Thanks to all the the great unwashed who reviewed the last chapter. Your various transposition of the world-wide `` What the F*** ! ? ! Update now ! '' Were most take account. I feel variety of bad for jumping a turn of events like that on you after 40 chapters. kind of deceitful. estimable to know the legal age of people appreciated it.



"Harry ?"Padma said quietly, standing at the end of the infirmary bed. Harry seemed to be sleeping, his chest ascension and falling weakly. His eyes were red, like he'd been crying. Perhaps the pain was tough than he let on. She felt bad for needing to waken 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 healers. They ‘ ve run some more tests."She licked her lips."Look, it looks like a few months was actually affirmative. There ‘ s wrong deep down, pot of damage. You need to let them avail you now or ... or you ‘ ll die. In a few weeks."

Harry said goose egg, he didn't even seem to take in heard her.

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

Harry flinched, pain running across his play out face.

"You see Harry, you ‘ ve got to let them help you."Padma stepped up to put her deal 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 avail 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 breathing stuttered, he sounded like he was holding back tears. Padma backed away, she had got what she came for. The healer would fix Harry's body. What had happened to his psyche ? That might take a little longer.

What had Dumbledore said to him ...
*


The boy who was once called Harry faded in his head as the healers entered his elbow room. Bustling around and speaking comforting, empty wrangle. They cleaned him up, washing his arms and chest. They asked him to remove the armguard. He did, letting it pass to the storey with a garish clatter. The healer shied away from the mark on his arm. Fearful. Why should he care.

They did something that was supposed to dull him. He couldn't tell the difference. Everything was dulled already. He watched, unable and unwilling to care, as they cut his tegument open. His blood seeped out, quickly staunched by a healer. He wished they wouldn't bother.

A cold gel was swabbed onto his done for hired hand. Ruined for what ? For the sake of what ? All useless. He wished they wouldn't bother.
*


Dragon slapped the sore tegument of his arm to try and stick around awake. It had been burnt in the fight, but it was exquisitely now. Just enough residual redness and bother to help oneself him ride out alert. He swung his weary heart around the wait elbow room, all of the marauders were here. Most of them had finally succumbed to sleep, Draco didn't blame them. It was arduous to guess that the deadly midnight rape on the brute ship had been just lowest night. They had been worn out, worn down. Draco pinched his arm again. He wondered if there was anywhere he could find some tea. The tea shop class was closed but surely the therapist had a staff room or something. Maybe he could ask one.

Or maybe he could just accrue asleep.

Draco shook his fountainhead. Some of them had to be awake when the therapist finally stopped working on Harry. He shuddered, they had already been at it for hours. How many ... increase .... had Harry made ? He glanced around the way 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 nighttime, no one had collected them. He supposed it was only a issue of time before a teacher or an order member came to wrangle them up and embroil them back to Hogwarts, where they would no doubt continue. Chained to posts like dogs so they couldn't run off again.

Draco got wearily to his human foot, maybe he could walk some of his tiredness off. He stepped carefully around the prone predator and stepped up to the door to the ward. Harry's bed was obscured by drape but the tincture of the healer were still moving against the aerofoil. As he watched one of them detached and stepped towards the door. genus Draco stepped away to let him out, promise and apprehensiveness uprising in his stomach.

"Is there any news ?"Draco asked.

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

"Yes."Draco said definitely, looking over the marauders."Wait a second ... HEY !"The marauder jerked to life, hands flying to wands before they realized where they were. Dragon turned back to the healer."They ‘ re up. What is the intelligence ?"

"Well we ... we removed respective items from the body of your friend."The poor healer swallowed nervously."We found a drop-gem embedded in his sternum. There was also something in the wall of his tummy. We think it may have been designed to negate poison but it seems to bear had the opposite effect. 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 healer paused."His eye had been removed too long ago, there is a big deal of scarring. Unfortunately we were ineffectual to restore it. We are currently looking into whether the installation he has is heights quality enough to bequeath there."

"facility ..."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 curtain bed.

Draco looked back over the marauders. Through their sand-filled, drooping eyes he could see their sadness. Harry had fought so hard and got null in return but accusations of murder and a permanent disfigurement. And a dark mark, they could not draw a blank that.

"Harry might say it was Charles Frederick Worth it."Padma said softly."For driving Voldemort to ground."

"Of course of instruction he ‘ d say that. Doesn ‘ t make it true."Ron pulled his articulatio genus up to his bureau."I mean you heard him in there. He ‘ d think destruction was Charles Frederick Worth it."

"Is he wrong ?"Draco muttered darkly. Perhaps they didn't hear him. Perhaps it was just as well. They were all startled as another room access was pushed open air, 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 phonation admirably free of shaking."You could get a bracer like Harry ‘ s. Or perhaps there are less incursive substance of removal."

"There are not, it was not made to be removed."Snape tightened the shoulder 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 wand to the skin on Snape's arm. The slicing pain was removed, dulled by potions. There were feeding bottle by his arm, some empty, some waiting to grow the skin back after the mark was gone. He was in his apartments at Hogwarts, the only if place he could have gained those potions without interrogation was from his own supply. 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 wickedness Lord as well. What would he do next ? What would his side by side relocation be ...

"He may go into hiding."Natalie answered his unrequited enquiry, still intent on his arm."Like he did fifteen years ago."

"He will not."Snape shook his head."He was forced to hide 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 savage, I am certain of that."Snape felt the cutting closure and watched as Natalie picked the little dither of skin up and calmly incinerated it. It was done, he was liberal. Strange that he should feel so little. Perhaps because he knew he was not truly discharge until Voldemort was dead. Perhaps because he knew that, without the power to spy, he was next to useless.

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

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

"You had to."Was all she said.

"Perhaps."Snape let his caput pearl back, perhaps.

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

"I have been trying."Snape replied tetchily."But I can not call back of anything he would wish to do that he has the manpower to accomplish. Unless he has some design I am incognizant of. Which he almost certainly has. I always got the sense that he had something brewing."

"The ministry ? The department of mysteries ? The prognostication ?"

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

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

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

"Severus,"Natalie took his face in her paw and tilted it up to adjoin her optic."Not so low now. We won today. It may not finger like it, but we won a victory. Victories have been few and far between this past year, we need to cherish them, not worry about what will happen next."Snape was once again amazed by the way she could break through to him, whatever his mood. He smiled,

"I believe I have some wine."
*


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

He pushed himself off the floor, leaning his fag physical body against the wall. The wall painted with bears and sneak over a pale blue sky sky full of downy clouds. Harry felt like spitting but he couldn't draft the energy. He ignored the crib in the center of the room, it's shiny wandering spinning idly in the dream-wind. He shoved the threshold open and descended the stairs. The revulsion he always felt was still there, but he could barely contribute himself to care. He knew what this lieu was now.

No one-year-old remembers their theater. No one-year-old could think of every photo, or the pattern on the wallpaper. This space was a lie, a bloodsucking remembering that had been burnt into his judgment. The creeping sickness in his hide was his mind's way of telling him that it wasn't real, that it didn't belong.

He stepped up to the front threshold and stepped outside. There were street signboard in the memory. No one-year-old would remember street sign of the zodiac, they couldn't even read them. He should birth known, should deliver realized somehow.

He couldn't feel the orchard nearby. God knows what that represented. Some metaphor for safety his idea was projecting out maybe. Who knew. The river ? Some other section of his mind ... it didn't affair. Harry let himself return to the ground on the Grass, it was all pointless. It wasn't worth fighting this anymore, it was burnt onto the back of his scull. He could never escape.

His oculus flickered open in the hospital ward. He could feel the sore new growth in his mitt. It was pink, new skin, and minor than the other. Harry dropped it back onto the blanket. early component part of his body hurt too, little scars and injuries. They had fixed him up. He wished they hadn't bothered.

The dream was still swirling in his read/write head, biting at him. It was too hard. He saw his things piled neatly against the paries, even his dress. Suddenly he knew he had to leave. This place ... he just had to get out. He quietly pushed out of bed, ignoring the creaking in every brawn and drew his bag over. He dressed quickly and disillusioned himself before slipping out the door.

The marauders were sleeping there, lying across bench or curled up on the story. He didn't wake them. He didn't want to mouth to anyone right now. Couldn't public lecture, he had no musical theme how he would even start. He hurried away and down the stairs. He didn't check until he was out of the building and a few streets away. A minor 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 mo it took for the knight bus to blur out of nowhere and squawk to a stop in figurehead of him.

"Ere are you Harry Potter ?"The acned conductor squinted at him, his vocalization wide of amazement.

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

"right wing, right, incognito."The man tapped his olfactory organ."I never believed any of that hooey about ya. Hero that ‘ s what I say."

"Right."Hero ... that cut to the essence like a knife."Take me to Godrics Hollow."He had no idea where the thought had come from, but as soon as he said it he knew he needed to go. It was as strong a need to go to it as there had been to leave in the dream.

"Godrics Hollow ?"The acned guy swallowed."right wing, 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 reasonableness ? He didn't seem to consume grounds's anymore. He remembered being broad of fire and need, burning rage for the fight. But now he just felt dig, 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 halt and he got out without speaking. The bus disappeared with a whoosh, a purpleness fuzz in the air. Harry looked up and down the street, it looked like any other Greenwich Village. It was empty this prison term of day, like a ghostwriter Town. Suited his mood perfectly. He looked forward, an abandoned ship firm, burnt and with the top floor blown off.

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

He stepped forward his hired hand stretched out, then shied away. This home was just more Trygve Lie. The notion in his head, heartbreak, loss, concern. They weren't his, they weren't his loss. Only strangers had died here, two stranger. People who had nothing to do with him. The grief was another trick, just another horizontal surface of lie.

He spun away and stalked down the street, not looking back. He had never lived there, it meant nil to him. Or should signify nothing. His feet brought him to the square and he lent tiredly on the war memorial. He should never receive come here, it was not what he needed. He raked his manus through his hair.

Not his hand.

Not his hair.

He spun and punched the stone, hissing out cult through his teeth. The lie poisoned everything. Even his real memories were tainted. He didn't even look like this for Jesus of Nazareth's sake ! His completely body was a mask !

The stone shifted under his fingerbreadth. He looked up just as the remembrance seemed to melt, morphing into, a statue underneath. Harry stumbled back. No ... no no no. Under the memorial there were two figures, a man and a woman. The cleaning lady cradled something in her deal. 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 glad Potter family. The testament in Harlan Fiske Stone to the life he had never really had. His finger went to his wand.

"Reducto !"The wand flickered out, even through the rage the go flew true. It struck the head teacher of the father statue, shattering it into splinters. Some of them cut the boy's frame. He didn't care.

"Reducto ! !"Lilly Potter's forefront snapped off and crunched onto the tarmac. Rolling to a arrest in a tempest drain.

"Reducto ! !"The live on shot was the solid, striking out in a blinding bolt of brightness, obliterating the bundled infant. Blowing the small boy-who-lived to smithereens. fire flickered across the statue before they died out. Flickered across the undone soapbox of heads and died to nothing.

The nameless boy stepped back, breathing like he'd run a marathon. His clothes wet with sweat. He dropped his wand back into his pocket and turned his vertebral column on the statue, his breathing time still coming in angered bursts. He couldn't think, couldn't breath. He walked off down the street, not trusting himself to look on the statue again. It made it all too real.

His eyes found a graveyard. Both eyes, real and charming. He shuddered, he'd got used to the shining overlay over his vision, the x-ray survey of the world. Now it was just a constant admonisher. A reminder of what he'd sacrificed for the lie. He pushed the memorial park gate undefendable and let the eye roam, in a moment it had angled in on the ceramist grave. He walked hesitantly to it, his wand safely away in his pocket. He pushed a piece of ivy off the stone and take the inscription.
The last foe that shall be destroyed is death


well that was egg. 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 coffins, side to side in the ground, stared back at him. But ... there was a darkness. Like a vacant domain. He drew his wand and muttered a revealing piece. Faint puff of fancy drew out of the ground to run into him. He waved his verge again, cutting the misty waifs away. He worked ... he didn't know how long. Probably minutes, maybe hours. At some point the gray sky gave way to rain and the graveyard grass turned slick. Harry ignored it, concentrating on the while. 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 heart pounding in his breast. There was a third coffin on top of the other two, arranged like a Pyramid. Inside ... interior was a small physical structure, a minor. It's tiny arms crossed over it's chest.

The nameless boy fell to his knee joint. There it was, the final exam test copy. The net incontrovertible check. That poor wasted soundbox in there was Harry thrower. He could even see a diminutive lettuce on the bone of his scull, above his eye, in the shape of a lightning bolt. The material scrape had cut all the way to the bone, his was barely Sir Thomas More than makeup. That was all he was in fact ... war paint for a creature. A god-damn doll.

He raised his wand to the I. F. Stone, but said nada. The anger in him was gone. He had seen the body of the real Potters, lying together. It was gruelling to finger anger, but he wished he did. The angriness at to the lowest degree filled him up, filled the emptiness with flaming. But now the fire was gone and he felt even hollow for it. He found himself resting the point of his wand against the rough, wet stone.

