Harry Potter and The Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 6 - Too close an brush

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When Harry shut the door to his room and descended the stair he was, perhaps, the happiest he had ever been in all his life story. The sun sent gilt shaft streaking through the coloured windowpane above and cast a golden image on the level below, tinged with enough red to pull in Harry think fleetingly of Guy Fawkes. His hair a convoluted mess, he was wearing a T-shirt, packer and socks, one with a rather large hole through which the large toe on his right foot protruded. He scratched his stomach as his nose took in the perfume of something that resembled the smelling of burning ham. He took one step down and turned to wait back at his room. His room ? His theater ? No, not really. Not anymore. And he was thankful for that and smiled all the more as the olfactory property of sweet chocolate filled the air, perhaps the entirely thing Sirius could devise properly.

When he pushed open the doors to the kitchen of act twelve, Grimmauld position, he found Canicula working feverishly in front of the stove. His scepter was casting spell after spell, not so much at the solid food prep, but in an effort to clear the sess that was billowing throughout. Harry walked over and turned down the fire with a waving of his hand.

"Here,"he said gently,"let me help."His godfather looked wounded.

"No, really, I wanted to spend a penny you breakfast. You know, firstly day of school and all."He cracked an egg and put both liquidity and scale in the same bowl and started mixing it with his wand. Harry chuckled kindly and shake off his head in incredulity. It was outstanding being free of Privet crusade, to be here with his godfather, to feel want and appreciated. It was probably the first clock time he had ever opened a package of bacon for breakfast without a off-key sense of taste in his mouthpiece. He gave Sirius a look that said,"Get real,"and then positioned himself squarely in front line of the stove.

"I'm not bad at this,"offered Harry, cracking four ballock at once into a bowl and discarding the shells with a motion picture of his wand. Sirius shrugged and started to sit, but Harry stopped him."Oh no you don't. You need to see how this is done, and when I come back for Christmas it'll be your turn."Sirius seemed to like the challenge, and the estimation that he would be spending Christmas with Harry.

"You know,"said Sirius pouring two cups of coffee berry,"I hear New York is outstanding at Yuletide time. Have you ever been to the States ?"Harry shook his oral sex."Maybe we could go for a quick visit."

"I promised Gabri—"

"Visit,"Sothis cut in."That's all. Maybe Gab can make out along."

"If we're not at war,"said Harry glumly.

"Or if the war's over by then,"suggested Sirius with More optimism. Harry nodded plating the intellectual nourishment and levitating the photographic plate to the table.

Sothis ate like a dog and finished in about three minutes. Harry was more pensive, and while he did finish, it took him much longer. The nicest matter about being of age was that he didn't have to take the air or take a car to go to big businessman's crossbreeding place. For that matter, he didn't need to go to King's Cross at all ; he could Apparate to Hogsmeade and walking in from there. Only the top dog Boy and oral sex young woman had to use up the train with their housemates, and this class the Head Girl was none other than Hermione granger. Odd, Harry thought, considering she'd nearly killed Theodore Nott go twelvemonth. He smiled and took another sip of coffee. Hermione didn't know who the top dog Boy was, but it wasn't Ron. Still, the redhead and his girlfriend were inseparable and so Harry would be travelling too. When Harry told Gabriella he would be going to Hogwarts by train, her face fell momentarily and grew concerned.

"Then I go as well,"she declared, and she began to shiver slightly. The thought sent a common cold frisson down Harry's spine as the affectionate coffee slipped down his throat.

"Any More bacon ?"asked Dog Star rummaging through the crusted pans about the stove.

"That black stuff you fried up over there on the position is bacon ; at least it used to be."

Sothis poked at it a few times, and then finally took a bite. His nerve took on a slight bitterness shade as it scrunched ever so slightly, then he took another bite, shrugging his shoulders. His tooth and tongue covered in wood coal he said,"You'd near get quick. Is your trunk packed ?"He glanced at the hourglass on the counter.

"Er… yeah,"Harry lied."Just a few more things."He levitated his home to the sump which was piled in high spirits with pots and goat god from the finis few days."Do you want me to pack precaution of these before I—"

"I'll take concern of it,"Sirius lied."Go get yourself ready."Harry shrugged and nodded his head, and started up the steps, once again scratching his belly and knowing full moon well it would be days, perhaps weeks, before the sink was cleared.

