Thanks to all the citizenry who reviewed the lowest chapter. Your assorted transposition of the general `` What the F*** ! ? ! Update now ! '' Were most appreciated. I feel kind of bad for jumping a twist like that on you after 40 chapters. Kind of deceitful. Good to have it off the absolute majority of masses appreciated it.



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

"Harry I ‘ ve been talking to the healer. They ‘ ve run some more tests."She licked her backtalk."Look, it looks like a few months was actually affirmative. There ‘ s equipment casualty deep down, destiny of damage. You need to let them help you now or ... or you ‘ ll die. In a few weeks."

Harry said zip, he didn't even seem to hold heard her.

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

Harry flinched, painfulness running across his pall face.

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

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

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

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

What had Dumbledore said to him ...
*


The boy who was once called Harry faded in his nous as the therapist entered his room. Bustling around and speaking comforting, evacuate password. They cleaned him up, washing his arms and chest. They asked him to slay the bracer. He did, letting it decrease to the storey with a brazen clatter. The healer shied away from the mark on his arm. Fearful. Why should he care.

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

A cold gel was swabbed onto his ruined 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 stay awake. It had been burnt in the battle, but it was finely now. Just enough residual rubor and pain to assist him stay alert. He swung his weary eyes around the waiting elbow room, all of the piranha were here. Most of them had finally succumbed to sleep, Draco didn't charge them. It was severe to imagine that the venomous midnight assault on the creature ship had been just finis night. They had been worn out, wear off down. Draco pinched his arm again. He wondered if there was anywhere he could come up some tea. The tea shop was closed but surely the healers had a staff room or something. Maybe he could ask one.

Or maybe he could just descend asleep.

Draco shook his head. Some of them had to be awake when the healers finally stopped working on Harry. He shuddered, they had already been at it for hours. How many ... additions .... had Harry made ? He glanced around the way again. Everyone seemed to be asleep. Even Ginny, who seemed to suffer 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 issue of time before a teacher or an guild member came to brawl them up and drag them back to Hogwarts, where they would no doubt stay. Chained to mail service like dog so they couldn't run off again.

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

"Is there any news ?"Dragon asked.

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

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

"fountainhead we ... we removed several items from the dead body of your friend."The poor healer swallowed nervously."We found a drop-gem embedded in his sternum. There was also something in the paries of his tummy. We think it may consume been designed to negate poison but it seems to have had the opposite issue. It was the source of his sickness. We also found-"

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

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

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

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

Draco looked back over the marauders. Through their sand-filled, sagging eyes he could see their sadness. Harry had fought so hard and got nothing in recurrence but accusal of murder and a permanent wave disfigurement. And a dark target, they could not bury that.

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

"Of path he ‘ d say that. Doesn ‘ t make it true."Ron pulled his knees up to his chest."I mean you heard him in there. He ‘ d think destruction 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 threshold 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 incursive agency 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 wand to the skin on Snape's arm. The slicing infliction was aloof, dulled by potions. There were nursing bottle by his arm, some empty, some waiting to mature the skin back after the mark was gone. He was in his apartments at Hogwarts, the alone place he could have gained those potions without questions was from his own supply. The searing began and Snape looked away, watching his own arm butchered was not what disturbed him, not after everything he'd seen. But it reminded him of what Harry was going through. Of the dark lord as well. What would he do next ? What would his next move be ...

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

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

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

"It will be wolf, 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 complimentary. Strange that he should feel so petty. Perhaps because he knew he was not truly barren until Voldemort was all in. Perhaps because he knew that, without the ability to spy, he was side by side 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 know exactly what Voldemort was planning. We would be able to counter him instead of stumbling around in the darkness."

"You had to."Was all she said.

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

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

"I have been trying."Snape replied tetchily."But I can not call up of anything he would bid 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 horse sense that he had something brewing."

"The ministry ? The department of mysteries ? The Prophecy ?"

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

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

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

"Severus,"Natalie took his typeface in her hands and tilted it up to meet her optic."Not so low now. We won today. It may not sense like it, but we won a victory. victory have been few and far between this past times yr, we need to cherish them, not occupy about what will happen next."Snape was once again amazed by the way she could give away through to him, whatever his modality. He smiled,

"I believe I have some wine."
*


The boy who carried the name Harry felt himself enter the familiar aspiration. He felt floorboards under his back, scratchy through the thin hospital gown. He knew where he would be when he opened his middle. And finally, he even knew why.

He pushed himself off the floor, leaning his tired underframe against the wall. The wall painted with bears and stoolie over a pale blue sky full of fluffy swarm. Harry felt like spitting but he couldn't conscription the energy. He ignored the cribbage in the center of attention of the room, it's glossy fluid spinning idly in the dream-wind. He shoved the door undefendable and descended the stairs. The revulsion he always felt was still there, but he could barely wreak himself to care. He knew what this place was now.

No one-year-old remembers their family. No one-year-old could remember every photograph, or the pattern on the wallpaper. This place was a lie, a parasitic 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 real, that it didn't belong.

He stepped up to the battlefront door and stepped outside. There were street signs in the memory. No one-year-old would remember street signs, they couldn't even read them. He should receive known, should have realized somehow.

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

His eyes flickered afford in the hospital Ward. He could feel the sore new outgrowth in his hand. It was pink, new tegument, and smaller than the other. Harry dropped it back onto the blankets. former region of his torso hurt too, little scars and injuries. They had fixed him up. He wished they hadn't bothered.

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

The vulture were sleeping there, lying across workbench or curled up on the floor. He didn't wake them. He didn't want to sing to anyone right now. Couldn't talk, he had no idea how he would even start. He hurried away and down the step. He didn't blockage until he was out of the building and a few streets away. A humble street, not fussy. Breathing hard he shoved his verge 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 film over out of nowhere and screech to a layover in battlefront of him.

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

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

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

"Right."Hero ... that cut to the core like a tongue."Take me to Godrics Hollow."He had no theme where the idea had come from, but as soon as he said it he knew he needed to go. It was as inviolable a motive to go to it as there had been to leave in the dream.

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

The bus moved off and the unknown boy sagged down in a chairwoman. Why was he doing this ? Did he even have a reason ? He didn't seem to stimulate grounds's anymore. He remembered being wide of fire and need, burning passion for the engagement. 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 holler ? Why not. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go.

The bus screeched to a stop and he got out without speaking. The bus disappeared with a whoosh, a purple blur in the air. Harry looked up and down the street, it looked like any other Village. It was empty this time of day, like a ghost townspeople. Suited his mood 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 manus stretched out, then shied away. This theater was just more Trygve Lie. The belief in his headland, grief, expiration, fear. They weren't his, they weren't his loss. only when unknown had died here, two strangers. hoi polloi who had nothing to do with him. The grief was another thaumaturgy, just another level of lie.

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

Not his hand.

Not his hair.

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

The Lucy Stone shifted under his fingerbreadth. He looked up just as the memorial seemed to mellow, morphing into, a statue underneath. Harry stumbled back. No ... no no no. Under the memorial there were two figures, a man and a woman. The cleaning 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 craze as he looked on the happy Potter family unit. The testament in rock to the life he had never really had. His fingers went to his wand.

"Reducto !"The wand flickered out, even through the rage the tour flew straight. It struck the oral sex of the father statue, shattering it into splinters. Some of them cut the boy's flesh. He didn't care.

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

"Reducto ! !"The last stroke was the firm, striking out in a blinding thunderbolt of ignitor, obliterating the bundled infant. Blowing the trivial boy-who-lived to smithereens. Flames flickered across the statue before they died out. Flickered across the destroy podium of heads and died to nothing.

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

His middle found a graveyard. Both center, real and wizard. He shuddered, he'd got used to the shining overlay over his imaginativeness, the X-ray view of the world. Now it was just a constant reminder. A monitor of what he'd sacrificed for the lie. He pushed the graveyard gate open and let the eye roam, in a import it had angled in on the ceramicist grave. He walked hesitantly to it, his wand safely away in his sack. He pushed a piece of ivy off the stone and read the inscription.
The last foeman that shall be destroyed is death


Well that was bullock block. Being numb meant you had at least one other foeman left, namely the one that killed you. His eye whirled in it's socket, looking straight down. The two coffins, side to side in the ground, stared back at him. But ... there was a shadow. Like a vacant orbit. He drew his wand and muttered a disclosure while. Faint whiff of magic drew out of the solid ground to play him. He waved his wand again, cutting the misty waifs away. He worked ... he didn't know how long. Probably minute of arc, maybe hours. At some tip the gray sky gave way to rain and the burial site grass turned slick. Harry ignored it, concentrating on the spells. It was good. It was a puzzle, breaking the conjuring trick. It stopped him from thinking.

Finally he was done. Nothing different showed on the Earth's surface, but down underground ... Harry stood and stepped back, his ticker hammering in his chest. There was a third base casket on top of the early two, arranged like a pyramid. Inside ... inside was a diminished dead body, a child. It's tiny munition crossed over it's chest.

The nameless boy fell to his knees. There it was, the final cogent evidence. The final examination incontrovertible check. That poor wasted trunk in there was Harry Potter. He could even see a tiny scratch on the bone of his scull, above his eye, in the shape of a lightning bolt. The real cicatrice had cut all the way to the os, his was barely more than make-up. That was all he was in fact ... makeup for a puppet. A god-damn doll.

He raised his wand to the Harlan Stone, but said aught. The anger in him was gone. He had seen the consistency of the real ceramist, lying together. It was hard to feel anger, but he wished he did. The anger at least filled him up, filled the emptiness with flame. But now the flame was gone and he felt even empty-bellied for it. He found himself resting the point of his wand against the rough, wet stone.

It wasn't even his wand. He stared at it, thoughts skittering over the numb core 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 baton was his killing wand. He had done horrible things for the sake of this war ... to others ... to himself. He found himself pressing down harder on the wood. He had pickled his individual 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 loud wisecrack, the springy Grant Wood bending almost double before it twisted into ribbons. A footling red bagatelle was visible through the faulting. It had had a Phoenix feather effect, he never knew.

"fountainhead 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 black robes told him everything he needed to know. Harry knew he should feel panic, or dread, fear perhaps, at to the lowest degree surprise. But he was damned if he felt anything.

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

"Yes I am August Rookwood."The man sketched a sarcastic bow, his wand in his hired hand."Thank pigeon hawk I still have a watch on the minor magic sensor. You ‘ ve come a long way just to slip now. A long hanker way ..."

"Felt like further."The empty boy dropped the remains of his wand onto the potter grave. Perhaps some fool wizard would feel it and make up some story about it. He turned back to the death eater and asked,"Are you going to vote out me ?"He was surprised that his representative did not sound eager.

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

"What ?"

"The dark lord ‘ s undying favor."Rookwood tilted his head up arrogantly."I will be raised above the others, above even that cocksucker Crouch."Rookwood paused, obviously expecting the fatigue figure 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 fear anymore."

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

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


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

"I ‘ m in the underground."His eyes flickered open just as the tube railroad train flashed out of sight, leaving the burrow in duskiness. He felt the cords binding his hired man together, his digit danced along them trying to notice a grayback. There was none. They were cockeyed though, biting into his skin, magical no doubt. He didn't have to feel to recognise that his legs were similarly bound. He didn't bother to try to stand.

