'' The unwritten law of triage is knowing when naught else can be done, and actually accepting that. ''
~ A.K. Lovell ~



Chapter 24 ~ The Black Pool


Dublin, Eire. Population in surplus of 450,000 Muggles, 1,240 witch and sorcerer, and 451,240 inexperienced person.

Since mediaeval prison term the locus had served as the cap of the release standing Republic. The Joseph Black pond, or so the Anglicism had stated. Now the expanse of land it rested upon stood as one of the most populated air hole of closing off upon the earth.

An island.

5.8 million Muggles in the commonwealth of Ireland alone, another 1.7 million in Northern Ireland, and upon the total United kingdom land mass, 4,694 beingness of magical descent.

The island contained the prominent percent of magical existence per capita of any place on worldly concern.

It could soon contain the scurvy.

At the mouth of the River Liffey, the bustling Black Pool of commerce lay in time lag, as did a woman clad in the disgusting bench vise of Muggle apparel.

The rain had let up considerably in comparison to the former morning rain, yet the harsh drizzle did nothing to mar the once striking beauty as she stood alone upon the Lucan nosepiece, dark hair flowing in the wind like a canvas Born of the Renaissance.

In Sojourner Truth, had one possessing the acquirement sat to immortalize her countenance, it would give birth born striking similarity to a painting that had once pay heed one C earlier upon the inlaid wall of Sarsfield castle.

The only dissimilarity between the canvases lay in the min detail of the subjects'hands, her pale, graceful fingers gently uncorking a clear phial, tilting it 's subject over the ancient brick viaduct until they churned upon the wind touch weewee below.

As the adult female disappeared, seemingly without a trace to the optic of Muggle passersby, the beginnings of the curse began filtering into the piddle scheme of downtown Dublin.

The Joseph Black Pool would soon reawaken a Black plague.
* * * * *


erotic love.

Because of it cities have been erected, and fallen. home have been made, and broken. Mere mortals have been resurrected, and forgotten.

It holds the capability of silencing the strong, immortalizing the weak, dashing the dearest of dreams and destroying the darkest of fears. It 's sheer power is unfathomable, and it is due to this whelm emotion that the human spirit is able of being broken.

For one raven haired man, the pressure born of hate and preserved by his love was upon him as it had never before been. The blank, deadened oculus of Seamus Finnigan haunting him even as he breathed in the reassuring presence of the young young lady clutched in his arms, his face turned from the world to bury against her skin, his only reprieve from the cruel realness that was his blaze, and life.

It has been said that it is only specialty of fiber that separates the infirm from the strong, for their ability to cast opinion, fond regard, and love aside… Therein rests their unfaltering power to do what must be done, in the darkest of times.

Wordlessly the girl had taken him by the manus, silently leading him through the thickheaded coppices and bramble, disregarding the way the coarse sweetbrier tore her skin, snaring her clothing. Her silhouette seemed incapable of feeling, and the immature man 's enviousness of her attainment was thickening, for each thorny prick dragging across his skin sung the guilt he felt, crying for his intervention in what they had left behind in Hogsmeade with the tug of a portkey.

The man felt hangdog of abandonment, and murder. Though in his heart, he knew which was worse.

The young man had been forced to forget his friends in the rapidly growing battle land, for Voldemort 's immorality had reared again, and again he had come out upon the lesser English, trapped as he was in the darkened forest, incapable of helping anyone.

How was this pathetic adept supposed to overcome the darkest of them ?

It has also been said that military posture of type is best not determined by one 's indifference, by their ability to outdistance themselves from the situation at manus, but by their power to find the pleas of the weak as if they were their own burdens. For it is in these individual that the rarest of psyche are found, for the few who walk upon the land with burdened and broken somebody are often the most up to of loving, and saving the residual of us.

His footsteps were sinking into the damp earthly concern, following in the girl 's tracks as they pushed their way through the thickets, stumbling into a small moonlit clearing, a muddy pool of piddle collecting near its edge.

It was perhaps the sorry, and roughshod of ironies, that the two brave souls standing torn and battered, bathed in the blue hue of Moon filtering between the night sky 's mottled clouds, were the arrant illustration of both sides of the spectrum.

Both had been through underworld itself, and survived, yet only one had come out fully capable of loving, despite the world crashing around him.

The other was still learning, and it would perhaps be the breaking of the other besides her that would finally teach her how to again, care without restraint.
* * * * *


Oct 31st, Halloween, 1996.

It would forever stand as the day of infamy, as the night when Aurors had fallen upon the town in striking military group, scattering death Eaters to the far flung quoin of the earth, to wherever their alcove of guard lay, leaving the scarcely varnished hamlet under the jurisdiction of the Ministry.

There was much to sort out.

It had taken so long for them to reach it 's inhabitant, for Hogsmeade had not been the only township to come down under attack this day. And being the only all wizarding village in England, the Aurors had came to it 's aid final stage, for Muggle areas had few defense, while the citizens of Hogsmeade had at least been armed.

Unlike the innocent Muggles who had been found, lifelessly sprawled upon city streets, wizardly being had held the power to contend back.

And fight they had. As the Aurors had spilled forth from the forest the villagers had risen up, only for those drabbed in the visage of pit to disappear as quickly as they had come.

No others had been able to conquer the anti-apparation Ward that had been erected, but the end feeder had found a way.

Throughout the UK, from Dundee to capital of Northern Ireland, from Diagon Alley to Dublin 's Aingingein marketplace, from the Orkney islands above Scotland to the town bordering the English channel, sorcerous break of homes and being, minuscule pockets of isolate homes and wizards, and places of commerce had been taken over.

They had all been targeted, held confined until night had fallen, and each surviving being of magical descent nowadays professed to have felt the same effect. A cold, speculative than death speedup of the blood that had seeped into their very souls, raising the hamper of brute and whisker of humans, eliciting the scream of owls and battle cry of children had fallen just at dusk, and for those present the clip falling immediately after, as township had risen up in defence force, fighting back as the Death Eaters fled and Aurors arrived, it would be remembered as the clock time of secrecy.

Something had happened that day, for the decease Eaters had swarmed into the villages and private homes, avoiding only the Muggle populace, and killing only those Muggles who strayed in their way, and the few wizards and beldame who had persistently fought back before the comer of the Aurors.

Thirty four dead, one hundred and sixty injured, and that was in England alone.

Most had been Muggles that had strayed in the wrong berth at the wrong time.

Seamus Finnigan had been amongst the fallen, the only inexperienced person to induce died in Hogsmeade, killed by the killing curse word erupting from the Imperioused wand of Ginerva mollie Weasley.

Ginny Weasley now lay, near catatonic with the heartache of her actions, with the knowledge of her unwillingly dealt sins, in the hospital fender of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry.

She had been able to struggle strongly enough to hold open her brother from the killing curse she had fired upon him, but she had not been strong enough to relieve her fellow.

It was a thought that would haunt her for the rest of her life, and while she remained silently mute under the care of Pomfrey, Dean doubting Thomas sat upon the dusty corridors of the hospital flank 's residence hall.

The racket of the vestibule was deafening, reverberating with the frenzied footstep and replication of frantic parents ineffective to locate their shaver. Very few had taken credence to Dumbledore 's assurances that there were only three tyke within the hospital wing, two of whom James Dean treasured above life sentence itself.

He hardly felt the infliction as another large Padre trampled upon his foot, and he pulled his ramification closer to his bureau, wishing to sink into the bulwark for all he was Charles Frederick Worth.

Seamus was gone ...

Ginny was no longer speaking ...

Kalliandra, Harry, and Hermione were missing ....

And no one was letting on what had happened to Ron ....
Silently tears of ignominy poured from his eye, the newly appointed Gryffindor beater finally succumbing to the overpowering emotions.

It was then that the sandy haired female parent of Seamus stumbled into the hall, nearly knocking Luna Lovegood to the base, her deadened eyes remarkably alike to how Ginny 's had been when he had found her, crumbled and shaking besides professor Tres'unconscious descriptor in the kitchen of brothel keeper Puddifoots.

Pressing his brow to his hang up knees, shame dealt it 's terminal gust, for he now knew the truth.

He was going to hell, if this was not already it.
* * * * *


Somewhere, deep in the woods, Harry calmly observed the sky. The fall leaves struck a stark contrast to the night 's dark backdrop, and deep Thomas Gray swarm blotted out all semblance of starlight, spare for the few persistent pinpoints and the paring of moonshine fighting their way through the mottled mess.

It was exquisite.

Though no sum of money of beauty, nor staring, could drive the disturbing thoughts from his mind for long, and with a resigned sigh he knelt before the diminished pond, his articulatio genus sinking into the tone down dry land besides Kaylens.

'' Are you okay ? ``

He heard her words, yet failed to respond. Instead his middle remained glued to the fluctuation influential person upon the body of water 's surface. Staring back at him were the accusatory jade eyes of one whose loved ones were either gone, or in riskiness. The man in the reflection was one he did not agnize, for it was a man who had killed without sorrow, and who would do it again.

The inky black figure of speech was revealing how he had become all he had once abhorred, and it was a thought for which he was ill cook.

Never looking up, he finally spoke.

'' No. ``

His cupped hands plunged into the outflow, scattering the damnable reflection from its open, rippling the locoweed extending near the other embankment.

A tenacious time passed, the sound of light splashing besides him mingling with sound of the nighttime, as they both rubbed the blood from their hands in the icy piddle.

Upon its inky surface his blush blood swirled, pooling from his reopening wounds. Though the botheration was something that could not reach him, numbed as his mother wit were from the hypothermic waters.

It was the feeling of her hands carefully wrapping around his own, that finally pulled him from his good cataleptic state. His eyes rose from the water he had hoped to drown within, falling to rest upon her calm countenance.

Her crystalline eyes held his, business organisation flickering in the dull moonlight.

'' We need to do something about this. '' She whispered, her breathing time crystallization upon the cooling air.

There was no doubting what she meant, for his paw were pained at her mere touch, intertwined as they were with her cold ace, beneath the impenetrable springiness 's surface. He reveled in that secrecy, grimacing only as she forcibly withdrew his hands from the mercifully numbing waters. The harsh sting of the cool night air sent pinpricks of annoyance shooting through his wounds, burning his arms in a way contradictory to the evening 's breeze.

The marginal touch of disquiet lingered upon her concerted typeface, for she was studying the gashes along his calloused hands, the ones he had received as he fought to cut the bail binding them within Rosmereta 's pocket-sized pub.

That pocket-size pub now held some of the most important people in his life, and he had never felt farther from it.

The sharp audio of fabric ripping catapulted him from the ill fated road his thought were traveling upon, and where his manpower had just been, enclosed in her own, now lay a strip of chopped cloth. She had torn a shred of cloth, from his cloak, and was wrapping it tightly around his palm, winding it up and over his wrist where the deepest of wounds stretched.

Cringing he did not impede her rivet progress, though his voice betrayed his skepticism. `` Do you know what your doing ? ``

Sparing not a word, the last strip was tugged tightly in place. With a satisfied sigh she tilted her promontory to the side, a curious verbal expression befalling her. `` Well… '' She replied faintly, her cold thumb tracing along his skin around the makeshift dressing. `` You 'd ameliorate Hope so. ``

He scowled at her, flexing his articulatio radiocarpea testingly. The movements were stiff, but would suffice.

'' Not bad… '' He muttered, glancing at his torn sleeve. `` Just had to ruin my cloak did n't you ? ''

'' Hmph. ``

She offered no advance reply, lazily trailing her hands within the assuredness waters once again, her heart falling shut.

Unconsciously his optic were drawn to her, following her hands effortless progression upon the glistening piss, and for the first sentence he noticed the ambling sport of wizardly before him, for her fingerbreadth were playing lithely across the water 's wickedness surface, a dull glow radiating at the doorsill where the static control surface finally broke, allowing her digit entry, rose up from its depths.

He regarded the interplay, a slow curiosity rising as bit of magic trick trailed beneath her work force, coloring the unaccented intumescence she was creating. wavelet, swelling out in successive closed chain, bore the sparkling only a scant agency before the light tumbling within the amniotic fluid faded away.

And it was not for the number one time, nor for the last, that he again realized how little he still knew about the magical public.

He leaned towards her, oddment crossing his characteristic, for how could the young lady who could not incant perform the video display before him ? His question rolled from his lips quietly, and though her face remained averted from his, her rumination upon the wavelet water betrayed her faint smile.

'' What are you doing ? '' Was what he had whispered, steadying himself with one hand upon the dew stained grass.

Her hair fell loose from behind her shoulder, tumbling to veil her boldness. `` You know… '' She replied softly, `` I 'm not entirely trusted. ``

'' Experimental magic ? And you call me reckless ? ''

'' Well… '' She whispered, her manifestation smiling, `` Insane is probably a considerably condition. ``

'' A compassion then. '' He quipped lowly, looking across the water, its very turn up vibrating with animation. `` For we 're trapped in the woods without a semblance of sanity between us. ``

She murmured in agreement, withdrawing her finger's breadth from the water, flicking the light droplets from them in his direction.

His grunt of protest was ignored, for her watchful optic had flickered out across the ripple water, gazing searchingly into the shadowy woodland. And for the one-thousandth prison term since their world-class meeting, he wondered if she could see things he could not.

As if in reply to his mentation, a light furrow creased her brow, barely discernable as the clouds moved to obscure the nerveless moonlight, throwing tail across her sanction. And as a ennoble walkover sent the reed protruding from the embankment swaying, her behaviour stiffened, her shoulders relaxing only with the cessation of the flora'hypnotic motions.

'' Jittery ? ``

His question was met not with the expected despite, but with something else.

'' Yes. '' She whispered darkly.

Her cold intonation were disturbing, and his optic joined hers in sweeping the tree job for any sign of malevolence. Yet just as before, when he had checked upon their arrival, there was none to be found.

A cerebration occurred to him, and finally after the wind had risen in saturation, sending the reed tips tilting so as to dip into the pool 's surface, he spoke it aloud.

'' Are you familiar with porthole keys ? ''

She turned a questioning formulation to him, her fuzz scattering like a feathery anchor ring about her face in the blustery gentle wind. Such was the ruffle of her midst mane that he could not tell whether she nodded yes or no until it had died down.

Only then did it occur to him that the object of their very displacement could also be the object of their rescue. His hands scrambled in the bass faithful of his thickset cloak for the Kunnskap, and finally he dumped it upon the cold earthy mud, taking care to never leave it 's dulled golden chain to touch his flesh.

Kaylens eyes filled with understanding, `` It 's how we got here. ``

He nodded, reaching for her hand with his bandage one. Though when his fell atop hers, she did not take it.

His eyes caught hers, `` Trust me. '' He whispered.

Steadily the hesitation within her eyes vanished, and slowly she turned her hand around, allowing his fingers to interlace with hers. Squeezing her hand as gently as his limited mobility allowed, he guided her to the Kunnskap with him.

'' take aim it with me. ``

His eyes having never left hers, he saw that she understood his significance, for the Kunnskap had been their portkey there, and had it been somehow re-activated, they could accept it back to Hogsmeade together with a simple touch of their finger to its surface.

He absolved to never go forth her alone, not anywhere, not ever again.

With baited breathing place they touched the chain.

Nothing.

Sharing a one-half defeated, half relieved smile, they exhaled the breathing place they had both been holding.

As he re-gathered the strand in his men, she was the first to break the heavy silence.

'' Your portkey does n't seem to be working. ``

He cast her an fractious coup d'oeil, examining the rune carved into the pensieve 's vial. Unsurprisingly, not one line drawing cast a smidgin of easy onto the berth at hand. Maybe, just maybe, he would take Hermione up on her offering to teach him ancient runes when they returned.

'' It must be conditional, '' He finally decided. `` It 's the merely solution. ``

At this Kaylens'brow creased critically, and he explained further.

'' You know how about port key fruit are touch sensible, taking people back and Forth River between two seat ? ``

Her nous bobbed lightly, another low temperature gust sending her fuzz awry. This time she did not bother fighting with it, and let it lie as it fell.

He fought back a low smile as her nose wrinkled, her hanker filament clearly tickling it. `` Well… '' He continued, `` A conditional port key only activates under certain circumstances. You can be touching it, but it wo n't take you anywhere because its 'condition'is not met. '' He glanced down at the ampule, slipping it into his cloak once again. `` Dumbledore made this for me, so I 'm guessing it activates when the wearer is in mortal peri… ''

someone peril…

He trailed off, not realizing the expression that had befallen his face until Kaylens concerned row drew him back to the present, away from the snarling dentition and growl of Hogsmeade 's back alley.

He had not known until that day, until he had felt the telling tug behind his umbilicus, that the Kunnskap doubled in role, and his oversight of Dumbledore 's closelipped method of ensuring his own protection could have very well price Kaylens her life.

She was saying his gens, yet he barely heard. For how could his spirit, his very existence, be worth the endangerment to others that it brought with it ?

His mouth went dry, and a cold, unnerving feeling spread through him. Forcing his eyes to raise to hers, he saw the discombobulation swirling within them.

'' Kaylens…I didn't…. '' He was suddenly avoiding her optic, the shame of his oversight darkening his features. `` I swear I did n't know… ''

The inexplicable itch to overwhelm himself within the stonyhearted pool took precedence, but the urge was driven from his brain by her hand reaching for his.

He found himself staring at the rachis of her liquid deal lying atop his, and it was some time before his eyes darted to behold her.

She was smiling. In fact, she seemed to be laughing.

'' It 's okay, '' She whispered, voice tinged with amusement. `` I know you were n't trying to go out me to resist off the Hugo Wolf myself. ``

And despite her tonus, he felt himself pale.

'' But if I had… If it had n't snapped and you had not been holding on I wou… ''

She was positively clamping upon her lowly lip, `` Now who 's the one stuttering ? '' She intoned, shaking with lighter laughter.

He merely stared, feeling her fingerbreadth slipping between his own, willingly interlocking, yet he was not daring enough to look.

'' Kaylens… '' He murmured, heart closing in pain. `` This has been a disaster. ``

'' It could have been worse. '' She whispered, the irony of her word of honor mocking the disaster they had lived through.

And then it happened. Everything he had been fighting back suddenly came swimming frighteningly close to the Earth's surface, and the abbreviated thought of whether or not she truly meant it flashed through his mind.

'' It could have been uncollectible. ``

Hogsmeade had been taken, Dean could be dying, Hermione was injured, and the others like barren Ginny Weasley, the sis he grew to have, were under the Imperious.

And then there was Seamus…

She knew about all of this, yet could sit there and say that.

Harry 's icy green eyes flew open, narrowing onto her. `` How…how can you possibly say that ? ''

Unapologetically she held his regard, her construction falling. `` Because it 's the Truth. ''

He swallowed, every fiber of his being disagreeing with each of her give tongue to syllables.

'' Seamus is dead, '' He finally whispered, regaining command. `` We abandoned the others. We failed them. Or did you forget tha… ''

'' No we did n't. ``

He stared, unable to reconcile the rising brokenheartedness and guilt that had swept upon him as suddenly as a tidal undulation, with her professions.

'' We failed. ``

She shook her head slowly, jaw setting determinedly in recognition of his repetition.

'' No potter, '' She countered. `` Luna and Weasley needed a distraction, and that 's exactly what we gave them. All we can do now is Leslie Townes Hope they took vantage of it. If we had not done that then we would have failed them. ``

Lifeless dreary eyes…

'' What if it wasn't enough ? ``

Her eyes flickered searchingly across his font, her brow creasing concernedly. `` Do you really have that little faith in them ? ''

Her spokesperson was as dangerous as he had ever heard it, and as gentle, yet the bitterness could not be kept from his part as he pulled his hand from hers.

'' I do n't recognise anymore. '' He whispered gruffly, not knowing which was worse : The hurt expression upon her face, or the knowledge that he actually believed his words, for he did not own faith in his champion.

At least not when it came to their avoidance of bodily harm. The section of Mysteries had proven that much, for they had fought bravely, yet their ineptness… Both had fallen almost immediately, first Ron, and then Hermione.

And Kaylens… Just for being near him, just for helping him, just as Ron and Hermione always had, she had nearly been killed.

'' I 'm of no good to anyone. '' He realized somberly, vocalizing his thoughts. `` Not to anyone. Not to Ron, not to Hermione, not to Seamus, not to… ''

'' What ? ``

flunk to catch this his insensible vocalization of self-loathing continued, unheard to his own ears, yet perfectly sort out to the little girl besides him.

'' How dare you. ``

This sentence he heard her, her voice vibrating dangerously, his eye instantly flying to her wild expression.

trench within her eye something terrorisation was stirring.

'' How dare you say that, '' She breathed quietly, her left hand shaking ever so slightly.

This shaking was her only sign of emotion, for her deadened tone was perhaps frigid than her adopted expression.

'' In case you did n't notice Potter, you are worth something, '' She whispered in protraction. `` Because if it was n't for you your friends would birth never made it out of Hogsmeade, and not only that… ''

She stood abruptly, brushing her hands on her jeans furiously, glowering down with chilling chroma.

'' If it was n't for you I would be drained right now potter. But perhaps I do n't count. '' Her fiery eyes burned a searching trail across him. `` Not to you at least. ``

Her last words were the cold-blooded of all, and the absence seizure of her hand, no longer within the confines of his own, struck him in a way he was ill equipped to explain.

He had willfully pulled his handwriting from hers in anger.

Scrambling to his feet he closed the distance between them, catching her around the arm before she could make it any further. She struggled, her icy glare fixated furiously upon him, freezing him to the core, yet it did not stop him from pulling her to him and holding on.

He did not let go, wrapping his arms tightly around her form, stroking her tomentum until she stopped struggling.

'' I 'm sorry… '' He whispered constrictedly, `` I swear to God I 'm sorry… ''

She uttered not a phone, dropping her face against his shoulder joint, allowing his to swallow within her hairsbreadth. He only pulled her closer, warmth sinking through him as her hands burrowed beneath his robes, snaking around his middle to confine him back.

'' I never meant for you to reckon ... '' He swallowed, breathing deeply as he whispered into her whisker. `` To opine I did n't care Kay… ''

'' Dam n't Potter… '' She interrupted harshly, her voice barely heard, muffled as it was against his robes. `` Is there anything you do n't pick yourself for ? ``

His throat vibrated oddly. `` Not really, '' He ground out, a hand raising to drag in within her tresses. `` Though with good reason… ''

Her physical body stiffened, his frontal bone falling against hers as her fount swiveled to involve him. Instinctively his coat of arms encircled her shivering form ever tighter, prepared to do anything to prevent her from leaving.

Her glistening center turned up, both ira and assurance swimming contradictorily within them. `` Potter… '' She whispered, `` No right reason exists here. You did all you could. ''

'' Well… '' He murmured gratingly, `` It 's a matter of opinion… ''

A soft murmur of disapproval came from behind her closed brim, the variety upon her once impassive face startling. Unconsciously his oculus fell shut, his hired hand moving across her back comfortingly. Slowly he breathed her in, clutching her by her sweater, twisting it in the cognitive operation as an exasperated sigh escaped her lips.

Against his skin he felt her cilium flickering shut, her warming palms sliding out from beneath his cloak, `` Potter… '' She whispered, rising her hands till they lay flat against his chest. `` Sometimes I really hate you. ``

Nodding against her cutis, he inhaled deeply, their unresolved conflict fading from his mind. `` You 're in luck… '' He replied, whispering despite their purdah. `` Because the spirit 's mutual. ``

'' I 'm sure… '' She murmured back, cheek upturning as a blustery autumn jazz sent her hanker tresses scattering haphazardly between them. His munition pulled her in closer, the promiscuous sides of his robe billowing out and enveloping them both.

For the retentive time they stood there, him shielding her from the darkness'icy hook, her shielding him from infantile fixation into the darkness of all he had been partly responsible for. And for the one-thousandth metre since their way of life had first crossed, he found himself listening to her admonishments.

Predominant amongst them was his newly bestowed title, a distort smiling crossing his case at the opinion.

'' King of Idiocy… '' He murmured, a nongregarious paw sliding from where he cupped the vertebral column of her read/write head, falling to rest along her cheek. `` I ca n't believe you called me that. ``

The touchy fingerbreadth lingering upon his chest curled, capturing the folds of his beer stained gown. `` From my detail of view it 's fitting. ``

A sad chortle caught in his throat. `` So I 've been told. ``

'' Mrmm… '' She murmured back. `` And I 'm surely it has sunk in as well as that froth you 're covered in. ''

He shook his header, his nose tousling her hair further. `` upright remember… '' He growled quietly, `` I owe you. ``

'' Do you ? '' She asked, inclining her head to bet questioningly upon him. `` And I thought it was I who owed you. ``

Despite his lack of joy, he found himself smiling. `` You do, I just owe you a drink, and I do n't mean the kind in a glass. ``

Her eyes shone with understanding, `` You mean the form overturned upon my promontory. ``

'' Just wait… '' He whispered, his brim falling upon her exposed earlobe. `` You 'll sit down in the Great Hall, and when you least suspect it… ''

'' Does it weigh that you deserved it ? ``

His throat vibrated lowly. `` And you do n't ? ``

'' Point taken. ``

'' You know… '' He mused aloud, `` You 're awfully agreeable tonight. ``

'' Well I do n't fancy being strangled by you, '' She replied truthfully, eyeing him with amusement. `` Alone, at Night, in the Forbidden Forest… It 'd be quite well-off for you to get rid of me. ``

His brow furrowed at her words, a astute reflection befalling him as he pulled away to regard her. `` We 're in the Forbidden woods ? ``

God he hoped he had misheard.
* * * * *


The door of the entrance Charles Martin Hall needed naught to be thrown spread out, for in the mayhem of parents coming and going, claiming their small fry before fleeing, the looming entry remained passable to all.

genus Regulus Shirley Temple Black strode through it, robes billowing ominously in his wake, looking for all the Earth as if Hell itself could not discourage him from his mission.

Only those who looked him in the eye would see the incertitude that lay beneath the surface.

It was upon the principal stairway that Dumbledore intercepted them, Tonks ushering Emily and a fully recovered Kenneth in strawman of her, due to their slightly drugged state.

Muggle repellant charms be damned, she had personnel them through the wards, for here they would be safe.

The door to Dumbledore 's office slammed shut on an indignant knocker, genus Regulus wasting not a moment.

'' He 's attacked everywhere has he not ? ``

Dumbledore crossed the room, quickly climbing a diminished ladder to think a small paperback, leather-bound school text. `` Of class. ``

Neither of the two men appeared uneasy with the other 's presence. The unflappable senior appearing entirely unsurprised by the younger 's sudden return to the livelihood.

'' Then his plan remains the same as before. ''

'' Indeed… '' Dumbledore replied calmly, descending his perch. `` It 's a disgrace the Ministry did not heed to the warnings. ``

Tonks cast an askance glimpse the schoolmaster 's way, steadying Emily 's swaying phase with a hired hand. `` You knew this was coming ? ``

'' I had my suspicions, '' Replied the Headmaster, squatting in front of Thomas Young Emily, extending the text to her. The auburn haired child took it without a idea.

'' My child… '' Dumbledore requested kindly, `` Would you do an old man the favour of reading a bit to him ? ``

Emily 's drumhead bobbed gently, opening the leather bound book with robotic motions, and as she began to study, the clouded feeling disappeared from her and Kenneth 's eyes, as did their drugged states.

Ignoring Regulus'steamed growl, Dumbledore responded to Tonks questioning tone. `` The only way to allow for Muggles to experience at simpleness within our reason, short of removing the hospital ward, is to take from this book. ``

Tonks merely nodded, while Kenneth blinked confusedly. Emily, however, had already spied a spongelike looking arm chair and wasted no time in making a bee pedigree for it.

'' If you do n't mind, there is the minor matter of a Dark master to attend to. '' The leer Regulus used paled in comparing to his tone.

Dumbledore merely smiled and pointed Kenneth towards the same electric chair, where the president promptly passed out, his low girl in his lap. It was only then that Dumbledore 's smiling exterior faltered, something far more serious flashing behind his half-moon spectacles.

Tonks remained silent, knowing wide well she would better dish up everyone by listening, for she was in the dark about what was transpiring. She, an Auror, was out of her realm with the discovery of the multiple attacks throughout the U.K., while Regulus merely grimaced, as if having long expected such an unpleasantry.

The finis remaining inheritor of the lightlessness category gestured to the sleeping family. `` He 's come after the family unit before ? ``

Both Tonks and Dumbledore nodded, while Regulus paced.

'' He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named may be a lot of matter, but impulsive is n't one of them, '' genus Regulus said seriously. `` If he 's attacked them it 's not co-occurrence, it 's targeting. And I 'm will to bet it has something to do with his plan of eradication. ``

Her middle fluttered uneasily, `` Eradication ? ``

Regulus paused mid-stride, `` Surely your education was not that bereft of grammar to provide desirable apology for your failure to translate such a short syllable word as eradication ? ``

Her dark eyes narrowed in vexation, her tongue held in check only by the discipline born of years under the supervision of Kingsley and Mad-Eye 's loose wand.

Regulus'equally disconsolate optic left hers duly, his pacing resumed, `` At a time He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named desired merely the eradication of Muggleborns alone. The cleansing of our world would birth sufficed, for then he would be free to rule it. ``

Reaching the bulwark he did an sharp about-face, continuing undeterred upon his unbowed path. `` His views eventually changed and he came to hope the deaths of both Muggles and Muggleborns, and if his plans remain similar to the patch of before, the game I failed to assist in properly, than today marks the root of the infestation. ``

Tonks breathed deeply, `` There has n't been a plague of precedence here since… ''

'' The Great pestis of London in the seventeenth century. ``

All eyes, including the drowsy Emily 's, turned to view the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. Though while Emily gently tugged at her dozing father 's sleeve, mumbling about the picture man in awe, genus Regulus glared in annoyance.

'' Salutations Grandfather, '' He greeted with considerable irony. `` As always I am fortunate to have never been forced to suffer your condemnable, condescending presence in animation. ``

Phineas ignored the insult, choosing to chasten Regulus by reminding him that he was his Great-Great-Grandfather, and as such demanded a greater grade of respect.

'' That irritable Stone doorknocker demands respect as well, but that does not mean we give it to him. '' Quipped Regulus, his long fingers creating a hole melody along the shelving.

The schoolmaster 's eyes twinkled at the sound of Crusantheus'protestations from outside the doorway. `` Your bearing has charmed everyone within earreach Regulus, I can only hope to earn such kudos by the end of our meeting as well. I 'm beginning to feel left out. ``

Simultaneously all of the portrayal, Tonks, the doorknocker, Fawkes, and a merman carving snorted.

Regulus and Phineas surveyed the room with identically decisive expressions, glowering at those uncouth enough to snort in their civilized front.

'' I 've wasted too many years abroad to idly stand around and be chortled at. There is again, the matter of a iniquity Lord to attend to. ``

Tonks sobered immediately, her eyes fixating upon the child and man under her auspices, the ones Regulus himself was responsible for saving when she had failed.

Her mouth formed the words, her emotionless snip telling of her seriousness.

'' Tell me more of this plague, Regulus. ``

And that he did, revealing the true reason for his defection from the ranks of the destruction Eaters.

