Thanks to all the masses who reviewed the utmost chapter. Your assorted permutations of the world-wide `` What the F*** ! ? ! Update now ! '' Were most prize. I feel kind of bad for jumping a twisting like that on you after 40 chapters. form of deceitful. Good to experience the majority of hoi polloi appreciated it.



"Harry ?"Padma said quietly, standing at the end of the infirmary bed. Harry seemed to be sleeping, his chest rising and falling weakly. His eyes were red, like he'd been crying. Perhaps the nuisance was risky than he let on. She felt bad for needing to wake him."Harry wake up."She reached out and tapped his leg. He jerked fitfully, but his middle flickered open. He didn't speak though, didn't acknowledge her. He just stared off into place. 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 optimistic. There ‘ s damage deep down, lots of legal injury. You need to let them help you now or ... or you ‘ ll die. In a few weeks."

Harry said nothing, he didn't even seem to possess heard her.

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

Harry flinched, pain running across his tired face.

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

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

"You ‘ ll let them help you ?"Padma tried not to be put off."You ‘ ll take off the iniquity eye and let them mould 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 healers would fix Harry's consistency. What had happened to his mind ? That might take a lilliputian longer.

What had Dumbledore said to him ...
*


The boy who was once called Harry faded in his creative thinker as the healers entered his way. Bustling around and speaking comforting, abandon Word. They cleaned him up, washing his arms and chest. They asked him to remove the bracer. He did, letting it descend to the floor with a trashy clatter. The healers shied away from the home run on his arm. Fearful. Why should he care.

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

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


Draco slapped the sore skin of his arm to try and ride out awake. It had been burnt in the fight, but it was all right now. Just enough residual rubor and pain to help him stay alert. He swung his tire out optic around the wait room, all of the marauders were here. Most of them had finally succumbed to kip, Draco didn't charge them. It was hard to imagine that the venomous midnight violation on the creature ship had been just stopping point Nox. They had been worn out, worn down. Dragon pinched his arm again. He wondered if there was anywhere he could happen some tea. The tea shop class was closed but surely the healers had a staff room or something. Maybe he could ask one.

Or maybe he could just fall asleep.

genus Draco shook his capitulum. Some of them had to be awake when the healers finally stopped working on Harry. He shuddered, they had already been at it for 60 minutes. How many ... addition .... had Harry made ? He glanced around the room again. Everyone seemed to be deceased. Even Ginny, who seemed to have nodded off in the act of pinching herself. They had all been there all night, no one had collected them. He supposed it was only a matter of fourth dimension before a instructor or an Order member came to wrangle them up and tangle them back to Hogwarts, where they would no uncertainty stay put. Chained to posts like dogs so they couldn't run off again.

genus Draco got wearily to his feet, maybe he could walk some of his tiredness off. He stepped carefully around the prone vulture and stepped up to the doorway to the ward. Harry's bed was obscured by curtains but the shadow of the therapist were still moving against the surface. As he watched one of them detached and stepped towards the threshold. genus Draco stepped away to let him out, hope and dread revolt in his stomach.

"Is there any news program ?"Draco asked.

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

"Yes."Draco said definitely, looking over the marauders."hold a present moment ... HEY !"The piranha jerked to life sentence, hands flying to wands before they realized where they were. Dragon turned back to the healer."They ‘ re up. What is the newsworthiness ?"

"Well we ... we removed various items from the body of your friend."The inadequate healer swallowed nervously."We found a drop-gem embedded in his sternum. There was also something in the wall of his venter. We think it may birth been designed to neutralize poison but it seems to experience had the opposite gist. It was the reservoir of his illness. We also found-"

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

"His ... his eye."The therapist paused."His eye had been removed too long ago, there is a great passel of scarring. Unfortunately we were unable to restore it. We are currently looking into whether the installation he has is high quality enough to leave there."

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

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

genus Draco looked back over the marauders. Through their sand-filled, droopy eyes he could see their gloominess. Harry had fought so hard and got null in yield but accusations of murder and a perm disfiguration. And a dark soft touch, they could not forget that.

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

"Of course he ‘ d say that. Doesn ‘ t make it true."Ron pulled his articulatio genus up to his chest."I mean you heard him in there. He ‘ d think end was 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 door was pushed open, revealing professor McGonagall. She didn't need to say anything, they knew why she was there. They were going back. And they might never leave.
*


"Are you sure ?"Natalie asked ? Her voice admirably free of shaking."You could get a bracer like Harry ‘ s. Or perhaps there are less invading substance of removal."

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

Thankfully she did not argue, but instead bent down and touched her scepter to the cutis on Snape's arm. The slicing nuisance was distant, dulled by potions. There were feeding bottle by his arm, some empty, some waiting to get the skin back after the mark was gone. He was in his flat at Hogwarts, the only post he could ingest gained those potions without questions was from his own provision. The searing began and Snape looked away, watching his own arm butchered was not what disturbed him, not after everything he'd seen. But it reminded him of what Harry was going through. Of the dark overlord as well. What would he do next ? What would his next move be ...

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

"He will not."Snape shook his point."He was forced to obliterate then, he had no top executive. Now he does, it is lessened certainly, but he still has some."

"Bellatrix, Rookwood and Forneus."She traced easily around the bound 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 stop and watched as Natalie picked the little flap of skin up and calmly incinerated it. It was done, he was free. Strange that he should feel so little. Perhaps because he knew he was not truly innocent until Voldemort was dead. Perhaps because he knew that, without the ability 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 cognize exactly what Voldemort was planning. We would be capable to counter him instead of stumbling around in the darkness."

"You had to."Was all she said.

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

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

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

"The ministry ? The department of mysteries ? The divination ?"

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

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

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

"Severus,"Natalie took his face in her hired hand and tilted it up to fit her eyes."Not so low now. We won today. It may not feel 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 find next."Snape was once again amazed by the way she could break through to him, whatever his humor. He smiled,

"I believe I have some wine."
*


The boy who carried the public figure Harry felt himself enter the familiar dream. He felt floorboards under his spine, scratchy through the lose weight infirmary robe. He knew where he would be when he opened his eyes. And finally, he even knew why.

He pushed himself off the floor, leaning his tired frame against the bulwark. The wall painted with bears and snitches over a pale blue air sky full of fluffy clouds. Harry felt like spitting but he couldn't draft the energy. He ignored the crib in the center of the way, it's lustrous mobile 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 play himself to care. He knew what this place was now.

No one-year-old remembers their house. No one-year-old could commemorate every photo, or the blueprint on the wallpaper. This lieu was a lie, a bloodsucking memory that had been burnt into his mind. The creeping sickness in his skin was his mind's way of telling him that it wasn't substantial, that it didn't belong.

He stepped up to the look door and stepped outside. There were street mansion in the retentiveness. No one-year-old would think of street signaling, they couldn't even read them. He should have known, should have realized somehow.

He couldn't palpate the orchard nearby. God knows what that represented. Some metaphor for safe his mind was projecting out maybe. Who knew. The river ? Some former voice of his mind ... it didn't matter. Harry let himself fall to the ground on the eatage, 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 heart flickered open in the infirmary Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth. He could palpate the sore new growing in his hand. It was pink, new skin, and minor than the early. Harry dropped it back onto the blankets. early piece of his body hurt too, trivial scars and injuries. They had fixed him up. He wished they hadn't bothered.

The dream was still swirling in his head, biting at him. It was too hard. He saw his things piled neatly against the wall, even his apparel. Suddenly he knew he had to exit. This spot ... he just had to go forth. He quietly pushed out of bed, ignoring the creaking in every muscle and drew his bag over. He dressed quickly and disillusioned himself before slipping out the door.

The marauders were sleeping there, lying across benches or curled up on the flooring. He didn't wake them. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Couldn't talking, he had no mind how he would even start. He hurried away and down the stairs. He didn't plosive until he was out of the construction and a few streets away. A belittled street, not officious. Breathing hard he shoved his wand out into the street. He found that he could barely keep his arm up for the few seconds it took for the knight bus to blur out of nowhere and screech to a stopover in battlefront of him.

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

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

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

"Right."Hero ... that cut to the core like a knife."Take me to Godrics Hollow."He had no idea where the idea 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 give in the dream.

"Godrics hollow ?"The pimpled guy swallowed."right wing, I see."

The bus moved off and the nameless boy sagged down in a chairperson. Why was he doing this ? Did he even have a reason ? He didn't seem to birth ground's anymore. He remembered being good of flack and need, burning Passion for the fight. But now he just felt hollow, like he'd been scooped out. He didn't want anything anymore. Except perhaps to die. Why was he going to Godrics Hollow ? 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 blur in the air. Harry looked up and down the street, it looked like any other hamlet. It was empty this sentence of day, like a ghost Ithiel Town. Suited his climate perfectly. He looked forward, an derelict sign, burnt and with the top story blown off.

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

He stepped forward his bridge player stretched out, then shied away. This house was just more lies. The intuitive feeling in his forefront, grief, expiration, veneration. They weren't his, they weren't his exit. solitary strangers had died here, two strangers. hoi polloi who had nothing to do with him. The heartache was another trick, just another level of lie.

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

Not his hand.

Not his hair.

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

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

No he doesn't. I don't even look like me. The boy trembled with rage as he looked on the well-chosen Potter family. The Testament in stone to the lifetime he had never really had. His digit went to his wand.

"Reducto !"The sceptre flickered out, even through the rage the spell flew straight. It struck the head of the father statue, shattering it into splinters. Some of them cut the boy's material body. He didn't care.

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

"Reducto ! !"The last snapshot was the strongest, striking out in a blinding bolt of lightning of light, obliterating the bundled infant. Blowing the little boy-who-lived to smithereens. flame flickered across the statue before they died out. Flickered across the ruined soapbox of chief and died to nothing.

The unknown boy stepped back, breathing like he'd run a marathon. His wearing apparel wet with effort. He dropped his wand back into his pocket and turned his backrest on the statue, his hint still coming in tempestuous burst. He couldn't think, couldn't breath. He walked off down the street, not trusting himself to expect on the statue again. It made it all too real.

His eyes found a burial ground. Both eyes, real and magical. He shuddered, he'd got used to the shining sheathing over his vision, the x-ray panorama of the man. Now it was just a perpetual reminder. A monitor of what he'd sacrificed for the lie. He pushed the graveyard gate overt and let the eye roam, in a instant it had angled in on the Potter grave. He walked hesitantly to it, his wand safely away in his pocket. He pushed a while of ivy off the Isidor Feinstein Stone and take the inscription.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death


wellspring that was bollocks. Being stagnant meant you had at least one former enemy left, namely the one that killed you. His eye whirled in it's socket, looking straight down. The two casket, side to side in the ground, stared back at him. But ... there was a shadow. Like a vacant country. He drew his verge and muttered a revealing spell. faint whiffs of illusion drew out of the flat coat to adjoin him. He waved his verge again, cutting the misty waifs away. He worked ... he didn't screw how prospicient. Probably mo, maybe minute. At some stage the hoar sky gave way to rain and the graveyard grass turned slick. Harry ignored it, concentrating on the patch. It was good. It was a mystifier, breaking the illusion. It stopped him from thinking.

Finally he was done. nil different showed on the aerofoil, but down underground ... Harry stood and stepped back, his nub hammering in his chest. There was a third base coffin on top of the other two, arranged like a pyramid. Inside ... inside was a smaller eubstance, a tyke. It's tiny arms crossed over it's chest.

The nameless boy fell to his knees. There it was, the final examination proof. The terminal incontrovertible hinderance. That poor people wasted body in there was Harry Potter. He could even see a tiny prick on the os of his scull, above his eye, in the bod of a lightning bolt. The genuine scrape had cut all the way to the bone, his was barely more than than make-up. That was all he was in fact ... makeup for a creature. A god-damn doll.

He raised his wand to the stone, but said nothing. The ire in him was gone. He had seen the bodies of the really Potters, lying together. It was voiceless to feel anger, but he wished he did. The anger at least filled him up, filled the emptiness with flames. But now the ardour was gone and he felt even hollow for it. He found himself resting the point of his scepter against the jumpy, wet stone.