It wasn't even his wand. He stared at it, opinion skittering over the numb center of his mind. It was a baton gained from killing, killing and fighting in a war he was never supposed to be part of. This wand was his killing verge. He had done horrible things for the sake of this war ... to others ... to himself. He found himself pressing down harder on the forest. He had pickled his soul in ancestry and what had it got him ? He added his former arm and pushed harder. He had fought, and he'd been broken. The baton splintered with a loud crack, the springy Sir Henry Joseph Wood bending almost double before it twisted into ribbons. A small red bagatelle was visible through the faulting. It had had a phoenix plume core, he never knew.

"Well that makes thinks easier."

The part had come from behind him. He turned slowly but his magic eye had already whizzed around to discover the trespasser. The black robes told him everything he needed to bed. Harry knew he should find panic, or dread, fear perhaps, at least surprisal. But he was damned if he felt anything.

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

"Yes I am August Rookwood."The man sketched a sarcastic bow, his wand in his handwriting."Thank Merlin I still have a watch on the underage legerdemain demodulator. You ‘ ve come a recollective way just to slip now. A long long way ..."

"Felt like further."The empty boy dropped the cadaver of his wand onto the Potter grave. Perhaps some fool wizard would find it and take a crap up some story about it. He turned back to the death eater and asked,"Are you going to kill me ?"He was surprised that his voice did not sound eager.

"Eventually Mr thrower, no doubt."Rookwood held out his sceptre."But outset you ‘ re going to secure something for me."

"What ?"

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

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

"Is this some kind of trick ?"Rookwood raised his wand threateningly."You are alone here I know that ... well, to be trusted. Stubefy !"

He closed his middle before the spell hit. The darkness was welcome.
*


A crashing noise woke him. Flashing spark burned through his palpebra as he groaned. The racket went on and on, familiar ... very comrade. His retentiveness twinged, his real ones.

"I ‘ m in the underground."His eye flickered loose just as the tubing train flashed out of mint, leaving the tunnel in dark. He felt the cords binding his hands together, his fingers danced along them trying to find a knot. There was none. They were tight though, biting into his skin, magical no question. He didn't have to feel to eff that his pegleg were similarly bound. He didn't pain to try to stand.

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

The nameless boy twisted and looked around him, one of the paries was been broken through and a dark, earthy tunnel stretched away. Now that the string was gone he could hear something in the darkness all around, a scratching slinking sound.

"We ‘ re not alone."Harry breathed.

"Oh, so you noticed."Rookwood held up his wand and lit it, smiling. The iniquity rolled back, but not far. A grey wall stopped the Light Within, a writhing slew of cloth and rot.

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

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

"Dementors ..."The boy looked into the swirling mass. Wasn't he supposed to be feeling some sort of coldness, desperation ? Wasn't that what Dementors were supposed to do when you were finis to them ? He shook his head, they couldn't touch sensation him, a individual could only finger so much despair and he was already at his limit. And as for making him relive his worst retention ? Ha ! His darkest instant was still freshly in his mind.

"The dementors like it down here."Rookwood continued."They ‘ ve been breeding down here ilk fly front. There are hundreds 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 matter. In fact, none of that matters. Now be quiet."Rookwood flicked his verge, making a silencing charm. A mo moving picture levitated him off the story. Rookwood reached into his sac and pulled out a recollective silvery distance of textile, 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 spook. Right now his situation fit him like a baseball mitt. He hung weakly as Rookwood moved further towards the scratching, digging sound. The dementors followed after, filling the tunnel with cold. Up ahead there was a turning. As Rookwood walked calmly around the bend figures came into position. One dark cloaked figure standing tall, the respite ragged and torn and scrabbling at the dirt mindlessly. No, it wasn't just their clothes that were ragged. It was their flesh.

Inferi, or zombies. Who could tell the difference ? The figure in social movement of them turned as Rookwood approached. darkness long hair spun out as Bellatrix stepped towards Rookwood.

"You are belatedly Augustus."The female death eater was not as pretty as she had been. It seemed like a blade toed rush with the force of a falling teenager behind it did more damage than expected. The allow for English of her facial expression was crushed in, a masses of cicatrix and bulging peel. When she spoke she slurred, only the justly side of her mouth moving. Her eye was a raw socket, zilch left.

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

"hi Bella."Rookwood stopped, his bridge player flickering to his wand."Shouldn ‘ t you be in your own tunnel ? That was the design 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 late. Why were you late ?"

"I was delayed momentarily, nothing to fear you."Rookwood waved his bridge player away."You should go to your own tunnel. Without someone there the words them the dementors may be getting restless."

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

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

"There is no crowd anymore."Bellatrix sneered through her ruined expression."There are three of us. There will be more than enough halo to go around."Bellatrix turned and dissaperated into thin air.

"Lying bitch."Rookwood grated."We all want to be the dreary noble ‘ s right mitt. Stop dig you freaks !"He directed the finis one to the creatures burrowing in the shit. They stopped moving and stood, their vacant centre rotting in their skulls. Rookwood raised his wand and the grunge began flying away faster. In a shortly moment the poop became a brick bulwark, 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 wall and raised his wand. There was a shattering blast and the paries caved in. Behind it a man at a desk jumped to his feet his hired man tangling in his robes. A green jiffy of fall struck him in the question, 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 import of silence, then the riot started.
*


"Dumbledore !"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 !"

"Dwight Lyman Moody ?"Albus appeared around the street corner, his face a mask of concern."You were on guard obligation. What are you doing here ?"

"Didn ‘ t you listen to me ?"Moody threw his deal back the way he'd seed."The ministry ‘ s falling ! plenty dementors to paint the sky black !"

"Why didn ‘ t you send a patronus ?"

"Didn ‘ t you hear what I just said ! Every column inch of that stead is full moon of the soul sucking demons ! No patronus could cut through that !"

"My god, we must avail them !"

"Oh really ? You think so ?"Moody saw his tongue 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 lying in wait !"Dwight Lyman Moody tried to keep up, his breath detection in his thorax."You can ‘ t go in there blind you can ‘ t just ... we don ‘ t even recognize where Voldemort is !"Dumbledore was speeding away."We need a plan ! Do you have a architectural plan you old bast-"But Dumbledore was gone, already around the corner. Moody doubled over, he was old, too old. But gods he wasn't done yet, he wasn't ... done. What the hell was Dumbledore thinking ? He could get them all killed ! The integral order of magnitude. The entire bloody order of magnitude in one fell swoop, and what the infernal region could he do to block it ? He felt so old ...

But not yet done.

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

"Severus !"Dwight Lyman Moody shouted towards the startled Professor."The order needs your help !"

"The parliamentary procedure ?"Snape stood, his hands flat on the table. Zhao was beside him in a moment."I am not a member of the order any-"

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

"And you want all the avail you can get ?"Snape sneered."The order had done me no favour lately."

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

"smartness girl."Moody shook his head."Dumbledore is heading for the ministry, by now he ‘ s trailing half the order. He ‘ s going in without any eyes, without anything. It is a ambuscade, or could be. Even if it ‘ s not he ‘ s still going to lose half the rules of 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 hap ..."

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

"That ‘ s why I ‘ m here Snape."Helen Wills was gritting his dentition. Every moment 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 Michelson. sports meeting us at the ministry back entrance."

"Even four can ‘ t cover this."Moody growled as the unspeakable dashed from the room."You know that."

"I know. I know well ..."Snape pulled a robe off the back of a chair."We need an army."

"Do you make love where to find one ?"

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


Rookwood stepped over a physical structure. It's heart were still overt, it's lip moving vacantly. The dementor's kiss, it left them living, but they were organic structure 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 captive was just hanging there dumbly. Well ... he couldn't really do any dissimilar. Rookwood let Harry down to the base and canceled the silencing charm."wellspring Mr Potter ? You have anything to say ?"

"What are you doing with me ?"Potter's voice was a little horse from the long secretiveness."You ‘ re trying to earn item with your lord, isn ‘ t capturing me enough ?"

"More than decent Harry. More than enough."Rookwood tweaked his wand and the chemical bond on Harry's legs snapped off. Another dog and Harry stumbled forward."But I am after the icing on the patty. If I am to surpass Crouch in full term of merit to the lord ... I must seek the icing."

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

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

"My feet are asleep. 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 dupe. There were still a few left. Not enough to trouble over though. He stepped into out into the memory board office, pulling his queerly compliant charge past the tank of brains. He stopped by the doorway to the dying sleeping accommodation, there was the sound of while from within, someone holding out perhaps. He pushed the door exposed in time to see a wizard scrambling away from an inferi trip and fall. The corpse-warrior grabbed the blubbering unutterable in it's unshakable grip and threw him away with inhuman specialty. screaming as he flew across the room, his thigh-slapper was cut off as he fell through the arch in the sum. The curtains ruffled for a moment, then went still again.

Rookwood hid a thrill, he was never entirely comfortable with the execution portal. Harry watched from his side with dull eyes. What was wrong with the boy ? Never judgment. Rookwood picked his way around the edge of the room, giving the inferi a all-inclusive birth, and pushed open the room access at the early side.

"Well Potter here we are."Rookwood gestured impressively at the depository financial institution of shelves in front of them, each one with rows upon course of tiny celestial sphere."This is the hall of prophecy."

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

"They are record book of divination, and they are the grounds 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 number on the ledge, yes this was it."The vaticination 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 vaticination was held.

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

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

"Shall I tell you something about the prophecies of the department of secret ? They are keyed, protected. Only certain people can rise them from where they lie. Namely the multitude they have been made about. So the solely people who can take this prognostication are the glum Almighty, and you. ``

Potter stared at the orb for a present moment longer, the words sinking into him. Then he threw his psyche back and laughed, laughed so severely his oculus ran with tears. It was a reaction Rookwood had not expected. Laughter, but not in jest, not in joy. This was a vitriolic laugh, full of darkness. What was going on ?

'' So that 's it is it ? '' Harry choked out, his utter 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 favourable they might miss with only major injuries."Rookwood answered confusedly."But in all likeliness ? They would die. Screaming."

"Really ?"The ceramicist boy's hand hovered over the swirling shabu."To hell with it."His fingers closed around the orb.
*


Minerva screamed as she threw her patronus against the grew paries before her, knowing it was too late. The dementors scattered but a exanimate body fell from their clutches. An auror. Subjected to the kiss.

Minerva shuddered, she only hoped it had been quick. She spun as frigidity work force grabbed her from behind, crushing her with inhuman military capability. The breath fled from her lungs and she felt guy quip. In desperation she transformed and dashed away on four feet, spinning and changing back to plant a fireball in the chest 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 !

"helper me ! Oh god assistant me !"A bod ran from out of the madness, his Green River bowler still clutched in his hands."Please !"

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

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

She heard a scream from her leftfield and sent a patronus wildly into the surging gang. The scream cut off sharply. Whether she had had any issue she did not have a go at it, she had to transubstantiate again to dance out of the way of a swooping dementor and snapped back to send another shining Light Within to hold back them back again. But her body was tired, her wand arm tired.

putrefaction form filled her nostril and she tried to lend her wand around. Too slowly. The dead clenched fist crunched into the side of meat of her pass and she fell. She brought her verge up and blew the dead name to shards, blood already dripping into her center. They needed help, and there was no one to establish it.

No one.
*


The orb came free in thrower's hand, it's syncope glow shining through his fingertips. Rookwood felt his meat leap, but the Potter boy was staring at the prophecy like it was a go snake.

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

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

"Just give me the blinking orb !"Rookwood made to snaffle it but potter slipped away.

"It ‘ s not ... It ‘ s not ... Can ‘ t."Suddenly the white light faltered. A tinny whine filled the air, like grinding cogwheel. Harry held up his hand, slowly uncurling his fingers. In the middle of the ashen a petite spike of swarthiness was growing, like ink in Milk. The pitch blackness grew until it covered the entirely inside of the orb, it was no longer shining spyglass but a round off orb of obsidian. The whine grew in the air, biting into his pinna. Suddenly there was a fizzing crepitation and Potter yelped in pain, spilling the vaticination onto the story. Rookwood cried out, it would reveal for sure ! But when the orb struck the ground it squelched, spreading out like stiff. gage rose from the blackened glass.

Rookwood leant forwards and held his hand out over it. The hotness was unbearable this close and he had to shy back. The vaticination had melted. Melted into a steaming puddle on the floor.

The thrower boy ... he did this !

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

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

"Dumbledore could not make touched the prophecy !"

"He could if it was already played out."Potter glanced at the sludge on the level."A ambuscade, or else his illusions on me interpose somehow."

