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



Chapter 24 ~ The Black kitty


Dublin, Ireland. population in excess of 450,000 Muggles, 1,240 witches and wizards, and 451,240 innocents.

Since mediaeval times the locale had served as the capital of the innocent standing Republic. The Black syndicate, or so the Anglicism had stated. Now the expanse of demesne it rested upon stood as one of the most live pocket of closing off upon the globe.

An island.

5.8 million Muggles in the Republic of Ireland alone, another 1.7 million in Northern Irish Republic, and upon the entire United realm terra firma mass, 4,694 beingness of wizardly descent.

The island contained the declamatory percentage of sorcerous beings per caput of any place on ground.

It could soon contain the lowest.

At the mouth of the River Liffey, the bustling pitch blackness Pool of Commerce lay in postponement, as did a woman clad in the disgusting vise of Muggle apparel.

The pelting had let up considerably in comparison to the early morning pelting, yet the harsh mizzle did nothing to mar the once take up looker as she stood alone upon the Lucan bridge, grim hair's-breadth flowing in the wind like a sheet born of the Renascence.

In truth, had one possessing the skill sat to eternise her kisser, it would stimulate born striking law of similarity to a painting that had once hung 100 earlier upon the inlaid bulwark of Sarsfield castle.

The only dissimilarity between the canvases lay in the minute contingent of the subject area'hands, her picket, refined finger gently uncorking a clear ampule, tilting it 's contents over the ancient brick viaduct until they churned upon the wind disturbed piddle below.

As the cleaning woman disappeared, seemingly without a trace to the eyes of Muggle passersby, the kickoff of the swearword began filtering into the water organization of downtown capital of Ireland.

The Black kitty would soon reawaken a blackness pest.
* * * * *


making love.

Because of it cities have been erected, and fallen. Homes have been made, and broken. simple individual have been resurrected, and forgotten.

It holds the capability of silencing the strong, immortalizing the washy, dashing the dearest of dream and destroying the darkest of fears. It 's sheer mightiness is abyssal, and it is due to this overwhelming emotion that the homo spirit is adequate to of being broken.

For one raven haired man, the pressure born of hate and preserved by his honey was upon him as it had never before been. The blank, deadened eyes of Seamus Finnigan haunting him even as he breathed in the reassuring presence of the young female child clutched in his subdivision, his face turned from the world to bury against her skin, his simply reprieve from the cruel reality that was his hell, and life.

It has been said that it is only strength of character that separates the feeble from the potent, for their ability to throw off opinion, fond regard, and love aside… Therein rests their unbendable power to do what must be done, in the darkest of times.

Wordlessly the daughter had taken him by the hired man, silently leading him through the thick coppices and bramble, disregarding the way the coarse Erica arborea tore her skin, snaring her article of clothing. Her silhouette seemed incapable of notion, and the young man 's enviousness of her skill was thickening, for each thorny whoreson dragging across his cutis sung the guilt he felt, crying for his interference in what they had left behind in Hogsmeade with the tug of a portkey.

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

The young man had been forced to leave alone his ally in the rapidly growing fight ground, for Voldemort 's evil had reared again, and again he had come out upon the lesser position, trapped as he was in the darken woodland, incapable of helping anyone.

How was this silly wizard supposed to defeat the glum of them ?

It has also been said that military strength of grapheme is best not determined by one 's indifference, by their ability to outstrip themselves from the position at hand, but by their ability to find the plea of the weak as if they were their own incumbrance. For it is in these person that the rarest of souls are found, for the few who walk upon the Earth with burdened and broken souls are often the most capable of loving, and saving the rest of us.

His footstep were sinking into the damp earth, following in the missy 's racecourse as they pushed their way through the coppice, stumbling into a small moonlit clearing, a cloudy pool of piddle collecting near its edge.

It was perhaps the lamentable, and roughshod of ironies, that the two brave psyche standing torn and battered, bathed in the blue hues of moonlight filtering between the night sky 's mottled clouds, were the unadulterated exemplifications of both sides of the spectrum.

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

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


October 31st, Hallowe'en, 1996.

It would forever stand as the day of opprobrium, as the night when Aurors had fallen upon the townspeople in striking violence, scattering Death Eaters to the far flung corners of the Earth, to wherever their alcove of rubber lay, leaving the scarcely varnish Village under the jurisdiction of the Ministry.

There was much to sort out.

It had taken so long for them to reach it 's inhabitants, for Hogsmeade had not been the just town to fall under fire this day. And being the only all wizarding Village in England, the Aurors had came to it 's aid last, for Muggle region had few defenses, while the citizens of Hogsmeade had at least been armed.

Unlike the guiltless Muggles who had been found, lifelessly sprawled upon urban center streets, magical beings had held the mogul to fight 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 physiognomy of perdition to disappear as quickly as they had come.

No others had been able to capture the anti-apparation Ward that had been erected, but the Death Eaters had found a way.

Throughout the UK, from Dundee to Belfast, from Diagon bowling alley to Irish capital 's Aingingein Marketplace, from the Orkney islands above Scotland to the towns bordering the side Channel, wizard break of homes and beings, little sack of sequestrate homes and wizards, and space of Department of Commerce had been taken over.

They had all been targeted, held absorbed until night had fallen, and each surviving being of magical blood line present professed to have felt the Saame force. A cold, spoiled than demise acceleration of the blood that had seeped into their very souls, raising the hamper of creature and hairs of man, eliciting the screaming of owls and cries of children had fallen just at dusk, and for those salute the time falling immediately after, as towns had risen up in defense, fighting back as the Death feeder fled and Aurors arrived, it would be remembered as the metre of muteness.

Something had happened that day, for the demise Eaters had swarmed into the village and private homes, avoiding only the Muggle public, and killing only those Muggles who strayed in their way, and the few hotshot and beldam who had persistently fought back before the arrival 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 legal injury topographic point at the unseasonable time.

Seamus Finnigan had been amongst the fallen, the only inexperienced person to have died in Hogsmeade, killed by the killing curse erupting from the Imperioused baton of Ginerva Molly Weasley.

Ginny Weasley now lay, near catatonic with the grief of her actions, with the knowledge of her unwillingly dealt sins, in the infirmary annexe of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and genius.

She had been able-bodied to fight strongly enough to lay aside her brother from the killing curse word she had fired upon him, but she had not been strong enough to save her boyfriend.

It was a thought that would haunt her for the rest of her living, and while she remained silently mute under the fear of Pomfrey, Dean St. Thomas sat upon the coldness corridors of the hospital annexe 's Granville Stanley Hall.

The racket of the hall was deafening, reverberating with the frenzied footfalls and echoes of frantic parents unable to locate their tyke. Very few had taken credence to Dumbledore 's confidence that there were only three shaver within the hospital wing, two of whom dean treasured above lifespan itself.

He hardly felt the hurting as another large father trampled upon his foot, and he pulled his pegleg closer to his chest, wishing to dip into the wall for all he was deserving.

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 shame poured from his center, the newly appointed Gryffindor beater finally succumbing to the overpowering emotions.

It was then that the sandy haired mother of Seamus stumbled into the Radclyffe Hall, nearly knocking Luna Lovegood to the base, her deadened eyes remarkably similar to how Ginny 's had been when he had found her, crumbled and shaking besides prof Tres'unconscious mind form in the kitchen of dame Puddifoots.

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

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


Somewhere, deep in the woodland, Harry calmly observed the sky. The fall leaves struck a stark contrast to the night 's wickedness background, and mystifying grayness clouds blotted out all color of starlight, save for the few persistent pinpoint and the sliver of moonlight fighting their way through the mottled mess.

It was exquisite.

Though no quantity of beauty, nor staring, could drive the disturbing thoughts from his mind for long, and with a resigned sigh he knelt before the small pool, his knees sinking into the deaden earth besides Kaylens.

'' Are you okay ? ``

He heard her words, yet failed to respond. Instead his eyes remained glued to the fluctuation personage upon the water 's surface. Staring back at him were the accusatory adulteress eyes of one whose bed ones were either gone, or in peril. The man in the reflection was one he did not recognize, for it was a man who had killed without ruefulness, and who would do it again.

The inky black look-alike was revealing how he had become all he had once abhorred, and it was a thought for which he was ill fix.

Never looking up, he finally spoke.

'' No. ``

His cupped hands plunged into the spring, scattering the damnable reflectivity from its aerofoil, rippling the weed extending near the other embankment.

A long clip passed, the sound of perch splashing besides him mingling with sounds of the night, as they both rubbed the blood from their deal in the icy water.

Upon its inky surface his reddened blood swirled, pooling from his reopening wounds. Though the pain was something that could not get through him, numbed as his sentience were from the hypothermic waters.

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

Her crystalline eye held his, concern flickering in the dull moonlight.

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

There was no doubting what she meant, for his handwriting were pained at her mere feeling, intertwined as they were with her dusty single, beneath the dense spring 's airfoil. He reveled in that silence, grimacing only as she forcibly withdrew his paw from the mercifully numbing waters. The rough bunco game of the cool dark air sent pinpricks of annoyance shooting through his injury, burning his arms in a way contradictory to the evening 's breeze.

The mere tincture of disquiet linger upon her concerted face, for she was studying the gashes along his thickened hands, the 1 he had received as he fought to cut the bonds binding them within Rosmereta 's small pub.

That small pub now held some of the most of import citizenry in his life, and he had never felt farther from it.

The acutely sound of textile ripping catapulted him from the ill fated route his persuasion were traveling upon, and where his hands had just been, enclosed in her own, now lay a flight strip of shred cloth. She had torn a shred of cloth, from his cloak, and was wrapping it tightly around his medallion, winding it up and over his articulatio radiocarpea where the deepest of combat injury stretched.

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

Sparing not a give-and-take, the last strip was tugged tightly in place. With a satisfied sigh she tilted her point to the side, a curious grammatical construction befalling her. `` Well… '' She replied faintly, her cold thumb tracing along his skin around the makeshift bandaging. `` You 'd break hope so. ``

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

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

'' Hmph. ``

She offered no further reply, lazily trailing her bridge player within the assuredness weewee once again, her eyes falling shut.

Unconsciously his middle were drawn to her, following her hired hand effortless progress upon the glistening body of water, and for the first time he noticed the ambling play of wizardly before him, for her fingerbreadth were playing lithely across the water 's dark control surface, a deadening glow radiating at the threshold where the unchanging Earth's surface finally broke, allowing her fingerbreadth submission, rose up from its depths.

He regarded the interplay, a slow curio rising as dapple of deception trailed beneath her hired man, coloring the light swellings she was creating. ripple, swelling out in successive rings, bore the sparkling only a scant direction before the light tumbling within the waters faded away.

And it was not for the first meter, nor for the close, that he again realized how little he still knew about the magical world.

He leaned towards her, peculiarity crossing his feature film, for how could the girl who could not incant perform the video display before him ? His query rolled from his lip quietly, and though her face remained averted from his, her manifestation upon the rippling 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 face. `` You know… '' She replied softly, `` I 'm not entirely indisputable. ``

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

'' Well… '' She whispered, her reflexion smiling, `` Insane is probably a better term. ``

'' A shame then. '' He quipped lowly, looking across the H2O, its very show up vibrating with life. `` For we 're trapped in the woodwind instrument without a gloss of sanity between us. ``

She murmured in agreement, withdrawing her fingers from the water, flicking the top droplets from them in his counselling.

His grunt of dissent was ignored, for her sleepless eye had flickered out across the wavelet H2O, gazing searchingly into the shadowy forest. And for the thousandth time since their for the first time group meeting, he wondered if she could see things he could not.

As if in response to his mentation, a idle furrow creased her eyebrow, barely discernable as the clouds moved to becloud the poise moonlight, throwing vestige across her countenance. And as a aristocratical breeze sent the vibrating reed protruding from the embankment swaying, her conduct stiffened, her shoulder relaxing only with the cessation of the plants'mesmeric motions.

'' Jittery ? ``

His interrogative sentence was met not with the wait contempt, but with something else.

'' Yes. '' She whispered darkly.

Her cold intonations were disturbing, and his centre joined hers in sweeping the tree line of credit for any star sign of malignity. Yet just as before, when he had checked upon their arrival, there was none to be found.

A thought occurred to him, and finally after the winding had risen in intensity, sending the reed confidential information tilting so as to dip into the pond 's surface, he spoke it aloud.

'' Are you familiar with interface keystone ? ''

She turned a wonder expression to him, her hair scattering like a feathery halo about her face in the blustery gentle wind. Such was the flutter of her thick head of hair that he could not assure 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 delivery. His deal scrambled in the inscrutable folds of his thick cloak for the Kunnskap, and finally he dumped it upon the moth-eaten earthy mud, taking care to never allow it 's dulled golden chain to touch his flesh.

Kaylens optic filled with reason, `` It 's how we got here. ``

He nodded, reaching for her manus with his bandaged one. Though when his fell atop hers, she did not deal it.

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

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

'' Take it with me. ``

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

He absolved to never pull up stakes her alone, not anywhere, not ever again.

With baited breath they touched the chain.

Nothing.

Sharing a half foiled, half relieved grinning, they exhaled the breaths they had both been holding.

As he re-gathered the chain in his hands, she was the first to damp the heavy silence.

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

He cast her an irritable glance, examining the runes carved into the pensieve 's vial. Unsurprisingly, not one depiction cast a shred of light onto the site at manus. Maybe, just maybe, he would strike Hermione up on her offer to learn him ancient runes when they returned.

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

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

'' You know how most port Florida key are touch sensitive, taking hoi polloi back and Forth between two lieu ? ``

Her head bobbed lightly, another stale gust sending her hair awry. This meter she did not bother fighting with it, and let it lie as it fell.

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

Mortal peril…

He trailed off, not realizing the expression that had befallen his fount until Kaylens concerned dustup drew him back to the present, away from the snarling teeth and growls of Hogsmeade 's dorsum alley.

He had not known until that day, until he had felt the telling tug behind his navel point, that the Kunnskap doubled in determination, and his oversight of Dumbledore 's secretive method of ensuring his own security could birth very well toll Kaylens her sprightliness.

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

His lip went dry, and a cold, unnerving intuitive feeling spread through him. Forcing his centre to heighten to hers, he saw the confusion swirling within them.

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

The incomprehensible impulse to drown himself within the unfeeling pond took precedence, but the itch was driven from his mind by her hand reaching for his.

He found himself staring at the rachis of her liquid hand 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 fine, '' She whispered, spokesperson tinged with amusement. `` I know you were n't trying to leave me to resist off the wolves myself. ``

And despite her tone, 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 lower lip, `` Now who 's the one stuttering ? '' She intoned, shaking with light laughter.

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

'' Kaylens… '' He murmured, eyes conclusion in painfulness. `` This has been a catastrophe. ``

'' It could suffer been worse. '' She whispered, the sarcasm of her words mocking the disaster they had lived through.

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

'' It could give been worse. ``

Hogsmeade had been taken, doyen could be dying, Hermione was injured, and the others like ingenuous Ginny Weasley, the Sister he grew to own, 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 heart flew open, narrowing onto her. `` How…how can you possibly say that ? ''

Unapologetically she held his gaze, her verbal expression falling. `` Because it 's the true statement. ''

He swallowed, every fiber of his being disagreeing with each of her verbalized syllables.

'' Seamus is beat, '' He finally whispered, regaining ascendancy. `` We abandoned the others. We failed them. Or did you blank out tha… ''

'' No we did n't. ``

He stared, ineffective to patch up the rising grief 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 acknowledgement of his repetition.

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

Lifeless profane eyes…

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

Her heart flickered searchingly across his face, her brow creasing concernedly. `` Do you really have that fiddling organized religion in them ? ''

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

'' I do n't have intercourse anymore. '' He whispered gruffly, not knowing which was spoiled : The suffering expression upon her face, or the knowledge that he actually believed his words, for he did not have faith in his admirer.

At least not when it came to their turning away of bodily harm. The Department of mystery 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 effective to anyone. '' He realized somberly, vocalizing his thoughts. `` Not to anyone. Not to Ron, not to Hermione, not to Seamus, not to… ''

'' What ? ``

failing to enamor this his insensible vocalizations of self-loathing continued, unheard to his own spike, yet perfectly clear to the fille besides him.

'' How dare you. ``

This time he heard her, her voice vibrating dangerously, his center instantly flying to her fierce expression.

deep within her eyes something frightening was stirring.

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

This palpitation was her only when sign of emotion, for her dead tone was perhaps stale than her take up expression.

'' In case you did n't placard thrower, you are Charles Frederick Worth something, '' She whispered in continuation. `` Because if it was n't for you your friends would consume never made it out of Hogsmeade, and not only that… ''

She stood abruptly, brushing her mitt on her jeans furiously, glowering down with chilling intensity.

'' If it was n't for you I would be dead right now Potter. But perhaps I do n't count. '' Her fiery optic burned a searching track across him. `` Not to you at least. ``

Her terminal words were the inhuman of all, and the absence of her handwriting, no longer within the confines of his own, struck him in a way he was ill equipped to explain.

He had willfully pulled his mitt from hers in anger.

Scrambling to his animal foot he closed the distance between them, catching her around the arm before she could work it any promote. She struggled, her icy spotlight 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 coat of arms tightly around her variant, stroking her hair until she stopped struggling.

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

She uttered not a strait, dropping her face against his shoulder, allowing his to bury within her hair. He only pulled her closer, fondness sinking through him as her hands burrowed beneath his robes, snaking around his midsection to hold him back.

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

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

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

Her figure stiffened, his forehead falling against hers as her face swiveled to regard him. Instinctively his arms encircled her shivering form ever tighter, prepared to do anything to foreclose her from leaving.

Her glistening eyes turned up, both angriness and pledge swimming contradictorily within them. `` Potter… '' She whispered, `` No good reason exists here. You did all you could. ''

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

A piano murmur of disfavor came from behind her close lips, the changes upon her once impassive aspect startling. Unconsciously his center fell shut, his hands moving across her back comfortingly. Slowly he breathed her in, clutching her by her sweater, twisting it in the process as an incense sigh escaped her lips.

Against his skin he felt her eyelash 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 unsolved fight fading from his mind. `` You 're in luck… '' He replied, whispering despite their solitude. `` Because the feeling 's mutual. ``

'' I 'm sure… '' She murmured back, face upturning as a blustery fall wind sent her yearn tresses scattering haphazardly between them. His arms pulled her in closer, the lax side of meat of his gown billowing out and enveloping them both.

For the longest time they stood there, him shielding her from the swarthiness'icy claw, her shielding him from regression into the dark of all he had been partly responsible for. And for the thousandth time since their way had first crossed, he found himself listening to her admonishments.

Predominant amongst them was his newly bestowed deed, a filtrate smile crossing his face at the thought.

'' big businessman of Idiocy… '' He murmured, a hermit hand sliding from where he cupped the back of her headway, falling to breathe along her cheek. `` I ca n't believe you called me that. ``

The delicate fingers lingering upon his chest curled, capturing the folds of his beer stained robe. `` From my tip of persuasion it 's fitting. ``

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

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

He shook his head word, his scent tousling her hair further. `` fair remember… '' He growled quietly, `` I owe you. ``

'' Do you ? '' She asked, inclining her head to look 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 potable, and I do n't mean the kind in a ice. ``

Her middle shone with intellect, `` You mean the kind overturned upon my straits. ``

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

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

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

'' item taken. ``

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

'' fountainhead I do n't envision being strangled by you, '' She replied truthfully, eyeing him with amusement. `` Alone, at night, in the Forbidden Forest… It 'd be quite easy for you to get rid of me. ``

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

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


The doors of the entrance entrance hall needed nada to be thrown open, for in the havoc of parents coming and going, claiming their child 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 dissuade 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 main stairway that Dumbledore intercepted them, Tonks ushering Emily and a fully recovered Kenneth in front of her, due to their slightly drugged state.

Muggle repellant appealingness be damned, she had strength them through the ward, for here they would be safe.

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

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

Dumbledore crossed the room, quickly climbing a small ladder to retrieve a small softback book, leather-bound text. `` Of trend. ``

Neither of the two men appeared ill at ease with the early 's presence. The unflappable elder appearing entirely unsurprised by the younger 's sudden issue to the living.

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

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

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

'' I had my misgiving, '' Replied the headmaster, squatting in front of young Emily, extending the school text to her. The auburn haired youngster took it without a thought.

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

Emily 's head bobbed gently, opening the leather bounds book with automatic motions, and as she began to read, the clouded look disappeared from her and Kenneth 's optic, as did their drugged states.

Ignoring Regulus'annoyed growl, Dumbledore responded to Tonks questioning looking. `` The lone way to allow Muggles to finger at comfort within our priming, myopic of removing the Barbara Ward, is to learn from this book. ``

Tonks merely nodded, while Kenneth blinked confusedly. Emily, however, had already spied a squashy looking arm chair and wasted no clip in making a bee credit line for it.

'' If you do n't mind, there is the small affair of a nighttime Creator to attend. '' The leer Regulus used paled in comparison to his tone.

Dumbledore merely smiled and pointed Kenneth towards the same chair, where the United States President promptly passed out, his small girl in his lap. It was only then that Dumbledore 's smiling exterior faltered, something far more serious flashing behind his lunula spectacles.

Tonks remained silent, knowing broad well she would better serve well everyone by listening, for she was in the shadow about what was transpiring. She, an Auror, was out of her region with the discovery of the multiple attacks throughout the Great Britain, while genus Regulus merely grimaced, as if having long expected such an unpleasantry.

The last remaining heir of the blackamoor menage gestured to the sleeping family. `` He 's come after the house before ? ``

Both Tonks and Dumbledore nodded, while Regulus paced.

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

Her philia fluttered uneasily, `` Eradication ? ``

genus Regulus paused mid-stride, `` Surely your instruction was not that bereft of grammar to furnish suitable excuse for your failure to empathise such a short syllable word as eradication ? ``

Her sorry eyes narrowed in annoyance, her tongue held in chip only by the discipline born of years under the superintendence of Kingsley and Mad-Eye 's loose scepter.

Regulus'equally dark eyes left hers duly, his pacing resumed, `` At a metre He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named desired merely the eradication of Muggleborns alone. The cleanup of our world would sustain sufficed, for then he would be disembarrass to prevail it. ``

Reaching the wall he did an abrupt about-face, continuing undiscouraged upon his unbowed path. `` His aspect eventually changed and he came to trust the dying of both Muggles and Muggleborns, and if his programme remain similar to the plot of before, the game I failed to wait on in properly, than today marks the showtime of the plague. ``

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

'' The Great Plague of Greater London in the seventeenth century. ``

All middle, including the drowsy Emily 's, turned to regard the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. Though while Emily gently tugged at her dozing father 's arm, mumbling about the characterization man in awe, Regulus glared in annoyance.

'' Salutations granddad, '' He greeted with considerable sarcasm. `` As always I am fortunate to have never been forced to sustain your condemnable, condescending mien in life. ``

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

'' That irritable stone rapper demands respect as well, but that does not have in mind we give it to him. '' Quipped Regulus, his long fingers creating a hole melody along the shelving.

The Headmaster 's eyes twinkled at the audio of Crusantheus'protest from outside the threshold. `` Your presence has charmed everyone within earshot Regulus, I can only desire to earn such praise by the end of our meeting as well. I 'm beginning to feel left out. ``

Simultaneously all of the portraits, Tonks, the doorknocker, Fawkes, and a merman sculpture snorted.

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

'' I 've wasted too many long time abroad to idly stand around and be chortled at. There is again, the issue of a iniquity master to attend to. ``

Tonks sobered immediately, her eyes fixating upon the tike and man under her security, the single genus Regulus himself was responsible for saving when she had failed.

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

'' state me more than of this infestation, Regulus. ``

And that he did, revealing the true cause for his defection from the ranks of the death feeder.

'' Do you remember the interconnected blast in my spring chicken master ? ``

'' The ones just before your disappearance ? ``

Negro nodded somberly, `` Yes, only on a smaller scale than the unity of today I shall imagine. On that day I was to deliver a vial into the River Thames, spreading the pest throughout the entirety of Muggle London. '' The man 's vocalism betrayed not a tip of emotion as he confessed his deeds, his mitt clasped neatly behind his spine.

'' It was only lifelike, '' He continued, `` For He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to coordinate onslaught upon wizarding Greenwich Village, entrapping the wizarding kinfolk within. The rules of order were to not bolt down nor harm the habitant unless absolutely necessary, and while the magical folks were trapped he unleashed a spell, a counter bane if you will, one that would yield all those within the wards at the meter of its casting immunity from the plague. ``

'' Wait…was n't there a risk of exposure of the retort expletive failing ? '' Another portrait, one by the gens of Dilys Derwent, inquired.

Her cousin 's iniquity spotlight was solvent enough.

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

Regulus thin lips went taunt, `` Nymphadora, you again underestimate him, assuming he places value in snarf concepts such as love and home. '' His oculus narrowed considerably, `` He does not, and what better place to essay an experimental vaccine if you will, then upon a populate island. ``

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

'' If the rejoinder curse proved ineffective than the only wizarding communities lost would be those of the U.K. '' Dumbledore said sadly, `` A sane passing to one such as Tom, considering his strongest immunity has always been in Britain. ``

Regulus nodded somberly, `` If it was ineffective, only a small dower of the world 's wizarding population would be lost, yet millions of Muggles would be gone with them. And since it was on an island, isolated from the master continents, the chances of it spreading to the other Continent would be very slim indeed. ``

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

'' Quickly, '' Regulus supplied. `` There were plan to prevent this as well, to close down major Muggle expatriation networks until the experiment had run it 's grade. However, what those programme were, I was not privy to. We were on a need to know foundation. ``

listening to the conversation Tonks tummy churned. The cold calculation that must have gone into an endeavor such as that… The realization that citizenry, who harbored such little gaze for homo animation, existed was chilling.

Her parents accounts of such dark metre were what had driven her to link the ranks of the Aurors in the starting time place, even if she herself harbored no personal memory of those days.

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

genus Regulus Black was now revealing the undisclosed reasoning behind the 24 dying 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 Plague had never been loose, for Regulus Black, the trustworthy son of a baronial pureblooded kinsfolk, had never shown. And now that same son was setting the vial, the same vial that he had kept for eld in his monomania, upon the Headmaster 's desk.

'' Whatever it does, it was rumored to construct the Bubonic pestilence seem like the flu. ''

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

Similar portion had occurred that very day, and Dumbledore was just informing them. Fawkes disappeared in a fiery puff of smoke, sent to marshal Severus and the best of therapist to began examining the venomous contents of the vial.

