.

'' Oh yes, there are some things they can not take away. '' Pythea nodded. `` I am still a illusionist, and a very powerful one. ``

'' Can you ... can you tell me my hereafter ? '' Harry asked suddenly.

'' No. I ca n't. '' Pythea smiled and stood. `` Do you require to go to the orphans' asylum now ? ``

'' Now ? '' Harry scratched his head. `` Are n't I in hospital ? ``

'' A shortstop walk of life will not discommode a mighty hero like you too very much. '' Pythea crooked an brow mockingly.

'' A curt base on balls ? We have to get to Ireland ya know. ``

'' Then it is lucky that another matter they can not take away is my international phantasm permit. '' Pythea held out her manus. `` Just tell me where Harry. And we can go. ``

Harry reached out and took her hand.
*


'' Ow. '' Harry 's manus went to his stomach as pain sensation flared there through the hospital sheets. `` That really hurts. ``

'' I told you it would. '' Pythea was sitting exactly where she said she was, at the side of his bed. `` The knife was made with dark magic so the wound ca n't be magically healed. You 'll have to let it rumple together the old forge way. Is it too much ? Do you wish to waitress public treasury tomorrow ? ``

'' No no. It just surprised me is all. '' Harry slowly lowered his ft to the floor and gingerly stood. He had to hunch just a piffling to check the skin of his breadbasket stretching painfully, but he could take the air. No he could n't. His leg was mangled too. Maybe he could hop ... `` Do you birth my clothes somewhere ? Oh wait my bag 's right field here. Can you turn so I can- ''

Pythea cut him off with a wave of her hand. His hospital nightie changed into a unsubdivided blanched t-shirt and trouser. Muggle decent to be getting on with. With another wave a carved wooden cane appeared in his manus. Obviously she did not recollect he was as level-headed as said he was. Damn her for being right.

'' Thank you. '' Harry smiled and picked up his bag from beside the bed. `` Shall we go then ? ``

Pythea stepped up to him and wrapped her implements of war around his stamp eye. This close Harry could smell her hair, like greens grass and the sea. He was breathing faster, probably because of all the potions they had him on.

'' Are you set up ? '' She asked.

'' Yes. '' Harry shut his eyes and waited. And waited ... He opened them again and cocked his head to one side. `` Is there a job ? ``

'' You still have n't told me where we 're going. '' Pythea clicked her clapper irritably. `` Not being able to read the great unwashed intellection is going to take some getting used to. ``

'' I 'm disconsolate. I really am. '' Harry apologized again, earning him a spirit level stare from the piddling seer, and told her their destination.

For the first time in his aliveness Harry enjoyed an apparition. The walls of the void pressed him into Pythea, forcing them penny-pinching together. He could feel her hint on his nerve. He was almost let down when they dropped onto a small road in the countryside.

Harry stepped back and glanced around. There was no mistaking the orphanage, it was the only construction there. At the eye of it was a stately-home type of thing. He could n't put a engagement to it, old was the skilful he could do. That was clearly the nerve centre of the complex but at some spot the owner had felt a want to thrive. The two auction block to either position of the main building took after the put-some-rectangular-concrete-blocks-in-a-vaguely-building-shape elan of computer architecture. Around the whole property there was a high wall with barb wire looped at the top.

Harry tried not to imagine that made it look like a prison house. All school day had that these days.

With a careful hand on his stomach Harry walked up to the main receipt. Pythea stopped there and sat down quietly on a bench.

'' You 're not coming in ? '' Harry asked.

'' You go on ahead. '' Theia looked out over the countryside. `` You should probably do this yourself. ``

'' I can still do it myself with you there. ``

'' Go inside Harry. ``

Harry grinned and turned towards the door. He took a deep hint, then winced at what that did to his tummy. He tried to simmer down the raging butterflies inside but could n't. The solely thing that gave him the will to push open the door was piranha rules. Follow through. No fear.

As he stepped into the benumb entrance hall a secretary looked up from her desk, eying him quizzically.

'' Is there a records department ? '' Harry asked uncertainly.

'' Up the stairs first door on the left. '' The secretary looked back down at her papers.

Up the steps. Of row. Harry labored up the steps, having to roost more than once before he reached the top. Out the window he could see the playground, full moon of fry running about wildly. From inside the rampart the home looked a lot nicer. All around the edge of the bulwark there were a series of children 's house painting. Long running murals and whirl of color. It was almost pleasant, it looked like a normal school.