It was strange really, getting set up for his last year at Hogwarts. So often he was rushed in the hustle and bustle of the Weasley family. This class, however, Harry wanted to be with his own family — Sothis Black person. And it was the full decisiveness he'd ever made. It had only been a few days, but in that dead sentence Sirius and Harry did absolutely… nothing. There were opportunities to talk about the old solar day when Sothis palled around with Jesse James ; there were chances to practice advanced while or learn the operation of some of the golden legal document that still lined the paries in the Black family study ; there were times when they could experience discussed how Harry brought Sirius back from behind the curtain ; and at every bout, at every open door, Harry and Sirius simply took the sentence to enjoy each former in the here and now. They played chess ; the played cards ; they raced Caduceuses across the Jack London sky at dark ; they drank, probably too often ; and they laughed more than they had laughed in a long, long prison term. Sirius'eyes had never been brighter, and Harry's heart had never been lighter.

This time when Harry readied himself at the front door to give, there was no moody cloud hanging over their heads, but rather an eager turmoil about the year to issue forth and what it would bestow. They drew strong suit from each other knowing that whatever war was around the corner, whatever darkness rose on the skyline, they would look it together. For a moment they just stared at each early and around the room.

"Er… Right then,"began Sirius."Off you go."He nervously patted the face of his articulatio coxae with his hands.

"I'll… I'll owl you when I get in,"replied Harry. Sirius nodded. Silence."rightfield, then."There was another long interruption."Bloody nether region,"Harry cursed and he walked over and pulled Sirius to him tightly with a grand hug. Canicula responded in kind.

They held each other for More than a instant and then Sirius whispered in a somewhat raspy voice,"Be careful."Harry pulled away wearing an tremendous smile.

"I've never been anything but !"He winked, there was a pass, and he was gone.

He Apparated to an out of the way position just down the street from King's Cross place and began walking. The late morning was clear, and he was surprised to find the air so inhuman. He'd been spending so often time inside with Sirius he hadn't thought much about the conditions. His coat was in his torso, and he didn't palpate much like opening that in the middle of a street filled with Muggles. He shivered, rubbed his arms, and continued on his way. He was coming to the first footfall of the place when a beggar boldly stepped in front of him demanding a donation. Wearing a good three twenty-four hours'husk, his clothes were filthy, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol.

"cum on, mate,"he wheezed."Just a pound fer me condition. I ain't eatin'in days."

"Sorry,"said Harry earnestly,"I don't have a pound."

"Surely a schilling ?"

Harry kept walking trying to ignore the intruder."Really,"he said over his shoulder,"I don't have any money."The man grabbed Harry by the arm.

"I can take heed the jangle in yer drawers, boy !"It was true that Harry had a few galleons in his air hole, but no Muggle money of any variety. He was sorry for that, but he was irritated for being called a boy and he turned to face the beggar.

"call option me a boy again, and you—"

"You'll what !"spat the sot, stepping toe-to-toe with Harry. The sight was a bit amusing since Harry was not the belittled child he once was. Indeed he was a lash young man, and he stood a in effect four in taller than his resister. Curling the finger on his right hand, he was about to say just what he'd do when a familiar tingling ran up his spine. He grabbed for his wand, but too late. Or at least it would give been if he had been the target. The drunk stood motionless, eye glazed, organic structure frozen in spatial relation. Harry looked up just as a hand gently took him by the arm.

"Sorry about that, sir,"said a young man not practically honest-to-goodness than Harry."I… er… I wasn't paying care. Won't happen again, I promise."

The man, still in his stripling, wore a non-white grey suit with thin Amytal piping, a Burgundy wine tie and white shirt. The glowering methamphetamine hydrochloride reminded Harry of old James Bond pic, but the white tennis brake shoe with red laces told Harry at once he was dealing with a sorcerer. Then he noticed the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe of the jaw, the voice, but the hair—

"Finnius ?"Harry asked, wondering if he was talking to the former Head Boy of Hufflepuff who at graduation had a kickoff at a beard and hair that hung down to his shank."I thought you were going to start a band ? The… er, The Grindly toilet ?"

"Erm,"said Finnius, looking around nervously,"can we go along going ?"

"Why ? What's the topic ?"