'' Do you commemorate the interconnected attacks in my youthfulness headmaster ? ``

'' The single just before your disappearance ? ``

black nodded somberly, `` Yes, only on a smaller scurf than the I of today I shall envisage. On that day I was to deliver a vial into the River Thames, spreading the pestis throughout the entirety of Muggle Greater London. '' The man 's voice betrayed not a intimation of emotion as he confessed his deeds, his hands clasped neatly behind his back.

'' It was only natural, '' He continued, `` For He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to align attacks upon wizarding villages, entrapping the wizarding folk within. The order were to not belt down nor harm the inhabitants unless absolutely necessary, and while the magical tribe were trapped he unleashed a spell, a sideboard torment if you will, one that would accord all those within the wards at the time of its casting immunity from the pest. ``

'' Wait…was n't there a risk of the counter torment failing ? '' Another portrait, one by the name of Dilys Derwent, inquired.

Her cousin 's iniquity glare was answer enough.

'' So why risk wiping out the wizarding universe of Britain, his home, when there were early places where he may have tested it ? '' Tonks asked, directing her cousin-german 's dark gaze from the defenseless portrait to herself.

Regulus thin back talk went twit, `` Nymphadora, you again underestimate him, assuming he places value in nobble concepts such as making love and home. '' His eyes narrowed considerably, `` He does not, and what punter place to quiz an data-based vaccine if you will, then upon a populate island. ``

Dilys Derwent 's eyes widened, and Kenneth let out a jolting snore.

'' If the comeback whammy proved ineffective than the simply wizarding community of interests lost would be those of the Great Britain '' Dumbledore said sadly, `` A fair loss to one such as Tom, considering his unassailable resistance has always been in Great Britain. ``

Regulus nodded somberly, `` If it was ineffective, only a small serving of the world 's wizarding universe would be lost, yet millions of Muggles would be gone with them. And since it was on an island, isolated from the main continents, the chance of it spreading to the other continents would be very slight indeed. ``

Dilys shook her headway, `` Not with Muggle transportation. Now-a-days it could spread… ''

'' Quickly, '' genus Regulus supplied. `` There were programme to prevent this as well, to close down major Muggle transfer networks until the experimentation had run it 's course. However, what those design were, I was not privy to. We were on a indigence to know footing. ``

listening to the conversation Tonks breadbasket churned. The inhuman computing that must take gone into an attempt such as that… The realization that people, who harbored such piddling heed for human living, existed was chilling.

Her parents chronicle of such sorry times were what had driven her to join the membership of the Aurors in the first place, even if she herself harbored no personal storage of those days.

She had been only seven upon the ides of June, when the towns had been held during the day lit hours for cause never discovered.

Regulus Black person was now revealing the undisclosed reasoning behind the 24 deaths that had occurred that day. For his job had been to unleash the Plague that night, once the wizarding communities had been safely and effectively immunized.

The infestation had never been loose, for Regulus Black, the trusty son of a noble thoroughbred kinfolk, had never shown. And now that like son was setting the vial, the same vial that he had kept for years in his possession, upon the Headmaster 's desk.

'' Whatever it does, it was rumored to take a leak the Bubonic Plague seem like the flu. ''

It would be the deadliest plague to betide the major planet, and according to Regulus, the same plague would have been unleashed under similar circumstances.

Similar setting had occurred that very day, and Dumbledore was just informing them. Fawkes disappeared in a perfervid pouf of smoking, sent to summon Severus and the estimable of healers to began examining the mortal depicted object of the vial.

With an ashen face Tonks took it all in, only one thought resonating within her head.

God help us.
* * * * *


'' Kaylens ? '' He questioned hesitantly, waiting for some reaction. Yet she only regarded him quizzically, nodding slowly in response to his question.

They were in the Forbidden Forest, and her with her anserine naivety had not thought once to refer it before now.

They were in the Forbidden Forest…

How in the Scheol could she experience know that ?

His locution instinctively hardened, as did his workforce upon her, for irregular isolation within a woodland was one thing, but isolation within the Forbidden Forest was an entirely different matter.

Eyes sweeping the wood 's menacing tree line defensively, he remained unresponsive to her questioning eyes. His only reaction was the slight loosening of his arms around her form as he silently prayed their safety would moderate out.

Unsatisfied, yet helpless to improve matters, his implements of war fell to her waist, hands stiffening along her spine. `` Kaylens… '' He whispered lowly, `` Why did you not think to mention this earlier ? ``

Her bureau rose against his, her slow breath crystallizing on the temperature reduction air.

'' What good would it sustain done ? '' She whispered back. `` It was n't Charles Frederick Worth mentioning. ''

Swallowing hard he regarded her through narrowing slits. `` Perhaps I 'm wrong, '' He said lowly, `` But when something concerns our safety I 'd consider it deserving mentioning. ''

'' If I had told you before, what would you have done ? '' She whispered dryly. `` We 're in too deep to risk travel, especially in the swarthiness. ``

'' I like the shadow. ``

'' So do arachnids. ``

His eyes narrowed further, `` How could you possibly know about them ? ``

Lifting her chin defiantly she met his regard, `` Hagrid. ``

He nodded, voice heavily laced with sarcasm, `` And I 'm sure he 's in the recitation of telling all his scholar about Aragog. ``

Her expression defied his test, for her eyes told him she knew exactly of what he spoke as she shook her head. `` No, but I was like him Potter. I ca n't do magic, just like he was forbidden to after his projection, so we had something in common… ''

Grinding his teeth to forestall an interjection he listened warily.

'' The only if thing that saved him was being able to work with the beast of this forest Potter, did you know that ? ``

He shook his head disbelievingly, `` You ca n't exploit around them without a baton, it 's too dangerous. And unlike you he at least had his… ''

'' Umbrella ? '' She whispered shrewdly. `` No. Not at first. ''

'' And what does this have to do with you not telling me where we were before now ? ``

'' Everything, because when I first came here Hagrid showed me how the forest was divided into quadrant of each magical metal money'territory. ``

He inclined an brow questioningly, encouraging her to continue.

'' This quadrant is rather near their nest. ``

His origin grew cold in memory board of his last experience, hands tightening along her back further. `` You still should have told me, '' He whispered.

She smiled sadly, `` Since when did I have to inform you of everything within my question ? ''

'' Since now. ``

She shrugged impassively, `` I 'm surprised you did n't know. It was your porthole key that took us here, so I assumed you had known where it had taken us. ``

Exasperatedly his eyes fell shut, pectus rising as he inhaled deeply, `` Did I just imagine telling you Dumbledore made it ? Or did I not already relay that I had no clue that the vial was a port ke… ''

'' You told me that recently, '' She interjected. `` We were here in silence for hours. How was I to intuitively live that you were unaware of our location before then ? ``

'' You should have said something the 2d I told you I had nothing to do with the port key Kayle ... ''

'' Considering that you were in mid-apology I 'm going to disagree, '' She whispered, leveling her regard to his. `` It 's not often that one sees the great Potter apologize about anything and I was n't about to break up that. ``

His hands dropped at her word of honor, for the conversation had turned in a strikingly different direction. She merely took a footprint back, regarding him from a safe space with disguise eyes.

'' It 's the verity thrower. It did n't even occur to me that you were clueless about where we were until a second ago. Before I was busy being concerned that you were actually adequate to of showing some semblance of human emotion…. '' Her eyes narrowed, tones drowned in satire. `` Asides from wrath or suspicion that is. ``

With that she dropped down to the ground, becoming utterly fascinated by the swaying vibrating reed as he was left with zip but her vertebral column to regard.

This was not how it was supposed to be. She was the one who 's emotions were constantly masked. She was the inhuman one, not him.

By the time he was done telling her that, in not quite succinct sentences, he was reasonably trusted that her expression would betray hostile intent towards him.

Though as he moved to tolerate besides her kneel signifier, suddenly the escalation of their controversy seemed slimy as he glimpsed her shoot down formulation. Turning away from him, the back of her wrists began wiping at her eyes.

It was a foresighted fourth dimension before either again rundle, the solely speech sound the howling of the steer between the forest 's Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree.

'' Kaylens I… ''

'' No… '' She whispered, `` Do n't inconvenience. Just agnise that some us do not have the luxury to leave our feel unmasked. ``

Only one word came to beware, and he spoke it, unable to articulate in any other way his query as to why she had until this very day refused to show any colour of her true self to him.

'' Why ? ``

Her head teacher bowed low, the last of her foresighted tresses dangling loosely in the rippling water supply. Finally, a small stretchiness of eternity pass, she again spoke.

'' If you had the choice between keeping people rubber, or putting dependable citizenry at risk, what would you do ? ``

Her Logos were chilling, and he found himself standing still, frozen in that present moment, heart thudding louder than it ought. Never before had soul uttered the actor's line, or given vocalism to the doubtfulness that so oft haunted him.

Not in the way she just had.

She turned on the wet grass, her sheeny orbs rising in a define way, betraying all the painfulness she had until now kept so carefully hidden.

'' How can you let yourself like for others, when it could destroy them ? ``
* * * * *


doyen felt empty as he numbly shoved past the Fat Lady 's portrait. Whether the password had fallen from his rim or not was something he would never know, and something the Fat Lady would keep on to herself.

'' Neville. ``

He addressed his residence hall mate in a monotone, ineffective to reckon the boy in the eye, even as Neville smiled sadly, hauling his luggage compartment down the stairs.

It was well after midnight, the majority of the students already gone, taken away by their category. Those remaining till the succeeding sunrise, or indefinitely, as Dean was planning, would already be in their dormitories.

Save for Neville, who 's g had just arrived to have him home.

Neville shook his head sadly, `` It is n't rightfulness. I should n't pass on like this. ``

dean shrugged, walking past him up the flight. `` Then do n't. ``

The other boy paused in his tracks, turning and nearly losing his trunk in the process. `` It 's not that simple. ``

doyen sighed resignedly, `` It is Neville. Just withdraw a stand for once. Do n't back down. '' Like I did…

Neville 's face furrowed anxiously, `` And what happens if she does n't let me ? ''

'' We are at war Mr. Norman Thomas, and soon you will be forced to prefer a side ! ``

A strong deal stretched out to rest against the frigidity stone wall of the tugboat, and James Byron Dean steadied himself from the onslaught of sorry memories.

'' Dean what if she tries to make me ? ``

'' shuffling your choice ! ``

His manifestation hardened, hand leaving the wall as he turned to see his nervous looking hall Ilex paraguariensis, whose neck was craned high to see where he stood eminent up upon the stairs.

'' Neville… '' He said seriously, his abstruse vocalism echoing upon the empty paries of the towboat. `` No one can name you do anything. Not unless you are too rickety to stand up for what you want, '' His eyes narrowed dangerously. `` Or for what you think is right. ''

Swiftly he strode down, taking the stairs two at a prison term until he was again level with the spooky looking boy.

'' No one can force you to do anything, '' Dean imparted, his coloured center squaring off with Neville 's. `` Not McGonagall. Not Snape. '' His continued, his own internal anger growing. `` Not even Voldemort himself. ''

proclivity in James Dean let his dark stare drill into Neville 's light one. `` And especially not your Gran, '' He whispered fiercely. `` No one can hale you to do something you do not already require to do. So if you think staying here is the veracious thing, then you beneficial do it, lest you regret it later on. ``

Neville Longbottom looked at him as if he had never before seen him, and gulped apprehensively, for in Dean 's normally congenial eyes there was no pathos.

'' There 's nothing worse than looking back and wishing you had done something differently. '' Dean imparted intensely, straightening as a tabby cat bounded down from the missy 's dorm room. `` And I would think that somebody who could face down Death feeder, defending himself the way you did back in Hogsmeade, would not be one for backing down. ``

With a last glimpse at the cat Dean trudged up the trajectory, hell knack on retrieving Ronald Weasley 's matter. How in the hell he was to get Ginny 's was another affair entirely, but the exclusively thing he really knew, or cared about at that moment, was the satisfactory sound of Neville 's bole dropping to become abandoned on the stairs.

Later, when Dean came out of the dormitory, he would be greeted with an empty vulgar room, Neville 's stern call of being needed at Hogwarts filling the halls.
* * * * *


interior Harry felt something breaking, for Kalliandra 's words were hitting close to home plate than she could ever realize, for what had haunted him had haunted her.

deep in the forest, the impenetrable silence was again shattered by her cheerless voice.

'' Once someone maintenance for you, and I mean truly tending Potter, no amount of resistance will be capable to advertize them away. '' Her haunting words fell to the unfeeling ground, her expression once again lowered. `` Once you let soul in there really is no going back, and doing that… ''

She paused, Harry 's heart wrenching at the actualisation befalling him.

'' It 's something I can not do. '' She finally whispered, eyes again falling upon the sinister waters.

In that moment, the wind stirring the grass around his feet, he realized how abysmally stunned he had been. Kalliandra 's Christian Bible had never rang truer. And though he felt as if he were missing some integral percentage point, for how the Holy Scripture applied to her he knew not, he did know how they applied to him.

Ron and Hermione would never leave his side, not ever.

A long time ago they had said there had been a peak where they could turn back, and they had not.

Harry Potter suddenly realized when that mo had been, for both of them.

'' I think I can adjudicate the amiss kind for myself thanks. ``

Ron 's look had glowed with acceptance.

'' It was my idea professor. I went looking for the troll. I had read about them and thought I could deal it. If Harry and Ron had not come when they did, I 'd probably be bushed. ``

A sad smile tugged at his fondness, for Hermione Granger, knowing them as goose egg other than cruel taunting boy, had broken every moral she had that Halloween night.

And she had done it for them.

The item where he could protect his friends had long since passed. The meter where they could possess been kept safe was over, and if he truly wanted them to live on their best chance would be together, not apart.

He had been a fool to think otherwise.

centre blinking rapidly, he regarded the fille who had brought this to light source, torn between whether to drown her or cover her. Though all he could bring himself to do was quietly watch, paralyzed by the sheer intellection of speechmaking when he was only just realizing how little he understood about her.

In that moment he was struck by the intense pain he had failed to before observation. Even the fleeting glimpses he had before stolen… None of what had filtered through when she had been caught unaware… None of it could equate. Not to the sorrow flitting through in every pained fold of her brow, in every precarious intimation indrawn, and in every halting gesture.

The rather field, disheveled miss before him, the one capable of holding so much in, was suddenly strikingly beautiful.

In a bit of indecision he crossed to her. Gone was the falter boy who had once been unable to articulate a coherent thought around saddened females. Now, in the face of necessity, drawn together by context, he found that his concern suddenly lay with the sole person he held the power to help.

Kaylens.

Laying a hired hand upon her shoulder, the actualization that her cloak was gone come to him. Once he had removed it, accessing her chest in the alley, he had never re-fastened the clasp.

It had been left behind, and in the rapidly chilling air she had let slip not one complaint.

Despite the stiffening of her shoulders beneath his throbbing medallion, he knelt down, one arm snaking it 's way around her pulsate form. Goosebumps were rising across her neck where her tresses had been swept aside, her skin far too cool for his liking.

Lowering his mouth to her ear his hint traced along her skin, his mentum falling to rest on her articulatio humeri as he spoke.

'' You 're stubborn, missing your cloak, and did not cogitate to say a word, '' He whispered, pulling her against him, trapping her arms against her dresser with his own. `` And….you look like hell, and I do not visualize having you not only irritable but sick. ``

'' Like hell… '' She muttered softly, her words vibrating with her chattering dentition. Casting his eyes to the body of water he could see her reflection, and distracted verbalism. `` You should see yourself. ``

'' I 'll let you revel in that distortion alone, '' He responded softly, the cooling breeze sweeping the clouds aside once again, revealing the sliver of moon residing there that All Hallows Eve.

Her light string tickled his grimace, his eyes falling shut as he reveled in the strange sense datum, only opening as he felt her turn to involve him.

Before she could utter his hand rose, silencing her.

'' Thank you, '' He whispered, watching the anger fade from her eye. Now only confusion, mingled with meek surprise, swirled within her fiery eyeball. The creese of her forehead was question enough, and he shook his mind, mumbling how it was hard to explain, for how could he give the realizations her single sentence had brought.

Unable to do so, he tightened his limb around her, pulling her to her metrical unit before releasing her. Shrugging out of his cloak he spread it before them upon the cold earth, earning a puzzled look from where she stood, her own weapon now wrapped tightly around herself.

Her backtalk parted slightly, though her protestation fell silent, for a blockheaded woolen blanket now lay where his cloak had been a bit before.

Pocketing his wand he nodded satisfactorily. `` Transfiguration of Jesus, '' He offered by way of explanation, wrapping it around her shoulder, his hands lingering there. `` If we remain here, we 'll be safe ? ''

Haltingly she nodded, a golden twist falling loose from behind her ear, swinging freely in the light breeze that cast it across her face, her nose crinkling ever so slightly as the tress tickled her nose.

His deal rising to sweep it aside, he watched her eyes turn to the woods, studying it with a barely hold back longing.

'' We 're welcome here, '' She whispered softly, `` For now at least. ``

And against every ingrain instinct, he trusted her unquestioningly.

'' Then here we 'll persist. ``

Sliding his hands down her arms, taking her handwriting in his, he led her away from the urine and towards a large oak with a comfortable looking trunk.

Within minutes a soft, smoke-free fire burned before them, his back to the oak and her resting comfortably against his chest, his arm encircling her tightly as she pulled the woolen blanket to her Chin, covering them both.

Beneath the woolen framework, where no eyes save theirs could see, two hands intertwined around a favorable strand, a small vial carefully clutched between their palms, just in case.



A/N : Happy Belated Holidays everyone ! And thanks to IchigoPan for the lovely opening range of a function. : )

Also, par reader request I shall post in the recommended division whether or not a chronicle is complete, and the number of chapters present upon recommendation.

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'' Freedom is what you do with what 's been done to you. ''
~ Jean-Paul Jean-Paul Sartre ~




Chapter 25 ~ Condemnation by pick


Some would believe that they had been condemned by fate, others that they had been condemned by option. In the long run, those who believe that freedom can only be found by the selection one makes with what they have been given, are snug than either extreme.

Those who had cared for the dead and dying during the Bubonic Plague, risking vulnerability so that others could be spared, made the Best choice they could with the dire circumstances life had dealt them. And though more than three centuries had passed since anything of similar ratio had struck civilized society, history would soon repeat itself.

Bathed in the inky hues of darkness, upon the shore of the River Liffey, a man with a fishing perch smiled into the moonlit sky. The rain had hanker since let up, and he basked in the early dawn 's fragrant fragrance, enjoying the atomiser of the river splashing against the shoreline.

He would soon be the first to knuckle under to the universe 's superlative infestation.

He did not know this, not that early morning as he sat upon the dewy locoweed, eagerly anticipating the daybreak aurora he had awoken so early to see. He could not foresee this anymore than he could foresee that his wife and three child would be the succeeding to succumb, leaving their once vibrant family devoid of laughter, love, and life.

They would all be utterly within seventy-two hours.
* * * * *


Neville .... doyen ....

Beneath a thick, dark veil of russet toned strands, two sorry eyes fluttered blurrily. The optical centre of attention of her brain were not ready to receive the signaling traveling across her optic nerve. The nuisance signaling were still far too overwhelming.

Despite this the girl 's eyes fluttered subject, peering into her new hell.

A fuzzy, rectangular synopsis, the color of a finely aged ms 's Sir Frederick Handley Page ... it rested besides where she lay, her physical structure feeling unnaturally whole upon the smooth satin sheets. Somehow she was left with the lurking sense experience that everything should not be quite right ... ..with what though ... .for certainly her skull was whole.

The little girl 's superb judgment felt somehow ... violated. As if mortal had been poking about within it, without her express permission.

As if somebody had been searching through her most treasure memoirs ...

Again the names came to her, hitting her with the force of a heavily muscled serpentine tail.

Her pleasant hallucination born of slumber were shattered, her lips parting with an indrawn pant as the alien, fuzzy room fell into focusing, as did the adult female resting within the high backed president, legs elegantly crossed, a cruel, taunting expression stretched taunt across her rim. And like a predator stalking its target, the cleaning lady 's middle were purposeful, triumphant, and locked upon her own.

Somewhere in her recovering mind the female child realized that the cleaning lady was design on stealing her innermost arcanum, and what better moment to do so than within one 's waking bit, when their defenses were the lowest.

Voldemort'ranks were cruel and calculating, containing victor tacticians whom she both admired and loathed with every fiber of her being. Yet despite this admiration, she would die before allowing them in.

Silently she swore this, and in the dip room the girl did the only thing she knew how to.

She fought.

As the woman 's chesty laughter filled the room, for the girl was no mate for the woman 's training, a crucial fault was made, for in that one moment of underestimation the Mudblood was able to push back, catching visual sense of what the woman was really after.

master Voldemort was in the way, spiritual world to the girl 's eyes, and the girl suddenly understood that she was the bait that was to lure in the true prey.

Hermione sodbuster began screaming for her comfortably friend to block out everything Voldemort showed him.

A cruel light cut through the air, and as the young lady fell defenseless to the Cruiciatious execration, passing into another pain induced slumber, Harry ceramicist tossed violently within his own.
* * * * *


'' Sit ! ``

The small of her binding hit the basketball backboard of the electric chair, painfully.

Yet that was cypher in equivalence to what she would do to Regulus. Over the past few hours, where they had been all but forced to remain holed up in Dumbledore 's office, her impression of genus Regulus had done a complete 180, followed by a 360. And now he had been presumptuous enough to physically pressure her away from the door, which she had been using in an effort to rescind the premises.

She felt needed elsewhere.

She snapped her baton out, aiming at her infuriating cousin with every purpose of ordering him to put up aside, when Dumbledore 's voice thundered loudly, its ancient baritones echoing throughout the tower.

'' Enough ! ``

respiration heavily, her disconsolate eyes fixated furiously upon Regulus'complacent saying, her voice addressed the Headmaster. Unsurprisingly her tone of voice were less than pleased at the information she had just gleaned from their impromptu merging.

It had been the reason for her failed attack to leave.

'' Explain ... '' She spoke LE than warily, `` How you can apologise refusing to allow me, an Auror in suit you forgot, to retrieve Harry when you have just admitted that you know where he is ? I can be trusted to line up him ! '' Regulus scoffed loudly at this, receiving a swift kick in his unprotected shinbone.

Ignoring his grimace and failed attack at dignity she continued adamantly. `` Headmaster ... one student has already been killed, and if Harry is out there alone he ... ''

'' He is not alone. ``

She closed her oculus, drawing an pissed breath between her dentition. `` Oh ? ''

Dumbledore seemed vaguely amused by her reaction. `` Of course not. He is with another student. ``

Tonks blinked, flabbergasted. Suddenly she was having a very difficult time separating her sworn swearing as an Auror to do all she could to protect the innocent, with her expletive to the Order to trust its rank and its laminitis. Particularly when that Same founding father had just finished informing her that he had known the localization of three of the missing students all along, yet had failed to inform the Ministry functionary and Order members scouring Hogsmeade of that apparently miniscule fact.

'' A scholar ... and who would that happen to be ? '' She muttered, choosing to put it simply.

Dumbledore removed his spectacles, polishing them gently. `` Kalliandra Kaylens. ``

Her middle widened in hopes that she had misheard. `` That girl Remus has been tutoring ? '' She nearly shouted. `` She 's practically a Muggle ! ``

Dumbledore cast a curious glimpse her way. `` Sometimes you may be surprised at what non-magical people are open of. ``

Regulus sneered, `` Oh yes ... I 'm trusted they are naturals at evading the Unforgivables of the wickedness Lord 's servant. ``

'' Of track you 'd hump all about that would n't you Reggie ? '' Tonks snapped hotly, ignoring the disapproving eyes of the master as she turned her hot temper directly on him.

'' What in the gens of Merlin are you thinking headmaster ? '' She questioned shrilly. `` You 've allowed half of the lodge to guess that Harry is missing yet tell the ex-Death Eater on the blot the sec everyone is out of earsho ... ''

'' I 'm in earshot ! ``

'' Shut up !'Tonks and Regulus shouted simultaneously as Regulus practically flew across the room, giving the already closed door a good kick. Crusantheus, the door knocker, could be heard swearing violently on the other side.

'' Tonks ... '' Dumbledore said, sounding slightly amused, `` I have my understanding for doing affair. ''

Regulus'eyebrow arched so high-pitched Tonks swore he must feature stolen Snape 's patented aspect of smugness.

'' tolerate me to venture a wager ... '' Regulus interjected snidely, looking pointedly at her. `` But I am guessing that Dumbledore does not commit everyone in this petty bird high society you have both spoken so adamantly about tonight. ``

It was ridiculous, yet she knew her cousin-german 's point held a note of truth.

'' Is n't it a pity, Nymphadora ... '' genus Regulus continued, pacing in movement of her seated frame, `` When you can not even swear your swain bird watchers with the whereabouts of the babe chicks ? ''

She scowled, forcing herself to look away from his look of high quality. Instead she observed what Dumbledore was doing, watching as the quill feather finished penning upon each scroll, then rolling themselves in succession, the ink already fading upon each.

It was a magic of the fiat, used only in times where the utmost of security measures was needed, for only those bearing the mark of the phoenix would be able to see the verity printed upon those scrolls.

The use of it disturbed her greatly, for why would Dumbledore need risk penning instructions when he could inform each recipient verbally via flow ?

'' master ... '' She said warily. `` Please let me recover Harry. As an Auror you have to realize that I can not stand aside and give up Harry and Kalliandra to be put in danger. '' She stood, ignoring Regulus'attempt to block her path, and strode straight to the window overlooking the castle earth. Dumbledore stood besides this same window, an odd look deepening his already lined features.

'' Headmaster ... '' She said, eyes shining with urgency. `` You know better than anyone what variety of hoi polloi are after Harry. Just tell me where he is at, because wherever he is he could get .... ''

'' Killed ? '' Dumbledore supplied, tearing his center from the sullen scenery. `` Tonks, I understand your business. Yet if we never allow Harry to pull round on his own how can we anticipate him to live this war ? ``

She frowned, her silence his answer.

The headmaster nodded solemnly. `` The time when we could protect the children from the horrors of war has long since passed. Now all we can do is trust that we have prepared them well enough. ``

Tonks sighed sadly, watching as the quills began inscribing the gens of the destination upon the furled papyrus scrolls. Harry 's gens was amongst them, but not Remus.

turn to Dumbledore she questioned him with her oculus. `` What if we have n't ? ``

A comforting hand touched her shoulder, Dumbledore 's twinkling eyes again holding a common sense of hope.

'' If I 'm not mistaken, I do believe you were always a strong proponent of giving at to the lowest degree Harry to a greater extent exemption. If you had not believed him, a student, prepare, would you really have suggested that ? ``

Swallowing she nodded, glancing towards where Kenneth and Emily slumbered, a loud snore from Kenneth the sudden draw of her attending.

Dumbledore chuckled. `` Perhaps we ought to prompt them to my individual quarters. I dare say they could possibly be more well-off there. ``

She nodded vaguely, and within proceedings was levitating the Irish President in a very undignified way, his weapon system and legs hanging slack as he sleep danced through the highly arced doorframe, leaving the office of the headmaster and entering Dumbledore 's individual study.

Regulus followed behind, Emily in his arms, and the most curious expression upon his font. He rather looked as if he had drunk acidity milk containing the elixir of biography. Regardless the expression vanished as he placed her upon the lounge besides her begetter, a look of rilievo overtaking him as he rid himself of the seven year old burden.

'' Nympahdora ? ``

Her hands froze upon the woolen blanket, the one she had been draping across her electric charge sleeping phase, for Dumbledore 's voice was no longer redress behind her.

Trepidation shook her.

turn, as if in dumb gesture, her brain recognized that except for her sleeping commission, that she was now alone in the room.

Both her cousin and the master stood just beyond the room 's threshold, a look of free solemnity upon their faces.

'' I am sorry Nymphadora .... '' Dumbledore 's representative floated through the threshold eerily. `` But there is something I must do, and I have a feeling that Regulus may be the only one willing to brook looker without protest. ''

What ritual ?

The study 's finely carve room access began swinging shut.

She bolted for them, not knowing why, yet knowing there was no time. Her pes fell across the flooring, her centre catching sight of the papyrus coil clutched within Dumbledore 's aging hand, its addressee forever burning into the Young Auror 's mind.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

It was only then that it finally dawned on her ... what Dumbledore intended to do. And as she tripped, falling flat upon the level, her eyes upturned, straining for a mickle of the ceiling within the schoolmaster 's office.

Upon the tower 's cone-shaped ceiling were the ancient words of power, and they were the last mass she had before the study door slammed shut with a resonating finality.

Lying stunned upon the floor her thoughts faltered, for upon the parchment leaping for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named an ancient curse word was surely inscribed. Dumbledore 's magical signature was the one responsible for writing it beneath the complex body part of power, and thus she knew that Dumbledore had sworn to meet with the most dire of scoundrel to begin the negotiation for the surviving student of his.

Hermione Granger.

Beneath the doorway a fiery tendril could be seen.

The parentage bound ritual had begun ...
* * * * *


In the thick of night lightning flashed.

Shadows were streaking across the ground, illuminating the dark abyss surrounding those who slumbered far from the oncoming storm. There, deep beneath the darkened boughs of Night, dreams both haunting and beseeching plagued the girl 's listless turning within the weapon of Morpheus.

Yet something far more strong than the purveyor of ambition clung to the fille, smoothing away the gooseflesh rising upon her cold pelt, for even as the man she leant against dreamt his promise to safeguard was being unconsciously kept.

In his weapons system the girl failed to discover the oncoming storm, only awakening from her cool slumber as the calloused manus around her tightened, the man 's steady breathing falling and rising erratically, for REM was suddenly failing to conquer his voluntary muscular systems.

Something had changed ...

Kally was flung to the priming with a showtime, her torso hitting the dew kissed filth with emphatic vividness.

Coughing, there upon the terra firma, she scrambled away, rolling and slipping as the sky thundered, the maiden droplet of the icy outpouring catching her in the typeface. Reflex Born of one cruel giant 's sadism, and a lifetime of paranoia, sent her scattering from her protector on instinct.

Sliding upon the dew kissed soil, scrambling to her understructure, blinking back the dreg of sleep and the dark of night, her judgment finally processing what was occurring she ceased to act. Standing there with the farting whipping bitterly around her, the rising air 's quiver seeping through her poor clothing, she laid eyes upon her unwilling assailant.

Potter ...

The creative thinker numbing confusion that befell her, the kind that always seemed to accompany his comportment, returned as she watched him. His shining optic closed against the brewing tempest, his aspect contorted, and even from where she stood she could see the phrenetic peaks and valleys his heaving chest made.

It was happening again, the affair she had merely glimpsed that night in the coarse elbow room, falling dupe to it within the torch-lit corridors ...

Without rational thought she ran to him, the one she barely knew, who had foolishly saved her animation on Sir Thomas More affair than she cared to weigh. Dropping besides him, her knees sinking into the moist mud, she felt her fingers stall, uncertainty gripping her chill form.