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

The unknown boy twisted and looked around him, one of the walls was been broken through and a dark, down-to-earth burrow stretched away. Now that the string was gone he could hear something in the iniquity 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 darkness rolled back, but not far. A grey wall stopped the visible light, a writhing mass of cloth and rot.

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

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

"Dementors ..."The boy looked into the swirling multitude. Wasn't he supposed to be feeling some form of frigidness, desperation ? Wasn't that what Dementors were supposed to do when you were close to them ? He shook his head, they couldn't touch him, a someone could only feel so much despair and he was already at his limit. And as for making him relive his tough memories ? Ha ! His black moment was still fresh in his mind.

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

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

"You did."Rookwood sneered."But that doesn ‘ t topic. In fact, none of that matters. Now be quiet."Rookwood flicked his scepter, making a still charm. A 2d flick levitated him off the floor. Rookwood reached into his 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 nigrify shoes slipping on the wet dirt.

The one who used to be Harry was dragged along afterwards, floating in the air. He couldn't move ... speak ... he was a specter. Right now his situation fit him like a baseball mitt. He hung weakly as Rookwood moved further towards the scratching, digging sound. The dementors followed after, filling the tunnel with cold. Up ahead there was a turning. As Rookwood walked calmly around the twist bod came into view. One dark cloaked figure standing tall, the remainder ragged and tear 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 the deviation ? The name in front of them turned as Rookwood approached. Dark longsighted hair 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 thrill with the personnel of a falling teenager behind it did more hurt than expected. The left side of her case was crushed in, a mass of scars and bulging skin. When she spoke she slurred, only the right side of meat of her mouth moving. Her eye was a raw socket, nothing left.

She had lost her eye. How wonderful. How very touching. Under the cloak the invisible captive felt his vacancy filled with a tiny spark of satisfaction.

"Hello Bella."Rookwood stopped, his hand flickering to his wand."Shouldn ‘ t you be in your own tunnel ? That was the architectural 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 late. Why were you late ?"

"I was delayed momentarily, nothing to business 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 curt conduct and snapped at her."Get to your own burrow. We take down the ministry tonight, there can be no mistakes because one of us is trying to classify themselves out from the crowd."

"There is no bunch anymore."Bellatrix sneered through her ruined face."There are three of us. There will be Sir Thomas More than enough nimbus to go around."Bellatrix turned and dissaperated into thin air.

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

"Are you prepare Mr ceramicist ?"Rookwood grinned up at the invisible prisoner hanging above him."Here we go."He turned to the wall and raised his sceptre. There was a shattering blast and the wall caved in. Behind it a man at a desk jumped to his groundwork his hand tangling in his robes. A park flash of light source struck him in the head word, 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 moments of silence, then the screams started.
*


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

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

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

"Why didn ‘ t you send a patronus ?"

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

"My god, we must help them !"

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

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

"But there could be a trap !"Moody tried to keep up, his intimation spying in his pectus."You can ‘ t go in there blind you can ‘ t just ... we don ‘ t even know where Voldemort is !"Dumbledore was speeding away."We need a plan ! Do you have a plan you old bast-"But Dumbledore was gone, already around the corner. Moody doubled over, he was old, too old. But gods he wasn't done yet, he wasn't ... done. What the underworld was Dumbledore thinking ? He could get them all killed ! The intact parliamentary law. The entire bloody order in one fell slide, and what the sin could he do to cease it ? He felt so old ...

But not yet done.

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

"Severus !"Moody shouted towards the startled Professor."The order needs your aid !"

"The edict ?"Snape stood, his hand flat tire on the table. Zhao was beside him in a mo."I am not a member of the order any-"

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

"And you want all the help you can get ?"Snape sneered."The orderliness had done me no favor lately."

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

"Smart girl."Moody shook his promontory."Dumbledore is heading for the ministry, by now he ‘ s trailing half the order. He ‘ s going in without any optic, without anything. It is a cakehole, or could be. Even if it ‘ s not he ‘ s still going to recede half the social club. He ‘ s ... he ‘ s reckless. He ‘ s stuck in the old war. He ‘ s everything you said he was. But if we let this pass off ..."

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

"That ‘ s why I ‘ m here Snape."Helen Wills was gritting his tooth. Every moment was wasted."But I don ‘ t know what ... there are only three of us."

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

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

"I know. I know well ..."Snape pulled a robe off the binding of a hot seat."We need an army."

"Do you know where to detect one ?"

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


Rookwood stepped over a body. It's eyes were still open, it's mouth moving vacantly. The dementor's kiss, it left them living, but they were dead body nonetheless. Rookwood paid them no mind.

"Welcome Mr potter, to the Department of Mysteries."Rookwood pulled the cloak off his floating captive. Harry ceramist. His prisoner was just hanging there dumbly. Well ... he couldn't really do any dissimilar. Rookwood let Harry down to the floor and canceled the silencing good luck charm."Well Mr ceramist ? You have anything to say ?"

"What are you doing with me ?"Potter's phonation was a little cavalry from the long silence."You ‘ re trying to earn dot with your lord, isn ‘ t capturing me decent ?"

"More than decent Harry. more than enough."Rookwood tweaked his wand and the bonds on Harry's legs snapped off. Another click and Harry stumbled forward."But I am after the icing on the cake. If I am to outstrip Crouch in terms of deservingness to the Godhead ... I must seek the icing."

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

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

"My metrical foot are asleep. Your R-2 were too tight."

"Just move."Rookwood walked back and grabbed Harry by the front of his shirt. The dementors were still swirling by the ceiling, looking for victim. There were still a few left. Not enough to trouble over though. He stepped into out into the memory bureau, pulling his strangely compliant electric charge past the armoured combat vehicle of mind. He stopped by the door to the death chamber, there was the audio of spells from within, someone holding out perhaps. He pushed the door subject in time to see a whiz scrambling away from an inferi trip and gloam. The corpse-warrior grabbed the blubbering unspeakable in it's unshakable grip and threw him away with inhuman strength. screeching as he flew across the elbow room, his screaming was cut off as he fell through the archway in the center. The curtains ruffled for a moment, then went still again.

Rookwood hid a chill, he was never entirely comfortable with the executing hepatic portal vein. Harry watched from his side of meat with dull center. What was wrong with the boy ? Never brain. Rookwood picked his way around the boundary of the room, giving the inferi a wide parentage, and pushed unfold the door at the early side.

"Well Potter here we are."Rookwood gestured impressively at the Sir Joseph Banks of shelves in front of them, each one with dustup upon course of tiny spheres."This is the hallway of prophecy."

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

"They are criminal record of vaticination, and they are the intellect 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 noble, you know that too ?"

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

"The nighttime Almighty is very tidal bore to get his mitt on the divination. That prophecy."Rookwood pointed at the finical orb."And I will be the one to cave in it to him. My icing, you could say."

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

"Shall I tell you something about the prophecies of the department of mystery story ? They are keyed, protected. Only certain masses can lift them from where they lie. Namely the masses they have been made about. So the only citizenry who can take this divination are the wickedness lord, and you. ``

thrower stared at the orb for a instant longer, the words sinking into him. Then he threw his fountainhead back and laughed, laughed so knockout his optic ran with rip. It was a reaction Rookwood had not expected. Laughter, but not in jest, not in joy. This was a virulent laugh, full of darkness. What was going on ?

'' So that 's it is it ? '' Harry choked out, his absolutely eyes still glistening."What a acerb joke"

"What ?"Rookwood shook his head.

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

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

"Really ?"The Potter boy's hand hovered over the swirling glass."To hell with it."His digit closed around the orb.
*


Minerva screamed as she threw her patronus against the grew wall before her, knowing it was too late. The dementors scattered but a lifeless trunk fell from their clench. An auror. Subjected to the kiss.

Minerva shuddered, she only hoped it had been quick. She spun as cold hands grabbed her from behind, crushing her with cold-blooded military capability. The hint fled from her lungs and she felt ribs cranny. In desperation she transformed and dashed away on four base, spinning and changing back to industrial plant a fireball in the chest of the inferi that had held her. As soon as it was gone another took it's place.

They were overrun, there were too many !

"aid me ! Oh god aid me !"A pattern ran from out of the madness, his super C derby hat still clutched in his hands."Please !"

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

She could not see him, she could not see anything. Despair was her only warning and she spun, a shining light throwing a dementor away that had been practically on her back. She didn't even make love where they were anymore, near the courts possibly. Down in the trench, no escape.

She heard a scream from her provide and sent a patronus wildly into the surging crew. The howler cut off sharply. Whether she had had any consequence she did not know, she had to transform again to dance out of the way of a swooping dementor and snapped back to direct another shining light to hold them back again. But her body was tired, her wand arm tired.

rot form filled her anterior naris and she tried to lend her wand around. Too slowly. The dead fist crunched into the incline of her chief and she fell. She brought her wand up and blew the idle figure to shards, profligate already dripping into her eyes. They needed assistance, and there was no one to afford it.

No one.
*


The orb came spare in Potter's hand, it's faint radiance shining through his fingertips. Rookwood felt his nitty-gritty bounce, but the ceramist boy was staring at the prophecy like it was a bouncy snake.

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

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

"Just collapse me the bloody orb !"Rookwood made to snaffle it but thrower slipped away.

"It ‘ s not ... It ‘ s not ... Can ‘ t."Suddenly the white brightness level faltered. A tinny whimper filled the air, like grinding gear mechanism. Harry held up his paw, slowly uncurling his finger. In the middle of the tweed a tiny ear of shadow was growing, like ink in Milk. The inkiness grew until it covered the unit inside of the orb, it was no longer shining glass but a svelte orb of obsidian. The whimper grew in the air, biting into his pinna. Suddenly there was a form bubbles crackleware and Potter yelped in pain, spilling the prophecy onto the floor. Rookwood cried out, it would break for sure ! But when the orb struck the ground it squelched, spreading out like clay. Smoke rose from the blackened glass.

Rookwood leant forwards and held his bridge player out over it. The heating system was unendurable this closing and he had to shy back. The prophecy had melted. Melted into a steaming pool on the floor.

The potter boy ... he did this !

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

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

"Dumbledore could not have touched the prophecy !"

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

"You speak madness."Rookwood reached out to grab the boy but just as he did so the dry land shook, throwing them both off their feet."What the hell is that ?"

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


Suddenly the dementors went still, floating off their enemies to oscillate by the cap. The silence broken only be the groaning of the maimed. Minerva 's eyes found the entrance to the face lift, it 's interlock opening in a grating clangour. Stepping out into the corridor, Shirley Temple Black robes floating behind him and a paw curled in a wave to the creatures swirling above, was the dark lord himself. Minerva felt her heart jump to her throat. She glanced around, the ordination was in tag end. Only Dumbledore stood marvellous, the relaxation of them were covered in blood and shaking from the travail of the battle. There was no force here to stop a dark Maker, no force at all.

Voldermort's eyes found a quivering lump on the base and he smiled. Ignoring Dumbledore the darkness lord crooked a digit, pulling the material body to his groundwork. The green bowler was gone, but the blench flesh remained.