"Well… see, I'm supposed to—"

"Not you ?"Harry exclaimed in skepticism."Surely the Ministry—"

Finnius pulled Harry by the arm just as the drunk began to get along to his senses. Quickly, they climbed the pace and found themselves in a sea of the great unwashed heading to their weapons platform at King's crossbreed. sweating was popping out on Finnius'forehead and Harry wondered if he hadn't wet himself he looked so nervous."It's just… well, I promised Tonks and already I've made a batch of things."

"You work with Tonks ?"Harry asked with a bit more upheaval and stake. He hadn't heard from her all summer, and she wasn't at the Joining with Singehorn."Is she okay ? Where is she ?"Finnius continued to usher Harry toward chopine nine and three-quarters holding Harry with his mightily helping hand and wiping his supercilium with his left.

"Yeah, well, she's the one that convinced me I could be an Auror. Said she'd train me, see… herself. But since that business at the Ministry survive year, she's been in and out of hospital and… well, now she's in and… fountainhead, she made me promise. See ?"

Harry didn't see, and he was getting a bit bother. He yanked his arm out of Finnius'grip."What do you mean she's in hospital ? What's incorrect ?"Finnius looked away from Harry's intense gaze.

"Ah, here we are."They were at the platform."Just in metre too !"Before Harry could say another word, Finnius gave him a bit of a shove and he plunged through the bulwark and found himself on the former side standing just in front of the Hogwarts Express. Harry dropped his trunk, reached for his wand and started back toward the wall when he was tackled from the side. The flash bulb of raven black hair in his face told him at once it was Gabriella.

"You made it !"she cried."I was beginning to think—"She stopped, sensing at once that Harry's emotions were in turmoil."What's wrong ?"And then she too looked at the wall to the exterior existence."Who's out there ?"

The thwarting on Harry's face was solve ; he was about to blame back out when his centre caught something he had never before seen : Neville Longbottom was hugging his parents, Frank and Alice, good-bye. Alice held his face in her hands and planted a big wet buss on his cheek. They were all smiling as Neville wiped it with his sleeve. Then Frank Longbottom handed his son something and, as Neville wrapped his digit about the object, a more life-threatening look came into his middle. His dad slapped him on the articulatio humeri and a reduce smiling appeared again as Neville boarded the train.

"He's top dog Boy,"Gabriella said warmly.

Harry looked at Gabriella, then at the wall behind, and back to the gearing, then back to the wall."seed on, let's—"

"ALL ABOARD !"the conductor called.

"Dean said he'd save us a spot,"said Gabriella, taking hold of Harry's handwriting. Harry took one last flavour at the wall behind them, and then the two boarded the train. The corridor was crowded with students, particularly first old age who were completely confused. What was noticeable, however, was that the pattern demarcation of planetary house geographical zone seemed to be somewhat smear. There were Slytherins purposefully mixing in with Ravenclaws near the figurehead of the train, and a group of third base year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors in another equipage playing snap. A few cars down Harry just caught a glimpse of someone in Gryffindor vest disappearing into a baby carriage and so he and Gabriella followed. He pushed open the coach door only to walk in on Neville and Helen kissing ; a sweet-scented fragrance filling the air.

"Oh,"said Harry."Sorry."Neville had Helen up against the wall and there was some form of vine with delicate pinko flowers wrapping itself around her arm and abdomen. She was wearing a smile and blushing slightly."Er… seen dean ?"Neville who seemed about three in taller than when Harry last saw him which was only a few weeks ago spoke through a beaming smile.

"Yeah, he's up forward."Then, with a positive flick of his wand Neville shut the door in Harry's look, following that with a charm that sealed it tight. Gabriella just raised her supercilium and smiled.

"See what happens when you're late."She smacked Harry's stomach."That could have been us !"

They continued moving forward past various carriages when the New York minute of red hair caught Harry's eye. It was Ron, and he was bickering with Hermione. The base of the bearing they were in was littered with clothes, book and various matter Harry knew to be Ron's, most notably by the overabundance of socks.

"Honestly, Ronald,"said Hermione in a scolding voice as if talking to a four year old."If you don't receive it soon you'll have to tell professor Flitwick, and if you won't I will."

"Is that a menace ?"shot back Ron, holding both hands on his hips and kicking at the pile of apparel on the floor. Gabriella walked in first.

"Is there something wrong ?"she asked gently, Harry only a whole tone behind her.

"No, goose egg's wrong,"snapped Ron immediately."Er… hey, checkmate !"he said with a undulation at Harry.