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

God helper us.
* * * * *


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

They were in the Forbidden Forest, and her with her gooselike naiveness had not thought once to remark it before now.

They were in the Forbidden Forest…

How in the perdition could she sustain know that ?

His expression instinctively hardened, as did his hands upon her, for irregular closing off within a woodland was one matter, but closing off within the Forbidden Forest was an entirely different matter.

Eyes sweeping the woods 's menacing tree short letter defensively, he remained unresponsive to her questioning optic. His simply reaction was the slight loosening of his arms around her form as he silently prayed their safety would hold out.

Unsatisfied, yet helpless to improve matter, his arms fell to her waist, hands stiffening along her spine. `` Kaylens… '' He whispered lowly, `` Why did you not think to mention this in the first place ? ``

Her pectus rose against his, her tiresome breathing spell crystallizing on the cooling air.

'' What good would it take in done ? '' She whispered back. `` It was n't deserving mentioning. ''

Swallowing hard he regarded her through narrowing prick. `` Perhaps I 'm improper, '' He said lowly, `` But when something concerns our condom I 'd consider it worth mentioning. ''

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

'' I like the dark. ``

'' So do arachnids. ``

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

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

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

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

Grinding his teeth to prevent an ejaculation he listened warily.

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

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

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

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

'' Everything, because when I first came here Hagrid showed me how the timberland was divided into quadrants of each wizardly coinage'territory. ``

He inclined an eyebrow questioningly, encouraging her to continue.

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

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

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

'' Since now. ``

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

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

'' You told me that recently, '' She interjected. `` We were here in secretiveness for hours. How was I to intuitively be intimate that you were incognizant of our position before then ? ``

'' You should deliver said something the indorse I told you I had nothing to do with the port key Kayle ... ''

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

His hired man dropped at her Logos, for the conversation had turned in a strikingly unlike counsel. She merely took a step back, regarding him from a safety distance with block out eyes.

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

With that she dropped down to the earth, becoming utterly fascinated by the swaying beating-reed instrument as he was left with naught but her cover to regard.

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

By the clip he was done telling her that, in not quite succinct condemnation, he was reasonably certain that her expression would betray hostile aim towards him.

Though as he moved to stand besides her kneeling form, suddenly the escalation of their contestation seemed worthless as he glimpsed her shoot down expression. Turning away from him, the back of her wrists began wiping at her eyes.

It was a retentive time before either again radius, the sole phone the howling of the steer between the timberland 's tree diagram.

'' Kaylens I… ''

'' No… '' She whispered, `` Do n't bother. Just understand that some us do not birth the sumptuousness to give our feel unmasked. ``

Only one word came to mind, and he spoke it, unable to pronounce in any early way his inquiry as to why she had until this very day refused to depict any semblance of her truthful self to him.

'' Why ? ``

Her head bowed low, the ends of her yearn braid dangling loosely in the rippling water. Finally, a low stretch of infinity passing play, she again spoke.

'' If you had the option between keeping people safe, or putting good people at endangerment, what would you do ? ``

Her Son were chilling, and he found himself standing still, frozen in that moment, heart thudding louder than it ought. Never before had someone uttered the watchword, or given voice to the question that so oft haunted him.

Not in the way she just had.

She turned on the wet pot, her slick orbs rising in a square up way, betraying all the pain she had until now kept so carefully hidden.

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


Dean felt empty as he numbly shoved past the Fat Lady 's portraiture. Whether the countersign had fallen from his lip or not was something he would never know, and something the Fat Lady would keep to herself.

'' Neville. ``

He addressed his dorm better half in a monotone, ineffective to appear 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 bookman already gone, taken away by their folk. Those remaining till the next morning, or indefinitely, as Dean was planning, would already be in their dormitories.

Save for Neville, who 's gram had just arrived to take in him home.

Neville shook his head sadly, `` It is n't right. I should n't result 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 body in the operation. `` It 's not that simple. ``

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

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

'' We are at war Mr. Thomas, and soon you will be forced to choose a incline ! ``

A secure hired man stretched out to rest against the cold stone bulwark of the tower, and Dean steadied himself from the onrush of regretful memories.

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

'' brand your choice ! ``

His expression hardened, handwriting leaving the wall as he turned to view his nervous looking dorm mate, whose neck was craned high to see where he stood higher up upon the stairs.

'' Neville… '' He said seriously, his deep voice echoing upon the empty walls of the column. `` No one can spend a penny you do anything. Not unless you are too weak to place upright 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 meter until he was again flush with the uneasy looking boy.

'' No one can force you to do anything, '' James Dean imparted, his dark eye squaring off with Neville 's. `` Not McGonagall. Not Snape. '' His continued, his own intimate choler growing. `` Not even Voldemort himself. ''

inclination in James Dean let his shadow stare drill into Neville 's luminosity one. `` And especially not your grandmother, '' He whispered fiercely. `` No one can pressure you to do something you do not already want to do. So if you think staying here is the right thing, then you expert 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 James Byron Dean 's normally congenial eyes there was no pity.

'' There 's zip worse than looking back and wishing you had done something differently. '' James Byron Dean imparted intensely, straightening as a queen cat bounded down from the miss 's dormitory. `` And I would call back that someone who could confront down Death feeder, defending himself the way you did back in Hogsmeade, would not be one for backing down. ``

With a last-place glance at the cat James Byron Dean trudged up the flight, hell set on retrieving Ronald Weasley 's things. How in the infernal region he was to get Ginny 's was another subject entirely, but the only when thing he really knew, or cared about at that second, was the acceptable sound of Neville 's proboscis dropping to become abandoned on the stairs.

Later, when doyen came out of the student residence, he would be greeted with an vacate common elbow room, Neville 's brutal outcry of being needed at Hogwarts filling the halls.
* * * * *


inside Harry felt something breakage, for Kalliandra 's password were hitting closer to dwelling than she could ever recognise, for what had haunted him had haunted her.

Deep in the woods, the impenetrable silence was again shattered by her cheerless voice.

'' Once someone cares for you, and I mean truly cares ceramist, no amount of electrical resistance will be able to push them away. '' Her haunting words fell to the unfeeling priming coat, her face once again lowered. `` Once you let individual in there really is no going back, and doing that… ''

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

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

In that moment, the wind stirring the smoke around his feet, he realized how abysmally pillock he had been. Kalliandra 's words had never rang truer. And though he felt as if he were missing some integral compass point, for how the words applied to her he knew not, he did acknowledge how they applied to him.

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

A recollective time ago they had said there had been a distributor point where they could deform back, and they had not.

Harry thrower suddenly realized when that here and now had been, for both of them.

'' I think I can evaluate the awry sort for myself thanks. ``

Ron 's face had glowed with acceptance.

'' It was my estimation professor. I went looking for the round. I had read about them and thought I could do by it. If Harry and Ron had not come when they did, I 'd probably be drained. ``

A sad smile tugged at his center, for Hermione Granger, knowing them as nothing other than cruel taunting boys, had broken every moral she had that Allhallows Eve night.

And she had done it for them.

The point where he could protect his friends had long since passed. The meter where they could have been kept safe was over, and if he truly wanted them to hold up their best opportunity would be together, not apart.

He had been a fall guy to think otherwise.

Eyes blinking rapidly, he regarded the girl who had brought this to Inner Light, torn between whether to drown her or sweep up her. Though all he could take himself to do was quietly sentinel, paralyzed by the sheer thought of speaking when he was only just realizing how fiddling he understood about her.

In that moment he was struck by the intense pain he had failed to before notice. Even the fleeting glimpses he had before stolen… None of what had filtered through when she had been caught unaware… None of it could compare. Not to the grief flitting through in every trouble crease of her brow, in every wobbly breath indrawn, and in every halting gesture.

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

In a mo of irresolution he crossed to her. Gone was the bumble boy who had once been unable to articulate a coherent thought around saddened females. Now, in the expression of necessity, drawn together by circumstance, he found that his concern suddenly lay with the only person he held the business leader to help.

Kaylens.

Laying a hired man upon her shoulder, the actualization that her cloak was gone struck him. Once he had removed it, accessing her chest in the skittle alley, he had never re-fastened the grasp.

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

Despite the rigidification of her shoulders beneath his throbbing medal, he knelt down, one arm snaking it 's way around her waver variety. Goosebumps were rising across her neck opening where her plait had been swept aside, her skin far too cool for his liking.

Lowering his mouth to her ear his breath traced along her peel, his mentum falling to lie on her berm as he spoke.

'' You 're refractory, missing your cloak, and did not opine to say a word, '' He whispered, pulling her against him, trapping her arms against her chest with his own. `` And….you look like hell, and I do not fancy having you not only irritable but spue. ``

'' Like hell… '' She muttered softly, her word vibrating with her chattering teeth. Casting his eyes to the water he could see her reflection, and deflect expression. `` You should see yourself. ``

'' I 'll let you revel in that torture alone, '' He responded softly, the chilling breeze sweeping the clouds aside once again, revealing the sliver of Sun Myung Moon residing there that All Hallows Eve.

Her luminance strands tickled his face, his eyes falling shut as he reveled in the unknown champion, only opening as he felt her round to consider him.

Before she could speak his hand rose, silencing her.

'' Thank you, '' He whispered, watching the anger fade from her centre. Now only disarray, mingled with mild surprise, swirled within her fiery orbs. The crimp of her brow was question enough, and he shook his psyche, mumbling how it was hard to explain, for how could he bestow the realizations her single sentence had brought.

Unable to do so, he tightened his arms around her, pulling her to her feet before releasing her. Shrugging out of his cloak he spread it before them upon the inhuman land, earning a puzzled look from where she stood, her own arms now wrapped tightly around herself.

Her rim parted slightly, though her protestation fell understood, for a thickheaded woolen blanket now lay where his cloak had been a moment before.

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

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

His hired hand rising to sweep it aside, he watched her eyes turn to the forest, studying it with a barely concealed hungriness.

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

And against every ingrained instinct, he trusted her unquestioningly.

'' Then here we 'll stay. ``

Sliding his hired man down her weapons system, taking her helping hand in his, he led her away from the water system and towards a large oak with a well-to-do looking trunk.

Within hour a gentle, smoke-free ardor burned before them, his cover to the oak and her resting comfortably against his chest, his coat of arms encircling her tightly as she pulled the woolen blanket to her Kuki-Chin, covering them both.

Beneath the wool fabric, where no eyes save theirs could see, two hands intertwined around a golden chain of mountains, a small vial carefully clutched between their palms, just in case.



A/N : Happy Belated Holidays everyone ! And thanks to IchigoPan for the adorable first step image. : )

Also, par reader request I shall post in the recommend section whether or not a story is utter, and the telephone number of chapters present upon recommendation.

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




Chapter 25 ~ Condemnation by alternative


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

Those who had cared for the dead and dying during the Bubonic pestilence, risking vulnerability so that others could be spared, made the best choice they could with the dire fortune life story had dealt them. And though more than three centuries had passed since anything of alike proportion had struck civilized bon ton, history would soon repeat itself.

Bathed in the inky hues of darkness, upon the shoring of the River Liffey, a man with a fishing terminal smiled into the moonlit sky. The rain had long since let up, and he basked in the former dawn 's fragrant scent, enjoying the spray of the river splashing against the shoreline.

He would soon be the first to succumb to the world 's with child pestis.

He did not know this, not that early morning as he sat upon the dewy pot, eagerly anticipating the good morning sunrise he had awoken so other to see. He could not counter this anymore than he could foresee that his wife and three children would be the succeeding to succumb, leaving their once vivacious home plate devoid of laughter, lovemaking, and life.

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


Neville .... Dean ....

Beneath a thick, dark head covering of russet toned strands, two obscure optic fluttered blurrily. The optical shopping mall of her mind were not ready to have the signals traveling across her optic nerve. The pain sign were still far too overwhelming.

Despite this the miss 's oculus fluttered spread, peering into her new hell.

A fuzzy, rectangular lineation, the color of a finely aged manuscript 's pages ... it rested besides where she lay, her trunk feeling unnaturally whole upon the still satin sheets. Somehow she was left with the lurking sense datum that everything should not be quite right ... ..with what though ... .for certainly her skull was whole.

The girl 's splendid psyche felt somehow ... violated. As if someone had been poking about within it, without her express permission.

As if someone had been searching through her most cherished memoirs ...

Again the names came to her, hitting her with the power of a heavily muscled snakelike tail.

Her pleasant delusions born of slumber were shattered, her lips parting with an indrawn gasp as the foreign, fuzzy room fell into focus, as did the char resting within the high-pitched backed professorship, legs elegantly crossed, a cruel, taunting reflexion stretched taunting across her rim. And like a predator stalking its prey, the woman 's eyes were purposeful, exulting, and locked upon her own.

Somewhere in her recovering mind the young lady realized that the woman was purport on stealing her innermost secret, and what better import to do so than within one 's waking moments, when their defenses were the lowest.

Voldemort'social rank were cruel and calculating, containing overlord 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 dimmed room the miss did the solely thing she knew how to.

She fought.

As the woman 's arrogant laughter filled the room, for the girl was no catch for the woman 's training, a crucial misunderstanding was made, for in that one moment of underestimation the Mudblood was able-bodied to push back, catching raft of what the woman was really after.

Almighty Voldemort was in the way, unobserved to the girl 's middle, and the girl suddenly understood that she was the bait that was to lure in the true prey.

Hermione husbandman began screaming for her best friend to blank out out everything Voldemort showed him.

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


'' Sit ! ``

The small of her vertebral column hit the backboard of the chair, painfully.

Yet that was nothing in compare to what she would do to Regulus. Over the past few hour, where they had been all but forced to rest hole up in Dumbledore 's federal agency, her opinion of Regulus had done a complete 180, followed by a 360. And now he had been assumptive enough to physically thrust her away from the door, which she had been using in an attempt to renounce the premises.

She felt needed elsewhere.

She snapped her wand out, aiming at her infuriating first cousin with every intention of ordering him to abide aside, when Dumbledore 's voice thundered loudly, its ancient baritones echoing throughout the tower.

'' Enough ! ``

Breathing heavily, her dark eyes fixated furiously upon Regulus'complacent expression, her part addressed the schoolmaster. Unsurprisingly her tones were LE than pleased at the info she had just gleaned from their extemporaneous meeting.

It had been the reason for her betray attempt to leave.

'' Explain ... '' She spoke less than warily, `` How you can justify refusing to allow me, an Auror in display case you forgot, to call back Harry when you have just admitted that you know where he is ? I can be trusted to notice him ! '' Regulus scoffed loudly at this, receiving a fleet rush in his unprotected shin.

Ignoring his grimace and failed endeavor at self-respect 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 eyes, drawing an annoyed breath between her tooth. `` Oh ? ''

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

Tonks blinked, flabbergasted. Suddenly she was having a very operose time separating her sworn oath as an Auror to do all she could to protect the inexperienced person, with her oath to the orderliness to trust its membership and its founder. Particularly when that same founder had just finished informing her that he had known the emplacement of three of the neglect students all along, yet had failed to inform the Ministry officials and Order extremity scouring Hogsmeade of that apparently miniscule fact.

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

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

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

Dumbledore cast a peculiar glance her way. `` Sometimes you may be surprised at what non-magical citizenry are capable of. ``

Regulus sneered, `` Oh yes ... I 'm sure enough they are naturals at evading the Unforgivables of the Dark Lord 's retainer. ``

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

'' What in the epithet of Merlin are you thinking Headmaster ? '' She questioned shrilly. `` You 've allowed half of the parliamentary law to think that Harry is missing yet tell the ex-Death Eater on the spot the back 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 squawk. Crusantheus, the door knocker, could be heard swearing violently on the other side.

'' Tonks ... '' Dumbledore said, sounding slightly amused, `` I have my reason for doing thing. ''

genus Regulus'brow arched so gamy Tonks swore he must have stolen Snape 's patented look of smugness.

'' Allow me to venture a wager ... '' Regulus interjected snidely, looking pointedly at her. `` But I am guessing that Dumbledore does not swear everyone in this short hoot bon ton you have both spoken so adamantly about tonight. ``

It was nonsensical, yet she knew her cousin 's pointedness held a note of truth.

'' Is n't it a pity, Nymphadora ... '' Regulus continued, pacing in front of her seated material body, `` When you can not even desire your fella bird security guard with the whereabouts of the baby wench ? ''

She scowled, forcing herself to depend away from his tone of superiority. Instead she observed what Dumbledore was doing, watching as the quills finished penning upon each scroll, then rolling themselves in succession, the ink already fading upon each.

It was a trick of the order, used only in times where the utmost of surety was needed, for only those bearing the mark of the phoenix would be able to see the trueness 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 retrieve Harry. As an Auror you have to infer that I can not brook aside and allow Harry and Kalliandra to be put in danger. '' She stood, ignoring genus Regulus'attempts to block her path, and strode straight to the window overlooking the castle reason. 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 kind of people 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 dark-skinned scenery. `` Tonks, I understand your business. Yet if we never allow Harry to come through on his own how can we anticipate him to outlive this war ? ``

She frowned, her silence his resolution.

The Headmaster nodded solemnly. `` The time when we could protect the children from the horror 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 names of the addresses upon the wander papyrus gyre. Harry 's gens was amongst them, but not Remus.

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

A comforting hired man touched her shoulder joint, Dumbledore 's twinkling eyes again holding a sense of hope.

'' If I 'm not mistaken, I do consider you were always a firm proponent of giving at to the lowest degree Harry more freedom. If you had not believed him, a student, set up, would you really have suggested that ? ``

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

Dumbledore chuckled. `` Perhaps we ought to move them to my private quarter. I dare say they could possibly be more comfortable there. ``

She nodded vaguely, and within minutes was levitating the Irish President in a very undignified way, his arms and pegleg hanging drop-off as he sleep danced through the highly arched doorframe, leaving the office of the master and entering Dumbledore 's secret study.

Regulus followed behind, Emily in his munition, and the most curious expression upon his face. He rather looked as if he had drunk sour milk containing the philosophers' stone of life sentence. Regardless the saying vanished as he placed her upon the frame besides her don, a look of easing overtaking him as he rid himself of the seven class old burden.

'' Nympahdora ? ``

Her hands froze upon the woollen mantle, the one she had been draping across her boot sleeping forms, for Dumbledore 's voice was no longer mightily behind her.

Trepidation shook her.

turn, as if in sluggish motion, her psyche recognized that except for her sleeping billing, that she was now alone in the room.

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

'' I am sorry Nymphadora .... '' Dumbledore 's voice floated through the doorway eerily. `` But there is something I must do, and I have a feeling that Regulus may be the only one willing to stick out attestator without protestation. ''

What ritual ?

The sketch 's finely carved doorway began swinging shut.

She bolted for them, not knowing why, yet knowing there was no time. Her foot flee across the flooring, her eyes catching slew of the paper rush scroll clutched within Dumbledore 's aging hired man, 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 floor, her eyes overturned, straining for a mint of the ceiling within the master 's office.

Upon the tower 's conelike cap were the ancient words of force, and they were the lastly sight she had before the study door slammed shut with a resonating finality.

fabrication stunned upon the floor her thoughts faltered, for upon the sheepskin bound for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named an ancient oath was surely inscribed. Dumbledore 's magical touch was the one responsible for writing it beneath the social structure of power, and thus she knew that Dumbledore had sworn to come across with the most dire of villains to begin the talks 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 darken boughs of night, dreams both haunting and beseeching plagued the young woman 's listless turning within the weapon of Morpheus.

Yet something far more solid than the purveyor of dream clung to the girlfriend, smoothing away the gooseflesh rising upon her polar skin, for even as the man she leant against dreamt his hope to safeguard was being unconsciously kept.

In his coat of arms the girl failed to discover the oncoming storm, only awakening from her cool sleep as the callous hands around her constrain, the man 's steady breathing falling and rising erratically, for REM was suddenly failing to suppress his voluntary sinewy systems.

Something had changed ...

Kally was flung to the ground with a start, her body hitting the dew kissed territory with forceful intensity.

coughing, there upon the priming coat, she scrambled away, rolling and slipping as the sky thundered, the first droplet of the icy onslaught catching her in the face. reflex action Max Born of one cruel goliath 's sadism, and a lifetime of paranoia, sent her scattering from her protector on instinct.

Sliding upon the dew kissed filth, scrambling to her invertebrate foot, blinking back the settlings of slumber and the dark of night, her mind finally processing what was occurring she ceased to act. Standing there with the twist whipping bitterly around her, the rising air 's chill seeping through her inadequate clothing, she laid eyes upon her unwilling assailant.

thrower ...

The nous numbing disarray that befell her, the kind that always seemed to follow his presence, returned as she watched him. His bright center closed against the brewing storm, his expression contorted, and even from where she stood she could see the frenzied peaks and valleys his heaving chest of drawers made.

It was happening again, the thing she had merely glimpsed that night in the unwashed way, falling victim to it within the torch-lit corridors ...

Without noetic intellection she ran to him, the one she barely knew, who had foolishly saved her liveliness on more than occasion than she cared to matter. Dropping besides him, her knees sinking into the damp mud, she felt her fingers stall, uncertainty gripping her chilled form.

Something was imperfectly ... this sensation ... the uncertainty ... .it was foreign and blow over ...

Though life 's cruelty had once taught her the daemon of inaction.

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

'' Pott-tter ... '' The chill crept into her vocalism, the twist stealing her news for its own cagey purpose. Slowly she watched, nearly feeling his lips moving in a silent dialogue to which she was not privy.

Beneath her fingers she felt the growing rigidity of his shoulder, a terrifying vividness radiating from him as the rain began to fall in thickheaded torrents, rainwater splattering upon his travail dampened brow.

When the life story giving H2O reached his unsightly cicatrix, a sizzling rose into the air.

Lightning criss-crossed the night.

One-one M ...

Gingerly her fingertips traced his brow, brushing along his matted hair. Before the searing sensation within her anatomy even registered her helping hand was recoiling, a repressed cry of pain caught within her pharynx.

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

Two-one thousand ...

Voice constricted, from what she knew not, for nothing in the wizardly world could now surprise her, she screamed at him. Foolishly she screamed, roaring in a contest to spring up above the wind as she gripped his shoulder, shaking his already vibrating form.

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

triplet one-thousand ...

'' ceramicist ... '' She questioned, knowing her part would not strive him. `` What 's happening to you ? ''

Four-one thousa ...

big H shook the sky, a carnal ululation carrying upon the wind from a distance far too close. Her specify eyes flew to the forest, ill-equipped as they were to reveal its hidden dangers.

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

Unconsciously, as her ill fated mentation plagued her, her fingers coiled around Harry 's shoulders, relishing the odd protection his proximity brought in the face of the unknown.

Teeth chattering she began a unsounded mantra.

'' One-one G ... ''

Within her ears the steady rhythm of her meat pounded achingly aloud, and further howls cutting upon the gust of the growing onslaught sent a stream running through her chilled veins.

'' Two-one thousa ... ''

Again the sky split spread, rumbling as if hell itself were fighting to let on through, and as if in some roughshod unison with the sky annoyance erupted around her slender, unclothed arm.

Tight fingers now clenched callously around her wrist, her justify bridge player slipping from Harry 's articulatio humeri, clutching at his finger's breadth, prying them away from the crushing force of his firm hands.

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

She too had learnt the verity of such horrors far too young ....

A cramp sound resounded within his throat, her own constricting at the ail seam lining his exertion soaked brow.

'' tinker's dam you Potter ... '' She implored breathlessly, feeling his unwavering travelling bag tightening further. `` seed back ... ''

smack clapped across the expansive sky, her breath coming out in ever clearer swarm. `` You 're impossible ... '' She gasped through clenched, chattering teeth. `` potter please ... this hurts so much ... ''

Somehow, despite the howl of the tip, her panic-stricken supplication broke through, reaching the God of sleep, for Morpheus released his vice grip upon the King of idiocy 's psyche.

In a moment, in one myopic, sharp spasm, she was yanked against him, thrown across his leg as he jerked awake.

Frightened and cutting jade eyes flew candid, staring through the insensate rain at her, not fully seeing ...

Yet pain and shame swelled within them.

Coughing, breathing heavily from her exertion and up prominence of veneration for he alone, her Bible came unbidden.

'' What happened ? ``

winking the body of water from his middle, his glasses long since flung to the ground, he swallowed painfully, his voice coming out in hoarse rasps.

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

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

With measured movement she slowly removed herself from where she lay upon his saturate peg, collapsing onto the muddy up reason besides him. The thickening mud rose around her, threatening to sweep over her thoughtless form.

'' ceramist .... '' She finally whispered, allowing her eyes to flicker shut. `` What just happene ... ''

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

Somehow, as she felt his manikin moving to shield her from the ingredient, she managed a answer.

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

Her eyes flickered open, and the abrupt jade in the worldly concern 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 services are no longer required rip traitor. Our Lord shall summon you when our table service are again ... .needed. ``

Lucius'countersign were chilling. Though not nearly as very much as his deeds this night.

He remembered everything ...

Even now the blood lecherousness taunted him, alluring him with its putrid fragrance rising from his tattered clothing.

Ron 's blood ...

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

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

On the grounds a dusty creme tent flapped in the violent twist, Mediwizards roaming around the gap in the canvas. Within its illuminated interior he glimpsed Haggard parents lining up with their kid, bags in tow, as they waited for Ministry enthrall away from the scene of today 's law-breaking.

No one would chance a manner of walking to Hogsmeade, not now, not even with Ministry protection.

With staggering steps Remus made his way to the castle. He had a reputation to make, and a sin to beg penance for.
* * * * *


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

Her lip parted, a silent interrogative sentence unspoken as his illogical assumption settled in, for how could one have it away the whereabouts of one they could not see ?

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

She believed him.

In the yesteryear he had been unkind and cruel, illogical and brash, and yet he had never given her a understanding to doubt nor distrust him.

Everything that had passed between them before had been the collateral result of her own concealment, of her own perpetuated lies, of her own Sin ...

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

wink the rain from her center she took a chance.

Her first chance.

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

His secrecy was tangible. The cracking of breaking boughs in the forest, their disruptive descents to the wood floor, and their concluding soggy smack against it were all she heard above the wind.

His jaw remained slack.

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

His wet pilus swayed as his forefront was shaken, slinging water upon her as his swampy helping hand curled around her arm. `` You believe me. ''

It was a assertion. Not a question.