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

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

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

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

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

"Tom I shall-"

"No !"Voldemort cut the Headmaster off with a sharp Bible."I have grown tired of you."Voldemort raised his hand and the Dementors fell like hunting war hawk. Minerva was forced to fight for her biography against the grey hoard, spinning around her like a vortex of death. And in flash of Light beyond that vortex she could see Dumbledore rushing towards his foe, his wand out like a sword.

Minerva tried to cut her way forward. Tried to get to them, to serve. But the crush was too great. An inferi had her arm in it's vice like grip and she blew it off with fire. Another took it's place too quickly. Far too quickly. There was a gouty arthritis of purpurate light that cut through the air, momentarily beating back the dementors. Through the gap she could see the dueling sorcerer in the center of all this, Dumbledore raising the identical stones of the base in a wall against the wickedness lord, but it was blasted to rip up just as quickly. Dumbledore was driven to his knees.

Minerva dashed towards him but the grey good deal 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 second with the wolfman, spinning her patronus into a circle around them."We need to get to them !"

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

"Then what do you propose !"

"We die."lupin delivered that conclusion in a flat growl."We are finished."

"We are not !"Minerva tried to hurl another patronus but the despair was sinking in and it faltered as white mist, easily brushed aside by the shade. Suddenly there was a fusillade of tearing randomness, breaking the flagstone and making the chamber shake with it's force. As it died there a flash of red light source and a high cruel laugh.

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

The dementors parted for a moment, like cloud in wind. The darkness lord stood over the sprawl manakin of the headmaster, his bang on Dumbeldore's neck. Minerva felt despair that had aught to do with the dementors. She let her wand script dip to her side. They had lost. It was all over.

"Expecto Patronum !"A chorus of warm voices cried the enchantment and the room was filled with a wall of igniter. Minerva watched as a charging white lion crashed into the massed forms before her, a snarling Friedrich August Wolf running at it's heels.

"You ! Traitor !"Voldemort had his sceptre drawn and had spun to confront the rhytidectomy. Minerva turned to front but saw just one figure standing there, his arms crossed in arrogant casualness.

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

"I will kill you !"Voldemort surged forward and Snape's sceptre stabbed forward. There was a flash of light and Snape was thrown backwards. He stumbled and pushed himself up, driving a savage blast of frozen wind instrument at the nighttime lord.

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

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

"The student ?"

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

"But Snape-"

"Is holding him back !"The indescribable grabbed a prone figure on the storey."Now tell your multitude to fall back before everyone else is idle !"
*


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 mental confusion of conflict, then there had been some stairs, then a corridor ... The sounds of engagement were everywhere, coming out of the bulwark. He had just kept running., ineffectual to do anything else. His heart raced beyond what any man exertion should have forced it to. His mind was blank, a dead weight. Today had been a lifetime.

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

"Come on dance with me you mangled gripe !"Michelson came into view down a prospicient hallway, throwing bolt of lightning of lightning at Bellatrix and laughing like a madman.

He had to get out. He dashed into a stairway and almost tripped over a body on the floor. Pink fuzz, 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 expect to regain anything, her tegument was pallid and ...

She had a pulse.

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

So long ... His brain was gray-headed sludge, he just wanted to shut down. He had no wand and his muscles were urine. They would never make safety anyway, this seat was a warzone. But on the other hand ... Tonks.

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



inspection and you will develop fagot annexe that will let you fly.


Due to other committedness my card may get a trivial boost apart for a while. Sorry everybody.



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

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

The other side of the lobby, back behind the fireplaces, a line of beds were set up for triage. From where he sat Snape could see Elizabeth Heathland lying sedated, her hand clutched by her perpetual companion genus Vanessa. She would be alright though, a petty coldness and tranquillity for weeks to occur and likely not ever wanting to encounter a dementor again but she would inhabit. Oh to have just one of them back in his planetary house, or any of the marauders. They had fought like World Tamil Association, like onset hot dog with wands.

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

"She got away."The massive hotshot reached the boundary of the fountain and plunged his head under the Earth's surface. A moment later he lifted it up and pushed his wet hair out of his eyes."Bellatrix."

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

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

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

"So I'm the just one who missed his mark."Markus shook sprays of H2O out of his hair."Sorry mate."

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

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

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

'' They deserve blinking medal ! ``

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

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

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

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

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

"How many ?"

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

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

"For now, until he makes his motility. He can not wait forever."Snape felt a minuscule shudder run through him. Whatever the iniquity master's movement would be it would be the death of at to the lowest degree some of those surety. Probably all.

'' What the ... '' Suddenly Michelson was on his feet, an formulation of shock absorber on his side. `` Merlin 's ... Harry ? ``

A here and now later Snape saw what he had seen. Out of a passageway Harry was stumbling, a prone trunk weighing him down and his face a greyness masquerade. He did n't bet up, did n't receipt anything, just stepped directly to the penny-pinching bed and lay his burden down bedside a shocked healer. Snape rushed forward and saw marauder stand in every recess of the room, running towards the unexpected sight of their leader.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'' Where 's your wand ? ``

'' Shut up. ``

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

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

It was like a mirror, shining with lily-livered ignitor up to the ceiling. As they watched it faded to silver, then to grey, then finally to pure white. The white resolved into shapes, colouration bloomed out of the pure light. As the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe coalesced Snape heard a shriek from someone on the other slope of the pool and almost felt like following suit.

In the syndicate, rippling on the surface of the liquid, was an epitome of Godhead Voldemort. He was standing in what was clearly the section of mysteries. The verge in his hand was farseeing and pale, it was not the one Snape was used to seeing him use. It was unmistakably Dumbledore 's wand. Behind the dark lord, lined up and chained together, were ten wizards. Though the image was faded and the colouration ran together Snape could easily recognize the two on the end. Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.

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

'' Good wizards of the ministry, '' The dark lord greeted amicably. `` extremity of the order of the Phoenix and the in effect children. What you are seeing is the inside of the department of mysteries, where all the greatest arcanum are hidden. All the inscrutable thaumaturgy of the ministry is within these walls, all controlled by me. ``

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

'' And take care at my friends here, '' Voldemort gestured out over his prisoner. `` They all fought. They all failed, such is the price of defying Jehovah Voldemort. '' He took a bundle of wands out of his air hole and hovered it into the air. With a gout of flame they burnt into ash. `` Such is the price ... And search who we have here ... '' Voldemort crooked a finger and Fudge was dragged forward, his James Bond separating from the others. He came to a closure by the dark master 's infantry and looked up with pained eyes.

'' Are you going to ... to shoot down me ? '' Fudge stuttered out.

'' Yes. '' Voldemort answered simply.

'' But but ... I. ``

'' I am going to kill you you piteous little man, whatever you say. ``

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

'' Yes ? ``

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

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

'' My ... my dear boy. '' Fudge stuttered, his eyes still to the base. `` rebelliousness ... is never p ... p ... pointless. ``

'' Avada Kedavra ! ``

putting surface light filled the consortium of piss and for a mo none of them could see anything. Snape felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest. The light cleared in time for them too see the wickedness master savagely kicking the minister 's trunk to the side and stabbing his wand towards Dumbledore. The headmaster was thrown forward roughly.

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

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

Dumbledore just stayed still. It was only from the lightly rising and fall of his chest of drawers that Snape could tell he was still alive.

'' Speak Albus ! ... Crucio ! '' Voldemort held the schoolmaster in the cam stroke of the twisting curse for a few bit before releasing him. `` You will mouth ! There has been too a lot between us, you have been my enemy for too farsighted for me to let you end it this way. You will acknowledge that I have won, you will say it ! You will admit this victory in some way before I kill you with your own wand ! ``

Dumbledore did n't even reckon at the darkness lord. In a rage Voldemort slashed his baton through the air, dragging Dumbledore to his feet.

'' You will speak ! '' The Hydra like case was set with cruel angriness. `` You will speak before you die ! ``

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

'' What ? ``

'' I am quick ... '' Dumbledore closed his eyes. `` I am quick to die for everything I have done. Those are my final words, the only I you will get. Kill me. ``

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

It was as if time froze. The puddle exploded with green light source again and Snape's throat closed, every sinew tensing. The other watcher around the pool held their work force to their faces, or shook there drumhead ... they would not believe it. The green lighting faded and the body of Albus Dumbledore dropped to the dry land. It crumpled like a paper napkin, his beard trailing onto the storey like a rag.

So fell Albus Dumbledore. Snape felt a minor hand worm into his. Natalie 's paw. 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 disappointment. So there you are, two hostages short. I have eight left and all will die if you do not cave in me what I want. I want Harry Potter. Bring him to me in one half-hour or I will kill another, perhaps the werewolf. I am certain no one will miss him. But if any of you wish to see these wizards alive, then you know what you must do. land. Me. Harry. Potter ! ``

The pool went black and Snape stepped back. All around him people seemed to be going mad, crying and shouting to one another in confusion. His optic were only trying to line up one image. Harry ceramist. He swept the crowd. Nothing.

Snape turned to the entrance in time to see the doors snap shut.
*


The unnamed boy crashed out of the phone box and dashed away, his feet slipping on the wet sidewalk. rain down splattered against his face as he ran out into the streets. He did n't even know why he was running, just that he had to get away. All of them would look to him, would look at him and anticipate to see Harry Potter. gestate to see their savior, when all there was was a dupery. He dashed past the multitude in the street, some of them turning to take care at his odd clothing and panicked expression, but he was running too fast and they were left behind.

He heedlessly ran into the road and heard the screech of recess. He prayed that one of the cars would hit him. His ft would not barricade moving and the sound of hooter was left behind. His magic eye painted the earthly concern in shimmering drape of shadower, distorted by the raindrops settling on it 's aerofoil. He pushed past a man in a suit of clothes and heard the man yell. He could n't give up running. Had to get away. But what he was running from could not be escaped. He was running from world. The pelting ran like a river. Roaring like the river.

Finally, with his spirit thrashing like a jack-hammer, he collapsed on the common cold, wet pavement. He lay there, his pes still twitching, and breathed. He had collapsed in an alleyway, dark and dirty. Wait ...

He turned to lie on his vertebral column as his trick eye swivelled around, taking in every particular. 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-of-the-moon set, entirely.

Heedless of the driving pelting he opened his mouth 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 consume known any of this. He would have been able-bodied to maintain on being Harry ceramist. He felt tears running down his cheeks and mingling with the rain, freezing him to the bone.

But there was affectionateness. A trivial item of high temperature 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 hotshot, so bright beneath the white-haired sky. He knelt and held it cupped in both hands, staring at it in wonderment as a silver mist swirled out from the point. It pooled in his hands, swirling and sifting. Slowly the sparkling liquid rose, shaped and colored and separated until two ball hung in the air by his hands. One of burnished atomic number 79, the other pure white.

'' Harry ... ''

The ovalbumin orb shifted, moved and expanded. It shaped into a figure, every curve glowing with light, every flowing telephone line of her virgin white apparel and her porcelain skin.

'' Thea ... '' He breathed.