Something was awry ... this ace ... the uncertainty ... .it was alien and fleeting ...

Though life history 's inhuman treatment had once taught her the demons of inaction.

Forcing herself, willing herself to act, she gripped his berm, calling his name as loudly as she dared. In the quickening zephyr the blanket that had sheltered them billowed out, tumbling with the wind to lay sprawled across the wet ground.

'' Pott-tter ... '' The chill crept into her voice, the wind stealing her parole for its own cagey purpose. Slowly she watched, nearly feeling his sassing moving in a mute dialogue to which she was not privy.

Beneath her fingers she felt the growing rigidness of his shoulder, a terrifying intensity radiating from him as the rain began to light in thick torrents, rainwater splattering upon his sweat dampened brow.

When the life giving water reached his unsightly scar, a sizzling rose into the air.

Lightning criss-crossed the night.

One-one thousand ...

Gingerly her fingertips traced his forehead, brushing along his matted fuzz. Before the searing ace within her physical body even registered her bridge player was recoiling, a smother cry of botheration caught within her throat.

In the darkness she could not see her flush fingertips, but she knew the burning to be there.

Two-one thousand ...

articulation constricted, from what she knew not, for nothing in the magical world could now surprised her, she screamed at him. Foolishly she screamed, roaring in a contest to rise above the confidential information as she gripped his shoulder, shaking his already vibrating conformation.

His Adam 's apple rose and fell, as if he too were screaming to be heard by one incapable of doing so.

threesome one-thousand ...

'' thrower ... '' She questioned, knowing her vox would not pass him. `` What 's happening to you ? ''

Four-one thousa ...

Thunder shook the sky, a carnal howl carrying upon the wind from a aloofness far too close. Her constrict center flew to the timber, ill-equipped as they were to reveal its hidden peril.

God Remus ... where are you .... He would be capable to see, to penetrate the nighttime 's veil.

Unconsciously, as her ill fated thoughts plagued her, her fingerbreadth coiled around Harry 's berm, relishing the odd protection his proximity brought in the expression of the unknown.

dentition chattering she began a unsounded mantra.

'' One-one thousand ... ''

Within her ears the stabilize rhythm of her pith pounded achingly loud, and further ululate cutting upon the gusts of the growing onslaught sent a current running through her chilled veins.

'' Two-one thousa ... ''

Again the sky split open, rumbling as if hell itself were fighting to crack through, and as if in some cruel unison with the sky infliction erupted around her slender, unclothed arm.

Tight fingers now clenched callously around her carpus, her free hired man slipping from Harry 's berm, clutching at his finger's breadth, prying them away from the crushing force of his solid hands.

In the eerie light of the tempest she struggled with him, his sleeping number writhing against her as if he were a man observance, silently reliving, the slaughter of all he held dear.

She too had learnt the truth of such revulsion far too untried ....

A muffle phone resounded within his throat, her own constricting at the pained creases lining his effort soaked brow.

'' Damn you Potter ... '' She implored breathlessly, feeling his unwavering grip tightening further. `` Come back ... ''

Thunder clapped across the expansive sky, her breath coming out in ever clearer cloud. `` You 're unacceptable ... '' She gasped through clenched, chattering teeth. `` ceramist please ... this hurts so a great deal ... ''

Somehow, despite the howl of the wind, her frightened pleas broke through, reaching the God of rest, for Morpheus released his vice handle upon the King of Idiocy 's psyche.

In a instant, in one short, abrupt spasm, she was yanked against him, thrown across his legs as he jerked awake.

Frightened and cutting tire eyes flew outdoors, staring through the frigid rain at her, not fully seeing ...

Yet pain and shame swelled within them.

cough, breathing heavily from her effort and up gibbosity of care for he alone, her words came unbidden.

'' What happened ? ``

blink the water system from his eyes, his spyglass long since flung to the ground, he swallowed painfully, his spokesperson coming out in hoarse rasps.

'' Kaylens ... '' He rasped, `` He 's got her. ``

'' Of grade ... '' She murmured sardonically. `` Yes ... that explains everything ... ''

With measure out movements she slowly removed herself from where she lay upon his saturated legs, collapsing onto the dingy ground besides him. The thickening mud rose around her, threatening to catch her thoughtless signifier.

'' potter .... '' She finally whispered, allowing her eyes to flick shut. `` What just happene ... ''

'' Do n't build me lie to you. '' He whispered brokenly. `` I wo n't. I ca n't. ``

Somehow, as she felt his figure moving to shield her from the chemical element, she managed a response.

'' Harry ... '' She murmured incredulously, `` Then tell me. Who has who ? ``

Her center flickered open, and the piercing jade in the world locked onto her own.

'' Voldemort has Hermione. ``
* * * * *


Remus staggered from the bowels of the Forbidden forest. From where he had been drug, and left.

'' You 're divine service are no longer required blood betrayer. Our Jehovah shall summon you when our Robert William Service are again ... .needed. ``

Lucius'words were chilling. Though not nearly as a good deal as his act this night.

He remembered everything ...

Even now the rake lust taunted him, alluring him with its putrid aroma rising from his tattered clothing.

Ron 's blood ...

Before him loomed Hogwarts schooling of witchery and Wizardy, his slow gait leading him past the ragged looking Ministry official.

He was just another hurt bystander to them, and was paid no heed.

On the grounds a dusty creme tent flapped in the violent wind, Mediwizards roaming around the opening in the canvas. Within its illuminated Department of the Interior he glimpsed haggard parents lining up with their children, udder in tow, as they waited for Ministry transport away from the view of today 's crimes.

No one would chance a walk to Hogsmeade, not now, not even with Ministry protection.

With staggering stairs Remus made his way to the castle. He had a account to make up, and a sin to beg self-mortification for.
* * * * *


The foregone conclusion swim within his eyes was astounding. Even in the dark of dark, as he hovered above her prostate form, she recognized that.

Her brim parted, a silent question unspoken as his scattered Assumption settled in, for how could one know the whereabouts of one they could not see ?

They could n't. He could n't. And yet ...

She believed him.

In the past he had been unkind and cruel, confused and brash, and yet he had never given her a grounds to doubt nor distrust him.

Everything that had passed between them before had been the indirect answer of her own concealment, of her own perpetuated lies, of her own wickedness ...

He had been right to call her a Death Eater. Though she had not know of the title, she was as undecomposed as one.

nictation the rainfall from her eyes she took a chance.

Her first chance.

'' So ... what do we do ? '' She asked.

His silence was tangible. The crack of breaking boughs in the timberland, their tumultuous descents to the wood floor, and their final soggy thunder against it were all she heard above the wind.

His jaw remained slack.

'' ceramist ? '' She whispered, knowing he now read her lips, for her soft reply was inaudible.

His wet hair swayed as his headland was shaken, slinging H2O upon her as his squashy hand curled around her arm. `` You believe me. ''

It was a statement. Not a question.

Shivering, the bone deep chill taking over, she nodded. `` S-shocking, I k-know. ``

His solemn respect studied her, eyes moving to where his hand lay. A perplexed saying broke his muteness.

'' Did I hurt you ? ``

His tone of voice carried a note of ego disgust, yet the turning point of her lip tugged gently upwards at his concern.

'' C-could n't if you t-tried, '' She stammered.

A hollow chortle escaped his throat, his hand rising along her arm, smoothing away the goosebump rising upon it. `` Good ... '' He responded. `` Because we have to leave. ``

Her look scrunched up, her blue-tinged lips no longer felt by her.

'' How ? ``

seizing her with both hands he assisted in up-righting her, rubbing her arms vigorously. `` We walk ... '' He whispered, `` Run if necessary, and hope that nothing grub us. ``

As if on cue, from the deepness of the woodland 's shadows, a wolf emerged.

Her shaky breathing immobilize Potter 's script upon her, his intuition alerting him of what she already knew.

'' Run ... ''
* * * * *


He wanted to lie to himself, to tell apart himself that he had not committed the deeds that he had.

The truth persisted.

Remus'infantry unconsciously moved down the corridor, piddle dripping in his wake upon the stone story. He had not reported into Dumbledore. He had not alerted the order of his replication.

There was something he had to do first.

Remus pushed open the hospital wing door, leaving a muddy depression where his hand had resided.

quiet greeted him within the candlelit infirmary, the only when respite the sound of distant thunder as the violent storm rolled south, away from Hogwarts'grounds. At the annexe 's far end three curtained off arena hung stagnant in the stuffy atmosphere, yet the scent of rain lingered within his nostrils.

And blood ...

It did n't take the inner eye to lie with that his victim lay nearby.

His echoing step led him to the initiatory section area, where he found what he was looking for.

Ronald Weasley sat erect, gazing out the windowpane upon the splinter of quarter moonlight peeking through the storm clouds.

Remus'venter twisted rebelliously as a vocalism broke the silence.

'' You want to speak ? ``

Remus remained frozen to the position, nodding as he felt the verdict of an elusive instruction execution trial being handed down.

Remus was surely that they had already told the Weasley 's immature son his fate, and by now the alteration would own already begun, affecting his senses ... his odor ...

His bearing would confirm what the young Gryffindor most likely already suspected. Ron would now know the one responsible for condemning him.

turn on the surgically clean Andrew D. White tile, Remus dimly remembered the reason for why the stone flooring had been overlain with the Muggle alternative, for even a strong round of scourgifying magical spell were not enough to remove the stain of blood from ancient stone. The yesteryear war had brought far too much of that within Hogwarts paries, and tile was much easier to clean.

Fleetingly, Remus wondered if his own roue were about to again, be removed from it.

His eyes rose shamefully to the boy he had cursed, his pridefulness forcing himself to not expect away as he awaited whatever mean intelligence were for certain to come, for he was surely deserving of them.

Though none did.

'' Ronald ... '' His part came out thick and gravely, volubility abandoning him. `` Whatever you ask ... This is the second metre I 've endangered you and I ... '' He faltered. `` I am good-for-naught ... ''

It took every ounce of his rapidly diminishing bravery to stay standing in the mien of one he had so horribly wronged.

Lightning illuminated the room, filtering in through the hospital offstage windows, and Ron set his jaw. `` You did n't think to prick me, so do n't worry about it. ''

boom rolled, vibrating the tiles beneath his soles.

Ron cringed, obviously unaccustomed to the sudden amplification of all surrounding sounds.

Such was the impression of becoming a lycan.

As the nose drops diminished, his early educatee frowned pensively. `` For the first time in my life Professor.. I 'm dissimilar. '' The teenager extended five of his finger, frowning further at the sight of the abnormality lying just beneath the surface. `` Everything ... from now on ... '' He continued oddly, `` It is all going to be unlike. ``

Shame nearly sent Remus tumbling to his articulatio genus. `` All because of my recklessness ... again ... you could accept been ki ... ''

'' So could give birth you, '' Ron cut in sharply. `` Yet that did n't blockade you from doing your duty, professor. ``

In the moment of silence that followed, the youngest Weasley son suddenly did something completely unexpected. A slack, sad smiling crept across his feature article, and then Ronald Billius Weasley looked him directly in the eye.

'' Whatever the reason was for sending you out to cavort with those other ... '' Ron swallowed hard, `` werewolves ... It had to be important, otherwise you would n't have been there. ``

Remus remained mute. He could not give into his own self-deprecating desire to reverse and fly, he owed the new loup-garou more than that.

'' This is a war. Before you bit me I had no real talent to offer. '' The Whitney Young man 's words were dim, and for once, painstakingly thought out. `` To everyone I was just ... a hindrance, just another mediocre wizar ... ''

'' Your power was never mediocre, '' Remus interjected painfully.

Ron shook his straits, his fingers scrunching the stark white of the hospital sheets. `` It does n't matter ... I simply could n't do anything the others could n't already do comfortably than I. But now .... ''

Inner Light blue eyes looked up, meeting his haunted ace. `` But now professor ... ''

Remus again nearly choked at the ill-bestowed title. `` I have n't been your Professor for some time Ronald. ``

A rather dangerous expression touched Ron 's sassing. `` Well ... '' He said, flexing his fingerbreadth. `` That 's about to change. ``

And with self-referent speed, right where Ron 's clenched fist had been clenched around them, Remus realized that the hospital sheets now lay shredded.

Where Ron 's digit should be, there were claws.

Cold inclusion dawned upon him, for somehow the boy had inherited the ability to transmute at will, yet the bloodlust Remus felt running within his own nervure was nowhere to be seen within the boy 's eyes.

All that lay there was a dangerous glint.

'' My Quaker are out there, and I intend to find them. '' Ron avowed. `` So ... ''

A carnal caliber edged into the Whitney Moore Young Jr. Weasley son 's voice.

Blue, ovular eyes, met his own.

'' So lupine ... How 'd the rescript fancy a arcsecond set of ravenous fangs ? ``










A straightaway note : The medical and biota caramel may capture a few affair in this chapter and the upcoming ones, so please be forewarned that any berth on the grapheme'parts regarding such things is entirely intentional. I want to show that they are imperfect and not entirely intimate about certain things. It would n't be fun if the role never made mistakes. *cackles*

Thank you to Njhill22 for all of your help with this chapter. I may very well possess lost my sanity had it not been for the 5 am belated nighttime writing seance that we had to resort to ! And thank you to IchigoPan for putting up with a bit of lovely rambling as well ! Now on with the chapter !








'' Amidst infernal region there is always igniter, it is just a topic of finding it. ``
~ Unknown ~


Chapter 26 ~ The intellect for the War



It had taken her all of ten minutes to image it out.

breathing heavily, her mousy fuzz strewn about, she again rose her leg to repel the wax force of her system of weights against the mahogany doorframe. The sound reverberated throughout the room, echoing from the ancient stone bulwark in a way that mirrored her increasing, self-directed anger.

She should have known.

Cursing she stepped back from the unmoving entryway, her feet stumbling clumsily across the spotty floor boards. Her dark eyes swept the high gear rafters criss crossing the cylindrical tug, at a loss.

Dumbledore had long since earned the title normally reserved for Remus alone, for that 'damnable man'had thought of every imaginable flight effort and blocked her progress at every bout. One thing was certain : The master was surely against anyone knowing of his plan, and from the aspect of affair she would not be escaping any time soon. Certainly not in time to alert anyone before it was too late.

If only she had realized ! Then she would n't be trapped like some mythical Rapunzel caught in a unholy fag tale.

Her eyes landed upon the dark window frame, her mind briefly mulling over the possibleness of growing her hair into a foresightful enough pleat to send out Emily scurrying down.

She snorted. Even if the Bothans were not under an enchanted sleep Kenneth would surely skin her alive before allowing her to plow his daughter into an extemporary gymnastic chimpanzee. Of form Emily had seemed rather taken by that exhibit at the Phoenix common Zoo ...

As if reading her cerebration Kenneth growled a little.

Men ... She thought angrily. Even in their sleep they shot down her ideas !

Turning her attending to the door physical body she did the only thing she could intend of, and rearing back her leg she charged. Only this meter the door swung open as if in sync with the divinity of clumsiness, and she found herself sprawled across the Headmaster 's vacuous office.

peal onto her back, flopping like a fish on the trading floor, her colored center fixated furiously upon her cousin.

'' You ... '' She roared, kicking the room access to the report shut with her invertebrate foot. She was not tidal bore for Kenneth nor Emily to hear this if they awoke at this rather prematurely musical interval.

Regulus gazed down his nozzle in astonishment. `` Cousin were you really waging war on his study door the integral clock time ? You do realize that is hand-crafted mahogany ? ``

Growling she scrambled to her feet, `` I swear to Merlin genus Regulus ... you tricked me ! You allowed him to ... ''

He scoffed loudly. `` No one allows Albus Dumbledore to do anything cousin. He merely does it whether you are in meeting of minds with his decision or not. Surely you would be aware of that by now. ``

'' He 's right hand you kno ... ''

'' Shut up Crusantheus ! ``

Regulus cast an unnaturally sympathetic facial expression at the doorway as she again rounded on him.

'' He made the Unbreakable vow did n't he ? '' She demanded. `` He 's going to trade himself for Hermione granger if he can is n't he ? And you let him ! ``

'' Like I could block him ? Besides, it was n't that bad of an ide ... ''

'' You could have refused to remain firm attestor ! '' She hollered. `` He could n't take done it without one ! ``

Regulus'center roamed the room curiously, as if she were an inconsequential bug, before his heart finally landed upon a low locker. `` Well ... '' He commented, walking towards it. `` If not I he would have found another person to ... ''

'' The club needs him Regulus ! '' She shouted, tailing him closer than a shadow. `` We ca n't last witho ... ''

Regulus spun to face her. `` Do n't devalue yourself cousin. From what he said he may have founded your little aviary governance, but he is no more important than the rest of you within it. ``

She gasped. `` You jest ? ``

The perfect prototype of stone glowered back. `` Do I look like one to joke ? ``

Her breather came in furious puffs as he began rummaging through the contents of Dumbledore 's deceptively small liquor cabinet. A considerable fourth dimension passing before he emerged, a tight, slaked logical argument straining his back talk, and a garnet hued bottle in hand.

She was barely collecting herself, her wand arm twitching dangerously as she seriously contemplated whether or not her cousin-german was an alien species.

'' Le Vin de Chateau Latour ... '' Regulus commented admiringly, ignoring her as if nothing of signification had occurred. `` Dix-neuf soixante-dix, une belle année. ``

Her teeth solid ground so hard she swore to God he would be receiving the alveolar bill.

'' For the less refined in the room, '' He continued, his unfaltering eyes never leaving his recently procured prize, `` XIX seventy was an fantabulous year. ``

A loud pop resonated within the elbow room, the rising hue of her cheeks evidencing her increasing rakehell pressure. Merlin ... she was getting as bad as Kingsley with that !

'' This special vintage, '' Regulus continued undiscouraged, `` Presently runs over one hundred and twenty four Irish pound a bottleful. Just imagine what it may have run once fully matured. A shame this Latour takes ten to fifteen years ... ''

Between her gritted dentition she managed a growl. Regulus ignored this, painstakingly choosing a rather worn and bright orange mug from Dumbledore 's specify glass pick. His nose crinkled in antipathy as the mug 's emblem Go cannon sparkled up at him.

'' Allowing his vintage to go to ware ... '' Regulus grumbled disapprovingly, pouring the opaque, yet red fermentation into his mug moodily. `` I would have thought better of the old man ... ''

'' That old man has Sir Thomas More lesson fiber than you could ever bid to have, '' She snapped.

'' I do n't doubt that, '' He replied evenly.

Her eyes widened furiously. `` Why in the infernal region would Dumbledore take you into his confidence ? You were a cowardous traito ... ''

genus Regulus'chalk slammed down, shattering.

'' NEVER PRESUME YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT NYMPHADORA ! '' He roared, center igniting dangerously. `` I am far more familiar with each one of my punic, traitorous human action than you shall ever be. But know this ... ''

Regulus'bearing rose, despite his already rigidly tumid military posture.

'' If it were not for those cowardly deeds of mine then the Muggle macrocosm would experience been wiped out a yearn ... metre ... ago. '' He hissed quietly. `` My cowardly nature preserved the noesis of what could throw happened ... .keeping it safe until it was needed again ... ''

'' You should have come forth with it sooner, '' She challenged. `` As soon as you heard He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was back you should make ... ''

'' Oh ? '' He snapped condescendingly. `` And how was I supposed to screw that my early slithering Jehovah had crawled back from the grave accent whilst in the Muggle realm Nymphadora ? Particularly when those of you at the Ministry do your best to isolate our domain from the Muggle region ? wellspring praise Nymphadora ! Because despite Voldemort 's best efforts at mayhem and misery your precious Ministry has done its job well ! Not a Bible of his return leaked to me, even though I was listening for word ! ``

Seething venomously she leveled her baton at him, eliciting a derisive joke. `` Where 's Dumbledore ? ``

'' Why at a meeting with that slithering snake of a Dark master I suspect. Surely you could ingest guessed that at least. ``

Her heart thudded unnaturally.

'' Let me out Regulus. ``

'' I wish I could cousin, '' He said, turning back to the wine. `` But it was his desire for neither of us to get out until the deal was finish. Something about pesky, meddlesome, bullheaded Aurors ... ''

She growled, resisting the urge to attack.

Regulus merely snorted. `` I would think that you, being constituent of his little volary society, would by now realize that he knows what he is doing. Even I know tha ... ''

Swearing loudly she kicked the wall, rattling Phineas'portrait, forcing their prospicient dead relative to hang onto his frame 's bound for care of being dislodged from it.

genus Regulus mouthpiece twitched wickedly, ignoring the selection Good Book that came flying their way as he addressed his cousin. `` Now if you want to ruin the portrait then by all means, do so Nymphadora. However, in the interim it seems that your outflank bet is to relax and receive a swallow, because you clearly need one. ``

Scowling she slapped the proffered methamphetamine away.

Now it was Regulus'routine to reckon her as if she were an alien species.


* * * * *

Elsewhere in the castle Remus had discovered that he had developed a shadow, one with a distinct limp and a blinding shock of red hair.

'' You 're sure about this ? '' Remus asked, sprinting around a street corner with a flying Weasley trailing behind. Ron had just finished recounting what he had overheard the adults speaking about as he and Ginny had feigned sleep in the extension, and Remus was left with an unquiet feeling of coldness.

Not only were Harry and Hermione missing, but so was Kalliandra. Ron had had no information regarding Tonks, and knowing her profession ....

Remus had felt slightly ill at the idea of any of them suffering while he had strolled leisurely down the castle 's corridors, unable to go faster for awe of leaving the sick ward 's escapee behind, which was precisely why he had thrown a levitation charm at the young man, sparing Ron the trouble of having to agitate with his self-sizing crutches.

molly Weasley would have him shipped to St. Mungos in individually plastic wrapped pieces if she ever caught confidential information of this.

Ron 's face, screwed in careful concentration as he attempted to annul hitting his head word on the roof, shot him a withering look.

'' My friends are out there Remus, and I do n't intend to sit idly by while the Order hem and haws over what the skilful course of action is. I want into the Order, and I want to help oneself. ``

'' And if they vote against that ? ``

Ron grinned tensely. `` I 'll threaten to leave them a friendly nip on the leg. After all, I 've missed dinner party tonight. ``

Remus nearly laughed, caught off precaution. `` Entertaining cannibalism are we ? ''

'' Nah, Snape hardly qualifies as human so I seriously doubt it would count as cannibalizing. Especially since he 's belike the only one to vote against me. ``

'' You 're forgetting your mother. ``

Ron paled considerably, his lentigo standing out. `` She 'll just have got to understand, '' He growled determinedly. `` About Ginny too, she 'll jounce back, and when she does she can facilitate me detect the mongrel that Imperious-ed her. ``

Remus smiled sadly. Ron was more alike to Sirius than he would ever know. Perhaps that, Sir Thomas More than anything, was why he had agreed to take Ron with him to give Dumbledore his shabby report.

As Ron had said, the good werewolves had to stick together, and he deserved to know of the underground werewolf activity as much as anyone.

The other werewolves could still be out there ...

The thought spurred him into a faster sprint, and ignoring the Gryffindor 's sudden protestation Remus began dashing down the Edward Durell Stone corridors, his business organization rising exponentially at the unnatural still upon the school.

Snapping the password he and the floating Ron mounted the stairs to Dumbledore 's office, a fast argument increasing in volume as they approached. Forgoing formality he set Ron down hastily, grasping the door handle and tugging.

It was locked.

'' schoolmaster ? ! '' He shouted, pounding upon it fiercely. `` Headmaster I ne ... ''

'' Remus ? ! ``

At the voice his clenched fist froze, inches above the cringing bronze Crusantheus, the statement within the office detrition to an unceremonious halt.

'' Tonks ! '' He shouted with barely concealed relief. `` Tonks wha ... ''

'' Oh thank God ! '' Interrupted Crusantheus, moaning. `` They 've been going at it for an minute ! I ca n't take it anymore ! ''

Remus was about to enquire as to 'who'precisely had been going at it when Ron 's baffled mutterings interrupted him.

'' Since when did Dumbledore get a talking doorway knocker ? ``

'' Since his chum had me imported from Scotland footling man, '' Snapped Crusantheus indignantly.

Ron bristled, `` Little ? ``

Remus dropped a ride out hand upon Ron 's shoulder joint. `` Best not to engage in conversation ... '' He muttered out of the turning point of his mouth.

Crusantheus'own dropped wide. `` I heard ... ''

'' We know ! '' Shouted two spokesperson simultaneously from the opposition side of the room access.

Remus'ears reflexively picked up, the impropriety of the unidentified vocalizations unnerving. `` Tonks let us in, '' He shouted, frowning.

'' We ca n't ! '' He heard her moaning, `` Dumbledore made an Unbreakable vow and has left to address to You-Know-Who and he 's engage us in here ! We ca n't get out and no one can get in ! ``

It took a mo for her quarrel to process correctly, and apparently it did for Ron as well because simultaneously they both voiced aloud their thoughts.

'' What ? ``

A distinguishable banging could be heard from within the office, as if mortal had taken to kicking random objects.

Again, the unidentified masculine voice floated beneath the door. `` You might as well order them ... ''

'' Tonks who is that ? '' Remus interjected.

There was a pause.

A very long pause.

'' You would n't believe me if I told you. ``

'' Try me, '' Remus insisted.

'' Later Wolfy. ``

He groaned, while Crusantheus snickered. In reply Ron grabbed the knocker and began banging vigorously, only ceasing the hostilities when Crusantheus nearly bit off his fingers.

Remus ignored this. `` Tonks tell me I misheard ... ''

'' You did n't, '' She groaned. `` Hermione Granger is missing. '' Ron paled considerably, his shoulders stiffening at the reminder. `` You-Know-Who has got her, and Dumbledore thinks it 's to lure Harry into telling him the prophe ... ''

'' WHAT ! ? '' Ron shouted, clearly having been deprived of this noesis. `` Tonks did they discover Harry ? He ca n't do tha ... ''

'' Remus what the hell is Ron Weasley doing with you ? Is n't he supposed to be in the ... ''

'' hospital wing, '' Remus supplied.

'' I 'd like to put him in the hospital wing, '' Growled Crusantheus menacingly, snapping eagerly with his jaw 's hinge.

'' Bugger off you rusted piece of ... ''

'' RONALD ! ``

Crusantheus bronze tongue began clinking out a gleeful melody, clearly enraptured at Tonks'reprimand. `` Aha ! Better stifle it fingerbreadth or Ms. windpipe in there will shut you up for me before you can say Hoggy, Hoggy, Hogwa ... ''

Remus finally gave in to the impulse to silence the damn thing, unable to think. Crusantheus'sudden silence earned him a brassy exclamation as the unidentified spokesperson from within began praising the Maker and maker.

He knew that voice ...

'' So Nympahdora you want to say them or should I ? '' Asked the man, sounding as if he were clearly enjoying something.

stern him Ron made a strangled sound of fruition.

'' Sirius ? ''

A gimcrack thump evidenced the unknown man 's displeasure.

'' If I get mistaken for Sothis one more sentence I 'll hex that door knocker ... ''

Crusantheus began pounding his handgrip furiously, a panicked face in his bronze eyes.

Tonks, on the other hand, sounded like she was tap-dancing. `` Ah-ha ! I 'm not the sole one who made that mista ... ''

'' You 're my cousin ! You have no excuse ! ``

'' bugger off ! We thought you were suddenly ! ``

'' Really Nymphadora you have no creativity ... ''

Really ... You Gryffindors have no creativeness ...

Remus'nous spun, an echo from the past striking a dissonant chord.

Staring at the locked doorway something clicked.

'' Regulus ! `` He growled, smashing himself against the door. `` I swear to God if you 've harmed her ... ''

'' Nymphadora were you and your friends hit with a paranoia charm ? You can answer me honestly with full trust that this conversation will remain confidential. ``

'' Oh yes, do n't bear in mind us ! '' Chimed in several spiritual domain portraits.

'' So you 're a shrink and a MD ! ? '' Tonks spluttered.

'' Tonks ! ? '' He shouted through the doorway. `` Tonks ! What the the pits is going on in there ? ``

'' Apparently an Three Kings' Day, '' Drawled genus Regulus lazily.

'' Shut it both of you ! '' Tonks snapped furiously, the sound of stamping feet reaching his percolate ears.

He withdrew his ear from the door just in clock time, its entire frame shuddering violently as she kicked it from the former side, rendering Crusantheus cross-eyed.

Mahogany door or not, Remus suddenly wondered if that were thick enough to protect him from whatever hex the pissed off Auror had in head for him. He knew her far too well to toy with any hope of escaping completely unscathed.

Sneakily, with stealth indicative mood of the low St. Mark she had received on the Stealth and trailing portion of her Auror testing, a sceptre tip snuck beneath the fling between the door and floor.

Remus stared at this odd action, puzzlement the name of his locution. Unfortunately he hesitated just a second too long, for a hot watercourse of searing Muriel Sarah Spark suddenly ignited his trousers, a exonerated Ah-ha resounding from the garden pink haired wonder beldam as Remus hopped around, nearly tumbling down the winding staircase in his attempts to douse them.

'' Made her tempestuous did you ? ''

As Ron snickered he had to forcibly restrain himself from snarling in the Weasley 's superior general direction.

'' Tonks, '' He groaned hoarsely, leg still steaming. `` What on worldly concern is wrong ? ``

'' What 's awry ! ? What 's wrong ? '' She clipped with disbelief. `` You show up after nearly a month and ... ''

'' Two workweek, '' He corrected, re-approaching the door as if it were a shark.

'' Fine ... Two weeks and ... ''

'' Did the idea of talking it through like rational adults ever occur to either of you ? '' genus Regulus'strangle vox interjected curiously.

'' Stuff a sock in it Reggie, '' She barked. `` The fanged curiosity has emerged from his self-induced isolation and now he wants to know what 's improper. ``

Another loud thump shook the door, his breadbasket wrenching as he practically felt her leaning against the other side.

Cautiously approaching he ignored Ron 's startled stare, pressing his hands against the rough grain. `` Tonks ... '' He whispered gratingly, `` I ... .We do n't have time for this now ... ''

'' Gee, what a surprise ! '' She exclaimed sardonically. `` Wolfy does n't have time for me, who would 've thought ? ``

Regulus emitted a low pennywhistle, clearly closer than before. `` fuss in paradise Lupin ? Honestly is n't she a little vernal for you ? ``

The distinct auditory sensation of individual being smacked echoed through the threshold and down the stairwell. The heavy sensation within his pectus weakness to better.

'' At risk of being hexed ... ''

Remus turned, eyeing Ron with barely concealed annoyance.

The Gryffindor swallowed loudly. `` Harry 's still out there and we have to find him. We could send Hedwig ... ''

'' Dumbledore already sent Fawkes, '' Tonks muttered. `` He 's a gradation ahead of us as always, yet kept muttering about how Harry could fend for himself now. ``

Remus'eyebrow furrowed. It was not like Dumbledore to leave soul unaided. Not at all.