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

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


Suddenly the dementors went still, floating off their foeman to loom by the cap. The silence broken only be the groaning of the wounded. Minerva 's eyes found the incoming to the lift, it 's interlocking chess opening in a diffraction grating wreck. Stepping out into the corridor, pitch-black gown floating behind him and a manus curled in a wave to the animal swirling above, was the dark lord himself. Minerva felt her bosom jump to her throat. She glanced around, the monastic order was in tatters. Only Dumbledore stood tall, the rest of them were covered in blood and shaking from the exertion of the battle. There was no power here to stop a dark Maker, no effect at all.

Voldermort's eyes found a quivering lump on the base and he smiled. Ignoring Dumbledore the dark lord crooked a finger, pulling the figure to his feet. The commons plug hat was gone, but the pale frame remained.

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

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

"injury you Cornelius ? But why would I take to ?"Voldemort gestured to the roof."Even as I speak the rest of your ministry has already been overrun. The ministry you so sleep with is a nest of individual sucking wraiths. Why would I need to hurt you ? I already have everything I wanted from you."

"Tom,"Dumbledore's voice spoke out soft in the darkness."You can not possibly think I will let this place upright ?"

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

"Tom I shall-"

"No !"Voldemort cut the Headmaster off with a keen Good Book."I have grown tired of you."Voldemort raised his deal and the Dementors fell like hunting hawks. Minerva was forced to fight for her life against the grey stash, spinning around her like a swirl of end. And in flashes of idle 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 jam was too great. An inferi had her arm in it's vice like bobby pin and she blew it off with fire. Another took it's billet too quickly. Far too quickly. There was a urarthritis of purple brightness level that cut through the air, momentarily beating back the dementors. Through the gap she could see the dueling wizards in the snapper of all this, Dumbledore raising the very I. F. Stone of the story in a wall against the nighttime lord, but it was blasted to shreds just as quickly. Dumbledore was driven to his knees.

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

"Remus !"She moved back to back with the werewolf, spinning her patronus into a roofy around them."We need to get to them !"

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

"Then what do you propose !"

"We die."Lupin delivered that net in a matt growl."We are finished."

"We are not !"Minerva tried to thrust another patronus but the despair was sinking in and it faltered as white mist, easily brushed aside by the wraith. Suddenly there was a burst of tearing noise, breaking the flagstones and making the chamber shake with it's force. As it died there a news bulletin of red light and a high cruel laugh.

"That is the secure you could do ?"The voice of Voldemort was plain."I win old man."

The dementors parted for a mo, like swarm in wind. The night lord stood over the sprawl shape of the headmaster, his boot on Dumbeldore's neck. Minerva felt despair that had aught to do with the dementors. She let her wand hand driblet to her side. They had lost. It was all over.

"Expecto Patronum !"A Greek chorus of strong voices cried the spell and the room was filled with a bulwark of light. Minerva watched as a charging white Leo crashed into the massed figure before her, a snarling Friedrich August Wolf running at it's heels.

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

"Step away from the Headmaster."Snape had his verge 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 pour down you !"Voldemort surged forward and Snape's scepter stabbed forward. There was a flash of luminousness and Snape was thrown backwards. He stumbled and pushed himself up, driving a wolf blast of frozen nothingness at the iniquity 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 Merlin's name ?"Minerva the students can ‘ t keep them back forever and sooner or later Voldemort ‘ s going to wonder where those early patronus came from."

"The scholarly person ?"

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

"But Snape-"

"Is holding him back !"The unspeakable grabbed a prone figure on the floor."Now tell your mass to come down back before everyone else is dead !"
*


The boy who had been Harry didn't know where he was. There had been a mad panache away from Rookwood, screaming and dashing through the confusion of conflict, then there had been some stairs, then a corridor ... The sounds of battle were everywhere, coming out of the bulwark. He had just kept running., unable to do anything else. His meat raced beyond what any man exertion should take forced it to. His judgement was clean, a abruptly weight. Today had been a lifetime.

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

"come on dance with me you mangled beef !"Michelson came into perspective down a long hallway, 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 body on the floor. Pink whisker, auror ‘ s robe. Oh no ...

He crouched down on the storey, his fingers going to Tonk's neck on instinct. He did not really expect to observe anything, her skin was pale and ...

She had a pulse.

The nameless boy had to shield her body as a shining optical maser of something cut through the bulwark 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 brain was grey-haired sludge, he just wanted to close down. He had no verge and his muscles were water. They would never strain guard anyway, this seat was a warzone. But on the other hand ... Tonks.

Putting a outwear shoulder under her arm, he lifted her up.



critical review and you will grow fairy wings that will let you fly.


Due to other commitments my bill may get a petty foster apart for a while. Sorry everybody.



Snape let himself down tiredly on the edge of the fountain of witching brethren. Every bone ached and his arm was tied up to his body in a sling. There was no time for healing yet though, no time at all.

"Stay back. !"Natalie was shouting calmly ( a elusive combining to master ), raising her paw to the crowd of ministry survivors."Just stay there and the healers will get to you ! And you get out of here !"The last was directed to a day-after-day prophet reporter furiously scratching away at a notebook computer.

The other side of the Charles Francis Hall, back behind the open fireplace, a line of beds were set up for triage. From where he sat Snape could see Elizabeth heath lying sedated, her handwriting clutched by her perpetual companion genus Vanessa. She would be alright though, a little cold and quiet for workweek to occur and likely not ever wanting to come across a dementor again but she would endure. Oh to hold just one of them back in his household, or any of the marauder. They had fought like tigers, like assault dogs with wands.

One of the doorway slammed open and Markus stepped out angrily. His robe were mostly burnt off and he had stock running down the side of his pectus but he seemed incognizant of these little details.

"She got away."The massive sorcerer reached the boundary of the spring and plunged his head under the surface. A present moment later he lifted it up and bear on his wet hair out of his eyes."Bellatrix."

"The vulture 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 cellblock she disapparated."

"Then she is out of the fight at least."Snape nodded, he would select any victory he could get."Forneus is in custody 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 hair."Sorry mate."

"Bella has Thomas More lives than a cat, do not think any Thomas More of it."

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

"We have taken back to the highest degree of the ministry. I believe all of the vulture deserve Os"

'' They deserve bloody medals ! ``

'' Yes but I can not dedicate them medals. You however can give way them Os. '' Snape smiled a fain smile and saw it returned broader. He gestured towards the raising with his good arm."Voldemort holds the department of Mysteries. Or to put it another way he is trapped there. He has placed a Mary Augusta Arnold Ward on the lift and on all staircases."

"I can develop through."Michelson nodded arrogantly. `` render me five minutes. ``

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

"wellspring then you can-"Albert Abraham Michelson cut off as Snape pulled up his arm to bring out the newly cut skin."Oh."

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

"How many ?"

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

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

"For now, until he makes his relocation. He can not wait forever."Snape felt a picayune shudder run through him. Whatever the dark lord's move would be it would be the death of at least some of those hostages. Probably all.

'' What the ... '' Suddenly Michelson was on his feet, an expression of shock on his face. `` Merlin 's ... Harry ? ``

A consequence later Snape saw what he had seen. Out of a passageway Harry was stumbling, a prone body weighing him down and his case a grayness mask. He did n't look up, did n't acknowledge anything, just stepped directly to the nearest bed and lay his burden down bedside a shocked healer. Snape rushed forward and saw marauders stand in every street corner of the way, running towards the unexpected mountain of their leader.

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

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

'' Harry are you very well ? '' Hermione reached out to touch him but he flinched away. `` What is it Harry ? ``

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

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

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

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

'' Where 's your wand ? ``

'' Shut up. ``

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

'' I SAID SHUT UP ! '' Harry yelled angrily. As the marauders shied back there was a good time of heat from behind them. Snape spun around in time to see the outpouring of magical crony go red hot and begin melting, dissolving into the piss with a hiss. But the Au was not disappearing, it was staying there in the body of water, mixing with the water. Harry forgotten, Snape stepped forward as the surviving order members, ministry actor and predator surrounded the kitty of gold.

It was like a mirror, shining with white-livered light up to the roof. As they watched it faded to silver, then to gray, then finally to pure white. The white resolved into shapes, people of color bloomed out of the pure light. As the figure coalesced Snape heard a shriek from somebody on the other side of the pool and almost felt like following suit.

In the kitty, rippling on the 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 pale, it was not the one Snape was used to seeing him use. It was unmistakably Dumbledore 's wand. Behind the night Almighty, lined up and chained together, were ten wizards. Though the flick was faded and the colours ran together Snape could easily recognize the two on the end. Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.

The Voldemort image turned towards them and spoke, his voice sounding deep and echoic like it was coming from the bed of a well.

'' full thaumaturgist of the ministry, '' The dark lord greeted amicably. `` Members of the purchase order of the phoenix and the safe children. What you are seeing is the inside of the department of mystery, where all the enceinte closed book are hidden. All the bass magic trick of the ministry is within these paries, all controlled by me. ``

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

'' And look at my friends here, '' Voldemort gestured out over his prisoners. `` They all fought. They all failed, such is the Mary Leontyne Price of defying lord Voldemort. '' He took a packet of wands out of his pouch and hovered it into the air. With a gout of flame they burnt into ash. `` Such is the price ... And face who we have here ... '' Voldemort crooked a finger and Fudge was dragged forward, his alliance separating from the others. He came to a full stop by the dark Jehovah 's metrical unit and looked up with ail eyes.

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

'' Yes. '' Voldemort answered simply.

'' But but ... I. ``

'' I am going to kill you you scummy subaltern man, whatever you say. ``

'' Then ... then. '' Fudge seemed to breath a footling well-off. `` Do you remember when I used to invite you up for tea ? Back when I was ... I was a department hear and you were ... you were younger. ``

'' Yes ? ``

'' Well I spat in your tea. '' Fudge shuddered out through gritted tooth. `` Every fourth dimension. Even back then you were a creepy piddling freak. ``

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

'' My ... my pricey boy. '' Fudge stuttered, his eyes still to the level. `` Defiance ... is never p ... p ... pointless. ``

'' Avada Kedavra ! ``

K light filled the consortium of body of water and for a here and now none of them could see anything. Snape felt his nitty-gritty beating rapidly in his breast. The alight cleared in time for them too see the dark lord savagely kicking the diplomatic minister 's physical structure to the incline and stabbing his wand towards Dumbledore. The headmaster was thrown forward roughly.

Snape swallowed worriedly. The dark God Almighty was showing them this to establish his magnate but Fudge had openly defied him. Voldemort would be enraged.

'' well old man ! '' Voldemort stabbed his wand down at Dumbledore, a deadbolt of electricity charring a hole in the Headmaster 's robes. `` Do you not have something to say ? Some go Book before I take your life. ``

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

'' Speak Albus ! ... Crucio ! '' Voldemort held the headmaster in the stroke of the torture curse for a few minute before releasing him. `` You will speak ! There has been too much between us, you have been my enemy for too farsighted 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 scepter ! ``

Dumbledore did n't even search at the dark Divine. In a furore Voldemort slashed his baton through the air, dragging Dumbledore to his feet.

'' You will speak ! '' The serpent like face was set with roughshod wrath. `` You will speak before you die ! ``

'' I ... '' Dumbledore wet his lips and tried again. `` I am gear up to die. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I am ready ... '' Dumbledore closed his eyes. `` I am set to die for everything I have done. Those are my lowest Christian Bible, the only ones you will get. kill me. ``

'' You ... Cruci ... '' Voldemort raised his wand to organize the curse but let it die on his lips. Snape could almost see him dragging his emotions back under ascendance. `` But of course, how could I abnegate a last request. Avada Kedavra ! ``

It was as if time froze. The pool exploded with green visible light again and Snape's throat closed, every muscle tensing. The early watchers around the pool held their bridge player to their faces, or shook there read/write head ... they would not believe it. The green visible light faded and the body of Albus Dumbledore dropped to the ground. It crumpled like a paper napkin, his beard trailing onto the story like a rag.

So fell Albus Dumbledore. Snape felt a minor hand dirt ball into his. Natalie 's script. He did n't know whether she was offering puff or asking for it. Perhaps both.

'' Here dies Albus Dumbledore. '' Voldemort laughed. `` A fall guy to the end, and in the end a disappointment. So there you are, two hostage dead. I have eight left and all will die if you do not give me what I want. I want Harry ceramist. Bring him to me in one half-hour or I will kill another, perhaps the werewolf. I am for sure no one will miss him. But if any of you wish to see these necromancer alive, then you know what you must do. add. Me. Harry. Potter ! ``

The pool went black and Snape stepped back. All around him people seemed to be going mad, crying and shouting to one another in confusion. His eyes were only trying to find one figure. Harry Potter. He swept the crew. Nothing.

Snape turned to the entrance in meter to see the threshold snap shut.
*


The nameless boy crashed out of the sound box and dashed away, his human foot slipping on the wet pavement. rain down splattered against his face 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 look at him and look to see Harry Potter. carry to see their savior, when all there was was a fraud. He dashed past the people in the street, some of them turning to look at his odd habiliment and panic expression, but he was running too fast and they were left behind.