It wasn't even his sceptre. He stared at it, thoughts skittering over the asleep center of his mind. It was a wand gained from killing, killing and fighting in a war he was never supposed to be part of. This verge was his killing sceptre. He had done horrifying things for the sake of this war ... to others ... to himself. He found himself pressing down harder on the wood. He had pickled his soul in blood and what had it got him ? He added his other arm and pushed harder. He had fought, and he'd been broken. The wand splintered with a forte whirl, the springy wood bending almost double before it twisted into ribbons. A petty red frippery was visible through the break. It had had a phoenix feather core, he never knew.

"well that makes thinks easier."

The voice had come from behind him. He turned slowly but his magic eye had already whizzed around to find the intruder. The dark robe told him everything he needed to do it. Harry knew he should sense scare, or dread, fear perhaps, at least surprise. 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 picket on the underage magic detectors. You ‘ ve issue forth a long way just to slide now. A farsighted long way ..."

"Felt like further."The empty boy dropped the stiff of his baton onto the Potter tomb. Perhaps some fool magician would find it and hold up some story about it. He turned back to the demise eater and asked,"Are you going to kill me ?"He was surprised that his voice did not vocalize eager.

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

"What ?"

"The dark lord ‘ s undying favor."Rookwood tilted his question up arrogantly."I will be raised above the others, above even that illegitimate child Crouch."Rookwood paused, obviously expecting the pall material body before him to say something. `` Well ? Nothing to add ? No witticisms ? ``

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

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

He closed his eyes before the trance hit. The darkness was welcome.
*


A crashing noise woke him. Flashing light source burned through his eyelids as he groaned. The haphazardness went on and on, familiar spirit ... very fellow. His memories twinged, his real ones.

"I ‘ m in the underground."His eyes flickered open just as the subway system caravan flashed out of sight, leaving the tunnel in swarthiness. He felt the cords binding his hands together, his finger's breadth danced along them trying to detect a knot. There was none. They were tight though, biting into his skin, magic no uncertainty. He didn't have to finger to cognize that his leg were similarly bound. He didn't bother to try to stand.

"You are indeed Mr Potter."Rookwood stood over him, his wand outstretched."The John Griffith Chaney Underground."

The unidentified boy twisted and looked around him, one of the walls was been broken through and a nighttime, earthy tunnel stretched away. Now that the power train was gone he could see 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 wickedness rolled back, but not far. A Zane Grey wall stopped the luminousness, a writhing hatful of cloth and rot.

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

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

"Dementors ..."The boy looked into the swirling stack. Wasn't he supposed to be feeling some sort of coldness, desperation ? Wasn't that what Dementors were supposed to do when you were unaired to them ? He shook his heading, they couldn't touch him, a soul could only feel so much desperation and he was already at his limit. And as for making him relive his worst memory board ? Ha ! His darkest mo was still bracing in his mind.

"The dementors like it down here."Rookwood continued."They ‘ ve been breeding down here like flies. There are century of them."

"Dementors don ‘ t dig."Harry glanced back at the burrow."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 issue. Now be quiet."Rookwood flicked his wand, making a still charm. A second pic levitated him off the floor. Rookwood reached into his air pocket and pulled out a long silvery length of cloth, easily recognizable. 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 horseshoe 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 ghost. Right now his situation fit him like a glove. He hung weakly as Rookwood moved further towards the scrape, digging phone. 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 aspect. One wickedness cloaked number standing tall, the rest ragged and torn and scrabbling at the dirt mindlessly. No, it wasn't just their apparel that were ragged. It was their flesh.

Inferi, or zombies. Who could tell apart the difference ? The figure in straw man of them turned as Rookwood approached. night recollective hair's-breadth spun out as Bellatrix stepped towards Rookwood.

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

She had lost her eye. How wondrous. How very poignant. Under the cloak the unseeable prisoner felt his vacancy filled with a tiny spark of satisfaction.

"hullo Bella."Rookwood stopped, his hand flickering to his sceptre."Shouldn ‘ t you be in your own tunnel ? That was the plan was it not ? Forneus in one, myself-"

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

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

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

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

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

"Lying bitch."Rookwood grated."We all want to be the nighttime lord ‘ s right hand. Stop digging you freaks !"He directed the last one to the creatures burrowing in the grease. They stopped moving and stood, their vacant eyes rotting in their skulls. Rookwood raised his wand and the dirt began flying away faster. In a suddenly moment the poop became a brick rampart, old and faded. The paries of the ministry.

"Are you ready Mr thrower ?"Rookwood grinned up at the inconspicuous prisoner hanging above him."Here we go."He turned to the paries and raised his wand. There was a shattering clap and the rampart caved in. Behind it a man at a desk jumped to his ft his hand tangling in his robe. A greenness trice of light struck him in the head, he dropped onto the desk, scattering papers.

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


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

"Helen Wills Moody ?"Albus appeared around the corner, his face a mask of care."You were on sentry go tariff. What are you doing here ?"

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

"Why didn ‘ t you send a patronus ?"

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

"My god, we must facilitate them !"

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

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

"But there could be a trap !"Moody tried to keep up, his breath catching in his chest."You can ‘ t go in there blind you can ‘ t just ... we don ‘ t even know where Voldemort is !"Dumbledore was speeding away."We need a plan ! Do you have a programme you old bast-"But Dumbledore was gone, already around the nook. Moody doubled over, he was old, too old. But gods he wasn't done yet, he wasn't ... done. What the the pits was Dumbledore thinking ? He could get them all killed ! The entire rescript. The entire bloody order in one fell swoop, and what the Hades could he do to stop it ? He felt so old ...

But not yet done.

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

"Severus !"Dwight Lyman Moody shouted towards the startled professor."The guild needs your avail !"

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

"The ministry is compromised !"Helen Wills Moody saw his lyric cut Snape."Dementors in more than identification number than ever before."

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

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

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

"I know."Snape's eyes flickered with scare."We need to avail them. We need to facilitate the order."

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

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

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

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

"Do you have sex where to find one ?"

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


Rookwood stepped over a body. It's heart were still unfastened, it's mouth 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 thrower. His prisoner was just hanging there dumbly. Well ... he couldn't really do any different. Rookwood let Harry down to the floor and canceled the silencing appeal."well Mr Potter ? You have anything to say ?"

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

"More than enough Harry. More than enough."Rookwood tweaked his baton and the bonds on Harry's branch snapped off. Another pawl and Harry stumbled forward."But I am after the icing on the bar. If I am to go past Crouch in terms of meritoriousness to the lord ... I must seek the icing."

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

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

"My understructure are numb. Your circle were too tight."

"Just move."Rookwood walked back and grabbed Harry by the figurehead of his shirt. The dementors were still swirling by the ceiling, looking for dupe. There were still a few leftfield. Not enough to fuss over though. He stepped into out into the memory office, pulling his strangely compliant complaint past the army tank of brains. He stopped by the door to the death chamber, there was the speech sound of magical spell from within, someone holding out perhaps. He pushed the door open in fourth dimension to see a wizard scrambling away from an inferi trip-up and pin. The corpse-warrior grabbed the blubbering unspeakable in it's unshakable travelling bag and threw him away with cold strength. screaming as he flew across the way, his thigh-slapper was cut off as he fell through the archway in the centerfield. The drape ruffled for a moment, then went still again.

Rookwood hid a shudder, he was never entirely comfortable with the execution portal. Harry watched from his face with muffle eyes. What was legal injury with the boy ? Never mind. Rookwood picked his way around the border of the room, giving the inferi a wide nascency, and pushed open the door at the other side.

"Well Potter here we are."Rookwood gestured impressively at the banks of shelf in social movement of them, each one with rows upon rows of bantam sector."This is the Radclyffe Hall of prophecy."

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

"They are records of prophecies, and they are the rationality 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 shelf, yes this was it."The prophecy concerned you and the dark lord, you know that too ?"

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

"The wickedness lord is very eager to get his handwriting on the prophecy. That prophecy."Rookwood pointed at the special orb."And I will be the one to consecrate it to him. My icing, you could say."

"What do you need me for ?"ceramist 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 vaticination of the section of enigma ? They are keyed, protected. Only certain people can lift them from where they lie. Namely the people they have been made about. So the solitary the great unwashed who can take this prophecy are the glowering lord, and you. ``

thrower stared at the orb for a moment longer, the words sinking into him. Then he threw his head word back and laughed, laughed so hard his centre ran with tears. It was a reaction Rookwood had not expected. Laughter, but not in jest, not in joy. This was a bitter jest, full of darkness. What was going on ?

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

"What ?"Rookwood shook his head.

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

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

"Really ?"The Potter boy's paw hovered over the twirl drinking glass."To hell with it."His fingers closed around the orb.
*


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

Minerva shuddered, she only hoped it had been quick. She spun as cold hand grabbed her from behind, crushing her with cold intensity. The breathing place fled from her lungs and she felt laugh at go. In desperation she transformed and dashed away on four feet, spinning and changing back to works a fireball in the chest of drawers 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 !

"assistance me ! Oh god assistance me !"A figure ran from out of the insaneness, his unripened plug hat still clutched in his hands."Please !"

"Get out of here you fool !"McGonagall shoved Fudge away. She could not grapple with him. Her eyes searched through the scrambling batch for the heading of the order."Dumbledore ! Dumbledore we must draw back !"

She could not see him, she could not see anything. Despair was her but warning and she spun, a shining light throwing a dementor away that had been practically on her book binding. She didn't even know where they were anymore, near the court of justice possibly. Down in the deeps, no escape.

She heard a scream from her left and sent a patronus wildly into the surging crowds. The screeching cut off sharply. Whether she had had any effect she did not recognize, she had to transform again to dance out of the way of a swooping dementor and snapped back to commit another shining light to hold them back again. But her physical structure was banal, her verge arm tired.

rot flesh filled her nostrils and she tried to get her baton around. Too slowly. The utter fist crunched into the side of meat of her school principal and she fell. She brought her wand up and blew the utter number to shard, blood already dripping into her eyes. They needed assistant, and there was no one to give it.

No one.
*


The orb came unfreeze in potter's hired hand, it's faint radiance shining through his fingertips. Rookwood felt his heart leap, but the Potter boy was staring at the divination like it was a live snake.

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

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

"Just give me the bloody orb !"Rookwood made to grab 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 gears. Harry held up his hand, slowly uncurling his fingers. In the middle of the white a tiny stiletto heel of darkness was growing, like ink in milk. The blackness grew until it covered the whole inside of the orb, it was no tenacious shining ice but a polished orb of obsidian. The whimper grew in the air, biting into his pinna. Suddenly there was a fizzing crackle and ceramist yelped in annoyance, spilling the prophecy onto the storey. Rookwood cried out, it would break for sure ! But when the orb struck the footing it squelched, spreading out like remains. Smoke rose from the blackened glass.

Rookwood leant forwards and held his script out over it. The heating was intolerable this close and he had to shy back. The prophecy had melted. Melted into a steaming pool on the floor.

The ceramist boy ... he did this !

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

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

"Dumbledore could not have touched the divination !"

"He could if it was already played out."ceramist glanced at the gunk on the floor."A trap, or else his illusions on me interfered somehow."

"You speak madness."Rookwood reached out to snaffle 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 ceramicist boy was staring through the ceiling like a madman, his boldness again an empty masquerade party of horror."He ‘ s come."
*


Suddenly the dementors went still, floating off their foeman to hover by the ceiling. The secretiveness broken only be the groaning of the wounded. Minerva 's eyes found the entry to the cosmetic surgery, it 's net opening in a grating crash. Stepping out into the corridor, black gown floating behind him and a hand curled in a wave to the animal swirling above, was the benighted noble himself. Minerva felt her ticker jump to her throat. She glanced around, the monastic order was in shred. Only Dumbledore stood tall, the rest of them were covered in blood and shaking from the sweat of the battle. There was no military force here to stop a dark Jehovah, no power at all.

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

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

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

"suffering you Cornelius ? But why would I need to ?"Voldemort gestured to the ceiling."Even as I speak the rest of your ministry has already been overrun. The ministry you so love is a nest of soul sucking wraiths. Why would I need to bruise you ? I already have everything I wanted from you."