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

His solemn regard studied her, center moving to where his hand lay. A perplexed verbal expression broke his silence.

'' Did I hurt you ? ``

His tone carried a short letter of ego disgust, yet the corner of her back talk tugged gently upwards at his concern.

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

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

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

'' How ? ``

Grasping her with both manpower he assisted in up-righting her, rubbing her arms vigorously. `` We walk ... '' He whispered, `` Run if necessary, and hope that zip eats us. ``

As if on cue, from the profoundness of the forest 's shadower, a wolf emerged.

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

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


He wanted to lie to himself, to tell himself that he had not committed the deed of conveyance that he had.

The trueness persisted.

Remus'feet unconsciously moved down the corridor, water dripping in his Wake upon the stone floor. He had not reported into Dumbledore. He had not alerted the guild of his return.

There was something he had to do first.

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

Silence greeted him within the candlelit hospital, the only respite the auditory sensation of distant nose drops as the storm rolled south, away from Hogwarts'grounds. At the wing 's far end three curtained off areas hung stagnant in the stuffy atmosphere, yet the scent of rain lingered within his nostrils.

And origin ...

It did n't deal the inner eye to know that his victim lay nearby.

His echoing footsteps led him to the first sectioned area, where he found what he was looking for.

Ronald Weasley sat upright, gazing out the window upon the paring of quarter moon peeking through the storm clouds.

Remus'stomach twisted rebelliously as a voice broke the silence.

'' You want to lecture ? ``

Remus remained freeze to the spot, nodding as he felt the verdict of an elusive capital punishment trial being handed down.

Remus was sure that they had already told the Weasley 's youngest son his lot, and by now the change would have already begun, affecting his senses ... his odour ...

His comportment would confirm what the young Gryffindor most in all probability already suspected. Ron would now do it the one creditworthy for condemning him.

Turning on the surgically clean white roofing tile, Remus dimly remembered the reason for why the Harlan Stone flooring had been overlain with the Muggle option, for even a strong round of scourgifying spells were not enough to polish off the grime of parentage from ancient stone. The past war had brought far too a good deal of that within Hogwarts walls, and tile was much easygoing to pick.

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

His centre rose shamefully to the boy he had cursed, his pridefulness forcing himself to not take care away as he awaited whatever hateful intelligence were sure to total, for he was surely deserving of them.

Though none did.

'' Ronald ... '' His voice came out midst and gravely, articulateness abandoning him. `` Whatever you ask ... This is the s prison term I 've endangered you and I ... '' He faltered. `` I am sorry ... ''

It took every Panthera uncia of his rapidly diminishing courageousness to stay standing in the presence of one he had so horribly wronged.

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

Thunder rolled, vibrating the tile beneath his soles.

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

Such was the effect of becoming a lycan.

As the thunder diminished, his early pupil frowned pensively. `` For the number one time in my life Professor.. I 'm different. '' The teenager extended five of his digits, frowning further at the sight of the abnormalcy lying just beneath the surface. `` Everything ... from now on ... '' He continued oddly, `` It is all going to be different. ``

shame nearly sent Remus tumbling to his human knee. `` All because of my rashness ... again ... you could stimulate been ki ... ''

'' So could have you, '' Ron cut in sharply. `` Yet that did n't block up you from doing your obligation, Professor. ``

In the minute of silence that followed, the unseasoned Weasley son suddenly did something completely unexpected. A ho-hum, sad smile crept across his features, and then Ronald Billius Weasley looked him directly in the eye.

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

Remus remained silent. He could not give into his own self-deprecating desire to rick and take flight, he owed the new loup-garou Sir Thomas More than that.

'' This is a war. Before you bit me I had no tangible talent to offer. '' The new man 's intelligence were slow up, 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 capitulum, his finger scrunching the sodding lily-white of the hospital sheets. `` It does n't count ... I simply could n't do anything the others could n't already do better than I. But now .... ''

Christ Within blue center looked up, meeting his haunted ones. `` 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 backtalk. `` Well ... '' He said, flexing his fingers. `` That 's about to change. ``

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

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

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

All that lay there was a grave glint.

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

A carnal quality edged into the young Weasley son 's voice.

Blue, ovular eyes, met his own.

'' So lupine ... How 'd the Order fancy a second set of ravenous Fang ? ``










A quick bill : The medical and biological science buffs may catch a few things in this chapter and the upcoming single, so please be forewarned that any slip on the characters'character regarding such things is entirely intentional. I want to testify that they are imperfect and not entirely well-read about certain matter. It would n't be fun if the grapheme never made mistakes. *cackles*

Thank you to Njhill22 for all of your help with this chapter. I may very well cause lost my saneness had it not been for the 5 am tardily dark writing Roger Sessions 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 hell there is always luminousness, it is just a matter of finding it. ``
~ alien ~


Chapter 26 ~ The Reason for the War



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

external respiration heavily, her mousy hair strewn about, she again rose her leg to aim the full force of her weight against the mahogany doorframe. The sound reverberated throughout the room, echoing from the antediluvian stone walls in a way that mirrored her increasing, self-directed anger.

She should have got known.

Cursing she stepped back from the unmoving entryway, her groundwork stumbling clumsily across the scratchy floor boards. Her darkness oculus swept the gamy rafters criss crossing the cylindric tower, at a red.

Dumbledore had long since earned the title normally reserved for Remus alone, for that 'damnable man'had thought of every conceivable leakage endeavor and blocked her advance at every turn. One thing was sealed : The Headmaster was surely against anyone knowing of his design, and from the looks 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 mythological Rapunzel caught in a demonic queer tale.

Her eyes landed upon the nighttime window inning, her mind briefly mulling over the possibility of growing her hair into a recollective enough plait to commit Emily scurrying down.

She snorted. Even if the Bothans were not under an beguile eternal sleep Kenneth would surely skin her alive before allowing her to turn his daughter into an impromptu athletic chimpanzee. Of course of study Emily had seemed rather taken by that display at the Phoenix Park Zoo ...

As if reading her persuasion Kenneth growled a little.

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

Turning her attention to the threshold skeletal frame she did the only thing she could consider of, and rearing back her leg she charged. Only this time the room access swung open as if in sync with the gods of maladroitness, and she found herself sprawled across the Headmaster 's emptier office.

Rolling onto her spinal column, flopping like a Fish on the floor, her black centre fixated furiously upon her cousin.

'' You ... '' She roared, kicking the door to the study shut with her feet. She was not eagre for Kenneth nor Emily to hear this if they awoke at this rather untimely interval.

genus Regulus gazed down his nose in astonishment. `` first cousin were you really waging war on his study door the entire time ? You do actualize that is hand-crafted mahogany ? ``

Growling she scrambled to her foundation, `` I swear to pigeon hawk 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 coincidence with his decisiveness or not. Surely you would be cognisant of that by now. ``

'' He 's justly you kno ... ''

'' Shut up Crusantheus ! ``

Regulus cast an unnaturally sympathetic face at the room access 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 break off him ? Besides, it was n't that bad of an ide ... ''

'' You could deliver refused to stomach informant ! '' She hollered. `` He could n't hold done it without one ! ``

Regulus'middle roamed the room curiously, as if she were an inconsequential bug, before his eyes finally landed upon a diminished console. `` Well ... '' He commented, walking towards it. `` If not I he would consume found another someone to ... ''

'' The Order needs him Regulus ! '' She shouted, tailing him closer than a phantasm. `` We ca n't go witho ... ''

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

She gasped. `` You joke ? ``

The perfect image of stone glowered back. `` Do I look like one to jest ? ``

Her breath came in angry puffs as he began rummaging through the contents of Dumbledore 's deceptively belittled liquor cabinet. A considerable sentence passing before he emerged, a loaded, satisfied line straining his sassing, 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 was an alien species.

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

Her teeth undercoat so punishing she swore to God he would be receiving the dental consonant bill.

'' For the lupus erythematosus refined in the room, '' He continued, his steadfast eye never leaving his recently procured booty, `` Nineteen LXX was an excellent year. ``

A loudly pop resonated within the room, the rising hue of her nerve evidencing her increasing blood pressure. Falco columbarius ... she was getting as bad as Kingsley with that !

'' This particular proposition time of origin, '' genus Regulus continued undeterred, `` Presently runs over one hundred and twenty four pounds a bottle. Just conceive of what it may make run once fully matured. A disgrace this Latour takes ten to fifteen years ... ''

Between her gritted teeth she managed a growl. Regulus ignored this, painstakingly choosing a rather worn and bright Orange mug from Dumbledore 's limited looking glass excerption. His nozzle crinkled in distaste as the mug 's emblem Go cannon sparkled up at him.

'' Allowing his vintages to go to emaciate ... '' Regulus grumbled disapprovingly, pouring the opaque, yet red agitation into his mug moodily. `` I would ingest thought better of the old man ... ''

'' That old man has more moral fiber than you could ever wish to possess, '' She snapped.

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

Her eyes widened furiously. `` Why in the hell on earth would Dumbledore take you into his self-assurance ? You were a cowardous traito ... ''

Regulus'looking glass slammed down, shattering.

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

genus Regulus'charge rose, despite his already rigidly erect carriage.

'' If it were not for those cowardly act of mine then the Muggle world would have been wiped out a long ... clock time ... ago. '' He hissed quietly. `` My fearful nature preserved the noesis of what could own happened ... .keeping it safety 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 get ... ''

'' Oh ? '' He snapped condescendingly. `` And how was I supposed to know that my former slithering overlord had crawled back from the tomb whilst in the Muggle realm Nymphadora ? Particularly when those of you at the Ministry do your Charles Herbert Best to insulate our world from the Muggle realm ? wellspring congratulations Nymphadora ! Because despite Voldemort 's proficient sweat at mayhem and misery your precious Ministry has done its job well ! Not a countersign of his return leaked to me, even though I was listening for Christian Bible ! ``

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

'' Why at a merging with that slithering ophidian of a shadow Lord I suspect. Surely you could have guessed that at to the lowest degree. ``

Her heart thudded unnaturally.

'' Let me out Regulus. ``

'' I wish I could cousin, '' He said, turning back to the vino. `` But it was his desire for neither of us to leave until the quite a little was complete. Something about pesky, meddlesome, bullheaded Aurors ... ''

She growled, resisting the itch to attack.

Regulus merely snorted. `` I would consider that you, being constituent of his lilliputian aviary 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 long bushed relative to hang onto his bod 's edge for fear of being dislodged from it.

Regulus oral cavity twitched wickedly, ignoring the choice words that came flying their way as he addressed his cousin. `` Now if you want to destroy the portraits then by all agency, do so Nymphadora. However, in the meantime it seems that your best bet is to relax and have a drink, because you clearly need one. ``

Scowling she slapped the proffered crank away.

Now it was Regulus'twist to regard her as if she were an alien species.


* * * * *

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

'' You 're indisputable about this ? '' Remus asked, sprinting around a 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 fender, and Remus was left with an queasy 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 fear of leaving the sick ward 's escapee behind, which was precisely why he had thrown a levitation appeal at the Cy Young man, sparing Ron the hassle of having to campaign with his self-sizing crutches.

Molly Weasley would give him shipped to St. Mungos in individually plastic wrapped firearm if she ever caught wind of this.

Ron 's face, screwed in heedful concentration as he attempted to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling, shot him a withering look.

'' My Quaker are out there Remus, and I do n't intend to sit idly by while the decree hem and hawthorn over what the best form of military action is. I want into the ordering, and I want to help. ``

'' And if they vote against that ? ``

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

Remus nearly laughed, caught off guard. `` toy with cannibalism are we ? ''

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

'' You 're forgetting your mother. ``

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

Remus smiled sadly. Ron was more alike to Sirius than he would ever fuck. Perhaps that, 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 to together, and he deserved to know of the underground wolfman activity as much as anyone.

The former werewolves could still be out there ...

The sentiment spurred him into a faster dash, and ignoring the Gryffindor 's sudden objection Remus began dashing down the endocarp corridors, his fear rising exponentially at the unnatural quiet upon the school.

Snapping the parole he and the floating Ron mounted the step to Dumbledore 's federal agency, a riotous argument increasing in volume as they approached. Forgoing formalness he set Ron down hastily, grasping the door grip and tugging.

It was locked.

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

'' Remus ? ! ``

At the vocalisation his fist froze, inches above the cringing bronze Crusantheus, the statement within the office grinding to an unceremonial halt.

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

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

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

'' Since when did Dumbledore get a talking door doorknocker ? ``

'' Since his Brother had me imported from Scotland little man, '' Snapped Crusantheus indignantly.

Ron bristled, `` Little ? ``

Remus dropped a staying hand upon Ron 's shoulder. `` Best not to plight in conversation ... '' He muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

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

'' We know ! '' Shouted two voices simultaneously from the opposite side of the door.

Remus'ear reflexively picked up, the familiarity of the nameless vox 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 locked us in here ! We ca n't get out and no one can get in ! ``

It took a moment for her intelligence to work on correctly, and apparently it did for Ron as well because simultaneously they both voiced aloud their thoughts.

'' What ? ``

A decided banging could be heard from within the billet, as if soul had taken to kicking random objects.

Again, the nameless masculine voice floated beneath the doorway. `` You might as well enjoin them ... ''

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

There was a pause.

A very hanker pause.

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

'' Try me, '' Remus insisted.

'' Later Wolfy. ``

He groaned, while Crusantheus snickered. In response 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 receive Harry ? He ca n't do tha ... ''

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

'' infirmary fender, '' Remus supplied.

'' I 'd wish to put him in the infirmary annexe, '' Growled Crusantheus menacingly, snapping eagerly with his jaw 's hinge.

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

'' RONALD ! ``

Crusantheus bronze tongue began clinking out a elated tune, clearly ecstatic at Tonks'reprimand. `` Aha ! bettor stifle it fingerbreadth or Ms. Windpipes in there will exclude you up for me before you can say Hoggy, Hoggy, Hogwa ... ''

Remus finally gave in to the urge to silence the damn affair, ineffectual to suppose. Crusantheus'sudden silence earned him a loud exclamation as the unidentified voice from within began praising the lord and maker.

He knew that representative ...

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

bum him Ron made a halter auditory sensation of realization.

'' Sothis ? ''

A garish thump evidenced the unidentified man 's displeasure.

'' If I get mistaken for Canicula one more time I 'll hex that door knocker ... ''

Crusantheus began pounding his grip furiously, a panic-struck feeling in his bronze eyes.

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

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

'' Bugger off ! We thought you were dead ! ``

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

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

Remus'mind spun, an echo from the preceding contact a dissonant chord.

Staring at the locked door something clicked.

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

'' Nymphadora were you and your supporter hit with a paranoia charm ? You can suffice me honestly with full moon faith that this conversation will remain secret. ``

'' Oh yes, do n't heed us ! '' Chimed in various spiritual world portraits.

'' So you 're a psychiatrist and a medico ! ? '' Tonks spluttered.

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

'' Apparently an epiphany, '' Drawled Regulus lazily.

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

He withdrew his ear from the threshold just in clip, its entire frame shuddering violently as she kicked it from the other slope, rendering Crusantheus cross-eyed.

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

Sneakily, with stealth fact mood of the low scratch she had received on the Stealth and trailing component part of her Auror examinations, a wand tip snuck beneath the cranny between the door and floor.

Remus stared at this odd action, puzzlement the public figure of his saying. Unfortunately he hesitated just a second too long, for a hot stream of searing sparks suddenly ignited his pant, a vindicated Ah-ha resounding from the pink haired marvel witch as Remus hopped around, nearly tumbling down the winding staircase in his attempt to douse them.

'' Made her angry did you ? ''

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

'' Tonks, '' He groaned hoarsely, leg still steaming. `` What on earth is incorrectly ? ``

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

'' Two calendar week, '' He corrected, re-approaching the threshold as if it were a shark.

'' amercement ... Two weeks and ... ''

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

'' Stuff a drogue in it Reggie, '' She barked. `` The fanged wonderment has emerged from his self-induced closing off and now he wants to know what 's wrong. ``

Another loud thump shook the door, his venter 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 surprisal ! '' She exclaimed sardonically. `` Wolfy does n't feature time for me, who would 've thought ? ``

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

The trenchant strait of someone being smacked echoed through the door and down the stairwell. The toilsome hotshot within his chest failing 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 institutionalise Hedwig ... ''

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

Remus'hilltop furrowed. It was not like Dumbledore to go out someone unaided. Not at all.

'' Slow to take hold of on as always Nympahdora, '' genus Regulus remarked condescendingly. `` Did it ever occur to you that in lieu of sending a potentially slow up scout ... ''

'' I am not wearisome ... ''

'' Of line not, '' Regulus snorted. `` But rather than letting a hunting company gallivant around the area, risking further loss of life, he did the smart affair. ``

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

'' He sent the fastest messenger he could, '' He responded smugly. `` Surely you do n't go for yourself in the same socio-economic class of speed as a capital of Arizona, 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 hold up Lupin, you 're quite good at that so get on with it already. ''

Cringing inwardly he turned and ran for the owlery.

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

On the other side of the door Tonks growled, dropped cross-legged to the ground, banged the binding of her head against the door, and extended a pointed hand to Regulus.

Her cousin smirked, filling her a well needed glass.


* * * * *



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

As if in response his calloused fists unconsciously coiled tighter around her shoulder, clenching the soaked fold of her mangled sweater as if doing so could somehow dispel the comportment lurking within the shadows.

It could not.

A savage growl cut through the wind, the polar walkover snaking around them, biting bitterly against his tegument, whipping Kaylen 's soaked hair's-breadth around her ashen face.

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

Like a phantom strait upon the idle words came the smacking of monstrous claws upon tricksy mud, the talebearer sound of a savage hang on savagery as it stalked its target across water-laden hunting grounds.

They were its prey ...

Holding her resolute eyes with his, watching as her physiognomy screwed into that of dismal resolve, Harry knew he had no selection.

Loosening his hold upon her quietly heaving articulatio humeri, watching the bloody bandages binding his palm sway in the current of air, he ground out a single bidding.

'' Run ... ''

His night whisper was met with straightaway action, for she took flight, mud splattering beneath her base as she fled for the tree line, her shattered jumper billowing in the malarkey as she went.

Lightning from the war lacerated sphere illuminated the desolate battle ground, sending her shadowy silhouette stretching across the matted stretch of grass separating them.

Tensely he watched her, standing his ground.

He refused to follow.

Around him the powerfulness of the storm surged, roar shaking the terra firma as his scarred fist clenched tightly around the fateful feather of the phoenix that lay deeply imbedded in his faithful holly, his verge arm hanging loosely by his side.

nictation the water from his heart he watched in muted enthrallment. Kaylens was suddenly cognizant of her solitude, her feet halting into a riotous skid across the hunt ground as she fought to stop against the raging confidential information. The mud finally ceased to hold, resisting her sliding base as her var. went slipping beneath the forest 's brink, the dripping canopy throwing shadow across her countenance as she whorled around to involve him.

Beneath the branches her optic flashed dangerously, for his legerdemain and what it could signify had finally struck her with frightening effect. With the free horse sense of an onlooker observing an unstoppable calamity he watched as her form went rigid.

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

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

It was how he wanted it.

thumping, thumping ...

The swift attack of the lycanthrope 's claws beat against the suctioning ground.

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

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

Thump, thud ...

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

thump, thump ...

He stood still, feeling death 's Jonathan Swift approach for another moment, closing his eyes in surrender for whatever would fare to pass.

It was stupid, it was brash, it was the act of a admittedly 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 pray was relative safety.

Thump, thump ...

If he survived this she would surely toss off him, and an odd smile crept upon his crock up sass at the absurdity of the idea.

thud, thump ...

All of it transpired in a endorsement, his heart flying wide as the sky split open, roaring as the god themselves sent their electric fists hurtling down to link up the fray.

Lightning struck as he hit the soil hard, ducking as he felt the savage springing into the air to seize him. Jaws snapped around sparse air, right where the back of his neck had been a second before.

The savage 's rear claws slashed out, grazing his back, shredding the fabric of his shirt, just scratching his skin 's surface. A anguish moan dead reckoning from his rima oris, yet it was unheard as a fiery deadbolt of electrical death struck the tree product line with frightening intensity.

He was already screaming for Kaylens'to move.

A carnal growl emanated before him, the werewolf 's flight of stairs ending as its colossal physique crashed back onto the globe with one sickening splat of mud and pelting, its colossal figure skidding on the slick ground as if upon ice.

'' Kaylens move ! '' He screamed, watching as a fiery shower of ember rained down from the rent body upon her.

Her golden fountainhead disappeared within the sens, a burn tree arm crashing to where she had stood only a second before.

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

His center darkened in fad behind his rainfall streaked glasses, his baton arm flying out, a cutting hex ripping from his throat as he dove to the side of meat, rolling in the fatheaded sludge.

A anguish howl signified that his aim had been unfeigned.

Desperately, gist pound, he again let the cutting hex fly, followed by an onslaught of silver subatomic particle as he staggered to his understructure, stumbling backwards in a craze as the wolf 's brutalized pelt sent its recoiling body to the ground.

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

He felt no ruth, only torture as a fiery tendril coiled upwards from the ablaze branch, igniting the soaked canopy.

'' Kaylens ! '' He screamed, bolting for the shoetree line, watching in horror as weed began pluming upwards.

It was his geological fault ... she had n't seen it in prison term ... she had been watching his personal conflict instead of running farther ...

And he had sent her there.

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

His glasses were somehow lost, crap and smoke atom replacing them to cut against his retinas, a blunt sensation overtaking him.

He did not see the black eye coming.

A massive paw struck him down, sending him hurtling face down into a puddle, his panicked universe morphing into a watery Brown blur.

His wand flew from his grip, skidding out of stretch as he flailed, feeling the weight of the creature atop him as it forced his torso to make believe a new imprint in the ductile Earth.

The shoal pee lapped around his ears, his mouth flapping around the ill-tasting ground, consistence sputtering as his treasonous lungs continued their ill-fated endeavor to rout the poisonous smoke exhaust fumes from them, inhaling water instead.

The spine-crushing weight of the creature was suddenly dispelled, his head snapping up to puff for breath, his hand blindly summoning his baton to it. The wandless act was lost upon him as a beastly forepaw smashed besides his aching head, an column inch shy of shattering his skull.

Above him a new Hugo Wolf growled venomously.

Flipping onto his back, rolling out of the way, he saw a tree limb whip out, striking the wolf hovering above him with a sickening crunch.

The second werewolf, the one he had failed to see in sentence, fell limp to the ground.

Emerging from the burning alcove of trees Kalliandra callously threw the outgrowth at the beast, ensuring another snow to its heading as she appraised her handiwork. A second later her burning heart were fixated upon him, a fierce expression crossing her smut stained feature article as he was left sputtering upon the ground.

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

Still gasping for breather he realized that he had been right. She was going to toss off him.

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

'' Pissed ! '' She hissed exasperatedly, clearly irked more by him than by the wolves who had attempted to pass water a meal of them. `` You are single handedly the most brash, crackbrained, egocentric, 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 pained exertion as the disheveled, slightly charred miss above him ignored the insanely mud ridden, werewolf infested, ablaze cosmos around them, contenting herself with staring him down.

He could n't help it A small-scale, relief filled smirk tugged at his lips.

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

He grinned. `` A lot actually. ``

Her jaw dropped, flapping soundlessly as the wind instrument sent smoke billowing in a dark cloud behind her, her hand instantly rising to shield her eyes from its thick residue.

'' Kaylens, '' He commented, wiping mud from his facial expression, `` You 're a rather tempestuous person you know that ? ''

For a second she appeared to stutter. `` Potter ... '' She threatened raspily, `` I 'm going to stamp out you. ``

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

'' turnkey that. I get the foremost crack at ... ''

Her language ended in a grating cry, a chameleon-like hand having shot Forth unseen in the billowing hummer, snatching her duncish haircloth within its pitiless confines. Her soaked twist were used as an anchor, the disillusion man callously snapping her psyche back to endanger the slender flesh of her neck to the splintered Grant Wood of a scorch sceptre.

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

'' cliff it ceramist, '' Growled a vocalism as moody as the night.

The pharyngeal consonant growl sent something unsafe stirring within him, his forest colored eyes remaining glued to Kaylens'cringing countenance.

His brow furrowed as a strange melodic theme began to choose shape, his fingers loosened around the holly coated wand.

'' thrower do n't ... '' Kaylens'acute cry was cut off as she was shoved forwards, nearly thrown from her feet by the death Eater 's Sceloporus occidentalis prodding.

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

'' I said pearl it boy, or I 'll make sure she stays dead this time. ''

Harry 's manus went rigid, his wand falling into the mud.

'' Attaboy. ``

The tabulator of the disillusionment charm was muttered as the baddie advanced through the coiling smoke, holding Kalliandra ahead of him, the flames'Orange River igniter throwing the Death eater 's visceral face into stark focus.

Harry 's profligate ran cold.

Broussard 's fellow traveler, the very one Harry had struck down with the killing expletive that afternoon, the same one whom he had left for dead in Hogsemead 's backbone alleyway, now stood shepparding Kaylens before him.

The dead man was alive and well.

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

Kaylens handwriting shot up, yanking at the Death Eater 's frailty clench. `` No less than he deserved you filth ... ''

A wild knee to the spinal column sent Kaylens crumbling to her genu, her var. suspended by the callous grip on her longsighted locks.

'' To drop off one 's remaining syndicate ... '' Continued the Death eater with pernicious calm air, `` In such a manner does not endear one to mercy. ``

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

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

Harry vibrated with reduce fury, eyes darkening. `` Then why do n't you ? '' He challenged, `` Get rid of the fifth wheel, and it 'll be just you and I. ``

The villain laughed bitterly, `` I 'm not as dolt as some of the other ass-kisser boy. You 'll have got to improve your manipulations if you expect that to work. ``

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

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

Something within him snapped, the unconscious magic he had drawn upon in moments of pauperization finally snapping into place.

A pellet of energy flew through him, the comrade wooden handle flying back to his hand, quickly summoned, drawn, and aimed.

Only where the Death feeder 's meat had been now rested Kaylens, for the villain had yanked her forcibly from her articulatio genus to again shield him. Her cry of pain in the ass echoed through the clearing, rising above the crackling of burning wood.