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

'' Another illusion- ''

'' No. '' Pythea shook her header. `` This is no conjuration. This is really me talking, from Greece. I thought you might involve my help. ``

'' Your ... avail ? ``

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

'' Theia, '' The boy ducked his headspring, his eyes squeezing shut. `` I 'm not who you think I am. I 'm not the one you were trying to help, not the elect 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 eld because you were the Chosen one ? '' Theia laughed lightly, her crystal phonation filling the vacancy between the buildings with joy. `` I was n't helping you because you were Harry ceramist I was helping you because you were you. ``

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

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

'' block. '' Too painful. computer memory of pleasant clip,

'' I will not arrest. I will never contain trying to avail you. I knew the moment I met you that you were n't the chosen one. I mean please Harry, I 'm the mistress of divination. Did you honestly think for a instant that I would escape a affair like that ? I saw who you were. I also saw that, in a world without Bob Hope, you were the only if shining fortune. ``

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

'' I saw nothing about your future. I saw everything about you. '' Pythea knelt to receive him eye to eye. `` I saw you a brave and admittedly soul who would campaign for this creation even if the entire human race was against him. I saw someone who could get struck down a thousand sentence and would still clean himself up. I saw that the nighttime Godhead would get up and I hoped ... I did n't have it off but I hoped that you would never warp before him. With the earthly concern in risk and the future changeable I took the best chance the human beings had. I took a chance on you. In a time of terminated desperation, I trusted you. ``

'' But, I ca n't push anymore. '' The boy dropped his eye. `` I just ... I just feel empty. You do n't know what it 's like to have mortal walk up to you and snatch your total life, everything you believe, right out from under you. ``

'' I do. '' Pythea replied simply.

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

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

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

The configuration resolved into a figure of speech. His long robes were buttoned tightly and long arms, rolled up now to show his limb. Those robes were comrade. Tonks had worn them lowest year, auror trainee gown. The face remained blurry for a moment more then coalesced, becoming a firm modelling in lucky Christ Within, right down to the last tousled hair.

The boy who had been Harry 's back talk fell open in shock. He was looking up into his own face. No ... no there were differences. The jaw was more direct, sharper, the centre closer together. He did n't have a scar on his neck opening, nor a dismal Deutsche Mark on his arm. He looked sometime too, at least two years if he was an aurors apprentice. God ... was it possible ? Was this ... Harry Potter ?

'' I do n't quite understand this. '' The ghostly golden figure said. `` Your admirer, Pythea, she says that you 're in a different humanity or ... or dimension or something. A different time too. I do n't lull understand it, require Hermione for that form of affair. ``

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

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

The gilded Harry glanced to the storey, shaking his head.

'' I wish I knew why but ... your friend wo n't say me. Something about lessening the interference as much as potential. There are other things I wish I could tell you, things you really should know about- '' The recording skewed like static for a moment then continued. `` But apparently I 'm not allowed to say them either. All she 's recount me is that you, you were told you were me. Until very recently you thought you were me ... or will. The prison term thing is really confusing me. I 'm recording this in my future, to be given to you in your past, to spiel in your present. Apparently Pythea thinks that maybe I can say something to you .... maybe explain ... I do n't eff. I do n't have it away what I 'm saying. I ca n't imagine 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 preceding it 's just been taken. I know you must experience like crawling into a hole 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 physical body began pacing up and down.

'' I do n't recognise what I 'm supposed to say to you. '' The Harry stopped pacing and go around his hands. `` Except that, that it gets better. I 've been through things as bad as you, and I 'm probably the entirely person you 'll ever see that can say that. Your admirer says that, since I 'm short in your public, the job of fighting Voldemort falls to you. I ca n't say it'going to be soft, but you know that. In fact I ca n't think of anything that I could say to persuade you to accept the job. Except that you have to. The world depends on it. And I know that the earthly concern 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 know what I can say to convert you that 's not honest except for two matter. One, it gets better. It really, really does. Eventually. And two ... ''

The fantasm form licked it 's lips.

'' Do you know how many regularisation are broken by this kind of inter-dimensional transit ? Certain area still have the death penalization for messing around in parallel worlds. Just getting here, the endeavour it must have taken. The risks your friend has taken just to get this message to you .... I guess what I 'm saying is that even if the entire rest of the human race is nether region right now you 've got one person who 's willing to put on the line everything for you. Risk her spirit. So if cipher else ... fight for her. ``

The figure faded. It 's eyes lasted the farseeing, staring out into the rain, then they too were gone and the alley was dark again. The boy on the footing stood, slowly and with caution, but he stood.

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

He chuckled to himself, the laugh building. His hands went to his stomach as he threw his head back and laughed, the pelting trickling down his expression. That was Harry Potter was it ? Git. I mean who talks like that ? piece of tail him. Screw the overly dramatic, hesitant bastard. If that childish gimboid can carry through the world I sure as hell can.

He pushed his rainfall soaked hair out of his oculus. It was like the emptiness was, somehow separate. It was still there, the gaping nihility, it was just that all the important parts of him, the thing that made him who he was, were outside it. He settled the little shell necklace back around his neck. Just a scale now, it's deception gone. But not wearing it was unthinkable. It was part of him, the veridical him, and he needed it back. Especially since he intended to foot the biggest fight of his life.

He needed a architectural plan though .... and if he was going to survive a fight with the dandy dark sensation in the existence it would need to be a all-fired good program. Or a blooming insane one. Let's see, he had no vantage. Voldemort held all the scorecard. Voldemort could pop him without thinking. And Voldemort had surety. On the other hand Voldemort was alone, he had no death eaters, no dark creatures, no servants.

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

So make it an unjust fight.

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

Smiling, 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 trail of time. He broke into a run. He knew he should go faster but he would help no one if he was to tire to campaign. It seemed an age until the phone box came into view, sticking up out of the street. Harry got in, then pressed the code on the receiver.

"Welcome to the ministry of trick. Please state of matter your gens and business."The phone said flatly.

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

The machine apparently took him a little too literally as ...
Harry potter
messiah


... Clattered into the grasshopper. Harry didn't fuss to pick it up. If he didn't know who he was now no badge was gon na tell him. He dissilusioned himself before the room access slid assailable again and stepped out into the ministry foyer. There was a level of organized topsy-turvyness and another bigger layer of disorganise pandemonium. Harry ignored it and his illusion eye picked out the piranha. The were all clustered in one place. Harry wandered over to them and quietly said,

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

The marauder's stiffened, but to their credit 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 delusion and smiled at his friends.

"Hi bozo. I ‘ m back."

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

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

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

"There ‘ s no time, how practically time we got until the first hostage goes ?"

"Five minutes."Dragon pointed at the clock.

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

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

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

"Do you 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. affair I need your help with."

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

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

A forest of hands were stretched out towards him. Every single scepter. Harry picked one at random and tried a simple-minded appealingness. It was stuttery and swoon. No good. He picked another and almost set his tomentum on fire. The third the trance came out right but the verge felt weird. The fourth ... Harry did first one piece then another ... then another ... they all came out perfect tense. His eyes came up to fulfil Malfoy's grey ones.

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

"Thank you."Harry pocketed the wand."The irregular thing I need is healing. Just a warm refresher course. I ‘ m to fag out and banged up to oppose like this."

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

Harry took the bottleful with a smiling and tipped it back into his sass. The warm chocolaty liquid seemed to debilitate into every aching brawniness and bone, making him feel like he was well rested and intelligent rather than at the edge of weariness.

"And thirdly we need to make something."Harry handed the bottle back."It ‘ ll be foxy but if I handle the appealingness and someone else does the transfig we should be able to make out it. Oh ! And I ‘ ve thought of a fourth affair. I ‘ ll need a distraction."
*


"Here ! looking !"Snape was shocked out of his persuasion by the yell. His eyes found the source in the young Weasley baby, crouched down by the fount. 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 ink-black dark. He could see nothing.

'' Where ? '' Snape asked hurriedly.

'' There, there by the corner. ``

'' I see naught. ``

'' Look. ``

'' misfire Weasley there is nothing there. ``

'' There was ! ``

'' There is not now- '' Snape 's centre flickered up to meet those of his scholarly person. A flutter of memory twitched behind those eyes. He pushed ... No ! Snape spun and dashed to the raising, but the grating was already slamming shut. Snape came crashing up against the ward. The charming barrier sparking against his skin like motionless. He could n't get through. Before his center the dissilusionment fell and Harry Potter was standing there, looking back at him. Snape felt mass crowding all around, murmuring, public speaking, crying. All pressed up to one side of the roadblock, and on the early ... just Harry.

'' Harry, please. '' Snape held his hand out to the paries of the Barbara Ward. `` Do n't do this. ``

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

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

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

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


The nip and tuck grate slid undecided and Harry stepped warily out into the corridor. The wreckage of engagement was everywhere, dandy gouges gone from the rampart and doors blown off their hinge. This was n't the department of mysteries yet though. Just the courtrooms. Harry 's eye whirled wildly as he picked his way around the wreckage. The door to the section came into view, a blank rectangle at the end of a hanker corridor. Harry could see nil beyond the threshold, not even with his magic eye. Some sort of protection must stretch around the department of mysteries. For the sake of his plan he hoped it did n't extend inside the department too. Harry raised his scepter to his cervix and spoke the sonerous charm.

'' Tom brain-teaser ! '' Harry 's exaggerate voice shook the bricks in the walls. `` I 'm here. '' There was a moment 's delay, then.

'' Welcome Mr Potter. '' A similarly booming voice sounded down the hallway. `` I was not certainly you would get along. ``

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

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

Harry waited in quiet 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 pool, the blood line of captive, the wreckage, and Voldemort standing in the inwardness. The bodies of Fudge and Dumbledore were lying where they fell. The room was the circle elbow room, the spinning room. Rookwood had taken him through it earlier. But it was n't spinning now, some of the threshold had been knocked off their hinges and he could see into the elbow room beyond.

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

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

'' Of course. '' Voldemort gestured mildly. The mountain range 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 to get out ?"Harry asked."Past the Ward ?"

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

'' Ok, fine. time lag ! '' Harry held up a hand, then pointed to Lupin and a muscular looking auror. `` Fudge and Dumbledore, exact them up with you. ``

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

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

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

'' Well Mr thrower. '' Voldemort smiled like a snake. `` It is down to just you and me. The king in our little cheat game. The pawn are gone, the rook are taken. Now it is just down to you and me. ``

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

"I was being metaphorical."

Harry rolled his eyes and picked a clean place of base. He pointed his wand down.

'' Calx. '' A chalk line appeared on the floor. Harry drew his sceptre around in a gravelly rectangle then stepped back and measured his handiwork by eye. `` Tommy boy return me your vox populi. Does that look like fourteen feet to you ? ``

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

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

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

'' I am irregular. '' Harry shrugged and stepped up to the centre of the rectangle. He put his scepter into his air pocket and held his deal away from it to show he was n't touching it. `` But I believe that the next step is to bow to one another. Like gentlemens. ``

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

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

'' Of track. ``

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

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

'' We percentage as friend. '' Harry smiled. Voldemort chuckled wryly and encircled Harry 's script in his own. Harry pulled forward and hugged the shocked night God Almighty. He released him quickly and laughed. `` Tom Riddle it 's been a joy, and an honor. ``

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

'' I believe it 's seven paces ? '' Harry turned and see Voldemort do the Lapplander. `` One ... ''

'' Two ... ''

'' Three ... ''

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

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

'' Worth a shot. ``

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

'' squall me Harry. ``

'' I will not. '' Voldemort raised his wand. `` Goodbye Mr thrower. I wish you all the estimable in the following world. Avada Kedavra ! ``

Harry closed his eyes and smiled as a flash of visible radiation filled the room.



follow-up or the vicious chicken with the DEAD centre that only I can see will kill me.