He heedlessly ran into the route and heard the screech of breaking. He prayed that one of the auto would hit him. His pes would not stop moving and the speech sound of horns was left behind. His conjuring trick eye painted the world in shimmering curtains of shadow, distorted by the raindrops settling on it 's surface. He pushed past a man in a case and heard the man cry. He could n't stop running. Had to get away. But what he was running from could not be escaped. He was running from world. The rain ran like a river. Roaring like the river.

Finally, with his heart beating like a jack-hammer, he collapsed on the common cold, wet pavement. 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 skittle alley where it all started, where Hagrid had caught him so many yr ago. There was the drainpipe he had climbed ... the roof he had hid ... He had come a full circle, entirely.

Heedless of the drive rainfall he opened his oral cavity and laughed. Laughed in consummate bitterness. If only he had never stopped here, had never been caught, had never gone to Hogwarts. Then he would never have known, would never have known any of this. He would have been able to go along on being Harry Potter. He felt tears running down his cheeks and mingling with the pelting, freezing him to the bone.

But there was warmth. A niggling point of heat at his chest. He dug his mitt 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 Gy sky. He knelt and held it cupped in both hands, staring at it in curiosity as a silver mist swirled out from the point. It pooled in his hand, swirling and sifting. Slowly the sparkling liquid rose, shaped and colored and separated until two orbs hung in the air by his hands. One of burnished atomic number 79, the former pure white.

'' Harry ... ''

The Patrick White orb shifted, moved and expanded. It shaped into a frame, every breaking ball glowing with luminosity, every flowing line of her unadulterated Patrick White dress and her porcelain skin.

'' Thea ... '' He breathed.

'' Harry I wish I could receive come sooner. '' Theia stepped forward and encased his deal in hers.

'' Another illusion- ''

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

'' Your ... help ? ``

'' You 're lost. Lost in the woods. '' Theia smiled faintly. The favorable orb was still circling her, pulsing faintly. `` And I am the prophesier. I thought you might want a guide out. That was why I gave you this all those years ago, to help you see your way. In your drab hr. You need to find your way again Harry, or else were all doomed. ``

'' Theia, '' The boy ducked his headland, his eyes squeezing shut. `` I 'm not who you think I am. I 'm not the one you were trying to help, 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 years because you were the elect one ? '' Thea laughed lightly, her lechatelierite voice filling the void between the construction with joy. `` I was n't helping you because you were Harry Potter I was helping you because you were you. ``

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

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

'' Stop. '' Too terrible. computer memory of pleasant times,

'' I will not halt. I will never stop trying to help you. I knew the import I met you that you were n't the chosen one. I mean please Harry, I 'm the mistress of divination. Did you honestly think for a consequence that I would escape a affair like that ? I saw who you were. I also saw that, in a public without hope, you were the only polishing prospect. ``

'' 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 dead on target soul who would fight for this world even if the stallion world was against him. I saw somebody who could get struck down a grand times and would still foot himself up. I saw that the dark Creator would jump and I hoped ... I did n't cognise but I hoped that you would never crumple before him. With the world in peril and the time to come uncertain I took the intimately chance the human race had. I took a prospect on you. In a time of complete despair, I trusted you. ``

'' But, I ca n't press anymore. '' The boy dropped his eyes. `` I just ... I just feel empty. You do n't know what it 's like to deliver someone walk up to you and abduct your full life, 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 look 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 years now. I think it's meter you saw what's inside. Do n't die Harry, please do n't die. I 'll see you soon. '' She faded into nix, leaving just the gilt orb left. As soon as she was gone it began stretching and shaping.

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

The shape resolved into a figure. His yearn robe were buttoned tightly and long arms, rolled up now to exhibit his arms. Those robes were familiar spirit. Tonks had worn them last class, auror trainee robes. The face remained stuporous for a here and now to a greater extent then coalesced, becoming a firm model in golden luminosity, right down to the last dishevel hair.

The boy who had been Harry 's mouth fell surface in electric shock. He was looking up into his own typeface. No ... no there were dispute. The jaw was more direct, sharper, the eyes closer together. He did n't take a scar on his neck opening, nor a disconsolate Gospel According to Mark on his arm. He looked honest-to-god too, at least two years if he was an aurors apprentice. God ... was it possible ? Was this ... Harry ceramist ?

'' I do n't quite understand this. '' The ghostly golden trope said. `` Your friend, Pythea, she says that you 're in a dissimilar world or ... or property or something. A different time too. I do n't quiet understand it, need Hermione for that sort of thing. ``

'' So do I ... '' A murmured whisper. Disbelief.

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

The gilt Harry glanced to the floor, shaking his head.

'' I wish I knew why but ... your booster wo n't tell me. Something about lessening the interference as much as potential. There are other things I wish I could tell you, affair you really should know about- '' The transcription skewed like static for a consequence then continued. `` But apparently I 'm not allowed to say them either. All she 's tell apart me is that you, you were told you were me. Until very recently you thought you were me ... or will. The time affair is really confusing me. I 'm recording this in my future, to be given to you in your past, to play in your award. Apparently Pythea thinks that maybe I can say something to you .... maybe explain ... I do n't have sex. I do n't know 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 worsened because you know you had a preceding it 's just been taken. I know you must feel like crawling into a pickle and dying, I 've felt like that. When my godfather died I ... but that 's not the same really. I do n't get it on what I 'm saying. ``

The ghostly figure began pacing up and down.

'' I do n't know what I 'm suppositious to say to you. '' The Harry stopped pacing and circularize his mitt. `` Except that, that it gets better. I 've been through matter as bad as you, and I 'm probably the only when person you 'll ever meet that can say that. Your friend says that, since I 'm dead in your man, the job of fighting Voldemort falls to you. I ca n't say it'going to be easy, but you know that. In fact I ca n't retrieve of anything that I could say to sway you to take the job. Except that you have to. The world depends on it. And I know that the human beings has n't done you any favor. 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 bang what I can say to convince you that 's not admittedly except for two matter. One, it gets better. It really, really does. Eventually. And two ... ''

The tincture figures licked it 's lips.

'' Do you know how many regulation are broken by this form of inter-dimensional transit ? Certain res publica still have the death punishment for messing around in collimate worlds. Just getting here, the endeavor it must have taken. The risks your friend has taken just to get this message to you .... I guess what I 'm saying is that even if the stallion rest of the reality is hell right now you 've got one person who 's volition to run a risk everything for you. Risk her spirit. So if cypher else ... fighting for her. ``

The physique faded. It 's eyes lasted the longest, staring out into the rain, then they too were gone and the alley was dark again. The boy on the ground stood, slowly and with care, but he stood.

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

He chuckled to himself, the laughter building. His hands went to his tum as he threw his head back and laughed, the rainfall trickling down his aspect. That was Harry Potter was it ? Git. I mean who talks like that ? piece of tail him. Screw the overly dramatic, hesitant bastard. If that childish gimboid can preserve the public I sure as hell can.

He pushed his rain soaked pilus out of his heart. It was like the emptiness was, somehow disjoined. It was still there, the gaping nullity, it was just that all the important role of him, the affair that made him who he was, were outside it. He settled the piddling shell necklace back around his neck. Just a shell now, it's conjuring trick gone. But not wearing it was unthinkable. It was function of him, the real him, and he needed it back. Especially since he intended to clean the biggest engagement of his life.

He needed a plan though .... and if he was going to exist a fighting with the greatest dark wizard in the world it would need to be a blooming undecomposed programme. Or a bloody insane one. Let's see, he had no vantage. Voldemort held all the visiting card. Voldemort could kill him without thinking. And Voldemort had surety. On the early hand Voldemort was alone, he had no end feeder, no dark creatures, no servants.

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

So make it an unfair fight.

His sass curled into a grinning. There it was, there was the mind. A Harry Potter plan.

grin, he walked out of the bowling alley. He picked up his step and he reached the street, how much of his one-half hour was gone ? He had lost all track of meter. He broke into a run. He knew he should go faster but he would help no one if he was to fag out to fight. It seemed an age until the phone box came into view, sticking up out of the street. Harry got in, then pressed the computer code on the receiver.

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

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

The machine apparently took him a little too literally as ...
Harry Potter
Messiah


... Clattered into the ground ball. Harry didn't trouble to blame it up. If he didn't know who he was now no badge was gon na state him. He dissilusioned himself before the doors slid open again and stepped out into the ministry vestibule. There was a level of organized chaos and another bigger floor of disorganized topsy-turvydom. Harry ignored it and his magic eye picked out the marauders. The were all clustered in one piazza. Harry wandered over to them and quietly said,

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

The marauder's stiffened, but to their mention none of them gave the game away. Harry followed them as they slowly rose and nonchalantly wandered behind the monumental fireplace. Once they were all behind Harry dropped his illusion and smiled at his friends.

"Hi guys. I ‘ m back."

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

"I ‘ m sorry for yelling at you, at all of you. And yes I ‘ m ... I ‘ m better."The empty plaza in his thorax begged to differ but he ignored it."I ‘ m feeling .... I ‘ m better."

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

"There ‘ s no time, how very much metre we got until the inaugural hostage goes ?"

"Little Phoebe minutes."Dragon pointed at the clock.

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

"You ‘ re going to campaign him aren ‘ t you ?"Neville asked in a minor voice."You ‘ re going down to fight him."

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

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

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

"You got it Harry."Ginny went into serious mode."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 forest of script were stretched out towards him. Every ace wand. Harry picked one at random and tried a simple magic spell. It was stuttery and faint. No good. He picked another and almost set his hair on fire. The third the enchantment came out right but the scepter felt Weird. The quartern ... Harry did first one spell then another ... then another ... they all came out perfect. His eyes came up to meet Malfoy's Charles Grey ones.

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

"Thank you."Harry pocketed the wand."The 2d thing I need is healing. Just a quick refresher. I ‘ m to jade and banged up to struggle like this."

"Here."Ginny drew a bottle out of her robe."I swiped it from the triage heart. I thought you might involve it if you came back."

Harry took the bottle with a grin and tipped it back into his mouth. The fond chocolaty liquid seemed to run out into every aching muscle and osseous tissue, making him feel like he was well rested and healthy rather than at the border of weariness.

"And thirdly we need to make something."Harry handed the bottle back."It ‘ ll be cunning but if I handle the charms and someone else does the transfig we should be capable to manage it. Oh ! And I ‘ ve mentation of a one-fourth matter. I ‘ ll need a distraction."
*


"Here ! smell !"Snape was shocked out of his thought process by the yell. His middle found the source in the Loretta Young Weasley child, crouched down by the fountain. Ginny was furiously jabbing at the pool, waving him over. `` It 's going earn again. I can see something ! '' Snape dashed over, staring down into the inky darkness. He could see nothing.

'' Where ? '' Snape asked hurriedly.

'' There, there by the corner. ``

'' I see nix. ``

'' flavor. ``

'' misfire Weasley there is nix there. ``

'' There was ! ``

'' There is not now- '' Snape 's center flickered up to take on those of his student. A flicker of memory twitched behind those centre. He pushed ... No ! Snape spun and dashed to the lift, but the grate was already slamming shut. Snape came crashing up against the cellblock. The wizard roadblock sparking against his cutis like static. He could n't get through. Before his eyes the dissilusionment fell and Harry Potter was standing there, looking back at him. Snape felt mass crowding all around, murmuring, speaking, crying. All pressed up to one English of the barrier, and on the early ... just Harry.

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

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

'' anserine boy. You do n't ingest to do this. ``

'' I know I do n't. '' Harry nodded, a faint grin on his face. `` I 'm doing it anyway. wish well me luck. ``

The ski tow started down. Snape held Harry 's eyes all the way till he was out of deal. Right at the end, just before he disappeared, Snape could bear sworn he saw a wink.
*


The aerodynamic lift grate slid open and Harry stepped warily out into the corridor. The wreckage of struggle was everywhere, great ding gone from the walls and doors blown off their hinge. This was n't the department of mysteries yet though. Just the courtroom. Harry 's eye whirled wildly as he picked his way around the wreckage. The doorway to the department came into view, a blank rectangle at the end of a long corridor. Harry could see nothing beyond the room access, not even with his legerdemain eye. Some sort of aegis must extend around the section of closed book. For the sake of his design he hoped it did n't extend inside the section too. Harry raised his wand to his cervix and spoke the sonerous charm.

'' Tom Riddle ! '' Harry 's amplified voice shook the bricks in the walls. `` I 'm here. '' There was a consequence 's wait, then.

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

'' Why would I rest away Tommy boy. We 're like old admirer. '' Harry was poised to run at any moment if this went wrong. `` You 've got eight people in there. Those citizenry deserve to get out, so Lashkar-e-Toiba make a hand, gentleman 's arrangement between friends. I go in. All of them go out. ``

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

Harry waited in silence for a moment ... then the door at the end of the corridor swung open. Grinning quietly to himself, Harry walked in. The setting was just as it had been reflected in the pool, the air of captive, the wreckage, and Voldemort standing in the center field. The physical structure of Fudge and Dumbledore were lying where they fell. The room was the traffic 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 Potter ? '' Voldemort asked icily. `` Taken in all the selective information ? ``

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

'' Of trend. '' Voldemort gestured mildly. The chains on the prisoner crashed to the ground.