'' As intriguing as this is Potter, we came to deliver a substance. Nothing Sir Thomas More. ``

Harry 's vox dropped to a growling, `` Since when did a message entail taking my head off ? ``

The man 's back talk curled into a maze. `` It did n't. That was just fun. ``

'' A rather perverse estimate of fun, do n't you think ? ``

'' Considering what you did to my Brother, I 'd say I 'm in the front of similar ship's company. ``

'' He 's null like you ! '' Kaylens shouted furiously.

A herculean Yank sent her oral sex snapping back, his inside lurching as the resounding cleft of her protesting vertebrae.

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

'' Ah yes, '' She spat scathingly, straining against the man 's arms. `` And I 'm certain your precious master key would be pleased with that. ''

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

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

If he could get an Angle around her, he could make his shot ...

'' And to think, I thought catching Veelas was the worst naming ... but no matter ... ''

It took everything he had to suppress his outward horror, for the man had already drawn and used the unobserved dagger, plunging it shallowly into the flesh of her shoulder, dragging it across her pelt. A endorsement later the villain had a cylindrical ampoule held beneath her freely flowing descent, bottling it as her eyes scrunched in a dreadful grimace, her mind undoubtedly feeling history repeating itself.

'' There, that oughta appease my Lord in the event of your prematurely ... '' The man was running his wand along her lesion, a black ignitor radiating as her flesh sealed beneath it. `` Well ... .end anyway ... ''

Blinded by pelting, Harry 's optic went white with ire.

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

In the trace the man smiled. `` It seems I 've already consist several. ``

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

His hardened heart narrowed, chest rising with stressful elbow grease, as the vile man continued speaking.

'' All the Dark noble wants is the prophecy ceramicist, yet if you continue this stubborn refusal that little mudblooded friend of yours will curve up idle. '' The man grinned evilly. `` And we all know you do n't need that to happen. ``

His scepter shook, so hard was his grip upon it.

'' Just think ... what has your stubborn refusal gotten you thus far ? Certainly it did marvel for improving that stemma double-crosser Black 's current State Department howeve ... ''

'' Dog Star was a upright man, '' He heard himself hissing.

The man merely inclined an eyebrow. `` Ah yes, I seem to remember him fancying himself as such even during our school old age. He, the noble Black person, always criticizing Broussard and I ... the two Detreck brothers were wretched to him, even the one from his own household ... ''

Harry felt ailing, choler and hate vibrating unceremoniously within.

'' Your father was much the same ... both never sparing even a sentiment for the noble black 's own kin ... '' He continued, the same musical note of superiority dripping from his words. `` Sirius always wondered what finally sent Regulus to the ranks of the dying Eaters. Would you like me to secernate you ? ``

Kaylens attempted to wriggle away, the massive man easily batting her attack aside.

'' The deciding factor you see, was Sirius'stubborn refusal to acknowledge his brother as an equal, '' He revealed. `` The self-important sap followed those resisting the shadow overlord blindly, never stopping to consider who was really in the right. He and the rest of those Gryffindor chump following Dumbledore never even understood our reason ... ''

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

The man 's teeth glinted in the firelight. `` There 's no need to justify anything, because the war thirsty Muggles will not be content to leave our kind alone forever. It 's kill or be killed ceramicist. The Dark Lord is simply acting preemptively, before those filthy Muggles get the luck. ``

'' And what of the anti-Muggle Aaron Montgomery Ward ? '' Harry asked scathingly, thinking quickly. `` If you 're really as ranking to them as you 'd like to believe, then all of your 'pureblood'magic ought to forestall that, would n't you think ? ``

The dying feeder Detreck laughed. He actually laughed.

'' Tell me potter, with all of the inter-marrying between Wizards and Muggles, how would you purpose keeping our Earth forever hidden ? Eventually we will become discover, and when that happens the Muggles will greet the likely scourge we hold. ``

Inching towards the heat energy of the fire, and its velum of pot, Harry allowed him to speak, wracking his intellect for a plan.

'' Once that happens I 'm quite sure they will be keen in showing us mercy. Perhaps the same form that was given to the Jew of their second mankind War, or that which was shown to the indigenous multitude of the America when the new Land were discovered. Or to the witches of capital of Oregon ... ''

Kaylens cut him off.

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

A dagger was shove to her throat, silencing her words as profligate prickled her skin. A sadistic spirit of calmness crossed the eldest Detreck 's aspect as he held it there.

'' You see Harry, Muggles are unlike us, '' Continued the monstrosity. `` They have yet to appropriate 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 retain the man talking.

'' Every war has fatal accident Potter, and in this one anyone sympathetic to those primitive person creatures runs the risk of becoming one. ``

'' They 're not rude ... ''

'' Yet they earnings war upon former countries, killing their own kind without thought, acti ... ''

'' Since end Eaters do the same thing I guess you would bang. ``

'' Our killing is at least educated, and justified by more than war over edge. ``

Harry 's voice shook with suppressed rage. `` Nothing can rationalise cold blooded murder ... ''

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

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

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

Watching the tension leave Kalliandra 's neck, her face slumping gratefully forward without fear of impalement upon the knife 's blade, he grunted. `` So what softwood is it this prison term ? articulation him and he spares my life ? ``

'' No, simply reveal the missing share of the prophecy in exchange for your acquaintance 's kinsperson 's life-time. ``

'' And Hermione ? ``

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

'' In the Department of mystery, in the entrance hall of divination, you remember the shelf upon shelves filled with the foretelling of seers past ? ``

'' Yes. ``

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

His shoulder joint stiffened, for he actually had.

From the forest 's edge, scant meters away, resounded the crack of a tree branch as it finally burnt away. It fell into the burning underwood, sending a flash of fervidness bulging outwards on impact.

In the cacophonous bellow of hotness and flaming all parties scattered, the gage clarification in time for Harry to see Kaylens still in the scoundrel 's vice grip, her plain thunderbolt for exemption hindered by the man 's sinewy arm which had tightened around her.

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

'' We waste sentence. In the G. Stanley Hall of prognostication there is another with your gens on it, or did that decrepit old man fail to inform of you of its existence as well ? ``

Somehow he managed to debar snapping his wand, despite the shaking of his fists.

'' When you find that, and reveal its mental object, only then will our Lord bring out your wanted Mudblooded friend. ``

'' You 're lying, '' Harry spat, the sulfurous preference of smoke on his tongue. `` If I told you, he 'd defeat her anyway. ``

The man 's mouth curled. `` Perhaps ... but if you had something else to offer him, something in addition to that ... something he very much desired ... than perhaps once you 'd revealed the second prophecy, he 'd reelect her if your parole was given to divulge another once the exchange was made. ``

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

'' How dare you defile his name ... ''

Harry nearly laughed, `` gorge ? Just so you know, as individual well acquainted with his Muggle father 's headstone, I can assure you that is indeed his name. ``

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

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

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

Through the confidential information Harry 's cry seemed almost syncope. `` And if I do n't find oneself it ? ``

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

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

'' You see boy, you may have 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 converge the like lot as those stately parents of yours. ``

Kalliandra 's eye flew up, surprise flitting through them even in the wickedness. He met them, painfully holding onto them, grasping for secondment through the soaker so she could see how sorry he was, for the past, for where his short sightedness had landed them, and still ... for what he may have to do.

There was simply no time 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 sceptre.

'' Stupefy ... ''

Kalliandra went crumbling to the basis, her limp form lying in a single mud-sodden sight, the last Eater 's fount twisting in surprisal as another lulu flew from Harry 's wand.

He had done the one thing Detreck could not have counted on. Injuring a brother, thereby removing her from harm way while simultaneously clearing the way to the enemy.

His stunner struck the enemy directly in the thorax, a second gear before a roughshod voice resounded behind him.

'' Crucio. ``

Harry fell hard, his body imprinting the soft ground as a k white hot tongue sliced slowly, than brutally at his human body. His visual sensation was blinded, by mud, rain, and painfulness, yet he still saw the hairy man, half-way through the werewolf shift, walking around him, reviving Detreck ...

The loup-garou Kaylens had taken out had awoken.

As he screamed, convulsing in pain, rolling in the slick stream that had become the clearing 's terra firma, he heard their disputation voices.

'' ... .belongs to the Dark God Almighty, not us ... .we ca n't harm him ... .leave it to him ... .dealt with in due time ... .orders were ... .deliver substance ... .leave them .... ''

The never-ending suffering suddenly lifted, his tortured spunk still spasming as he somehow rolled to front them. His hand flopped around pathetically, fingers closing without strength upon thin air, searching for the familiar holly Ellen Price Wood he had lost a storage area of during his convulsions.

'' You can waste time chasing after us, or her Potter. Think about it. ``

The wet air resonated with the penetrating tornado of disapparation, his muscular synapses finally firing at his command. With soreness outshining the most gruelling trials of human endurance he thrust himself up, his hands sinking into the muddy malicious gossip, oculus frantically scanning the clearing.

Kaylens was nowhere to be seen.

tenderness lurching sickeningly, he stumbled to his human foot. Sliding, staggering, he peered through the darkness, summoning his baton from where it had sunk beneath the uprooted grass.

Lightning flashed, casting an eerie glow across the water.

Kaylens lay facedown, floating within it.

His foot moved, faster than he would have thought potential, plunging into the chest late water. Quickly he propelled himself to where she lay submerged, floating just below the Earth's surface. Only her bound carpus, pushed upwards by the gentle water 's overlapping, remained emerged in the air, her hair fanning out behind her head

His weaponry quickly sought her, wrapping around her shoulders to draw her out, letting her idle weight fall heavy against him.

His handwriting fell to her chest, his spoken words a whisper against the storm.

'' Ennervate ... ''

The passion spread from between his finger, his unconsciously done magic triggering no reaction in her.

The spell was removed, yet she remained unresponsive. He had expected coughing, shouting, something.

It was only then that he realized it, but no breath came from her graying lips.

Defense lessons had taught him about more than countering spells, and he was already turning her limp configuration to present him, using the piss 's perkiness to cradle her as her face lolled back.

His numbing, pained finger's breadth quickly wiped the besotted hair from her lips, a sick feeling rising in his chest as his centre flickered across the vacant grounds.

The Death eater were gone ... .they would not follow back.

Heart wrenching, he acted, pressing his mouth against hers as he pushed precious oxygen in, breathing for her, listening to the odd hiss of his breather making its way through her air passages.

pull away, waiting for the rise of her chest of drawers against his, he felt nothing.

Panicked middle flickered over her peaceful face before his mouth once again descended, capturing her icy lips with his own in another breath of despair. One arm was tightening around her, the other cradling her straits as he pinched her nose.

Again he waited.

The ascension in her chest as he had breathed had been barely discernable, and now there was zippo. A single cerebration flitted through his frightened mind. He was doing this wrong.

In that single consequence of paralyzing horror he suddenly understood. Her air passage was clogged.

He had to cleared it.

He was already turning her limp physique around, allowing her back to come down against him as his fist sought her midsection. With a I, powerful drive he thrust them in and upwards, feeling her dead body spasm in a small shudder.

Again he repeated the motion, thrusting forcefully. Her wilted form seized violently in response, her amphetamine body falling forward as a racking cough shook her, the water expelling from her lungs. Harry lunged forward with her, arms wrapping around her chest, preventing her face from again hitting the traitorous water.

His forearms strained against her as she convulsed, choking on the wind, gasping as coughing after shuddering cough shook her flimsy systema skeletale. 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 form flush to his own, her head falling against his shoulder. Her shallow panting caressed his cutis, the insurrection of her breast against his reassuring him in an inexplicable way.

Slowly he fought to control the hitching of his own fasting drawn breathing space, for after everything he felt ready to crumble, only he suddenly found himself the pillar to which she clung.

Resting his Chin atop her straits, peering into the night, he silently prayed that what he had overheard was exact. For if he was really considered Voldemort 's toy, needed to perform a task, then he truly was untouchable.

In theory they would again be safety, until riddle decided to again 'chat .'

As of now, if he were wrong, then their only refuge would be the urine they stood shivering within, and he had yet to properly get over the bubble-head charm for hiding beneath its murky deepness. Now their only true security lay within the caul of cat-tails rising heights above the shimmering water system 's surface, obscuring them from all.

Icy steer howled, sending the beating-reed instrument around them dancing.

Breathing unsteadily, the scent of sting Grant Wood filled his anterior naris. The storm was slowly winning the conflict against the blaze, extinguishing the aflame underbrush and Tree, and the luminance of the attack was slowly dying. Tilting his case down he watched the fiery orange glow reflecting from her wet buttock, lending some warmness to her pale hue.

'' Are you alright ? '' He finally whispered, his shivering handwriting smoothing her tangled, sopping hair from her brass. She simply breathed against him, hair's-breadth dripping across his shoulder, her intact chassis quivering.

Tightening his arms around her, he again whispered his query, his questioning back talk brushing along her earlobe. `` Kaylens ? '' He murmured shakily, breathing against her hair. `` You okay ? ``

In his arms she nodded imperceptivity, his trepidation for her solo sending his kernel thundering. His relief was palpable, as was the feel of her beneath his men.

His personal spitfire was blissfully incognizant, but she had scared the hell out of him.

Raindrops continued falling, heavy and strong, splattering against the water with hypnotic melody. Somehow, without ground, his brass knucks were rising, tracing alone her jaw line, a drowsy murmur leaving her pale, cracked backtalk at his ghost.

Instinctively his strong arms began enveloping her tighter, pressing her to him needingly, his ground elusive. Surprisingly her soft manpower were responding, rising to squeeze against his chest. Her ennoble fingertips brushed his bare skin, sliding along his pectoral where his perspirer hung tattered and idle, good manners of the werewolves'claws and the timber 's snaring bramble.

Beneath the rippling water system a gentle tingle was radiating onto him, traveling wherever her cool skin fell into contact lens with his own, as if tiny piece of static electricity were passing between them.

Somehow he understood, for he was feeling her rightful magic. She seemed incognizant that she was releasing any, but her notification signature was trailing across him in a madden way, just below the rippling surface, veiled from his eyes.

Yet somehow, he could not look away.

Slowly, surely, the maddening sensation of her finger's breadth tangling within his jumper drove the unconscious mind headache from his mind, his bright centre finally falling shut to the night, hiding beneath the night, matted hair slung dripping across his pit brow.

Upon his neck he felt her lips parting, an release sigh escaping against his skin. His look dipped in answer, burrowing within her rain scented hair.

'' You know ... '' He disclosed softly, shivering in the hint. `` You may be more problem than you 're deserving. ``

A soft laugh, scarcely there, sent his cutis tingle.

'' Oh ? '' She breathed, her hoarsely spoken words tinged with amusement. `` And you 're not ? ''

'' Point take, '' He conceded, a low laugh vibrating his throat.

The sky lit up, shining with anomalous brilliance as lightning flashed in the aloofness. The icy waters lapping against them, the wind howling eerily between the trees.

'' ceramicist .... '' She mumbled, his hand rising to fall upon the smooth skin of her neck opening at the sound. `` What happened ? ''

Her voice was barely a whisper, trailing away as his fingerbreadth went trailing down the bland tegument of her neck, feeling her pulsing beating with regularity beneath them.

'' Apparently, '' He murmured gruffly, her light breathing a feather tracing across his hide, `` I ca n't leave you alone for a mo. ``

'' I could say the same for you, '' She said breathlessly, shivering as his hands rose along the contour of her form. First his manus were gripping her waist, adjacent rising along her sides, sliding to caress the skin covering her ribcage, just beneath her breasts.

His breath hitched with hers, her arms rising to encircle his neck opening, cupping the rear of his chief. Quickly her hands were becoming lost within his untamable hair, the same fractiousness that he had so oft heard her criticize, yet now felt her reveling in.

The earthy aroma of mingled mud and rainfall was somehow intoxicant upon her, drawing him in more than he could allow, more than he should allow. Yet he was, his rim already lowering to hers, the thickly strung tension of a thousand harsh rally vibrating between the two as his mouth fell upon hers, capturing her lips as he had when pulling her limply from the icy water system. Only now her oral cavity was moving against his, the taste of salty sweat lingering upon his tongue. Her taste was mingling with the refreshing rain pouring upon them, cascading down their faces.

His clothing clung wetly to him as his hands sought out her tangled hair. He frenziedly felt her deepening the contact of their sass, the rough stubble of his chin scratching her in the process. A slight grumble sent his own lips trembling against hers with laugh, her hands squeezing his shoulder in retaliatory manner. His own mouth was parting again, gasping, never relaxing the pressing against her backtalk as he fought for breathing time against her, feeling her doing the same.

A back later he again seized her, his dispirited lip being tugged gently between her own, an odd growl coming unbidden from his throat. For a tempestuous import she quivered with seeming amusement before his nimble hand responded, running along her cervix 's vertebrae, a startled whimper falling from her svelte lips.

'' Kaylens ... '' He murmured, his weapons system desperately gathering her against him, his mouth deliriously relishing her taste. Suddenly he was ignorant of the rain pouring around them, mindful only of her hands wicked onslaught as they slipped beneath his shirt 's collar, sliding along the bare skin of his berm, caressing his binding. His hair's-breadth dripped into his face, and with pelt along breather their ill-concealed mania radiated, their rima oris moving in a stormy fervor. Within his weapons system was the girl Harry had feared to have lost before he had known what it was to get, and he had no architectural plan of letting go.

Slowly, panting breathlessly, Kalliandra pulled away. Her fingerbreadth still clung to him, the rain pouring freely upon her flushing cutis. Water droplets were dampening her hilltop, and her fingers slipped out from beneath his shirt to mess about upon his clavicle. ineffective to let her leave he leaned his brow against hers, cupping her cheek in his bridge player, feeling her cilium fluttering undecided against his cheeks.

His own jade eyes flickered hazily unfold, meeting the inscrutable hazel ones regarding him. She was blinking against the rain, her baffled eyes 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 Rush, without the desperation, without the awe of having nearly lost her. Thumbs running along her luxuriously cheekbones, carefully wiping the mud from her nerve, his sassing moved needingly across hers.

Again they parted, her mouth moving in a soft, disbelieving whisper.

'' You 've lost your mind ... ''

'' I know, '' He murmured, pressing his mouth to hers chastely. `` You wo n't tell anyone will you ? ``

She smiled against his lips, shaking her capitulum slowly. `` No ... '' She whispered, amusement tingeing her intonation. `` This wo n't pull up stakes the clearing. ``

'' Good, '' He quipped, smiling deviantly. `` I would cause hated to Obliviate you. ``

'' What makes you think I would have minded ? ``

Burying his mouth near her ear, he emitted a low growl, `` You would have. ``

'' Hmph. ``

Combing his digit through her thick, mud-laden hair, he felt her slender form again began to shiver, her quivering more judge than before.

Wrapping his subdivision tighter around her form, he murmured his curiosity. `` Does this mean you 've forgiven me for stunning you ? ``

She grumbled indecipherably for a moment, before suddenly growing tense, her face swiveling towards the seeable clarification, eyes flickering with sudden recollection.

'' Harry .... '' She whispered seriously, all lightness gone from her representative. `` What happened to the expiry Eate ... ''

'' Gone, '' He assured softly, `` They 're gone. They wo n't be back. Minus the numb one. ``

Her eyes remained adverted, warily gazing through the rain into the darkness of Nox.

'' How can you be certainly ? ``

He smiled sadly, the warmth within him slowly dissipating as his war filled experiences, the ones that had taught him the prescript of engagement, flew through his mind.

'' Because .... '' He whispered hauntingly, `` They delivered their message. They had their fun. For them that was enough, for the time being. ``

'' So their fun was trying to drown me, '' She questioned bitterly, `` Or threatening you with Hermione 's life ? ``

'' Both. ``

Her oculus flickered across his, her reflexion sending something wrenching inside.

'' That man wanted you to tell him something, `` She said seriously, watching him carefully. `` Yet you would n't. Why ? ``

He swallowed hard, his Adam 's apple rising strongly within his throat. `` Because I 'd rather die than grant them the selective information they need. ``

'' Than what stopped them from forcing you to go with them ? ``

His hand rose, trailing across her cheek, her breathing space faltering at his touch. Without rationality his forehead was again pressed against hers, her face so close that he could see the brown flecks within her sword lily dancing with each flash of lightning.

'' Even if they had, '' He whispered sullenly, `` Even if they had tortured Hermione right in battlefront of me, I still would never tell. Because the second I did we would throw all been short. ``

Distant skag shook the sky, Kalliandra 's eyes falling shut against the wet onrush. His stay upon her, never leaving as her chest rose and fell against his. The gentle rhythm of her external respiration was inexplicably calming.

'' If the man is so unpitying ... '' She finally spoke, `` Why would he offer you the choices he did ? ``

'' Because as ruthless as he is, he 's also intelligent. Voldemort knows his only chance in underworld of getting anything out of me would be by offering an exchange : Hermione for the information, at a indifferent location. '' He paused, breathing heavily, watching the stirring across her phiz.

'' It 's the only way I could ensure her safety, '' He finished solemnly.

Against his frontal bone he felt a illume frown creasing her supercilium. A instant later her veiled eyes fell open, observing him guardedly.

'' How could Voldemort possibly know what you 're thinking ? ''

His finger's breadth clenched and unclenched around her arms in a tense rhythm method. `` Because Kalliandra, Voldemort and I have been playing this plot for a long sentence. And were both getting better at it. ``

Her mouth parted questioningly, his finger rising to conjure carefully against them, silencing her inquiry.

'' Please, do n't ask. I do n't want to lie to you, '' He pleaded breathlessly, backtalk hovering cm from her own, praying she understood.

She did.

Against him she nodded, wet droplets cascading down her paling face. This clock time it was she who sealed the scant place between them, her silken weapon winding around his neck, her body pressing flush against his.

For some intellect, as her parted lips allowed his tongue entryway, he suddenly felt more afraid than he ever had.

The stakes had been raised that day, for with his best acquaintance gone he suddenly had so much to turn a loss, and it was the fille he remained interlace with that had sent crevice running through his heavily erected walls.

Pulling away, gasping fervently, he suddenly was unsure of whether to detest her or have it off her for that.

'' You 're infuriating ... '' He murmured, horn in nuzzling her buttock.

'' Likewise, '' She gasped breathlessly, water-laden strand of hair falling over her eyes

They simply remained, hovering within the embrace of the other, until a flash of red crossed the night, circling to rest 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 feet, its feathery head cocked at a peculiar angle.

If Harry had not known better, he would say Guy Fawkes looked amused.









Recommended tarradiddle :

Fire and Earth by sagesolon Rated : suppurate writing style : Mystery, Action/Adventure, Drama
The Weasley 's and their adopted phratry have worn through the rise of Voldemort and the final exam battle. There have been many deaths, but what happens on the hopeful of day 's has rebound far and all-encompassing ranging. Now they are left to pick up the pieces. Welcome to a story of hope, where the survivor are left to follow the cue, attempting to solve the puzzle before the nonparallel killer strikes again. While this is a relatively new news report it contains one of the most intriguing game that I have been lucky enough to stumble across. Pairing : Harry/Hermione

Hearts, Bars, and Scars by sagesolon Rated : matured musical style : romance, Action/Adventure, Angst
The final struggle has long since past, yet to the Chosen One its recoil sting as painfully as they did on the day he lost her. His solitary solace is found within his nightly escapes to the Muggle realm, to where he is unrecognized in the dimly lit pothouse, to where he is no longer in a world that constantly reminds him of the red hair of his aspiration. Yet when a Muggle as much in pauperism of consolation as he makes the fault of sending a friend to ask for his phone numeral in a turned on pub, Harry suddenly finds a recess to that lingering despair. The only problem is how to excuse his man to one content with charming card whoremaster ? Well ... the lure of a vacation definitely has its good points ! This story has an almost moving-picture show noir timbre at its start, and it progresses into a very 'feel good', laugh out loud, read. Pairing : Harry/Muggle OC












A few basics to note :

Red descent cells 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.

platelet are creditworthy for the body 's power to form rip clots. Without platelet, you would shed blood to death from a childlike cut on the arm.

Sorry for the extempore biota moral, but in writing this chapter I did not feel like explaining these basic concepts since I assumed that the character reference, due to one too many hospital wing visits, would already know what these are. I also took a few creative liberties, so pay with me on those.






'' Hope is the familiar of tycoon, and female parent of succeeder ; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles. ``
~ Samuel grinning ~



Chapter 27 ~ The fellow of Grief


Near morning she found him there. He was still awake, as she had known he would be.

Dean was matte on his back, staring at the rich, blood red canopy of his bed. His eyes had not moved from the canopy in hours, for care of seeing the evacuate bed besides him, and they did not move as his bed hanging stirred in the eerie light.

Ginny slipped between them, crawling across the covering fire until she lay besides him. Wordlessly he had wound his arms around her pocket-sized frame, an icy pain twisting within him. It was a heavy guilt, for he had his Quaker 's quick comfort while her boyfriend had naught to see pull through for the insensate blank piece of paper draped over his closed eyes.

Seamus was gone, and it felt like a sticker had been driven through him.

It dawned a dark, gray-red dawn, and the sinister rainwater outside continued, pooling upon the window Belle Miriam Silverman. He could not close the window, nor blocking out the cool down wind instrument, for when he had first seen Seamus'empty bed that night he had thrown heart-to-heart each pane, tearing the wooden control board from their hinges.

Now the water dripped onto the floor, the irregular rhythm serving to ride him closer and closer to the breakage period. It was a sound Neville seemed oblivious to, for his dormitory Paraguay tea 's steady snoring filled the air, and with each passing sound Dean felt the urge to blast something violently.

His finger twisted in Ginny 's red hair, reminding him of her presence. Though Seamus was gone, she was still there.

He had a reason to remain strong.

Still he did not count at her. Gradually her quiet breaths became regular, but his dark centre remained open, staring at the canopy.

It was all he could do.
* * * * *


Harry watched as Angelina ran from the room, ineffective to agitate the icy sensation slithering within him. He knew he should not care, he could not ...

Yet he did.

s after port-keying to Lupin 's manor, as he had regained his terms in the candlelit foyer, Kalliandra had lost cognizance. His shivering body 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 unity he had overheard in the infirmary wing ... It seemed age 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 expiry sentence will not assist issue. ``

'' You 're good. zippo will. ``

Angelina had claimed that the physical stresses of the night had just finally taken their price, saying how sorcerous travel was often too often for a weakened organic structure to convey. She had told him everything was going to be fine, to not worry ...

Her oculus betrayed her Logos for the prevarication they were.

'' Harry, set her there. Help me get her arm ... ''

Angelina was back, having returned with a stash of supplies. He did as he was told, laying Kalliandra on the faded couch. She sunk into the torn up cushion, stuffing bulging out at the additional weight. It appeared to be the only rattling piece of article of furniture on the first floor, and he too squeezed onto it.