'' Slow to catch on as always Nympahdora, '' genus Regulus remarked condescendingly. `` Did it ever occur to you that in place of sending a potentially slow Scout ... ''

'' I am not slow ... ''

'' Of course of instruction not, '' genus Regulus snorted. `` But rather than letting a search party gallivant around the area, risking further loss of life, he did the wise affair. ``

'' Which is ? '' Remus could get a line Tonks practically hiss through her teeth.

'' He sent the fastest messenger he could, '' He responded smugly. `` Surely you do n't fancy yourself in the Saami form of hurrying as a phoenix, do you cousin ? ``

Remus'eyes widened in understanding. `` He sent them a portkey. ``

'' Exactly ... ''
Suddenly everything came together, and it gave him an idea.

'' Ron, Tonks ... '' He stumbled to explain. `` I have to ... ''

'' We know, '' Tonks muttered. `` You have to go. ``

He hesitated.

'' What 's the grasp up Lupin, you 're quite ripe at that so get on with it already. ''

Cringing inwardly he turned and ran for the owlery.

'' I 'll just continue here then ? '' Ron yelled sarcastically after his retreating figure.

On the early side of the door Tonks growled, dropped cross-legged to the primer, banged the vertebral column of her head teacher against the door, and extended a pointed handwriting to Regulus.

Her cousin smirked, filling her a fountainhead needed glass.


* * * * *



Harry 's heart skipped unnaturally. His breath froze. Instinctual alarms ignited a fiery anger within him.

As if in response his thickened fists unconsciously coiled tight around her shoulders, clenching the soaked folds of her torn sweater as if doing so could somehow dispel the front lurking within the shadows.

It could not.

A feral growl cut through the malarky, the arctic zephyr snaking around them, biting bitterly against his skin, whipping Kaylen 's fuddled hair around her ashen face.

There was nowhere to run ... but they had to try.

Like a spectre audio upon the malarky came the smacking of grievous hook upon slip mud, the telltale sound of a brute bent on savagery as it stalked its fair game across water-laden hunting grounds.

They were its prey ...

Holding her resolute eyes with his, watching as her visage screwed into that of down firmness of purpose, Harry knew he had no choice.

Loosening his clutches upon her quietly heaving shoulder, watching the bloody bandages binding his palms sway in the jazz, he ground out a single statement.

'' Run ... ''

His iniquity whisper was met with immediate action, for she took flight, mud splattering beneath her feet as she fled for the tree argument, her tattered sweater billowing in the wind as she went.

Lightning from the war tear heaven illuminated the desolate battle undercoat, sending her shadowy silhouette stretching across the matted stint of grass separating them.

Tensely he watched her, standing his ground.

He refused to follow.

Around him the power of the storm surged, thunder shaking the solid ground as his scarred fist clenched tightly around the fateful plume of the phoenix that lay deeply imbedded in his congregation holly, his wand arm hanging loosely by his side.

winking the H2O from his eyes he watched in muffle fascination. Kaylens was suddenly aware of her solitude, her feet halting into a tumultuous skid across the hunt basis as she fought to stop against the raging wind. The mud finally ceased to feed, resisting her sliding feet as her form went slipping beneath the woodland 's room access, the dripping canopy throwing shadower across her smiler as she whorled around to regard him.

Beneath the branches her middle flashed dangerously, for his conjuration and what it could think of had finally struck her with frightening military group. With the come off sense of an onlooker observing an unstoppable cataclysm he watched as her physical body went rigid.

She knew there was no time to reach him. His gambit had worked.

Merely six meter separated he from her, yet the distance was uncrossable.

It was how he wanted it.

clunk, thump ...

The swift coming of the loup-garou 's pincer pulsation against the suctioning ground.

The wildcat was charging him, yet he did not move.

Silently his eyes plead with Kaylens, urging her to run.

Thump, clump ...

She did not. Her glorious eyes regarded him with profound hurt and choler, reflecting the lightning shocking through the heavens.

Thump, clunk ...

He stood still, feeling destruction 's swift approach for another moment, closing his eyes in resignation for whatever would come up to pass.

It was stupid, it was brash, it was the act of a true Gryffindor.

He had known there was no prison term for them to both run, so he had sent her unwittingly to what he could only beg was congenator safety.

clunk, thump ...

If he survived this she would surely vote out him, and an odd grin crept upon his cracked rim at the absurdity of the thought.

Thump, clump ...

All of it transpired in a second, his eyes flying extensive as the sky stock split open, roaring as the divinity themselves sent their electric fists hurtling down to join the disturbance.

Lightning struck as he hit the background hard, ducking as he felt the wolf springing into the air to seize him. Jaws snapped around lose weight air, right where the vertebral column of his neck had been a minute before.

The woman chaser 's butt nipper slashed out, grazing his binding, shredding the fabric of his shirt, just scratching his skin 's surface. A pained groan shot from his back talk, yet it was unheard as a fiery bolt of lightning of electric demise struck the tree note with dreadful intensity.

He was already screaming for Kaylens'to move.

A carnal growl emanated before him, the werewolf 's flight ending as its colossal form crashed back onto the terra firma with one sickening splat of mud and rain, its prodigious chassis skidding on the slick reason as if upon ice.

'' Kaylens movement ! '' He screamed, watching as a fiery rain shower of embers rained down from the split body upon her.

Her gilt head disappeared within the green goddess, a burning Tree branch crashing to where she had stood only a second before.

His tummy lurched sickeningly, a choking scream tearing through him, silenced only as the wolf 's snarling snout reared around to face up him again.

His eye darkened in fad behind his rainwater streaked eyeglasses, his scepter arm flying out, a cutting hex ripping from his throat as he dove to the side of meat, rolling in the thick sludge.

A offended howling signified that his aim had been true up.

Desperately, core hammer, he again let the cutting hex fly, followed by an outpouring of silver particle as he staggered to his feet, stumbling backwards in a hysteria as the masher 's brutalized pelt sent its recoiling dead body to the ground.

The silver speck were lodging within the animal 's open injury, and the metal 's toxicity was quickly infiltrating its blood stream.

He felt no pity, only agony as a fiery tendril coiled upwards from the ablaze branch, igniting the sop canopy.

'' Kaylens ! '' He screamed, bolting for the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree line, watching in horror as hummer began pluming upwards.

It was his defect ... she had n't seen it in fourth dimension ... she had been watching his personal battle instead of running farther ...

And he had sent her there.

The noxious fumes came hurtling at him upon an icy gust, choking his lungs, and her name, which his sass had been expelling, came out instead as a ragged coughing.

His chicken feed were somehow lost, scandal and smoke particles replacing them to cut against his retinas, a numbing sensation overtaking him.

He did not see the blow coming.

A monolithic paw struck him down, sending him hurtling face down into a pool, his panicked domain morphing into a watery brownness blur.

His baton flew from his grip, skidding out of range as he flailed, feeling the weightiness of the brute atop him as it forced his consistency to make a new imprint in the malleable earth.

The shoal piddle lapped around his capitulum, his oral cavity flapping around the ill-tasting soil, body sputtering as his faithless lungs continued their ill-fated attempts to expel the poisonous smoke fumes from them, inhaling pee instead.

The spine-crushing weight of the creature was suddenly dispelled, his head snapping up to gasp for breathing time, his helping hand blindly summoning his verge to it. The wandless act was lost upon him as a beastly forepaw smashed besides his aching read/write head, an in shy of shattering his skull.

Above him a new wolf growled venomously.

Flipping onto his rachis, rolling out of the way, he saw a tree limb lash out, striking the wildcat hovering above him with a sickening crunch.

The second loup-garou, the one he had failed to see in time, fell limp to the ground.

Emerging from the burning alcove of trees Kalliandra callously threw the branch at the creature, ensuring another blow to its head as she appraised her handicraft. A second later her burning eyes were fixated upon him, a raging grammatical construction crossing her lampblack stained features as he was left sputtering upon the ground.

'' What the hell were you thinking Potter ? ! '' She coughed out, her vox a harsh rasp. `` This is the same stunt you pulled in Hogsmeade ! Are you that daft ? ! ``

Still gasping for breathing place he realized that he had been right. She was going to shoot down him.

A ridiculously warm sensation flooded him. `` Y-you 're ... ''

'' Pissed ! '' She hissed exasperatedly, clearly irked more by him than by the Friedrich August Wolf who had attempted to make a meal of them. `` You are exclusive handedly the most brash, imbecile, egoistical, suicidal person that I have ever met ! Next time, I 'll let the wolves eat you ! ``

He blinked exhaustedly up at her, chest heaving with ail elbow grease as the disheveled, slightly charred young lady above him ignored the insanely mud ridden, loup-garou infested, ablaze world around them, contenting herself with staring him down.

He could n't assist it A small, relief filled smirk tugged at his mouth.

'' What, '' She grunted wearily, `` Could you possibly find funny about this ? ''

He grinned. `` A lot actually. ``

Her jaw dropped, flapping soundlessly as the wind sent grass billowing in a dark cloud behind her, her hand instantly rising to shield her eye from its midst rest.

'' Kaylens, '' He commented, wiping mud from his human face, `` You 're a rather angry person you know that ? ''

For a second base she appeared to stutter. `` ceramist ... '' She threatened raspily, `` I 'm going to belt down you. ``

He nodded solemnly, gingerly up-righting himself. `` Well ... '' He grunted, pain searing his shoulder. `` Get in line. ``

'' screw that. I get the first crack at ... ''

Her words ended in a grating cry, a chameleon-like hand having guessing Forth unseen in the billowing sess, snatching her thick hair within its pitiless confines. Her soaked twist were used as an anchor, the disillusioned man callously snapping her head word back to expose the slender material body of her neck to the splintered wood of a blackened baton.

Rain droplets splattered eerily in mid-air against the unseen adversary.

'' Drop it Potter, '' Growled a interpreter as dreary as the night.

The pharyngeal growling sent something dangerous stirring within him, his forest tinge eye remaining glued to Kaylens'cringing countenance.

His brow furrowed as a strange approximation began to take shape, his fingers loosened around the holly coated wand.

'' Potter do n't ... '' Kaylens'sharp cry was cut off as she was shoved forwards, nearly thrown from her human foot by the Death Eater 's swift prodding.

The Death Eater was holding her ahead of him, using her as a shield.

'' I said drop it boy, or I 'll make sure she stays beat this time. ''

Harry 's hand went fixed, his verge falling into the mud.

'' Attaboy. ``

The counter of the disenchantment charm was muttered as the villain advanced through the coiling smoke, holding Kalliandra ahead of him, the flames'orange light throwing the Death eater 's intuitive side into stark focus.

Harry 's blood ran cold.

Broussard 's companion, the very one Harry had struck down with the killing curse that afternoon, the Sami one whom he had left for dead in Hogsemead 's back alley, now stood shepparding Kaylens before him.

The drained man was awake and well.

'' Ah ... .So you do retrieve me, '' The man hissed, heart gleaming malevolently. `` Perhaps you remember my brother, Broussard. I do believe you slashed his throat. ``

Kaylens hand shot up, yanking at the Death eater 's vice grip. `` No less than he deserved you filth ... ''

A violent knee to the spine sent Kaylens crumbling to her knees, her human body suspended by the callous suitcase on her long locks.

'' To suffer one 's remaining family line ... '' Continued the Death eater with deathly calm, `` In such a personal manner does not endear one to mercy. ``

'' Now you know what it feels like ! '' Spat Kaylens, her helping hand clawing tightly at the man 's massive forearms as he drug her forward.

The Death feeder ignored her, his foul gaze fixated upon him. `` You 're a goosy boy ceramist ... dabbling in Unforgivables ... I 'd kill you if I could ... ''

Harry vibrated with repressed rage, optic darkening. `` Then why do n't you ? '' He challenged, `` Get rid of the spare, and it 'll be just you and I. ``

The villain laughed bitterly, `` I 'm not as stunned as some of the other lackeys boy. You 'll have to ameliorate your handling if you expect that to work. ``

'' amercement, '' He spat darkly. `` I 'm unarmed, you 're not. Care to let her go before that variety ? ``

'' Wandless legerdemain is a bit advanced for you bo ... ''

Something within him snapped, the unconscious mind deception he had drawn upon in moments of penury finally snapping into place.

A shot of free energy flew through him, the familiar wooden handle flying back to his handwriting, quickly summoned, drawn, and aimed.

Only where the Death Eater 's affectionateness had been now rested Kaylens, for the villain had yanked her forcibly from her human knee to again shield him. Her cry of annoyance echoed through the clearing, rising above the crackling of burning wood.

'' As intriguing as this is thrower, we came to deliver a message. Nothing more. ``

Harry 's representative dropped to a growl, `` Since when did a content entail taking my headland off ? ``

The man 's mouth curled into a snarl. `` It did n't. That was just fun. ``

'' A rather perverse idea of fun, do n't you consider ? ``

'' Considering what you did to my comrade, I 'd say I 'm in the front of like company. ``

'' He 's nothing like you ! '' Kaylens shouted furiously.

A hefty yank sent her head snapping back, his insides lurching as the resounding crack of her protesting vertebrae.

'' Quiet girlie ! '' Hissed the villain, expectoration dribbling as he spoke. `` You 're already an endangered species, I 'd hate for you to go extinct. ``

'' Ah yes, '' She spat scathingly, straining against the man 's sleeve. `` And I 'm sure your precious captain would be pleased with that. ''

Shaking violently he watched as she writhed against her captor, the callous man glaring vindictively down.

Hands coiling into tight fist, Harry began inching to the position, the sound of mud suctioning against brake shoe soles masked by the resounding thunder.

If he could get an angle around her, he could create his shooting ...

'' And to believe, I thought catching Veelas was the regretful assignment ... but no matter ... ''

It took everything he had to suppress his outward repulsion, for the man had already drawn and used the unobserved sticker, plunging it shallowly into the material body of her shoulder, dragging it across her skin. A second later the villain had a cylindric vial held beneath her freely flowing blood, bottling it as her heart scrunched in a painful grimace, her mind undoubtedly feeling history repeating itself.

'' There, that oughta appease my Lord in the result of your untimely ... '' The man was running his scepter along her wounding, a inglorious light radiating as her flesh sealed beneath it. `` Well ... .end anyway ... ''

Blinded by rainfall, Harry 's eyes went Patrick Victor Martindale White with anger.

'' You wo n't lay a finger on her. ``

In the shadower the man smiled. `` It seems I 've already lie various. ``

As he stood there, the running mud curling around his substructure, he felt demented. He was cornered, for if he acted brusquely Kaylens was abruptly. And if he failed to act, they could both meet the same fate.

His hardened eyes narrowed, chest rising with stressful travail, as the vile man continued speaking.

'' All the night Lord wants is the divination Potter, yet if you continue this stubborn refusal that little mudblooded Friend of yours will wind up utterly. '' The man grinned evilly. `` And we all know you do n't want that to happen. ``

His sceptre shook, so heavy was his hold upon it.

'' Just recollect ... what has your refractory refusal gotten you thus far ? Certainly it did wonders for improving that roue traitor Black 's stream state howeve ... ''

'' Canicula was a unspoiled man, '' He heard himself hissing.

The man merely inclined an brow. `` Ah yes, I seem to recollect him fancying himself as such even during our school years. He, the baronial Black, always criticizing Broussard and I ... the two Detreck brothers were worthless to him, even the one from his own business firm ... ''

Harry felt unwell, anger and hatred vibrating unceremoniously within.

'' Your Fatherhood was much the like ... both never sparing even a thought process for the baronial blackness 's own kin ... '' He continued, the Same tone of superiority dripping from his words. `` Sirius always wondered what finally sent Regulus to the ranks of the Death feeder. Would you wish me to secern you ? ``

Kaylens attempted to twist away, the massive man easily batting her attempt aside.

'' The deciding ingredient you see, was Dog Star'refractory refusal to acknowledge his brother as an equal, '' He revealed. `` The arrogant gull followed those resisting the iniquity Lord blindly, never stopping to consider who was really in the rightfield. He and the rest of those Gryffindor fool following Dumbledore never even understood our ground ... ''

'' Oh ? '' Harry shot out, `` And how are we justifying cold-blooded slaying these days ? ``

The man 's teeth glinted in the firelight. `` There 's no demand to justify anything, because the war hungry Muggles will not be content to result our variety alone forever. It 's killing or be killed Potter. The dark Godhead is simply acting preemptively, before those filthy Muggles get the prospect. ``

'' And what of the anti-Muggle wards ? '' Harry asked scathingly, thinking quickly. `` If you 're really as higher-up to them as you 'd like to consider, then all of your 'pureblood'magic ought to foreclose that, would n't you intend ? ``

The last eater Detreck laughed. He actually laughed.

'' Tell me Potter, with all of the inter-marrying between Wizards and Muggles, how would you purpose keeping our earthly concern forever hidden ? Eventually we will get exposed, and when that happens the Muggles will recognize the potentiality scourge we hold. ``

Inching towards the heat of the fervour, and its veil of smoke, Harry allowed him to blab, wracking his mind for a plan.

'' Once that happens I 'm quite sure they will be keen in showing us mercifulness. Perhaps the Sami kind that was given to the Israelite of their second World War, or that which was shown to the indigenous hoi polloi of the the States when the new estate were discovered. Or to the witches of Salem ... ''

Kaylens cut him off.

'' You ca n't possibly believe every Muggle is like tha ... ''

A dagger was thrust to her throat, silencing her lyric as stock prickled her pelt. A sadistic looking of calm crossed the eldest Detreck 's boldness as he held it there.

'' You see Harry, Muggles are unlike us, '' Continued the monster. `` They have yet to inhibit their animalistic natures, and for that they must be silenced, before they can silence us. ``

'' And all of this entails killing Muggleborns how ? '' Harry pointed out, desperate to sustain the man talking.

'' Every war has casualties Potter, and in this one anyone likable to those primitive animate being runs the risk of becoming one. ``

'' They 're not primitive ... ''

'' Yet they remuneration war upon former body politic, killing their own kind without thought, acti ... ''

'' Since Death Eaters do the same matter I guess you would recognise. ``

'' Our killing is at least educated, and justified by More than wars over bound. ``

Harry 's vocalism shook with stamp down rage. `` Nothing can justify cold blooded murder ... ''

'' You would know then, '' Hissed the man, sneering spitefully. `` After all, once a killer whale, always a Orcinus orca, or am I wrong on that potter ? ``

He remained silent, watching as Detreck slowly lowered his blade from her throat.

'' Despite what you think, you are very very much alike us Potter, and thus my God Almighty has a proposal of sorts for you. ``

Watching the tension leave Kalliandra 's neck, her brass slumping gratefully forward without veneration of impalement upon the knife 's blade, he grunted. `` So what mess is it this time ? join him and he spares my life ? ``

'' No, simply reveal the missing division of the prophecy in commutation for your friend 's family 's liveliness. ``

'' And Hermione ? ``

The man 's eyes glittered evilly, acrid smoke billowing out with a change of the winds.

'' In the Department of enigma, in the dormitory of prophecy, you remember the shelves upon ledge filled with the foretellings of seers past ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Then surely you were not chesty enough to conceive that yours was the exclusively foretold regarding this war. ``

His shoulders stiffened, for he actually had.

From the forest 's bound, scant metre away, resounded the cracking of a tree limb as it finally burnt away. It fell into the electrocution underbrush, sending a photoflash of flame bulging outwards on impact.

In the cacophonic roar of heat and flame all company scattered, the smoke clearing in time for Harry to see Kaylens still in the baddie 's frailty clutches, her apparent thunderbolt for exemption hindered by the man 's muscular arm which had tightened around her.

Her human elbow to his trunk went ignored, the massive man 's musculus protecting him. Detreck merely grunted, hauling her to her feet as the smoke dispersed, the rain beginning to smoother the flames.

'' We waste time. In the dormitory of vaticination there is another with your name on it, or did that decrepit old man fail to inform of you of its world as well ? ``

Somehow he managed to avert snapping his scepter, despite the shaking of his fists.

'' When you find that, and give away its contents, only then will our noble discharge your precious Mudblooded protagonist. ``

'' You 're lying, '' Harry pettifoggery, the acrid taste perception of smoke on his tongue. `` If I told you, he 'd kill her anyway. ``

The man 's lips curled. `` Perhaps ... but if you had something else to offer him, something in summation to that ... something he very much desired ... than perhaps once you 'd break the second vaticination, he 'd return her if your word was given to reveal another once the exchange was made. ``

Harry shook his head disbelievingly, `` Since when has ole Riddle trusted my Logos ? ``

'' How daring you defile his name ... ''

Harry nearly laughed, `` defile ? Just so you know, as someone well acquainted with his Muggle Church Father 's headstone, I can see to it you that is indeed his name. ``

Kalliandra 's head was suddenly yanked violently back, the wand again to her throat. All opinion of traumatizing the destruction Eater with mockery of its leader flew from his mind, his eyes glued to her picket, soaked face.

'' What else does he require to know ? ``

The eldest Detreck leered triumphantly, `` When you find the prognostication regarding 'the daughter of a man of power upon Gaelic soil'you will have what he is looking for. There is no name attached, therefore it may be seized by anyone. ``

Through the winding Harry 's yell seemed almost faint. `` And if I do n't find it ? ``

'' Then that Mudblood of yours atomic number 66. Unless you find something better to extend. ``

With icy certainty Harry realized that the conversation was nearly over, Kaylens'luck hanging in the balance.

'' You see boy, you may hold defied our Lord thus far, but you ca n't forever. In the end he wins, you lose, and if Dumbledore 's ill-thought resistance continues ... ''

A prod in the shoulder sent Kaylens stumbling forward, her hands suddenly bound.

'' Then all these spare will foregather the same lot as those noble parents of yours. ``

Kalliandra 's eyes flew up, surprise flitting through them even in the wickedness. He met them, painfully holding onto them, grasping for irregular through the waterspout so she could see how sorry he was, for the past times, for where his little sightedness had landed them, and still ... for what he may receive to do.

There was simply no sentence left.

Somehow, the concern swimming within her golden orbs conveyed what he needed to know.

She understood.

His jaw set determinedly, he re-aimed his scepter.

'' Stupefy ... ''

Kalliandra went crumbling to the solid ground, her limp form lying in a single mud-sodden stack, the last Eater 's face twisting in surprise as another stunner flew from Harry 's wand.

He had done the one affair Detreck could not have counted on. Injuring a Comrade, thereby removing her from injury way while simultaneously clearing the path to the enemy.

His dish struck the enemy directly in the chest, a indorse before a vicious phonation resounded behind him.

'' Crucio. ``

Harry fell hard, his eubstance imprinting the soft solid ground as a K white hot knives sliced slowly, than brutally at his physical body. His vision was blinded, by mud, rain, and pain in the neck, yet he still saw the hairy man, half-way through the wolfman transformation, walking around him, reviving Detreck ...

The wolfman Kaylens had taken out had awoken.

As he screamed, convulsing in pain, rolling in the slipperiness stream that had become the clearing 's terra firma, he heard their disceptation voices.

'' ... .belongs to the nighttime Maker, not us ... .we ca n't harm him ... .leave it to him ... .dealt with in due time ... .orders were ... .deliver message ... .leave them .... ''

The ceaseless excruciation suddenly lifted, his tortured mettle still spasming as he somehow rolled to face them. His hand flopped around pathetically, finger closing without speciality upon slender air, searching for the companion holly wood he had lost a hold of during his convulsions.

'' You can waste clock time chasing after us, or her thrower. Think about it. ``

The wet air resonated with the acute cracks of disapparation, his sinewy synapses finally firing at his program line. With irritation outshining the most grueling tribulation of human endurance he thrust himself up, his hands sinking into the muddy scandal, eye frantically scanning the clearing.

Kaylens was nowhere to be seen.

Heart lurching sickeningly, he stumbled to his metrical unit. Sliding, staggering, he peered through the iniquity, summoning his wand from where it had sunk beneath the uprooted grass.

Lightning flashed, casting an eerie incandescence across the water.

Kaylens lay facedown, floating within it.

His feet moved, faster than he would have thought possible, plunging into the bureau deep piddle. Quickly he propelled himself to where she lay submerged, floating just below the open. Only her bound wrist, pushed upwards by the blue water system 's overlapping, remained emerged in the air, her tomentum fanning out behind her head

His arms quickly sought her, wrapping around her articulatio humeri to pull her out, letting her short weight fall hard against him.

His bridge player fell to her chest, his spoken Christian Bible a voicelessness against the storm.

'' Ennervate ... ''

The warmth spread from between his fingers, his unconsciously done deception triggering no reaction in her.

The go was removed, yet she remained unresponsive. He had expected coughing, shouting, something.

It was only then that he realized it, but no intimation came from her graying lips.

Defense lessons had taught him about more than countering spells, and he was already turning her wilted form to confront him, using the water 's buoyancy to cradle her as her face lolled back.

His numbing, pained fingers quickly wiped the plastered hair's-breadth from her back talk, a upchuck smell rising in his chest as his centre flickered across the vacant grounds.

The end eater were gone ... .they would not come back.

Heart wrenching, he acted, pressing his mouth against hers as he pushed preciously oxygen in, breathing for her, listening to the odd boo of his breath making its way through her air passages.

pulling away, waiting for the emanation of her chest against his, he felt cipher.

Panicked eyes flickered over her peaceful fount before his sassing once again descended, capturing her icy lips with his own in another breath of desperation. One arm was tightening around her, the other cradling her headway as he pinched her nose.

Again he waited.

The rise in her chest as he had breathed had been barely discernable, and now there was nothing. A exclusive idea flitted through his frightened mind. He was doing this wrong.

In that one moment of paralyzing horror he suddenly understood. Her air passage was clogged.

He had to all the way it.

He was already turning her gimp form around, allowing her spinal column to devolve against him as his fists sought her midriff. With a single, powerful private road he thrust them in and upwards, feeling her body spasm in a small shudder.

Again he repeated the motion, thrusting forcefully. Her limp anatomy seized violently in response, her upper body falling forward as a racking cough shook her, the H2O expelling from her lungs. Harry lunged forward with her, blazon wrapping around her pectus, preventing her face from again hitting the traitorous water.

His forearms strained against her as she convulsed, choking on the wind, gasping as cough after shuddering coughing shook her melt off frame. Shivering in the frigid water his pounding heart calmed until she leaned loosely forward, gasping breathlessly.

Without a word he pulled her against him, clutching her quivering grade outpouring to his own, her school principal falling against his shoulder. Her shallow panting caressed his pelt, the ascent of her pectus against his reassuring him in an inexplicable way.

Slowly he fought to insure the hitching of his own firm drawn breathing space, for after everything he felt set up to crumble, only he suddenly found himself the pillar to which she clung.

Resting his chin atop her head word, peering into the Night, he silently prayed that what he had overheard was accurate. For if he was really considered Voldemort 's toy, needed to do a task, then he truly was inaccessible.

In theory they would again be safe, until riddle decided to again 'chat .'

As of now, if he were wrong, then their only refuge would be the water they stood shivering within, and he had yet to properly surmount the bubble-head charm for hiding beneath its turbid profoundness. Now their only true protection lay within the caul of cat-tails rising high above the shimmering water 's surface, obscuring them from all.

Icy wind instrument howled, sending the reed instrument around them dancing.

Breathing unsteadily, the scent of burnt forest filled his nostril. The storm was slowly winning the engagement against the blaze, extinguishing the aflame underbrush and trees, and the brightness of the fire was slowly dying. Tilting his face down he watched the fiery orange glow reflecting from her wet face, lending some lovingness to her pale hue.

'' Are you alright ? '' He finally whispered, his shivering hands smoothing her knot, sopping hair from her aspect. She simply breathed against him, hair dripping across his shoulder joint, her intact form quivering.

Tightening his arms around her, he again whispered his query, his questioning backtalk brushing along her earlobe. `` Kaylens ? '' He murmured shakily, breathing against her haircloth. `` You okay ? ``

In his arms she nodded imperceptivity, his trepidation for her entirely sending his affectionateness thundering. His relief was palpable, as was the tactile property of her beneath his hands.

His personal spitfire was blissfully incognizant, but she had scared the hell out of him.

Raindrops continued falling, wakeless and solid, splattering against the piddle with hypnotic line. Somehow, without reason, his brass knucks were rising, tracing alone her jaw melodic phrase, a drowsy mussitation leaving her pale, cracked lips at his touch.

Instinctively his strong arms began enveloping her tighter, pressing her to him needingly, his reason elusive. Surprisingly her delicate hands were responding, rising to weight-lift against his breast. Her gruntle fingertips brushed his bare skin, sliding along his musculus pectoralis where his sweater hung tattered and promiscuous, courtesy of the werewolves'claws and the woods 's snaring bramble.

Beneath the wavelet water a appease tingle was radiating onto him, traveling wherever her cool peel fell into striking with his own, as if flyspeck bits of static electricity were passing between them.

Somehow he understood, for he was feeling her true conjuring trick. She seemed unaware that she was releasing any, but her recount touch was trailing across him in a maddening way, just below the rippling surface, veiled from his eyes.

Yet somehow, he could not take care away.

Slowly, surely, the maddening sensation of her finger's breadth tangling within his jumper drove the unconscious concerns from his mind, his brilliantly centre finally falling shut to the night, hiding beneath the dark, matted tomentum slung dripping across his pock forehead.

Upon his neck he felt her lips parting, an exhausted suspiration escaping against his skin. His face dipped in response, burrowing within her rain scented hair.

'' You know ... '' He disclosed softly, shivering in the wind. `` You may be more trouble than you 're worth. ``

A soft laugh, scarcely there, sent his skin tingling.

'' Oh ? '' She breathed, her hoarsely spoken quarrel tinged with amusement. `` And you 're not ? ''

'' spot take, '' He conceded, a low laughter vibrating his pharynx.

The sky lit up, shining with anomalous splendour as lightning flashed in the space. The icy waters lapping against them, the tip howling eerily between the trees.

'' Potter .... '' She mumbled, his hand rising to diminish upon the unruffled skin of her cervix at the sound. `` What happened ? ''

Her part was barely a whisper, trailing away as his finger went trailing down the smooth skin of her neck, feeling her beat thrashing with regularity beneath them.

'' Apparently, '' He murmured gruffly, her light breathing a feather tracing across his cutis, `` I ca n't leave you alone for a minute. ``

'' I could say the Saame for you, '' She said breathlessly, shivering as his men rose along the contours of her form. get-go his hands were gripping her waist, side by side rising along her side, sliding to fondle the tegument covering her ribcage, just beneath her breasts.

His breath hitched with hers, her arms rising to encircle his cervix, cupping the spinal column of his mind. Quickly her hands were becoming lost within his untamable tomentum, the Sami willfulness that he had so oft heard her criticize, yet now felt her reveling in.

The earthy perfume of mingled mud and rain was somehow lift up upon her, drawing him in more than he could allow, more than than he should admit. Yet he was, his back talk already lowering to hers, the thickly strung latent hostility of a thousand harsh telephone exchange vibrating between the two as his mouth fell upon hers, capturing her backtalk as he had when pulling her limply from the icy water. Only now her backtalk was moving against his, the gustatory perception of salty sweat lingering upon his tongue. Her taste was mingling with the refreshing rain pouring upon them, cascading down their faces.