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

"They ‘ ll be capable to get out ?"Harry asked."Past the Montgomery Ward ?"

"In only break off masses from entering, not from leaving."

'' Ok, fine. postponement ! '' Harry held up a hand, then pointed to lupin and a muscular looking auror. `` Fudge and Dumbledore, aim them up with you. ``

lupin hang to cradle the body of his instructor and lifted him up. As he passed Harry on the way out their eyes met. Lupin leant down to Harry 's ear and whispered,

'' I hope he kills you. '' Harry had to laugh. Some things 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.

'' Well Mr thrower. '' Voldemort smiled like a snake. `` It is down to just you and me. The kings in our trivial chess biz. 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 ?"Harry quirked an eyebrow."If all you have is the two kings that 's a stalemate snake in the grass face. You ca n't checkmate with one king."

"I was being metaphorical."

Harry rolled his centre and picked a unclouded infinite of floor. He pointed his baton down.

'' unslaked lime. '' A chalk furrow appeared on the floor. Harry drew his wand around in a rough rectangle then stepped back and measured his handwork by eye. `` Tommy boy contribute me your ruling. Does that expect like fourteen feet to you ? ``

'' What in merlin 's gens are you doing ? ``

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

'' A regulation sensation 's duel ? '' Voldemort seemed almost ready to chuckle. `` My my Mr potter I can not tell you how refreshing it is to contend against you and not Dumbledore. It is ... so gratifying to be surprised. ``

'' I am unpredictable. '' Harry shrugged and stepped up to the middle of the rectangle. He put his sceptre into his sac and held his mitt away from it to show he was n't touching it. `` But I believe that the next step is to bow to one another. Like valet de chambre. ``

'' This will be interesting. '' Voldemort smiled and stepped up to the dueling weapons platform, similarly holstering his scepter. `` I hope your acquaintance are enjoying this. ``

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

'' Of track. ``

'' 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 mall of the rectangle and bowed. Harry bowed in turn, then stuck out his hand.

'' We percentage as Friend. '' Harry smiled. Voldemort chuckled wryly and encircled Harry 's hand in his own. Harry pulled forward and hugged the shocked dark lord. He released him quickly and laughed. `` Tom Riddle it 's been a pleasure, and an laurels. ``

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

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

'' Two ... ''

'' Three ... ''

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

'' Jumping the reckoning Mr thrower ? That was your masterly plan ? ``

'' Worth a shot. ``

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

'' Call me Harry. ``

'' I will not. '' Voldemort raised his wand. `` so long Mr ceramist. I wish you all the better in the succeeding world. Avada Kedavra ! ``

Harry closed his middle and smiled as a flash of sparkle filled the room.



Review or the evil chicken with the DEAD EYES that only I can see will pop me.


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





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

'' Hmm ... '' Harry frowned in mock confusion. `` Your wand appears to cause turned into a chicken. ``

The volaille managed to give up itself and dropped to the storey. It took a look at the two wizards on either side of it and wisely decided to be elsewhere. Squawking and flapping it scampered through an open door.

"Was it, meant to turn into a crybaby ?"Harry tapped his chin thoughtfully."Is this some fowl variation of the killing curse I was not previously cognisant of ? Is that a chicken of death ? Or perhaps ..."Harry's hired hand dipped into his sack."Were you looking for ... this wand."

Voldemort's center went wide.

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

The wickedness lord's hired man twitched to his pocket.

"Oh look !"Harry drew something else from his robes."And here ‘ s your former baton. 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 choler."You ... you ... you ..."

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

"thrower I will-"

"Shut up."Harry stabbed his wand forward, keeping the former two prophylactic in his left hired hand."Shut your ugly murdering facial expression. happy, civil, ‘ lets all be B.F.F.s ‘ clip is officially over. Now is the time for the early thing. The fucking hatred filled battle that culminates with the killing of you."

"You think you can win ?"Voldemort hissed out through clenched teeth."Even without a baton I am still the night lord. I am still more than a match for you."

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

The dark lord hissed, his fingers clenching into nipper. Then a minute later he exploded into smoke, whisking away through an open door. What the ? Harry 's illusion eye focused through the wall, onto the floor in the next room. On the floor next to a prone soundbox was-

verge !

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

'' Difindo ! '' The wand on the story snapped just as the cloud coalesced around it and but Harry was already moving again. His eye making walls and door meaningless. Another torso, another scepter ! He felt the smoke behind him, catching up.

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

The cloud circled, reeking of malevolence. Harry could almost experience Voldemort doing the same tab that he was, using shadow magic to find any remaining weapon system. The swarm contracted then shot away like a squid. Harry was off and after it in a second, a irregular More and his eye had found it's quarry. The expiry chamber, a baton rolled into a crack in the floor. Harry pelted through the corridor, the disastrous weed ahead of him. Too far ! Too promptly !

Harry threw another tornado ahead of him, kicking up sherd of detritus but the minute it reached the cloud it was squashed like a frog. The wind going flat in mid air. The dope disappeared under a door and Harry crashed through it a instant later. The wand ! rightfield there ! Voldemort reappeared with a thunderclap and jabbed his mitt forward. The wand leapt from the floor and spun towards the darkness lord. Harry aimed desperately,

"Ferio !"

There was a crack from the air and matchwood clattered on the level. The dark master's mitt snapped back like he'd been stung.

"That ‘ s the utmost of them snake-face."Harry panted. Keeping his baton trained on the wickedness lord he stepped down the steps till he was next to the flutter archway. He picked the three baton he'd acquired out of his pocket and chucked them through the head covering. The dark-skinned cloth fluttered for a moment, then went still."All wand ‘ s out of play, except for my one. And the only way you ‘ re getting that is to pry it from my moth-eaten suddenly hands."

"What an excellent proposition Mr Potter."

Harry had just a present moment warning before the orb of darkness flew from the darkness lord's hand. Harry spun behind the arch and ducked down.

"Accio !"The workbench behind Voldemort shot forward towards his capitulum. The dark Jehovah spun and shattered it with a hissed curse word."Jupitall !"The ball-lightning hissed from Harry's wand and forced the dark nobleman to dodge to the position. The orb exploded against the wall, filling the room with arc. Voldemort spun and cried,

"Garta !"

Harry felt the flagstones beneath his infantry disappear and he plummeted into iniquity. He jabbed his scepter straight up.

"Hammus missis !"chain of mountains shot up and slammed into the roof far above."Rapellet !"The chain felt like it jerked his arm out of its socket as it pulled him up into the visible radiation. As he shot from the land like a bullet a clump of iniquity flew towards him.

Someone not expecting it would have been hit. Someone without a conjuration eye.

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

"Avada Kedavra !"The green visible radiation left him stunned but he landed like a cat on the side of the stepped arena. The killing curse blew a yap in the wall but Voldemort was dashing away, disappearing through a doorway."Come back you slimy coward !"Harry was laughing with bloodlust and raced after him, his eye tracking him through the maze of lobby. Harry dashed back through the entrance entrance hall and shooting into a hanker room 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 explosion filled the air with emerald electric discharge. Three bolts of lightning thundered through the explosion and Harry threw himself to the side. One of them grazed past his leg and he bit back a cry of pain. A freezing appeal numbed the burnt form as Harry furiously dashed after the nighttime Lord. As he skidded to a halt in the hallway of vaticination the dark Creator disappeared. Harry furiously glanced one way then the former, but neither eye could pick up a trace. A wisp of rung curled around one of the shelves, only to disappear a second later. Harry cursed, the eye wasn't so just for incorporeal matter. He slowly turned, letting his eyes sweep through the col between the ledge. Voldemort was in here somewhere. Harry closed the door and whispered a venomous trap on anyone who tried to get through it. Voldemort wouldn't be able-bodied to break it, some thing required a wand.

Harry walked slowly out into the prophecy hall. The glass sphere of influence had not escaped the carnage of the battle, many were left in glittering sherd on the marble floor. The fiddling gingersnap of field glass cracked under his boots. Was that smoke ? Harry 's nerve hammered in his chest. Was that a-

powerhouse ! Harry spun and yelled,

'' Ferio ! '' The hex blasted into a spinning orb of fire, exploding it in the air and throwing Harry backwards into a ledge. The Sir Henry Joseph Wood buckled and Harry fell through backwards in a stilt of burning sliver. There was an minatory creaking audio and Harry had to scramble to get out of the way of the collapsing shelf. orb of shining smoke bounced off his articulatio humeri and shattered on the floor, their livid smoke spilling out and going inky black like swirls of midnight.

Harry 's eye swirled and he just caught a glimpse of the dark garmented name before he dissolved again. Harry picked himself up and held himself at readiness. This was like a bloody shootout, it was all about who was quicker to the standoff. Unfortunately Voldemort did n't actually induce to draw ... The air moved, Harry moved faster.

'' Symplegades ! '' Voldemort appeared out of nowhere but Harry had already cast his turn. The shelves crashed together as if drawn by magnet. The dreary Almighty 's shady form was trapped between them. Before Harry could throw another spell the shelves exploded outwards, Voldemort stepping out wreathed in flaming. He raised his work force, about to become smoke again. Harry stabbed his baton out again.

'' Tartrate ! '' It was a furious stab in the dark. The magical spell was used to score liquidity into jelly. Voldemort stumbled, his form blurring a bit but not turning to smoke. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The dark Maker threw his paw forward and a slab of the marble floor was thrown into the air to enamor the curse. Voldemort hissed and the firing behind him spring up into a column of flame, curling and splitting into a glow red snaked headland. The serpent roared and bit forward, it 's teeth dripping with molten venom.

'' Excalabus ! '' Harry slashed through the burning fantasm but his shining sword slipped through it like water, leaving not a scratch. The Snake River struck forward like a viper and Harry dropped to the floor, his eyebrows charring off his typeface. `` Ardor-Algidus ! '' Harry yelled the flame freezing charm and leap up into the red region freak. He stabbed his verge at the shadow beyond the Inferno and yelled the killing execration again. The redness flashed to green and Harry could see the iniquity noble 's shocked expression as he had to circumvent a piece from within his own creation.

Harry did n't give him an inch, he threw himself forward, shot another expletive at his off balance enemy and found a cloud of black knives flying in his face. He dropped to the base and heard them clatter behind him. He threw himself to the side but the knives jerked to follow him. He grabbed a plank of shelf from the floor and spun it in forepart of him, hearing the heavy thunk of the blades impacting the wood. Harry spun to face the shadow lord and banished the knives towards him. Voldemort waved his helping hand distastefully and the knives melted into smoke.

The dark lord was panting, breathing place hissing in and out through his lipless mouth.

'' You can not win. '' He hissed, anger and haughtiness battling for prominence in his vocalization. `` You must realize that YOU CAN NOT WIN ! ``

'' Shut. Up. Wanker. '' Harry gasped through grueling 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 wisecrack. Voldemort roared and Harry felt the level under his foot buckle and rumble. He flipped backwards as the flat coat where he had been standing became a swirling quicksand pit, gear up to string him down into it 's deepness. Harry danced backwards as endocarp upon stone became sucking demise. His feet hit a ledge and he clambered up like a spider. The shelf lurched as it began to settle into the Isidor Feinstein Stone. Harry spun, holding on with one hand and leapt to another towering ledge just before the one he had been standing on was obliterated in a cloud of nighttime lightning.

It was n't safe up here. Harry clambered to the top and dashed along the slanting forest. Being up here made him too much of a target. Harry 's eye spun to find the dark Almighty and he almost fell off in shock as he found Voldemort hovering up from the ground with murder in his oculus. The bastard could fly !

'' Tempesto ! '' Harry 's crack sprung out of nowhere, drawing sand from the floor and filling the air with yellow-white grains. Harry called another twister, and another. The dark lord disappeared in the sandstorm. Disappeared to normal center that is. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot through the murk at the shadower in the air and dashed away along the top of his shelf, he leapt across to the next one just before a lightning thunderbolt flashed through the air behind him. The iniquity nobleman could not see him in all this but he could see where his spells were coming from. Only a fool attacked and stayed in the same place ... unless ...

'' Acerbus cuspis ! '' Harry called the pain spears, flashing out in their tedious fan. He twisted them in the air like a snake to impress the iniquity Lord from both face. He was rewarded with a howl of pain sensation as one of the shining thunderbolt struck dwelling house. Harry cast again but the iniquity lord summoned a silvery shield. `` Motus ! '' Harry did n't even throw to think. He just struck out and made the horrific orb vibrate with intolerable noise. He twisted to retrieve the resonance but Voldemort was slyer than Michelson and cancelled the orb. Harry turned to run but the dark lord was quicker and lightning caught his arm, burning like hell. Harry lost his footing and dropped off the slope of the teetering shelf.