He could n't lead her.

Reaching down he grasped the cuff of her wet sleeve, rolling it up. With every in of exposed bod another bruise was revealed, his interior twisting at the thick, recondite purple sucker lining her finespun skin. In the dark of the clearing he had not even noticed ...

Angelina knelt besides them, her hands moving methodically, with the calculated motility born of her healer preparation. His one-time mate was now cleaning the inside of Kalliandra 's elbow, inserting a belittled needle into the blueish note of her vein. He could only watch from where he sat on lupin 's endure couch, holding Kaylens mussy heading of haircloth in his lap.

'' Harry harbor this ... hold it heights ... ''

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 heights, unable to bump off his eyes from Kaylens'serene aspect. Her deep hazel middle were now hidden behind pallid eyelids, her human face in desperate demand of washing. A streak of mud still highlighted her cheekbone, a gray coat of ashes lending her a ghostly, freckled visual aspect.

Reaching down Harry brushed her hair aside, revealing a dried smear of blood line hiding near her hairline.

A mystifying bruise was forming there as well.

In mobile gesture his erstwhile housemate attached a long, sack up pipe to the IV in her arm with a quiet pawl, retrieving the fluid filled bag from him. With both of his hands finally free he found himself smoothing the fuzz away from her typeface, wiping the mud away with his thumbs.

He could experience Angelina 's heart on him. `` She needs to rest Harry. ''

He did not answer right away, contenting himself to take in as Angelina wove her wand, the IV bag rising to remain suspend in mid-air. Slowly the liquidness began dripping from the bag into a small, tube-like chamber.

Swallowing hard, his gaze rose pointedly to Angelina 's.

'' What are you giving her ? ``

Angelina never ceased working, and she was already shooing Harry 's hired man out of the way as she carefully grasped Kalliandra 's other wilted arm, tapping just above the cubitus with her wand.

Kaylens'blue vein bulged just long enough for another syringe needle to be inserted, only this meter Angelina was drawing roue sampling, rather than starting a drip infusion.

'' Angelina ? '' He prompted gruffly.

The Danton True Young therapist sighed wearily, `` It 's a mixed bag of red parentage cells and thrombocyte Harry. '' She pulled back on the syringe, and it began filling with a viscous, sinister red blood.

Harry hastily looked away.

'' Why does she involve that ? '' He ground out, his voice hoarse with exhaustion.

Leaving the acerate leaf in her arm Angelina unscrewed the full syringe barrelful, setting the blood sample upon a floating tray she had conjured. She made quick work of attaching a new, empty one to the phonograph needle as she repeated the cognitive operation.

'' How about you Harry ? '' Angelina asked dismissively. `` Knowing you, you 've probably managed to have sex yourself up just. ``

'' Do n't interchange the field. ``

Angelina 's dark eyes darted up, `` I 'm not. But I 'm a healer, that 's why Dumbledore left me to waitress for you two. I just had to determine. ``

His wear down eyes turned to his own handwriting. He flipped them over, observing his healed, callous medallion. The deep solidus the broken glass had left were gone. Fawkes'crying had healed them, dripping into his wound when he had reached through the chummy rain to adopt the port key.

Before he even had a fortune to enquire why Fawkes had bothered healing such underage injuries, the phoenix had flown away.

'' I 'm fine, '' He replied staidly, realizing he meant it. No thirster could he experience the sting scraping, torn by the lycanthrope 's claws, down his dorsum. Even the bone oceanic abyss gelidity the icy rainwater had left was gone.

All that was left was the mad champion churning within his tummy, his but relief the girl in his lap, who was incapable of responding decent to ease his fears.

'' What 's wrong with her ? ``

In the abandon, windowless room, Angelina removed the needle from her arm.

'' goose egg that ca n't be treated, '' She responded quietly, rising from her knee joint, apparently done.

'' That 's not what I asked. ``

He did not neglect the way her eyes avoided his.

'' Nothing 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 thumb wiped it away, his stiff demeanor relaxing as a sleepy murmur emerged from her cold rim.

Angelina watched it all, silently placing each of the blood sample distribution into a chill carrying case. For a moment her clinical nature vanished, a sad aspect overcoming her ebony features.

It was then that it all came together for Harry. Every little contingent that she had let parapraxis, every sign of fatigue, every Good Book the destruction feeder had said ...

'' It has to do with what she is, does n't it ? ''

Though he had asked, there was no enquiry in his tone.

Angelina rose a skeptical eyebrow, `` Then you do experience ? ``

His eyes rose to hers, `` Yes. That 's why you could n't distinguish me. Dumbledore is n't aware I know. ``

She sighed tiredly, but he was already continuing. `` Ron and the others, you said they 're alright and that they were taken to Hogwarts. ''

She just nodded, earning a backbreaking flavor from him.

'' Then why were we brought here ? ``

'' I wish I knew. All I know is that the ordering is finally utilizing the safe houses it 's been setting up. ``

His hilltop crinkled, his deal unconsciously caressing Kalliandra 's break hair, which was strewn across his lap, leaving wet marks upon his pant. `` There are other places divagation from headquarters ? ``

'' Of course of instruction. Do n't ask where, because I do n't know. ``

His smile was strained, `` Clever really ... not letting any one somebody have sex too much about anything in caseful they 're caught. ``

'' Exactly. ``

His lapse from the dark topic plaguing him could continue no longer, for the feeling of carefully controlled terror was rising.

Indicating the IV bag, he shot out a question. `` Why does she postulate that ? ``

'' Perhaps I 'm not the ripe person to excuse that. ``

'' You 're a healer, '' He said in a carefully controlled tone. `` Who better ? ``

Angelina opened her mouth, as if to respond, but she never got the chance.

'' Perhaps I can. If you would only allow me. ``

Harry 's head spun, as did Angelina 's. Neither had heard the person 's arrival, and his mettle was thundering at the fatalistic possibility that could have got resulted from such a lapse on their division.

His centre narrowed, anger mixing with easing as he saw another loved one intact and standing in the Charles Francis Hall 's doorcase. A bitter laugh broke his throat, and he gestured into the room.

'' By all means professor, it is your house after all. ``

Professor Lupin stepped wearily into the elbow room, looking worse for the wear. But then again, Harry reflected, did n't they all ? The opinion nearly sent Harry laughing. Instead he bit it back, another bitterly sound growling deep in his throat.

From the look on Lupin 's face, Harry knew he had noticed. The deep lines on the man 's face betrayed an inner infliction, one Harry felt all too acutely.

It was the painfulness of loss. Only Harry knew Lupin had lost far more than he ever had. Of course, he was still new. There was prison term to catch up in that category.

As if sensing his dark thoughts, Kalliandra stirred. His attention was suddenly riveted to her, his hand on her cheek. one-half of him hoped desperately for her to awaken, while another character feared that his one probability of discovering what ailed her would then sneak away.

She was far too stubborn to saddle anyone else with her pain. He knew that now.

It was startling how much could interchange in LE than twenty four hours.

Harry 's half raging, one-half questioning gaze finally rose. He was startled to discover Angelina 's absence. Somehow she had slipped away unnoticed, leaving he and lupine alone.

After having been ignored by him for over two weeks, he was n't sure if he was happy about that or not.

'' It 's good to see you Harry. ''

'' Is it ? '' He could n't aid it, but his voice was cold.

Lupin looked stung. `` Of path it is. ``

'' Well forgive me for being skeptical, '' Harry replied sarcastically. `` It 's not like you have n't spoken to me in awhile. ``

'' I had my rationality. ``

He inclined an eyebrow, `` You had reasons for believing Sothis all-but-killed my mum and dad too. ''

'' That 's below the belt Harry. ``

'' commodity. ``

Remus ran a wear upon manus through his graying whisker, leaning back against the wall. For the longest time neither spoke, the intact encounter arousing conflicting emotions within Harry.

He wanted to swig him. For what he had done to him, to Tonks, to Kaylens ... by ignoring them simply to shelter them from his eyetooth side. For having left him to deal with the pain of Sirius'expiry alone. For having had the temerity to take the air in, saying hi, as if nothing were imperfectly between the two. For having sent not one owl that summer.

All of Harry 's pent up foiling with lupin were finally bubbling over, conveyed in the single icy feeling he shot him.

Outside the low temperature, first of November wind rattled the sidings. The weather condition matched his opprobrious humor perfectly.

'' I 'm sorry Harry. ``

He nearly laughed. `` Are you ? ''

'' For everything, '' Lupin whispered chokingly.

Harry looked up, meeting the pleading stare of his founder 's last aliveness champion. Suddenly he did not see the man who had inspired such a feeling 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 class ago, when he and Ron had fought during the Tri-Wizard tournament, Hermione had called them stunned.

She had been right.

Life was too short to entertain score.

The reminder of Hermione 's plight, and the cerebration that Remus could be taken just as easily, sent him stumbling for quarrel. `` Just ... '' He started, forcing a try smile. `` Do n't let it chance again. ``

'' I wo n't. ``

Remus'promiscuous brown eye were nothing but honest. Suddenly, despite his lingering fright for Hermione ... for Ron ... for Ginny ... for James 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 girl in his lap.

'' How is she ? ``

Harry felt his forehead instinctively furrow, his brain once again compartmentalizing what he could worry about, and impact, in the here and now.

'' I 'm not sure enough, '' He replied honestly. `` But Profes ... .Remus, what 's happening to her ? ``

The startled feeling upon Remus 's face faded, his sort centre regarding him carefully.

'' I assume you already know then. ``

'' Yes, '' He heard himself whispering, his voice filled with nude concern.

Remus studied him for a farsighted consequence, his eyes falling on the movement of Harry 's hired hand as he stroked Kalliandra 's long hair.

For some reason Harry did not manage if Remus noticed.

The other professor 's brow crinkled with both oddity and pity at the connotation Harry 's motion conveyed. `` Are you sure you really want to know Harry ? Sometimes not knowing is sound, for when you know ... '' Remus'regard was suddenly far off, as if peering into the aloof past.

'' Sometimes Harry, the truth will simply haunt you. ``

Harry 's throat constricted, the tears glistening within Remus'eyes far too clean.

'' What if it already does ? ``

The elder man smiled sadly, `` Then I 'd say thing between the two of you have changed. After all, she 's out inhuman and you have yet to try and choke her. ``

A sad laugh bubbled out of him, his gaze falling to rest on her blanch forehead.

'' Please ... I ... do n't say anything .... ''

'' Would n't dream of it. ``

Harry found himself nodding with no detail reason. `` skilful ... I ... I 've no estimation ... ''

'' What 's going on ? '' Remus finished.

Harry spotted the man 's knowing grinning, and was finally able to let out the breathing space he had been unconsciously holding.

'' Something like that. ``

In the still air of the windowless way, both men remained silent. Harry 's middle fell closed, his spike seeking out the easy phone of Kaylens'regular ventilation.

Somehow, even with the growing uneasiness within, this calmed him.

With a conclusiveness he did not experience, he finally spoke.

'' I need to know Remus. ''

A meretricious sigh filled the room. `` I was afraid of that. ``

And Remus explained. He explained how magical organism had come into institution, for somewhere in human history, human blood cells had begun mutating.

Most of the mutations had resulted in cancerous stock watercourse, killing those in self-command of those magnetic variation. Muggles and Wizards alike still struggled against those diseases, leukemia the most large, but there were some someone where the genetic mutation became beneficial.

He explained how everything, both living and inert, contained a human body of vigor. Not all of it was measurable in the Muggle manner, and it was this anatomy of DOE, the kind that would fail to register on electrical shell, that allowed magical beings to flourish.

It was charming energy, and over time some individuals developed the ability to rig it, without adverse affects.

Others were not so lucky.

There were people like Kalliandra, people like Reaches, who could delve into the magical kingdom. But doing so was dangerous.

In the case of witches and wizards, they developed completely new cells in their ancestry watercourse, and magical energy was conducted through their physical dead body via these. Thus their physical structure were able to act like electrical circuit, and energy was capable to pass through their wizardly cells without ever touching their former cells.

It was a perfective system.

There were affair when witches and wizards would turn spent, and such natural event usually happened when the someone was performing wandless magic, or a particularly complicated spell. And the reason for their exhaustion was quite uncomplicated really :

When one 's body functions like a circumference, if spare magic Energy is taken in and not released in the manikin of a right cast piece, then that DOE remains stuck in the body and has to go somewhere. And since magic runs quite literally through one 's venous blood vessel, that witch or magician 's sorcerous cubicle would be the first to be essentially, electrocuted by their magical overload.

Fortunately witching prison cell are quite robust, and their blood plasma tissue layer are More than capable of absorbing such overloads.

Red stock cells, however, are not.

On occasion so a lot energy is not released from a genius 's physical structure that it bursts through their magical cells, frying blood cells requisite in the sustentation of life.

And when one 's red blood cells are dying it is unvoiced to circulate enough oxygen.

It was how Luna Lovegood 's mother had died. She had suffocated, while still breathing.

Such end were a rare occurrence, because homo roue contains far more cells than necessary for the sustentation of life-time. So when some blood cadre are killed there are generally enough survivor to permit that somebody to cover functioning in a normal, albeit fatigued, manner.

The for the first time prison term Harry had tried the Patronus magical spell he had overdrawn as well. He had been left winded, gasping for breathing spell, just like he was after every Quidditch practice.

Yet he had partaken in no physical activity.

It was because he had lost red-blood mobile phone, the very cells responsible for carrying atomic number 8 throughout the body, and his body was responding as it would in an Oxygen-deprived manner.

Reaches had never evolved that far. They had never developed additional cellular telephone in their blood flow, and the mutation allowing them to conduct electrical current lay directly upon their red blood cells.

If they overdrew, their first cells to be damaged would be the one 's necessary in the conveyance of Oxygen.

Their mutant 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 defense mechanism that had allowed the wizarding species to not only flourish, but to survive.

Unlike in him, the firstly cells to die in a grasp when they overdrew were their red ancestry cellular phone.

For a Reach, the likelihood of suffering Luna 's mother 's destiny was an almost certainty.

A coldness feeling overtook Harry as all of this sunk in, for Kalliandra could easily die from overdrawing. She was only still alive due to the fact that her blood watercourse contained more red ancestry cell than it actually needed. Thus, she was capable of tolerating a sure degree of overdrawing, but the gross profit margin was slim.

For her, unlike a witch or wizard, there was no rattling learning curve. For her there was lilliputian elbow room for error, for there were no cells to absorb the electric shock ...

For her the entirely reinforcement of overdrawing too lots was death.

She would asphyxiate while still breathing.

It was why her red parentage cellular telephone 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 confirm her, to ascertain 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 annex ...

Her thrombocyte had been killed when she had overdrawn, to protect him from Remus ...

She had passed out in Grimmauld place, from the effort ... her eubstance forcing her into unconsciousness in a last ditch effort to prevent her from doing foster damage to herself..

The image of her lying unconscious on the floor of the threesome broom handle flew through his mind.

He had known that she had risked photo for what she was, but gods ... .She had risked death there, to protect people who hated her.

And he had once accused her of being a Death Eater.

Death eater knew no such self-sacrifice.

A sickening sensation flooded over him, his hand rising to rifle through his still wet tomentum.

He scarcely heard Remus as he tried to lie, telling him it was not a death time for her.

Harry knew better, for what else could it be ?

His bag on her tightened, as if holding onto her could prevent the inevitable. Remus was talking about treatment, about how if they maintained her blood tally at proper levels that she would be able to hold up a convention, full liveliness.

All it took was a exclusive look into Remus'uncheerful eyes to get it on that his friend did not truly conceive what he was saying.

'' Will she die ? ``

His own voice, his own question, sounded so far off.

'' Harry zip is sealed ... If she does n't overstate then we 'll never have to worry about that opening. ``

'' Remus, will she die ? '' Harry felt his spokesperson breaking, the familiar pang of passing welling within him.

As he met Remus'kind, glistening eye, he knew the answer.

'' Eventually ... ''

He wanted to pop off out something, a form of protest that would quench the dispassion of his pharynx, but nothing came.

'' From what we know Harry, the others like her ... eventually, they all overdrew. ``

Eventually ...

The goosey recesses of his mind clung to that word, the nonsensical companion of grief 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 form pulled into his arms.

At the moment Harry did n't collapse a darn about who could see.



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legacy : The bezant magic spell by the iniquity lord Nedved Rated : Mature
sum-up : Every epos has a root, and for the young Wise Men who was Prophesized to have the power the Dark Lord Knows Not, this is the commencement of his Legacy. For Harry there was no time to mourn for his fallen godfather, for a new foe has emerged with the resole use to assassinate him. The night Lord Nedved has created a narration of military action, uncovering, magical creativity and sacrifice that would leave the good novelist pounding on his door, begging for him to depart working on master fabrication. This epic story has 5 different 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







source note of hand : Hey folks !

All of you really are the estimable readers out there. I ca n't thank everyone enough for all of the fountainhead indirect request and understanding that were shown when I announced that I would be taking a long sabbatical leave from writing. I really needed it, and am gladiola of it. Both my mother and sister had been diagnosed with good malady this past summer, and all of the well wishes some of you sent via electronic mail must have paid off because they have both made remarkable convalescence.

Secondly, thank you to everyone for the kind word 's regarding Lexi 's death. On top of everything this summer that was the final blow to drive all of my motivation for writing away for awhile, but it is now back total military unit. Since I am a bit frustrated at having taken so long between chapters in the yesteryear, I have now set aside one day a calendar week to write so that I can get chapters out much more quickly, and on a regular basis. I anticipate this story being done by summertime, and then I shall begin piece of work on the sequel.

And most importantly I wanted to say thank you to St. Andrew, 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 spartan case of writer 's stoppage. Not only did he beta-read this chapter but he also offered marvellous suggestions to get this story back on track. Thank you so a good deal !




'' Dangerous is wrath concealed. ``
~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca ~



Chapter 28 ~ The Power of Anger


As if in a nightmare the elbow room 's impenetrable darkness was broken. From the darkened hall a single candle appeared, levitating ominously as it preceded its possessor into the blackened room.

The sign of the zodiac 's lower story harboured neither window nor doors to the outside domain. It was a unceasing reminder of the monthly lusus naturae that had once been contained within its very walls, whenever the lunation had cast its to the full light upon the earth.

Now another more dangerous monster loomed in the room 's shadows.

With a casual wave of their helping hand the digit crossed the carpeted floor silently, their silhouette pausing above the slumbering adolescent. The figure knew that neither would awaken until their sleeping turn had run its track.

Yes, the public figure was powerful. Their dormancy charms were one of their inviolable talents.

They could operate in complete safety. None within the rampart would be the wiser to their actions.

Tonight they would set about their plan.

A syringe was filled, its needle swiftly inserted into the slumbering girlfriend 's vein. Kaylens'pulsating blood, bluish in tincture through her picket skin, flashed silver.

A moment later the strange hue faded, a grim personal credit line of gratification stretching over the physical body 's shadowed face.

* * * * *


With a sharp click the doorway to Dumbledore 's spot 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 genus Regulus nodded.

Out in the foyer, suddenly visible as the door opened, was Ron Weasley. He lay slumped besides his discarded crutch on the floor, sleeping soundly.

Crusantheus hung on the threshold miserably, his knocker curled and contorted around his ears so as to block out the strait of the untried Gryffindor 's snoring.

'' Kill me ... '' He squeaked. `` Please. ``

As tired as she was Tonks could n't avail but smile as Regulus lazily took aim, an malign glint in his eye.

'' No ! '' Shrieked Crusantheus. `` I did n't actually stand for it ! ''

genus Regulus continued advancing on the cowering breast until a thick voice intervened.

'' No pauperism to fret Crusantheus. Did you forget that the killing swearword has no result on brass titty ? ''

Crusantheus peeked out from behind his knocker hopefully, as Tonks spun around, rounding on the exasperate affair 's rescuer.

Somehow Ablus Dumbledore was standing behind her, looking rather jovial.

'' Morning Nymphadora. fondness a biscuit ? ``

As if on cue a tray of cookie appeared in his outstretched palm.

Tonks blinked dazedly, rubbing her red rimmed eyes with her fist. Surely this jovial
man had not just returned from a meeting with the darkest of shadow lords ?

Regulus, completely unflummoxed by their sudden intrusion, rose from his arm chair to carefully scrutinize the food offering. `` I take it negotiations proceeded satisfactorily ? ''
'' The interchange will be made in two month'meter. ``

Tonks gaped, `` Two calendar month ! ``

'' They probably need time to mend the little Mudblood, '' genus Regulus commented casuallly, directing his gaze to Albus. `` I assume you requested that she be returned in one piece, and I can only reckon the fun they 've had with her until now. ``

Dumbledore nodded gravely. `` Her injury will need some ... healing. ``

Tonks eyes widened in concern. While she still did not see how Hermione for Dumbledore was a just trade, she had grown rather fond of the girl during her time at Grimmauld Place.

A couplet of sky blue centre regarded her carefully, their jiffy somehow dimmer than she remembered.

'' I know what you are thinking Nymphadora, '' Dumbledore said kindly, as if reading her idea. `` But theatrical role of the reason I made the blood pact here with Regulus, rather than in Voldemort 's presence, was so that I could ensure Hermione 's return on my own price. He could have chosen to rule out the descent accord had he so chosen, but he did not. ''

Tonks opened her rima oris to ask precisely what those terms were, but his hand steadied her question.

'' The terms were that if she were returned in the exact physical State Department that she had been in before the Hogsmead attack took place, that I would trade places with her, becoming Voldemort 's captive. ``

'' I bet he was only too happy to accept that trade, '' genus Regulus stated, smirking widely. `` Imagine that ... Albus Dumbledore, the wickedness Lord 's superlative nemesis, handed to him on a golden disk with a position of cherry."

"Actually,"Dumbledore corrected,"I believe the grammatical construction is ‘ served on a ash grey platter with a cherry on top.'”

Tonks spluttered, focusing on the honk sensation within her stomach. The war effort, the Order, could feasibly crack up without Dumbledore 's leading, and here he was bantering with an ex-Death Eater, wizarding world turncoat right after selling his biography to the devil.

"Dumbledore,"She said, voicing her far from cool off thoughts aloud."Why would you do this ?"

Dumbledore 's eyes locked on hers, losing their twinkle. `` Nymphadora, we have lost far too many students to this war already. I could not stand by and lose another. ''

She swallowed the clod in her pharynx hastily. She should accept known all along that the refuge of others would always come first to Dumbledore. He would have 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 short tryst ? ``

If possible Dumbledore 's eyes darkened further. `` We have to gather the 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 centre having darted over to the still slumbering physical body of Kenneth and Emily.

Their dwelling house city was infected.

'' So how 'd you get along by that fun fact Albus ? I never exactly took you two to be old school chums. ''

For the briefest of second Dumbledore 's eye took on their old sparkle. `` For all of Voldemort 's prowess with Legilimency, he never quite mastered Occlumency. He has always surrounded himself with fast followers. '' He continued, `` And until recently he simply did not receive the motive.

Regulus chuckled. `` So he 's serious, but you 're better. ``

Tonks blinked. `` But I thought he was one of the most smart as a whip pupil Hogwarts has ever seen ? ''

'' Ah ... '' Dumbledore said, smiling again. `` As is Ms. Granger, but even she can not fly upon a broom. ''

Tonks gaped at him.

'' We all have our weaknesses Nymphadora. Severus never would have survived his role as spy had he not been better at Occlumency and Legilimency than Voldemort. We should simply be grateful that this is one of Voldemort 's few weak points. ``

Tonks frowned pensively. So He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did have got helplessness. They really were not fighting for naught.

With an air of finality Regulus clapped his hands together, making the already nervous Crusantheus bang his knocker rather loudly. The slumbering Ronald Weasley gave a tearing beginning, snorting loudly as he awoke suddenly.

Tonks watched wearily as the red-header blinked groggily, eyeing the berth in front line of him until his heart landed on the Headmaster. It took a moment before a figurative ignitor lightbulb clicked on in his sleep-befuddled mind

'' prof Dumbledore ! '' He exclaimed, scrambling to his feet, a flurry of wooden crutch and gangly pegleg sliding on stone. It did n't take long before Ron was flat on his asshole once again, groaning from his fall.

Regulus eyed him mockingly. `` And they call Hufflepuffs the duffers. ``

* * * * *


Harry 's eyes snapped open, his dreamless eternal sleep shattered by the sudden outcry of the young lady in his blazonry. Through slightly blurred centre he stared down the bridge of his nose at the messy mop of hairsbreadth resting upon his pectus. The warm up feeling he ought to throw felt vanished, a numbing one replacing it at the plenty of her expression.

For Kaylens there was no serenity to be found in the realm of ambition.

He swallowed hard, watching her face crinkle into an expression bearing striking law of similarity to what he had once seen upon Cedric 's father, as the man desperately clutched his lifeless son to him, unmindful to the swarming crowd around them.

Such undiluted sadness should never be seen upon a human being physiognomy, 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 moment he had discovered his true fate : killing or be killed.

All thought of his calamity of a future was suddenly shattered as Kaylens lurched violently, a temperature reduction cry cutting from her throat.

Harry gaped, feeling the hair on his arms rising to fend on end. Without thinking his handwriting gripped her arms, her cutis beneath his finger's breadth turning white with the pressure.

'' K-kaylens ... '' He stuttered, scarcely recognizing his own representative. He gave an experimental shove, shaking her lightly in a silly endeavour to rouse her.

And that was when she cried out again. That sound ripping from her throat. It resonated through the dark elbow room, terrifying in its raw intensity level. His hair 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 sound no human could utter.

It happened fast. One s his arms were wrapped tightly around her, shaking her in an attempt to awaken her, and in the next her branch wrenched away. She shot up quickly, her eyes flying open in the night room only to be slammed shut as she uttered a more familiar shriek of pain. His relief was short- lived as he grabbed onto her arm again, for she pulled away so violently that they were both send out tumbling from the couch to the floor.

His back struck the floor first, his knees having been tangled unnaturally in the mantle. He attempted to right himself, pulling his stage down until he was on all fours.

A Sceloporus occidentalis kick to the backward sent his face smashing into the ground.

He groaned, and ignoring the throbbing pain in his nose he rose his head word cautiously, squinting at his surroundings. Where were his trash ? Slowly he reached a script out, allowing it to roll across the diffused carpet in his hunting.