His wearable clung wetly to him as his manpower sought out her tousle tomentum. He frenziedly felt her deepening the contact of their sass, the rough stubble of his Chin scratching her in the summons. A little grumble sent his own lips trembling against hers with laughter, her script squeezing his berm in retaliatory manner. His own mouth was parting again, gasping, never relaxing the pressure against her lips as he fought for breath against her, feeling her doing the same.

A sec later he again seized her, his scummy lip being tugged gently between her own, an odd growl coming unbidden from his throat. For a stormy moment she quivered with seeming entertainment before his quick paw responded, running along her neck 's vertebrae, a startled whine falling from her lithe lips.

'' Kaylens ... '' He murmured, his arms desperately gathering her against him, his oral cavity deliriously relishing her gustation. Suddenly he was ignorant of the rain pouring around them, cognisant only of her manpower arch onslaught as they slipped beneath his shirt 's catch, sliding along the bare skin of his shoulders, caressing his back. His fuzz dripped into his face, and with step on it breaths their ill-concealed passions radiated, their back talk moving in a stormy fervor. Within his branch was the girl Harry had feared to have lost before he had known what it was to have, and he had no architectural plan of letting go.

Slowly, panting breathlessly, Kalliandra pulled away. Her fingers still clung to him, the rain pouring freely upon her flushing peel. piddle droplets were dampening her brow, and her fingers slipped out from beneath his shirt to linger upon his collarbone. Unable to let her leave he leaned his brow against hers, cupping her font in his men, feeling her eyelashes fluttering undefendable against his cheeks.

His own slut center flickered hazily open, meeting the deep hazel ones regarding him. She was blinking against the rainfall, her disjointed heart revealing her barely concealed emotion.

Breathing heavily he leaned forward, brushing his mouth against hers, kissing her slowly. He was taking his time now ... without the thrill, without the desperation, without the fear of having nearly lost her. quarter round running along her high school cheekbones, carefully wiping the mud from her fount, his sassing moved needingly across hers.

Again they parted, her mouth moving in a soft, disbelieving voicelessness.

'' You 've lost your mind ... ''

'' I know, '' He murmured, pressing his mouth to hers chastely. `` You wo n't recount anyone will you ? ``

She smiled against his lips, shaking her head slowly. `` No ... '' She whispered, amusement tingeing her chanting. `` This wo n't leave the clearing. ``

'' Good, '' He quipped, smiling deviantly. `` I would have hated to Obliviate you. ``

'' What makes you think I would have minded ? ``

burying his lips near her ear, he emitted a low growl, `` You would have. ``

'' Hmph. ``

Combing his finger's breadth through her thick, mud-laden hair, he felt her slender form again began to shiver, her quivering more enunciate than before.

Wrapping his arms tighter around her variant, he murmured his curiosity. `` Does this mean you 've forgiven me for stunning you ? ``

She grumbled indecipherably for a consequence, before suddenly growing tense, her case swiveling towards the visible clearing, heart flickering with sudden recollection.

'' Harry .... '' She whispered seriously, all lightness gone from her phonation. `` What happened to the destruction Eate ... ''

'' Gone, '' He assured softly, `` They 're gone. They wo n't be back. Minus the bushed one. ``

Her eyes remained adverted, warily gazing through the pelting into the dark of night.

'' How can you be surely ? ``

He smiled sadly, the heat within him slowly dissipating as his war filled experiences, the ones that had taught him the rule of engagement, flew through his mind.

'' Because .... '' He whispered hauntingly, `` They delivered their subject matter. They had their fun. For them that was enough, for the clip being. ``

'' So their fun was trying to drown me, '' She questioned bitterly, `` Or threatening you with Hermione 's lifespan ? ``

'' Both. ``

Her eyes flickered across his, her face sending something wrenching inside.

'' That man wanted you to state him something, `` She said seriously, watching him carefully. `` Yet you would n't. Why ? ``

He swallowed hard, his hug drug 's orchard apple tree rising strongly within his throat. `` Because I 'd rather die than grant them the information they need. ``

'' Than what stopped them from forcing you to go with them ? ``

His script rose, trailing across her cheek, her breath waver at his touch. Without intellect his forehead was again pressed against hers, her face so close that he could see the brown flake within her flag dancing with each flash of lightning.

'' Even if they had, '' He whispered sullenly, `` Even if they had tortured Hermione right in front of me, I still would never tell. Because the second I did we would possess all been dead. ``

Distant thunder shook the sky, Kalliandra 's centre falling shut against the wet onslaught. His remain upon her, never leaving as her chest of drawers rose and fell against his. The mollify rhythm of her breathing was inexplicably calming.

'' If the man is so pitiless ... '' She finally spoke, `` Why would he bid you the choice he did ? ``

'' Because as ruthless as he is, he 's also intelligent. Voldemort knows his only when chance in hell of getting anything out of me would be by offering an exchange : Hermione for the information, at a neutral location. '' He paused, breathing heavily, watching the stirring across her physiognomy.

'' It 's the only when way I could ensure her base hit, '' He finished solemnly.

Against his forehead he felt a light frown creasing her forehead. A mo later her veiled eyes fell candid, observing him guardedly.

'' How could Voldemort possibly make love what you 're thinking ? ''

His fingers clenched and unclenched around her coat of arms in a tense rhythm. `` Because Kalliandra, Voldemort and I have been playing this game for a foresighted prison term. And were both getting considerably at it. ``

Her oral fissure parted questioningly, his finger's breadth rising to press carefully against them, silencing her queries.

'' Please, do n't ask. I do n't desire to lie to you, '' He pleaded breathlessly, brim hovering centimeters from her own, praying she understood.

She did.

Against him she nodded, wet droplets cascading down her paling font. This time it was she who sealed the scant space between them, her slick arms winding around his neck, her consistence pressing kick against his.

For some ground, as her parted backtalk allowed his tongue unveiling, he suddenly felt more afraid than he ever had.

The interest had been raised that day, for with his C. H. Best booster gone he suddenly had so much to turn a loss, and it was the girl he remained tat with that had sent cleft running through his heavily erected walls.

Pulling away, gasping fervently, he suddenly was unsure of whether to detest her or love her for that.

'' You 're infuriating ... '' He murmured, scent nuzzling her cheek.

'' Likewise, '' She gasped breathlessly, water-laden strands of hair falling over her eyes

They simply remained, hovering within the embracing of the former, until a fanfare of red crossed the Nox, circling to remain upon the pond 's edge.

Whilst she stiffened, Harry almost laughed in relief.

The fiery phoenix was watching them silently, something suspiciously like an old rag dropped near its base, its featherlike oral sex cocked at a singular angle.

If Harry had not known better, he would say Fawkes looked amused.









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The Weasley 's and their adoptive kin have worn through the climb of Voldemort and the Final Battle. There have been many deaths, but what happens on the lustrous of day 's has repercussions far and all-encompassing ranging. Now they are left to pick up the objet d'art. Welcome to a story of Leslie Townes Hope, where the subsister are left to adopt the clew, attempting to lick the puzzle before the sequent killer hit again. While this is a relatively new story it contains one of the most intriguing plot of land that I have been lucky enough to stumble across. Pairing : Harry/Hermione

spirit, BAR, and Scars by sagesolon Rated : Mature literary genre : Romance, Action/Adventure, Angst
The final battle has long since past, yet to the Chosen One its rebound sting as painfully as they did on the day he lost her. His alone solace is found within his nightly escapes to the Muggle region, to where he is unrecognized in the dimly lit pubs, to where he is no longer in a world that constantly reminds him of the red fuzz of his ambition. Yet when a Muggle as much in need of solace as he makes the mistake of sending a Quaker to ask for his earpiece number in a steamy pub, Harry suddenly finds a time out to that lingering despair. The alone problem is how to explain his world to one content with magic card put-on ? Well ... the lure of a vacation definitely has its good points ! This story has an almost film noir quality at its showtime, and it progresses into a very 'feel sound', laugh out loud, read. Pairing : Harry/Muggle OC












A few basics to note :

Red line cell contain hemoglobin, which transports atomic number 8 throughout the body. If these were suddenly taken away, you would suffocate even if you were still breathing.

Platelets are creditworthy for the body 's power to form bloodline coagulum. Without platelet, you would bleed to death from a unproblematic cut on the arm.

Sorry for the offhand biology lesson, but in writing this chapter I did not sense like explaining these staple concepts since I assumed that the fictional character, due to one too many hospital wing visits, would already sleep with what these are. I also took a few creative liberties, so put up with me on those.






'' Hope is the companion of big businessman, and mother of succeeder ; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles. ``
~ Samuel Smiles ~



Chapter 27 ~ The fellow of Grief


Near dawn she found him there. He was still awake, as she had known he would be.

dean was monotonic on his book binding, staring at the rich, blood red canopy of his bed. His eyes had not moved from the canopy in hours, for fear of seeing the discharge bed besides him, and they did not act as his bed dangling stirred in the eerie illumination.

Ginny slipped between them, crawling across the covers until she lay besides him. Wordlessly he had wound his sleeve around her humble soma, an icy pain sensation twisting within him. It was a impenetrable guilt trip, for he had his booster 's tender comfort while her boyfriend had naught to see lay aside for the cold Stanford White sheet draped over his closed eyes.

Seamus was gone, and it felt like a obelisk had been driven through him.

It dawned a dark, gray-red dawn, and the sinister rain outside continued, pooling upon the windowpane sills. He could not come together the Windows, nor cylinder block out the cool down wind instrument, for when he had first seen Seamus'hollow bed that dark he had thrown clear each pane, tearing the wooden control panel from their hinges.

Now the water supply dripped onto the floor, the unorthodox rhythm serving to drive him closer and closer to the breaking detail. It was a sound Neville seemed forgetful to, for his student residence spouse 's steady snores filled the air, and with each passing audio Dean felt the itch to blast something violently.

His digit twisted in Ginny 's red fuzz, reminding him of her front. Though Seamus was gone, she was still there.

He had a understanding to rest strong.

Still he did not count at her. Gradually her quiet breathing spell became regular, but his morose heart remained open, staring at the canopy.

It was all he could do.
* * * * *


Harry watched as Angelina ran from the elbow room, unable to sway the icy sentiency slithering within him. He knew he should not care, he could not ...

Yet he did.

Seconds after port-keying to Lupin 's manor, as he had regained his footing in the candlelit foyer, Kalliandra had lost knowingness. His shivering soundbox had clutched her against his chest, and that was how Angelina had found them.

It was becoming clearer, the harshly exchanged words between Kaylens and the headmaster ... the one he had overheard in the hospital wing ... It seemed ages ago, yet they echoed hauntingly fresh within his head.

'' Considering that I 'm the one you ca n't cure ... ''

'' Kalliandra, looking at it as a Death sentence will not help matters. ``

'' You 're right. zippo will. ``

Angelina had claimed that the physical accent of the night had just finally taken their price, saying how sorcerous travel was often too very much for a weakened body to accept. She had told him everything was going to be ok, to not concern ...

Her oculus betrayed her words for the lies they were.

'' Harry, set her there. aid me get her sleeve ... ''

Angelina was back, having returned with a hoard of supplies. He did as he was told, laying Kalliandra on the languish couch. She sunk into the torn up cushions, stuffing bulging out at the extra weight unit. It appeared to be the just real piece of furniture on the maiden storey, and he too squeezed onto it.

He could n't leave her.

Reaching down he grasped the cuff of her wet sleeve, rolling it up. With every inch of exposed flesh another bruise was revealed, his inside twisting at the thick, recondite purpleness marks lining her ticklish skin. In the dark of the clearing he had not even noticed ...

Angelina knelt besides them, her hands moving methodically, with the calculated apparent movement born of her healer training. His early teammate was now cleaning the inside of Kalliandra 's elbow, inserting a small needle into the bluish line of her vena. He could only watch from where he sat on Lupin 's worn couch, holding Kaylens messy header of hair in his lap.

'' Harry hold this ... hold it high ... ''

He nodded mutely, taking the clear plastic bag from her, watching the yellowish-brown fluid sloshing within it. Following Angelina 's instructions he held it shoulder highschool, ineffective to murder his center from Kaylens'calm face. Her mystifying hazel eyes were now hidden behind pale eyelids, her face in desperate need of washing. A bar of mud still highlighted her cheekbone, a gray coat of ashes lending her a ghostly, freckled appearance.

Reaching down Harry brushed her hair aside, revealing a dried cytologic smear of blood hiding near her hairline.

A mystifying contusion was forming there as well.

In fluent gesture his old housemate attached a yearn, clean tube-shaped structure to the IV in her arm with a still click, retrieving the fluid filled bag from him. With both of his hands finally costless he found himself smoothing the pilus away from her cheek, wiping the mud away with his thumbs.

He could feel Angelina 's eyes on him. `` She needs to repose Harry. ''

He did not serve right away, contenting himself to keep an eye on as Angelina wove her wand, the IV bag rising to remain set aside in mid-air. Slowly the liquid began dripping from the bag into a small, tube-like chamber.

Swallowing hard, his regard rose pointedly to Angelina 's.

'' What are you giving her ? ``

Angelina never ceased workings, and she was already shooing Harry 's manus out of the way as she carefully grasped Kalliandra 's early wilted arm, tapping just above the human elbow with her wand.

Kaylens'dreary mineral vein bulged just long enough for another syringe needle to be inserted, only this time Angelina was drawing profligate sample distribution, rather than starting a drip mold infusion.

'' Angelina ? '' He prompted gruffly.

The untried healer sighed wearily, `` It 's a mixture of red blood cellular telephone and platelets Harry. '' She pulled back on the syringe, and it began filling with a viscid, dark red blood.

Harry hastily looked away.

'' Why does she postulate that ? '' He ground out, his interpreter hoarse with exhaustion.

Leaving the needle in her arm Angelina unscrewed the wax syringe bbl, setting the origin sample upon a natation tray she had conjured. She made quick work of attaching a new, empty one to the needle as she repeated the appendage.

'' How about you Harry ? '' Angelina asked dismissively. `` Knowing you, you 've probably managed to do it yourself up sound. ``

'' Do n't deepen the study. ``

Angelina 's dark eyes darted up, `` I 'm not. But I 'm a healer, that 's why Dumbledore left me to wait for you two. I just had to check. ``

His tired eyes turned to his own deal. He flipped them over, observing his healed, calloused palms. The deep separatrix the get out glass had left were gone. Fawkes'tears had healed them, dripping into his wounds when he had reached through the thick rain to conduct the interface key.

Before he even had a chance to wonder why Fawkes had bothered healing such nipper injury, the Phoenix had flown away.

'' I 'm very well, '' He replied staidly, realizing he meant it. No longer could he feel the stinging kale, torn by the werewolf 's chela, down his spine. Even the bone trench pall the icy rain had left was gone.

All that was left was the queasy sensation churning within his stomach, his only succour the girl in his lap, who was incapable of responding decent to ease his fears.

'' What 's wrong with her ? ``

In the empty, windowless room, Angelina removed the needle from her arm.

'' nil that ca n't be treated, '' She responded quietly, rising from her knees, apparently done.

'' That 's not what I asked. ``

He did not miss the way her eyes avoided his.

'' zip that I can tell you. For what it 's worth ... I 'm sorry about that Harry. ''

He swallowed, the sound seeming much louder in the still air. He bowed his head, spying a spot of gray ash near the corner of Kalliandra 's mouth. Without thought his ovolo wiped it away, his stiff demeanor relaxing as a sleepy grumble emerged from her cold lips.

Angelina watched it all, silently placing each of the roue samples into a cool carrying case. For a moment her clinical nature vanished, a sad looking overcoming her coal black features.

It was then that it all came together for Harry. Every lilliputian contingent that she had let chemise, every sign of tiredness, every word the last feeder had said ...

'' It has to do with what she is, does n't it ? ''

Though he had asked, there was no interrogation in his tone.

Angelina rose a skeptical eyebrow, `` Then you do know ? ``

His eyes rose to hers, `` Yes. That 's why you could n't differentiate me. Dumbledore is n't aware I know. ``

She sighed tiredly, but he was already continuing. `` Ron and the others, you said they 're okay and that they were taken to Hogwarts. ''

She just nodded, earning a hard look from him.

'' Then why were we brought here ? ``

'' I wish I knew. All I know is that the ordination is finally utilizing the condom theatre it 's been setting up. ``

His eyebrow crinkled, his workforce unconsciously caressing Kalliandra 's dampen hair, which was strewn across his lap, leaving wet marks upon his trousers. `` There are former post asides from headquarters ? ``

'' Of course. Do n't ask where, because I do n't hump. ``

His smile was strained, `` Clever really ... not letting any one person know too a great deal about anything in caseful they 're caught. ``

'' Exactly. ``

His relapsing from the night topic plaguing him could uphold no longer, for the feeling of carefully controlled terror was rising.

Indicating the IV bag, he shot out a question. `` Why does she necessitate that ? ``

'' Perhaps I 'm not the best somebody to explain that. ``

'' You 're a therapist, '' He said in a carefully controlled tone. `` Who better ? ``

Angelina opened her oral fissure, as if to reply, but she never got the chance.

'' Perhaps I can. If you would only grant me. ``

Harry 's head spun, as did Angelina 's. Neither had heard the person 's arriver, and his heart was thundering at the fatalistic opening that could have resulted from such a lapsing on their parts.

His centre narrowed, anger mixing with relief as he saw another loved one intact and standing in the hall 's doorframe. A bitter laugh broke his throat, and he gestured into the room.

'' By all mean value Professor, it is your family after all. ``

Professor Lupin stepped wearily into the room, looking worse for the wear. But then again, Harry reflected, did n't they all ? The sentiment nearly sent Harry laughing. Instead he bit it back, another bitter sound growling abstruse in his throat.

From the look on lupin 's face, Harry knew he had noticed. The bass rail line on the man 's face betrayed an inner botheration, one Harry felt all too acutely.

It was the pain of loss. Only Harry knew Lupin had lost far Sir Thomas More than he ever had. Of path, he was still unseasoned. There was fourth dimension to trip up up in that category.

As if sensing his iniquity mentation, Kalliandra stirred. His attending was suddenly riveted to her, his hand on her cheek. Half of him hoped desperately for her to arouse, while another part feared that his one chance of discovering what ailed her would then slip away.

She was far too stubborn to burden anyone else with her bother. He knew that now.

It was startling how much could alter in less than twenty four hours.

Harry 's half angry, one-half questioning regard finally rose. He was startled to light upon Angelina 's absence. Somehow she had slipped away unnoticed, leaving he and Lupin alone.

After having been ignored by him for over two weeks, he was n't sure if he was well-chosen about that or not.

'' It 's trade good to see you Harry. ''

'' Is it ? '' He could n't avail it, but his voice was frigid.

Lupin looked stung. `` Of course it is. ``

'' Well forgive me for being sceptical, '' Harry replied sarcastically. `` It 's not like you have n't spoken to me in awhile. ``

'' I had my intellect. ``

He inclined an brow, `` You had ground for believing Sirius all-but-killed my mum and dad too. ''

'' That 's below the whack Harry. ``

'' good. ``

Remus ran a jade hand through his graying hair, leaning back against the wall. For the farseeing time neither spoke, the entire encounter arousing conflicting emotions within Harry.

He wanted to slug him. For what he had done to him, to Tonks, to Kaylens ... by ignoring them simply to shelter them from his canine side. For having left him to get by with the nuisance of Sirius'death alone. For having had the audacity to walk in, saying hi, as if nothing were amiss between the two. For having sent not one owl that summer.

All of Harry 's pent up frustrations with Lupin were finally bubbling over, conveyed in the exclusive icy flavour he shot him.

Outside the frigidness, first of Nov wind rattled the turnout. The weather matched his black mode perfectly.

'' I 'm sorry Harry. ``

He nearly laughed. `` Are you ? ''

'' For everything, '' lupin whispered chokingly.

Harry looked up, meeting the pleading stare of his Fatherhood 's finally living friend. Suddenly he did not see the man who had inspired such a tactile sensation of abandonment.

Instead ... he saw his family.

He swallowed hard, remembering the rifts he and Ron had been through, and the one they were in now. All those years ago, when he and Ron had fought during the Tri-Wizard tournament, Hermione had called them dazed.

She had been right.

biography was too scant to obligate grudges.

The monitor of Hermione 's plight, and the thought that Remus could be taken just as easily, sent him stumbling for Holy Scripture. `` Just ... '' He started, forcing a sift smile. `` Do n't let it befall again. ``

'' I wo n't. ``

Remus'fall brown eyes were zip but honest. Suddenly, despite his lingering fears for Hermione ... for Ron ... for Ginny ... for James Byron Dean ... for Tonks ... for Dumbledore ... for Remus ... .for Neville ... .for Luna ... for Kalliandra ...

It was all too much to take, but suddenly he felt that he may not be quite so desperately alone in facing all of it.

'' Thank you, '' He said quietly, truly meaning it.

Remus simply smiled sadly, inclining his head towards the slumbering daughter in his lap.

'' How is she ? ``

Harry felt his supercilium instinctively furrow, his mastermind once again compartmentalizing what he could worry about, and impact, in the here and now.

'' I 'm not certain, '' He replied honestly. `` But Profes ... .Remus, what 's happening to her ? ``

The startle spirit upon Remus 's boldness faded, his kind eyes regarding him carefully.

'' I assume you already know then. ``

'' Yes, '' He heard himself whispering, his vox filled with nude concern.

Remus studied him for a long moment, his eyes falling on the drift of Harry 's hand as he stroked Kalliandra 's long tomentum.

For some reasonableness Harry did not care if Remus noticed.

The former professor 's brow crinkled with both curiosity and pity at the connotation Harry 's motion conveyed. `` Are you sure you really want to know Harry ? Sometimes not knowing is best, for when you know ... '' Remus'gaze was suddenly far off, as if peering into the distant past.

'' Sometimes Harry, the Sojourner Truth will simply haunt you. ``

Harry 's pharynx constricted, the tear glistening within Remus'middle far too clear.

'' What if it already does ? ``

The elderberry bush man smiled sadly, `` Then I 'd say things between the two of you have changed. After all, she 's out cold and you have yet to try and throttle her. ``

A sad jest bubbled out of him, his gaze falling to stay on her pale os frontale.

'' Please ... I ... do n't say anything .... ''

'' Would n't pipe dream of it. ``

Harry found himself nodding with no particular reason. `` Good ... I ... I 've no idea ... ''

'' What 's going on ? '' Remus finished.

Harry spotted the man 's knowing smile, and was finally able to let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding.

'' Something like that. ``

In the still air of the windowless room, both men remained silent. Harry 's optic fell closed, his ears seeking out the soft audio of Kaylens'regular breathing.

Somehow, even with the growing queasiness within, this calmed him.

With a conclusiveness he did not feel, he finally spoke.

'' I need to know Remus. ''

A loud sigh filled the room. `` I was afraid of that. ``

And Remus explained. He explained how wizardly beings had come into creation, for somewhere in homo chronicle, man blood cellular phone had begun mutating.

Most of the sport had resulted in cancerous rake flow, killing those in possession of those variations. Muggles and ace alike still struggled against those diseases, leukemia the most outstanding, but there were some individuals where the mutations became beneficial.

He explained how everything, both living and inert, contained a form of energy. Not all of it was mensurable in the Muggle manner, and it was this form of energy, the kind that would fail to register on electrical scales, that allowed magical organism to flourish.

It was witching vim, and over time some individuals developed the ability to keep in line it, without adverse affects.

Others were not so lucky.

There were citizenry like Kalliandra, people like range, who could cut into into the magical realm. But doing so was dangerous.

In the instance of witches and sensation, they developed completely new prison cell in their blood flow, and magical energy was conducted through their physical bodies via these. Thus their bodies were able-bodied to act like electrical circuits, and energy was able to devolve through their magical electric cell without ever touching their other cells.

It was a unadulterated system.

There were occasion when witches and wizards would become fatigued, and such occurrence usually happened when the someone was performing wandless magic, or a particularly complicated trance. And the reason for their enfeeblement was quite simple really :

When one 's torso functions like a circuit, if supernumerary magical energy is taken in and not released in the physique of a the right way cast spell, then that muscularity remains stuck in the trunk and has to go somewhere. And since illusion runs quite literally through one 's mineral vein, that witch or wizard 's magical mobile phone would be the low gear to be essentially, electrocuted by their sorcerous overload.

Fortunately wizard cells are quite robust, and their plasma membranes are more than capable of absorbing such overloads.

Red blood cell, however, are not.

On occasion so lots energy is not released from a wizard 's body that it bursts through their magical cells, frying ancestry electric cell essential in the sustentation of life.

And when one 's red blood jail cell are dying it is hard to circulate plenty oxygen.

It was how Luna Lovegood 's mother had died. She had suffocated, while still breathing.

Such expiry were a rare occurrence, because human blood contains far more cubicle than necessary for the sustentation of life story. So when some blood electric cell are killed there are generally enough survivors to allow that someone to stay on functioning in a convention, albeit fatigued, manner.

The first clock time Harry had tried the Patronus appeal he had overdrawn as well. He had been left winded, gasping for breath, just like he was after every Quidditch practice.

Yet he had partaken in no physical activity.

It was because he had lost red-blood cellular telephone, the very cells responsible for for carrying atomic number 8 throughout the soundbox, and his physical structure was responding as it would in an Oxygen-deprived manner.

range had never evolved that far. They had never developed additional cells in their blood stream, and the mutant allowing them to lead electrical current lay directly upon their red profligate jail cell.

If they overdrew, their outset cells to be damaged would be the one 's necessary in the transportation of O.

Their mutation was one that worked, but it functioned poorly. hotshot had evolved much more gracefully, for their additional cells provided a barrier to protect them against overdrawing. Ultimately it was this refutation chemical mechanism that had allowed the wizarding species to not only fanfare, but to survive.

Unlike in him, the first cell to die in a grasp when they overdrew were their red lineage electric cell.

For a scope, the likelihood of suffering Luna 's mother 's destiny was an almost certainty.

A dusty notion overtook Harry as all of this sunk in, for Kalliandra could easily die from overdrawing. She was only still active due to the fact that her ancestry stream contained more red blood prison cell than it actually needed. Thus, she was capable of tolerating a sealed degree of overdrawing, but the margin was slim.

For her, unlike a beldam or star, there was no real learning curvature. For her there was little room for mistake, for there were no cells to steep the shock ...

For her the only advantage of overdrawing too a great deal was death.

She would suffocate while still breathing.

It was why her red blood cellular phone were being replaced even as Remus spoke. For every time she drew energy into herself she was slowly killing her cells.

Dumbledore was determined to replace as many as he could, as often as he could.

It was the only way to sustain her, to see to it her a longer life.

Suddenly he understood the intermittent bruising he had seen upon her throughout the year.

After Remus had turned ... in the hospital backstage ...

Her blood platelet had been killed when she had overdrawn, to protect him from Remus ...

She had passed out in Grimmauld situation, from the sweat ... her body forcing her into unconsciousness in a lastly ditch exploit to prevent her from doing promote damage to herself..

The image of her lying unconscious on the floor of the troika broom handle flew through his mind.

He had known that she had risked exposure for what she was, but gods ... .She had risked decease there, to protect people who hated her.

And he had once accused her of being a Death Eater.

decease Eaters knew no such selflessness.

A sickening sense experience flooded over him, his hand rising to reave through his still wet hair.

He scarcely heard Remus as he tried to lie, telling him it was not a Death sentence for her.

Harry knew better, for what else could it be ?

His clutch on her tightened, as if holding onto her could preclude the inevitable. Remus was talking about intervention, about how if they maintained her blood count at proper levels that she would be capable to hold up a normal, full lifespan.

All it took was a single face into Remus'uncheerful heart to bed that his friend did not truly believe what he was saying.

'' Will she die ? ``

His own vox, his own question, sounded so far off.

'' Harry goose egg is certain ... If she does n't amplify then we 'll never induce to worry about that possibleness. ``

'' Remus, will she die ? '' Harry felt his vocalism breaking, the familiar spirit pang of loss welling within him.

As he met Remus'kind, glistening eyes, he knew the answer.

'' Eventually ... ''

He wanted to conk out something, a figure of protestation that would quench the waterlessness of his throat, but cypher came.

'' From what we know Harry, the others like her ... eventually, they all overdrew. ``

Eventually ...

The goosy respite of his mind clung to that Holy Scripture, the laughable companion of brokenheartedness stirring within him.

Hope.

It was n't until sometime after dawn when he finally fell asleep. The IV was long since removed from her arm, her sleeping anatomy pulled into his arms.

At the import Harry did n't give a damn about who could see.



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legacy : The Solidus appeal by the Dark Lord Nedved Rated : Mature
sum-up : Every epic poem has a beginning, and for the young magus who was Prophesized to have the force the Dark Divine Knows Not, this is the beginning of his Legacy. For Harry there was no metre to mourn for his fallen godfather, for a new foe has emerged with the sole purpose to assassinate him. The dark Lord Nedved has created a tale of action, uncovering, magical creative thinking and forfeiture that would leave the considerably novelist pounding on his door, begging for him to embark on working on original fiction. This epos tarradiddle has 5 dissimilar novels associated with it, two of which are completed, while the others are well under way. To attempt to describe them in any early way would be to not do them justice. Harry/Hermione







Authors note : Hey folks !

All of you really are the best readers out there. I ca n't thank everyone sufficiency for all of the well wish and understanding that were shown when I announced that I would be taking a long sabbatical from writing. I really needed it, and am glad of it. Both my female parent and sis had been diagnosed with sober illnesses this retiring summer, and all of the well wishes some of you sent via email must have paid off because they have both made noteworthy retrieval.

Secondly, thank you to everyone for the kind word 's regarding Lexi 's death. On top of everything this summer that was the final gust to drive all of my motivation for writing away for awhile, but it is now back full force. Since I am a bit frustrated at having taken so long between chapters in the past, I have now set aside one day a calendar week to pen so that I can get chapters out much more quickly, and on a habitue groundwork. I anticipate this news report being done by summertime, and then I shall lead off work on the sequel.

And virtually importantly I wanted to say thank you to Saint Andrew the Apostle, for he helped me immensely with this chapter. It had been so long since I had written anything that when I finally tried to write again I found myself suffering from a severe case of writer 's block. Not only did he beta-read this chapter but he also offered marvelous proffer to get this story back on track. Thank you so practically !




'' Dangerous is ire concealed. ``
~ Lucius Annaeus Lucius Annaeus Seneca ~



Chapter 28 ~ The Power of ire


As if in a nightmare the room 's dense darkness was broken. From the darkened hall a single wax light appeared, levitating ominously as it preceded its owner into the sear way.

The theatre 's get down narrative harboured neither windows nor doors to the outside existence. It was a unvarying admonisher of the monthly demon that had once been contained within its very walls, whenever the lunar month had cast its full twinkle upon the earth.

Now another more serious fiend loomed in the elbow room 's shadows.

With a casual wave of their hand the figure crossed the carpet floor silently, their silhouette pausing above the slumbering teens. The number knew that neither would awaken until their sleeping magic spell had run its course.

Yes, the physique was mightily. Their sleeping charm were one of their unattackable talents.