A lot of the great unwashed seem distressed about my frequent cliffhangers. Well it got you to review did n't it ?





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

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

The volaille managed to free itself and dropped to the floor. It took a look at the two magician on either side of meat of it and wisely decided to be elsewhere. Squawking and flapping it scampered through an open door.

"Was it, meant to turn into a volaille ?"Harry tapped his Kuki thoughtfully."Is this some poultry variant of the killing swearword I was not previously cognisant of ? Is that a chicken of death ? Or perhaps ..."Harry's paw dipped into his sack."Were you looking for ... this wand."

Voldemort's eyes went wide.

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

The night lord's hand twitched to his pocket.

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

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

"Me. Me. Me."Harry grinned like a Panthera tigris."The moral of the story Tommy boy is this : Don ‘ t you EVER peck with a marauder because we can swallow up you. And we never lose."

"thrower I will-"

"Shut up."Harry stabbed his wand forward, keeping the other two safe in his left hand."Shut your ugly murdering face. Happy, civil, ‘ lets all be B.F.F.s ‘ time is officially over. Now is the clip for the early thing. The crashing hatred filled battle that culminates with the killing of you."

"You think you can win ?"Voldemort hissed out through clenched tooth."Even without a wand I am still the iniquity Creator. I am still Thomas 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 in force shot."

The shadow lord hissed, his fingers clenching into claws. Then a second later he exploded into smoke, whisking away through an open doorway. What the ? Harry 's magic trick eye focused through the wall, onto the floor in the next room. On the floor next to a prone body was-

WAND !

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

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

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

The cloud circled, reeking of malevolence. Harry could almost finger Voldemort doing the Saami check that he was, using wickedness magic to regain any remaining arm. The cloud contracted then shot away like a squid. Harry was off and after it in a s, a second more and his eye had found it's prey. The decease chamber, a scepter rolled into a crack in the floor. Harry pelted through the corridor, the black heater ahead of him. Too far ! Too quick !

Harry threw another crack cocaine ahead of him, kicking up shards of dust but the moment it reached the swarm it was squashed like a frog. The wind going vapid in mid air. The pot disappeared under a door and Harry crashed through it a moment later. The scepter ! right hand there ! Voldemort reappeared with a thunderclap and jabbed his hand forward. The scepter leapt from the floor and spun towards the dark lord. Harry aimed desperately,

"Ferio !"

There was a shot from the air and matchwood clattered on the flooring. The dark lord's hand snapped back like he'd been stung.

"That ‘ s the last of them snake-face."Harry panted. Keeping his wand trained on the dark lord he stepped down the steps till he was following to the fluttering arch. He picked the three wands he'd acquired out of his air hole and chucked them through the veil. The dismal cloth fluttered for a moment, then went still."All wand ‘ s out of playing period, except for my one. And the only way you ‘ re getting that is to pry it from my cold abruptly hands."

"What an fantabulous suggestion Mr Potter."

Harry had just a bit warning before the orb of swarthiness flew from the nighttime Almighty's hand. Harry spun behind the arch and ducked down.

"Accio !"The bench behind Voldemort shot forward towards his principal. The nighttime lord spun and shattered it with a whoosh swearing."Jupitall !"The ball-lightning hissed from Harry's wand and forced the dark Godhead to dodge to the side. The orb exploded against the wall, filling the room with sparkle. Voldemort spun and cried,

"Garta !"

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

"Hammus Missus !"strand shot up and slammed into the cap far above."Rapellet !"The concatenation felt like it jerked his arm out of its socket as it pulled him up into the ignitor. As he shot from the ground like a smoke a lump of iniquity flew towards him.

somebody not expecting it would have been hit. individual without a trick eye.

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

"Avada Kedavra !"The green Inner Light left him stunned but he landed like a cat on the incline of the ill-treat arena. The killing curse blew a hole in the wall but Voldemort was dashing away, disappearing through a doorway."semen 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 hall and barb into a long room of desks. Voldemort's fleeing phantasma was just visible at the former end.

"Avada Kedavra !"The incubus expletive sped through the wreckage but Voldemort spun and summoned a desk into it's itinerary. The explosion filled the air with emerald electric arc. 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 infliction. A freeze charm numbed the burned flesh as Harry furiously dashed after the dark lord. As he skidded to a halt in the hall of prophecies the wickedness lord disappeared. Harry furiously glanced one way then the other, but neither eye could pick up a shadow. A wisp of spoke curled around one of the shelves, only to disappear a moment later. Harry cursed, the eye wasn't so good for incorporeal things. He slowly turned, letting his eyes sweep through the col between the shelves. Voldemort was in here somewhere. Harry closed the door and whispered a fell ambuscade on anyone who tried to get through it. Voldemort wouldn't be able to break it, some things required a wand.

Harry walked slowly out into the prophecy G. Stanley Hall. The crank celestial sphere had not escaped the carnage of the battle, many were left in glittering fragment on the marble floor. The little snaps of shabu cracked under his kicking. Was that smoke ? Harry 's nerve hammered in his chest. Was that a-

human dynamo ! Harry spun and yelled,

'' Ferio ! '' The hex blasted into a spinning orb of fire, exploding it in the air and throwing Harry backwards into a shelf. The woodwind buckled and Harry fell through backwards in a muckle of burning splinters. There was an inauspicious creaking audio and Harry had to scramble to get out of the way of the collapsing shelves. Orbs of shining smoke bounced off his shoulders and shattered on the trading floor, their Patrick White weed spilling out and going ink-black black like whirl of midnight.

Harry 's eye swirled and he just caught a coup d'oeil of the dark rob physique before he dissolved again. Harry picked himself up and held himself at zeal. This was like a bloody shootout, it was all about who was quicker to the draw. Unfortunately Voldemort did n't actually possess to pull out ... The air moved, Harry moved faster.

'' Symplegades ! '' Voldemort appeared out of nowhere but Harry had already cast his charm. The shelves crashed together as if drawn by attraction. The dark overlord 's shadowy physical body was trapped between them. Before Harry could cast another spell the ledge exploded outwards, Voldemort stepping out wreathed in flaming. He raised his handwriting, about to become smoke again. Harry stabbed his baton out again.

'' Tartrate ! '' It was a wild stab in the wickedness. The charm was used to cause liquids into jelly. Voldemort stumbled, his configuration blurring a consequence but not turning to smoke. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The shadow Creator threw his hand forward and a slab of the marble floor was thrown into the air to beguile the curse. Voldemort hissed and the fire behind him leapt up into a column of flame, curling and splitting into a glow red snaked oral sex. The serpent roared and bit forward, it 's tooth dripping with melt down venom.

'' Excalabus ! '' Harry slashed through the combustion phantasma but his shining sword slipped through it like water, leaving not a cabbage. The serpent struck forward like a viper and Harry dropped to the floor, his eyebrow charring off his face. `` Ardor-Algidus ! '' Harry yelled the flame freezing charm and leapt up into the red region behemoth. He stabbed his verge at the shadow beyond the snake pit and yelled the killing curse again. The redness flashed to green and Harry could see the iniquity lord 's scandalise expression as he had to elude a patch from within his own creation.

Harry did n't give him an inch, he threw himself forward, shot another curse at his off equilibrium enemy and found a cloud of black knife flying in his face. He dropped to the base and discover them brattle behind him. He threw himself to the side but the knife jerked to follow him. He grabbed a board of shelf from the base and spin out it in front line of him, hearing the punishing thunk of the blades impacting the wood. Harry spun to face the dark lord and banished the tongue towards him. Voldemort waved his hand distastefully and the knives melted into smoke.

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

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

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

'' You are just extending your suffering ! ``

'' Is n't that what life is all about ? '' Harry drew himself up, grinning. `` And besides- Ferio ! '' The spell caught the wickedness lord by surprise, smacking into his articulatio humeri with a off-white splintering crack. Voldemort roared and Harry felt the floor under his feet warp and grumbling. He flipped backwards as the ground where he had been standing became a swirling quicksand pit, ready to draw him down into it 's profoundness. Harry danced backwards as Harlan Fiske Stone upon Harlan Fiske Stone became sucking death. His feet hit a shelf and he clambered up like a spider. The ledge lurched as it began to lapse into the stone. Harry spun, holding on with one deal and leapt to another towering shelf just before the one he had been standing on was obliterated in a cloud of dark lightning.

It was n't secure 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 fair game. Harry 's eye spun to find the dark Lord and he almost fell off in daze as he found Voldemort hovering up from the undercoat with execution in his centre. The illegitimate could fly !

'' Tempesto ! '' Harry 's crack cocaine sprung out of nowhere, drawing George Sand from the floor and filling the air with yellow-white metric grain. Harry called another twister, and another. The darkness lord disappeared in the dust storm. Disappeared to convention eyes that is. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot through the murkiness at the tincture in the air and dashed away along the top of his ledge, he leapt across to the next one just before a lightning bolt of lightning flashed through the air behind him. The dark Lord could not see him in all this but he could see where his spells were coming from. Only a sap attacked and stayed in the same position ... unless ...

'' Acerbus cuspis ! '' Harry called the nuisance spear, flashing out in their slow fan. He twisted them in the air like a snake to strike the dark lord from both incline. He was rewarded with a howl of pain in the neck as one of the shining dash struck nursing home. Harry cast again but the dark Godhead summoned a silver shield. `` Motus ! '' Harry did n't even have to conceive. He just struck out and made the awful orb vibrate with unendurable noise. He twisted to find the ringing but Voldemort was slyer than Albert Michelson and cancelled the orb. Harry turned to run but the darkness noble was quick and lightning caught his arm, burning like Hades. Harry lost his footing and dropped off the side of the teetering shelf.

Harry spun his tornado and blew himself up into the air again, shooting like a rag-doll through the dust storm until his digit caught the edge of a shelf and he held on for love life. He pulled himself up and tried to tolerate, his eye spinning to receive the dark Maker. There he was, but what-

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

The backbone vanished like mist but Harry had bigger trouble. He leapt into the air as rock music the size of railroad car obliterated the shelves behind him. His feet hit another shelf but it was already shattering and falling. Harry 's wand whipped out and a claw impacted into the ceiling. Harry swung out over the expanse of nihility. A boulder came hurtling out of nowhere but Harry still had his storm.

The malarkey pulled him out of the path of the meteor with a whisk of his wand and he let go of the chain, catapulting himself onto a standing shelf. He leapt again and saw two boulders hurtling towards him. His sceptre flashed out again and one rock and roll veered into the path of the former, shattering them both to fragments. Harry felt the Wood beneath him shift again and this clip let it carry him down a moment before leaping off and dropping to another collapsing shelf, his eye found house ground and he jumped again as the last shelf collapsed into splinters.

Harry dropped to the top of a big bucks of wreckage. A pile three time as tall as he was and fully of infract wood, shattered glass and the smouldering remains of spent boulders. Harry waited while the net of the crashing and clattering stopped, then folded his arms.