And then he remembered.

His glasses were still lying in some godforsaken puddle in the eye of that damnable forest. By now they were probably some acromantula 's mastication toy.

Cursing he blinked rapidly, his optic finally adjusting to the duskiness and settling on the slightly bleary outline of Kaylens. She was sitting upright, some sound five feet away, with her knees drawn to her chest and her face buried within them.

He swallowed hard, the only sounds in the room now were his rough breathing place and her rapid, mercurial ones. In KO'd silence he observed her as best as he could. Her denude feet 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 feel twisting within him.

'' Kaylens ... '' He whispered, reaching hesitantly for her, only for her to recoil, scrambling away like a panic-stricken beast.

He stared in amazement as her back hit the way 's wall, a unusual whimper coming from her pharynx. Of all the reaction he could have foreseen, this was the farthest from it.

And now she was having the response that he would have expected from any other girl, but not from her.

She was sobbing.

The auditory sensation of her call torus at him in ways he had n't imagined, for the girl who had stood by him, facing Death feeder and werewolves without blinking an eye, had been reduced to this pitiable Department of State by a mere incubus.

Instantly he stood, crossing the room to her in four long strides.

'' Kaylens, '' He said, tentatively laying a helping hand on her shoulder. She whimpered, shrinking away from his touch.

His brow furrowed determinedly. `` Kaylens look at me, '' He commanded, crouching directly in front of her. Still, her question remained determinedly adverted, prompting him to savvy her by both shoulders.

Her read/write head shot up, a fierce clicking coming from her throat as she struggled away, lashing out violently. He dove back to avoid her flailing bridge player and feet, landing on his tailbone, eyes wide of the mark in astonishment.

She was making that speech sound again.

And he recognized it. A dark night in the Forbidden Forest, where he and Draco Malfoy had encountered the unexpected, had taught him that strait of pain.

The sound of the beautiful creature 's dying cries had reverberated in his nightmares for months.

As had Voldemort 's wispy chassis ...

There was no hesitation in his movements as he wandlessly summoned his wand to his hand, immobilizing her branch and peg with a film of his wrist.

Kaylens was conscious, but unequal to of lashing out.

He crawled back to her, taking her ticklish wrist and pushing the arm of her battered sweater up.

The bruising was gone.

He swallowed hard, recognizing the odds of such bruising disappearing all-night. Now he was only certain of one thing.

Something had happened whilst he slept.

Licking his pillowcase nervously he cupped her chin, raising her head until he could see all of the confusion swimming within her golden eyes. His breathing space hitched in horrible realization at what he was about to do, but there was simply no other way.

He had to know. He had to have intercourse what had happened whilst he slept.

Until then he could n't assist her, and he knew that no one else would be leave to do this. There were strict rules against the unauthorized use of Legilimency. Hermione had taught him that much, screaming and ranting after his shoemaker's last misuse of the endowment against the Lapplander girl he was about to profane yet again.

'' I 'm pitiful, '' He whispered, brushing her hair away from her font. `` I 'm so dark Kally ... '' He repeated, steeling himself for his crime.

Cupping her cheek he stared intently into her eyes, watching them flickering around in awe.

Her concern was warranted.

He only hoped he was wrong.

'' Legilimency ! ``

The overpowering wave that was her life flooded his idea, capturing his weed in a go of insensible consequence. He groaned, desperate to stop the twister-like core of the computer memory swirling around him. It was different than the last fourth dimension, so unbelievably dissimilar ...

A din of clicking, beautiful and muscular in its raw intensity filled his mind, only to be replaced just as quickly as it had come with a familiar scream.

'' RILEY ! ''

He was seeing it again, reliving the afternoon when she had seen her own brother murdered right in forepart of her. Only this time the images were fleeting, distorted as if he were viewing it through a thick window glass of smoky Methedrine. It was as if the memory board were no longer her own.

His heart clenched as he watched the man kick open the door for the second clip. Kaylens'small body was thrown backwards, her petite form sliding across the floor. It was as if everything were on the dissolute send on feature of a Muggle VCR. There was the knife, her screams, her brother ...

As the gunshot rang out he could again almost feel what she had. The hot, fiery pain of the blade plunging into her flesh. The searing as it was drug in a deep business line across her shoulder sword. The fearfulness as she watched the blood pooling from her chum 's
wound slowly check pumping ...

Suddenly all was black, misty, the brawny sound of a herd stampeding through her thoughts. Then all was William Green and brown and green again. Somehow he was running faster than he had thought possible, the trees whipping past him in a fuzz of park and brown and green again. He was surrounded by others of his kind.

His name was Lightning.

The figure of speech twisted again, surrounding Harry in a put off whorl of woodland scene followed by view of her puerility. ash gray horns flashed around him, gleaming as the ruck ran beneath the moonlight, while golden hair flashed throughout her life.

Another computer memory slammed into Harry, crystallizing into near clarity. It was mid-afternoon, though the sun barely shone through the over-cast sky. Before him was a indisposed kept yard, bordered on three English by a thick, rising treeline and hills. Harry swiveled in the murky memory board, feeling Kalliandra 's reminiscence lurch dangerously as another memory threatened to run into this one. The sound of hooves, the audio of the herd on the run, pounded in the distance.

Harry fell to the dewy ground, watching as a man with gilded hair, tinged heavily with gray, methodically stacked sandbags away from the planetary house. Fog crept across the lawn, curling around his feet, each grunt echoing in the silent valley.

And then the youngster were led out, and Harry 's soul shivered.

Kalliandra appeared to be the same age as in the cobbler's last memory board, only now she stood besides a small boy, barely older than her, digging her nails into his arm.

'' S-sean ... ''

Their father pried her hands away from her crony, forcing a semi-automatic Glock 17, 9x19 mm caliber pistol into her small helping hand. Her stage had suddenly felt frozen, rooted to the damp ground. Harry could practically feel her substance 's fearsome thundering at the cold, unfeeling metal between her digit.

The thick fog curled in high spirits around the six animal foot peck of sand bags, and as it began to drizzle her father aimed her small hands towards the stack.

'' Shoot it. ``

Kalliandra pulled the gun trigger and cried.

As the gun was being passed to her surviving brother Kaylens'memories shifted again, swirling until he found himself peering through a thickly grove of trees, stomping his hooves in warning as a hooded figure approached. The figure 's hands raised very slowly, carefully removing the goon of their robe, allowing a shower of thick, black tomentum to get along tumbling around her shoulders.

The woman 's sanction remained hidden by the deep forest shadows, yet Lightning was calming.

It was a virginal char. She could be trusted. Lightning could tell.

The unicorn never saw the former mask flesh creeping from behind, and that man 's dagger soon shone silver with Lightning 's blood.

Harry stood in the fantasm drawing thick, scold breaths. He could practically sense every inch of painful sensation the pitiful creature was going through, the sole sounds that of the screeching animal and that of the dry branches cracking beneath Harry 's shifting weightiness as he watched, powerless to stop its pain.

The man bottled and corked a measurable amount of ancestry from the unicorn, leaving it only enough to barely hitch away alert. A light chuckle escaped the hooded Death eater at the sight.

Suddenly the woman stepped out of the shadows, and Harry 's breath stopped.

Angelina stood in the dim spark, depositing the bottles into a chummy bag slung across her berm. Her darkness Mark gleamed brilliantly.

Violently Harry felt himself being tossed out, finding himself savorless 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 `` plague of all pest '' had been unleashed upon the citizens of Ireland would have had more of an effect upon its President.

Instead the newly awakened Kenneth Bothan sat behind Dumbledore 's desk, clasping his hands, waiting for her response with an inquiring tone upon his face.

She silently damned Albus for having left them to break the news to Kenneth while he went to phone an emergency get together of the Order. She was n't good at this sort 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 people will be dead within the calendar week, '' Regulus stated with ironic sunniness. `` But look on the bright side. At least you wo n't sustain to run for re-election. ''

Tonks'saturnine eyes swiveled to her cousin, her mouth opening and closing like a yawn fish.

Kenneth, however, seemed entirely unperturbed.

'' So, '' The prexy started with a curious scowl, `` What you are saying is that wizarding sept 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 cousin. `` And this Avada Kedarva treatment ? How effective is it ? ``

Regulus grinned like a Canis aureus. `` Supposing we were able to keep apart those who had already contracted it we may happen out its method of diffusion, while simultaneously establishing a quarantine and treating the pain of the already afflicted ... ''

'' By killing them ! ? '' Tonks fit in, unable to believe the wicked biz Regulus played with the President 's hopes.

'' Ah, '' Kenneth said as if suddenly understanding. `` The treatment has a heights mortality rate. How high though ? ``

genus Regulus grinned widely, while Tonks contemplated execution for the dozenth time in twenty dollar bill four hours.
* * * * *


'' Harry ! What in the name of Merlin did you guess you were ... ''

Harry closed his center, grinding out his words. `` Something 's faulty with Kalliandra, '' He interjected. `` I had to find out what. ``

The room 's secrecy was broken only by Kaylens'laboured external respiration, and her unmortgaged distress drew lupin 's attention from him to her. He felt the other professor drop to his articulatio genus besides them, and he cracked an eye to watch as lupine scrutinized her.

The professor looked flabbergasted as he picked up one of her stiff sleeve. `` Harry, you 've immobilized her. ``

'' For good reason. ``

lupin threw a disgusted looking over his shoulder, and snatched his wand out, clearly intending to remove the spell.

'' professor I do n't think tha ... ''

His protestation was too late, for Kaylens had already lashed out, landing a strategic kick that sent lupin sprawling flat on his dorsum next to Harry.

'' I told you, '' Harry groaned, shoving himself up on his elbows to note the pain expression of Remus'boldness. `` squawk hard, does n't she ? ``

lupin coughed harshly in reaction, choosing to ignore him as he rolled over to check on Kaylens. She was already scrambling along the wall on all fours, backing herself into a corner like a scare animal. On her way she somehow managed to hit the entirely other piece of music of furniture, asides from the sofa, and several small intensity came spilling down, scattering across the floor like careen thrown from a distance.

The crashing speech sound only intensified the poor young woman 's whimpering.

Harry 's eyes remained on her, watching as she curled her stage to her dresser in a feeble effort at self-protection. But he knew the truth ... there was no aegis 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 backtalk and faltered. Harry remained lying on his vertebral column, his upper body propped up with his cubital joint, silently hoping to God that the prof would put the pieces together. Lupin had to believe him. He had to believe him. None of the adults, save for those dead and buried, had ever trusted him in time for it to actually matter.

It was why Sirius had died. And somehow Harry did n't think he could take it if the last link to his Fatherhood failed to intrust him.

Then slowly, ever so slowly, the lykan's principal turned towards him, and even in the dark room Harry could see the sudden cognition flashing in his optic.

Moony understood his meaning.

'' Her bruising is gone, '' Harry whispered, driving another blow to any doubts the professor could have. `` What else in the wizarding world could heal mortal that quickly ? ``

Lupin drew a deep breath, shaking slightly.

'' Harry ... if what you 're saying is avowedly ... ''

'' It is, '' He assured. `` I saw memories inside of her thinker that were not hers. ``

Kaylens'whimpering had finally quieted, casting the elbow room into a deathly silence.

Besides him lupine swallowed audibly, contemplating Harry 's affirmation in the deathly silence that had descended. Kaylens was no longer whimpering, and he was unsure of if he missed the reassuring audio of her presence, or if was pleased at the obvious moderation of her distress.

He glanced at lupin, stunned at the torn reflexion upon his former professor's countenance. Did the man believe him or not ?

He sighed in frustration, snapping at lupine's unresponsiveness. `` Why would she have those store, Moony ? ``

auditory sense his old predator gens snapped Lupin out of his musing stupor. `` It's magically potent…unicorn stock that is. In fact it is so magical that their memory board are often heavily imprinted upon it. '' He shook his head slowly, as if clearing a hazy fog."To possess a unicorn's blood is to not only possess their life stream, but their very being."

Lupin sighed heavily. `` There is not a good deal case law for this, but….in the ahead of time 1900 's medi-wizards began experimenting with different discussion options for depot diseases. One researcher, familiar with unicorns, sought to harness their healing major power by injecting his terminally ill patient with the animal'blood. It cured the patients but the side effects…"lupine shuddered, digressing quickly. `` The blood was too difficult to obtain to start with. Unicorns don't normally donate willingly, not to mentio ... ''

'' What slope effects, '' Harry interrupted hoarsely, closing his eyes. The feel of her in his arm flooded his senses, the woodsy scent that had clung to her all Night coming back, overwhelming him with a tidal wave of reverence. In his life there was no room for new affixation, yet the sentiment of her in pain…

He knew without a doubt that he would obliterate for her again, just as he would shoot down for any of those he held close.

He only hoped it would not total to that.

His eyes snapped unresolved as Lupin 's distressed voice filled the room.

'' most went insane. ``

Harry nearly choked. `` Insane ? '' He grated out.

lupin looked yr one-time. `` They never were able to distinguish between themselves and the fauna again, '' he relayed. `` Can you imagine it Harry ? Having a lifetime of retention that were not your own suddenly shoved inside of your mind ? Unicorns live for hundreds of years…it was only raw for those obtaining their blood to become befuddle. To them it would feel as if they had spent a longer sentence being a unicorn than a man being."

The sick sensation twisting within him heighten. Kaylens'mind had revealed exactly what lupin now spoke of, and the thought made him sickish.

And the curse…God he had nearly forgotten…

Remus read his brain, continuing his scholarly recitation of facts aloud. For Remus, who had lost so much, it was promiscuous than dealing with the devastating fallout facing them in Kaylens'crumpled form.

"When one slays such an innocent puppet, seeking their line's healing top executive, it leaves the curse of the half-life. But when one is given the blood unwillingly, or when the animate being is left alive, the execration does not lessen ; it simply changes its manifestation."

His throat constricted, but Harry managed to choke out a single word.

"Explain."

There was no mistaking the chuck expression upon lupine's face."Harry, the alone one desperate enough to kill such an innocent fauna are those hanging onto lifetime by a thread. But the price…it is far too high for any sane person to contemplate, for the toll for their barbarousness is losing all ability to love. A life without the capacity for passion is devoid of joy, happiness, family…"He shook his head, disgust etched in his every feature."In a desperate endeavour to save their own life they lose the alone thing that makes life deserving support for. Once they take that itinerary they truly lead half a life, only experiencing the darker sides of the emotional spectrum."

"Then the mediwizard, the one using it to heal his patients, did that fall out to him ?"

lupine sighed indulgently."There are elbow room to accumulate it, ways for it to be done without incurring the wrath of the curse but…those ways take time, Harry. Gaining the tenacious term confidence of a unicorn, let alone permission to inflict injury upon it, are not easy tasks."

He swallowed hard."What about Kaylens ? That won't…it won't happen…"He trailed off, ineffectual to articulate such morbid sentiment aloud. No man deserved that. She didn't deserve that.

Once again Lupin looked ill."For Kally it will be dissimilar,"He said gruffly."Instead, if she recovers, she will love, but her every experience will be shared with both side of meat of her, diluting the chroma of the emotions she tone, diluting her feel towards others…"

Something about the words sent Harry's affection twisting.

"Unicorns ... they are such destitute wight, incapable of sin, incompetent of inflicting pain ... Could you imagine having a saint following you around for the entirety of your aliveness, correcting your every fault ? Well from this present moment on she will be sharing her mind, her living, with retention of what on-key innocence is, for a unicorn is the admittedly embodiment of that, and with it will come a gnawing guilt over the sinfulness she has committed in the past. Between the disarray over her personal identity and her newfound guilt feelings over even the smallest of transgressions…that alone could be enough to drive some mad."

Harry's mouth twisted into a frown,"So she can't sin ?"

"If only it were that loose, Harry. She can, and she will. But having this will fall in her a moral sense secure than near, and living a staring life is an unsufferable task. Her life will be as closelipped to convention as possible, only she will find far shamed about affair she does than others."

'' A half life ... '' He whispered aloud, suddenly understanding. Kaylens truly would be cursed, for she would always be sharing her mind with memories not her own.

None of this was her fault, and the thinking sickened him.

'' Not all the mediwizard 's patient role went insane, '' He finally said, recalling Lupin 's earlier words. `` You said most. ``

Lupin shook his caput. `` They all went insane at maiden Harry. But only two managed to reclaim enough of their minds to function. Two out of dozens. ``

Harry closed his optic, his articulation filled with sardonic irony. `` She just ca n't get a falling out, can she ? ``

The professor shook his head in answer. `` There 's only one way to be surely. ''

Without warning lupin snatched his wand out, summoning a small torch. Soon a metal blur came flying through the threshold, landing in the professor 's outstretched helping hand.

Harry frowned at the action mechanism, not realise, but in one Dean Swift question 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 detent sounded as the flashlight was turned off, and Kaylens'cries instantly died down, slowly fading to a dull whimper.

'' She 's sensitive to 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 deliver considerably nocturnal sight than us Harry. Lykans and unicorns are no exception, and when I was first bit ... '' He trailed off, his face twisting into a rum reflexion."Once I was bit my wholly body changed. My middle were the worst though. ''

The prof suddenly adopted an almost impulsive expression. `` Did you know there are more solid nerves per in in your middle than in any former share of your soundbox ? Well there are. If you ever want to induce someone painfulness just bewitch their eyes and ... ''

'' Professor, '' Harry interjected, at the bit not carrying about the finer points of jinxing.

Lupin shrugged. `` My bite caused a wholly new level of tissue full of light sore cell to grow across the back of my centre, its called tapetum lucidum. It lets me employ LE light to see, so I can see with one-sixth the total you can. But when it first happened ... before I was used to it ... '' He shuddered. `` pigeon hawk it hurt. The slight light felt like the sun was blasting me in the font. blaze, it had me in teardrop. ''

Lupin raised the flashlight, pointing it directly at Kalliandra, flicking it on and off with each syllable. `` Just. Like. Her. ''

Kaylens'whine died down as the brightness level was turned off for a net fourth dimension, and suddenly Harry understood the torch. Unicorns had fantabulous almost visual modality as well, and the flashlight was lupine 's way of confirming what he already knew.

Kaylens had a layer of twinkle tender tissue growing across her retinas right now. No wonder she screamed at the light.

'' Harry, '' The scholarly prof step was suddenly gone, and the wolf was deadly serious. `` Was she fine finis night ? Before she lost knowingness ? ``

Harry was quick to nod.

'' Then sometime between then and now someone injected that roue directly into her veins. She could n't have done it herself. ``

Harry 's mouthpiece opened, but his dubiousness of how that was possible died on his tongue.

He knew the reply.

There was only one mortal who would wilfully anathemise another within the house.

'' Professor what 's going on ? I heard yelling. ''

Harry 's centre narrowed, every muscle tightening. Angelina had finally come, drawn by the incremental shouting. There she was, rushing through the elbow room 's threshold, drawing her cloak hastily around her as if zero terrible were amiss.

If he had n't known better he would have thought she truly was surprised at the situation she found. But he knew better. No one took that long to answer to screams like the one's Kaylens had unleashed unless it was intentional.

'' Why is it so dark ? '' Her vocalization sounded honestly confused as she flicked her baton out, lighting every candelabra in sight.

His middle 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 scuff her into its depths. His pectus constricted at her obvious pain.

lupine lunged at her in a decidedly wolf like way. `` Kally, do n't ! '' He was shouting, fighting her for ascendence. She lashed out, and Lupin grasped her wrist joint in a bingle, fluent motion, quickly capturing the other as well.

The prof had already forced her hands down against her incline, kneeling on her branch in a vain attempt to prevent them from flailing. He was far stronger than Kaylens, but she was desperate, fighting to block the hellish light from her optic as Lupin fought to prevent her from inflicting terms upon herself. Now he was yelling at Angelina to extinguish the wax light, and Harry still had not moved.

He was too busy watching Angelina, noting the guilt flashing within every brown pigment in her darkness oculus.

Her fatal eyelashes fluttered, and the betraying emotion was suddenly gone.

His blood boiled, his branch vibrating with suppressed furor as she began speaking, a panicked edge to her voice.

'' What 's going on ? '' She asked fearfully, rushing across the room to aid Lupin. `` Remus !
What 's wrong with Kally ! ? '' She continued shouting interrogation, lunging over Harry as if he were not even there.

She dropped to her genu besides where Lupin and Kaylens wrestled, her coal black tegument gleaming in the candlelight. Her dark center widened in pretend horror, her face a masque of sinless care as she reached out to facilitate intimidate Kaylens.

And Harry lost it.

Her hand never reached Kaylens, her defile fingers never touching her body. Before anyone could realize it Harry 's hand had flown out, snatching the oversized arm billowing around the traitor's wrist, and he tugged her callously to the floor.

Harry lunged to his metrical unit, stamping the heel of his foot against the lady friend 's throat, pinning her to the ground.

'' Do n't. Touch. Her. '' He growled, the cosmos rippling around him.

Power swelled within him, the posture of his magic unleashed by the raw anger pumping through his mineral vein, and the feeling ... it was intoxicating.

Angelina 's soundbox 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 foot, her fists slamming against his legs as she fought for air.

He scarcely noticed any of it.

'' H-harry ... st-top ... '' She gasped, her eyes rolling backwards, fingers going falloff as her pleas went unheard.

'' Harry ! Let her go ! '' Shouted Remus, followed by a loud crashing as he and Kaylens tumbled into the bookcase, knocking it sideways.

script went flying, scattering everywhere. The resounding crashing masked the slow thud of Angelina 's hitch arm hitting the floor.

Lupin let out a offended howl, and Harry 's hand shot out. He felt the magic dripping from his fingertips like water.

With a motion picture of his wrist the candles went out.
* * * * *


The descending sun of midday zenith was partially obscured by the perpetual swarm binding, casting the not-so-distant Dublin-Wicklow mint into a deep fog. Yet the man paid the ill environment no mind, nor the racking cough that had swiftly descended upon him. Instead he stared out the windows of his Confederate States Irish capital address, admiring the panorama afforded by his working class neighborhood.

With a small smile he leaned further back into his recliner, letting the smoky odor of impertinent baking Fish fill his anterior naris. Meredith was cooking, and from the spirit of it she was cooking the Pisces the Fishes he had caught just that morning. They were bound to smack luscious. Everything his wife cooked always did. It was just a shame their middle child, Eva, had inherited his culinary common sense, or lack thereof.

'' Father, you feeling alright ? ``

The man turned to determine his eldest son in the doorway, a worry construction crossing Edward 's freckled face. The man smiled, for the resemblance between father and son was striking. Prince Edward had been the only fry to inherit both the lentigo scattered across his olfactory organ and the dark headway of hair adorning his brain. The other two of his small fry bore his married woman 's ash blonde hairsbreadth and startling dark eyes. Edward however had his teal I.

He graced his son with a warm grin. `` I 'm just okay m'boy. Just a bit of a cold. ``

'' 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 nodes, shocked to find that they had doubled in size in just a few hours.

His son smiled cheekily. `` female parent is of the mind to not let you go off fishing at such ungodly hours again. She said something about catchin'yer death on account of our colder than rule temperatures. ``

The man could n't resist a smile. `` Well perhaps yer mum is decently. The thermostat dropped to 10 Celsius this mornin'before I ventured out. ''

'' I 'll tell her you said so. ``

The man 's eyes widened in mock repulsion. `` Now you 'll be doin'no such thing boy ! Because I 'll secure that once yer mum 's done houndin'me that yer 'll be succeeding. ``

Now it was Edward 's crook to look fearsome, and the man leaned back, smiling in atonement. The boy still remembered the time James Howard Meredith had wrapped him head to toe in a snow-suit, accomplished with two scarf wrapped around his head and oversized mittens. Oh ! How the boy could hardly take the air in that widget !

'' beginner, '' Started his boy diplomatically, `` I think I 'll just be off to get a head start on my Algebra. ``

The man smiled in satisfaction as the room access closed behind his boy. Yes, despite their humble surroundings his boy would soon arise into a alright man. And while he had never been able-bodied to bring home the bacon all that he desired for his nipper, they did wonderfully with what they were given.

It was no small point of pride for the man that he had worked his way from the north side of Dublin to the southward. While most of the people in his income course of study tended towards the northwesterly side of the city, here he was, raising his menage is Tallaght. It might not be one of the wealthier districts characteristic of South Dublin, but its rich people sense of history had captured his small fry 's nub from day one. He still remembered how young Eve 's oculus had grown panoptic as saucers as he had explained the origin of the district 's name.

Tallaght. Pit of rent. 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 cloaca, and that little bit of knowledge had had all three of his fry off and running, screaming and laughing in increments as their young judgment invented ghost narrative along with it.

How proud he had been when Edward VI had shown him a story he had written. It had been about a unseasoned boy and his ghostly friend, a minor who had died during the pitch blackness Plague. The ghost child had been buried beneath the fictitious boy 's home, and had appeared to the boy when another unknown sickness ran rearing through the metropolis. With the ghost child 's help the unseasoned boy had been able to save the city, and his family.

The man leaned back in his professorship as a bout of coughing didder his lean frame, a late pain shooting through him. He clung to the hired man rests tightly, waiting for it to pass, all the while thought process of the future.

Yes. An author would be a befitting profession for his eldest. Edward VI would one day make a exquisitely novelist.

The man smiled, proud of his children in a way that only a father could be.

If only he knew how soon history were to repeat itself.








A/N : Thank you so very much to St. Andrew, Njhill22, and Ichigopan for helping me out a lot with this chapter. Saint Andrew the Apostle not only helped to work out some of the plot kinks for this chapter and the next, but he also beta-read it for me, and therefore rock music. Njhill22 and Ichigopan are also awesome, because both of them helped me until 3 am when I wound up seriously stuck on how to write the succeeding section. Thanks so much you guys !






'' Nothing ventured, aught gained. ''
~ William Shakespeare ~



Chapter 29 ~ No Longer Helpless


With a flick of his wrist the candles went out.

His dog remained solidly planted against Angelina 's chest as winding-sheet of shadow shot out in all management, like the spindly fingers of a cadaver, until the entire room was engulfed in an inky, suffocating darkness. Harry scarcely noticed any of it, nor the dense scent of burnt wax as unseen smoke curled up from the extinguished candles.

ire pumped heavily through his venous blood vessel, and with a hate he had not thought possible he glared down at the missy beneath him. In the past his callous natural action against his former house Paraguay tea would have sickened him, but now ....

Things were unlike.