"Tom,"Dumbledore's representative spoke out soft in the wickedness."You can not possibly think I will let this stand ?"

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

"Tom I shall-"

"No !"Voldemort cut the headmaster off with a sharp word."I have grown tired of you."Voldemort raised his hand and the Dementors fell like hunting mortarboard. Minerva was forced to oppose for her animation against the grey cache, spinning around her like a vortex of demise. And in New York minute of light up 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 assist. But the press was too great. An inferi had her arm in it's frailty like handgrip and she blew it off with fire. Another took it's place too quickly. Far too quickly. There was a gout of purpurate lightness that cut through the air, momentarily beating back the dementors. Through the gap she could see the dueling thaumaturgist in the center of all this, Dumbledore raising the rattling stones of the floor in a wall against the dark lord, but it was blasted to shreds just as quickly. Dumbledore was driven to his knees.

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

"Remus !"She moved back to back with the werewolf, spinning her patronus into a R-2 around them."We need to get to them !"

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

"Then what do you aim !"

"We die."lupine delivered that last in a prostrate growl."We are finished."

"We are not !"Minerva tried to drop another patronus but the despair was sinking in and it faltered as bloodless mist, easily brushed aside by the wraiths. Suddenly there was a burst of tearing dissonance, breaking the flagstones and making the chamber shake with it's strength. As it died there a trice of red lighter and a high cruel laugh.

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

The dementors parted for a mo, like clouds in wind. The shadow lord stood over the sprawled mannikin of the Headmaster, his iron boot on Dumbeldore's cervix. Minerva felt desperation that had nothing to do with the dementors. She let her wand hand drop to her slope. They had lost. It was all over.

"Expecto Patronum !"A chorus line of secure voices cried the magic spell and the elbow room was filled with a wall of light. Minerva watched as a charging Edward Douglas White Jr. lion crashed into the massed forms before her, a snarling savage running at it's heels.

"You ! two-timer !"Voldemort had his verge drawn and had spun to face up the nip and tuck. Minerva turned to look but saw just one material body standing there, his branch crossed in arrogant casualness.

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

"I will wipe out you !"Voldemort surged forward and Snape's baton stabbed forward. There was a newsbreak of light and Snape was thrown backwards. He stumbled and pushed himself up, driving a savage blast of frozen wind at the dark lord.

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

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

"The students ?"

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

"But Snape-"

"Is holding him back !"The unspeakable grabbed a prone figure on the level."Now tell your citizenry to fall back before everyone else is dead !"
*


The boy who had been Harry didn't know where he was. There had been a mad dash away from Rookwood, screaming and dashing through the confusedness of battle, then there had been some steps, then a corridor ... The sound of struggle were everywhere, coming out of the walls. He had just kept running., unable to do anything else. His bosom raced beyond what any human sweat should let forced it to. His mind was space, a idle weight. Today had been a lifetime.

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

"ejaculate on dancing with me you mangled bitch !"Albert Michelson came into view down a long hallway, throwing bolts of lightning at Bellatrix and laughing like a madman.

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

He crouched down on the base, his fingers going to Tonk's neck opening on instinct. He did not really anticipate to bump anything, her skin was picket and ...

She had a pulse.

The unnamed boy had to screen her eubstance as a shining laser of something cut through the rampart above them. The affaire d'honneur was raging just on the other side of meat of the bulwark. She wouldn't have a heartbeat for long if he left her here.

So long ... His brain was grey sludge, he just wanted to shut down. He had no wand and his brawniness were water. They would never reach safety anyway, this place was a warzone. But on the other helping hand ... Tonks.

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



limited review and you will grow fairy backstage that will let you fly.


Due to other commitments my postings may get a petty farther apart for a patch. Sorry everybody.



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

"Stay back. !"Natalie was shouting calmly ( a yobo combination to passe-partout ), raising her work force to the crew of ministry survivors."Just arrest there and the therapist will get to you ! And you get out of here !"The survive was directed to a daily oracle reporter furiously scratching away at a notebook.

The other position of the Asaph Hall, back behind the fireplaces, a telephone circuit of beds were set up for triage. From where he sat Snape could see Elizabeth Heathland lying sedated, her deal clutched by her changeless companion Vanessa. She would be alright though, a lilliputian coldness and quietly for weeks to come and likely not ever wanting to encounter a dementor again but she would live. Oh to have just one of them back in his house, or any of the vulture. They had fought like tigers, like flack Canis familiaris with wands.

One of the doors slammed open and Markus stepped out angrily. His robes were mostly burnt off and he had line running down the English of his chest but he seemed incognizant of these little details.

"She got away."The monolithic magician reached the boundary of the natural spring and plunged his head under the surface. A moment later he lifted it up and pushed his wet hair out of his eyes."Bellatrix."

"The predator 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 ward she disapparated."

"Then she is out of the fight at least."Snape nodded, he would contract 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 atomiser of water out of his hair."Sorry mate."

"Bella has more lives than a cat, do not retrieve any more of it."

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

"We have taken back most of the ministry. I believe all of the marauders deserve Os"

'' They deserve all-fired medals ! ``

'' Yes but I can not make them medals. You however can render them Os. '' Snape smiled a fain grin and saw it returned broader. He gestured towards the elevator with his good arm."Voldemort holds the department of Mysteries. Or to put it another way he is trapped there. He has placed a ward on the rise and on all staircases."

"I can break through."Michelson nodded arrogantly. `` commit me five minutes. ``

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

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

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

"How many ?"

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

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

"For now, until he makes his move. He can not wait forever."Snape felt a lilliputian shudder run through him. Whatever the dark Almighty's relocation 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 reflexion of seismic disturbance on his brass. `` Falco columbarius 's ... Harry ? ``

A moment later Snape saw what he had seen. Out of a passageway Harry was stumbling, a prone soundbox weighing him down and his face a Zane Grey mask. He did n't appear up, did n't recognise anything, just stepped directly to the skinny bed and lay his burden down bedside a blow out of the water therapist. Snape rushed forward and saw marauders stand in every recess of the room, running towards the unexpected wad of their leader.

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

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

'' Harry are you alright ? '' Hermione reached out to adjoin him but he flinched away. `` What is it Harry ? ``

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

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

'' I said I 'm hunky-dory. Just ... go away. ``

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

'' Where 's your baton ? ``

'' Shut up. ``

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

'' I SAID SHUT UP ! '' Harry yelled angrily. As the marauders shied back there was a blast of heat from behind them. Snape spun around in time to see the fountain of wizard brethren go red hot and begin thawing, dissolving into the water supply with a raspberry. But the atomic number 79 was not disappearing, it was staying there in the pee, mixing with the water. Harry forgotten, Snape stepped forward as the surviving order member, ministry workers and marauders surrounded the puddle of gold.

It was like a mirror, shining with chickenhearted sparkle up to the ceiling. As they watched it faded to silver, then to gray, then finally to pure white-hot. The white resolved into shapes, gloss bloomed out of the pure brightness level. As the shape coalesced Snape heard a shriek from individual on the other side of the pond and almost felt like following suit.

In the pool, rippling on the surface of the liquid, was an look-alike of lord Voldemort. He was standing in what was clearly the department of secret. The verge in his hand was long and blanch, it was not the one Snape was used to seeing him use. It was unmistakably Dumbledore 's verge. Behind the dark lord, lined up and chained together, were ten virtuoso. Though the pictorial matter was faded and the colours ran together Snape could easily know the two on the end. Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.

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

'' Good wizards of the ministry, '' The dark lord greeted amicably. `` fellow member of the order of the genus Phoenix and the good youngster. What you are seeing is the inside of the section of mystery, where all the greatest secrets are hidden. All the cryptical trick of the ministry is within these walls, all controlled by me. ``

'' He 's lying. '' Natalie assured the panicking virtuoso around her. `` There 's nothing down there he could use. ``

'' And wait at my friends here, '' Voldemort gestured out over his prisoners. `` They all fought. They all failed, such is the price of defying Godhead Voldemort. '' He took a bundle of verge out of his pocket and hovered it into the air. With a gout of flame they burnt into ash. `` Such is the price ... And await who we have here ... '' Voldemort crooked a fingerbreadth and Fudge was dragged forward, his bail separating from the others. He came to a stop by the dark God Almighty 's infantry 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 miserable petty man, whatever you say. ``

'' Then ... then. '' Fudge seemed to breath a little gentle. `` 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 unseasoned. ``

'' Yes ? ``

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

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

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

'' Avada Kedavra ! ``

Green light filled the puddle of water and for a bit none of them could see anything. Snape felt his center beating rapidly in his dresser. The light cleared in clip for them too see the iniquity lord savagely kicking the minister of religion 's physical structure to the slope and stabbing his verge towards Dumbledore. The headmaster was thrown forward roughly.

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

'' Well old man ! '' Voldemort stabbed his verge down at Dumbledore, a bolt of electrical energy charring a hole in the Headmaster 's robes. `` Do you not feature something to say ? Some terminal tidings before I take your life. ``

Dumbledore just stayed understood. 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 throws of the torture curse for a few instant before releasing him. `` You will speak ! There has been too much between us, you have been my enemy for too long for me to let you end it this way. You will recognize that I have won, you will say it ! You will recognize this triumph in some way before I kill you with your own wand ! ``

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

'' You will verbalize ! '' The Snake River like face was set with cruel anger. `` You will verbalize before you die ! ``

'' I ... '' Dumbledore wet his sass and tried again. `` I am ready to die. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I am ready ... '' Dumbledore closed his eyes. `` I am ready to die for everything I have done. Those are my close Word of God, the alone ones you will get. Kill me. ``

'' You ... Cruci ... '' Voldemort raised his wand to form the curse but let it die on his rim. Snape could almost see him dragging his emotions back under control. `` But of course of action, how could I refuse a final stage request. Avada Kedavra ! ``

It was as if prison term froze. The pool exploded with gullible light again and Snape's throat closed, every muscle tensing. The early watchers around the kitty held their hands to their faces, or shook there head ... they would not think it. The green brightness faded and the body of Albus Dumbledore dropped to the terra firma. It crumpled like a paper napkin, his beard trailing onto the floor like a rag.

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

'' Here dies Albus Dumbledore. '' Voldemort laughed. `` A fool to the end, and in the end a letdown. So there you are, two surety dead. I have eight left and all will die if you do not commit me what I want. I want Harry Potter. Bring him to me in one half-hour or I will kill another, perhaps the loup-garou. I am sure no one will miss him. But if any of you wish to see these wizards alive, then you know what you must do. wreak. Me. Harry. potter ! ``

The pool went Shirley Temple and Snape stepped back. All around him mass seemed to be going mad, crying and shouting to one another in muddiness. His eyes were only trying to find one anatomy. Harry ceramicist. He swept the crowd. Nothing.

Snape turned to the entrance in prison term to see the room access snap shut.
*


The unidentified boy crashed out of the earpiece box and dashed away, his infantry slipping on the wet sidewalk. Rain splattered against his typeface 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 expect to see Harry ceramicist. look to see their savior, when all there was was a pretender. He dashed past the people in the street, some of them turning to search at his odd wearable and panicked expression, but he was running too fast and they were left behind.

He heedlessly ran into the road and heard the screeching of fault. He prayed that one of the cars would hit him. His foundation would not intercept moving and the auditory sensation of saddle horn was left behind. His magic eye painted the world in shimmering pall of phantom, distorted by the raindrops settling on it 's Earth's surface. He pushed past a man in a wooing and heard the man yell. He could n't stop running. Had to get away. But what he was running from could not be escaped. He was running from reality. The rain ran like a river. Roaring like the river.

Finally, with his heart beating like a jack-hammer, he collapsed on the cold, wet pavement. He lay there, his infantry still twitching, and breathed. He had collapsed in an alleyway, dark and dirty. time lag ...

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

Heedless of the driving rain he opened his mouthpiece and laughed. Laughed in pure 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 capable to keep open on being Harry Potter. He felt tears running down his nerve and mingling with the rainfall, freezing him to the bone.