Voldemort was hovering in the air level with Harry. The sour lord slowly floated down to the storey ( which Harry idly noted was back to being marble ) and settled back down onto his feet. Harry watched with a hunched eyebrow. Voldemort 's dentition clenched in rage as he stared up at Harry standing on his stand of ruin.

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

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

'' DO NOT MOCK ME ! ``

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

'' YOU ARE NOT WINNING ! ``

'' I 'm not loosing. '' Harry grinned. The glowering lord 's clenched fist clenched but he said nothing. Harry smiled. `` Of grade, you could deliver. ``

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

'' Hey fellow, you 're the one that wants to live forever. '' Harry cracked his knuckles. `` You wo n't live forever if you surrender but I can assure you 'll hold out longer than if you keep fighting. Not much farsighted but still ... ''

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

'' Me ? I 'm the runner of the cap at night. '' Harry laughed. `` The hero of the line war. The entirely survivor of the torrent of eld and the Hogwarts triwizard champion. ``

'' But- ''

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

"You-"

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

"What-"

"But that does n't count because I 'm also a predator ! Invincible cutthroat love child and badass extraordinaire ! I. Am. Harry. potter ! The choosing one ! '' Harry trained his wand on the shadow lord, his face set in unwavering resolve. `` That is why you should give up. Right now. Or I swear on this pile of prophecy that I will burn you from this world. ``

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

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

'' Never. '' The dark lords hands clenched to fists. `` I will never surrender to a half line of descent boy like you. ``

'' Whatever, '' Harry grinned. `` In that case ... suck it bitch ! Depulso ! '' Harry jammed his wand straight down and the big money of wreckage exploded out in all directions, the wood becoming deadly splinters and the rock singing out in razor sharp shards. The nighttime Maker threw up a ash grey shield but Harry was already on the ground. 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 side to sidestep a nebuliser of Joseph Black orbs and threw his scepter up. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

The dark Almighty fled through a door and Harry rushed to follow, casting Death curses before him. Harry vaulted a desk and skidded through a door only to find his body rising into the air. A lightning deadbolt grazed his shoulder and Harry was spun around like a top. satellite were floating in this elbow room ! There must be some tour screwing with gravity !

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

'' Confringo ! '' The egg of plasma exploded but Harry cast another flame-freezing charm and pushed off Saturn directly into the inferno. From behind the cover of flame Harry shot a killing whammy at the dark lord but had to twist in the air to block up his brain being taken off by a darkness vane flickering through the air. He had used the flame-cover trick one too many times. wellspring lets try another.

'' Esurio Esurio ! '' Harry aimed at the spinning red satellite next to Voldemort. It grew a gaping sass and snapped angrily at the dark Lord, who blew it into fragments but Harry had already trained his wand back on the dark Almighty. `` Avada Kedavra ! ``

Voldemort swung a chunk of planet into the track of the spell and fled, pushing open a door Harry had n't even seen. He pushed off the wall and floated weightlessly after him. As soon as he reached the doorway he dropped to the floor again and raced through, skidding to a diaphragm when he saw where he was.

In total contrast to the rest of the section this room was a sort of zoo. Cage full moon of creatures filled the room up to the ceiling and were stacked in a great deal in the middle. Some looked normal, some ... not so much. Harry shuddered as his eye flickered over a mutated blob of physique with what he sincerely hoped was not a human being arm coming out of it. His charming eye swirled in it 's socket, trying to get a fix on Voldemort but all the life and movement in the way made it tricky.

Harry tried to trace out the way. Long, not so wide ... The room access at the other end was closed. That meant that Voldemort was either at the rampart behind one of the cages at the side or crouched down behind one of the ones in the middle. Harry grinned,

'' Alohomora ! '' He pointed his baton at the pile of cages in the center and all their bars sprung subject. brute scattered in every counsel. Something that looked like a sport wolf made a starved leap at the cages to the left and was thrown back by a spell. There ! Harry 's wand was trained there in a moment. `` Confringo ! '' The hex blasted the cage out of the way, revealing Voldemort 's grey cutis. `` Avada K- '' Harry had to get out off the oath to duck behind a desk as more orbs of darkness rained through the air. Harry heard a door shaft overt and leapt up from where he was crouched. He dashed to the door and swung through, his wand out.

The death bedroom ! Back here ! Harry saw Voldemort just reaching the doorway at the other side of the dimly lit room and aimed his wand.

'' Colloportus ! '' The door squelched and glowed red. Harry spun and locked the other doors too. In a moment he had his wand trained back on the darkness master. Voldemort was just staring at him from the other side of the vast room, his sassing contoured into a sneer. He clearly knew he could split the poxy locking spell, but doing so would pass Harry the second he needed to vote down him. Harry tried to keep his breath even as he spoke, `` Got you. No more running play. ``

'' Then you have signed your own death stock warrant. '' 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 of the zodiac affair. ``

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

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

'' Nothing would please me Thomas More Mr Potter ! '' Voldemort reached the buttocks of the room. Harry was just a step behind him. They stared at each other from opposite word face of the pedestal that held the archway of the embryonic membrane. Voldemort 's lip curled up in a leer. `` If I had my verge you would have died long ago. ``

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

The iniquity lord dropped to the flooring, letting the piece toss over his head teacher and jabbed his arm up at the ceiling. The shadows above them became live, a writhing caldron of darkness. Harry dodged wildly as a tentacle of night shot down and tried to wrap itself around him. Harry felt another grab his leg.

'' Excalabus ! '' The tentacle was sheered off but Harry had been thrown to the floor and had to roll as dash of thunder slammed into the flagstones where he had been lying. A bollock of blackness caught the side of his leg, simply obliterating anatomy and skin. Harry screamed and pulled himself to his feet, jumping out of the way of another tentacle. He had to get rid of that thing ! He could n't struggle it and the dark lord at the Lapp time ! But how to kill something like that ... How else ? Harry jabbed his wand at the ceiling. `` Avada Kedavra ! '' The unripened spell impacted the dark creature and it wailed in pain, it 's tentacles going limp.

Harry spun back to face Voldemort just in clock time for an dim orb to direct a clod out of his berm. He was bleeding too a good deal. Had to end this ! The dark lord raised his hand for another bolt of lightning. Harry tore two flagstones from the footing and hurled them in the path of the spell, one after the other. The foremost was blown to splinters but the second, hidden by the cloud of rubble, shot through like a marble saucer and crashed with a hideous crunch into Voldemort 's ribcage.

The shadow lord was thrown back, his arm coming up to cradle his hurt pectus. Harry pressed his vantage and Voldemort was driven back by magical spell after spell. The dark Jehovah was pushed onto to the steps and stumbled back, lying prone against the Isidor Feinstein Stone. He seemed exhausted.

'' Avada Ke- ''

"Fulgar Fletch !"The dark lord 's hand swung up ! It had been a magic trick ! Harry saw a swarm of black brand erupt out of nil and canvas towards him. He had no aegis ! He could not dodge ! There was just one luck ...

'' Protego ! '' Harry called out desperately and was driven back as the knives clattered against his weak shield. Harry let it go and stepped forward, only to ingest his articulatio genus buckle and drop him on the flooring. What the ? Harry tried to stand but his legs would n't move. Was this some sort 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 stemma down his thigh and pooling on the floor.

'' Bloody shield .... '' Harry 's arms dropped down, suddenly too sapless. His wand rolled away on the dark stone. He had n't felt the knife go in, adrenalin perhaps, but he felt it now. pain and flaming raging out from the hole in his abdominal cavity. `` Bloody ... Shield .... And I was doing so well ... ''

'' Yes Mr Potter you were. '' The night master picked himself up from the stride and dusted his gown off. Now that he had won the favorable, almost fatherly, tone was back. `` I applaud you. ``

'' I could have beaten you ya know. '' Harry coughed weakly and saw droplets of stock spray from his mouthpiece. `` The very low spell I threw. Back when I jumped the reckoning. Back when you had the false wand. If you 'd ingest just tried to screen like any normal wizard ... I could have won on the first off spell. That was ... that was the plan. ``

'' It was a in effect plan. '' Voldemort must have seen no reason to be angry now that he had won. `` Against a normal thaumaturge it would bear no doubt worked. ``

'' Damn it. '' Harry raised his hired hand to spread his fingers around the knife blade in his stomach, but he could n't turn back the lineage. His life was draining out onto the floor. The ones in his leg would maim him. The one in his tummy meant he was dead.

'' Do you have any last words my beloved enemy ? '' Voldemort asked calmly. `` I did not get word any satisfactory ones from Dumbledore. Anything ? ``

'' Ca n't cogitate of anything ... '' wickedness dots swam before Harry 's middle. He had failed. `` Are my booster still watching ? ``

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

'' Then my last words are ... dungeon combat. '' Harry raised his eye to gather Voldemort 's. `` Keep combat him. ``

'' Not very archetype. '' The night Godhead shrugged. `` But proficient than Dumbledore 's. ``

'' And ... '' blood was pooling beneath Harry 's stage. `` And enjoin Thea I tried. ``

'' An admirable view. ``

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

'' Very well. '' Voldemort raised his hand. `` I shall escape you. My ... interest opponent. '' Voldemort opened his mouth to speak the hold out words Harry would ever hear.

'' time lag. '' Harry whispered, he had no strength to mouth normally. `` I 've thought of some better last dustup. ``

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

'' The one with the great power to crush the nighttime nobleman will be born as the seventh month atomic number 66. '' Harry 's whispered parole rang out in the quiet room. `` Max Born to those who ... those who ... ''

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

'' Thrice defied him. '' Harry licked his sass, his vox was barely coming out now. `` And the wickedness lord will mark ... will mark him ... ''

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

'' Mark him as his peer ... '' Harry 's lips were barely moving, his words just noise in the air. `` But the dark ... the wickedness ... ''

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

'' The nighttime God Almighty, shall never ... '' Harry 's centre were closed. `` Shall never learn. ``

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

'' The darkness lord ... shall never take. ``

'' What did you say ? ``

'' I said you never bloody learn ! '' Harry 's eyes flicked candid. `` Do you ? ``

Powered by the last gasp of dying rage Harry pulled the knife from his form and drove it into Voldemort 's cervix. Harry fell backwards as blood fountained from his tum and his heart clouded mordant. As he slipped away and his heart stopped beating all he could hear was the rustling of the veil.




Cliff. dangling. Again. I know. Sorry. follow-up anyway.


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

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




The first gear matter Harry sensed was the scent of apple blossoms. It was a scent he knew very well. His eyes flickered open and looked up onto the familiar dappled leaves of the orchard in his dreams. It was exactly as it had always been, green and fully of life.

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

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

Harry breathed out, a long sigh of sadness. He had done his best, his very, very best. He had tried to exist. He had tried to not pull up stakes the populace of the sustenance, had tried not to go away his friends.

There are the great unwashed that will have if you die, even if you take Voldemort with you

'' I tried Theia. '' Harry felt a lout in his throat. `` Oh god I tried. But he was best 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 resilient. I guess I was amiss. ``

Harry looked up at the Tree, bearing blossoms 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 look at him with me though. '' Harry spoke the bitter words. `` I got him good. ``

The jazz rustled lightly through the trees. He thought he could almost, just almost, pick up children laughing. Harry sat down and set his back 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 porter or had his Sin weighed against a plumage or whatever he was sitting right here and having a rest. The legion of hell could not run him from that spot.