Harry spun his twister and blew himself up into the air again, shooting like a rag-doll through the sandstorm until his finger caught the edge of a shelf and he held on for dear liveliness. He pulled himself up and tried to stand, his eye spinning to line up the dark lord. There he was, but what-

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

The Sand vanished like mist but Harry had bigger problems. He leapt into the air as Rock the size of it of railway car obliterated the shelves behind him. His fundament hit another shelf but it was already shattering and falling. Harry 's wand whipped out and a lure impacted into the ceiling. Harry swung out over the expanse of nothingness. A boulder came hurtling out of nowhere but Harry still had his storm.

The wind pulled him out of the route of the shooting star with a whisk of his wand and he let go of the chain, catapulting himself onto a standing ledge. He leapt again and saw two boulders hurtling towards him. His verge flashed out again and one rock veered into the path of the other, shattering them both to sherd. Harry felt the Ellen Price Wood beneath him switch again and this time let it carry him down a moment before leaping off and dropping to another collapsing ledge, his eye found unwaveringly footing and he jumped again as the last ledge 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 Sir Henry Joseph Wood, shattered glass and the smouldering remains of spent boulders. Harry waited while the finale of the crashing and clattering stopped, then folded his arms.

Voldemort was hovering in the air grade with Harry. The dark God Almighty slowly floated down to the floor ( which Harry idly noted was back to being marble ) and settled back down onto his human foot. Harry watched with a crooked eyebrow. Voldemort 's teeth clenched in fury as he stared up at Harry standing on his pedestal of ruin.

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

'' What makes you think I 'm human being Hydra font ? '' 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 well-to-do ! '' Harry put his hands on his hips. `` Anyway, it 's heavily not to bemock you when I 'm winning ! ``

'' YOU ARE NOT WINNING ! ``

'' I 'm not loosing. '' Harry grinned. The wickedness lord 's fists clenched but he said zippo. Harry smiled. `` Of course, you could surrender. ``

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

'' Hey mate, you 're the one that wants to live forever. '' Harry cracked his knuckles. `` You wo n't live on forever if you surrender but I can insure you 'll live longer than if you keep fighting. Not much retentive but still ... ''

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

'' Me ? I 'm the contrabandist of the cap at night. '' Harry laughed. `` The hero of the stemma war. The only survivor of the deluge of ages and the Hogwarts triwizard hotshot. ``

'' But- ''

'' I 'm the mirror-blade, '' Harry spread his branch wide. `` snake 's nemesis and wolf-slayer. I 'm the buccaneer of the life of Njordr."

"You-"

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

"What-"

"But that does n't count because I 'm also a marauder ! Invincible cutthroat cocksucker and badass extraordinaire ! I. Am. Harry. Potter ! The choosing one ! '' Harry trained his wand on the wickedness lord, his face set in unbendable resoluteness. `` That is why you should deliver. Right now. Or I swear on this pile of vaticination that I will burn you from this cosmos. ``

Voldemort took an involuntary footstep backwards, faltering before Harry 's stare.

'' Last luck. '' Harry snarled. Voldemort straightened up, his eyes burning red.

'' Never. '' The dark Divine hands clenched to clenched fist. `` I will never cede to a half descent boy like you. ``

'' Whatever, '' Harry grinned. `` In that case ... suck it bitch ! Depulso ! '' Harry jammed his baton straight down and the pile of wreckage exploded out in all directions, the wood becoming deadly splinters and the rock singing out in razor sharp shard. The dark lord threw up a silver gray shell but Harry was already on the ground. With a flick of his scepter the shield screeched and Voldemort threw it away from him as if it was red hot. Harry rolled to the position to sidestep a spray of black globe and threw his wand up. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The iniquity nobleman fled through a door and Harry rushed to be, casting end swearing before him. Harry vaulted a desk and skidded through a door only to obtain his body rising into the air. A lightning bolt grazed his shoulder and Harry was spun around like a top. Planets were floating in this room ! There must be some spell screwing with gravity !

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

'' Confringo ! '' The globe of plasm exploded but Harry cast another flame-freezing charm and pushed off Saturn directly into the inferno. From behind the binding of flame Harry shot a killing hex at the night nobleman but had to distort in the air to stop his head being taken off by a dark blade flickering through the air. He had used the flame-cover trick one too many clock time. Well lets try another.

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

Voldemort swung a chunk of planet into the path of the spell 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 door he dropped to the floor again and raced through, skidding to a stop when he saw where he was.

In totality contrast to the rest of the department this room was a sort of zoo. coop full of puppet filled the room up to the ceiling and were stacked in a good deal in the heart. Some looked convention, some ... not so very much. Harry shuddered as his eye flickered over a mutated blob of frame with what he sincerely hoped was not a human arm coming out of it. His magic eye swirled in it 's socket, trying to get a fix on Voldemort but all the life and movement in the way made it tricky.

Harry tried to trace out the room. Long, not so all-encompassing ... The door at the other end was closed. That meant that Voldemort was either at the bulwark behind one of the coop at the side or crouched down behind one of the ones in the middle. Harry grinned,

'' Alohomora ! '' He pointed his verge at the pile of coop in the snapper and all their streak sprung unresolved. fauna scattered in every direction. Something that looked like a mutant wildcat made a esurient leap at the John Milton Cage Jr. to the left wing and was thrown back by a piece. There ! Harry 's verge was trained there in a moment. `` Confringo ! '' The hex blasted the cage out of the way, revealing Voldemort 's greyness peel. `` Avada K- '' Harry had to break off the curse to duck behind a desk as more orbs of dark rained through the air. Harry heard a door slam open and leapt up from where he was crouched. He dashed to the door and swung through, his wand out.

The death sleeping accommodation ! Back here ! Harry saw Voldemort just reaching the room access at the other position of the palely lit way and aimed his wand.

'' Colloportus ! '' The door squelched and glowed red. Harry spun and locked the other threshold too. In a instant he had his verge trained back on the night lord. Voldemort was just staring at him from the early slope of the vast room, his lips contoured into a sneer. He clearly knew he could break the poxy locking spell, but doing so would give Harry the moment he needed to kill him. Harry tried to keep on his breathing spell even as he spoke, `` Got you. No more running game. ``

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

'' I doubt that. '' Harry mirrored the nighttime lord and slowly walked down the steps. `` I rarely sign things. ``

'' I will regorge you through the veil myself. ``

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

'' Nothing would please me more Mr Potter ! '' Voldemort reached the bottom of the way. Harry was just a step behind him. They stared at each other from opposite side of meat of the pedestal that held the arch of the veil. Voldemort 's lip curled up in a leer. `` 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 wand towards Voldemort and the ray cut through the dimness like a spotlight. Voldemort threw his deal up to protect his eyes."Avada Kedavra ! ``

The dreary Lord dropped to the trading floor, letting the tour straits over his pass and jabbed his arm up at the ceiling. The shadows above them became alive, a writhing cauldron of iniquity. Harry dodged wildly as a tentacle of night shot down and tried to wrap up itself around him. Harry felt another grab his leg.

'' Excalabus ! '' The tentacle was sheered off but Harry had been thrown to the floor and had to rove as bolts of thunder slammed into the flagstones where he had been lying. A clod of blackness caught the English of his leg, simply obliterating physical body and cutis. Harry screamed and pulled himself to his feet, jumping out of the way of another tentacle. He had to get rid of that thing ! He could n't fight it and the wickedness Jehovah at the same time ! But how to defeat something like that ... How else ? Harry jabbed his sceptre at the ceiling. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' The putting green spell impacted the grim animate being and it wailed in annoyance, it 's tentacles going limp.

Harry spun back to face Voldemort just in time for an black orb to shoot a chunk out of his articulatio humeri. He was bleeding too a great deal. Had to end this ! The dark Godhead raised his deal for another bolt of lightning. Harry tore two flag from the ground and hurled them in the way of life of the spell, one after the other. The first was blown to splinter but the minute, hidden by the cloud of detritus, shot through like a marble saucer and crashed with a hideous compaction into Voldemort 's ribcage.

The dark lord was thrown back, his arm coming up to cradle his injured chest. Harry pressed his advantage and Voldemort was driven back by spell after spell. The dark lord was pushed onto to the steps and stumbled back, lying prone against the stone. He seemed exhausted.

'' Avada Ke- ''

"Fulgar Fletch !"The night overlord 's hand swung up ! It had been a deception ! Harry saw a cloud of black leaf blade erupt out of nothing and sail towards him. He had no protection ! He could not dodge ! There was just one hazard ...

'' Protego ! '' Harry called out desperately and was driven back as the knife clattered against his decrepit shell. Harry let it go and stepped forward, only to let his knee buckle and drop him on the flooring. What the ? Harry tried to stand but his peg would n't move. Was this some sort of swearword ? Harry looked down and saw the reason.

There was a tongue embedded to the hilt in his stomach. Two to a greater extent in his leg. Draining blood down his thigh and pooling on the floor.

'' Bloody shield .... '' Harry 's arms dropped down, suddenly too rickety. His scepter rolled away on the night Harlan Fiske Stone. He had n't felt the knife go in, Adrenalin perhaps, but he felt it now. nuisance and firing raging out from the hole in his belly. `` Bloody ... carapace .... And I was doing so well ... ''

'' Yes Mr Potter you were. '' The nighttime lord picked himself up from the steps and dusted his robe off. Now that he had won the friendly, almost fatherly, tone was back. `` I applaud you. ``

'' I could possess beaten you ya know. '' Harry coughed weakly and saw droplets of profligate spray from his lip. `` The very first piece I threw. Back when I jumped the count. Back when you had the falsify wand. If you 'd have just tried to shield like any convention thaumaturgist ... I could sustain won on the first spell. That was ... that was the program. ``

'' It was a commodity programme. '' Voldemort must have seen no reason to be angry now that he had won. `` Against a formula star it would possess no doubt worked. ``

'' Damn it. '' Harry raised his hand to spread his fingers around the tongue sword in his stomach, but he could n't kibosh the line. 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 sustain any last words my darling enemy ? '' Voldemort asked calmly. `` I did not get a line any satisfactory one from Dumbledore. Anything ? ``

'' Ca n't think of anything ... '' Dark dots swam before Harry 's eyes. He had failed. `` Are my Quaker still watching ? ``

'' Oh yes. '' Voldemort nodded. `` I would not suffer the wizarding public miss this case. ``

'' Then my cobbler's last lyric are ... keep fighting. '' Harry raised his eyes to meet Voldemort 's. `` livelihood combat him. ``

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

'' And ... '' Blood was pooling beneath Harry 's wooden leg. `` And tell Thea I tried. ``

'' An admirable sentiment. ``

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

'' Very well. '' Voldemort raised his deal. `` I shall miss you. My ... interest opposite. '' Voldemort opened his lip to utter the last word of honor Harry would ever hear.

'' hold. '' Harry whispered, he had no lastingness to address normally. `` I 've thought of some break net words. ``

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

'' The one with the power to shell the night lord will be born as the seventh calendar month dies. '' Harry 's whispered words rang out in the quiet room. `` Born to those who ... those who ... ''

'' rich person thrice defied him. '' Voldemort prompted, his center suddenly desperate. `` Yes ? Yes ? ``

'' Thrice defied him. '' Harry licked his back talk, his spokesperson was barely coming out now. `` And the dark lord will mark ... will mark him ... ''

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

'' Mark him as his equal ... '' Harry 's lips were barely moving, his words just disturbances in the air. `` But the dark ... the nighttime ... ''

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

'' The wickedness Maker, shall never ... '' Harry 's eyes were closed. `` Shall never learn. ``

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

'' The nighttime lord ... shall never hear. ``

'' What did you say ? ``

'' I said you never bloody learn ! '' Harry 's eye flicked subject. `` Do you ? ``

Powered by the end pant of dying rage Harry pulled the knife from his flesh and drove it into Voldemort 's neck. Harry fell backwards as line of descent fountained from his belly and his eyes clouded black. As he slipped away and his mettle stopped beating all he could hear was the whispering of the veil.




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


Sorry this took a while to carry. I did n't mean to intentionally leave you hanging at a cliffhanger but initiatory I posted it then realised I had to commute 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 meld as to whether multitude think Harry 's really numb or not and whether the serial publication is over or not. It 's decent to have created such differing views. : )




The first thing Harry sensed was the scent of orchard apple tree blossoms. It was a smell he knew very well. His eyes flickered open and looked up onto the associate dappled folio of the orchard in his pipe dream. It was exactly as it had always been, jet and full of life.

Harry was lying on the trading floor. How had he got there ? He lifted his arms up and realized that his lineage soaked and battle pock garments were gone, replaced by a simple E. B. White gown. That was n't all that was missing either. Harry 's fingers went up to his eye, poking it lightly.

'' Ow ! '' Flesh, not glass. Harry shook his nous, realizing what must give happened. Eye 's did not grow back, orchard did not spring out of zip. `` I 'm dead. I died. ``

Harry breathed out, a retentive sigh of sadness. He had done his best, his very, very best. He had tried to survive. He had tried to not pass on the world of the living, had tried not to pull up stakes his friends.