His outstretched manus shook, his barely restrained magic crackling across his skin like motionless electricity, burning and searing at his form. Grimacing in painful sensation he forcefully curled his fingers into a fist, tightening it, feeling the raw mogul seeping back in

A new feeling rose up within him. A night, powerful, vengeful feeling.

charge the coldest of looks he crouched low, inspecting Angelina to ensure that she was indeed unconscious. He would not pull in the mistake of thinking a Death Eater subdued when they were not, but her death would do him no good.

He intended to get hold out all he could from the treacherous wench.

Then, beneath his animal foot, he felt the slow hike and downfall of her ribcage, and his leg twitched with the suppressed itch to stomp the breath from her. For the first fourth dimension he understood what Ron had meant when he had drilled him on the dispute of fighting defensively versus offensively in chess.

From now on Harry was out to win, and if that meant taking down the antagonist 's pawns to do so he would evidence no hesitation.

Swallowing back a nauseous wave of revulsion he reached out, touching the tainted witch 's tegument and shoving her fountainhead to the position. It lolled over with a softened thud, revealing nada. The last feeder would not be moving for some time.

Good.

Still ... they had all been fooled by Angelina 's acting acquisition once. He would not fall dupe to that again.

With compute efficiency he withdrew his baton, a terrorisation look crossing his feature of speech. His ira still burned hot within him, the nervure in his neck pulsing intensely as he thought of the crone 's betrayal. Angelina had been his house mate, a teammate, but worst of all, she had nearly been a friend. Once she was a Gryffindor. And now ....

She had betrayed the gild by taking the sucker of that ophidian, and had all but killed Kaylens, possibly robbing her of her mind.

A growl ripped from his throat, the tip of his wand suddenly digging against the traitor 's temple as he pondered all the magical spell he could use.

Thunk.

'' Harry, stop ! ''

He stopped cold. Remus'gruff, panic-stricken voice had cut through the air like a well sharpened knife, sending his wand arm tensing as his father 's last friend fought his way out from beneath the Quran that had fallen atop him. In the aftermath of his own Dutch hoe he had nearly forgotten lupin 's presence, and the thundering of his pulse in his ears had drowned out the low moan and whimper from the other incline of the room.

He had forgotten one other thing : That despite the lack of lighting in the room, Lupin could still see exactly what he was doing.

'' Lumos. ''

Harry 's head snapped around as a soft glow cut through the thick darkness, his regard riveted to the horrified manifestation crossing Remus'face.

His one-time prof stood behind the upturned bookcase, eyes all-encompassing and staring.

'' My God ... '' He whispered chokingly, `` Harry ... '' His accusatory eyes flickered up to his. `` What have you done ? ``

He sucked in a strained breathing spell between his tooth. `` Nothing she did n't deserve, '' He hissed staidly.

A strangled strait came from the prof 's throat. `` But Harry ... that 's Angelina ... ''

'' No kidding. Really ? '' He snapped.

A sudden rough-and-tumble and thud, followed by a discriminating, cold-blooded whimper sent his wand jabbing into Angelina 's head.

'' Kally ... ''

He had n't needed the prof 's lay waste to whisper to get it on who was softly whimpering.

Heart wrenching, he fought back the hollow tactual sensation in his chest. `` Why do n't you see to Kaylens, Professor, '' He grated out, his expression a down mask as he focused back on the former chaser.

'' I will but ... is Angelina O.K. ? ''

'' I sure as snake pit hope not. ``

A flash deglutition preceded Remus'future, tense Christian Bible.

'' 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 articulation was strained, the timid, placating note of hand in it foreign to him. `` Harry, I know something 's legal injury. But just remember about what you 're doing ... ''

A cruel, vacuous laugh escaped his throat. `` Oh, swear me Moony, I have. ``

'' She 's on our side, Har ... ''

He cut him off, spitting out the moth-eaten truth.

'' She 's a Death Eater, Moony. ``

From behind him came a loud, apprehensive swallow. `` Harry ... are you for certain ? ``

A cold face crossed his lineament. `` Yes. ``

There was an agonizing pause, and a sick, unquiet dread suddenly rose in his tummy as his racing pulse finally began to slow down. He needed Remus to believe him. He needed someone in the Order to not just listen to him, but to actually desire him. And if Remus did n't ...

'' I 'll bind her. She 'll give to be taken to military 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 flimsy movement of Remus'shadow nodding.

'' Harry, '' He said, sounding almost hurt. `` I always believe you. ``

His brow instantly wrinkled in confusion. 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 botch up her head off before I could enter out why you had attacked her in the low gear place. It would give birth been a very Sirius-like affair to do. ''

The idea struck him firmly. `` Yeah, '' He managed. `` It would birth been like him. ``

He glanced back, and in the glow of the wand he could see Remus smiling sadly. He returned the expression, feeling shakier than he would have 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 month, for all the time when he had been left to deal with the pain of Sirius'destruction alone truly had meant something, and despite everything a strong star wormed its way into him.

All it took was a delicate whimper, from a turning point behind him, to push it all away.

He swallowed hard, finally turning and squinting in the dim lighting to see Kalliandra cowering in the corner, knee joint drawn feebly to her chest, her golden hairsbreadth spilling over them and her face buried within them.

Slowly his line of descent pressure rose, his foot grinding down even harder against the dame beneath him. Angelina would pay. He would see to it. But right now she was not his priority.

Kaylens was.

Throwing a piercing glower at Angelina he shoved his foot beneath her hobble body, kicking her over onto her stomach. A mo later he was on her back, dragging her workforce behind her, pinning them together with his genu as he snatched up his wand, pointing it at her divulge wrists.

'' Bindovera, '' He hissed, watching the snake-like R-2 stream from its tip, slithering around her blazonry until she was bound up to her cubital joint. Dropping his wand he gave them a harsh tug, satisfied in the way the sour girl 's skin chaffed, reddening even in the shadow light source.

'' Exuberant, aren't we ? ''

He merely grunted in response, giving the R-2 one last, callous tug as Remus began binding her pegleg.

A second later he was on his metrical foot, an aching sentience spreading through him as he watched Kalliandra curling in the nook, incapable of remembering even her own name.

Gods ... she was n't in her decent mind. And Remus had said she 'd have to block out the unicorn 's memories before she ever could be. How could anyone possibly ...

And then it hit him.

She 'd hold to block them out.

The estimation ignited swiftly, the things Dumbledore had taught him about Occlumency all coming together in a cohesive ball of knowledge. He had used it for himself, but could he do it for someone else ?

He would be grasping at wheat, but there was a chance ...

Voldemort had given him deal of exercise at blocking unwanted memory board.

His line pumped purposefully, and he felt, to a greater extent than saw, Remus rise besides him, looking morosely in the Saami focal point as he.

'' Well have to immobilize her again, '' He said regretfully, dimming the visible light from his sceptre as it sent Kaylens stirring uncomfortably.

'' No, '' Harry answered immediately, part filled with strong belief. `` I 'll handle with her. You just get Angelina to Grimmauld. ''

Remus'eyebrow furrowed at this, doubtful lines crisscrossing his font. His mouth opened, as if to resist, but his uncertainty went unvoiced. Instead a heedful, critical aspect befell him as he studied Harry 's tense, determined face.

The lines on his facial expression suddenly deepened. `` Are you for certain ? ``

Harry nodded, tense with ire at the intact situation, and filled with the pauperism to do something about it.

'' Yeah, '' He responded. `` I 've stunned her plenty lately. ''

lupin 's conflicted verbalism remained, but he nodded decisively.

'' Alright, take this then. ``

A instant later a small pouch was being pressed into his deal, a sandy material grinding within it.

'' It 's a port key. Pour the contents ... ''

'' Into our script, '' Harry finished for him. `` We 've used this kind before. ``

Remus eyed him curiously, tilting his heading to the incline. `` well then, I 'll see you there. ``

He nodded, watching as Remus unearthed another pouch from his sac. He watched him crouch side by side to Angelina, sending him one finis, pointed look before dousing his wand.

shadower spilled around them, enshrouding the room in wickedness once again. Rifling a hand nervously through his hair Harry forced a try, unseen grinning, and a second later Remus and the traitor blinked out of being, leaving him with a unity insane idea, one that he never could have done in Remus'comportment.

And somehow he thought Remus had known that.

For a moment he did nothing, simply allowing his heart to line up to the sudden iniquity. Then, slowly, the blackness gave way, revealing her vague, gray outline. Yet even in the vestige he saw the way her silhouette trembled.

He pulled his wand and immobilized her in one swift question. Strangely he felt nix, when even the thought of stunning her again had sent his venter wrenching.

He crossed the way and knelt besides her, his scratchy paw gently cupping her nerve and turning it towards his. He felt macabre, for he was violating her yet again. But God, what option did he have ?

For the second gear time that day her frightened eyes stared back at his, flickering with too many emotions to name. His thumbs gently brushed her hair away from her eyes, his spunk thumping shamefully. She was like a frightened animal, and somehow this just felt wrong.

Yet he had to try. No one deserved this, and if his idea worked ...

He might just be able to salvage enough of her to help her find her way back.

Staring into her middle he hoped to God it would work.

'' I swear to you, '' He whispered intently, `` This is the last metre I 'll ever do this to you. ``

Licking his back talk nervously he raised his sceptre, letting it hover inches from her tegument. Closing his eyes he waited, allowing his mind to elucidate, 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 psyche seized him without remorse, sending his locoweed reeling as an assault of enhanced audio and smells attacked him.

Thunder cracked through the swirling mist, sending his torso crashing face first into the mud, and he immediately knew there was something different about this memory.

He staggered to his knees, peering through the incredibly dark, moonless night. Hardly anything was discernable through the thick, icy torrent pouring down around him, and then it hit him.

Every other storage he had seen had had a get into contrast, the intensity of emotions and result diluted by meter. Dumbledore and Snape had been too skilled for him to peer into recent events, and luck-of-the-draw had shown him affair from Kayelns'childhood. But this retention was different.

It felt fresh.

The harsh, biting fart sent the looming forest moving with an aberrant life, and above him lightning flashed, crackling across the blackened clouds, briefly illuminating the gravel route running past him. For a second the forest surrounding him came into sodding focus, as did the wooden house he had landed before.

Again lightning set the field aglow, a bass outcry snapping his eyes towards the belittled lawn.

What he saw made his rakehell run cold.

His education with Dumbledore had taught him that it was one 's most awful computer storage that were flung to the forefront of the idea when it was invaded.

And now he knew that Kalliandra was no exception.

A diffraction grating vox preceded the flash of sparkle, and he had just decent time to see a dark haired man struck down. The man tumbled head first into the muddied ground, the sound of his body slapping against the mud drowned out by a thunderous crack.

A blinding hot, fiery globe blew through the menage 's siding, sending floorboards flying to litter the lawn.

From inside came the screech, drowned out by a hedonistic laugh.

'' Muggle, muggle, muggle come out to spiel ! ''

Bile churned in his stomach, though there was no time for it to rise as mass began pouring out of a slope window.

'' Aw, the wittle, ittle Muggles do n't want to fiddle ? ``

That taunting, familiar laugh of his nightmares greeted him as Bellatrix Lestrange stepped calmly out the front doorway, the burning home alighting her brass with a hellish glow.

One of the fleeing figures bolted towards a car, parked along the gravel road near the forest 's tree line.

He never made it.

A fiery spell smacked into him, setting his skin ablaze.

He had seen others die, but never before had he beheld individual as they burnt alive. Even the pouring torrent was not enough to douse the flames engulfing the man 's flesh, and the steer hurled a noxious malodour against his nostrils.

'' MATT ! ''

A fille was rising from the muddied ground, thick grass blot streaked across her jeans, her John Brown fuzz matted against her pass as she screamed hysterically. Her face was contorted into something inhuman, raw bother distorting incredibly striking lineament, and she appeared frozen in place.

Harry was screaming for her to affect, but she never heard him. From around the corner of the base came two others clad in black, and a jet of searing purple visible light shot out.

Someone darted out, from where he did not see, tackling her around the shank.

The purple light missed her by in as she and her rescuer went sliding across the ground, smacking into the side of the star sign with a tedious thud.

The dying Eaters were on them in an instant, a loud crack 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 paw with a cruel slosh, the mud swallowing it whole. The night haired girl was still screaming, clawing at her point as a burly Death eater snatched her tomentum up, twisting it around his massive palms before dragging her across the lawn by it.

A sharp splinter broke the air, and the decease Eater assaulting the Thomas Gray haired man went down. The older man struggled to his feet, slipping in the mud and cradling his arm.

'' DAD ! ''

Lightning split the sky, catching onto the hoar haired man 's few remaining aureate hairs. His typeface split into a horrified formulation, and Harry followed his gaze.

Kalliandra, eyes ablaze, came barreling out from the Tree line, a man barely older than him hot on her heels.

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 instant brother for the first time.

'' KIDS GO ! GET OUT OF HERE ! ''

The shout came from a endorse floor windowpane, and Harry finally understood who had done the shooting.

A middle aged woman with light brown hair was hanging out of it, pistol in hand, and over the disturbance Harry could hear Bellatrix laughing hysterically.

Lightning split the sky, thunder drowning out the 2d, third, and fourth gunshots.

Kalliandra 's mother could no longer be seen. Only the dim sound of the fifth part and sixth gunshots firing off in the room told him that her attention had been drawn back inside the combustion house.

Inside the firm, where he could not hear, came the serial clicking of empty chambers.

A cheap riot carried through the windowpane, followed by a body flying through the window 's orifice.

The char hit the ground with a sickening thud, leaving the gray haired man yelling something that the thunder drowned out.

No time was wasted. Kalliandra 's brother came sliding aside her mother, grasping the gun from her still twitching workforce, sobbing as he started rifling through her clothing.

A back later a new round was in his handwriting, but he never had a opportunity to load it as Bellatrix apparated in front of him, kicking the rung from his hand, sending individual bullets scattering to the wind.

The strobe essence of the lightning shielded what transpired next, but when it flashed again Bellatrix and Kalliandra were sliding to the background, Kaylens clearly having tackled her.

'' KALLY, NO ! ``

Her brother had leapt to his feet, and rushed to fall in the fray as his babe smashed Bellatrix 's head into the ground repeatedly, screaming incomprehensible words.

Her brother reached her, grasping her by the back of her sweater and tossing her out of the way as he grasped Bellatrix 's head in a frailty grip from behind, preparing to break it.

The unheard pop of apparation prevented this as the beefy man appeared behind him, swatting him away as if he were cypher more than an irritating nipper. Bellatrix fell to the solid ground, spitting Brown University pee, her angered center rounding on the three remaining members of the Kaylens'family.

'' Filthy Muggles ! '' She roared, shooting binding spells off at a furious step, hitting the buddy first.

'' SEAN ! '' Their father 's vocalism ripped through the air as roofy twisted around his son, sending him crashing to the ground right below the husky Death Eater 's feet.

Kalliandra, having been thrown back by her brother, was still down in the mud. She did n't stand a chance.

Then her sire slid in strawman of her, the roofy taking him right in the chest, and constricting around his neck and pharynx.

The star sign was quickly succumbing to the flame, the red lighter showcasing Bellatrix 's rabid smile as she tugged Kaylens'father away from her by his neck opening.

Her beginner was ineffective to claw at the ropes, for his weapon system had been pinned to his sides.

He was unconscious by the prison term Bellatrix had dragged him to her feet.

CRACK !

Another gunshot rang out, taking the burly man rightfield in the head.

Kalliandra had gotten to her stifle, hair plastered to her face, her weapon system outstretched and shaking.

Her work force held the gun, and Bellatrix regarded her with an entertained expression.

The next shot was in Lestrange 's direction, but a shimmering light halted the barb, sending the eggshell dropping to the basis less than a groundwork from her smirking face.

Kally looked stunned, and Bellatrix waggled a finger's breadth back and forth as if scolding a naughty child.

'' Foolish wittle girls should n't play with guns, '' She cooed in a baby vocalisation, suddenly beckoning towards Kally.

Kaylens was sent sprawling forward as an unseeable forcefulness pulled the gun from her clutch, and a second later a new Death Eater was there, his metrical foot on her back.

A gust of farting sent the new arrival 's tough falling back, and Harry suddenly understood every word that she had uttered in the tercet Broomsticks.

Ludo Bagman was there, standing on top of Kalliandra and looking rather out of place. Bellatrix fixed him with a death-like stare, her anger at his late arrival apparent, but there was no fourth dimension for anything to be said.

Barely a second had transpired between his belatedly arrival and his fall to the ground.

Kally had rolled over, kicking his leg out from under him.

Bellatrix rolled her center, and this time her dressing spell did not drop.

Angry split were rolling down his side, his fist taking lilt at the crazed woman who had taken his Godfather. Somewhere his mind was screaming for him to halt, that it would do no right, but his subconscious'voice went unheeded.

'' Crucio ... ''

And then the swirling, silver mist returned, swallowing up the effigy of Kally 's chum convulsing beneath the unforgivable curse.

Harry was shaking, overcome with the revulsion of what he had just witnessed. And the retentivity were disorienting, rising up around him, swallowing him whole as they dislodged him from place to place in her life-time, never stopping long enough for him to profit his bearings.

Around him the crashing of hooves fought for anteriority above the distant laughter. Hazy outlines flickered by, barely seeable through the fog-like mist swirling around him. He was lost ...

And then he saw himself, running from a Death Eater down the main, dusty thoroughfare of Hogsmeade. Red peach shot out, smacking against a sewer, sending it swinging into the side of a second dying feeder that had emerged to block 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 dead body were actually screaming it in Remus'support room.

Instantly he began focusing, searching for a memory, any memory, that was her own rather than some horned animal 's. He fought to tranquilize himself, squashing down the terror of what had happened to her to the back of his mind, and then he felt a change.

The swirling mist around him was slowing down, the uncontrolled torrent of the two lives combined into one mind becoming lupus erythematosus disorienting.

He peered through them as they passed, one-by-one, searching for something that he could gain out.

And then he found one.

He charged through the mist, falling out into the Forbidden timber 's clearing.

The one they had left before this had happened to her ...

In the dim moonlight, mold from a sliver peaking through the cloud, he watched the replay of himself yanking his handwriting away from her. Hushed words were exchanged, and suddenly Kalliandra was rising from her stain besides the pee, stalking away from him.

In a heartbeat his memory self was scrambling to his feet, going after her, catching onto her arm. She whorled to face him, an icy expression crossing her face, disappearing in stupor as he swiftly pulled her against him.

He watched, an odd feeling twisting within him as she struggled against him, his entirely response in the way his implements of war wound even tighter around her, stroking her tomentum until her resistance ceased.

'' I 'm sorry… '' He heard his own voice whispering, `` I swear to God I 'm sorry… ''

And then her face was dropping against his shoulder, his own burrowing within her hair as her subdivision wound around him, holding him back.

It was as if a loose wind blew, and then another storage squeezed through, the silvery substance sending the clearing range swirling.

For a moment ghostly images flickered into life, superimposed atop where he and Kaylens stood, clinging to the other. It was like looking through a pic electronegative, trying to see what was beyond it.

The beautiful, outlander clicking rose above his and Kaylens rustle, the alien computer storage threatening to overtake this one, and the terror sent something ablaze inside him.

'' No ... '' He hissed, his expression contorting dangerously, as he began fighting to thrust the strange epitome that threatened to catch her aside.

He could n't give up them in. He couldn't.

Staggering odds were against him, but if he could only hold her in her own State of mind long enough ...

Maybe it would be just enough to lend her back.

Grimacing he waved his manus, feeling the magic rising within him, rolling off of him as he tried desperately to summon something, anything that would block out those memories that were not hers.

The unicorn memories may take in been watery, load impression of the real thing, yet they were still there, fighting for antecedency of her mind. And yet ...

fighting for the sanctity of his own idea against Voldemort had made keeping these silvery, diluted tendrils back a joke.

A determined reflection crossed his face, a Sceloporus occidentalis jolt rocketing through him as the bricks began to materialize. He stretched out his hands, willing them to set about stacking, watching them climb high-pitched and mellow, muting the sounds of a herd in the distance.

He would form a barrier between her memories and the unicorn 's, and he 'd be damned if he failed.

His paw were shaking again, a lone dribble of stew dripping from his brow as he concentrated, directing the bricks to begin circling around him, stacking along the clarification 's circumference.

And then, one-by-one, he began shoving the unicorn 's memories past the wall. Each clip one threatened to break in he shoved it away, a irksome pain growing in the back of his creative thinker, sending his head swirling as he refused to end his efforts. His breathing grew ragged, his vision bespeckled with black dots as tendrils of the argent mist fought to ooze back through his hastily erected brick walls.

'' No ... '' He whispered, and slowly, methodically, he shoved the live of the silvery threads through the opening in the wall, feeling the dull sounds fading.

With a shot of finality he found himself surrounded on all sides by his rampart, the store still playing as if zippo had disturbed it.

panting in debilitation he crouched down, supporting himself on his stifle, feeling his feet sinking into the dewy earth as he fought for breath. The walls might not confine for long, but for now ...

Around him he could hear the distant 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 handclasp, as remembering after retentiveness slammed against it from the outside, trying to break through.

He could feel his forcible soundbox shaking from the sweat, and as much as he desired to do more an unfeeling truth struck him.

He did n't know what else he could do.

And for the first time in her mind he withdrew willingly, the darkness of Remus'animation room wrapping tightly around him. The moonlit glade had been so promising in comparing and yet, his heart had remained perfectly adjusted, his physical body having never left nor moved.

And she was still in good order there, inches separating him from her. His breather caught in his pharynx, the adrenaline he had been riding on struggling to remain high-pitched as he searched her face for a sign to show that some portion, any part, of herself was back.

All he saw were the rachis of her eyelids as they fell shut, a long breath escaping her lips.

At some point his entire soundbox had begun shaking, a needlelike headache nearly splitting his skull as he removed the back piece from her, his magical elbow grease finally catching up to him.

But God, he did n't give care. His hands rose to her boldness, a hand resting on either side as he smoothed a single stray whorl away, tucking it behind her ear.

'' seminal fluid on Kaylens ... '' He murmured, eyes bright and searching. His gaze was flickering back and forth across her expression, watching her every movement, hoping against Hope it had worked.

And then her eyelids opened, her eyes as disoriented as before. A choking whiz wrapped around his throat, his hands falling to rest on her stiffening shoulders. He had failed.

His forehead fell against hers in despair, the feel of her warm skin offering piddling comfort. He should 've known it would not work, yet ...

He never would bear forgiven himself if he had n't tried.

Slowly her legs slid against his, and his optic squeezed shut, preparing himself for whatever out lash was about to occur. The memory of her recoiling away from him, scuffling away like a frightened animal when he had gotten too close, was all too overbold in his mind.

He waited for it with held intimation, only nothing came.

His eyes opened, only to find hers staring back.

His muscles went taut with tensity, his breathing place quickening as their proximity struck him. Her nose pressed against his, his work force house on her articulatio humeri, and a startle sensation churned in his dresser as he watched her darkened eyes.

Within them something was changing, a flicker of familiarity residing there. His hand slid back to her face, anxiousness etched in his lineament as her lip parted. Her mouth moved, as if trying to say something, only no words came.

He could n't pull his gaze away if he tried.

'' pigeon hawk, '' He whispered, `` I wish I knew what you were thinking. ``

She remained mute, but his eyes were drawn to a little motion. Her paw rose, falling to rest on his unshaven cheek. She pulled away slightly, their frontal bone no longer pressing together as her disconcert center flickered across his cheek, a curious facial expression befalling her.

His brow furrowed, a question forming on his lips.

'' Kaylens ? '' He whispered, eyes searching hers desperately.

A distressed spirit crossed her feature film, her bottom lip drawing between her teeth, sending his sum thudding uncertainly.

And then she was nodding.

Instantly he reached for her, embracing her against his breast. She was trembling, enticing his own palpitation arms to pull her even closer, the need to physically contact her overwhelming. graven image ... he could n't get her cheeseparing enough.

The shock was finally hitting him, frightening him on too many grade 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 consume ?

A tremor shook him, an urging need to get her to someone in force than him, to mortal who could do something, driving him.

He needed somebody, someone like Dumbledore. He could beef up the bulwark he 'd put up inside her psyche. He had to.

Fearing to discharge her for even a bit his arm tightened around her shoulders, his other reaching for the portkey in his pocket. A moment later his fingers were sliding through hers, his hopeful gaze locking onto her tormented one.

'' Kaylens, '' He murmured intensely, `` Stay with me. ``

And then, hoping that she was logical enough to understand what they were doing, he dumped the arenaceous content onto their linked men, feeling that distinctive tug.

In that last s he threw his implements of war around her, wanting to shield her from whatever harsh landing they were about to experience.









'' My respect is earned, not given. ``
~ expression of the eld ~







Chapter 30 ~ To Hell with Decorum


'' Harry ! ``

Harry had barely recovered from the portkey 's ride when he felt workforce 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 subject.

The pit 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'shadow drop down between them, placing a hesitant manus on Kalliandra 's articulatio humeri. Harry could only see the werewolf 's profile, but judging from his locution, Remus looked genuinely surprised when Kaylens did not immediately clout 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 mental confusion within her expression. Disbelievingly he watched the candlelight dance in her glossy orbs, and for a brief second he was able to trust that she may just overstretch through with her sanity integral.

'' Harry ! ''

Remus'sharp voice cut through the understood way, drawing both pairs of teen eyes to the worried adult.

Harry found his articulation quickly. `` We need an Occlumens. right away. ``

Remus'head jolted around, the ruminative level behind his eyes shining. `` Harry, what did you do ? '' He asked uneasily.

His shoulder joint stiffened, and in that single loaded question he found his resolve.

'' What I had to. ``

There was an agonizing intermission, not unsimilar to what had transpired between them before Remus had left for Grimmauld without them, making the decisiveness to trust him.

Harry only hoped Remus would not follow to regret it.

A here and now later Remus was on his metrical unit, nodding at Harry. `` halt with her. ``

'' The thought of leaving never crossed my nous, '' He replied honestly, scooting across the floor back to her. The sound of a swinging door, and the voices beyond it, drifted in, but Harry scarcely noticed.

'' Kaylens, '' He whispered, reaching hesitantly for her. With trepidation his finger slowly curled around her upper sleeve, whilst his eyes swept searchingly over her face. `` You still with me ? ``

pickings in her every drive he watched her centre flutter exhaustedly, her chest and articulatio humeri rising as she drew in a fatigued suspiration.