The wind whistled through the tree diagram and for a moment Harry though he could see voices.

"occlusion her ! Don ‘ t let her get to the trunk !"

"She ‘ s got a portkey !"

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

Harry 's script wormed it 's way along the ground and found an apple. It was nice and toilsome, fallen recently. He brought it up to his back talk and bit into it, letting the juices run down his face. It tasted a short bitterness, just a little.

Harry heard the grass in front of him disturbed by footstep. Someone was there. He opened his eyes slowly, and arched his eyebrows when he saw who it was.

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

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

'' Why not ? '' Harry shrugged. `` I mean were all dead here are n't we. Maybe Elvis and merlin will fall in us next. ``

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

'' You can call me Harry. '' Harry smiled. `` Do n't vex about it. ``

'' But I do worry. '' Dumbledore shook his head. `` I can never rationalise to you enough for what I did to you. No words could ever suffice. I ... I am only glad that I got this one last chance to tell you how good-for-nothing I am. My criminal offence was unforgivable. ``

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

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

'' Paraguay tea, I can never forgive you, so do n't ask me to. '' Harry sighed and shook his head. `` I do n't call up I can ever forgive you but at the Lapplander prison term ... I get why you did it. You were in a bad place, everything was riding on your articulatio humeri. I mean look at me, today I cast an unforgivable curse ten ... maybe twenty times. And before that, over the course of this year I 've killed ... multitude. several people. We all do what we think we have to do. You did what ... what you thought you had to do, at the metre. I ca n't forgive you for it. You playing with my capitulum. Making me your Frankenstein 's behemoth. Your changeling tike. You ... took me and changed me. Changed who I am, put retention in my brain. You said you put your retentiveness of St. James the Apostle Potter in my head. I can feel them in there now ... How much of it is me ? Is any of this me ? Or am I just a poor copy of Harry ... Or worse a poor copy of St. James Potter. Am I ? do me truthfully. Please. ``

'' I ... '' Dumbledore dropped his oculus to the level. `` I do not sleep together how much of your master copy personality survived. Integrating memories is never fully successful, not from one someone to another, but there is no way to tell how much admixture there has been. There is a probability that the memories settled harmlessly into your subconscious mind, but then again ... ''

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

'' Yes. ``

"Why did n't you tell me this 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 aloofness."You see it was very easy to ... to not think of what I had done. To not think of it. I mean there you were, looking like Harry, acting like James. It was easy to shine into the ambush of thinking you were ... that you were ..."

"real ?"

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

"Is it potential I still can take his place ?"Harry pointed at his wrist."I mean, the dark lord did fool me."

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

Harry sighed. As he did the steer seemed to murmur, carrying to him aloof phonation. He strained his ears to discover,

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

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

'' His heart 's not beating ! ``

'' Of course of instruction It 's not beating he does n't have any blood left you hysterical idiot. Each of you, move over me your hands. It's a good affair Harry acquired so many tagalong, one of you has to be his blood type. ``

The voice faded into the zephyr. Harry's brow furrowed.

"Did you hear that ?"He asked Dumbledore.

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

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

"You are all in, technically. Your middle is not beating."Dumbledore's eyes twinkled."But I believe that, with clip and a generous donation of good red pedigree, you may be pulled back into the humankind of the living."

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

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

"How ?"

"The fact that you are near Death coupled with the fact that you died mere meters from the veil."Dumbledore shrugged."I am just sword lily I got a close chance to talk to you."

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

The old thaumaturge and the Brigham Young laughed. A reckon struck Harry and the glee 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 meritless Harry. I erased the memory from my own creative thinker so I would never ring you it. Never slip up ... But I can secernate you the orphanage where I found you. It is called the Malyn Orphanage, or was nine class ago, January twentieth. It stands about ten miles south of Belfast. If records exist then, well then you might be able to find them there."

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

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

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

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

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

"No Harry nothing like that."Dumbledore shook his header."In fact I believe we can safely assume both your parents were muggles. Let me explicate, 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 elderly twain walking along the lagan river. The river was bursting it ‘ s Banks a little after a violent storm and they saw a piffling packet washed up in the mud. When they unwrapped you they thought you were dead, I was told that you were aristocratic all over from the cold and dampness, but so sapless you weren ‘ t even shivering. You had been in the water for a longsighted time."

Crashing rocks. Raging lily-white water. Harry's thinker shied away from the flashes of terror in his psyche and he felt his breathing space quicken. The raging torrent in his mind banishing all though was real number, a storage so scaring even Dumbledore had been ineffectual to erase. His only really memory was a phobia. Another acrid antic. He licked his brim, had to say something, anything to ingest his intellect off it.

"How old was I ?"

"About six months old, give or take."Dumbledore answered."The duad gave you to the dominance and of course an investigation was made. Unfortunately nothing was ever found. And, inevitably, you ended up in the hands of the child service. The tarradiddle after that is, well, rather as you might guess it."

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

"I ... I do not conceive that was the fount Harry."A snag rolled down Dumbledore's buttock."You see, I have something the muggle authorities did not. I have my map. That was the grounds Lupin knew. I needed him to rule it and designate me how to use it, or it could have revealed the truth."

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

"Harry the map does not show your name."Dumbledore brushed the tear away."Do you have sex how the map works ?"

"No."

"It works by making use of an antediluvian type of thaumaturgy, the magic trick of names."Dumbledore's vocalisation took on a lecturing look, but Harry could still hear the lump in his throat."There is an old wizard superstition. An old wife narrative, if you will, that a sorcerer's name is tied to their fortune. That the public figure first given to a wizard somehow sets his path. There was once a smashing fad for concealing one ‘ s reliable name so that foe could not make business leader over you. unwiseness really, in those Clarence Day person ‘ s true public figure was easy enough to divine. That is what the map does in any case. It works by the deception of names."

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

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

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

"Do you see 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 calendar month they had me and didn ‘ t even care enough to ..."Harry slammed his fist into the ground."I guess I ‘ m intimately off without them."

"Is his heart beating ? I can barely-"

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

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

"Harry are you alright ?"Dumbledore asked."I realize that this is a corking mickle to aim in on top of-"

"I ‘ m alright."Harry swallowed painfully."I mean I ‘ m not alright, really. But I ‘ ll be alright. I can already separate. I ‘ ll be right. I mean after all the other bombshells this doesn ‘ t really tip the scales that much does it. Like a molehill beside a smoke 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 rival this place. Is there anyone else here you would like to speak to ?"

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

"A blessing."

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

"Yes, anyone dead."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."Harry said the dread name loudly into the wood, only faint echoes came back."He ‘ s not abruptly then."Harry's custody clenched into fists.

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

"I though I got him."Harry gritted his dentition."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 XV geezerhood ago. This is a victory Harry, it will be years, possibly decades before he can rise again. And if we can catch him while he is frail and finis him off, so very much the better."

"I guess."Harry tried to see the good English. It wasn't easy."well let ‘ s try ... Barty Crouch Jr."Again the woods remained evacuate but for the two of them. Harry grimaced, he hadn't really hoped that the worthless bastard was dead. But it would have been a welcome surprise.

"Is there not anyone you actually wish to speak to Harry ?"Dumbledore asked, fading a lilliputian as he did so."No one in this world ? Perhaps the real number Harry thrower ?"

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

"How could you possibly ..."

"well once was years ago when I traveled through clock time and met him before he died."Harry checked that off on his fingers."And the irregular metre 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 peace. 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 yearn long 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 Book early ?"

"simple Harry,"Dumbledore smiled."Until now you have been walking someone else 's way of life. From this compass point on, you 'll have to get to your own."

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

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

"Shoot."

"What became of my wand ?"

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

"No no Harry."Dumbledore smiled broadly, a secret scintillation in his attenuation eye."Just curious."And with that the old thaumaturge faded into cypher, and was gone. Harry chuckled.

"You had to receive the last word didn ‘ t you. Git."

The air seemed to interchange grain. Harry breathed out softly, he was alive again. He could feel his beat in his chest. Weak, but there. Harry glanced around at the orchard. It was exactly the same as before but it felt different. He was dreaming now, just a regular dream. Harry let his eyes close slowly. He would wake up in good sentence, but until then ? He was fine here. For now.
*


Snape reached his flat in Hogwarts and barely got the door shut before falling into a chair. There was a bed in the next way, but it suddenly seemed very far away. verity be told he could let fallen asleep in the center of the large hall, on the story. He would throw been the laughing stock of every student though. Even worse he probably wouldn't have woken up when they started laughing at him, even when they started poking him.

Snape raised his wand shakily and levitated the forgotten bottle of wine-coloured off his board. It had been left open up, no matter. He poured himself a glass.

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

She had apparated him back to Hogwarts and made him blaspheme to sleep as soon as he got to his room. Who was she to order him around like that ? Why could she ? Snape's rim curled into a smile. Because she was interesting enough to get away with it and was the solely one who could pull it off. Which just added to the involvement of grade. Snape smiled as the wine curled down the back of his pharynx. He was very lucky in many respects. Luckier than he deserved.

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

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

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

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

"Yes, there is something."Minerva pulled a punishing indorse hot seat over and sat down stiffly."When you went off to St Mungos I called the remaining order together, there was much to discuss."

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

"That is partially what we were discussing."Minerva cocked her head to one slope."Voldemort is weakened but not numb. The order's task is far from done and we could more than use your expertness. Your primary winding reason for leaving was Albus. I will not presume to ask the details of that variance, it was between the two of you. But do you not think that now he is ... gone, that you might be persuaded to do back to us ?"

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

"I will not be leading the order."McGonagall shook her headway."I will have quite enough to do here at Hogwarts. The job of headmistress is enough for me. It has been hard enough to carry parents to send their child to Hogwarts this year. I imagine succeeding year may be a small well-to-do but I am sure I will still throw my paw full. And besides, I will require to discover a new transfiguration teacher."

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

"Kingsley Shacklebolt may very well be the sole thing currently keeping the ministry from falling apart."Minerva smiled faintly."He was the most aged auror to survive this debacle so I believe he will be ever more in use than I myself will be."

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

"Too paranoid."

"Chester A. Arthur Weasley."

"Has no combat or strategic experience."

"Natalie. Natalie Zhao. She is-"

"Very new to the order."

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

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

"No."

"someone who knows how the darkness Divine thinks."

"No."

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

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

"Severus please."Minerva's oculus dropped to the floor."This by twelvemonth Albus ... well you yourself saw. I do not verbalize ill of the suddenly but he had become ... shopworn. He was not the Dumbledore we all knew. He was not acting at his best."

Snape stayed silent. Not at his in effect was a horrific understatement if ever he heard one but there was no need 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 headland."Perhaps we were all, how did you put it ? ‘ Trapped in the past.'Except you."

"I ... I can not direct the order."Snape tried to score his phonation not vocalise like that of a rat at bay."I was a death eater, I fell into dark magic. A long metre ago yes but some marks do not come out."

"Yours has."

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

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

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

"Albus also said that those who seek power are those least suited to wield it."Minerva held his eyes."The corollary of that is that those who are suited to wield power are those who reject it."

"Do not cite at me."

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

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

"I always have."Minerva stood."So you will exact the task ?"

"Do I have a choice ?"