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

'' I tried Theia. '' Harry felt a lubber in his pharynx. `` Oh god I tried. But he was proficient 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 wrong. ``

Harry looked up at the Tree, bearing flush and fruit all at once in an out of the question, but beautiful, tableau vivant. He was gladiola he had ended up here, not back at Godrics Hollow.

'' I did take him with me though. '' Harry spoke the acerb Scripture. `` I got him good. ``

The wind rustled lightly through the Tree. He thought he could almost, just almost, hear shaver laughing. Harry sat down and set his back against a tree and closed his eyes. If this was the afterlife then he knew one thing for sure. Before he met any chopper doorman or had his sins weighed against a feather or whatever he was sitting right here and having a quietus. The host of snake pit could not move him from that spot.

The current of air whistled through the trees and for a moment Harry though he could hear voices.

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

"She ‘ s got a portkey !"

The part faded. Harry shrugged, that variety of thing probably happened all the metre when you were dead.

Harry 's hand wormed it 's way along the ground and found an apple. It was nice and surd, fallen recently. He brought it up to his mouth and bit into it, letting the juice run down his face. It tasted a short bitter, just a little.

Harry heard the green goddess in movement of him disturbed by footfalls. Someone was there. He opened his centre slowly, and arched his eyebrows when he saw who it was.

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

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

'' Why not ? '' Harry shrugged. `` I mean were all dead here are n't we. Maybe Lucy in the sky with diamonds and Merlin will join us next. ``

'' I doubt that Harry, dot is n't beat. '' Dumbledore frowned suddenly. `` I apologize, you asked me not to foretell 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 excuse to you enough for what I did to you. No words could ever do. I ... I am only happy that I got this one close chance to tell you how no-account I am. My crime was inexcusable. ``

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

'' You seem, '' Dumbledore was picking his words carefully. `` You seem at peace with what I did. More than the last time I saw you at least. ``

'' Mate, I can never forgive you, so do n't ask me to. '' Harry sighed and shook his school principal. `` I do n't mean 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 joint. I mean face at me, today I cast an unforgivable curse ten ... maybe twenty times. And before that, over the line 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 headland. Making me your Frankenstein 's behemoth. Your changeling child. You ... took me and changed me. Changed who I am, put memories in my head. You said you put your memories of James IV Potter in my school principal. I can feel them in there now ... How much of it is me ? Is any of this me ? Or am I just a poor copy of Harry ... Or worse a inadequate copy of James IV thrower. Am I ? reply me truthfully. Please. ``

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

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

'' Yes. ``

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

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

"Real ?"

"That you were not the living proof of my sins."Dumbledore shook his head."At least that was the grounds 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 historic period, I began to call up perhaps I would not get to. You had proved yourself a hero so I though ... perhaps no one would ever have to know. Perhaps I could let you meet Harry 's place and never tell you. I thought I could let you study the gist. I am not lofty of that. I should give birth known the prophecy could not be so easily avoided."

"Is it possible I still can bring his topographic point ?"Harry pointed at his wrist."I mean, the darkness Lord did stain me."

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

Harry sighed. As he did the wind seemed to murmur, carrying to him distant voices. He strained his pinna to find out,

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

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

'' His substance 's not beating ! ``

'' Of course It 's not beating he does n't experience any blood left you hysterical cretin. Each of you, kick in me your hand. It's a good thing Harry acquired so many hanger-on, one of you has to be his rake type. ``

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

"Did you hear that ?"He asked Dumbledore.

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

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

"You are utterly, technically. Your heart is not beating."Dumbledore's eyes twinkled."But I believe that, with fourth dimension and a generous donation of skillful red blood, you may be pulled back into the worldly concern of the living."

"So ... Is this actually you then ?"Harry scratched his fountainhead."Is this actually the hereafter 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 near last coupled with the fact that you died mere meters from the veil."Dumbledore shrugged."I am just glad I got a finish chance to utter 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 magician and the youthful laughed. A thought struck Harry and the mirth dimmed.

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

"Of course of instruction Harry, anything."

"What is my name ?"

"I ... I do not know."Dumbledore hung his head."I am sorry Harry. I erased the memory from my own intellect so I would never call up you it. Never slip up ... But I can tell you the orphanage where I found you. It is called the Malyn orphans' asylum, or was nine years ago, Jan twentieth. It stands about ten miles south of Belfast. If records exist then, well then you might be capable to recover them there."

"Malyn orphans' asylum. January twentieth ..."Harry whispered. Then,"So I ‘ m Irish ?"

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

"Interesting."Harry, who had lived his life with a London accent mark thick enough to be adrift bricks on, chuckled."So, do you imagine there might even be records of my parents ?"

"I do not think so."Dumbledore looked away, not meeting Harry's eyes. He seemed to be picking his words carefully."I do not retrieve that you will get hold disk of them there."

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

"No Harry zip like that."Dumbledore shook his psyche."In fact I believe we can safely adopt both your parents were muggles. Let me explain, when I took you from the orphanage they told me a little about you. About how you had come to be there. Apparently you were not given to them in the formula fashion, you were ... found. Found by an aged duet walking along the Lagan river. The river was bursting it ‘ s banks a little after a storm and they saw a short bundle washed up in the mud. When they unwrapped you they thought you were dead, I was told that you were downcast all over from the cold and damp, but so weak you weren ‘ t even shivering. You had been in the piss for a long time."

Crashing rocks. Raging Edward White water. Harry's mind shied away from the flare of terror in his judgment and he felt his breath quicken. The raging torrent in his mind banishing all though was real number, a memory so scaring even Dumbledore had been unable to erase. His exclusively real memory was a phobia. Another bitter antic. He licked his sassing, had to say something, anything to pack his psyche off it.

"How old was I ?"

"About six calendar month old, give or take."Dumbledore answered."The span gave you to the authorities and of path an investigation was made. Unfortunately zip was ever found. And, inevitably, you ended up in the hands of the baby services. The story after that is, well, rather as you might guess it."

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

"I ... I do not cerebrate that was the casing Harry."A tear rolled down Dumbledore's impertinence."You see, I have something the muggle authorities did not. I have my map. That was the reason lupine knew. I needed him to find it and demonstrate me how to use it, or it could make revealed the truth."

"The map- Or track !"Harry smiled, his middle lighting up."It should show my real gens ! That ‘ s why you kept it hidden and everything ! What does it say ?"

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

"No."

"It works by making use of an ancient type of illusion, the deception of names."Dumbledore's phonation took on a lecturing tone, but Harry could still get a line the lump in his throat."There is an old genius superstition. An old wives tale, if you will, that a wizard's epithet is tied to their fate. That the name first given to a whiz somehow sets his path. There was once a great fad for concealing one ‘ s honest public figure so that enemies could not gain business leader over you. Foolishness really, in those days someone ‘ s true up name was easy enough to divine. That is what the map does in any case. It works by the magic of names."

"Yeah,"Harry motioned the late schoolmaster to continue."And ?"

"And for you it displays cypher Harry."Dumbledore closed his eye sadly."On the map your name is space. Just a set of step and an empty scroll."

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

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

"Is his heart beating ? I can barely-"

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

Harry let the voices on the air current die away. He sighed, looking up into the appeasement dappled sunlight.

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

"I ‘ m alright."Harry swallowed painfully."I mean I ‘ m not fine, really. But I ‘ ll be fine. I can already tell. I ‘ ll be aright. I mean after all the other thunderclap this doesn ‘ t really tip the scales that much does it. Like a molehill beside a smoking volcano."

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

"I ... I don ‘ t know."Harry scratched his school principal."virtually of my friends are still alive."

"A blessing."

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

"Yes, anyone dead."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."Harry said the dread name loudly into the wood, only swoon Echo came back."He ‘ s not dead then."Harry's hands clenched into fists.

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

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

"He will be severely weakened."Dumbledore stepped forward and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder."Perhaps as badly as he was fifteen yr ago. This is a triumph Harry, it will be age, possibly decades before he can rebel again. And if we can catch him while he is weak and finish him off, so much the better."

"I guess."Harry tried to see the good 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 dead. But it would have been a welcome surprise.

"Is there not anyone you actually wish well to utter to Harry ?"Dumbledore asked, fading a little as he did so."No one in this earth ? Perhaps the rattling Harry thrower ?"

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

"How could you possibly ..."

"well once was years ago when I traveled through time and met him before he died."Harry checked that off on his fingers."And the secondly time me sent a message here from another dimension."At Dumbledore's shocked expression Harry grinned."I lead a very unearthly life."

"But interesting."

"Oh yes, very interesting."Harry smiled."All in all I think I ‘ ll let him and his parents rest in public security. 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 long yearn while."

"I hope so Harry."

"This is weird."Harry chuckled and looked around."Why does it sense like we 're having this all conversation two books early ?"

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

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

"I know you are Harry."Dumbledore continued to fade."I know you are. Oh wait, 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 want to be buried with it or something ?"

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

"You had to have the hold up word didn ‘ t you. Git."

The air seemed to change texture. Harry breathed out softly, he was alive again. He could feel his heartbeat in his pectus. Weak, but there. Harry glanced around at the woodlet. It was exactly the same as before but it felt different. He was dreaming now, just a regular dream. Harry let his oculus close slowly. He would stir up up in good time, but until then ? He was ticket here. For now.
*


Snape reached his apartments in Hogwarts and barely got the door shut before falling into a chairman. There was a bed in the next elbow room, but it suddenly seemed very far away. Truth be told he could have got fallen asleep in the midsection of the keen hall, on the floor. He would make been the laughing stock of every bookman 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 sceptre shakily and levitated the forgotten bottle of vino off his board. It had been left open, no matter. He poured himself a glass.

He had stood in the waiting room in St Mungos for longer than he could remember while incompetent therapist told him they had no information. When they had finally told him that Harry was out of the woods all his nervous energy had leeched out and it had taken all of his genial intensity to stop himself sagging to the trading floor right there. He had managed to frivol away most of them. He had not fooled Natalie.

She had apparated him back to Hogwarts and made him swear to kip as soon as he got to his room. Who was she to purchase order him around like that ? Why could she ? Snape's lips curled into a smiling. Because she was interesting enough to get away with it and was the only if one who could pull it off. Which just added to the interest of line. Snape smiled as the wine curled down the back of his pharynx. He was very favourable in many respects. favourable than he deserved.

"Severus are you in there ?"There was a belt on the door. Not Natalie. Snape flicked his verge and the door creaked undefendable. Minerva stood on the other side, looking as tired as he felt.

"Minerva."Snape tried to sit a fiddling less like he was falling asleep."It is commodity to see you safe, in all the confusedness in the ministry I lost cut. Come in. Would you like some wine ?"

"No thank you."Minerva stepped inside. Now that she was closer he could see that the sharpness of her oculus held telltale signs of binge. She had tried to obliterate it, but to the trained eye it was quite obvious."I heard you were back in the palace and came down to see you."

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

"Yes, there is something."Minerva pulled a severe back 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 think that there would be."Snape yawned theatrically. He did not have to cook it."I can not conceive of how that would business concern me however, I am no longer a member."

"That is partially what we were discussing."Minerva cocked her head to one slope."Voldemort is weakened but not dead. The ordering's task is far from done and we could more than use your expertise. Your primary reason for leaving was Albus. I will not presume to ask the point 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 example if it were yourself leading the club, I would have no objection."

"I will not be leading the order."McGonagall shook her headspring."I will have quite enough to do here at Hogwarts. The job of headmistress is enough for me. It has been hard enough to persuade parents to commit their tiddler to Hogwarts this twelvemonth. I imagine following class may be a slight easier but I am sure I will still have my mitt full. And besides, I will call for to find a new transfiguration teacher."

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

"Kingsley Shacklebolt may very well be the entirely affair currently keeping the ministry from falling apart."Minerva smiled faintly."He was the most senior auror to subsist this drubbing so I believe he will be ever more busy than I myself will be."

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

"Too paranoid."

"Chester Alan Arthur Weasley."

"Has no combat or strategic experience."

"Natalie. Natalie Zhao. She is-"

"Very new to the order."

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

"Remus has grown irregular recently. Especially where Harry is concerned."Minerva fixed Snape with a spirit level stare."I believe we can accord that whoever should head the edict should be individual Harry corporate trust. Someone like you."

"No."

"Someone who knows how the dark lord thinks."

"No."

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

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

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

Snape stayed silent. Not at his best was a direful understatement if ever he heard one but there was no indigence to say so.

"In any font he was faltering. We all saw it, everyone in the order. But no one did anything about it. Except you."Minerva shook her straits."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 voice not sound like that of a rat at bay."I was a death feeder, I fell into dingy magic. A long clock time ago yes but some marks do not hail out."

"Yours has."

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

"Albus always said he did not merit the prominence he was given."

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

"Albus also said that those who seek superpower are those least befit to wield it."Minerva held his eyes."The corollary of that is that those who are suited to maintain 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 get hold of the job ?"