"He's lost his wand,"exclaimed Hermione.

"I haven't lost anything,"retorted Ron in defiance."I've just… er…"

"Have you tried summoning it ?"asked Harry, starting to rummage through the clothes on the carriage trading floor. The steeled looking of fire in Ron's eyes said that they had certainly tried that and many other things and would beset just not arrive at any other suggestions because Hermione has already made every possible suggestion known in the Wizarding earthly concern and none of them have worked.

"Hermione,"said Gabriella with a tone that Harry had come to cognise all too well, and yet was still new to Hermione."Perhaps one of my Slytherin housemates is playing a john, most likely Teddy. Would you connect me and perhaps together we can resolve this little problem."Knowing Hermione's disposal toward Nott, Harry wondered if it was a Wise musical theme to put the two in close law of proximity, but Gabriella may have been on to something. Certainly Nott would have the motivation to pull a stunt like this, but perhaps Gabriella just wanted to get Hermione away from Ron for a bit. He smiled to himself realizing that it was probably both.

"Sure,"said Hermione. She cast one more look at Ron before she left and said,"And don't you stop looking !"The moment the young woman departed, Ron flopped down on the carriage work bench and blew the hair out of his eyes.

"Bloody hell."

"wellspring, Fred or George can certainly get you a new wand,"offered Harry, sitting down across from Ron."Or maybe we can slip out this weekend and Apparate to Ollivanders."Unfortunately, Ron's face did not brighten at the suggestion.

"face at us, Harry,"said Ron with a whimsical look on his brass, tinged with a bit of sullenness."We were here six long time ago, you and me. Do you commemorate ?"

There was a moment of muteness as Harry watched the countryside slip by. It wasn't the same train as six years ago, but it might as well let been.

"Yeah,"said Harry, almost in a whisper as he nodded his school principal,"I remember."

"Things haven't changed much."

"They've changed loads."Harry reached forward and pulled on the little goatee now sprouting from Ron's chin.

"Really ?"asked Ron with a snicker."Back then you were Harry thrower, The Boy Who Lived, and I was Ron Weasley with a smudge of malicious gossip on my nose."

"That's not—"

"Now we're both of age and you're Harry Potter, shielder, Guardian and Emissary, the whizz that destroyed Voldemort and brought peace with the giants, and I'm Ron Weasley the kid that can't obtain his BLOODY WAND !"At the final stage words he stood up, kicked at the bulwark, and put his boot all the way through.

Harry was trying to rally something to say when the room access began to give. Angry, Ron instinctively reached for his wand to slam the door shut, but it wasn't there. He growled like a social lion and was about to physically slam dance the door shut when Saint Patrick O'Riley, now in his sec year, poked his head teacher through.

"Was that you, Ron ?"asked Patrick brightly, nodding his heading toward the hole that now protruded into the corridor. Then he noticed Harry."Hey, Harry ! Dean said you were going to be up in his carriage."

"Later,"answered Harry."Right now I'm just—"

"St. Patrick,"cut in Ron, doing his best to remain calm,"we don't have time to—"

"Prob'ly mad ‘ bout losin'this,"interrupted Saint Patrick, and he held up Ron's wand. For a here and now Ron sputtered, unable to speak. Finally, he grabbed the wand and pulled it close, cradling it like a baby as a wave of relief passed over his body.

"Where'd you find it ?"asked Harry.

"Oh, I didn't,"said Patrick,"James did. When he showed it teh me, I knew at once whose it was. He was on his way teh take it teh Flitwick, but I told him I'd get it teh yeh."

"Er… thanks,"answered Ron."You're OK, kid."At in conclusion Ron smiled as he slipped his verge away.

"Why don't you and King James I stay in here,"offered Harry."I haven't heard from the Chang Jiang all summer and was wondering how Cho was doing."At these watchword, Saint Patrick became noticeably uncomfortable.

"Gee, Harry,"he answered, looking back down the corridor,"we're already hangin'out with the Slytherins."

"Slytherins ?"asked Harry."I thought Henry James was going to originate Gryffindor this class. He knows he can peck whatever house he wants doesn't he ?"

"Yeah, well, he changed his mind o'er the summer, I guess."Again he glanced nervously down the hallway."Well… see yeh !"He smiled and disappeared down the corridor to the cover of the train.

"That was a bit odd,"said Ron, sweeping away a few duo of wind cone with his hand and sitting down on the bench.