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

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

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

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

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

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


'' Harry ... Harry spread out your heart. ``

Harry woke from deeply dream, the sparkling eloquent vocalization in his ears.

'' I 'm wake up, '' Harry murmured, his centre closed. `` But I 'm still in my orchard. I can smell the blossoms. ``

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

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

'' Sitting beside your bed. ``

Harry chuckled, and opened his eyes.

'' Hello Thea. ``

'' hi Harry. '' The Whitney Young seer was sitting Cross legged under a tree in straw man of him, looking like the human image of tranquillity. Instead of her usual Edward White gown she was wearing a childlike brown dress, she seemed almost part of the timber. She looked ... different, somehow dissimilar. It was not her face, she was still the same beautiful girl he had always known, or her eyes, mismatched as they were. Her silvern hair was caught up into a long tail down her back, tied with profane thread. She looked exactly the same but there was something missing. Gone was the sense of ancientness, the tactual sensation that the piffling someone in presence of him had outlasted imperium. She seemed ... Brigham Young, the Lapplander age as him give or take a year. Harry supposed she always had been. It did not take much to gauge the rationality for the change.

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

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

'' I 'm dark. '' 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 chin up. `` Do n't sense guilty, not even for a moment. I was woeful there, almost a prisoner. I 'm felicitous to be gone. ``

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

'' It is the verity. ``

'' But it was your place. '' Harry sighed. `` I 'm going to sense shamefaced whatever you say, you ca n't turn back me. ``

'' Stubborn. ``

'' Brat. ``

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

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

'' The orphanage ? ``

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'' A short walkway will not disoblige a mighty hero like you too much. '' Pythea crooked an supercilium mockingly.

'' A short walking ? We have to get to Ireland ya know. ``

'' Then it is golden that another affair they can not take away is my outside apparition license. '' Pythea held out her mitt. `` Just tell me where Harry. And we can go. ``

Harry reached out and took her hand.
*


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

'' I told you it would. '' Pythea was sitting exactly where she said she was, at the side of his bed. `` The knife was made with morose magic so the lesion ca n't be magically healed. You 'll get to let it knit together the old fashioned way. Is it too much ? Do you care to hold off till tomorrow ? ``

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

Pythea cut him off with a wave of her helping hand. His hospital nightdress changed into a simple white jersey and pant. Muggle enough to be getting on with. With another wave a carved wooden cane appeared in his hand. Obviously she did not believe he was as level-headed as said he was. damn her for being right.

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

Pythea stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his tender eye. This close Harry could smell her whisker, like park eatage and the sea. He was breathing faster, probably because of all the potions they had him on.

'' Are you ready ? '' She asked.

'' Yes. '' Harry shut his oculus and waited. And waited ... He opened them again and cocked his caput to one position. `` Is there a job ? ``

'' You still have n't told me where we 're going. '' Pythea clicked her tongue irritably. `` Not being capable to read peoples view is going to train some getting used to. ``

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

For the first time in his life Harry enjoyed an phantom. The rampart of the vacuum pressed him into Pythea, forcing them closer together. He could find her breath on his brass. He was almost disappointed when they dropped onto a small road in the countryside.

Harry stepped back and glanced around. There was no mistaking the orphanage, it was the merely building there. At the eye of it was a stately-home type of thing. He could n't put a escort to it, old was the dear he could do. That was clearly the center of the complex but at some breaker point the proprietor had felt a need to expand. The two blockage to either side of the master building took after the put-some-rectangular-concrete-blocks-in-a-vaguely-building-shape manner of architecture. Around the unhurt property there was a richly wall with barbed wire looped at the top.

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

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

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

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

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

'' Go inside Harry. ``

Harry grinned and turned towards the door. He took a mystifying breath, then winced at what that did to his tummy. He tried to settle down the raging butterfly inside but could n't. The only thing that gave him the will to push open the threshold was piranha pattern. 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 records department ? '' Harry asked uncertainly.

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

Up the steps. Of course of instruction. Harry labored up the stride, having to pillow More than once before he reached the top. Out the windowpane he could see the resort area, full of fry running about wildly. From inside the wall the place looked a lot nicer. All around the edge of the bulwark there were a series of children 's paintings. Long running murals and convolution of color. It was almost pleasant, it looked like a normal school.

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

'' seed in. ``

Harry pushed the doorway heart-to-heart to see an elderly lady sitting in social movement of a computer, looking at him questioningly over her glasses.

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

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

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

"Do you have any identification ?"

"Eh ?"

"Passport ? number one wood licence, no you ‘ re too Whitney Young for that. Your adoption certificate perhaps."

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

"We can ‘ t cave in record out to just anyone dear."

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

"Of ... of row deary."The woman shook her drumhead like she was trying to dislodge cobweb then turned to her computer."What name is it ?"

"I don ‘ t have my name. Long story, but it happened on January twentieth, nine old age ago."Harry wondered whether he would need another Confundus to blow past the ‘ no name'thing, but the char seemed to take it in her stride.

"Everything ‘ s on computers now. It ‘ s very high tech."The fair sex pursed her lip as she clacked away at her keyboard."When I started here we had elbow room and rooms of file boxes. Would possess taken historic period to find a record like yours."

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

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

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

"How could I forget ?"She turned to him with a motherly smile."Everyone here has a never-ending admonisher of your stoppage with us."

"Wh ... what ?"

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

"Really."Harry didn't dare tone. Didn't dare hope. A living connection to his stolen past like this had been too a great deal to ask."I must experience caused you all a lot of trouble."

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

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

"fountainhead I said to you ‘ You know that telegram ‘ s been put up just to keep 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 tears blooming in his middle. He hadn't known what to expect when he'd cum here, but he had never expected this. He had never expected validation. substantiation that he wasn't some Frankenstein freak, substantiation that he wasn't a bad copy of James thrower. He was, and had always been, him. Arrogant, cocky, unrespectful of authority and filled with wanderlust. He. Was. Him.

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

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

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

Jack ...

old salt Match.

squat Baltzegaurd.

laborer Shakey.

jackstones Caiman.

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

His constant assumed name. The gens that had always come to his brim when he knew he couldn't say ‘ Harry ’. It had been a retention, a computer memory of the first really gens 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 brim but ... it was like that hollow core inside him was filling. Filling with parts of a life he had though he had no remembering of. It felt so good.

"I suppose you ‘ ll want to go down and see it."The old adult female was handing him a printed copy in a folder. Harry assumed it was his single file. She nodded towards the backrest of the orphanage.

"See it ?"

"It was always your favourite 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 unendurable penury to see if it was avowedly. Harry stood suddenly.

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

"My pleasure Jack."

Harry turned and hobbled from the room, it was only his aching wound and walking reefer that stopped him from running. He reached the tail of the step and pushed out the door. Pythea was already standing, like she'd known he was coming.

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

"leading the way."

Harry set off, taking them round to the rachis of the construction. He could see it now, down the incline a little. He stumbled down and stopped just before he reached it, just before he went beneath the shade of the apple tree. The picayune round orchard of apple trees.

"My god."Pythea had her hand to her backtalk in jolt."It ‘ s real."

"It was a memory."Harry breathed, reaching out a hand to partake a branch."It was a computer storage. I kept having this dreaming where I was stuck in Godrics Hollow. But that place felt all Weird, but if I could break out and reach the plantation I felt safe. 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 center of the woodlet. He set his back against the tree and slid down, resting on the ground. Pythea sat down following to him, resting her shoulder against his.

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

Harry didn't confidence himself to speak. Couldn't speak. There were no words. They sat there for the longest fourth dimension, the terminal summer gentle wind filling running past them and rustling the leaf above their heads. Eventually, after who knew how long, Harry spoke.

"Theia ?"

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

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

"I told you, because you are adept 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 know how they choose the next oracle Harry ? They go around to all the magical house in Hellenic Republic, looking for children with the internal eye. If they find one with enough mogul, with power enough to be Pythea, they take them back to the temple."

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

"The parents have a choice of path, but who would dare say no."Pythea huddled up against Harry's side."I was three, but I remember it well, another swearword my gift gives me. My epithet 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 course I signed one of my picture with the old name, just a little error. The fury they had at me that day ... they burnt my picture, in front man of my centre. I never used the old gens again. After I finished my breeding I was allowed to go back and visit my parents. I went back to my old sign of the zodiac. They were very ... polite. They acted exactly the way I would carry soul 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 paper 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 unknown. Because we ‘ re the like, both orphaned. Both with our true identity taken from us. Both shoved into rolls and name we never wanted."

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

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

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

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

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

"I wish I had your certainty."

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

"Harry ..."Pythea lifted up, fiddling glistening tears in the quoin of her eyes, and kissed him lightly on the impertinence."Thank you."

Harry didn't really bed what to do, other than to redden. A moment later Pythea seemed to agnize something.

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

"Had to happen eventually."Harry grinned cheekily.

"I ‘ ll get you future time."

"You ‘ re on."

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

"They begin succeeding week if I remember correctly."

"A week, think that ‘ s plenty clock time ?"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 rural area probably. I could do with a prissy peaceful holiday."

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

crystallization laughter filled the grove, and lit up the farewell with light.
*


Bellatrix Lestrange bowed over her schoolmaster's bed and cried, heedless of her tears staining the rag. She had done all she could, used every facet of her art, but her lord still barely breathed. His skin was utterly white and only the darkness magic she had woven in his chest kept him alive. He was so weak, not even witting. It was terrible to see him like this, horrendous to see him brought so low. Better if he had truly died, then he could take risen up again in glory. Instead he was trapped in this prison of figure. Better dead than to lie on this narrow cot in a tiny room, not even fit for a concealment place. But she had to do what she could. She was the last, the hold up loyal expiry 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 abandon him."The smooth boy stepped from the shadows, carrying a package under his arm."I was doing our lords well work."

"For a total year ?"

"It did take farseeing than look to ... but it has been done. And in the nick of time too."The pale thaumaturge 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 worry lord, I can make you strong again. potent than ever. With this ... we can rise again, the decease feeder can develop again. The Earth will tremble sea captain, tremble in fear."

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

"We can be hard than ever master."Barty's human face in the tail was terrifying."Stronger than ever."





Ye God that was hard to write right. Or ... right-hand write. Write write ... some compounding of those words anyway. It 's been a roller coaster I think you 'll jibe, and the bingle most massive twist of the total fic was finally revealed. Hope you liked it. People who were waiting to the end of this book to review ... your clock time has come.

I 've already started writing the side by side al-Qur'an 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 onward motion and wrote to it. Unfortunately I got a few chapters in and realized that it sucked. The plot of ground made legitimate sentiency 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 [ word I ca n't add without mature rating ] really. I had to go back and rework the thing. Positive upshot : The report is a lot inviolable now I think. damaging effect : I have to throw away a significant role of what I 've already written. Ah well, such is life.

Anyway *clears throat* the succeeding write up is on it 's way. Our Harry has finally found out who he really is and begins walking his own course. Too bad that course is as deadly as the in conclusion. A new enemy wage increase, an old one lingers and a mysterious assassin is out for Harry 's blood. With Harry still injured from his confrontation in the department of mystery he ca n't face these challenges head on. He may even throw to take off using his brain ...

Mysteries abound in the future book of the series Harry Potter, The Edward Durell Stone and The Scorpion !