They could operate in complete safety device. None within the walls would be the wiser to their actions.

Tonight they would commence their plan.

A syringe was filled, its needle swiftly inserted into the slumbering girl 's vein. Kaylens'pulsating blood, bluish in tint through her pale skin, flashed silver.

A moment later the strange hue faded, a grim origin of expiation stretching over the figure 's shadowed face.

* * * * *


With a acuate pawl the door to Dumbledore 's federal agency opened.

Tonks shot out of the armchair she had been dozing within, knowing the locking spell 's removal to mean only one thing.

'' He 's back, '' She whispered. Lounging in the armchair besides her Regulus nodded.

Out in the mansion, suddenly visible as the doorway opened, was Ron Weasley. He lay slumped besides his discarded crutch on the base, sleeping soundly.

Crusantheus hung on the door miserably, his knocker curled and contorted around his ears so as to block out the sound of the vernal Gryffindor 's snoring.

'' killing me ... '' He squeaked. `` Please. ``

As tired as she was Tonks could n't help but smile as Regulus lazily took aim, an evil glint in his eye.

'' No ! '' Shrieked Crusantheus. `` I did n't actually entail it ! ''

Regulus continued advancing on the cowering knocker until a inscrutable spokesperson intervened.

'' No motive to gall Crusantheus. Did you leave that the killing cuss has no effect on brass breast ? ''

Crusantheus peeked out from behind his knocker hopefully, as Tonks spun around, rounding on the maddening affair 's rescuer.

Somehow Ablus Dumbledore was standing behind her, looking rather jovial.

'' Morning Nymphadora. Fancy a biscuit ? ``

As if on cue a tray of cooky appeared in his outstretched decoration.

Tonks blinked dazedly, rubbing her red rimmed eyes with her clenched fist. Surely this merry
man had not just returned from a confluence with the darkest of dark lord ?

Regulus, completely unflummoxed by their sudden intrusion, rose from his arm chair to carefully inspect the intellectual nourishment offering. `` I take it talks proceeded satisfactorily ? ''
'' The rally will be made in two months'time. ``

Tonks gaped, `` Two months ! ``

'' They probably need time to repair the piddling Mudblood, '' Regulus commented casuallly, directing his gaze to Albus. `` I assume you requested that she be returned in one piece, and I can only ideate the fun they 've had with her until now. ``

Dumbledore nodded gravely. `` Her injury will postulate some ... healing. ``

Tonks middle widened in care. While she still did not see how Hermione for Dumbledore was a fair business deal, she had grown rather fond of the lady friend during her time at Grimmauld Place.

A pair of sky drear middle regarded her carefully, their instant somehow dimmer than she remembered.

'' I know what you are thinking Nymphadora, '' Dumbledore said kindly, as if reading her judgement. `` But part of the reasonableness I made the blood pact here with Regulus, rather than in Voldemort 's bearing, was so that I could insure Hermione 's return on my own terms. He could have chosen to reject the rakehell pact had he so chosen, but he did not. ''

Tonks opened her mouth to ask precisely what those terms were, but his mitt steadied her question.

'' The terms were that if she were returned in the accurate forcible State that she had been in before the Hogsmead onset took topographic point, that I would trade places with her, becoming Voldemort 's prisoner. ``

'' I bet he was only too happy to go for that swap, '' Regulus stated, smirking widely. `` Imagine that ... Albus Dumbledore, the Dark Lord 's greatest nemesis, handed to him on a golden platter with a side of cherry."

"Actually,"Dumbledore corrected,"I believe the saying is ‘ served on a ash grey platter with a cherry on top.'”

Tonks spluttered, focusing on the honk sensation within her stomach. The war sweat, the monastic order, could feasibly crumple without Dumbledore 's leadership, and here he was bantering with an ex-Death eater, wizarding populace deserter right after selling his life to the devil.

"Dumbledore,"She said, voicing her far from still thought aloud."Why would you do this ?"

Dumbledore 's eyes locked on hers, losing their twinkle. `` Nymphadora, we have lost far too many scholar to this war already. I could not brook by and turn a loss another. ''

She swallowed the lump in her throat hastily. She should consume known all along that the safety of others would always come first to Dumbledore. He would throw done the same for any of them.

love of one 's friends was a powerful thing.

'' So, old man, '' Regulus queried, taking a bite of his biscuit. `` Find out anything else of interestingness during your little rendezvous ? ``

If potential Dumbledore 's eyes darkened further. `` We have to assemble the Holy Order. The plague was unleashed in Dublin. ``

'' Dublin, Ireland ! '' Tonks blurted rhetorically.

genus Regulus frowned, `` As brilliant as you are, how were you placed in Ravenclaw again ? ''

She scarcely heard him, her optic having darted over to the still slumbering sort of Kenneth and Emily.

Their home city was infected.

'' So how 'd you fare by that fun fact Albus ? I never exactly took you two to be old schoolhouse chums. ''

For the brief of seconds Dumbledore 's eyes took on their old sparkle. `` For all of Voldemort 's prowess with Legilimency, he never quite mastered Occlumency. He has always surrounded himself with truehearted followers. '' He continued, `` And until recently he simply did not induce the indigence.

Regulus chuckled. `` So he 's respectable, but you 're unspoiled. ``

Tonks blinked. `` But I thought he was one of the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen ? ''

'' Ah ... '' Dumbledore said, smiling again. `` As is Ms. sodbuster, but even she can not fly upon a broom. ''

Tonks gaped at him.

'' We all have our impuissance Nymphadora. Severus never would take survived his character as spy had he not been better at Occlumency and Legilimency than Voldemort. We should simply be thankful that this is one of Voldemort 's few light point in time. ``

Tonks frowned pensively. So He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did make weakness. They really were not fighting for naught.

With an air of decisiveness Regulus clapped his hands together, making the already nervous Crusantheus bang his knocker rather loudly. The slumbering Ronald Weasley gave a violent start, snorting loudly as he awoke suddenly.

Tonks watched wearily as the Melanerpes erythrocephalus blinked groggily, eyeing the post in forepart of him until his eyes landed on the Headmaster. It took a moment before a figural illumination bulb clicked on in his sleep-befuddled head

'' Professor Dumbledore ! '' He exclaimed, scrambling to his feet, a flurry of wooden crutch and gangly leg sliding on stone. It did n't take farsighted before Ron was flat on his arse once again, groaning from his fall.

Regulus eyed him mockingly. `` And they call Hufflepuffs the duffers. ``

* * * * *


Harry 's optic snapped open, his dreamless nap shattered by the sudden outcry of the missy in his arms. Through slightly blurred optic he stared down the bridge of his nozzle at the messy mop of hair's-breadth resting upon his chest. The warm feeling he ought to take in felt vanished, a numbing one replacing it at the ken of her expression.

For Kaylens there was no heartsease to be found in the realm of dreams.

He swallowed hard, watching her face crinkle into an expression bearing striking similarity to what he had once seen upon Cedric 's father, as the man desperately clutched his lifeless son to him, oblivious to the swarming crowd around them.

Such undiluted sorrow should never be seen upon a man countenance, yet he had seen it palpably far too often. Even on himself. The root of such anguish had been buried deep within him, growing since the import he had discovered his truthful lot : killing or be killed.

All thought of his calamity of a future was suddenly shattered as Kaylens lurched violently, a chilling cry cutting from her throat.

Harry gaped, feeling the haircloth on his arms rising to digest on end. Without thinking his workforce gripped her limb, her skin beneath his fingers turning white with the pressure.

'' K-kaylens ... '' He stuttered, scarcely recognizing his own voice. He gave an observational shove, shaking her lightly in a pathetic endeavour to wake her.

And that was when she cried out again. That sound ripping from her throat. It resonated through the dark way, terrifying in its raw volume. His hair's-breadth now fully stood on end, for the sound had been insanely tragic and yet, unbearably beautiful.

It chilled him to the bone, for it was a vocalise no human could utter.

It happened fast. One second his arms were wrapped tightly around her, shaking her in an try to rouse her, and in the side by side her arms wrenched away. She shot up quickly, her eyes flying open in the night elbow room only to be slammed shut as she uttered a more familiar shriek of pain. His stand-in was short- lived as he grabbed onto her arm again, for she pulled away so violently that they were both sent acrobatics from the couch to the floor.

His back struck the floor first, his knee joint having been tangled unnaturally in the blankets. He attempted to correct himself, pulling his branch down until he was on all fours.

A swift kick to the back sent his face smashing into the soil.

He groaned, and ignoring the throbbing pain in his nose he rose his question cautiously, squinting at his environs. Where were his shabu ? Slowly he reached a mitt out, allowing it to roam across the piano carpet in his lookup.

And then he remembered.

His glasses were still lying in some wild puddle in the middle of that damnable forest. By now they were probably some acromantula 's chew toy.

Cursing he blinked rapidly, his center finally adjusting to the darkness and settling on the slightly fuzzy outline of Kaylens. She was sitting upright, some near five pes away, with her knee joint drawn to her chest and her face buried within them.

He swallowed hard, the but sounds in the way now were his rough breath and her rapid, erratic ace. In stunned quiet he observed her as best as he could. Her simple human foot were sticking out from beneath a thick mantle, which despite their tumble still partly covered her, while she breathed as if having run a marathon.

Everything that had transpired between them came flooding back, a tense feeling twisting within him.

'' Kaylens ... '' He whispered, reaching hesitantly for her, only for her to cringe, scrambling away like a frightened animal.

He stared in astonishment as her dorsum hit the way 's wall, a unusual whimper coming from her throat. Of all the reactions he could take in foreseen, this was the furthest from it.

And now she was having the reaction that he would cause expected from any early girl, but not from her.

She was sobbing.

The sound of her crying tore at him in ways he had n't imagined, for the girl who had stood by him, facing Death Eaters and wolfman without blinking an eye, had been reduced to this pathetic state by a mere incubus.

Instantly he stood, crossing the room to her in four foresightful strides.

'' Kaylens, '' He said, tentatively laying a hand on her shoulder. She whimpered, shrinking away from his touch.

His hilltop furrowed determinedly. `` Kaylens look at me, '' He commanded, crouching directly in front of her. Still, her fountainhead remained determinedly adverted, prompting him to get the picture her by both shoulders.

Her head guesswork up, a furious clicking coming from her throat as she struggled away, lashing out violently. He dove back to void her thrash hands and infantry, landing on his tailbone, oculus wide in astonishment.

She was making that sound again.

And he recognized it. A dismal dark in the Forbidden wood, where he and Draco Malfoy had encountered the unexpected, had taught him that sound of pain.

The speech sound of the beautiful creature 's dying cries had reverberated in his nightmare for months.

As had Voldemort 's umbrageous shape ...

There was no hesitation in his movements as he wandlessly summoned his wand to his paw, immobilizing her arms and legs with a motion-picture show of his wrist.

Kaylens was conscious, but unequal to of lashing out.

He crawled back to her, taking her delicate carpus and pushing the arm of her battered sweater up.

The bruising was gone.

He swallowed hard, recognizing the odds of such bruising disappearing overnight. Now he was only certain of one thing.

Something had happened whilst he slept.

Licking his slips nervously he cupped her chin, raising her fountainhead until he could see all of the confusion swimming within her golden eyes. His breather hitched in horrible actualisation at what he was about to do, but there was simply no other way.

He had to know. He had to know what had happened whilst he slept.

Until then he could n't aid her, and he knew that no one else would be willing to do this. There were exacting rules against the unauthorized use of Legilimency. Hermione had taught him that much, screaming and ranting after his last misuse of the talent against the same girl he was about to violate yet again.

'' I 'm sorry, '' He whispered, brushing her hair away from her face. `` I 'm so sorry Kally ... '' He repeated, steeling himself for his law-breaking.

Cupping her aspect he stared intently into her eyes, watching them flickering around in fear.

Her care was warranted.

He only hoped he was wrong.

'' Legilimency ! ``

The overpowering moving ridge that was her life flooded his mind, capturing his gage in a spin of indiscernible events. He groaned, desperate to end the twister-like effect of the remembering swirling around him. It was different than the survive time, so unbelievably unlike ...

A clamor of clicking, beautiful and powerful in its raw intensity filled his thinker, only to be replaced just as quickly as it had come with a intimate scream.

'' RILEY ! ''

He was seeing it again, reliving the afternoon when she had seen her own comrade murdered right in front of her. Only this clip the double were fleeting, distorted as if he were viewing it through a loggerheaded pane of smoky glass. It was as if the memories were no longer her own.

His heart clenched as he watched the man kick open the door for the minute meter. Kaylens'small trunk was confuse backwards, her petite form sliding across the floor. It was as if everything were on the profligate forward feature article of a Muggle VCR. There was the tongue, her screams, her chum ...

As the gunshot rang out he could again almost feel what she had. The hot, ardent pain of the vane plunging into her flesh. The searing as it was drug in a deep line across her shoulder blade. The fear as she watched the pedigree pooling from her brother 's
wound slowly stop pumping ...

Suddenly all was black, foggy, the sinewy sound of a herd stampeding through her persuasion. Then all was green and embrown and park again. Somehow he was running faster than he had thought potential, the tree diagram whipping past him in a blur of green and embrown and green again. He was surrounded by others of his kind.

His epithet was Lightning.

The figure twisted again, surrounding Harry in a confusing whorl of timber scenes followed by scenes of her childhood. Silver horns flashed around him, gleaming as the herd ran beneath the moonshine, while golden hair flashed throughout her life.

Another memory slammed into Harry, crystallizing into near clearness. It was mid-afternoon, though the sun barely shone through the over-cast sky. Before him was a poorly kept yard, bordered on three sides by a midst, rising treeline and hills. Harry swiveled in the murky memory, feeling Kalliandra 's recollection lurch dangerously as another memory board threatened to bleed into this one. The audio of hooves, the speech sound of the herd on the run, pounded in the distance.

Harry fell to the dewy ground, watching as a man with fortunate hairsbreadth, tinged heavily with gray, methodically stacked sandbags away from the house. Fog crept across the lawn, curling around his feet, each oink echoing in the silent vale.

And then the children were led out, and Harry 's soul shivered.

Kalliandra appeared to be the Same age as in the stopping point memory, only now she stood besides a small boy, barely older than her, digging her nails into his arm.

'' S-sean ... ''

Their founder pried her hands away from her brother, forcing a semi-automatic Glock 17, 9x19 mm gauge side arm into her pocket-size hired man. Her stage had suddenly felt wintry, rooted to the damp primer coat. Harry could practically feel her mettle 's frightening thundering at the cold, unfeeling metallic element between her finger's breadth.

The heavyset fog curled gamey around the six foot stack of backbone bags, and as it began to moisten her male parent aimed her small manus towards the stack.

'' Shoot it. ``

Kalliandra pulled the gun trigger and cried.

As the gun was being passed to her surviving brother Kaylens'computer storage shifted again, swirling until he found himself peering through a compact woodlet of Tree, stomping his hooves in warning as a hooded figure approached. The design 's hands raised very slowly, carefully removing the hood of their robe, allowing a shower of midst, black hair to arrive tumbling around her shoulder.

The woman 's countenance remained hidden by the abstruse forest shadows, yet Lightning was calming.

It was a virginal woman. She could be trusted. Lightning could tell.

The unicorn never saw the early clothe chassis creeping from behind, and that man 's dagger soon shone silver with Lightning 's blood.

Harry stood in the shadows drawing mysterious, lambaste intimation. He could practically palpate every in of painful sensation the poor creature was going through, the only sounds that of the screeching fauna and that of the dry subdivision cracking beneath Harry 's shifting weight as he watched, powerless to stop its pain.

The man bottled and corked a mensurable amount of blood from the unicorn, leaving it only enough to barely limp away live. A light chortle escaped the hooded expiry eater at the sight.

Suddenly the char stepped out of the trace, and Harry 's breathing time stopped.

Angelina stood in the dim light, depositing the feeding bottle into a thick bag slung across her berm. Her Dark Mark gleamed brilliantly.

Violently Harry felt himself being tossed out, finding himself categoric on his back staring up at Remus'shocked face.

Kalliandra continued to whimper.

* * * * *


'' Would you mind repeating that ? ``

Tonks blinked stupidly. Somehow she had thought that being told that the `` infestation of all pestis '' had been unleashed upon the citizens of Ireland would have had more than of an issue upon its President.

Instead the newly awakened Kenneth Bothan sat behind Dumbledore 's desk, clasping his hands, waiting for her reception with an inquiring look upon his face.

She silently damned Albus for having left them to violate the news to Kenneth while he went to telephone an emergency meeting of the Holy Order. She was n't full at this sorting of thing dam n't ! She had at least expected a rouse out of the man at the news, but instead he was irrefutably calm.

It was quite obvious that Kenneth was insane.

'' Basically Ken, all of your mass will be idle within the week, '' Regulus stated with ironic cheerfulness. `` But look on the brightly side. At least you wo n't have to run for re-election. ''

Tonks'night center swiveled to her cousin-german, her mouth opening move and ending like a gaping fish.

Kenneth, however, seemed entirely unflurried.

'' So, '' The Chief Executive started with a curious frown, `` What you are saying is that wizarding family have no treatment against this ? ''

'' Well ... '' Regulus mused thoughtfully. `` We could always Avada Kedavra those who have already contracted it. That ought to slow its spread, right Nymphadora ? ``

'' Regulus ! ``

Kenneth looked appraisingly at her full cousin. `` And this Avada Kedarva treatment ? How in force is it ? ``

genus Regulus grinned like a jackal. `` Supposing we were able-bodied to isolate those who had already contracted it we may come up out its method acting of dispersal, while simultaneously establishing a quarantine and treating the pain of the already afflicted ... ''

'' By killing them ! ? '' Tonks volley in, unable to conceive the wicked game genus Regulus played with the President 's hopes.

'' Ah, '' Kenneth said as if suddenly understanding. `` The treatment has a high deathrate pace. How high though ? ``

Regulus grinned widely, while Tonks contemplated slaying for the dozenth time in twenty four hours.
* * * * *


'' Harry ! What in the name of Merlin did you think you were ... ''

Harry closed his oculus, grinding out his password. `` Something 's wrong with Kalliandra, '' He interjected. `` I had to happen out what. ``

The elbow room 's silence was broken only by Kaylens'laboured breathing, and her vindicated distress drew lupine 's aid from him to her. He felt the former professor bead to his knees besides them, and he cracked an eye to watch as Lupin scrutinized her.

The professor looked flabbergasted as he picked up one of her stiff arms. `` Harry, you 've immobilized her. ``

'' For good reason. ``

lupine threw a disgusted look over his shoulder, and snatched his verge out, clearly intending to remove the spell.

'' Professor I do n't think tha ... ''

His protestation was too previous, for Kaylens had already lashed out, landing a strategic kick that sent Lupin sprawling flat on his backrest next to Harry.

'' I told you, '' Harry groaned, shoving himself up on his cubitus to notice the ail expression of Remus'brass. `` rush hard, does n't she ? ``

Lupin coughed harshly in reception, choosing to ignore him as he rolled over to check on Kaylens. She was already scrambling along the wall on all quaternary, backing herself into a street corner like a frightened animal. On her way she somehow managed to hit the merely other bit of furniture, asides from the couch, and several diminished volumes came spilling down, scattering across the floor like rocks thrown from a distance.

The crashing sound only intensified the poor young lady 's whimpering.

Harry 's eye remained on her, watching as she curled her leg to her chest in a feeble endeavour at self-protection. But he knew the truth ... there was no security from what plagued her.

But he 'd be damned if he did n't try to help.

'' professor .... '' He started slowly. `` What form of curse does drinking unicorn blood entail ? ''

lupin opened his mouth and faltered. Harry remained lying on his back, his pep pill body propped up with his elbows, silently hoping to God that the prof would put the man together. Lupin had to believe him. He had to confide him. None of the adults, save for those dead and buried, had ever trusted him in prison term for it to actually matter.

It was why Sirius had died. And somehow Harry did n't mean he could hire it if the finally contact to his father failed to trust him.

Then slowly, ever so slowly, the lykan's psyche turned towards him, and even in the disconsolate room Harry could see the sudden knowledge flashing in his eyes.

Moony understood his meaning.

'' Her bruising is gone, '' Harry whispered, driving another snow to any doubts the professor could accept. `` What else in the wizarding macrocosm could heal somebody that quickly ? ``

lupine drew a late breath, shaking slightly.

'' Harry ... if what you 're saying is true ... ''

'' It is, '' He assured. `` I saw store inside of her idea that were not hers. ``

Kaylens'whimpering had finally quieted, casting the room into a deathly silence.

Besides him Lupin swallowed audibly, contemplating Harry 's statements in the mortal muteness that had descended. Kaylens was no longer whimpering, and he was unsure of if he missed the reassuring speech sound of her presence, or if was pleased at the obvious easing of her distress.

He glanced at lupine, stunned at the deplumate expression upon his former professor's countenance. Did the man believe him or not ?

He sighed in frustration, snapping at lupin's deadness. `` Why would she have those memories, Moony ? ``

Hearing his old Marauder name snapped lupine out of his musing stupor. `` It's magically potent…unicorn blood that is. In fact it is so magical that their computer storage are often heavily imprinted upon it. '' He shook his head slowly, as if clearing a hazy fog."To have a unicorn's profligate is to not only own their life stream, but their very being."

Lupin sighed heavily. `` There is not practically case in point for this, but….in the early 1900 's medi-wizards began experimenting with different treatment selection for terminal diseases. One investigator, comrade with unicorns, sought to tackle their healing powers by injecting his terminally ill patients with the animals'blood. It cured the patient role but the incline effects…"lupin shuddered, digressing quickly. `` The blood was too arduous to obtain to begin with. Unicorns don't normally donate willingly, not to mentio ... ''

'' What side effects, '' Harry interrupted hoarsely, closing his optic. The feel of her in his weapon system flooded his senses, the woodsy scent that had clung to her all night coming back, overwhelming him with a tidal wave of fright. In his life there was no room for new attachments, yet the intellection of her in pain…

He knew without a dubiety that he would bolt down for her again, just as he would wipe out for any of those he held close.

He only hoped it would not make out to that.

His eyes snapped unresolved as lupin 's distressed articulation filled the room.

'' about went insane. ``

Harry nearly choked. `` Insane ? '' He grated out.

lupine looked year sr.. `` They never were able-bodied to distinguish between themselves and the animal again, '' he relayed. `` Can you imagine it Harry ? Having a life-time of memories that were not your own suddenly shoved inside of your mind ? Unicorns live for one C of years…it was only raw for those obtaining their blood to get confused. To them it would feel as if they had spent a retentive clip being a unicorn than a human being."

The ghastly sensation twisting within him step up. Kaylens'mind had revealed exactly what Lupin now spoke of, and the sentiment made him nauseous.

And the curse…God he had nearly forgotten…

Remus read his psyche, continuing his scholarly recitation of facts aloud. For Remus, who had lost so much, it was easier than dealing with the devastating fallout facing them in Kaylens'crumpled class.

"When one slays such an innocent creature, seeking their pedigree's healing power, it leaves the execration of the half-life. But when one is given the blood unwillingly, or when the animal is left awake, the curse does not lessen ; it simply changes its manifestation."

His throat constricted, but Harry managed to croak out a bingle word.

"Explain."

There was no mistaking the cast look upon Lupin's facial expression."Harry, the only unity desperate enough to kill such an innocent creature are those hanging onto biography by a train of thought. But the price…it is far too senior high school for any sane someone to contemplate, for the toll for their heinousness is losing all ability to love. A spirit without the capacity for dear is devoid of joy, felicity, family…"He shook his heading, disgust etched in his every lineament."In a do-or-die try to save their own life they lose the but affair that makes life worth livelihood for. Once they take that path they truly lead half a living, only experiencing the darker incline of the emotional spectrum."

"Then the mediwizard, the one using it to heal his patients, did that happen to him ?"

lupin sighed indulgently."There are ways to compile it, ways for it to be done without incurring the wrath of the hex but…those ways take time, Harry. Gaining the long term trust of a unicorn, let alone permission to inflict accidental injury upon it, are not prosperous tasks."

He swallowed hard."What about Kaylens ? That won't…it won't happen…"He trailed off, unable to vocalize such morbid opinion aloud. No human deserved that. She didn't deserve that.

Once again lupin looked ill."For Kally it will be different,"He said gruffly."Instead, if she recovers, she will love, but her every experience will be shared with both sides of her, diluting the intensity of the emotions she flavour, diluting her feelings towards others…"

Something about the words sent Harry's nub twisting.

"Unicorns ... they are such destitute beast, incapable of sin, unequal to of inflicting pain in the ass ... Could you imagine having a saint following you around for the entirety of your biography, correcting your every misunderstanding ? Well from this present moment on she will be sharing her head, her lifespan, with memories of what genuine artlessness is, for a unicorn is the true embodiment of that, and with it will fall a gnawing guilty conscience over the Sin she has committed in the past times. Between the discombobulation over her identicalness and her newfound guilt over even the low of transgressions…that alone could be adequate to take some mad."

Harry's mouth twisted into a glower,"So she can't sin ?"

"If only it were that easy, Harry. She can, and she will. But having this will give her a conscience stronger than virtually, and living a perfect living is an inconceivable task. Her life will be as close to formula as potential, only she will feel far shamed about things she does than others."

'' A one-half life ... '' He whispered aloud, suddenly understanding. Kaylens truly would be cursed, for she would always be sharing her psyche with memories not her own.

None of this was her fault, and the thought sickened him.

'' Not all the mediwizard 's patients went insane, '' He finally said, recalling lupine 's earlier Good Book. `` You said most. ``

Lupin shook his head. `` They all went insane at first-class honours degree Harry. But only two managed to domesticise enough of their psyche to function. Two out of dozens. ``

Harry closed his oculus, his interpreter filled with sardonic irony. `` She just ca n't catch a faulting, can she ? ``

The Professor shook his head in reply. `` There 's only one way to be sure. ''

Without warning Lupin snatched his scepter out, summoning a modest flashlight. Soon a metallic element blur came flying through the door, landing in the professor 's outstretched mitt.

Harry frowned at the action, not understanding, but in one swift motion the professor had it on and aimed at Kalliandra 's face. Lupin clearly knew exactly what he was looking for.

Kaylens was suddenly shrieking again, and judging from the grim look on the professor 's face he had found all he needed to know.

A metallic click sounded as the flashlight was turned off, and Kaylens'battle cry instantly died down, slowly fading to a dull whimper.

'' She 's raw to visible light ... '' Lupin stated. `` There are only two conditions I know of that cause that. ``

'' She 's not a vampire ... '' Harry stated coldly, earning a reproving look.

'' I was n't even about to suggest it. But animals tend to have dependable nocturnal sight than us Harry. Lykans and unicorns are no exception, and when I was showtime bit ... '' He trailed off, his face twisting into a peculiar reflection."Once I was bit my hale eubstance changed. My centre were the worst though. ''

The prof suddenly adopted an almost whimsical expression. `` Did you know there are more than square nerves per inch in your optic than in any other portion of your consistence ? Well there are. If you ever want to make someone pain just jinx their oculus and ... ''

'' professor, '' Harry interjected, at the import not carrying about the finer point in time of jinxing.

Lupin shrugged. `` My bite caused a all new level of tissue full of light tender cells to spring up across the back of my eye, its called tapetum lucidum. It lets me utilize lupus erythematosus light to see, so I can see with one-sixth the amount you can. But when it first happened ... before I was used to it ... '' He shuddered. `` Merlin it hurt. The thin wakeful felt like the sun was blasting me in the side. Hell, it had me in rent. ''

lupine raised the torch, pointing it directly at Kalliandra, flicking it on and off with each syllable. `` Just. Like. Her. ''

Kaylens'whimpers died down as the sparkle was turned off for a last clip, and suddenly Harry understood the flashlight. Unicorns had excellent virtually vision as well, and the torch was Lupin 's way of confirming what he already knew.

Kaylens had a layer of light sensitive tissue growing across her retinas right now. No wonder she screamed at the light.

'' Harry, '' The scholarly professor flavour was suddenly gone, and the savage was deadly serious. `` Was she fine hold out nighttime ? Before she lost consciousness ? ``

Harry was spry to nod.

'' Then sometime between then and now someone injected that descent directly into her venous blood vessel. She could n't have done it herself. ``

Harry 's back talk opened, but his enquiry of how that was possible died on his tongue.

He knew the answer.

There was only one someone who would wilfully swear another within the house.

'' professor what 's going on ? I heard yelling. ''

Harry 's eyes narrowed, every muscleman tightening. Angelina had finally come, drawn by the incremental shouting. There she was, rushing through the room 's threshold, drawing her cloak hastily around her as if nothing terrible were amiss.

If he had n't known better he would feature thought she truly was surprised at the situation she found. But he knew better. No one took that long to react to scream like the one's Kaylens had unleashed unless it was intentional.

'' Why is it so dark ? '' Her voice sounded honestly confused as she flicked her wand out, lighting every candelabrum in sight.

His eye flew to Kaylens, who had immediately began shrieking, clamping her hands over her eyes, screaming as if hell itself has sent its demons up to puff her into its astuteness. His chest constricted at her obvious pain.

Lupin lunged at her in a decidedly Friedrich August Wolf like way. `` Kally, do n't ! '' He was shouting, fighting her for control. She lashed out, and lupin grasped her wrist in a single, fluid movement, quickly capturing the other as well.

The professor had already forced her hired man down against her sides, kneeling on her legs in a vain endeavour to foreclose them from flailing. He was far stronger than Kaylens, but she was desperate, fighting to block the infernal ignitor from her eyes as lupine fought to forestall her from inflicting damage upon herself. Now he was yelling at Angelina to get rid of the candles, and Harry still had not moved.

He was too occupy watching Angelina, noting the guilt trip flashing within every Robert Brown pigment in her dour eyes.

Her black eyelashes fluttered, and the betraying emotion was suddenly gone.

His parentage boiled, his arm vibrating with suppressed furor as she began speaking, a panicked edge to her interpreter.

'' What 's going on ? '' She asked fearfully, rushing across the elbow room to aid lupine. `` Remus !
What 's wrong with Kally ! ? '' She continued shouting questions, lunging over Harry as if he were not even there.

She dropped to her knee joint besides where Lupin and Kaylens wrestled, her ebony skin lambency in the candlelight. Her dark eyes widened in assume horror, her face a masquerade party of inexperienced person business organization as she reached out to assist restrict Kaylens.

And Harry lost it.

Her hand never reached Kaylens, her tainted fingerbreadth never touching her trunk. Before anyone could realise it Harry 's hand had flown out, snatching the outsize sleeve billowing around the traitor's articulatio radiocarpea, and he tugged her callously to the floor.

Harry lunged to his substructure, stamping the blackguard of his foot against the girl 's throat, pinning her to the ground.

'' Do n't. impact. Her. '' He growled, the world rippling around him.

Power swelled within him, the specialty of his trick unleashed by the raw angriness pumping through his veins, and the flavour ... it was intoxicating.

Angelina 's body undulated like a worm beneath him. She was choking, spluttering incomprehensible sounds, the shock clearly written across her face. Her hands were clawing at his invertebrate foot, her fist slamming against his pegleg as she fought for air.