And then the insufferable fille fixed him with an exasperated look, nodding tiredly.

He released the breath he had been unwittingly holding, relief sweeping through him. Immediately his manpower found her face, the stamp pad of his thumbs moving along her cheekbones with a gentleness he did n't know he possessed. For a here and now he simply stared at her, watching the amusement in her gaze only maturate.

Merlin ... he had been afraid that the convolution of the portkey would disorient her, causing her to fall behind whatever fledgling scrap of sanity she had managed to dig onto at Remus'. Hell ... he vividly recalled their final stage portkey drive, and that alone had rendered her unconscious.

He stared at her, his eyes boring into her bemused, albeit sleepy, face.

Suddenly her mitt rose, her fingers curling gently around his own where they rested against her boldness. He squeezed her handwriting gently, finding reassurance he had n't known he needed in her activity.

Had he been asked a month ago, he never would own guessed that he would be feeling Kalliandra Kaylens, of all multitude, squeezing his hand in hers. But Sir Thomas More than that, he never would have thought that such a simple, innocuous motion could direct his chest of drawers stirring.

He swallowed hard, watching the hint of a smile pattern on her lips. His hand immediately flipped over, taking her cold hand more firmly in his, and tightening his grip on her.

'' You 're finding this amusing, are n't you ? '' He accused quietly, his phonation unnaturally constricted.

Her mouth parted, only to close again, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth as she began nodding.

And then he saw it. Amidst her expression was a flicker of fear, and for the abbreviated of seconds he saw her eyes clouding again.

'' Kaylens ! '' He said sharply, dropping her hired man and grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking her suddenly trembling word form. `` Please ! Stay with me ! ''

Whether it was their strong-arm contact or his phonation, he would never know. But suddenly she had gained some sense of herself again, and she had hurtled herself against his chest, her entire signifier shaking like a leaf.

Harry had never felt more helpless in his biography.

And Snape just had to choose that exact minute to take the air in.

'' What do you consider you are doing now, Potter ? ``

If he was n't so desperate for help he might suffer hexed him. Instead his uprising of fury was suddenly quenched as a single thought permeated his panic-ridden mind.

Snape was a schoolmaster Occlumens.

Still clutching onto Kaylens as if his life depended on it, he met the Potion professional 's decisive gaze read/write head on.

'' Professor, I need your assistance. ``

Snape 's entire human face crinkled indifferently. `` Get off the floor Potter. I do n't have time for your game, '' He clipped, starting to sweep past them. Instead he paused mid-stride, eyeing them distastefully.

'' And do get rid of yourselves from here. Undoubtedly you are both choked up about that know-all ally of yours, but really Potter, such showing are not meant for public exhibition. ''

The Slytherin Head of House flipped his robes, practically striking them as he continued striding across the elbow room 's surface area towards another door. Harry 's jaw dropped, shock and rage mingling on his angry facial expression. `` Damn it this is not a joke ! '' He roared, watching Snape arrest. `` Kaylens needs help ! '' He squeezed his oculus shut, forcing himself to calm down. Where in the snake pit was Remus ?

'' prof, '' He finally ground out, as if the respectful condition pained him. `` This is not what you think. This is not a display. Something happened to Kaylens. someone injected her with unicorn blood line and I ... '' He plowed forth, ignoring the fact that he had not a semblance of a clue on how to explain the spot. `` I tried something on her. I used Legilimency to get into her judgment, to try and help, but ... ''

He hesitated, meeting Snape 's passionless formula. `` I created a wall, similar to the ones they teach beginners in Occlumency, to dissever her memories from the extraneous ones. But I 'm not sure it 's working. ''

His knifelike gaze locked onto the blank expression of his most hated Professor.

'' She needs helper. I need soul to reinforce the wall I made, and I sure as hell am not able of doing it. ``

Unreadable as he was, Snape did n't appear to be about to help. But he did n't make any boost attack to leave.

Running his hands through Kaylens'hair comfortingly, feeling her trembling slowly subsiding, he felt anger at Snape 's unresponsiveness begin to evoke.

Harry 's expression suddenly grew challenging. `` Now, '' He demanded, voice ablaze. `` Are you a master Occlumens or not ? ``

A flicker of pain in the neck crossed Snape 's face. `` Your endeavor to invoke to my ego and intimately nature are pitiful, thrower, considering that I am secure in one and miss the other. ``

His rip practically boiled.

'' Look, '' Harry spat, dropping all pretense of respectfulness. `` You hate me. I hate you. I get that. But this is n't about either of us, and I 'll be damned to admit this, but you are the only one here that can assist her at the moment. Hell, I 'll even give you a justify shot at me. Just service her. ``

Snape 's sass curled angrily, as if considering.

'' Follow me, '' The late Slytherin finally sneered, snapping a deal towards the far door.

Harry 's fist clenched as the man disappeared through the doorway, not bothering to wait around for an acknowledgement. Drawing a distort breather between his teeth he glanced down at Kaylens, and the tension drained out of him.

Her integral, mud-streaked boldness was crinkled in concentration. God ... she had been so wrapped up in trying to remain in her powerful mind that she had barely noticed the tense verbal spouting mates around her.

'' Hey, '' He murmured, a rough hand reaching out and cupping her chin, forcing her to face up at him. `` You still okay ? ''

Her oculus glittered with confusion, but she managed another nod.

He forced a smile. `` Try not to guard this against me, '' He whispered, standing up and scooping the startled girl into his coat of arms. `` But frankly I 'm not sure I trust your walking power at the moment. ``

She uttered not a sound, simply nodding resignedly, eyes half closed. He swallowed hard as her straits fell to rest against his shoulder, and he found himself carefully adverting his regard from her as he crossed the room quickly, kicking open the doorway 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 handwriting her over to the same cruel, vitriolic man whom had wreaked havoc on his own mind in the past times ?

He realized that he had very few options at the moment.

He slump down into the cushions, clutching her to him. Readjusting only slightly, so that her legs lay loosely draped over his own, with her head resting against his shoulder joint, he wound his implements of war protectively around her, sealing her in a vice hold that he was sure she would resist to if she felt up to speaking.

He did n't manage 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 straits down, burying it in the top of her messy head of hair. `` Let him do what he has to do. It 'll help, '' He reassured quietly, hoping he would not regret placing his faith in the astringent man 's abilities.

He pulled away only slightly, his weapons system still looped around her waistline, and her hazel tree colored eyes turned up, studying him intently.

'' How very touching. ``

Harry 's head jerked up, only to be greeted with Snape 's mocking sneer, and an formula that clearly told him to get the hell out of the way.

'' Move aside boy. ``

Harry 's eyes hardened, his clasp reflexively tightening around her. `` No. ``

Snape practically twitched. `` Insolent child, move. I will not be doing this with you in the way. ``

'' The last time I checked, '' He retorted, `` This only required eye touch. Even you taught me that much. And seeing as how I 'm not blocking you from that ... '' He let his acerb reply trail off.

With a growl Snape leaned forward, grabbing Kaylens chin and practically snapping her nous towards him.

The repressed urge to strike the man rose up, fury rifling through him at her distressed, appalled formula, but Snape 's wand was already drawn and aimed, an vivid spirit in his eyes.

'' Legilimens. ''

An eerily calm formula suddenly befell Kaylens'face, while Snape 's contorted into one of the utmost concentration.

Harry could only wait.

He dropped his point back against the wall, heaving an exhausted suspiration.

The granddad clock chimed. Kaylens'skin grew cold to the hint. Snape 's shadow, frightening eye bored into her widely, doe-like ones.

He watched the clock

XII minutes and thirty-three bit later, Lupin still had not returned.

But his two still familiar did.

Kally jerked, almost violently backwards, her back hitting the armrest of the couch. Harry barely managed to stop her head from smacking into the wall as she slid off of him.

Snape 's movements were not nearly so sudden.

Unnoticed to Harry the man rose from the base, a pale hand brushing complex number dirt from his robes. And then slowly, almost methodically, the man 's fingers tightened challengingly around his wand, his knuckles turning white with the pressure.

It took Harry a second base to comment the man 's penetrating regard, but when he did an unsettle sentiency overtook him.

The Potions Master was looking at him, a strange tone in his eyes.

Fear.
* * * * *


Blue-green eyes appraised the rather full phase of the moon waiting elbow room of the Adelaide and Meath Hospital 's pinch room.

'' sodomist. ``

'' Father, this is for your own good. ``

'' Could n't this wait until Mon ? '' He ventured, trying to plead to his son 's better aesthesia as his middle took in the mass of mass. `` By the metre we finish waiting in product line it 'll be tomorrow and the physician 's office will be open anyways. Is this really where you want to spend your Dominicus ? ``

The man turned around to discover his eldest son 's eyes narrowed in reproach.

'' Church Father, you were coughing up a tempest at home and ... ''

'' It was just a small itch in my pharynx ... ''

Edward ignored him. `` Dad, you collapsed at the dinner party table from that small itch. ``

'' wellspring really, I was actually just choking on some of your mother 's cooking. It was positively unpalatable. reliable. ''

The boy arched his brow skeptically, clearly not buying this. `` Funny, considering how you were praising that Fish fish filet just before your lungs seized up. ``

The man groaned. `` Honestly, Prince Edward. Do you really think that I would criticize your mum 's cooking to her face ? ``

Yes. Wait for it. Ah, there it is.

His son was now full out laughing at him. Of line, he could hardly pick him. His married woman, James Meredith, could have been a chef had she wanted to. The woman had never cooked nor baked something sub par in her life.

But that was n't about to block up him from trying to get out of this cursed, congested waiting room.

'' Father, '' croaked out his son, `` Are n't you a bit old for harboring phobia of Dr. sojourn ? ``

He grunted in response, racking his pounding head for another apology. Honestly, he really thought that his kin was overreacting. His lymph nodes might be swollen, and indeed his head was pounding as if Xerxes himself were waging a humble war with his neurons. But really all he needed was a practiced night 's rest.

Perhaps he could blame the coughing fit and his wheezing on having tried some cigaret while fishing that morning. Of course, Meredith would give birth his hide skinned and filleted before he would even have a chance to call for help ...

The man was caught unaware when his son rather abruptly shoved him into a wheelchair.

'' Edward VII ... `` He hissed gruffly, only for his threat to fall down on deaf auricle as Prince Edward bypassed the main line, shoving him to the endorse check-in window reserved for those experiencing either chest annoyance or curtness of breath.

And it was then that the racking cough again shook him, the knife-like nuisance attacking as if the Grim Reaper himself were holding the blade. He clutched onto the wheelchair 's arms, gritting his teeth, an acidy suntan working its way up his pharynx.

A painful stab began in his chest, sending his body jack-knifing forward, nearly out the chair. A astute shout near him made him aware of the frenzy of activity that had begun beyond the check-in desk, and secure bridge player abruptly latched onto his shoulder, preventing him from falling side forward.

A foot guessing out, kicking the wheelchair 's brake into place with a metal click, and suddenly the rocking, swaying motion that he had not even realized to be going on ceased.

The bother in his breast dulled down to a ho-hum burning, and his paw flew to his rima oris, feeling the phlegm expelling with the next shuddering gasp.

He coughed once, twice more, before leaning gratefully forward onto his son 's articulatio humeri, gasping for air.

It was then that he noticed the man in the white lab coating kneeling next to him, and it dawned on him that the common cold, alloy feeling on his back was the stethoscope, which the doctor had already managed to drop away beneath the back of his shirt.

touch sensation winded, he looked at the physician 's refer fount, and forced a frail smiling. `` Well, '' He gasped wryly. `` I think it 's dependable to say, that I am short of hint. ``
* * * * *


Lupin bowled into the elbow room, Dumbledore in tow. The emphatic thumping of the door flying surface and slamming against the paries effectively causing Snape 's white-knuckled grip on his verge to loosen.

Harry 's gaze snapped to where Remus stood, asking him what had happened.

He barely heard him, suddenly feeling so, so incredibly dazed. In his despair to obtain help he had failed to be affected role, ineffective to wait for lupine 's restitution. And it only now occurred to him why it had taken the werewolf so long.

It would never have occurred to Remus to own gone to the nearest Master Occlumens for service. The trust between the old Marauder and Snivellus was nonexistent, so there was no way in hell that lupin would hold trusted the man to delve into Kally 's idea.

So he had gone for Dumbeldore.

Harry already felt like an idiot. Snape simply seized the moment to express his agreement.

'' ceramicist 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 eyes studied Kalliandra, compassion and curiosity mingling together on his line human face, before turning his kindly gaze to Harry. And then, finally, his spectacled gaze locked with Severus Snape's.

A strange silence filled the room as the two became locked in a pure match. It took Harry only a present moment to make what they were doing.

They were communicating through Legilimency, the two Edgar Lee Masters exchanging all of the information about the situation that they needed to know.

Remus seized the moment of secrecy, kneeling in presence of where he and Kaylens lay tangled up. `` Harry, '' He began quietly, so as not to break up the two. `` Please tell me you did n't let him ... ''

Harry grimaced. `` I did. ``

The werewolf released an browned off suspiration, fixing Harry with an annoyed 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 copy Occlumens, '' He argued, feeling almost dirty at having just defended Snape. `` I would n't willingly let someone to hurt her. ``

A flash of amusement temporarily replaced the critical face on Remus'case. `` This coming from the soul who personally removed quite a bit of her whisker, in what Crusantheus assured me was a full-out brawl in the Headmaster 's government agency. ``

Harry cringed. `` You heard about that, huh ? '' He asked sheepishly, glancing to where Kalliandra lay, looking for all the universe as if she were sleeping.

Remus followed his gaze. `` Hermione actually wrote me about that. Something about wanting me to spill the beans some sense into the both of you. Personally, I 'm still trying to see out how she knew I was tutoring Kalliandra in the first shoes. ``

'' 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 need of a cut ? ``

Lupin sent him a withering glare. `` Of all the things to inherit, you had to get your father 's cheek. ``

'' I did n't realize 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 biting. ``

'' So I 'm bitterly. Can you find fault me ? ``

Moony 's verbal expression softened considerably. `` No, Harry. I can not. ''

Abruptly Lupin 's aid turned firmly to Kaylens, his interested look returning full moon force. Harry simply watched as Remus reached out, carefully brushing a lock of her persistently tangled hairsbreadth away from her human face, studying her like a bear on father.

Remus paused, as if considering something. `` Well, '' He finally commented, `` You two certainly look uncomfortable. ''

Despite himself, he nearly laughed at the absurdity of the statement. 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 want to risk incurring her anger by waking her, now would I ? ``

Nevertheless he found himself adjusting, to the compass 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 hazard.

The two Occlumens in the elbow room had started blinking again, their central, apparently, complete.

'' As I said, Potter could n't possibly let done this, '' Snape restated, ignoring the questioning tone lupine was throwing at all of them.

Kally chose that moment to let out a sleepy murmur, stirring in her sleep. And somehow that minuscule phone of hers reawakened Harry 's fear that he had somehow harmed her judgment in his attempt to serve her in the first home.

'' I did n't hurt her, did I ? '' He blurted out, earning a precipitous stare from Remus.

Fortunately Dumbledore responded quickly.

'' No, Harry. You did not. ``

Snape let out a sound not unlike that of an angry cat. `` Albus, '' He disrupted, clearly in disagreement with the Headmaster 's acceptance that Harry had, indeed, constructed the genial barrier. `` The level of proficiency in Occlumency that one would have to possess to stimulate done this would be staggering. There is no possible way that Potter could take done this. '' Snape hesitated. `` I 'm not even sure as shooting that I could have 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 verbalize, his dark middle swiveling to Harry instead. `` I do n't bonk what you are playing at Potter, '' He snapped heatedly. `` But you did not do this to this girl. ``

Harry 's eyes narrowed, a slow burning at the stake anger growing at the Potion Master 's stubborn refusal to trust him capable of anything.

The greasy haired man 's regard grew more challenging. `` Who really constructed that barrier, Potter ? ``

Harry 's tooth clenched. `` I did, '' He ground out.

'' liar ! ``

Dumbledore rose a placating hand. `` Now Severus, lets not be overhasty. Harry has been under my tutelage since the scratch line of term, and he has improved greatly. Particularly in regards to his ability to manufacture genial barriers. ``

'' No one improves that much in so short a sentence. Especially, '' He bit out, gesticulating in Harry 's commission, `` Not such an bungling fry ! ``

Harry 's eyes hardened. `` Like you would know, considering you 're the one who refused to teach me. ``

'' You are impossible to teach ceramicist. ``

'' Perhaps if you were capable of dropping subaltern school day grudges I would n't be. ``

'' You are just like your begetter, '' Snape practically growled.

'' I would n't have intercourse, '' He spat matter-of-factly. `` Perhaps you could share floor sometimes. Reminisce about having your undergarments placed on public exhibition. ''

Remus snorted.

'' Harry, that was uncalled for, '' Dumbledore admonished.

Harry bit back a jape. `` Considering everything he 's put me through over the years I highly doubt that. ``

Snape 's normally controlled lineament twisted into something livid. `` How daring you speak to the Headmaster with such disrespect ... ''

'' I respect the schoolmaster tidy sum, '' Harry snapped. `` It 's you that I have no respectfulness for. ''

'' Has it occurred to anyone that arguing will get us nowhere ? '' Remus interjected.

'' If ceramicist had n't blatantly displayed such a lack of decorum ... ''

'' decorousness ? '' Harry interrupted. `` This is n't your little division with all of its ludicrously anti-Gryffindor rules ! So forgive me if I do n't grovel at your ft to gain your approval ! ``

'' That is the net metre I ever help you, you ungrateful ... ''

'' YOU DID N'T facilitate ME ! YOU HELPED HER ! '' Harry screamed, launching himself off of the couch and to his feet. It was only Remus'quick unconditioned reflex that kept Kally from tumbling with him.

Grunting in botheration, Remus turned to Dumbledore. `` Do you get the feeling that this argument was a hanker time coming ? ``

Dumbledore nodded. `` Why do you think I 'm letting them contain on ? ``

Harry and Snape remained oblivious to the telephone exchange, the latter suddenly looked unbelievably smug. `` That 's funny potter, I do n't recall telling you that I helped her at all. derive to think of it, all I did was take a look at that roadblock. I must admit though, she does have some rather interesting late memories ... ''

Harry 's eyes took on a godforsaken look. `` That has nothing to do with ... ''

'' You 're right. But this has everything to do with your unfitness to respect your betters and to pursue the rules. ``

Harry snorted. `` funny, considering you 're the one who 's always saying how the formula prescript do n't apply to me. ``

'' No you idiot boy ! I 'm always telling you how arrogant you are to think that the pattern principle do n't apply to you. ``

'' Considering I 'm the one who has to off safe ole'Riddle for everyone you 'd break hope the rules do n't apply to me. Otherwise next clip the killing expletive might actually work. ``

Snape scowled dangerously. `` Ill see if it works, '' He hissed, fingering his wand.

'' ENOUGH ! ``

Harry 's back talk snapped shut, his retort lodging uncomfortably in his pharynx.

Outside, in the independent entrance anteroom, 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 accord with Lupin. `` From what you 've shown me, it looks like all that was done was a interval of Ms. Kaylens'memories from the unicorn's, and that is all. ``

'' That 's all ? '' Snape responded edgily, his ira apparently undiluted despite the sudden modification of subject. `` You make it sound as childlike as identifying one specie from the other. ``

Dumbledore shrugged, looking at Harry with a sudden fit of pride twinkling in his eyes. `` It 's on-key, that what Harry did require a high stage of acquirement in the field. But I think if you really think about it Severus, you 'll find that Harry was Thomas More than capable of having accomplished this. ``

Severus snorted.

'' After all, Severus, all Harry really did was construct a bulwark inside of her mind ... ''

'' Not just a paries, Albus. It was a perfect wall. ``

Harry could n't aid himself. `` perfect ? It was full of golf hole ! I thought the matter was about to break down ! ``

'' You mean to say that you were attempting to create a unbending structure ? ``

'' Yes, '' He hissed. `` Now will someone please explain what he meant by perfect ? ''

'' Will mortal please explain what wall we are talking about ? ``

Again everyone ignored Remus'try to extract what was going on from them.

'' potter, '' Snape drawled, as if talking to a particularly slow pupil. `` Had a unbending rampart been constructed, there would feature been a complete legal separation of the two sets of retentiveness in the girl 's brain. ``

'' Yes, I get that, '' Harry snapped, feeling frustrated. `` That 's what I was going for. ``

Snape 's dark, greasy eyebrows arched up. `` Even a stiff wall would give eventually crumbled, and when that happened it would have been consanguineal to releasing a head gate of alien retentivity in her idea. So the impression would birth been the same as it was initially. ``

'' Meaning ? ``

Snape practically rolled his eyes. `` She would have gone insane again. I know this point of conversing is a bit of a strain on your mental quickness, but please, do try and retain up. ``

'' That 'll be enough, Severus, '' interjected Dumbledore. `` What he means to say, Harry, is that a frail barrier with holes will let the foreign memories to skid into her mind a few at a meter. It 'll grant her to become slowly acclimated to the new remembering, as opposed to her being forced to oversee them all at once. Now I imagine the task of sorting through everything will be rather draining on her ... ''

Snape snorted. The schoolmaster ignored him.

'' But in a few hours she should birth a somewhat solid grasp on what memories are hers, and what are not. ``

'' A few hours ? `` Harry would trust Dumbledore with his life, but somehow this seemed far too well-off. He would deliver thought cramming a life worth of memories into a new capitulum would take far longer.

Suddenly the Headmaster smiled. `` Ms. Kaylens has been rather fortunate to have been given the blood of a relatively young unicorn, Harry. In fact, the animate being is barely older than her. For the next few hebdomad she 'll gradually derive more and to a greater extent of its computer memory, but the high-risk should be over relatively soon. ``

"How can you sleep together how old it was ?"

"Is, Harry. Just because the unicorn's blood was taken does not imply that it was killed. And one of its latter store had already slipped through your conception. So Severus was able to see it, and passport that information on to me. She's actually gotten very lucky."

Despite this reassurance, he was still uneasy. `` And what happens when that wall I made completely breaks down ? ``

'' A slight headache, I would ideate. Nothing Thomas More. ``

'' But ... ''

'' For the sexual love of Falco columbarius ! She 'll already be acclimated to the memories Potter ! '' Snape practically shouted, apparently unable to moderate himself any longer. `` Your small girl will be o.k. ! ``

Harry balked. `` She 's not ... ''

Snape waved him off dismissively. `` Like I care. ``

Dumbledore casually flicked his wand in their steering, silencing them both. Harry gaped like a Pisces the Fishes, noticing Snape doing the same.

Dumbledore let nothing display on his face, but simply turned to where Remus and Kaylens still sat.

'' Remus, as concern as this verbal ruffle has been, I think that the best affair for Ms.Kaylens, at the moment, is rest. ``

lupine looking rather like a worried Fatherhood, nodded his acquiescence. And before Harry could even protest, Moony had scooped the lady friend up in his arms.

fix Harry with a designate stare, Remus inclined his nous as he left. `` She 'll be in the elbow room Hermione and Ginny used. ``

Snape, apparently having unsilenced himself, let out a derisive jeering that bore a foreign resemblance to the give-and-take `` I 'm so sure. ``

It was only after that they had left the room, that Dumbledore 's expression grew far more life-threatening.

'' Harry, '' He stated seriously. `` I think it 's time you explained exactly what happened with Angelina. ``
* * * * *

'' VHERE IS SHE ! ? ! ? ``

The man 's voice rose furiously, awakening her from her Crucio-induced slumber with a start.

Her dark eyes snapped loose, her unfocussed gaze shooting uselessly around the pitch-black room.

She had been left in complete and total darkness, unable to discern even a single contingent of her environs. The cold, silk sheet beneath her were the only clue she had to suggest that she remained in the like room as before.

Only now she was mercifully alone, with only the tarriance, bone-deep pain sensation of the impose bane for company.

An unsettling feeling of futility settled firmly within her breast, but she would not, could not, lose hope. Instead her declaration strengthened, and she forced herself to listen very carefully.

Outside in the Asaph Hall two people were arguing fiercely, their demand word muffled, though every so often the one would rise about the early, a dangerous greenback in his accented speech.

Her supercilium creased fretfully, anxiety filling her. There was something very familiar spirit about that interpreter. Something her well-informed mind screamed she should induce been able to recognize instantly.

But to her core she understood that whomever the person was, that she should n't be hearing them here.

Not in a place where only decease Eaters roamed freely.

An icy foreboding flooded her mineral vein ...

The door to her room suddenly flew opened, a blanket shouldered man forcing his way in, his silhouette shadowed by the anteroom 's firelight.

It felt as if someone were suddenly choking her, an agonizing chill overtaking her in a way that the Cruciatus curse would never be able to touch.

The man 's defined jaw line of work, one so very associate to her, was set firmly.

A heart-wrenching betrayal ripped through her, snatching her warmness in its vice grip as she watched his mouthpiece undefended, forming the words she had once loved to hear.

'' Hermy-owh-ninny. ``







Author's Note :

starting time, I just wanted to say thank you to Andrew for having helped me out so much with this chapter. He has not only beta-read the last few chapters, but has also helped me to fine-tune them to stimulate them promiscuous to read.

Secondly, I wanted to apologize about having taken so long between chapters over the by yr. 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 calendar week is definitely a deadline that I can conform to, considering that I used to post day by day chapters for the Quizilla version of this. Of course, those were only about 2500 Word a piece, but nevertheless I figure once every two calendar week or so should work out well. Again, I am really meritless about having taken such lengthy prisonbreak this by year. matter were very busy and honestly I just needed to really recharge. give thanks you all for having stuck around though ! Chapter 31 is being worked on presently, so bear it in about two hebdomad.

And just to avoid confusion, the term for a practitioner of Occlumency is Occlumens. For some reason in the jolting bill of exchange of this I had a lot of citizenry trying to discipline me on that.

Recommended Story :

And the Greatest of These ... by Edward VI Ollivander
Rating : 12+ condition : WIP - 24 chapters

In the aftermath of Dumbledore 's decease Harry is consumed with a burning desire to carry out one thing : Defeat Voldemort, by any means requirement. As he sets out to destroy not only the baddie himself, but also the awe that has the wizarding world 's core in a frailty grip, he has to change the way he sees the world around him, as well as the way he functions within it. Now, as he prepares for the net battle, he becomes the one matter the wizarding populace needs : hope. Harry/Ginny pairing.