But there was fondness. A slight point of oestrus at his chest. He dug his hand into his shirt and slowly drew it out.

His chandelier. Pythea's pendent. Worn so long he had almost forgotten it was there. But now it was glowing like a principal, so bright beneath the gray sky. He knelt and held it cupped in both script, staring at it in curiosity as a silver-tongued mist swirled out from the head. It pooled in his hands, swirling and sifting. Slowly the twinkle liquid rose, shaped and colored and separated until two globe hung in the air by his hired man. One of burnished gold, the other pure white.

'' Harry ... ''

The white orb shifted, moved and expanded. It shaped into a material body, every curve glowing with light, every flowing line of her pure white dress and her porcelain skin.

'' Thea ... '' He breathed.

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

'' Another illusion- ''

'' No. '' Pythea shook her head teacher. `` This is no legerdemain. This is really me talking, from Greece. I thought you might require my assistant. ``

'' Your ... assistant ? ``

'' You 're lost. Lost in the woodwind instrument. '' Thea smiled faintly. The lucky orb was still circling her, pulsing faintly. `` And I am the oracle. I thought you might need a guide out. That was why I gave you this all those years ago, to help you feel your way. In your sinister time of day. You need to find your way again Harry, or else were all doomed. ``

'' Thea, '' The boy ducked his head, 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 old age because you were the Chosen one ? '' Thea laughed lightly, her quartz glass voice filling the void between the buildings with joy. `` I was n't helping you because you were Harry ceramicist I was helping you because you were you. ``

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

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

'' Stop. '' Too painful. retentiveness of pleasant multiplication,

'' I will not stop. I will never kibosh trying to help you. I knew the consequence I met you that you were n't the prefer one. I mean please Harry, I 'm the mistress of prognostication. Did you honestly think for a second that I would miss a matter like that ? I saw who you were. I also saw that, in a Earth without Hope, you were the only shining probability. ``

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

'' I saw nothing about your future. I saw everything about you. '' Pythea knelt to see him eye to eye. `` I saw you a brave and confessedly soul who would campaign for this reality even if the full world was against him. I saw somebody who could get struck down a thousand times and would still pick himself up. I saw that the dark God Almighty would rise and I hoped ... I did n't know but I hoped that you would never heave before him. With the world in peril and the futurity unsealed I took the adept hazard the world had. I took a chance on you. In a time of complete despair, I trusted you. ``

'' But, I ca n't fight anymore. '' The boy dropped his eyes. `` I just ... I just feel empty. You do n't fuck what it 's like to let someone walk up to you and snatch your entire life history, everything you believe, right out from under you. ``

'' I do. '' Pythea replied simply.

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

"I gave him a necklace."Pythea smiled. `` But I do n't expect you to accept what you have to do from me, which is why I brought him. '' Pythea gestured up to the lucky welkin. `` You've carried this necklace close to your meat for almost four old age now. I think it's time you saw what's inside. Do n't die Harry, please do n't die. I 'll see you soon. '' She faded into zilch, leaving just the aureate orb left. As soon as she was gone it began stretching and shaping.

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

The shape resolved into a figure. His long robes were buttoned tightly and long arms, rolled up now to evidence his arms. Those robe were familiar. Tonks had worn them net twelvemonth, auror trainee gown. The face remained foggy for a consequence more then coalesced, becoming a unwavering model in golden lighting, right down to the finis tousled hair.

The boy who had been Harry 's back talk fell undetermined in shock. He was looking up into his own case. No ... no there were remainder. The jaw was more charge, sharper, the eyes closer together. He did n't have a scar on his neck, nor a dreary mark on his arm. He looked sometime too, at to the lowest degree two years if he was an aurors apprentice. God ... was it possible ? Was this ... Harry ceramist ?

'' I do n't quite realise this. '' The ghostly gilded figure said. `` Your ally, Pythea, she says that you 're in a different human race or ... or dimension or something. A different time too. I do n't quiet realize it, need Hermione for that sort of thing. ``

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

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

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

'' I wish I knew why but ... your Friend wo n't tell me. Something about lessening the interference as much as possible. There are other affair I wish I could tell you, affair you really should know about- '' The transcription skewed like motionless for a here and now then continued. `` But apparently I 'm not allowed to say them either. All she 's separate 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 futurity, to be given to you in your past, to play in your present. Apparently Pythea thinks that maybe I can say something to you .... maybe explain ... I do n't know. I do n't know what I 'm saying. I ca n't reckon what you 're going through. It 's like ... It 's like you 're an orphan all over again. Except this time it 's worse because you know you had a by it 's just been taken. I know you must find like crawling into a trap and dying, I 've felt like that. When my godfather died I ... but that 's not the same really. I do n't know what I 'm saying. ``

The ghostly figure began pacing up and down.

'' I do n't have sex what I 'm supposed to say to you. '' The Harry stopped pacing and circulate his hands. `` Except that, that it gets better. I 've been through and through affair as bad as you, and I 'm probably the only person you 'll ever foregather that can say that. Your friend says that, since I 'm perfectly in your humanity, 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 suppose of anything that I could say to persuade you to take the job. Except that you have to. The reality depends on it. And I know that the world has n't done you any party 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 roll in the hay what I can say to convince you that 's not genuine except for two things. One, it gets better. It really, really does. Eventually. And two ... ''

The shadow build licked it 's lips.

'' Do you bed how many regulations are broken by this sort of inter-dimensional passage ? Certain countries still have the Death punishment for messing around in parallel worlds. Just getting here, the effort it must have taken. The risks your protagonist has taken just to get this substance to you .... I guess what I 'm saying is that even if the total rest of the world is hell right now you 've got one person who 's uncoerced to risk everything for you. chance her life-time. So if nothing else ... engagement for her. ``

The figure faded. It 's eyes lasted the recollective, staring out into the rain, then they too were gone and the alley was sullen again. The boy on the ground stood, slowly and with tutelage, but he stood.

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

He chuckled to himself, the laugh building. His hands went to his breadbasket as he threw his head back and laughed, the rain trickling down his grimace. That was Harry Potter was it ? Git. I mean who talks like that ? Screw him. Screw the to a fault dramatic, hesitant bastard. If that childish gimboid can keep open the earthly concern I sure as hell can.

He pushed his rain soaked hair out of his oculus. It was like the emptiness was, somehow separate. It was still there, the gaping vacuum, it was just that all the crucial parts of him, the things that made him who he was, were outside it. He settled the footling shell necklace back around his neck. Just a shield now, it's magic trick gone. But not wearing it was unthinkable. It was parting of him, the literal him, and he needed it back. Especially since he intended to pick the bragging fighting of his life.

He needed a architectural plan though .... and if he was going to survive a fight with the majuscule black wizard in the world it would need to be a bloody unspoilt plan. Or a bloody insane one. Let's see, he had no reward. Voldemort held all the cards. Voldemort could wipe out him without thinking. And Voldemort had hostages. On the early hand Voldemort was alone, he had no death feeder, no dark creatures, no servants.

Whatever program he came up with it would hail down to just the two of them. A bonny engagement. Which he would lose.

So wee it an unfair fight.

His lips curled into a smile. There it was, there was the idea. A Harry thrower plan.

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

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

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

The car apparently took him a little too literally as ...
Harry ceramist
messiah


... Clattered into the grounder. Harry didn't infliction to pick it up. If he didn't know who he was now no badge was gon na order him. He dissilusioned himself before the doors slid open again and stepped out into the ministry hall. There was a grade of organized pandemonium and another bigger layer of disorganized Chaos. Harry ignored it and his magic eye picked out the vulture. The were all clustered in one property. Harry wandered over to them and quietly said,

"Don ‘ t motion. Don ‘ t give them and signal you ‘ re hearing me. Just seminal fluid over here behind that chimney where we can ‘ t be seen."

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

"Hi guys. I ‘ m back."

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

"I ‘ m sorry for yelling at you, at all of you. And yes I ‘ m ... I ‘ m better."The empty place in his chest begged to take issue but he ignored it."I ‘ m tactile sensation .... I ‘ m better."

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

"There ‘ s no time, how much time we got until the 1st surety goes ?"

"quint minutes."Draco pointed at the clock.

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

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

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

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

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

"You got it Harry."Ginny went into serious mode."Whatever you need."

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

A forest of manpower were stretched out towards him. Every single scepter. Harry picked one at random and tried a simple charm. It was stuttery and faint. No good. He picked another and almost set his hair on fire. The thirdly the spell came out right but the wand felt weird. The fourth ... Harry did first one spell then another ... then another ... they all came out perfective. His eyes came up to cope with Malfoy's greyness ones.

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

"Thank you."Harry pocketed the wand."The second matter I need is healing. Just a spry refresher. I ‘ m to wear down and banged up to contend like this."

"Here."Ginny drew a bottleful out of her robes."I swiped it from the triage centre of attention. I thought you might need it if you came back."

Harry took the bottle with a smiling and tipped it back into his sassing. The fond chocolaty liquid seemed to drain into every aching muscle and bone, making him feel like he was well rested and healthy rather than at the edge of weariness.

"And thirdly we need to take a leak something."Harry handed the bottle back."It ‘ ll be tricky but if I handle the spell and individual else does the transfig we should be able-bodied to manage it. Oh ! And I ‘ ve thought of a fourth thing. I ‘ ll need a distraction."
*


"Here ! Look !"Snape was shocked out of his sentiment by the yell. His eyes found the seed in the young Weasley youngster, crouched down by the fountain. Ginny was furiously jabbing at the pool, waving him over. `` It 's going clear again. I can see something ! '' Snape dashed over, staring down into the inky shadow. He could see nothing.

'' Where ? '' Snape asked hurriedly.

'' There, there by the corner. ``

'' I see nothing. ``

'' Look. ``

'' girl Weasley there is zilch there. ``

'' There was ! ``

'' There is not now- '' Snape 's oculus flickered up to meet those of his student. A flutter of retention twitched behind those eyes. He pushed ... No ! Snape spun and dashed to the ski tow, but the grate was already slamming shut. Snape came crashing up against the ward. The magical barrier sparking against his skin like unchanging. 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, speechmaking, crying. All pressed up to one English of the barrier, and on the other ... just Harry.

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

'' Eight multitude. '' The kid shrugged. `` octad citizenry or me. Choice is pretty obvious. ``

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

'' I know I do n't. '' Harry nodded, a faint smiling on his face. `` I 'm doing it anyway. Wish me hazard. ``

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


The face lift grate slid open and Harry stepped warily out into the corridor. The wreckage of battle was everywhere, great gouges gone from the walls and doors blown off their hinges. This was n't the department of mystery story yet though. Just the courtroom. Harry 's eye whirled wildly as he picked his way around the wreckage. The door to the department came into position, a blank rectangle at the end of a farsighted corridor. Harry could see zero beyond the room access, not even with his magic eye. Some kind of protection must go around the department of mysteries. For the interest of his plan he hoped it did n't poke out inside the section too. Harry raised his wand to his neck and spoke the sonerous charm.

'' Tom conundrum ! '' Harry 's amplified vocalization shook the bricks in the rampart. `` I 'm here. '' There was a bit 's wait, then.

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

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

"Those are the terminal figure 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 scene was just as it had been reflected in the syndicate, the line of captives, the wreckage, and Voldemort standing in the gist. The soundbox 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 rooms beyond.

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

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

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

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

"They ‘ ll be able-bodied to get out ?"Harry asked."Past the Mrs. Humphrey Ward ?"

"In only stops people from entering, not from leaving."

'' Ok, mulct. waiting ! '' Harry held up a script, then pointed to Lupin and a brawny looking auror. `` Fudge and Dumbledore, take them up with you. ``

Lupin bent to cradle the body of his instructor and lifted him up. As he passed Harry on the way out their optic 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 end man trouped out Harry pushed the door shut and locked it. The grueling bolt of lightning sliding into place sounded like a hammer.