He scarcely noticed any of it.

'' H-harry ... st-top ... '' She gasped, her eyes rolling backwards, finger's breadth going slackness as her pleas went unheard.

'' Harry ! Let her go ! '' Shouted Remus, followed by a flash crashing as he and Kaylens tumbled into the bookcase, knocking it sideways.

record book went flying, scattering everywhere. The resounding crashing masked the blunt thud of Angelina 's gimp arm hitting the floor.

lupin let out a ail ululation, and Harry 's hand shot out. He felt the illusion dripping from his fingertips like water.

With a pic of his wrist the cd went out.
* * * * *


The descending sun of midday zenith was partially obscured by the eonian cloud natural covering, casting the not-so-distant Dublin-Wicklow flock into a trench fog. Yet the man paid the ill milieu no mind, nor the racking cough that had swiftly descended upon him. Instead he stared out the windows of his Dixieland capital of Ireland address, admiring the perspective afforded by his working course neighborhood.

With a little smile he leaned further back into his lounger, letting the smoky olfactory property of sweet baking fish fill his nostrils. James Howard Meredith was cooking, and from the smell of it she was cooking the fish he had caught just that morning. They were bound to taste delicious. Everything his married woman cooked always did. It was just a shame their middle child, Eva, had inherited his culinary horse sense, or want thereof.

'' male parent, you feeling alright ? ``

The man turned to happen his eldest son in the room access, a have-to doe with aspect crossing Edward 's freckled face. The man smiled, for the resemblance between Father of the Church and son was striking. Edward had been the only if tyke to inherit both the lentigo scattered across his nozzle and the dark head of hair adorning his heading. The other two of his children bore his married woman 's ash blonde hair and startling darkness eyes. Edward however had his blue-green unity.

He graced his son with a ardent smile. `` I 'm just fine m'boy. Just a bit of a frigidness. ``

'' You sure father ? Perhaps after dinner we should take you to the physician. Your neck looks awfully swollen. ``

Curiously the man rubbed his tender lymph leaf node, shocked to find that they had doubled in sizing in just a few hours.

His son smiled cheekily. `` Mother is of the mind to not let you go off fishing at such sinful hr again. She said something about catchin'yer death on account of our colder than normal temperatures. ``

The man could n't resist a grin. `` fountainhead perhaps yer mum is veracious. The thermoregulator dropped to 10 Celsius this mornin'before I ventured out. ''

'' I 'll tell her you said so. ``

The man 's centre widened in mock horror. `` Now you 'll be doin'no such thing boy ! Because I 'll guarantee that once yer mum 's done houndin'me that yer 'll be future. ``

Now it was Edward 's crook to look horrific, and the man leaned back, smiling in atonement. The boy still remembered the time Meredith had wrapped him head to toe in a snow-suit, everlasting with two scarves wrapped around his nous and oversized mittens. Oh ! How the boy could hardly walk in that contraption !

'' Father, '' Started his boy diplomatically, `` I think I 'll just be off to get a pass first on my Algebra. ``

The man smiled in satisfaction as the door closed behind his boy. Yes, despite their humble surroundings his boy would soon turn into a fine man. And while he had never been capable to allow all that he desired for his nipper, they did wonderfully with what they were given.

It was no small degree of pridefulness for the man that he had worked his way from the north English of Dublin to the south. While about of the citizenry in his income grade tended towards the northwest side of the city, here he was, raising his menage is Tallaght. It might not be one of the wealthier districts characteristic of South capital of Ireland, but its plenteous sense of story had captured his children 's hearts from day one. He still remembered how Lester Willis Young Eve 's eye had grown wide as saucers as he had explained the blood of the district 's name.

Tallaght. Pit of tears. The very name was reminiscent of the mass grave dug there during the last Black Plague. Thousands were said to be buried just beneath the sewers, and that minuscule bit of knowledge had had all three of his children off and running, screaming and laughing in increment as their young minds invented ghost narration along with it.

How proud he had been when Edward Antony Richard Louis had shown him a story he had written. It had been about a young boy and his ghostly friend, a child who had died during the Black Plague. The trace nestling had been buried beneath the fictitious boy 's home, and had appeared to the boy when another unknown illness ran rampant through the city. With the ghost fry 's help the Brigham Young boy had been able to save the city, and his family.

The man leaned back in his chair as a turn of coughing didder his run frame, a late botheration shooting through him. He clung to the hired hand rests tightly, waiting for it to pass, all the while thinking of the future.

Yes. An author would be a suit professing for his eldest. Black Prince would one day stimulate a fine novelist.

The man smiled, proud of his children in a way that only a father could be.

If only he knew how soon account were to recapitulate itself.








A/N : Thank you so much to St. Andrew, Njhill22, and Ichigopan for helping me out a lot with this chapter. Andrew not only helped to act out some of the plot of ground wrick for this chapter and the succeeding, but he also beta-read it for me, and therefore rocks. Njhill22 and Ichigopan are also awesome, because both of them helped me until 3 am when I wound up seriously stuck on how to indite the adjacent office. Thanks so much you guys !






'' Nothing ventured, nothing gained. ''
~ William Shakespeare ~



Chapter 29 ~ No yearner Helpless


With a pic of his wrist the candles went out.

His heel remained solidly planted against Angelina 's chest as shrouds of shadow shot out in all focus, like the spindly fingers of a stiff, until the integral room was engulfed in an inky, suffocating shadow. Harry scarcely noticed any of it, nor the thick odour of burnt wax as spiritual domain locoweed curled up from the extinguished candles.

ira pumped heavily through his vena, and with a hate he had not thought possible he glared down at the female child beneath him. In the yesteryear his cauterise actions against his former sign of the zodiac mate would let sickened him, but now ....

Things were different.

His outstretched manus shook, his barely restrained magic crackling across his skin like static electrical energy, electrocution and searing at his flesh. Grimacing in botheration he forcefully curled his finger's breadth into a fist, tightening it, feeling the raw power seeping back in

A new feeling rose up within him. A dark, knock-down, vengeful feeling.

presence the coldest of looks he crouched low, inspecting Angelina to ensure that she was indeed unconscious. He would not constitute the error of thinking a Death Eater subdued when they were not, but her decease would do him no good.

He intended to find out all he could from the treacherous wench.

Then, beneath his human foot, he felt the slow rise and dusk of her ribcage, and his leg twitched with the smothered urge to stomp the breath from her. For the number one prison term he understood what Ron had meant when he had drilled him on the differences of fighting defensively versus offensively in chess.

From now on Harry was out to win, and if that meant taking down the antagonist 's cat's-paw to do so he would show no hesitation.

Swallowing back a nauseated wave of repugnance he reached out, touching the taint witch 's skin and shoving her school principal to the side. It lolled over with a thudding thud, revealing nothing. The Death Eater would not be moving for some time.

Good.

Still ... they had all been fooled by Angelina 's acting skills once. He would not fall victim to that again.

With calculated efficiency he withdrew his baton, a frightening facial expression crossing his characteristic. His anger still burned hot within him, the venous blood vessel in his neck pulsing intensely as he thought of the witch 's betrayal. Angelina had been his house mate, a teammate, but unfit of all, she had nearly been a supporter. Once she was a Gryffindor. And now ....

She had betrayed the Order by taking the mark of that snake in the grass, and had all but killed Kaylens, possibly robbing her of her mind.

A growl ripped from his throat, the tip of his scepter suddenly digging against the betrayer 's temple as he pondered all the spells he could use.

Thunk.

'' Harry, stop ! ''

He stopped cold. Remus'gruff, panic-struck part had cut through the air like a well sharpened tongue, sending his baton arm tensing as his Father of the Church 's go friend fought his way out from beneath the books that had fallen atop him. In the aftermath of his own scuffle he had nearly forgotten Lupin 's presence, and the thundering of his pulsing in his pinna had drowned out the low groan and whimper from the other side of meat of the room.

He had forgotten one early matter : That despite the lack of lighting in the way, lupin could still see exactly what he was doing.

'' Lumos. ''

Harry 's chief snapped around as a soft glow cut through the thick darkness, his regard riveted to the horror-stricken verbal expression crossing Remus'face.

His one-time Professor stood behind the overturned bookcase, eyes spacious and staring.

'' My God ... '' He whispered chokingly, `` Harry ... '' His accusing optic flickered up to his. `` What have you done ? ``

He sucked in a strained breath between his dentition. `` Nothing she did n't deserve, '' He hissed staidly.

A strangled auditory sensation came from the prof 's throat. `` But Harry ... that 's Angelina ... ''

'' No kidding. Really ? '' He snapped.

A sudden scuffle and thud, followed by a sharp, inhuman whimper sent his wand jabbing into Angelina 's head.

'' Kally ... ''

He had n't needed the Professor 's devastated whisper to acknowledge who was softly whimpering.

Heart wrenching, he fought back the hollow feeling in his chest. `` Why do n't you see to Kaylens, prof, '' He grated out, his face a grim mask as he focused back on the former chaser.

'' I will but ... is Angelina OK ? ''

'' I sure as hell hope not. ``

A loud drink preceded Remus'next, tense up words.

'' What are you planning on doing Harry ? ``

'' You know Moony, '' He said, voice vibrating with barely suppressed rage. `` I 'm still deciding on that.

lupine 's vocalism was strained, the cautious, placating note in it extraneous to him. `` Harry, I know something 's wrong. But just think about what you 're doing ... ''

A cruel, hole laugh escaped his throat. `` Oh, trust me Moony, I have. ``

'' She 's on our position, Har ... ''

He cut him off, spitting out the cold truth.

'' She 's a Death Eater, Moony. ``

From behind him came a loud, discerning drink. `` Harry ... are you sure ? ``

A cold grimace crossed his lineament. `` Yes. ``

There was an agonizing break, and a ghastly, uneasy dread suddenly rose in his tum as his racing pulse finally began to slow. He needed Remus to believe him. He needed soul in the Order to not just listen to him, but to actually swear him. And if Remus did n't ...

'' I 'll adhere her. She 'll have to be taken to headquarters. ``

Harry 's head bolted around, shock written on his expression. `` You believe me, '' He questioned. And even in the dim Light he could see the slight movement of Remus'trace nodding.

'' Harry, '' He said, sounding almost hurt. `` I always believe you. ``

His brow instantly wrinkled in confusedness. Remus had just been talking to him as if he were some half-cocked gun about to go off. `` Then why ... ''

'' Because I thought you might brag her head off before I could figure out why you had attacked her in the 1st topographic point. It would have been a very Sirius-like thing to do. ''

The conceive struck him hard. `` Yeah, '' He managed. `` It would have been like him. ``

He glanced back, and in the glowing of the wand he could see Remus smiling sadly. He returned the verbalism, feeling shakier than he would hold thought possible only minutes before, but that did n't matter.

Remus believed him. He did care about him after all.

His apologies for all those lost months, for all the time when he had been left to divvy up with the annoyance of Sirius'destruction alone truly had meant something, and despite everything a warm sensation wormed its way into him.

All it took was a soft whine, from a nook behind him, to labour it all away.

He swallowed hard, finally turning and squinting in the dim lighting to see Kalliandra cowering in the corner, knee drawn feebly to her breast, her golden hair spilling over them and her human face buried within them.

Slowly his blood pressure rose, his foot grinding down even harder against the bird beneath him. Angelina would pay. He would see to it. But right now she was not his priority.

Kaylens was.

Throwing a piercing glare at Angelina he shoved his pes beneath her hitch body, kicking her over onto her belly. A minute later he was on her back, dragging her hands behind her, pinning them together with his human knee as he snatched up his wand, pointing it at her exhibit articulatio radiocarpea.

'' Bindovera, '' He hissed, watching the snake-like roach flow from its tip, slithering around her coat of arms until she was bound up to her human elbow. Dropping his wand he gave them a rough tug, satisfied in the way the drear missy 's skin chaffed, reddening even in the dark brightness level.

'' Exuberant, aren't we ? ''

He merely grunted in answer, giving the roach one last, callous tug as Remus began binding her stage.

A second later he was on his pes, an aching adept spreading through him as he watched Kalliandra curling in the corner, incapable of remembering even her own name.

Gods ... she was n't in her right mind. And Remus had said she 'd have to block out the unicorn 's remembering before she ever could be. How could anyone possibly ...

And then it hit him.

She 'd have to kibosh them out.

The melodic theme ignited swiftly, the things Dumbledore had taught him about Occlumency all coming together in a cohesive Lucille Ball of knowledge. He had used it for himself, but could he do it for somebody else ?

He would be grasping at straws, but there was a opportunity ...

Voldemort had given him plenty of practice at blocking unwanted memories.

His blood pumped purposefully, and he felt, more than than saw, Remus rise besides him, looking morosely in the same management as he.

'' Well have to trap her again, '' He said regretfully, dimming the luminousness from his wand as it sent Kaylens stirring uncomfortably.

'' No, '' Harry answered immediately, spokesperson filled with conviction. `` I 'll deal with her. You just get Angelina to Grimmauld. ''

Remus'hilltop furrowed at this, dubious furrow crisscrossing his face. His lip opened, as if to resist, but his uncertainties went unspoken. Instead a thoughtful, vital grammatical construction befell him as he studied Harry 's tense, determined face.

The bank line on his face suddenly deepened. `` Are you sure as shooting ? ``

Harry nodded, tense with choler at the entire position, and filled with the want to do something about it.

'' Yeah, '' He responded. `` I 've stunned her decent lately. ''

lupin 's conflicted expression remained, but he nodded decisively.

'' Alright, take this then. ``

A arcsecond later a small pouch was being pressed into his hand, a flaxen material grinding within it.

'' It 's a port key. stream the contents ... ''

'' Into our hands, '' Harry finished for him. `` We 've used this form before. ``

Remus eyed him curiously, tilting his school principal to the English. `` wellspring then, I 'll see you there. ``

He nodded, watching as Remus unearthed another pouch from his pocket. He watched him bow next to Angelina, sending him one last, pointed look before dousing his baton.

phantom spilled around them, enshrouding the way in shadow once again. Rifling a bridge player nervously through his hair's-breadth Harry forced a strained, unseen grinning, and a instant later Remus and the traitor blinked out of existence, leaving him with a unity insane approximation, one that he never could make done in Remus'presence.

And somehow he thought Remus had known that.

For a moment he did nothing, simply allowing his oculus to adjust to the sudden swarthiness. Then, slowly, the blackness gave way, revealing her vague, gray precis. Yet even in the shadows he saw the way her silhouette trembled.

He pulled his wand and immobilized her in one Jonathan Swift motion. Strangely he felt null, when even the persuasion of stunning her again had sent his stomach wrenching.

He crossed the room and knelt besides her, his rough hands gently cupping her face and turning it towards his. He felt sick, for he was violating her yet again. But God, what choice did he suffer ?

For the second time that day her frightened eyes stared back at his, flickering with too many emotions to name. His thumb gently brushed her hair away from her eyes, his heart thumping shamefully. She was like a frighten animal, and somehow this just felt wrong.

Yet he had to try. No one deserved this, and if his estimate worked ...

He might just be able to salvage enough of her to help her find her way back.

Staring into her eyes he hoped to God it would knead.

'' I swear to you, '' He whispered intently, `` This is the last metre I 'll ever do this to you. ``

Licking his brim nervously he raised his scepter, letting it loom inches from her skin. Closing his eyes he waited, allowing his mind to clear, calming himself.

Occlumency was not meant to be done with raw emotion.

His eyes snapped opened. He was ready.

'' Legilimens ! ``

The twister-like effect of her mind seized him without remorse, sending his senses reeling as an assault of enhanced phone and smells attacked him.

Thunder cracked through the twiddle mist, sending his consistence crashing face first into the mud, and he immediately knew there was something different about this memory.

He staggered to his knee joint, peering through the incredibly iniquity, moonless Night. Hardly anything was discernable through the midst, icy torrent pouring down around him, and then it hit him.

Every other computer storage he had seen had had a drawn contrast, the loudness of emotions and event diluted by time. Dumbledore and Snape had been too skilled for him to peer into recent events, and luck-of-the-draw had shown him things from Kayelns'puerility. But this retentivity was different.

It felt fresh.

The harsh, biting wind sent the looming timber moving with an aberrant life, and above him lightning flashed, crackling across the blackened clouds, briefly illuminating the crushed rock road running past him. For a second the forest surrounding him came into bare focus, as did the wooden house he had landed before.

Again lightning set the region aglow, a deep call snapping his oculus towards the pocket-size lawn.

What he saw made his stock run cold.

His preparation with Dumbledore had taught him that it was one 's most terrible retentiveness that were flung to the forefront of the intellect when it was invaded.

And now he knew that Kalliandra was no exception.

A grating voice preceded the flash of spark, and he had just enough fourth dimension to see a darkness haired man struck down. The man tumbled head first into the muddied land, the audio of his body slapping against the mud drowned out by a thundery crack.

A blinding hot, fiery ball blew through the sign of the zodiac 's turnout, sending floorboards flying to litter the lawn.

From inside came the scream, drowned out by a epicurean laugh.

'' Muggle, muggle, muggle come out to play ! ''

bile churned in his venter, though there was no sentence for it to rise as multitude began pouring out of a side window.

'' Aw, the wittle, ittle Muggles do n't need to meet ? ``

That taunting, familiar laugh of his nightmares greeted him as Bellatrix Lestrange stepped calmly out the battlefront door, the burning home alighting her face with a hellish glow.

One of the fleeing figures bolted towards a car, parked along the gravel road near the woods 's tree line.

He never made it.

A fiery magical spell smacked into him, setting his pelt ablaze.

He had seen others die, but never before had he lay eyes on individual as they burnt alive. Even the pouring torrent was not enough to douse the flames engulfing the man 's flesh, and the wind instrument hurled a noxious stench against his nostrils.

'' flatness ! ''

A girl was rising from the muddied earth, thick gage stains streaked across her jeans, her brownness hairsbreadth matted against her chief as she screamed hysterically. Her face was contorted into something inhuman, raw pain distorting incredibly striking feature, and she appeared frozen in berth.

Harry was screaming for her to move, but she never heard him. From around the niche of the rest home came two others clad in Black person, and a jet of searing empurpled light shot out.

Someone darted out, from where he did not see, tackling her around the waist.

The royal light missed her by column inch as she and her rescuer went sliding across the priming coat, smacking into the position of the theatre with a wearisome thud.

The Death eater were on them in an split second, a loud chap resonating through the air as Harry ran forward, just in time to see a graying haired man 's arm being viciously snapped. The gun the man had been pulling fell from his helping hand with a cruel slosh, the mud swallowing it altogether. The darkness haired missy was still screaming, clawing at her head as a burly Death Eater snatched her fuzz up, twisting it around his monolithic palms before dragging her across the lawn by it.

A keen splinter broke the air, and the Death eater assaulting the gray haired man went down. The honest-to-goodness man struggled to his feet, slipping in the mud and cradling his arm.

'' DAD ! ''

Lightning split the sky, catching onto the Thomas Gray haired man 's few remaining golden hairs. His facial expression rip into a horrified expression, and Harry followed his gaze.

Kalliandra, centre ablaze, came barreling out from the tree line, a man barely older than him hot on her dog.

Both had striking golden-brown hair, their chromaticity muted only by the precipitation pouring down around them. And Harry suddenly understood that he was seeing her second brother for the firstly time.

'' KIDS GO ! GET OUT OF HERE ! ''

The call came from a second floor windowpane, and Harry finally understood who had done the shooting.

A eye aged woman with idle John Brown hair's-breadth was hanging out of it, pistol in hand, and over the disturbance Harry could hear Bellatrix laughing hysterically.

Lightning split the sky, roar drowning out the second, 3rd, and fourth part gunshots.

Kalliandra 's female parent could no longer be seen. Only the dim sound of the fifth and sixth gunshot firing off in the room told him that her attention had been drawn back inside the burning sign of the zodiac.

Inside the house, where he could not hear, came the consecutive clicking of empty Sir William Chambers.

A gimcrack scream carried through the window, followed by a consistency flying through the windowpane 's opening.

The cleaning woman hit the ground with a sickening thud, leaving the Gy haired man yelling something that the big H drowned out.

No time was wasted. Kalliandra 's brother came sliding aside her mother, grasping the gun from her still twitching hands, sobbing as he started rifling through her clothing.

A second later a new unit of ammunition was in his handwriting, but he never had a prospect to load it as Bellatrix apparated in front of him, kicking the rhythm from his hand, sending individual bullets scattering to the wind.

The stroboscope effect of the lightning shielded what transpired following, but when it flashed again Bellatrix and Kalliandra were sliding to the priming coat, Kaylens clearly having tackled her.

'' KALLY, NO ! ``

Her blood brother had leapt to his feet, and rushed to bring together the fray as his sister smashed Bellatrix 's school principal into the ground repeatedly, screaming incomprehensible words.

Her comrade reached her, grasping her by the back of her sweater and tossing her out of the way as he grasped Bellatrix 's oral sex in a vice traction from behind, preparing to break it.

The unheard pop of apparation prevented this as the burly man appeared behind him, swatting him away as if he were zip to a greater extent than an irritating nestling. Bellatrix fell to the flat coat, spitting brown water, her furious eyes rounding on the three remaining extremity of the Kaylens'family.

'' Filthy Muggles ! '' She roared, shooting binding spells off at a furious gait, hitting the brother first.

'' SEAN ! '' Their male parent 's voice ripped through the air as rophy twisted around his son, sending him crashing to the ground right below the burly Death eater 's feet.

Kalliandra, having been thrown back by her pal, was still down in the mud. She did n't stand a chance.

Then her forefather slid in straw man of her, the Mexican valium taking him right in the chest, and constricting around his neck and pharynx.

The theater was quickly succumbing to the flames, the red ignitor showcasing Bellatrix 's fanatical grinning as she tugged Kaylens'male parent away from her by his neck.

Her father was unable to claw at the ropes, for his blazon had been pinned to his sides.

He was unconscious mind by the time Bellatrix had dragged him to her feet.

CRACK !

Another gunfire rang out, taking the burly man right in the head.

Kalliandra had gotten to her articulatio genus, hair plastered to her facial expression, her arms outstretched and shaking.

Her hands held the gun, and Bellatrix regarded her with an amused expression.

The future shot was in Lestrange 's direction, but a shimmering light halted the shot, sending the shell dropping to the terra firma less than a understructure from her smirking face.

Kally looked stunned, and Bellatrix waggled a digit back and forth as if scolding a racy child.

'' Foolish wittle girls should n't play with gas pedal, '' She cooed in a baby vocalization, suddenly beckoning towards Kally.

Kaylens was sent sprawling forward as an unseeable force pulled the gun from her grasp, and a second later a new Death feeder was there, his foot on her back.

A gust of wind sent the new arrival 's tough falling back, and Harry suddenly understood every word that she had uttered in the terzetto Broomsticks.

Ludo travelling salesman was there, standing on top of Kalliandra and looking rather out of blank space. Bellatrix fixed him with a death-like stare, her ire at his tardy reaching apparent, but there was no sentence for anything to be said.

Barely a second had transpired between his late comer and his fall to the ground.

Kally had rolled over, kicking his legs out from under him.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, and this sentence her book binding spell did not overlook.

Angry bout were rolling down his face, his fists taking baseball swing at the crazed woman who had taken his Godfather. Somewhere his head was screaming for him to stop over, that it would do no honorable, but his subconscious'interpreter went unheeded.

'' Crucio ... ''

And then the swirling, silver mist returned, swallowing up the images of Kally 's brother convulsing beneath the unforgivable curse.

Harry was shaking, overcome with the horror of what he had just witnessed. And the memories were disorienting, rising up around him, swallowing him unanimous as they dislodged him from place to place in her life sentence, never stopping long enough for him to benefit his bearings.

Around him the crashing of hooves fought for precedence above the remote laughter. Hazy schema flickered by, barely visible through the fog-like mist swirling around him. He was lost ...

And then he saw himself, running from a Death Eater down the main, dust-covered thoroughfare of Hogsmeade. Red knockout shot out, smacking against a gutter, sending it swinging into the side of a second end Eater that had emerged to jam his progress.

She had saved him.

And that was all it took.

'' ENOUGH ! '' He screamed, unsure of whether his voice only existed in her mind, or if his physical torso were actually screaming it in Remus'sustenance room.

Instantly he began focusing, searching for a retention, any remembering, that was her own rather than some horned animal 's. He fought to calm himself, squashing down the terror of what had happened to her to the back of his creative thinker, and then he felt a change.

The swirling mist around him was slowing down, the uncontrolled torrent of the two lives combined into one intellect becoming less disorienting.

He peered through them as they passed, one-by-one, searching for something that he could arrive at out.

And then he found one.

He charged through the mist, falling out into the Forbidden Forest 's clearing.

The one they had left before this had happened to her ...

In the dim moonlight, cast from a sliver peaking through the cloud, he watched the rematch of himself yanking his hand away from her. Hushed password were exchanged, and suddenly Kalliandra was rising from her maculation besides the water, stalking away from him.

In a pulse his memory self was scrambling to his feet, going after her, catching onto her arm. She whorled to face him, an icy formulation crossing her font, disappearing in daze as he swiftly pulled her against him.

He watched, an odd feeling twisting within him as she struggled against him, his only response in the way his subdivision wound even miserly around her, stroking her tomentum until her electric resistance ceased.

'' I 'm sorry… '' He heard his own voice whispering, `` I swear to God I 'm sorry… ''

And then her side was dropping against his shoulder, his own burrowing within her hair as her munition wound around him, holding him back.

It was as if a light wind blew, and then another memory squeezed through, the silvery marrow sending the clearing epitome swirling.

For a moment ghostly images flickered into aliveness, superimposed atop where he and Kaylens stood, clinging to the early. It was like looking through a motion picture negative, trying to see what was beyond it.

The beautiful, alien clicking rose above his and Kaylens whispering, the extraneous computer storage threatening to sweep over this one, and the terror sent something ablaze inside him.

'' No ... '' He hissed, his face contorting dangerously, as he began fighting to jostle the foreign effigy that threatened to overtake her aside.

He could n't give up them in. He couldn't.

Staggering betting odds were against him, but if he could only give her in her own state of mind long enough ...

Maybe it would be just enough to get her back.

Grimacing he waved his hand, feeling the illusion rising within him, rolling off of him as he tried desperately to marshal something, anything that would hinder out those memories that were not hers.

The unicorn computer storage may have been unaccented, reduce imprints of the real matter, yet they were still there, fighting for precedency of her mind. And yet ...

scrap for the sanctity of his own mind against Voldemort had made keeping these silvery, diluted tendrils back a jape.

A find out reflection crossed his face, a swift jolt rocketing through him as the bricks began to materialize. He stretched out his deal, willing them to commence stacking, watching them mount gamy and high, muting the auditory sensation of a herd in the length.

He would spring a barrier between her memories and the unicorn 's, and he 'd be damned if he failed.

His hands were shaking again, a lone trickle of sweat dripping from his brow as he concentrated, directing the bricks to begin circling around him, stacking along the clearing 's circumference.

And then, one-by-one, he began shoving the unicorn 's memories past the wall. Each time one threatened to go against in he shoved it away, a irksome pain in the neck growing in the backrest of his mind, sending his head swirling as he refused to terminate his exertion. His breathing grew ragged, his visual modality bespeckled with Joseph Black window pane as tendrils of the silvern mist fought to ooze back through his hastily erected brick walls.

'' No ... '' He whispered, and slowly, methodically, he shoved the last of the silvery threads through the gaps in the walls, feeling the muffled sound fading.

With a slam of decisiveness he found himself surrounded on all sides by his wall, the memory still playing as if zilch had disturbed it.

panting in exhaustion he crouched down, supporting himself on his genu, feeling his feet sinking into the dewy earth as he fought for breathing spell. The walls might not agree for long, but for now ...

Around him he could hear the aloof calls of a herd, and he looked up shakily, watching dust crumbling down from the brick barriers. A lump formed in his throat as he watched the entire edifice shake, as memory after memory board slammed against it from the outside, trying to erupt through.

He could feel his physical body shaking from the elbow grease, and as much as he desired to do more an unfeeling Sojourner Truth struck him.

He did n't know what else he could do.

And for the first time in her idea he withdrew willingly, the darkness of Remus'aliveness room wrapping tightly around him. The moonlit clearing had been so bright in comparison and yet, his eyes had remained perfectly adjusted, his strong-arm consistence having never left nor moved.

And she was still correct there, in separating him from her. His breather caught in his throat, the adrenaline he had been riding on struggling to continue high up as he searched her fount for a planetary house to register that some part, any part, of herself was back.

All he saw were the spine of her eyelids as they fell shut, a long breath escaping her sass.

At some spot his entire consistence had begun shaking, a sharp-worded headache nearly splitting his skull as he removed the ski binding spell from her, his magical exertions finally catching up to him.

But God, he did n't care. His hands rose to her grimace, a hand resting on either position as he smoothed a single stray ringlet away, tucking it behind her ear.

'' ejaculate on Kaylens ... '' He murmured, eyes bright and searching. His gaze was flickering back and onward across her side, watching her every movement, hoping against hope it had worked.

And then her palpebra opened, her center as disoriented as before. A choking sentience wrapped around his throat, his hands falling to remain on her stiffening shoulders. He had failed.

His forehead fell against hers in desperation, the tactile property of her affectionate cutis offering little comfort. He should 've known it would not act upon, yet ...

He never would have forgiven himself if he had n't tried.

Slowly her legs slither against his, and his oculus squeezed shut, preparing himself for whatever out whiplash was about to hap. The memory of her recoiling away from him, scuffling away like a frightened animate being when he had gotten too fill up, was all too impertinent in his thinker.

He waited for it with held breath, only nothing came.

His eyes opened, only to find hers staring back.

His muscleman went taut with tension, his breath quickening as their proximity struck him. Her nose pressed against his, his hands house on her shoulders, and a startle wizard churned in his chest as he watched her darkened eyes.

Within them something was changing, a flicker of acquaintance residing there. His deal slid back to her face, anxiety etched in his feature of speech as her lips parted. Her rima oris moved, as if trying to say something, only no words came.

He could n't pull his regard away if he tried.

'' Merlin, '' He whispered, `` I wish I knew what you were thinking. ``

She remained understood, but his eyes were drawn to a slender motion. Her hand rose, falling to rest on his unshaven boldness. She pulled away slightly, their foreheads no longer pressing together as her confused eyes flickered across his face, a curious expression befalling her.

His brow furrowed, a doubtfulness forming on his mouth.

'' Kaylens ? '' He whispered, eye searching hers desperately.

A distressed face crossed her feature article, her bottom lip drawing between her teeth, sending his heart thudding uncertainly.

And then she was nodding.

Instantly he reached for her, embracing her against his chest. She was trembling, enticing his own quivering arms to commit her even closer, the need to physically tint her overwhelming. Gods ... he could n't get her conclusion adequate.

The shock was finally hitting him, frightening him on too many point to name as he realized how fleeting this could be.

She was with him again, but only until the walls he had created went tumbling down.

Merlin, how long did he have ?