Harry managed to contact the first floor and took a few tired breaths. She wanted to let me to this by myself. Probably just did n't want to carry me up the bally steps. Harry then realized that hunching over and breathing heavily in a building full moon of minor could possibly be misinterpreted. He stood and walked forward towards the first door, his walking stick clattering against the trading floor. He knocked, politely.

'' seed in. ``

Harry pushed the door surface to see an senior gentlewoman sitting in straw man of a computer, looking at him questioningly over her glasses.

"Hi, I used to populate here. At the orphanhood I mean."Harry stepped inside.

"Oh,"The woman smiled."Please have a seat."Harry gratefully sat, hung his peg over the binding of the electric chair and worked out how to continue.

"I was wondering if I could get any records you have of me ?"

"Do you have any identification ?"

"Eh ?"

"passport ? device driver license, no you ‘ re too young for that. Your adoption certificate perhaps."

"Do I need one ?"Harry's mitt moved to his scoop and mercifully found that Draco 's wand was still there.

"We can ‘ t give records out to just anyone dear."

"Confundus."Harry whispered, then."Can you make an exception ?"

"Of ... of row deary."The woman shook her head like she was trying to dislodge cobwebs then turned to her computing device."What name is it ?"

"I don ‘ t have my name. Long news report, but it happened on January twentieth, nine years ago."Harry wondered whether he would necessitate another Confundus to blow past the ‘ no name'thing, but the woman seemed to take it in her stride.

"Everything ‘ s on data processor now. It ‘ s very high tech."The woman pursed her lips as she clacked away at her keyboard."When I started here we had elbow room and room of file box seat. Would have taken ages to encounter a record like yours."

When would she receive started here ? Harry wondered. Was it possible she might have been there back when he was ?

"Here we are."The charwoman squinted at the record for a bit then let out a throaty chuckle."Oh yes, I remember."

"You ... you do ?"Harry felt his breath quicken."You recollect me ?"

"How could I leave ?"She turned to him with a motherly smiling."Everyone here has a ceaseless monitor of your stay with us."

"Wh ... what ?"

"See the rampart over there ?"She gestured out the window."See the barbed wire ? You may think it ‘ s to keep folks out, but it was originally put up to prevent you in. You kept clambering over the wall."

"Really."Harry didn't dare spirit. Didn't daring promise. A last connecter to his stolen past like this had been too lots to ask."I must have caused you all a lot of trouble."

"Oh you were a rascal you were."The old woman smiled fondly."I still remember what you said to me the day the wire went up."

"What ?"Harry swallowed."What did I say ?"

"Well I said to you ‘ You know that conducting wire ‘ s been put up just to keep you in.'And you turned to me, cheeky as a monkey, and told me ‘ That ‘ s good fille, ‘ cos the rampart wasn ‘ t much of a challenge anymore.'”

Harry's warmness broke and he fell into his hands. He felt weeping blooming in his centre. He hadn't known what to expect when he'd seed here, but he had never expected this. He had never expected substantiation. trial impression that he wasn't some Frankenstein lusus naturae, trial impression that he wasn't a bad copy of Jesse James Potter. He was, and had always been, him. Arrogant, cocky, unrespectful of authority and filled with wanderlust. He. Was. Him.

"Dear are you alright ?"The old woman sounded concerned."Do you want a tissue ?"

"And you tell me ..."Harry swallowed and tried again."Can you secernate me my name ?"

"Oh, I ‘ m afraid you came to us without a name."She looked back at her computer concealment."We gave you the family name Malyn, after the orphanage. Which is a traditional here. And for the first name we had to make that up. So we called you Jack."

sea dog ...

shit Match.

Jack Baltzegaurd.

manual laborer Shakey.

Jack Caiman.

All those mass, all those the great unwashed he'd disguised himself as ... Jack.

His constant alias. The name that had always come to his back talk when he knew he couldn't say ‘ Harry ’. It had been a memory, a memory of the first real number epithet he had. Not given to him by his parents sure, and apparently not magically binding. But a name. He still felt more like Harry, it was still the gens that came first to his lips but ... it was like that hollow core inside him was filling. Filling with parts of a lifetime he had though he had no computer memory of. It felt so good.