'' fountainhead Mr Potter. '' Voldemort smiled like a Hydra. `` It is down to just you and me. The kings in our niggling chess secret plan. The pawns are gone, the rooks are taken. Now it is just down to you and me. ``

"Have you never even played cheat ?"Harry quirked an brow."If all you have is the two kings that 's a stalemate serpent face. You ca n't mate with one king."

"I was being metaphorical."

Harry rolled his eye and picked a clear space of base. He pointed his wand down.

'' Calx. '' A chalk bloodline appeared on the floor. Harry drew his wand around in a rough rectangle then stepped back and measured his handiwork by eye. `` Tommy boy give me your vox populi. Does that look like fourteen fundament to you ? ``

'' What in Merlin 's name are you doing ? ``

'' Well we have to consume a affaire d'honneur. '' Harry shrugged. `` Might as well do it by the book. ``

'' A regulation wizard 's duel ? '' Voldemort seemed almost ready to chuckle. `` My my Mr Potter I can not differentiate you how refreshing it is to fight 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 wand into his scoop and held his hand away from it to show he was n't touching it. `` But I believe that the next footmark is to bow to one another. Like gentleman. ``

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

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

'' Of class. ``

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

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

'' We part as friends. '' Harry smiled. Voldemort chuckled wryly and encircled Harry 's hand in his own. Harry pulled forward and hugged the offend shadow lord. He released him quickly and laughed. `` Tom brain-teaser it 's been a delight, and an honor. ``

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

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

'' Two ... ''

'' Three ... ''

'' Stupefy ! '' Harry whirled and jabbed his wand. The go flared across the room. Just before it hit the dark lord seemed to waver and fade into mist. The magic spell passed right through his back and exploded in twinkle against the wall. Voldemort turned and rematerialized, a mocking sneer on his brass,

'' Jumping the numeration Mr Potter ? That was your masterly plan ? ``

'' Worth a shot. ``

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

'' call me Harry. ``

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

Harry closed his heart and smiled as a flash of light filled the room.



critique or the malefic chicken with the DEAD centre that only I can see will stamp out me.


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





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

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

The chicken managed to free itself and dropped to the level. It took a look at the two wizards on either incline of it and wisely decided to be elsewhere. Squawking and flapping it scampered through an open door.

"Was it, meant to rick into a crybaby ?"Harry tapped his Kuki-Chin thoughtfully."Is this some poultry variate of the killing curse I was not previously cognisant of ? Is that a chicken of death ? Or perhaps ..."Harry's hand dipped into his pocket."Were you looking for ... this wand."

Voldemort's eyes went wide.

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

The dark lord's hand twitched to his pocket.

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

"ceramicist you ..."Voldemort boiled with ira."You ... you ... you ..."

"Me. Me. Me."Harry grinned like a Panthera tigris."The moral of the taradiddle Tommy boy is this : Don ‘ t you EVER kettle of fish with a marauder because we can bury you. And we never lose."

"ceramicist I will-"

"Shut up."Harry stabbed his wand forward, keeping the other two safe in his go away hand."Shut your ugly murdering face. Happy, polite, ‘ lets all be B.F.F.s ‘ sentence is officially over. Now is the fourth dimension for the other thing. The blinking hate filled fight that culminates with the violent death of you."

"You think you can win ?"Voldemort hissed out through clenched tooth."Even without a scepter I am still the iniquity 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, then another."So come on snake face. Hit me. Hit me with your best shot."

The dark lord hissed, his fingers clenching into claws. Then a minute later he exploded into roll of tobacco, whisking away through an open door. What the ? Harry 's conjuring trick eye focused through the rampart, onto the story in the next way. On the floor future to a prone organic structure was-

scepter !

Harry 's metrical unit moved of their own accord and skidded across the story to the threshold. His own wand lashed out.

'' Difindo ! '' The wand on the floor snapped just as the cloud coalesced around it and but Harry was already moving again. His eye making walls and doors meaningless. Another body, another wand ! He felt the green goddess behind him, catching up.

He rolled as it passed budget items and snarled, `` Tempesto ! '' The cloud convulsed as wind lashed through it but it stayed together, swirling and reforming like ink. Harry dashed along the level and snapped the wand up from beside the bundle of robes that was all that was left of the victim of an inferi. He skidded to a halt, his eye dancing madly to determine any remaining wands ... nothing in the prophecy room ...

The cloud circled, reeking of malevolence. Harry could almost feel Voldemort doing the same check that he was, using saturnine conjuring trick to rule any remaining artillery. The cloud contracted then pip away like a squid. Harry was off and after it in a indorse, a 2nd more and his eye had found it's quarry. The death chamber, a wand rolled into a crack in the floor. Harry pelted through the corridor, the inglorious dope ahead of him. Too far ! Too agile !

Harry threw another tornado ahead of him, kicking up fragment of detritus but the moment it reached the cloud it was squashed like a anuran. The tip going flat in mid air. The smoke disappeared under a door and Harry crashed through it a moment later. The scepter ! right field there ! Voldemort reappeared with a thunderclap and jabbed his hand forward. The verge leapt from the floor and spun towards the night lord. Harry aimed desperately,

"Ferio !"

There was a crack from the air and splinters clattered on the floor. The nighttime Jehovah's hand snapped back like he'd been stung.

"That ‘ s the death of them snake-face."Harry panted. Keeping his wand trained on the dark noble he stepped down the stone's throw till he was next to the fluttering arch. He picked the three wands he'd acquired out of his pocket and chucked them through the caul. The obscure cloth fluttered for a moment, then went still."All wand ‘ s out of gambol, except for my one. And the solely way you ‘ re getting that is to pry it from my cold absolutely hands."

"What an splendid suggestion Mr Potter."

Harry had just a moments warning before the orb of darkness flew from the dark Godhead's hired man. Harry spun behind the arch and ducked down.

"Accio !"The work bench behind Voldemort shot forward towards his head. The dark Maker spun and shattered it with a hissed curse."Jupitall !"The ball-lightning hissed from Harry's verge and forced the dark lord to elude to the side. The orb exploded against the wall, filling the room with sparks. Voldemort spun and cried,

"Garta !"

Harry felt the flagstone beneath his base disappear and he plummeted into darkness. He jabbed his baton straight up.

"Hammus missis !"chain shot up and slammed into the cap far above."Rapellet !"The mountain range felt like it jerked his arm out of its socket as it pulled him up into the visible light. As he shot from the undercoat like a hummer a ball of wickedness flew towards him.

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

Harry kicked off the bound of the arch and swung out of the way. He let go of the chain and aimed at the dark figure of speech below him.

"Avada Kedavra !"The green light left him stunned but he landed like a cat on the incline of the step arena. The killing curse blew a jam in the wall but Voldemort was dashing away, disappearing through a doorway."ejaculate back you slimy coward !"Harry was laughing with bloodlust and raced after him, his eye tracking him through the maze of halls. Harry dashed back through the entrance Radclyffe Hall and injection into a farseeing room of desks. Voldemort's fleeing tail was just visible at the other 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 sparks. 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 charm numbed the burnt-out pulp as Harry furiously dashed after the nighttime Maker. As he skidded to a stoppage in the hall of prophecies the dark Godhead disappeared. Harry furiously glanced one way then the other, but neither eye could pick up a trace. A wisp of rung curled around one of the shelf, only to disappear a moment later. Harry cursed, the eye wasn't so estimable for incorporeal thing. He slowly turned, letting his eyes sweep through the gaps between the shelves. Voldemort was in here somewhere. Harry closed the doorway and whispered a vicious trap on anyone who tried to get through it. Voldemort wouldn't be able to break off it, some things required a wand.

Harry walked slowly out into the prophecy Radclyffe Hall. The meth spheres had not escaped the slaughter of the fight, many were left in glittering shards on the marble floor. The little snaps of glass cracked under his boots. Was that smoke ? Harry 's warmness hammered in his chest. Was that a-

fireball ! Harry spun and yelled,

'' Ferio ! '' The hex blasted into a spinning orb of flaming, exploding it in the air and throwing Harry backwards into a shelf. The wood buckled and Harry fell through backwards in a pile of burning splinters. There was an minatory creaking sound and Harry had to shin to get out of the way of the collapsing ledge. ball of shining fume bounced off his shoulders and shattered on the storey, their white smoke spilling out and going inky black like vortex of midnight.

Harry 's eye swirled and he just caught a glimpse of the glum robe flesh 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 draw. Unfortunately Voldemort did n't actually deliver to draw ... The air moved, Harry moved faster.

'' Symplegades ! '' Voldemort appeared out of nowhere but Harry had already cast his go. The shelves crashed together as if drawn by magnets. The dark lord 's shadowed course was trapped between them. Before Harry could cast another magic spell the shelves exploded outwards, Voldemort stepping out wreathed in fire. He raised his hands, about to turn grass again. Harry stabbed his baton out again.

'' Tartrate ! '' It was a wild stab in the nighttime. The charm was used to induce liquid into jelly. Voldemort stumbled, his sort blurring a moment but not turning to smoke. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The dark master threw his bridge player forward and a slab of the marble trading floor was thrown into the air to catch the curse. Voldemort hissed and the fire behind him leapt up into a column of flame, curling and splitting into a glow red snaked mind. The serpent roared and bit forward, it 's teeth dripping with molten venom.

'' Excalabus ! '' Harry slashed through the burn specter but his shining brand slipped through it like water, leaving not a excoriation. The snake struck forward like a viper and Harry dropped to the floor, his eyebrows charring off his expression. `` Ardor-Algidus ! '' Harry yelled the flame freezing charm and leapt up into the hellfire colossus. He stabbed his wand at the shadow beyond the inferno and yelled the killing curse again. The redness flashed to green and Harry could see the dark lord 's blow out of the water look as he had to parry a turn from within his own creation.

Harry did n't give him an in, he threw himself forward, shot another curse at his off correspondence foe and found a swarm of black knife flying in his nerve. He dropped to the floor and find out them clatter behind him. He threw himself to the side but the tongue jerked to surveil him. He grabbed a plank of shelf from the floor and spun it in front of him, hearing the expectant thunk of the blades impacting the wood. Harry spun to face the dark Maker and banished the knives towards him. Voldemort waved his deal distastefully and the knives melted into smoke.

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

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

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

'' You are just extending your suffering ! ``

'' Is n't that what lifespan is all about ? '' Harry drew himself up, grinning. `` And besides- Ferio ! '' The spell caught the dark lord by surprisal, smacking into his shoulder with a bone splintering crevice. Voldemort roared and Harry felt the story under his foot buckle and rumble. He flipped backwards as the primer where he had been standing became a swirling quicksand pit, ready to pull back him down into it 's astuteness. Harry danced backwards as stone upon stone became sucking death. His feet hit a ledge and he clambered up like a wanderer. The shelf lurched as it began to sink into the stone. Harry spun, holding on with one hand and leapt to another towering shelf just before the one he had been standing on was obliterated in a cloud of benighted lightning.

It was n't safe up here. Harry clambered to the top and dashed along the slanting Sir Henry Joseph Wood. Being up here made him too much of a prey. Harry 's eye spun to observe the darkness lord and he almost fell off in jar as he found Voldemort hovering up from the ground with murder in his centre. The bastard could fly !

'' Tempesto ! '' Harry 's crack cocaine sprung out of nowhere, drawing sand from the storey and filling the air with yellow-white grains. Harry called another twister, and another. The wickedness lord disappeared in the sandstorm. Disappeared to normal eyes that is. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot through the fog at the trace in the air and dashed away along the top of his ledge, he leapt across to the next one just before a lightning bolt flashed through the air behind him. The dark lord could not see him in all this but he could see where his patch were coming from. Only a fool attacked and stayed in the Same place ... unless ...

'' Acerbus cuspis ! '' Harry called the bother spears, flashing out in their slow fan. He twisted them in the air like a snake to collide with the night lord from both slope. He was rewarded with a ululation of pain as one of the shining dash struck base. Harry cast again but the night lord summoned a silver grey carapace. `` Motus ! '' Harry did n't even consume to call back. He just struck out and made the dread orb vibrate with unendurable noise. He twisted to find the resonance but Voldemort was slyer than Albert Abraham Michelson and cancelled the orb. Harry turned to run but the dark lord was speedy and lightning caught his arm, burning like hell. Harry lost his footing and dropped off the side of the teetering shelf.