"Yeah, it was."

"Why on earth would anybody choose Slytherin over Gryffindor ? Everyone knows they're nothing but a bunch up of—"

"Yes ?"Gabriella stood at the open door, her fingers drumming against the frame.

"Er…."

"…Sweethearts !"chimed Hermione gaily as she stepped into the pram with Gabriella."Except maybe… Teddy."She flopped down adjacent to Ron.

"He didn't take it too well when we asked if he'd stolen Ron's wand,"continued Gabriella as she sat next to Harry. Hermione took Ron's manus and pulled him close up to her.

"No, but he didn't dare use a cross discussion or raise his voice,"said Hermione."Quite the man for a change."

"existence nearly killed can do that to some hoi polloi,"said Ron.

"I could smell out right away he was telling the true statement,"said Gabriella,"so we decided to come back. Patrick told us he found your wand."

"No, James Chang found it,"said Harry."Saint Patrick only returned it. Did he tell you that James has decided to go with Slytherin this class ?"

"There, you see !"said Gabriella,"Another hunky-dory example. James was one of the in force for the first time yr scholar as I recall."Ron pulled out his wand and looked at it closely.

"I should probably have it examined,"he said."Maybe Nott put him up to it."

"Oh, don't be idiotic,"said Hermione, slapping his paw. Then she turned to Harry, trying voiceless to ignore the mickle on the floor."So how's Dog Star doing at Grimmauld station ?"

The hours passed quickly as dejeuner came and the latterly good afternoon brought drooping eyelids to everyone. James Dean never made his way back to the carriage, and they never endeavoured to make a motion further up the train. They were all nodding off to slumber when the gearing began to slow.

"Hogsmeade ?"asked Ron groggily. The midday sun seemed suddenly to melt to darkness as if someone had just pulled down the curtain.

"No,"said Hermione with a bit of concern."It's too early."They all noticed the last word leave her lip in a comforter of heater -- the air was growing colder by the moment. They knew at once what was happening and each had their scepter at the gear up. The darkness outside the gearing filled with trice of light. Ministry guards had moved out to match the onslaught which was centred toward the front of the train. Incantations filled the air as Patronus after Patronus was being sent out against the attacking Dementors. There were riot all up and down the corridors, mostly from the vernal students.

"Ron,"said Hermione with a overtop articulation."Help me gather the first years."Ron was up in a flash, and a moment later his voice was barking orders down the corridor for everyone to stay on lull, calling for the first days to rally at the galley. bookman began to move toward the rump of the power train, away from the fighting.

"They're looking for you, Harry,"said Gabriella, holding her wand at the window. She cast a spell at the glass, protecting it from attack, just as other windows began to shatter about the train.

"well they're about to feel me !"shot Harry as he started for the doorway. Gabriella grabbed his arm.

"You can't be serious. Who knows how many are out there. Your best using the train as a—"The train lurched forward causing corporate howler all up and down the corridor. Then it began to move -- chug… choo-choo… chug… choo-choo… She was quickly gathering speed. There was another flurry of bright white flashes of alight cast against the swarthiness, and the afternoon light suddenly reappeared and the warmth returned. Everyone cheered as the veil of darkness became nil Sir Thomas More than a dark swarm on the horizon behind the train.

A smell of stand-in ranch across Gabriella's face, but wickedness still remained in Harry's eyes as he reached and grabbed the wrist of the hired man that was holding his arm. Slowly, but firmly he pulled her hired hand away, and looked at her with a very grim expression. She sensed his emotions before he said the words and she didn't like what she was feeling. Finally, he spoke in a stern and heat voice.

"Don't EVER do that again."

"But—"

There was a scream that Harry knew at once to be Ginny's. In a flash he was out the room access and down the corridor, only a step ahead of Neville Longbottom, and two gradation behind Ron. Ginny was on her knees in the rig, intermit Methedrine everywhere and tears streaming down her optic. She grabbed her brother by his sleeve.

"Do something, Ron !"she cried out."They've taken him. They've taken doyen !"

"But… but he's right here, Gin"answered Ron, looking at Dean who was still seated on his chair, but looking out the window at the rural setting running past. It was Gabriella who noticed first.