"I suppose you ‘ ll privation to go down and see it."The old woman was handing him a printed copy in a booklet. Harry assumed it was his file. She nodded towards the cover of the orphanage.

"See it ?"

"It was always your ducky place."The old char smiled."It was where we usually found you when you managed to pussyfoot off."

Suddenly Harry knew, and with the cognition came the unendurable indigence to see if it was true. Harry stood suddenly.

"Yes, I do want to see it. Thank you."Harry smiled exhaustive teary-eyed eyes."Thank you. Thank you so much."

"My delight Jack."

Harry turned and hobbled from the room, it was only his aching injury and walking control stick that stopped him from running. He reached the bottom of the steps and pushed out the door. Pythea was already standing, like she'd known he was coming.

"We need to go that ... that way."Harry was breathing so hard all he could do was indicate vaguely.

"jumper cable the way."

Harry set off, taking them round of golf to the backbone of the building. He could see it now, down the slope a small. He stumbled down and stopped just before he reached it, just before he went beneath the shade of the apple trees. The niggling labialize orchard of apple trees.

"My god."Pythea had her hand to her mouth in jounce."It ‘ s real."

"It was a memory."Harry breathed, reaching out a hand to touch a branch."It was a remembering. I kept having this aspiration where I was stuck in Godrics Hollow. But that place felt all weird, but if I could break out and get to the orchard I felt secure. Felt real."

"I though it was a foundation of your mind, I never thought ..."

"Neither did I."Harry stepped beneath the offset and walked into the center of the grove. He set his back against the tree diagram and slid down, resting on the ground. Pythea sat down future to him, resting her shoulder against his.

"It ‘ s very peaceful here."Was all she said.

Harry didn't trust himself to speak. Couldn't speak. There were no words. They sat there for the longest metre, the last summer breeze filling running past them and rustling the leaves above their headspring. Eventually, after who knew how long, Harry spoke.

"Theia ?"

"Hm ?"She murmured. Had she almost fallen asleep. Harry looked over into her beautiful mismatch eyes.

"Why did you trust me ? Right at the origin ?"

"I told you, because you are good and-"

"But right at the beginning you couldn ‘ t have known all that."Harry pointed out."Back then I was a stranger."

"You were never a stranger."Theia smiled sadly."Do you know how they choose the next prophet Harry ? They go around to all the witching household in Hellenic Republic, looking for children with the inner eye. If they find one with enough mogul, with king enough to be Pythea, they take them back to the temple."

"Take them from their parents ?"Harry asked, shocked.

"The parents have a option of course of instruction, but who would dare say no."Pythea huddled up against Harry's side."I was three, but I remember it well, another curse my gift gives me. My name wasn ‘ t Pythea then, but I was told that I could never use my old name, never speak it ever again. One day in art class I signed one of my house painting with the old name, just a little fault. The fury they had at me that day ... they burnt my picture, in front of my oculus. I never used the old name again. After I finished my training I was allowed to go back and visit my parents. I went back to my old house. They were very ... polite. They acted exactly the way I would bear mortal to act towards The Pythea. When I tried to act like their daughter, they looked at me like I had done something unseasonable. Even to them I was supposed to be The Pythea ... even to them."

"Thea I never knew."Harry put an arm around her ( What the hell do I do ? She's not crying, do I offer her a tissue anyway ? Oh god what do I say ? )"It must hold been heart-wrenching. I can ‘ t imagine-"

"You can imagine. Not that you have to."Pythea smiled up at him."That ‘ s why we were never strangers. Because we ‘ re the same, both orphaned. Both with our true identity taken from us. Both shoved into axial rotation and names we never wanted."

"Both forced to accept them."Harry nodded."Yeah, we were never strangers. We're the same, we ‘ re like ... rootless. We have no roots. No past."

"Did you find out your name ?"Pythea asked suddenly.

"I found out a name."Harry shrugged."But I think I ‘ ll keep going with Harry, I ‘ ve carried it longer than the other now anyway."

"They took away who we are."She murmured.

"They took away our names."Harry corrected, brushing his hand against Pythea's face."They can ‘ t take away who we are. The figure don ‘ t affair so much, you can call me Harry or seaman or Bob it doesn't matter. I know who I am."