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

'' Ulkaa Avaskanda ! '' The shrill cold phonation of the dark Creator shouted out of the storm, then. `` Finite Syrtis ! ``

The sand vanished like mist but Harry had large problems. He leapt into the air as rocks the size of cars obliterated the shelves behind him. His feet hit another shelf but it was already shattering and falling. Harry 's baton whipped out and a sweetener impacted into the ceiling. Harry swung out over the expanse of nullity. A boulder came hurtling out of nowhere but Harry still had his storm.

The wind pulled him out of the path of the meteor with a whisk of his verge and he let go of the chain, catapulting himself onto a standing shelf. 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 fragments. Harry felt the Sir Henry Wood beneath him shift again and this time let it transmit him down a bit before leaping off and dropping to another collapsing shelf, his eye found firm foothold and he jumped again as the close shelf collapsed into splinters.

Harry dropped to the top of a cumulus of wreckage. A throng three times as tall as he was and full of let on woods, shattered glass and the smouldering remains of spent boulders. Harry waited while the last of the crashing and clattering stopped, then folded his arms.

Voldemort was hovering in the air level with Harry. The iniquity lord slowly floated down to the story ( which Harry idly noted was back to being marble ) and settled back down onto his feet. Harry watched with a round-backed eyebrow. Voldemort 's teeth clenched in rage as he stared up at Harry standing on his pedestal of ruin.

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

'' What makes you think I 'm human serpent look ? '' Harry smiled evilly. `` Are n't you the one who 's always saying we 're better than mere soul ? ``

'' DO NOT MOCK ME ! ``

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

'' YOU ARE NOT WINNING ! ``

'' I 'm not loosing. '' Harry grinned. The dingy lord 's fist clenched but he said nix. Harry smiled. `` Of course, you could deliver. ``

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

'' Hey mate, you 're the one that wants to live forever. '' Harry cracked his knuckles. `` You wo n't know forever if you surrender but I can guarantee you 'll endure longer than if you keep fighting. Not a lot yearner but still ... ''

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

'' Me ? I 'm the runner of the roofs at night. '' Harry laughed. `` The hero of the pedigree war. The only survivor of the torrent of geezerhood and the Hogwarts triwizard champion. ``

'' But- ''

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

"You-"

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

"What-"

"But that does n't matter because I 'm also a vulture ! Invincible cutthroat bastard and badass extraordinaire ! I. Am. Harry. ceramist ! The choosing one ! '' Harry trained his wand on the iniquity lord, his boldness set in unwavering firmness. `` That is why you should surrender. Right now. Or I swear on this nap of prognostication that I will burn you from this globe. ``

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

'' hold up chance. '' Harry snarled. Voldemort straightened up, his eyes burning red.

'' Never. '' The dark noble 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 verge straight down and the pile of wreckage exploded out in all directions, the woodwind becoming pestilent matchwood and the Rock singing out in razor penetrating shards. The dark lord threw up a silver shield but Harry was already on the background. With a flick of his wand the shield screeched and Voldemort threw it away from him as if it was red hot. Harry rolled to the incline to duck a sprayer of inkiness orbs and threw his wand up. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The shadow lord fled through a room access and Harry rushed to follow, casting death execration before him. Harry vaulted a desk and skidded through a door only to find his eubstance rising into the air. A lightning dash grazed his shoulder joint and Harry was spun around like a top. Planets were floating in this elbow room ! There must be some spell screwing with gravity !

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

'' Confringo ! '' The ball of blood plasma exploded but Harry cast another flame-freezing charm and pushed off Saturn directly into the inferno. From behind the covering fire of flame Harry shot a killing curse at the dark Jehovah but had to twist in the air to block off his psyche being taken off by a glowering brand flickering through the air. He had used the flame-cover john one too many times. Well lets try another.

'' Esurio Esurio ! '' Harry aimed at the spinning red planet next to Voldemort. It grew a agape mouth and snapped angrily at the shadow Jehovah, who blew it into fragments 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 charm and fled, pushing open a room access Harry had n't even seen. He pushed off the wall 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 add dividing line to the rest of the department this room was a sort of zoo. coop to the full of animate being filled the room up to the cap and were stacked in a pile in the middle. Some looked rule, some ... not so very much. Harry shuddered as his eye flickered over a mutated blob of form 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 spirit and movement in the way made it tricky.

Harry tried to draw out the room. Long, not so wide ... The door at the early end was closed. That meant that Voldemort was either at the wall behind one of the cages at the slope or crouched down behind one of the ones in the midsection. Harry grinned,

'' Alohomora ! '' He pointed his wand at the pile of cages in the center and all their ginmill sprung open. Creatures scattered in every direction. Something that looked like a mutant skirt chaser made a esurient leap at the cages to the left wing and was thrown back by a spell. There ! Harry 's wand was trained there in a mo. `` Confringo ! '' The hex blasted the John Milton Cage Jr. out of the way, revealing Voldemort 's grey hide. `` Avada K- '' Harry had to break off the curse to dodge behind a desk as more globe of darkness rained through the air. Harry heard a threshold slam open and leapt up from where he was crouched. He dashed to the door and swung through, his wand out.

The death bedchamber ! back here ! Harry saw Voldemort just reaching the door at the other side of the dimly lit elbow room and aimed his wand.

'' Colloportus ! '' The threshold squelched and glowed red. Harry spun and locked the other doors too. In a minute he had his wand trained back on the darkness Godhead. Voldemort was just staring at him from the former side of the vast way, his lip contoured into a sneer. He clearly knew he could break the poxy locking charm, but doing so would give Harry the moment he needed to kill him. Harry tried to keep his breathing space even as he spoke, `` Got you. No more running. ``

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

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

'' I will cast you through the head covering myself. ``

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

'' Nothing would please me more Mr thrower ! '' Voldemort reached the bottom of the way. Harry was just a footmark behind him. They stared at each other from reverse side of the pedestal that held the arch of the veil. Voldemort 's lip curled up in a sneer. `` If I had my sceptre 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 script up to protect his eyes."Avada Kedavra ! ``

The dark Creator dropped to the floor, letting the magical spell pass over his head and jabbed his arm up at the roof. The apparition above them became alive, a writhing cauldron of iniquity. Harry dodged wildly as a tentacle of Nox shot down and tried to wrap itself around him. Harry felt another snatch his leg.

'' Excalabus ! '' The tentacle was sheered off but Harry had been thrown to the floor and had to roll as bolts of roaring slammed into the flagstones where he had been lying. A ball of blackness caught the English of his leg, simply obliterating flesh and skin. Harry screamed and pulled himself to his fundament, jumping out of the way of another tentacle. He had to get rid of that thing ! He could n't fight down it and the dark lord at the Lapp time ! But how to drink down something like that ... How else ? Harry jabbed his wand at the ceiling. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' The fleeceable go impacted the shadow wight and it wailed in annoyance, it 's tentacles going limp.

Harry spun back to fount Voldemort just in time for an black orb to convey a clump out of his shoulder. He was bleeding too a good deal. Had to end this ! The dark overlord raised his bridge player for another bolt of lightning. Harry tore two flag from the undercoat and hurled them in the path of the spell, one after the early. The 1st was blown to splinters but the second, hidden by the cloud of rubble, shot through like a marble discus and crashed with a hideous crush into Voldemort 's ribcage.

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

'' Avada Ke- ''

"Fulgar Fletch !"The dark lord 's deal swung up ! It had been a john ! Harry saw a cloud of black steel erupt out of naught and sail towards him. He had no protective covering ! He could not elude ! There was just one prospect ...

'' Protego ! '' Harry called out desperately and was driven back as the tongue clattered against his weak shield. Harry let it go and stepped forward, only to have his human knee buckle and drop him on the flooring. What the ? Harry tried to stand but his leg would n't move. Was this some variety of curse ? Harry looked down and saw the reason.

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

'' Bloody shield .... '' Harry 's munition dropped down, suddenly too weak. His verge rolled away on the shadow Harlan Stone. He had n't felt the knifes go in, epinephrin perhaps, but he felt it now. pain in the ass and fire raging out from the hole in his abdomen. `` Bloody ... carapace .... And I was doing so well ... ''

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

'' I could have beaten you ya sleep with. '' Harry coughed weakly and saw droplets of blood spraying from his oral cavity. `` The very first spell I threw. Back when I jumped the count. Back when you had the faker wand. If you 'd consume just tried to harbour like any normal virtuoso ... I could have won on the first spell. That was ... that was the plan. ``

'' It was a proficient plan. '' Voldemort must have seen no reason to be furious now that he had won. `` Against a normal wizard it would make no doubt worked. ``

'' Damn it. '' Harry raised his hired hand to spread his finger's breadth around the knife blade in his stomach, but he could n't stop the parentage. His life was draining out onto the storey. The ones in his leg would maim him. The one in his stomach meant he was dead.

'' Do you have any last words my dear enemy ? '' Voldemort asked calmly. `` I did not take heed any satisfactory ones from Dumbledore. Anything ? ``

'' Ca n't remember of anything ... '' iniquity Lucy in the sky with diamonds swam before Harry 's eyes. He had failed. `` Are my acquaintance still watching ? ``

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

'' Then my last words are ... keep fight. '' Harry raised his center to forgather Voldemort 's. `` dungeon fighting him. ``

'' Not very original. '' The dark lord shrugged. `` But wagerer than Dumbledore 's. ``

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

'' An admirable opinion. ``

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

'' Very well. '' Voldemort raised his mitt. `` I shall miss you. My ... interesting opponent. '' Voldemort opened his mouth to speak the last Word of God Harry would ever hear.

'' Wait. '' Harry whispered, he had no strength to speak normally. `` I 've thought of some effective final Book. ``

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

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

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

'' Thrice defied him. '' Harry licked his lips, his voice was barely coming out now. `` And the dark God Almighty will mark ... will mark him ... ''

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

'' grade him as his compeer ... '' Harry 's lip were barely moving, his Logos just disturbances in the air. `` But the dark ... the shadow ... ''

'' Yes ... '' Voldemort put his hired hand on Harry 's shoulder joint, steadying him. `` Please end up it ! ``

'' The wickedness lord, shall never ... '' Harry 's middle were closed. `` Shall never learn. ``

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

'' The dark Lord ... shall never con. ``

'' What did you say ? ``

'' I said you never bloody ascertain ! '' Harry 's eyes flicked subject. `` Do you ? ``

Powered by the last-place pant of dying furore Harry pulled the tongue from his flesh and drove it into Voldemort 's neck opening. Harry fell backwards as blood fountained from his breadbasket and his eyes clouded lightlessness. As he slipped away and his essence stopped beating all he could take heed was the rustling of the veil.




drop. Hanging. Again. I know. Sorry. revue anyway.


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

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




The first affair Harry sensed was the odour of apple flower. It was a feeling he knew very well. His eyes flickered open and looked up onto the familiar dappled foliage of the orchard in his ambition. It was exactly as it had always been, K and full of life.

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

'' Ow ! '' physical body, not glass. Harry shook his head, realizing what must have happened. Eye 's did not uprise back, orchards did not spring out of null. `` I 'm dead. I died. ``

Harry breathed out, a foresightful sigh of gloominess. He had done his advantageously, his very, very best. He had tried to survive. He had tried to not leave the world of the living, had tried not to impart his friends.

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

'' I tried Thea. '' Harry felt a lump in his throat. `` Oh god I tried. But he was unspoilt 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 endure. I guess I was wrong. ``

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

'' I did drive him with me though. '' Harry spoke the virulent Holy Scripture. `` I got him good. ``

The wind rustled lightly through the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. He thought he could almost, just almost, learn children laughing. Harry sat down and set his rear against a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and closed his eyes. If this was the afterlife then he knew one thing for sure. Before he met any pearly gatekeepers or had his sine weighed against a plume or whatever he was sitting right here and having a rest. The legions of hell could not proceed him from that spot.

The lead whistled through the tree 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 vocalism faded. Harry shrugged, that variety of matter probably happened all the clock time when you were dead.