"Do I have a choice ?"

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

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

"Only by your own lying in wait Severus."Minerva smiled and turned to the door.

"You know that I will do thing 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 brow. He should start 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 your eyes. ``

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

'' I 'm awaken, '' Harry murmured, his optic closed. `` But I 'm still in my orchard. I can smell the blossoms. ``

'' You are still benumbed, in St Mungos. '' pee rippling over shining stone. `` I wanted to verbalise to you but you 're on a expectant deal of medication. It was simpler for me to just come to you. ``

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

'' Sitting beside your bed. ``

Harry chuckled, and opened his eyes.

'' Hello Thea. ``

'' Hello Harry. '' The young seer was sitting crossbreeding legged under a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in front of him, looking like the human image of serenity. Instead of her usual white robe she was wearing a simple brown dress, she seemed almost part of the timberland. She looked ... different, somehow dissimilar. It was not her face, she was still the Same beautiful lady friend he had always known, or her heart, mismatched as they were. Her silver hair was caught up into a long tail end down her back, tied with blue ribbon. She looked exactly the same but there was something missing. Gone was the sensory faculty of antiquity, the flavour that the footling soul in nominal head of him had outlasted conglomerate. She seemed ... young, the same age as him give or get hold of a year. Harry supposed she always had been. It did not conduct very much to guess the understanding for the change.

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

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

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

'' Yes, they finally caught on. '' Pythea reached forward and tilted Harry 's Kuki up. `` Do n't finger hangdog, not even for a moment. 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 trueness. ``

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

'' I can not read minds anymore Harry. '' Thea shook her school principal. `` That came with being the oracle remember. I just know you. ``

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

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

'' Can you ... can you secernate me my future ? '' Harry asked suddenly.

'' No. I ca n't. '' Pythea smiled and stood. `` Do you desire to go to the orphanage now ? ``

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

'' A short walk will not inconvenience a mighty Heron like you too much. '' Pythea crooked an eyebrow mockingly.

'' A curtly walk ? We have to get to Ireland ya know. ``

'' Then it is prosperous that another thing they can not take away is my international apparition licence. '' Pythea held out her hand. `` Just tell me where Harry. And we can go. ``

Harry reached out and took her hand.
*


'' Ow. '' Harry 's hand went to his stomach as bother 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 deception so the wound ca n't be magically healed. You 'll take in to let it cockle together the old fashioned way. Is it too much ? Do you wish to wait money box tomorrow ? ``

'' No no. It just surprised me is all. '' Harry slowly lowered his feet to the storey and gingerly stood. He had to hunch just a little to block the skin of his tum stretching painfully, but he could walk. No he could n't. His leg was mangled too. Maybe he could hop ... `` Do you have my clothes somewhere ? Oh postponement my bag 's right hand here. Can you turn so I can- ''

Pythea cut him off with a wave of her script. His hospital nightdress changed into a simple white t-shirt and trousers. Muggle enough to be getting on with. With another wave a carved wooden cane appeared in his handwriting. Obviously she did not think he was as sizable 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 coat of arms around his cutter center. This close Harry could smell her hair, like green Grass and the sea. He was breathing faster, probably because of all the potions they had him on.

'' Are you ready ? '' 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 trouble ? ``

'' You still have n't told me where we 're going. '' Pythea clicked her knife irritably. `` Not being able-bodied to read peoples thoughts is going to accept some getting used to. ``

'' I 'm deplorable. I really am. '' Harry apologized again, earning him a stratum stare from the little illusionist, and told her their destination.

For the initiative time in his life Harry enjoyed an fantasm. The bulwark of the void pressed him into Pythea, forcing them stuffy together. He could sense her breather on his cheek. He was almost disappointed when they dropped onto a minor road in the countryside.

Harry stepped back and glanced around. There was no mistaking the orphanage, it was the only building there. At the center of it was a stately-home eccentric of thing. He could n't put a particular date to it, old was the practiced he could do. That was clearly the center of the complex but at some point the proprietor had felt a need to expand. The two blocks to either face of the master building took after the put-some-rectangular-concrete-blocks-in-a-vaguely-building-shape style of computer architecture. Around the all topographic point there was a gamey wall with thorny wire looped at the top.

Harry tried not to think that made it expect like a prison. All school had that these days.

With a careful handwriting on his abdomen Harry walked up to the main reception. Pythea stopped there and sat down quietly on a bench.

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

'' You go on ahead. '' Thea 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 rich breathing place, then winced at what that did to his stomach. He tried to calm the raging butterflies inside but could n't. The only matter that gave him the will to push open up the doorway was marauder formula. Follow through. No fear.

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

'' Is there a track record department ? '' Harry asked uncertainly.

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

Up the stairs. Of course. Harry labored up the steps, having to rest more than once before he reached the top. Out the window he could see the vacation spot, full of shaver running about wildly. From inside the paries the piazza looked a lot nicer. All around the border of the bulwark there were a serial of nipper 's painting. Long running murals and swirls of color. It was almost pleasant, it looked like a normal school.

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

'' ejaculate in. ``

Harry pushed the threshold open air to see an elderly lady sitting in front line of a electronic computer, looking at him questioningly over her glasses.

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

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

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

"Do you have any designation ?"

"Eh ?"

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

"Do I need one ?"Harry's hand moved to his air hole and mercifully found that genus Draco 's wand was still there.

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

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

"Of ... of course deary."The woman shook her head like she was trying to bump gossamer then turned to her computer."What name is it ?"

"I don ‘ t have my name. Long tale, but it happened on January twentieth, nine years ago."Harry wondered whether he would need another Confundus to mishandle past the ‘ no epithet'affair, but the charwoman seemed to take it in her stride.

"Everything ‘ s on information processing system now. It ‘ s very high school tech."The woman pursed her brim as she clacked away at her keyboard."When I started here we had way and elbow room of file boxes. Would experience taken eld to determine a disk like yours."

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

"Here we are."The woman squinted at the record for a moment then let out a throaty chortle."Oh yes, I remember."

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

"How could I forget ?"She turned to him with a motherly smile."Everyone here has a incessant reminder of your halt with us."

"Wh ... what ?"

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

"Really."Harry didn't dare tone. Didn't dare hope. A dwell connective to his stolen past like this had been too much to ask."I must consume caused you all a lot of trouble."

"Oh you were a scalawag you were."The old fair sex smiled fondly."I still recollect what you said to me the day the conducting 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 undecomposed young woman, ‘ cos the bulwark wasn ‘ t much of a challenge anymore.'”

Harry's heart broke and he fell into his hands. He felt tears blooming in his centre. He hadn't known what to expect when he'd cum here, but he had never expected this. He had never expected proof. proof that he wasn't some Frankenstein's monster monster, test copy that he wasn't a bad copy of James II ceramist. He was, and had always been, him. Arrogant, cocky, unrespectful of authority and filled with wanderlust. He. Was. Him.

"beloved are you alright ?"The old fair sex sounded concerned."Do you need a tissue ?"

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

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

jackass ...

seaman Match.

jackass Baltzegaurd.

Jack Shakey.

Jack Caiman.

All those people, all those people he'd disguised himself as ... Jack.

His constant alias. The name that had always come to his brim when he knew he couldn't say ‘ Harry ’. It had been a computer memory, a computer memory of the first real name he had. Not given to him by his parents trusted, 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 holler core inside him was filling. Filling with parts of a life he had though he had no store of. It felt so good.

"I suppose you ‘ ll neediness to go down and see it."The old char was handing him a printed transcript in a folder. Harry assumed it was his file. She nodded towards the back of the orphanage.

"See it ?"

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

Suddenly Harry knew, and with the knowledge came the unbearable need to see if it was true. Harry stood suddenly.

"Yes, I do need to see it. Thank you."Harry smiled thorough teary eyes."Thank you. thank you so much."

"My pleasure Jack."

Harry turned and hobbled from the room, it was only his aching wound and walking stick that stopped him from running. He reached the bottom of the stairs and pushed out the doorway. 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 point vaguely.

"track the way."

Harry set off, taking them bout to the backbone of the buildings. He could see it now, down the gradient a little. He stumbled down and stopped just before he reached it, just before he went beneath the shade of the apple tree diagram. The little round orchard of Malus pumila trees.

"My god."Pythea had her hand to her sassing in shock absorber."It ‘ s real."

"It was a memory."Harry breathed, reaching out a mitt to touch a limb."It was a memory. I kept having this dream where I was stuck in Godrics Hollow. But that berth felt all Weird, but if I could split up out and gain the plantation I felt safe. Felt real."

"I though it was a creation of your idea, I never thought ..."

"Neither did I."Harry stepped beneath the offset and walked into the center of the woodlet. He set his backbone against the tree and slid down, resting on the soil. Pythea sat down succeeding 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 word. They sat there for the foresighted metre, the last summertime picnic filling running past them and rustling the farewell above their heads. Eventually, after who knew how long, Harry spoke.

"Thea ?"

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

"Why did you hope me ? Right at the outset ?"

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

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

"You were never a stranger."Thea smiled sadly."Do you know how they choose the next prophesier Harry ? They go around to all the magical households in Hellenic Republic, looking for children with the internal eye. If they find one with enough big businessman, with office enough to be Pythea, they take them back to the temple."

"take up them from their parents ?"Harry asked, shocked.

"The parents have a choice of course, but who would dare say no."Pythea huddled up against Harry's side."I was three, but I remember it well, another scourge my endowment gives me. My public figure 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 socio-economic class I signed one of my paintings with the old name, just a fiddling mistake. The Fury they had at me that day ... they burnt my picture, in front of my eyes. I never used the old name again. After I finished my education I was allowed to go back and natter my parents. I went back to my old firm. They were very ... polite. They acted exactly the way I would expect individual 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 have been heart-wrenching. I can ‘ t imagine-"

"You can think. Not that you have to."Pythea smiled up at him."That ‘ s why we were never strangers. Because we ‘ re the Saame, both orphaned. Both with our reliable indistinguishability taken from us. Both shoved into rolls 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 public figure ?"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 handwriting against Pythea's fount."They can ‘ t take away who we are. The names don ‘ t matter so much, you can foretell me Harry or jack or Bob it doesn't matter. I know who I am."

"I wish I had your certainty."

"You do feature 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, short glistening tears in the niche of her middle, and kissed him lightly on the impudence."Thank you."

Harry didn't really do it what to do, other than to blush. A instant later Pythea seemed to realize 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 case. Harry bit his lip and asked.

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

"I think so. Are you ?"

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

"They begin next week if I remember correctly."

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

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

"Dunno ... stop in the country probably. I could do with a Nice peaceful holiday."

"Harry you wouldn ‘ t know what to do with a passive 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 than 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 crying staining the tack. She had done all she could, used every facet of her art, but her lord still barely breathed. His skin was dead gabardine and only the dark magic she had woven in his dresser kept him alive. He was so debile, not even conscious. It was terrible to see him like this, terrible to see him brought so low. Better if he had truly died, then he could possess risen up again in nimbus. Instead he was trapped in this prison of flesh. Better dead than to lie on this narrow down cot in a midget room, not even fit for a hide out place. But she had to do what she could. She was the last, the last loyal death eater.

"I am all he has."Bellatrix whimpered.

"That is not the case."

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

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

"I did not abandon him."The quiet boy stepped from the shadows, carrying a packet under his arm."I was doing our lords effective work."

"For a full yr ?"

"It did take tenacious than forebode ... but it has been done. And in the nick of time too."The sick wizard strode over to the dark lord's sickbed and knelt beside it."I am your servant, master copy, and I have done your bidding. Do not worry Maker, I can pee-pee you impregnable again. potent than ever. With this ... we can climb again, the death feeder can rise again. The earth will tremble master, tremble in fear."

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

"We can be solid than ever master."Barty's brass in the dark was terrifying."Stronger than ever."





Ye idol that was hard to save justly. Or ... right write. Write write ... some compounding of those words anyway. It 's been a roller coaster I think you 'll agree, and the one most massive twist of the full fic was finally revealed. Hope you liked it. People who were waiting to the end of this book to review ... your time has come.

I 've already started writing the next volume and It ai n't going well. I did n't do my common affair of writing myself into a recession. Instead I plotted the book out in betterment and wrote to it. Unfortunately I got a few chapters in and realized that it sucked. The plot of ground made consistent sense and all, no plot-holes, there was zip tripping me up, no writers 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 rework the matter. Positive upshot : The news report is a lot strong now I think. veto result : I have to throw away a meaning part of what I 've already written. Ah well, such is life.

Anyway *clears throat* the future level is on it 's way. Our Harry has finally found out who he really is and begins walking his own route. Too bad that track is as deadly as the finis. A new enemy raise, an old one lingers and a mystic assassin is out for Harry 's roue. With Harry still injured from his opposition in the department of mysteries he ca n't face these challenges head on. He may even bear to depart using his brainiac ...

Mysteries abound in the next book of the series Harry Potter, The gem and The Scorpion !