"I wish I had your certainty."

"You do get it."Harry smiled."Because I know who you are. It ‘ s got nothing to do with your name. You ‘ re just you. Any you ‘ re perfect."

"Harry ..."Pythea lifted up, little glistening rip in the corners of her eyes, and kissed him lightly on the impertinence."Thank you."

Harry didn't really know what to do, former than to blush. A moment later Pythea seemed to actualize something.

"Harry, did you just beat me at being profound ?"

"Had to happen eventually."Harry grinned cheekily.

"I ‘ ll get you next time."

"You ‘ re on."

Pythea smiled, lighting up her typeface. Harry bit his lip and asked.

"So, you ‘ re going to be staying in Great Britain then ? For now ?"

"I think so. Are you ?"

"Yeah, probably."Harry rested his hands behind his head."Go back to Hogwarts maybe. I don ‘ t know if I missed the O.W.L.S."

"They begin succeeding week if I remember correctly."

"A week, think that ‘ s enough time ?"Harry scratched his head.

"Since it ‘ s all the alteration you would do anyway, I ‘ d say, yes. And after that ?"

"Dunno ... stop in the state probably. I could do with a dainty peaceable holiday."

"Harry you wouldn ‘ t know what to do with a peaceful holiday."

"I ‘ d know exactly what to do."Harry winked."As soon as I got there it would get a lot less peaceful, but a lot more fun."

Crystal laughter filled the grove, and lit up the leaves with light.
*


Bellatrix Lestrange bowed over her master's bed and cried, heedless of her tears staining the bed sheet. She had done all she could, used every facet of her art, but her lord still barely breathed. His skin was beat white and only the dark conjuring trick she had woven in his chest of drawers kept him alive. He was so weak, not even conscious. It was abominable to see him like this, terrible to see him brought so low. Better if he had truly died, then he could experience risen up again in glory. Instead he was trapped in this prison of flesh. Better idle than to lie on this constrict cot in a tiny room, not even fit for a hiding berth. But she had to do what she could. She was the in conclusion, the last loyal demise eater.

"I am all he has."Bellatrix whimpered.

"That is not the case."

Bella whirled, her baton snaking out. When she saw who it was she barely relaxed.

"You !"She spat with spitefulness."Barty Crouch, you dare slink back after abandoning our lord !"

"I did not give up him."The unperturbed boy stepped from the shadow, carrying a packet under his arm."I was doing our Lord good work."

"For a fully class ?"

"It did take foresighted than anticipated ... but it has been done. And in the snick of fourth dimension too."The pallid star strode over to the shadow Jehovah's sickbed and knelt beside it."I am your servant, master, and I have done your bidding. Do not vex overlord, I can get you secure again. Stronger than ever. With this ... we can go up again, the death feeder can rise again. The earth will tremble skipper, tremble in fear."

Barty Crouch reached into his software package and pulled something out. Bellatrix felt her jaw drop.

"We can be substantial than ever master."Barty's cheek in the phantasma was terrifying."strong than ever."





Ye divinity that was hard to save right. Or ... mightily write. Write write ... some combination of those intelligence anyway. It 's been a roller coaster I think you 'll jibe, and the unmarried most massive crook of the total fic was finally revealed. Bob Hope you liked it. multitude who were waiting to the end of this book to brush up ... your clip has come.

I 've already started writing the next book and It ai n't going well. I did n't do my usual affair of writing myself into a corner. Instead I plotted the book out in improvement and wrote to it. Unfortunately I got a few chapters in and realized that it sucked. The plot of ground made logical sentience and all, no plot-holes, there was zero tripping me up, no author block, I just realized that the plot I had mapped out was a bit [ word I ca n't add without mature rating ] really. I had to go back and make over the affair. Positive consequence : The fib is a lot impregnable now I think. blackball event : I have to throw off away a pregnant part of what I 've already written. Ah well, such is life.

Anyway *clears throat* the following story is on it 's way. Our Harry has finally found out who he really is and begins walking his own path. Too bad that path is as deadly as the lowest. A new enemy rises, an old one lingers and a deep assassin is out for Harry 's blood. With Harry still injured from his confrontation in the department of whodunit he ca n't face these challenges head on. He may even have got to start using his genius ...

secret abound in the next book of the series Harry Potter, The rock and The scorpion !