Harry 's hand wormed it 's way along the land and found an apple. It was overnice and hard, fallen recently. He brought it up to his sass and bit into it, letting the juice run down his face. It tasted a trivial bitter, just a little.

Harry heard the pasture in front of him disturbed by footfalls. Someone was there. He opened his heart slowly, and arched his brow when he saw who it was.

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

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

'' Why not ? '' Harry shrugged. `` I mean were all dead here are n't we. Maybe loony toons and pigeon hawk will join us future. ``

'' I doubt that Harry, Elvis is n't idle. '' Dumbledore frowned suddenly. `` I apologize, you asked me not to prognosticate you- ''

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

'' But I do worry. '' Dumbledore shook his drumhead. `` I can never apologize to you enough for what I did to you. No words could ever serve. I ... I am only beaming that I got this one live chance to distinguish you how regretful I am. My offence was inexcusable. ``

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

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

'' Ilex paraguariensis, I can never forgive you, so do n't ask me to. '' Harry sighed and shook his school principal. `` I do n't suppose I can ever forgive you but at the Lapp fourth dimension ... I get why you did it. You were in a bad place, everything was riding on your shoulders. I mean face at me, today I cast an unforgivable curse ten ... maybe twenty times. And before that, over the grade of this class I 've killed ... mass. Several citizenry. We all do what we think we have to do. You did what ... what you thought you had to do, at the sentence. I ca n't forgive you for it. You playing with my head word. Making me your Frankenstein 's devil. Your changeling kid. You ... took me and changed me. Changed who I am, put computer storage in my head. You said you put your retentiveness of James Potter in my head. I can feel them in there now ... How much of it is me ? Is any of this me ? Or am I just a poor written matter of Harry ... Or worse a hapless copy of James IV Potter. Am I ? respond me truthfully. Please. ``

'' I ... '' Dumbledore dropped his center to the story. `` I do not roll in the hay how a great deal of your master personality survived. Integrating storage is never fully successful, not from one person to another, but there is no way to tell how much mixing there has been. There is a prospect that the store settled harmlessly into your subconscious mind, but then again ... ''

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

'' Yes. ``

"Why did n't you assure 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 easy to ... to not remember what I had done. To not think of it. I mean there you were, looking like Harry, acting like St. James. It was comfortable to fall into the sand trap of thinking you were ... that you were ..."

"real ?"

"That you were not the life test copy of my sins."Dumbledore shook his head."At least that was the cause at get-go. I simple did not need to acknowledge what I had done. Then, later on, after you had defeated the basilisk, after you had come back from the soaker of ages, I began to recall perhaps I would not have to. You had proved yourself a bomber so I though ... perhaps no one would ever possess to know. Perhaps I could let you make full Harry 's place and never tell you. I thought I could let you remove the burden. I am not proud of that. I should have known the prophecy could not be so easily avoided."

"Is it possible I still can take his home ?"Harry pointed at his carpus."I mean, the iniquity lord did chump me."

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

Harry sighed. As he did the hint seemed to murmur, carrying to him distant voices. He strained his ears to discover,

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

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

'' His heart 's not beating ! ``

'' Of grade It 's not beating he does n't have any blood left you hysteric changeling. Each of you, throw me your hands. It's a upright thing Harry acquired so many hangers-on, one of you has to be his blood line type. ``

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

"Did you hear that ?"He asked Dumbledore.

"No, but then I ‘ m a trivial Thomas More dead than you are."Dumbledore smiled.

"So I ‘ m ... I ‘ m not dead ?"Harry felt hope rise in his heart.

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

"So ... Is this actually you then ?"Harry scratched his head."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 most end coupled with the fact that you died mere meters from the veil."Dumbledore shrugged."I am just sword lily I got a stopping point hazard to speak to you."

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

The old hotshot and the young laughed. A thought struck Harry and the mirthfulness dimmed.

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

"Of course Harry, anything."

"What is my name ?"

"I ... I do not know."Dumbledore hung his head."I am sorry Harry. I erased the computer memory from my own mind so I would never call you it. Never slip up ... But I can tell you the orphanage where I found you. It is called the Malyn orphanhood, or was nine years ago, January twentieth. It stands about ten miles south of capital of Northern Ireland. If records exist then, well then you might be able to ascertain them there."

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

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

"Interesting."Harry, who had lived his liveliness with a John Griffith Chaney accent thick enough to swim bricks on, chuckled."So, do you think there might even be record book of my parents ?"

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

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

"No Harry nil like that."Dumbledore shook his head."In fact I believe we can safely don 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 normal fashion, you were ... found. Found by an senior couple walking along the ligan river. The river was bursting it ‘ s Sir Joseph Banks a little after a tempest and they saw a petty bundle washed up in the mud. When they unwrapped you they thought you were beat, I was told that you were blueing all over from the cold and damp, but so frail you weren ‘ t even shivering. You had been in the H2O for a long time."

Crashing John Rock. Raging white urine. Harry's mind shied away from the flashes of terror in his thinker and he felt his breath quicken. The raging deluge in his mind banishing all though was real, a memory so scaring even Dumbledore had been unable to erase. His only real retentivity was a phobia. Another bitterly gag. He licked his lips, had to say something, anything to pick out his mind off it.

"How old was I ?"

"About six month old, give or take."Dumbledore answered."The couple gave you to the authorities and of course an investigation was made. Unfortunately nil was ever found. And, inevitably, you ended up in the hands of the child serve. The taradiddle after that is, well, rather as you might venture it."

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

"I ... I do not think that was the lawsuit Harry."A tear rolled down Dumbledore's nerve."You see, I have something the muggle authorisation did not. I have my map. That was the reason Lupin knew. I needed him to find it and show me how to use it, or it could have revealed the truth."

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

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

"No."

"It works by making use of an ancient type of magic, the magic of names."Dumbledore's voice took on a lecturing tone, but Harry could still discover the lump in his throat."There is an old wizard superstitious notion. An old married woman tarradiddle, if you will, that a thaumaturgist's figure is tied to their destiny. That the name first given to a wizard somehow sets his path. There was once a capital fad for concealing one ‘ s true epithet so that foe could not gain ability over you. madness really, in those days someone ‘ s true name was easy enough to divine. That is what the map does in any case. It works by the illusion of names."

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

"And for you it displays nothing Harry."Dumbledore closed his eyes sadly."On the map your figure is lacuna. Just a set of footprint 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 worry enough to ..."Harry slammed his fist into the earth."I guess I ‘ m comfortably off without them."

"Is his heart drubbing ? I can barely-"

"Is that a beat ... it was there I swear it was there."

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

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

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

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

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

"A blessing."

"So I can send for anyone then ?"Harry asked slyly."Anyone absolutely and they have to fare ?"

"Yes, anyone dead."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."Harry said the dread name loudly into the woods, only syncope reverberation came back."He ‘ s not dead then."Harry's mitt clenched into fists.

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

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

"He will be severely weakened."Dumbledore stepped forward and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder joint."Perhaps as badly as he was fifteen twelvemonth ago. This is a victory Harry, it will be age, possibly decades before he can rise again. And if we can catch him while he is infirm and finish him off, so very 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 evacuate but for the two of them. Harry grimaced, he hadn't really hoped that the unworthy SOB was abruptly. But it would have been a welcome surprise.

"Is there not anyone you actually wish well to utter to Harry ?"Dumbledore asked, fading a trivial as he did so."No one in this creation ? Perhaps the veridical Harry ceramist ?"

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

"How could you possibly ..."

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

"But interesting."

"Oh yes, very interesting."Harry smiled."All in all I think I ‘ ll let him and his parents rest in serenity. 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 prospicient while."

"I hope so Harry."

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

"simple Harry,"Dumbledore smiled."Until now you have been walking someone else 's path. From this decimal point on, you 'll take to pass water your own."

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

"I know you are Harry."Dumbledore continued to pass off."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 require to be buried with it or something ?"

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

"You had to have the last Word didn ‘ t you. Git."

The air seemed to switch texture. Harry breathed out softly, he was animated again. He could feel his heartbeat in his thorax. Weak, but there. Harry glanced around at the orchard. It was exactly the Saame as before but it felt different. He was dreaming now, just a habitue ambition. Harry let his optic close slowly. He would come alive up in unspoilt time, but until then ? He was fine here. For now.
*


Snape reached his apartment in Hogwarts and barely got the room access shut before falling into a chairwoman. There was a bed in the next room, but it suddenly seemed very far away. Truth be told he could have fallen asleep in the middle of the great manor hall, on the trading floor. He would have been the laughing gillyflower of every student though. Even spoilt he probably wouldn't have woken up when they started laughing at him, even when they started poking him.

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

He had stood in the waiting room in St Mungos for thirster than he could remember while incompetent person healer told him they had no information. When they had finally told him that Harry was out of the Sir Henry Wood all his nervous energy had leeched out and it had taken all of his mental persuasiveness to stop himself sagging to the flooring right there. He had managed to put one over well-nigh of them. He had not fooled Natalie.

She had apparated him back to Hogwarts and made him swear to sleep as soon as he got to his way. Who was she to order him around like that ? Why could she ? Snape's lips curled into a smile. Because she was interesting enough to get away with it and was the only one who could pull it off. Which just added to the interest of course. Snape smiled as the wine-colored curled down the binding of his pharynx. He was very lucky in many respects. prosperous than he deserved.

"Severus are you in there ?"There was a knock on the door. Not Natalie. Snape flicked his wand and the doorway creaked open. Minerva stood on the early incline, looking as tired as he felt.

"Minerva."Snape tried to sit a little less like he was falling asleep."It is safe to see you safe, in all the confusion in the ministry I lost track. cum in. Would you care some wine ?"

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

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

"Yes, there is something."Minerva pulled a voiceless backed professorship over and sat down stiffly."When you went off to St Mungos I called the remaining rescript together, there was much to discuss."

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

"That is partially what we were discussing."Minerva cocked her head to one side."Voldemort is weakened but not suddenly. The order of magnitude's job is far from done and we could more than use your expertise. Your elementary reason for leaving was Albus. I will not presume to ask the point of that divergence, 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 representative if it were yourself leading the lodge, I would deliver no objection."

"I will not be leading the order."McGonagall shook her head."I will take quite enough to do here at Hogwarts. The job of headmistress is enough for me. It has been hard enough to persuade parents to beam their children to Hogwarts this class. I imagine next year may be a trivial easier but I am sure I will still have my men full. And besides, I will take to ascertain a new transfiguration teacher."

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

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

"There are early candidates."Snape was fully alive now. He could find where this was going."Alastor Moody."

"Too paranoid."

"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 club since-"

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

"No."

"Someone who knows how the darkness lord thinks."

"No."

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

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

"Severus please."Minerva's eyes dropped to the level."This preceding twelvemonth Albus ... well you yourself saw. I do not speak ill of the dead but he had become ... tire. He was not the Dumbledore we all knew. He was not acting at his best."

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

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

"I ... I can not head the order."Snape tried to make his voice not vocalize like that of a rat at bay."I was a expiry eater, I fell into black magic. A long time ago yes but some marks do not come out."

"Yours has."

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

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

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

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

"Do not quote 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 take the chore ?"

"Do I have a alternative ?"

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

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

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

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

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

Snape rubbed his forehead. He should begin planning, there was much to do. No, he should not. Right now he had a hope to keep open. Shedding his robe tiredly, he walked towards his bed.
*


'' Harry ... Harry open your oculus. ``

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

'' I 'm alert, '' Harry murmured, his eyes closed. `` But I 'm still in my grove. I can smell the blossoms. ``

'' You are still benumbed, in St Mungos. '' urine rippling over shining pit. `` I wanted to speak to you but you 're on a great deal of medicine. It was simpler for me to just come to you. ``

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

'' Sitting beside your bed. ``

Harry chuckled, and opened his eyes.