"Oh, no,"she whispered, stepping yesteryear Harry and turning Dean to front them all. There was a collective gasp. Still breathing, his oculus were vacuous, his expression sunken, and his peel almost pale. He gave them no response at all. Ginny stood up and wrapped him in her arm, rocking him back and forth. On her finger was the phone James Dean had given her the yr before. The firestone with which it was set had lost its brainy glow, its attack, its dearest extinguished.

"They've taken him,"she cried again."They've taken his soul."




Harry Potter and the incumbrance of Becoming

Chapter 7 - The Lost someone

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Harry clenched his fists and spat,"Fucking war."Other than that, only the grumble of the railroad train and the wind whistling through the shattered window accompanied Ginny's shortness of breath. He stepped next to Gabriella and watched helplessly as Ginny, a soul match if ever he had one, rocked back and forth with James Dean in her sleeve. James Dean, breathing but lifeless, made no response. He might as well be a corpse - he'd be intimately off. Harry felt the rage building within, but something was tempering it, something was focusing it. He gazed into wind as smoke streamed by the broken window and a tear tracked down his cheek.

"Ginny,"Gabriella whispered, then louder,"Ginny."The redheaded woodpecker, her face wet, looked up at Gabriella."May I see him ?"Ginny sniffed, wiped her boldness and nodded silently. somebody, a miss, screamed at the door and then ran down the corridor shouting for help.

"I'll get a Healer,"said Neville despondently to Harry. His spokesperson was much older and much sadder than Harry had ever heard before. They both knew it was pointless.

"It won't do any serious,"sentiment Harry to himself, reaching for his baton and then nervously fiddling it with his fingers. Then, out loud, he whispered,"He's gone."The rage roiled in his mind as he watched the greens mound roll by - a picture perfect day. Finally, his intellect found its clarity."This was past forgiveness,"he thought to himself and his bridge player clenched tightly about his wand as he pulled it to the ready."I'll kill them ! I'll wipe out them all !"He would Apparate back down the tracks and destroy every Dementor that moved. He began the wrist movement when Gabriella grabbed his arm. His optic spud flak into hers."I told you—"he began.

"You're not thinking,"interrupted Gabriella, staring at him intently with disconsolate dark eyes that demanded he not be so nervy.

"I don't give care how many of them there are !"cried Harry.

"I'm with you, Harry !"yelled Ron."We'll kill ‘ em all !"

"YEAH !"cried others."LET'S GO !"

Wands began to look from everyone.

"Harry !"nip Gabriella."THINK !"She pulled him close."You know a better way !"

Harry's mind began to race ; there was no time for this. The Isidor Feinstein Stone ? Was she talking about the gemstone ? Certainly she didn't mean that he could mend James Byron Dean's psyche using the stone."I don't have time—"

"Your voices, Harry,"she said softly but with a incisive tone.

Voices ? articulation ! She couldn't be serious. She had wanted to work with him on the representative, the gifts of those who had touched him at the joining, but he chose instead to drop his metre with Sirius. All those present at the Joining on Singehorn's mountain were, in assorted ways, a part of him now. They had shared of themselves freely, but there were so many he couldn't sort them out and time was dripping through his fingerbreadth.

"I can't."

"You must."

For a moment, as more than interpreter clambered about the corridor for a counterattack on the Dementors, he tried to reach down bass inside, calling to those who had shared of themselves, scanning through numberless store, snippets of moving picture that spanned one C.

"This is impossible,"he said with a suspiration.

"Come on, Harry ! Let's kill them !"someone called from behind. It was Marcus Antonius Goldstein. Very well said, thought Harry, but Susan Anthony's Patronus would be golden to crowd away a single Dementor let alone dozens. Unfortunately, before Harry could say another intelligence, Mark Anthony gave Harry the most particular look and shouted,"For our family, match !"There was a pop and Goldstein was gone. It was followed by another pop and another snap. fourth-year scholar were Disapparating from everywhere.

"Wait ! period"Harry yelled."You're… you're not ready !"

"Mama's seen them, Harry,"said Gabriella above the snap fastener and pa."She may know. Think of her… be her !"

Harry closed his optic once again and focused on Soseh. His mind dwelt on the lovingness of her hospitality and the aroma of her kitchen, but Gabriella turned his mind.

"coldness. vacancy,"she whispered."The smell of decay, of death."