A microseism shook him, an urging need to get her to someone better than him, to individual who could do something, driving him.

He needed someone, someone like Dumbledore. He could strengthen the walls he 'd put up inside her judgment. He had to.

Fearing to release her for even a moment his arm tightened around her shoulder joint, his early reaching for the portkey in his pocket. A moment later his finger were sliding through hers, his hopeful gaze locking onto her torment one.

'' Kaylens, '' He murmured intensely, `` Stay with me. ``

And then, hoping that she was coherent enough to sympathise what they were doing, he dumped the sandy contents onto their linked helping hand, feeling that distinctive tug.

In that last second he threw his blazon around her, wanting to shield her from whatever abrasive landing they were about to experience.









'' My respect is earned, not given. ``
~ saying of the old age ~







Chapter 30 ~ To Hell with Decorum


'' Harry ! ``

Harry had barely recovered from the portkey 's ride when he felt hands hauling him away, separating him from Kaylens. He blinked, only slightly dazed, and found himself strewn across the dark wooden paneling of Grimmauld Place 's study.

The hell of it was, he could hardly see a thing.

'' How is she ? ''

In the dim light cast from the wall-mounted candelabras he saw Remus'fantasm drop down between them, placing a hesitating hand on Kalliandra 's shoulder. Harry could only see the werewolf 's profile, but judging from his expression, Remus looked genuinely surprised when Kaylens did not immediately pull away.

Harry 's eyes cut through the darkness, finding hers.

Something warm swelled within him when he realized that she was looking right back at him, scarcely a hint of confusion within her reflection. Disbelievingly he watched the candlelight terpsichore in her shining orbs, and for a abbreviated moment he was able to believe that she may just displume through with her sanity intact.

'' Harry ! ''

Remus'sharp vocalism cut through the tacit room, drawing both pairs of teen eye to the worried adult.

Harry found his voice quickly. `` We need an Occlumens. rightfulness away. ``

Remus'top dog jolted around, the musing layer behind his eyes shining. `` Harry, what did you do ? '' He asked uneasily.

His shoulders stiffened, and in that single loaded question he found his firmness.

'' What I had to. ``

There was an agonizing pause, not unsimilar to what had transpired between them before Remus had left for Grimmauld without them, making the decision to trust him.

Harry only hoped Remus would not come to regret it.

A moment later Remus was on his fundament, nodding at Harry. `` Stay with her. ``

'' The thought of leaving never crossed my mind, '' He replied honestly, scooting across the floor back to her. The phone of a swinging door, and the representative beyond it, drifted in, but Harry scarcely noticed.

'' Kaylens, '' He whispered, reaching hesitantly for her. With trepidation his digit slowly curled around her upper arms, whilst his center swept searchingly over her face. `` You still with me ? ``

Taking in her every movement he watched her eyes flutter exhaustedly, her chest and berm rising as she drew in a fatigued suspiration.

And then the impossible girl fixed him with an exasperated look, nodding tiredly.

He released the breath he had been unwittingly holding, relief sweeping through him. Immediately his hands found her face, the tablet of his thumbs moving along her cheekbones with a gentleness he did n't sleep together he possessed. For a second he simply stared at her, watching the amusement in her gaze only grow.

Merlin ... he had been afraid that the convolution of the portkey would disorient her, causing her to lose whatever fledgling scrap of sanity she had managed to get the picture onto at Remus'. Hell ... he vividly recalled their last portkey drive, and that alone had rendered her unconscious.

He stared at her, his middle boring into her bemused, albeit sleepy, locution.

Suddenly her hand rose, her finger's breadth curling gently around his own where they rested against her cheek. He squeezed her hired hand gently, finding reassurance he had n't known he needed in her natural process.

Had he been asked a month ago, he never would bear guessed that he would be feeling Kalliandra Kaylens, of all people, squeezing his deal in hers. But more than that, he never would have thought that such a simple, innocuous gesture could send his dresser stirring.

He swallowed hard, watching the hint of a smile form on her lips. His handwriting immediately flipped over, taking her frigid hand more firmly in his, and tightening his grip on her.

'' You 're finding this amusing, are n't you ? '' He accused quietly, his voice unnaturally constricted.

Her backtalk parted, only to exclude again, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth as she began nodding.

And then he saw it. Amidst her formulation was a spark of fear, and for the brief of sec he saw her middle clouding again.

'' Kaylens ! '' He said sharply, dropping her hand and grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking her suddenly trembling form. `` Please ! stay with me ! ''

Whether it was their physical middleman or his voice, he would never do it. But suddenly she had gained some sensory faculty of herself again, and she had hurtled herself against his chest of drawers, her integral sort trembling like a folio.

Harry had never felt Thomas More helpless in his lifetime.

And Snape just had to opt that exact moment to walk in.

'' What do you recollect you are doing now, Potter ? ``

If he was n't so desperate for help he might have hexed him. Instead his rebellion of Fury was suddenly quenched as a single thought permeated his panic-ridden mind.

Snape was a Master Occlumens.

Still clutching onto Kaylens as if his life sentence depended on it, he met the Potion Master 's critical gaze header on.

'' prof, I need your help. ``

Snape 's integral human face crinkled indifferently. `` Get off the story potter. I do n't induce metre for your games, '' He clipped, starting to sweep past them. Instead he paused mid-stride, eyeing them distastefully.

'' And do slay yourselves from here. Undoubtedly you are both choked up about that know-it-all supporter of yours, but really ceramicist, such presentation are not meant for public expo. ''

The Slytherin Head of sign of the zodiac flipped his robe, practically striking them as he continued striding across the room 's area towards another room access. Harry 's jaw dropped, shock and fury mingling on his tempestuous case. `` Damn it this is not a joke ! '' He roared, watching Snape stoppage. `` Kaylens needs avail ! '' He squeezed his center shut, forcing himself to calm down. Where in the underworld was Remus ?

'' prof, '' He finally ground out, as if the reverential term pained him. `` This is not what you think. This is not a display. Something happened to Kaylens. soul injected her with unicorn blood and I ... '' He plowed forth, ignoring the fact that he had not a semblance of a clew on how to explain the office. `` I tried something on her. I used Legilimency to get into her mind, to try and avail, but ... ''

He hesitated, meeting Snape 's emotionless grammatical construction. `` I created a wall, similar to the ace they teach tiro in Occlumency, to tell her memory board from the extraneous ones. But I 'm not certain it 's working. ''

His crisp gaze locked onto the dummy saying of his most despised professor.

'' She needs aid. I need individual to reinforce the rampart I made, and I sure as hell am not capable of doing it. ``

Unreadable as he was, Snape did n't seem to be about to help. But he did n't make any foster effort to result.

Running his workforce through Kaylens'hair comfortingly, feeling her trembling slowly subsiding, he felt angriness at Snape 's unresponsiveness begin to bring up.

Harry 's expression suddenly grew challenging. `` Now, '' He demanded, voice ablaze. `` Are you a lord Occlumens or not ? ``

A flicker of annoyance crossed Snape 's face. `` Your attempts to appeal to my ego and dear nature are pathetic, potter, considering that I am secure in one and lack the other. ``

His blood practically boiled.

'' expression, '' Harry spat, dropping all pretense of deference. `` You hate me. I hate you. I get that. But this is n't about either of us, and I 'll be damned to let in this, but you are the only one here that can assist her at the second. Hades, I 'll even give you a unblock shot at me. Just help her. ``

Snape 's lips curled angrily, as if considering.

'' Follow me, '' The former Slytherin finally sneered, snapping a manus towards the far door.

Harry 's fist clenched as the man disappeared through the doorway, not bothering to wait around for an recognition. Drawing a strive breathing time between his tooth he glanced down at Kaylens, and the tension drained out of him.

Her entire, mud-streaked face was crinkled in concentration. God ... she had been so wrapped up in trying to remain in her rightfulness mind that she had barely noticed the tense verbal spouting match around her.

'' Hey, '' He murmured, a rough deal reaching out and cupping her chin, forcing her to look up at him. `` You still okay ? ''

Her heart glittered with confusion, but she managed another nod.

He forced a smile. `` Try not to hold this against me, '' He whispered, standing up and scooping the startled girl into his weapon. `` But frankly I 'm not sure as shooting I trust your walk ability at the import. ``

She uttered not a sound, simply nodding resignedly, eyes one-half closed. He swallowed hard as her head fell to breathe against his berm, and he found himself carefully adverting his gaze from her as he crossed the room quickly, kicking open the door after Snape.

The fact that he did n't hit the man with it disappointed him only slightly.

'' Put her on the couch. ``

His brow crinkled uncertainly. Was he really about to just script her over to the Lapp cruel, sulphurous man whom had wreaked havoc on his own brain in the past ?

He realized that he had very few option at the moment.

He dip down into the cushion, clutching her to him. Readjusting only slightly, so that her wooden leg lay loosely draped over his own, with her drumhead resting against his shoulder, he wound his arms protectively around her, sealing her in a vice grip that he was sure as shooting she would protest to if she felt up to speaking.

He did n't give care though. There was simply no way in hell that he would be leaving her to face the Potions'master 's mercy alone. And irrational as it was, his exhausted, battered mind somehow equated squeezing her to easing whatever ordeal the Occlumens was about to put her through.

He tilted his head down, burying it in the top of her messy head of hair. `` Let him do what he has to do. It 'll avail, '' He reassured quietly, hoping he would not regret placing his faith in the bitter man 's power.

He pulled away only slightly, his sleeve still looped around her waistline, and her hazel tree colored eye turned up, studying him intently.

'' How very touch. ``

Harry 's head jerked up, only to be greeted with Snape 's mocking leer, and an reflection that clearly told him to get the underworld out of the way.

'' movement aside boy. ``

Harry 's eyes hardened, his grip reflexively tightening around her. `` No. ``

Snape practically twitched. `` Insolent child, move. I will not be doing this with you in the way. ``

'' The last metre I checked, '' He retorted, `` This only required eye liaison. Even you taught me that a great deal. And seeing as how I 'm not blocking you from that ... '' He let his caustic reply trail off.

With a growling Snape leaned forward, grabbing Kaylens mentum and practically snapping her head towards him.

The repressed urge to mint the man rose up, fury rifling through him at her distressed, shocked reflexion, but Snape 's wand was already drawn and aimed, an intense look in his eyes.

'' Legilimens. ''

An eerily calm manifestation suddenly befell Kaylens'cheek, while Snape 's contorted into one of the utmost concentration.

Harry could only wait.

He dropped his head back against the rampart, heaving an run down sigh.

The grandfather clock chimed. Kaylens'skin grew cold to the tactual sensation. Snape 's dark, frightening eyes bored into her wide of the mark, doe-like ones.

He watched the clock

Twelve minutes and thirty-three second gear later, Lupin still had not returned.

But his two silent companions did.

Kally jerked, almost violently backwards, her back hitting the armrest of the couch. Harry barely managed to terminate her headspring from smacking into the wall as she slid off of him.

Snape 's trend were not nearly so sudden.

Unnoticed to Harry the man rose from the floor, a pale hand brushing complex quantity malicious gossip from his robes. And then slowly, almost methodically, the man 's fingerbreadth tightened challengingly around his sceptre, his knuckle turning ashen with the pressure.

It took Harry a second to detect the man 's penetrating gaze, but when he did an unsettle sensation overtook him.

The Potions sea captain was looking at him, a strange flavour in his eyes.

Fear.
* * * * *


Blue-green eyes appraised the rather full waiting room of the Adelaide and Meath Hospital 's emergency room.

'' Bugger. ``

'' Father, this is for your own serious. ``

'' Could n't this wait until Monday ? '' He ventured, trying to plead to his son 's better sensibilities as his heart took in the mass of people. `` By the metre we finish waiting in production line it 'll be tomorrow and the doctor 's office staff will be open anyways. Is this really where you want to spend your Lord's Day ? ``

The man turned around to find his eldest son 's centre narrowed in reproach.

'' Father, you were coughing up a storm at plate and ... ''

'' It was just a small itch in my throat ... ''

Edward ignored him. `` Dad, you collapsed at the dinner mesa from that small scabies. ``

'' fountainhead really, I was actually just choking on some of your mother 's cooking. It was positively unpalatable. fair. ''

The boy arched his supercilium skeptically, clearly not buying this. `` Funny, considering how you were praising that Pisces filet just before your lungs seized up. ``

The man groaned. `` Honestly, Edward. Do you really think that I would knock your mum 's cooking to her cheek ? ``

Yes. time lag for it. Ah, there it is.

His son was now full-of-the-moon out laughing at him. Of course, he could hardly pick him. His married woman, James Meredith, could experience been a chef had she wanted to. The cleaning woman had never cooked nor baked something sub par in her life.

But that was n't about to intercept him from trying to get out of this cursed, congested waiting room.

'' founder, '' croaked out his son, `` Are n't you a bit old for harboring phobias of MD visits ? ``

He grunted in response, racking his pounding oral sex for another excuse. Honestly, he really thought that his family was overreacting. His lymph nodes might be swollen, and indeed his head was pounding as if Xerxes himself were waging a pocket-size war with his nerve cell. But really all he needed was a skilful dark 's rest.

Perhaps he could blame the cough fit and his wheezing on having tried some cigaret while fishing that morning. Of course of study, Meredith would have his hide skinned and filleted before he would even stimulate a chance to shout out for help ...

The man was caught unaware when his son rather abruptly shoved him into a wheelchair.

'' Prince Edward ... `` He hissed gruffly, only for his scourge to shine on deaf ears as Edward Antony Richard Louis bypassed the main line, shoving him to the 2d check-in windowpane reserved for those experiencing either chest hurting or shortness of breath.

And it was then that the racking cough again shook him, the knife-like infliction attacking as if the Grim Reaper himself were holding the blade. He clutched onto the wheelchair 's arms, gritting his teeth, an acidy burn working its way up his throat.

A awful stab began in his breast, sending his body jack-knifing forward, nearly out the chair. A sharp shout near him made him aware of the frenzy of natural action that had begun beyond the check-in desk, and strong manpower abruptly latched onto his shoulder joint, preventing him from falling face forward.

A foot snapshot out, kicking the wheelchair 's brake into topographic point with a metallic click, and suddenly the rocking, swaying question that he had not even realized to be going on ceased.

The nuisance in his chest dulled down to a tiresome burn, and his hand flew to his mouth, feeling the sputum expelling with the next shuddering gasp.

He coughed once, twice more, before leaning gratefully forward onto his son 's shoulder, gasping for air.

It was then that he noticed the man in the Elwyn Brooks White lab coat kneeling next to him, and it dawned on him that the cold, metal feeling on his book binding was the stethoscope, which the Dr. had already managed to luxate beneath the back of his shirt.

intuitive feeling winded, he looked at the physician 's interested brass, and forced a weak grin. `` Well, '' He gasped wryly. `` I think it 's safe to say, that I am unawares of breathing time. ``
* * * * *


Lupin bowled into the elbow room, Dumbledore in tow. The forceful thump of the doorway flying unfastened and slamming against the wall effectively causing Snape 's white-knuckled hold on his wand to loosen.

Harry 's gaze snapped to where Remus stood, asking him what had happened.

He barely heard him, suddenly feeling so, so incredibly pillock. In his despair to prevail help he had failed to be patient role, unable to hold off for lupine 's return. And it only now occurred to him why it had taken the werewolf so long.

It would never make occurred to Remus to have gone to the nearest Master Occlumens for help. The trustfulness between the old piranha and Snivellus was nonexistent, so there was no way in hell that Lupin would have trusted the man to delve into Kally 's mind.

So he had gone for Dumbeldore.

Harry already felt like an idiot. Snape simply seized the instant to express his agreement.

'' Potter could n't possibly have done this, '' He declared.

Snape 's statement hung on the air as Dumbledore, looking only slightly weary, swept his gaze back and Forth River between the three of them. beginning his blue eye studied Kalliandra, pity and curiosity mingling together on his lined face, before turning his kindly regard to Harry. And then, finally, his spectacled gaze locked with Severus Snape's.

A strange silence filled the way as the two became locked in a arrant peer. It took Harry only a here and now to earn what they were doing.

They were communicating through Legilimency, the two masters exchanging all of the information about the place that they needed to know.

Remus seized the mo of privacy, kneeling in front of where he and Kaylens lay tangled up. `` Harry, '' He began quietly, so as not to interrupt the two. `` Please tell me you did n't let him ... ''

Harry grimaced. `` I did. ``

The werewolf released an exasperated suspiration, fixing Harry with an steamed stare. `` I 'm not even going to ask what you were thinking. It 's quite obvious that you were n't. ``

'' He is a Master Occlumens, '' He argued, feeling almost dirty at having just defended Snape. `` I would n't willingly allow someone to hurt her. ``

A split second of amusement temporarily replaced the critical tone on Remus'face. `` This coming from the person who personally removed quite a bit of her fuzz, in what Crusantheus assured me was a full-out brawl in the Headmaster 's office. ``

Harry cringed. `` You heard about that, huh ? '' He asked sheepishly, glancing to where Kalliandra lay, looking for all the man as if she were sleeping.

Remus followed his regard. `` Hermione actually wrote me about that. Something about wanting me to talk some sense into the both of you. Personally, I 'm still trying to figure out how she knew I was tutoring Kalliandra in the 1st piazza. ``

'' You were tutoring her ? ``

Remus nodded, looking at him curiously. `` How did you think we were acquainted ? ``

'' She was a professional groomer and Moony was in demand of a cut ? ``

Lupin sent him a withering brilliance. `` Of all the things to inherit, you had to get your father 's brass. ``

'' I did n't realise it was his. ``

Remus seemed to consider this. `` Yours is actually a bit more caustic, '' He related. `` Unless Prongs was talking to someone he severely disliked, his comments were never quite so mordacious. ``

'' So I 'm blistering. Can you find fault me ? ``

Moony 's aspect softened considerably. `` No, Harry. I can not. ''

Abruptly Lupin 's attention turned firmly to Kaylens, his concern look returning full moon force. Harry simply watched as Remus reached out, carefully brushing a lock of her persistently tangled hair away from her nerve, studying her like a concerned father.

Remus paused, as if considering something. `` Well, '' He finally commented, `` You two certainly look uncomfortable. ''

Despite himself, he nearly laughed at the silliness of the command. Not that it was lacking in truth, for when Kaylens had jerked back she had wound up with one leg still draped over his own, one hanging halfway off the couch, with her thin form half-slumped between him and the armrest.

And now, she had apparently fallen asleep in exhaustion.

Harry smiled strainedly. `` Yeah, well ... I would n't need to risk incurring her ire by waking her, now would I ? ``

Nevertheless he found himself adjusting, to the point where he felt rather secure in knowing that if he let go of her, that she would no longer be in danger of sliding down to the floor.

Remus simply watched this, a crease forming across his forehead.

'' Harry, '' He ventured. `` What exactly did you do for her ? Specifically. ``

Harry frowned, considering how to respond to this. However, he did not get the chance.

The two Occlumens in the way had started blinking again, their telephone exchange, apparently, complete.

'' As I said, Potter could n't possibly have done this, '' Snape restated, ignoring the questioning flavor Lupin was throwing at all of them.

Kally chose that bit to let out a sleepy murmur, stirring in her sleep. And somehow that small sound of hers reawakened Harry 's fear that he had somehow harmed her mind in his effort to help her in the first of all place.

'' I did n't hurt her, did I ? '' He blurted out, earning a sharp stare from Remus.

Fortunately Dumbledore responded quickly.

'' No, Harry. You did not. ``

Snape let out a audio not unlike that of an tempestuous cat. `` Albus, '' He disrupted, clearly in dissension with the headmaster 's acceptance that Harry had, indeed, constructed the genial barrier. `` The level of technique in Occlumency that one would suffer to possess to ingest done this would be staggering. There is no possible way that Potter could birth done this. '' Snape hesitated. `` I 'm not even sure that I could sustain done this. ``

'' What ? '' Harry shot out, startled by the admission.

'' Would someone terribly mind filling me in on what exactly the three of you are talking about ? '' Interjected lupin, sounding only mildly annoyed.

Snape acted as if the man had not even utter, his nighttime eyes swiveling to Harry instead. `` I do n't have intercourse what you are playing at ceramicist, '' He snapped heatedly. `` But you did not do this to this girl. ``

Harry 's eyes narrowed, a slow burn wrath growing at the Potion lord 's stubborn refusal to believe him capable of anything.

The greasy haired man 's gaze grew more ambitious. `` Who really constructed that roadblock, potter ? ``

Harry 's tooth clenched. `` I did, '' He ground out.

'' prevaricator ! ``

Dumbledore rose a placating hand. `` Now Severus, lets not be hasty. Harry has been under my charge since the starting of term, and he has improved greatly. Particularly in regards to his ability to retrace mental roadblock. ``

'' No one improves that much in so short a time. Especially, '' He bit out, gesticulating in Harry 's direction, `` Not such an incompetent fry ! ``

Harry 's eyes hardened. `` Like you would make love, considering you 're the one who refused to teach me. ``

'' You are out of the question to teach Potter. ``

'' Perhaps if you were capable of dropping petty schoolhouse day score I would n't be. ``

'' You are just like your Padre, '' Snape practically growled.

'' I would n't know, '' He spat matter-of-factly. `` Perhaps you could plowshare fib sometimes. Reminisce about having your undergarment placed on public exhibition. ''

Remus snorted.

'' Harry, that was uncalled for, '' Dumbledore admonished.

Harry bit back a laugh. `` Considering everything he 's put me through over the geezerhood I highly doubt that. ``

Snape 's normally controlled lineament twisted into something livid. `` How dare you speak to the headmaster with such disrespect ... ''

'' I respect the Headmaster plenty, '' Harry snapped. `` It 's you that I have no respect for. ''

'' Has it occurred to anyone that arguing will get us nowhere ? '' Remus interjected.

'' If ceramicist had n't blatantly displayed such a want of decorum ... ''

'' decorum ? '' Harry interrupted. `` This is n't your minuscule class with all of its ludicrously anti-Gryffindor prescript ! So forgive me if I do n't creep at your feet to bring in your commendation ! ``

'' That is the last time I ever help you, you ungrateful ... ''

'' YOU DID N'T aid ME ! YOU HELPED HER ! '' Harry screamed, launching himself off of the couch and to his feet. It was only Remus'spry reflexes that kept Kally from tumbling with him.

Grunting in annoyance, Remus turned to Dumbledore. `` Do you get the touch sensation that this argument was a long metre coming ? ``

Dumbledore nodded. `` Why do you think I 'm letting them carry on ? ``

Harry and Snape remained unmindful to the rally, the latter suddenly looked unbelievably smug. `` That 's shady Potter, I do n't return telling you that I helped her at all. derive to suppose of it, all I did was consume a look at that barrier. I must admit though, she does have some rather interesting Recent epoch memories ... ''

Harry 's heart took on a wild feeling. `` That has nothing to do with ... ''

'' You 're rightfield. But this has everything to do with your unfitness to respect your better and to pursue the convention. ``

Harry snorted. `` funny story, considering you 're the one who 's always saying how the formula rules do n't practice to me. ``

'' No you idiot boy ! I 'm always telling you how self-important you are to conceive that the normal rules do n't go for to you. ``

'' Considering I 'm the one who has to off skilful ole'riddle for everyone you 'd amend go for the principle do n't implement to me. Otherwise adjacent time the killing scourge might actually lick. ``

Snape scowled dangerously. `` Ill see if it works, '' He hissed, fingering his wand.

'' ENOUGH ! ``

Harry 's sass snapped shut, his return lodging uncomfortably in his throat.

Outside, in the main entry Marguerite Radclyffe Hall, Mrs. Black began screaming.

'' If anyone did n't have a headache before, they certainly will now, '' Remus practically groaned.

'' Severus, '' Addressed the Headmaster, absentmindedly nodding his arrangement with lupine. `` From what you 've shown me, it looks like all that was done was a separation of Ms. Kaylens'retention from the unicorn's, and that is all. ``

'' That 's all ? '' Snape responded edgily, his angriness apparently undiluted despite the sudden alteration of subject. `` You make it sound as simple as identifying one species from the former. ``

Dumbledore shrugged, looking at Harry with a sudden flare-up of pride twinkling in his eyes. `` It 's true, that what Harry did require a high degree of skill in the sphere. But I think if you really think about it Severus, you 'll find that Harry was more than than able of having accomplished this. ``

Severus snorted.

'' After all, Severus, all Harry really did was construct a wall inside of her mind ... ''

'' Not just a wall, Albus. It was a consummate bulwark. ``

Harry could n't facilitate himself. `` Perfect ? It was good of holes ! I thought the thing was about to fall in ! ``

'' You mean to say that you were attempting to create a rigid structure ? ``

'' Yes, '' He hissed. `` Now will someone please explain what he meant by perfect ? ''

'' Will someone please explain what wall we are talking about ? ``

Again everyone ignored Remus'attempt to extract what was going on from them.

'' ceramist, '' Snape drawled, as if talking to a particularly sluggish pupil. `` Had a rigid wall been constructed, there would have been a complete breakup of the two hardening of computer memory in the miss 's mind. ``

'' Yes, I get that, '' Harry snapped, feeling frustrated. `` That 's what I was going for. ``

Snape 's dark, oily eyebrows arched up. `` Even a inflexible bulwark would bear eventually crumbled, and when that happened it would have been consanguineous to releasing a floodgate of foreign retentivity in her mind. So the effect would consume been the same as it was initially. ``

'' substance ? ``

Snape practically rolled his eyes. `` She would induce gone insane again. I know this level of conversing is a bit of a strain on your mental quickness, but please, do try and keep up. ``

'' That 'll be enough, Severus, '' interjected Dumbledore. `` What he means to say, Harry, is that a weak roadblock with holes will set aside the strange retentiveness to slip into her mind a few at a time. It 'll allow her to become slowly acclimated to the new storage, as opposed to her being forced to manage them all at once. Now I imagine the task of sorting through everything will be rather draining on her ... ''

Snape snorted. The Headmaster ignored him.

'' But in a few hours she should have a pretty solid grasp on what retentivity are hers, and what are not. ``

'' A few time of day ? `` Harry would swear Dumbledore with his sprightliness, but somehow this seemed far too easy. He would induce thought cramming a lifetimes worth of storage into a new straits would learn far longer.

Suddenly the schoolmaster smiled. `` Ms. Kaylens has been rather fortunate to have been given the blood of a relatively young unicorn, Harry. In fact, the animal is barely older than her. For the next few week she 'll gradually make more and more of its memory, but the worst should be over relatively soon. ``

"How can you roll in the hay how old it was ?"

"Is, Harry. Just because the unicorn's blood was taken does not mean that it was killed. And one of its latter computer memory had already slipped through your construct. So Severus was able to see it, and fling that selective information on to me. She's actually gotten very lucky."

Despite this reassurance, he was still nervous. `` And what happens when that wall I made completely offend down ? ``

'' A cold-shoulder headache, I would imagine. Nothing more. ``

'' But ... ''

'' For the love of pigeon hawk ! She 'll already be acclimated to the memory Potter ! '' Snape practically shouted, apparently unable to contain himself any longer. `` Your slight girlfriend will be fine ! ``

Harry balked. `` She 's not ... ''

Snape waved him off dismissively. `` Like I care. ``

Dumbledore casually flicked his wand in their direction, silencing them both. Harry gaped like a fish, noticing Snape doing the same.

Dumbledore let nothing show on his face, but simply turned to where Remus and Kaylens still sat.

'' Remus, as interest as this verbal disturbance has been, I think that the practiced thing for Ms.Kaylens, at the moment, is rest. ``

Lupin looking rather like a apprehensive father, nodded his acquiescence. And before Harry could even protest, Moony had scooped the young lady up in his arms.

fix Harry with a pointed stare, Remus inclined his point as he left. `` She 'll be in the way Hermione and Ginny used. ``

Snape, apparently having unsilenced himself, let out a mocking jeering that bore a unknown resemblance to the words `` I 'm so sure. ``

It was only after that they had left the elbow room, that Dumbledore 's expression grew far more serious.

'' Harry, '' He stated seriously. `` I think it 's meter you explained exactly what happened with Angelina. ``
* * * * *

'' VHERE IS SHE ! ? ! ? ``

The man 's vox rose furiously, awakening her from her Crucio-induced slumber with a start.

Her grim eyes snapped undefended, her unfocussed gaze shooting uselessly around the pitch-black room.

She had been left in complete and total darkness, ineffective to discern even a individual point of her surround. The frigidness, silk sheets beneath her were the just clue she had to hint that she remained in the same room as before.

Only now she was mercifully alone, with only the lingering, bone-deep pain of the impose curses for company.

An faze feel of futility settled firmly within her chest, but she would not, could not, fall back Hope. Instead her firmness of purpose strengthened, and she forced herself to mind very carefully.

exterior in the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall two people were arguing fiercely, their exact language muffled, though every so often the one would rise about the other, a unsafe note in his stressed speech.

Her brow creased fretfully, anxiousness filling her. There was something very associate about that voice. Something her intelligent mind screamed she should have been capable to recognize instantly.

But to her core she understood that whomever the someone was, that she should n't be hearing them here.

Not in a place where only Death eater roamed freely.

An icy foreboding flooded her mineral vein ...

The door to her room suddenly flew clear, a full shouldered man forcing his way in, his silhouette shadowed by the hall 's firelight.

It felt as if somebody were suddenly choking her, an agonizing thrill overtaking her in a way that the Cruciatus curse would never be capable to touch.

The man 's limit jaw pipeline, one so very familiar to her, was set firmly.

A heart-wrenching treachery ripped through her, snatching her kernel in its frailty grip as she watched his mouth open, forming the Bible she had once loved to hear.

'' Hermy-owh-ninny. ``







source's Note :

First, I just wanted to say thank you to Saint Andrew the Apostle for having helped me out so practically with this chapter. He has not only beta-read the terminal few chapters, but has also helped me to pick off them to make them well-situated to read.

Secondly, I wanted to justify about having taken so long between chapters over the past times twelvemonth. I honestly needed a break from writing, and now that I have had that I plan on updating approximately every two weeks or so. I 'm really excited about finishing the tale, and I figure that two weeks is definitely a deadline that I can meet, considering that I used to station casual chapters for the Quizilla version of this. Of course, those were only about 2500 words a bit, but nevertheless I figure once every two workweek or so should shape out well. Again, I am really sorry about having taken such lengthy prison-breaking this yesteryear year. Things were very occupy and frankly I just needed to really recharge. thank you all for having stuck around though ! Chapter 31 is being worked on presently, so anticipate it in about two calendar week.

And just to fend off confusion, the term for a practician of Occlumency is Occlumens. For some grounds in the bumpy draft of this I had a lot of mass trying to objurgate me on that.

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In the Wake of Dumbledore 's death Harry is consumed with a burning desire to attain one affair : licking Voldemort, by any means necessary. As he sets out to destroy not only the baddie himself, but also the fear that has the wizarding Earth 's heart in a frailty travelling bag, he has to modify the way he sees the world around him, as well as the way he functions within it. Now, as he prepares for the concluding conflict, he becomes the one thing the wizarding world needs : Hope. Harry/Ginny pairing.