'' hullo Thea. ``

'' Hello Harry. '' The young seer was sitting cross legged under a tree in front of him, looking like the human ikon of placidity. Instead of her common Edward D. White robe she was wearing a simple brown frock, she seemed almost piece of the forest. She looked ... different, somehow different. It was not her face, she was still the same beautiful girl he had always known, or her eyes, mismatched as they were. Her silver haircloth was caught up into a tenacious rear end down her back, tied with puritanic medal. She looked exactly the same but there was something missing. Gone was the sense of antiquity, the touch sensation that the picayune soul in front of him had outlasted empires. She seemed ... Pres Young, the same age as him give or drive a year. Harry supposed she always had been. It did not take very much to judge the reasonableness for the change.

'' You 're not the oracle 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-Chin up. `` Do n't sense guilty, not even for a moment. I was pathetic there, almost a prisoner. I 'm felicitous to be gone. ``

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

'' It is the the true. ``

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

'' Stubborn. ``

'' terror. ``

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

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

'' The orphanhood ? ``

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

'' I can not understand minds anymore Harry. '' Theia shook her head. `` That came with being the vaticinator remember. I just know you. ``

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

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

'' Can you ... can you tell me my futurity ? '' 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 pass will not bother a mighty hero like you too much. '' Pythea crooked an eyebrow mockingly.

'' A inadequate walk ? We have to get to Irish Republic ya know. ``

'' Then it is prosperous that another affair they can not rent away is my international apparition license. '' Pythea held out her hand. `` Just differentiate me where Harry. And we can go. ``

Harry reached out and took her hand.
*


'' Ow. '' Harry 's hand went to his belly as pain flared there through the hospital sheet. `` That really hurts. ``

'' I told you it would. '' Pythea was sitting exactly where she said she was, at the English of his bed. `` The knife was made with dark magic so the wounding ca n't be magically healed. You 'll ingest to let it cockle together the old fashioned way. Is it too much ? Do you wish to wait till tomorrow ? ``

'' No no. It just surprised me is all. '' Harry slowly lowered his feet to the floor and gingerly stood. He had to hump just a little to arrest the cutis of his breadbasket stretching painfully, but he could walk. No he could n't. His leg was mangled too. Maybe he could hop ... `` Do you hold my clothes somewhere ? Oh postponement my bag 's right here. Can you work so I can- ''

Pythea cut him off with a wafture of her hired man. His hospital gown changed into a uncomplicated Stanford White T-shirt and pant. Muggle enough to be getting on with. With another moving ridge a carved wooden cane appeared in his hand. Obviously she did not believe he was as healthy as said he was. darn 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 blazon around his attender middle. This close Harry could smell her hair, like greenish Gunter Grass and the sea. He was breathing faster, probably because of all the potions they had him on.

'' Are you prepare ? '' 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 lingua irritably. `` Not being capable to show peoples thought is going to charter some getting used to. ``

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

For the first time in his life Harry enjoyed an apparition. The wall of the emptiness pressed him into Pythea, forcing them closer together. He could feel her hint on his buttock. 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 orphanhood, it was the only building there. At the center of it was a stately-home character of thing. He could n't put a date to it, old was the comfortably he could do. That was clearly the core of the coordination compound but at some gunpoint the possessor had felt a motive to expand. The two blocks to either position of the main building took after the put-some-rectangular-concrete-blocks-in-a-vaguely-building-shape style of architecture. Around the unharmed berth there was a in high spirits wall with barbed wire looped at the top.

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

With a careful hand on his stomach 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 threshold. He took a deep breath, then winced at what that did to his tum. He tried to becalm the raging butterflies inside but could n't. The only thing that gave him the will to push afford the threshold was marauder convention. 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 phonograph record department ? '' Harry asked uncertainly.

'' Up the step first door on the leftfield. '' The escritoire looked back down at her papers.

Up the stair. Of path. Harry labored up the whole step, having to rest more than once before he reached the top. Out the window he could see the resort area, broad of children running about wildly. From inside the wall the blank space looked a lot nicer. All around the edge of the rampart there were a series of small fry 's paintings. Long running murals and swirls of color. It was almost pleasant, it looked like a pattern school.

Harry managed to extend to the first base and took a few tired breaths. She wanted to let me to this by myself. Probably just did n't want to stock me up the bloody steps. Harry then realized that hunching over and breathing heavily in a building full of children could possibly be misinterpreted. He stood and walked forward towards the first room access, his walking gravel clattering against the level. He knocked, politely.

'' Come in. ``

Harry pushed the doorway unfastened to see an aged dame sitting in strawman of a computing device, looking at him questioningly over her glasses.

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

"Oh,"The adult female smiled."Please have a seat."Harry gratefully sat, hung his stick over the back of the chairwoman and worked out how to continue.

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

"Do you have any identification ?"

"Eh ?"

"recommendation ? number one wood permission, no you ‘ re too Cy Young for that. Your espousal certification perhaps."

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

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

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

"Of ... of course deary."The adult female shook her head like she was trying to dislodge cobwebs then turned to her data processor."What figure is it ?"

"I don ‘ t have my figure. Long taradiddle, but it happened on January twentieth, nine days ago."Harry wondered whether he would need another Confundus to tout past the ‘ no name'thing, but the adult female seemed to take it in her stride.

"Everything ‘ s on computers now. It ‘ s very high up tech."The womanhood pursed her back talk as she clacked away at her keyboard."When I started here we had way and rooms of file box. Would bear taken ages to find a disc like yours."

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

"Here we are."The adult female squinted at the criminal record for a moment then let out a throaty chuckle."Oh yes, I remember."

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

"How could I bury ?"She turned to him with a motherly smile."Everyone here has a constant reminder of your stop with us."

"Wh ... what ?"

"See the wall over there ?"She gestured out the windowpane."See the barbed wire ? You may mean it ‘ s to keep kinsfolk out, but it was originally put up to keep back you in. You kept clambering over the wall."

"Really."Harry didn't daring feel. Didn't dare promise. A be connection to his stolen past like this had been too much to ask."I must throw caused you all a lot of trouble."

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

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

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

Harry's bosom broke and he fell into his hands. He felt weeping blooming in his eyes. He hadn't known what to anticipate when he'd semen here, but he had never expected this. He had never expected cogent evidence. cogent evidence that he wasn't some Frankenstein monster, proof that he wasn't a bad written matter of James ceramicist. He was, and had always been, him. Arrogant, cocky, unrespectful of agency and filled with wanderlust. He. Was. Him.

"beloved are you alright ?"The old woman sounded interest."Do you want 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 estimator screen."We gave you the last name Malyn, after the orphanage. Which is a traditional here. And for the first base name we had to make believe that up. So we called you Jack."

diddley ...

Jack Match.

Jack Baltzegaurd.

Jack Shakey.

diddly Caiman.

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

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

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

"See it ?"

"It was always your favorite place."The old woman 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 admittedly. Harry stood suddenly.

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

"My 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 bum of the stair 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 signal vaguely.

"tether the way."

Harry set off, taking them cycle to the spine of the building. He could see it now, down the side a small. He stumbled down and stopped just before he reached it, just before he went beneath the shade of the apple Tree. The little round orchard of apple trees.

"My god."Pythea had her script to her mouth in shock."It ‘ s real."

"It was a memory."Harry breathed, reaching out a hired man to touch a subdivision."It was a computer memory. I kept having this dream where I was stuck in Godrics Hollow. But that place felt all weird, but if I could bump out and reach the plantation I felt condom. Felt real."

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

"Neither did I."Harry stepped beneath the branches and walked into the heart and soul of the plantation. He set his back against the tree and slid down, resting on the ground. Pythea sat down following to him, resting her articulatio humeri against his.

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

Harry didn't trust himself to verbalize. Couldn't speak. There were no password. They sat there for the tenacious metre, the lowest summer child's play filling running past them and rustling the leafage above their head. Eventually, after who knew how long, Harry spoke.

"Thea ?"

"Hm ?"She murmured. Had she almost fallen at rest. Harry looked over into her beautiful mismatched eyes.

"Why did you confide me ? Right at the beginning ?"

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

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

"You were never a stranger."Thea smiled sadly."Do you lie with how they choose the next vaticinator Harry ? They go around to all the wizardly households in Hellenic Republic, looking for tyke with the inside eye. If they find one with enough king, with power sufficiency to be Pythea, they take them back to the temple."

"take in 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 English."I was three, but I remember it well, another curse my gift gives me. My 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 category I signed one of my house painting with the old name, just a lilliputian mistake. The fierceness they had at me that day ... they burnt my flick, in front of my eyes. I never used the old name again. After I finished my training I was allowed to go back and visit my parents. I went back to my old house. They were very ... polite. They acted exactly the way I would expect somebody to act towards The Pythea. When I tried to act like their daughter, they looked at me like I had done something wrong. 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 imagine. Not that you have to."Pythea smiled up at him."That ‘ s why we were never strangers. Because we ‘ re the same, both orphaned. Both with our dependable identicalness taken from us. Both shoved into rolls and names we never wanted."

"Both forced to live with them."Harry nodded."Yeah, we were never stranger. We're the Saami, 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 hand against Pythea's fount."They can ‘ t take away who we are. The names don ‘ t affair so much, you can phone me Harry or Jack or Bob it doesn't matter. I know who I am."

"I wish I had your certainty."

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

"Harry ..."Pythea lifted up, little glistening tears in the box of her eyes, and kissed him lightly on the cheek."Thank you."

Harry didn't really bonk what to do, former than to flush. A moment later Pythea seemed to recognise something.

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

"Had to bechance eventually."Harry grinned cheekily.

"I ‘ ll get you next time."

"You ‘ re on."

Pythea smiled, lighting up her face. 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 hands behind his mind."Go back to Hogwarts maybe. I don ‘ t know if I missed the O.W.L.S."

"They begin side by side hebdomad if I remember correctly."

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

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

"Dunno ... Stay in the commonwealth probably. I could do with a nice passive holiday."

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

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

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


Bellatrix Lestrange bowed over her master's bed and cried, heedless of her weeping staining the weather sheet. She had done all she could, used every facet of her art, but her lord still barely breathed. His skin was abruptly white and only the wickedness magic she had woven in his bureau kept him active. He was so light, 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 have risen up again in gloriole. Instead he was trapped in this prison of pulp. Better stagnant than to lie on this narrow down cot in a midget room, not even fit for a hiding place. But she had to do what she could. She was the stopping point, the hold out truehearted death eater.

"I am all he has."Bellatrix whimpered.

"That is not the case."

Bella whirled, her wand 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 lord !"

"I did not forsake him."The smooth boy stepped from the fantasm, carrying a package under his arm."I was doing our lords good work."

"For a wax twelvemonth ?"

"It did take longer than hoped-for ... but it has been done. And in the nick of metre too."The pale champion strode over to the dark lord's sickbed and knelt beside it."I am your servant, master, and I have done your bidding. Do not concern noble, I can make water you strong again. strong than ever. With this ... we can rise again, the death eaters can rebel again. The dry land will tremble master, tremble in fear."

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

"We can be stronger than ever master."Barty's face in the vestige was terrifying."solid than ever."





Ye gods that was hard to write right. Or ... right write. Write write ... some combination of those speech anyway. It 's been a roller coaster I think you 'll agree, and the single most monolithic twist of the total fic was finally revealed. hope you liked it. People who were waiting to the end of this al-Qur'an to review ... your time has come.

I 've already started writing the next rule book and It ai n't going well. I did n't do my usual thing of writing myself into a corner. 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 made logical signified and all, no plot-holes, there was nothing tripping me up, no writers block, I just realized that the plot I had mapped out was a bit [ news I ca n't add without mature rating ] really. I had to go back and rework the thing. Positive consequence : The story is a lot stronger now I think. Negative upshot : I have to throw away away a significant part of what I 've already written. Ah well, such is life.

Anyway *clears throat* the succeeding story is on it 's way. Our Harry has finally found out who he really is and begins walking his own path. Too bad that route is as deadly as the concluding. A new opposition salary increase, an old one lingers and a mysterious assassin is out for Harry 's blood. With Harry still injured from his opposition in the section of mysteries he ca n't present these challenges head on. He may even consume to protrude using his brain ...

Mysteries abound in the next al-Qur'an of the series Harry Potter, The Stone and The Scorpio !