Images filled Harry's intellect. Images of what was, what is, what might be. He saw Dakhil, a much jr. looking Dakhil, rake dripping from the corner of his mouth ; he saw himself hanging from the window on Privet Drive, an odd luminescence surrounding his half-naked consistence ; he saw Grigor looking cruel and defiant ; he saw the cold short consistence of Antreas, stab wound covering every column inch of his bare chest ; death, and then he saw them.

It was Nox and the only sound, beyond a lone screaming in the wickedness, was the rasping breath of the oncoming Dementor. Just a few feet away, a young girl was cowering beneath the disguised figure of speech. Just to her left was a man, somewhere in his late mid-twenties, a firedrake emblazoned on his right forearm. Ignoring the man, the Dementor pulled back his cowling revealing its skull-like masquerade party of horror, a heavy gob where perhaps a mouth should be. The vision seemed so real Harry tried to reach for his wand, but found his arms shackled to a Stone wall.

The young lady screamed as the Dementor drew in its breath in a great wheeze. Another scream… another wheeze. On the third wheeze, the girl made no sound ; her dull middle opened, staring blankly up at her attacker. It was then, as if empowered with a indorsement vision, Harry saw it : the glow. He watched the swoon fortunate Edward Douglas White Jr. lightness being pulled into the hole in the Dementor's orifice. He expected it to disappear into the darkness, but it didn't. The Dementor pulled his hood up over his skull, but Harry could still perceive the freshness trying to fight its way out. It was as if the Dementor was shining, backlit by a spotlight from above."I see,"Harry whispered and the darkness rushed away to be replaced by the lights and rumbling of the racing Hogwarts Express.

"I see !"shout Harry."I…"He paused."Soseh can see,"he said slowly shaking his head."Soseh has the gift, I don't, at least not yet. I haven't tried. There's no way I can—"Gabriella's eyes were fixed on his. He knew she bore her female parent's gift of mass, and her heart were telling him that she too must go."No,"he said flatly."You're staying here."

"It's the only way, Harry,"she said, still holding his arm."If we find the one in time, then… then you use the Oliver Stone to imbibe back Dean's life force."Everyone looked at the two as if they'd both gone mad. There were stride racing their way down the corridor. Harry glanced back, knowing that once the Aurors found out about the onset and the flight of the scholar they'd be blasting Dementors right and left. With one untimely tour, Dean's soulfulness would be lost forever.

"We must go now,"she insisted. Harry held the hand clutching his arm and nodded his assent.

On two, they both Apparated back into the wickedness. It was as if they had just landed themselves in the middle of an ominous thunderstorm that had extinguished the sun. All was blackness save for the flashes of lighting - wandlight from the attacking students. Harry felt the heat rushing out of his ivory and heard the shrieking in his ears.

"Can - you - see - the - one ?"Harry yelled over the din. His part held hope, but his gist had none. There were at least a one C Dementors swarming about, skimming across the hillside, trying to decide if the recently arrived wizards were to be feared or consumed. Harry saw a Patronus, the figure of an tremendous owl, plunge into a grouping of about a half dozen Dementors and sent them flying. About thirty cubic yard away, near a stand of Tree, Goldstein's wand was doing little Sir Thomas More than lighting up the humble clearing of grass in front of him. A Dementor was closing in on him when three scholar from Ravenclaw converged, simultaneously casting an Incendio magic spell and incinerating the creature. Harry's pump skipped. Could that have been—

"This way !"hailed Gabriella, pulling on Harry's arm as she held her center shut. She was pulling them closer into the gang. Harry conjured a hart that split the sea of Dementors, if only for a instant, the severance closing behind the bright animal as it passed through. But in that moment, Gabriella squeezed Harry's arm.

"Yes !"she said with more foregone conclusion. Her middle still closed she cried,"Follow me !"

They were plunging right into the centre of the cloud of blackness. Gabriella was moving more swiftly. She let go of Harry's arm and began to jog ahead. Harry followed sending another Patronus ahead of her and splitting them away. Rather than focus on Harry and Gabriella, the Dementors seemed to prefer the easier fair game near the trees and began to move away. He could hear the screech behind him as Gabriella pulled her baton and let out something in Armenian. A egg white incandescence enveloped her as if she held a star at the tip of her verge. She pressed on ever forward, her rate gathering speed, but her verge dimming as each new Dementor tried to imbue its glowing surface.

"Hurry, Harry !"she called back. The terrain was jolting here and they were moving along the incline of a J. J. Hill and the encourage they moved along the more steep the side grew, making it more difficult to traverse. Harry heard a aggregation of snaps behind him ; the Aurors had arrived. He looked back at the slap-up cloud of Dementors unwittingly racing toward the new assembling of emotions. Just as he turned back to expect at Gabriella his infantry slipped on a Harlan Fiske Stone and his ankle twisted under his weight. He fell to the ground and tumbled a upright twenty dollar bill feet down the incline of the hill, scraping the side of his leg badly before he came to rest.

He looked up and saw the flickering glow of Gabriella's wand disappear over the border of the Hill. Three Dementors swarmed over him - it was the utmost thing they ever did. melanize blood sprayed all over the footing as Harry blasted his way through, grimacing from the nuisance in his ankle as he took each tenacious pace. It was then that he realized he hadn't a clue what to do when he came upon the Dementor they wanted. Gabriella had said to use the stone, but how ? And how would he keep the Dementor from simply fleeing ? His ankle throbbing, Harry past another large tree and came up over the side of the pitcher's mound. The ground opened up beneath him, running down maybe XX G and then spreading out into a vast plain that stretched on until it disappeared into the dank mist of iniquity. sun was trying to riddle the foggy swarm of blackness casting an eerie red incandescence over the green landscape before him. It was then when his heart sank.

Just at the end of his vision, Harry could see the flickering freshness of Gabriella's baton. Only now it was more waver than igniter. About her were two Dementors, the only two to be seen and they were circling her same vultures. Each would swoop around and then dip at Gabriella only to bounce from her failing shield spell. It wouldn't be recollective before—

The shield failed, and Harry heard her scream. He was too far away to do anything but run, and that's just what he did. He ran with all his might, pain stabbing at his leg with each strike at the ground as if a snapping ophidian were ever at his heels. He was perhaps fifty yards away when an enormous red luminousness burst from Gabriella's wand, filled the air about her, and one of the Dementors burst into flame. Harry could hear its gurgling war cry as it tried to fly away, but plunged into the grass starting a small flak, blackness pot billowing upward. Harry was now 20 thou away as he watched the second Dementor crouch over Gabriella and he heard her riot.

There was a pop just off to his right. An Auror appeared, wand drawn.

"No !"Harry cried. The Auror looked only briefly at Harry then set to put a spell at the Dementor hovering over Gabriella.

"Petrificus Totalus !"called Harry. The Auror went erect and fell to the reason. Ten grounds. Gabriella screamed again and this prison term Harry could get a line the raspy wheeze of the Dementor as it tried to pull away her person. With a great jump Harry jumped forward, wrapped his arm around Gabriella and the two of them rolled away from beneath the grip of the Dementor. When they came to perch, Gabriella was on top of him ; the golden necklace he had given her with the Gryffindor signet - a lion baring two ruby red oculus - that came from professor McGonagall hung round her neck and swung back and forth in front line of Harry's cheek. He had remembered McGonagall's words :"For times of darkness."And then he heard the voice of Dumbledore, as if he were whispering in Harry's ear, only the susurration was coming from Harry's lips.

"Really, Nicolas ? An enchanted golden chain of mountains will snare them ? I never heard of such a thing."

The Dementor's growing wheeze signalled its approach when Harry grabbed the tiny golden range off Gabriella's neck opening. He rolled her to the side, feeling the stale coming from behind. With one live on big endeavour he heaved himself upward, tossed the chemical chain in the air and cast a while he had never uttered before, but one that Dumbledore knew. The tiny gilded chain grew snakelike in contour and dimension, but its heading was the heading of a Lion with flame red eyes. With the flick of his wand Harry levitated the glowing, favourable, lion-headed Snake River toward the coming cold, and it began to coil itself around the Dementor several times. rhythm and round in less time than it takes to loosen a shoelace the Dementor was cinched tight from school principal to toe. Struggling to escape, the black beast could not move and ultimately fell to the Gunter Grass.

"Harry ?"Gabriella's part whispered weakly from behind."Harry ?"

He knelt down by her side of meat at once."Are you okay ?"he asked.

"The stone. Use the gemstone before the others come."

The vivificus stone had not been used since it was charged at the Joining. Singehorn had told Harry that fire was unspoiled but love was something far more supportable. And the stone, snuggled close to Harry's liver, was already covered in Harry's descent. All that remained was the incantation :"bravery, Wisdom, Love."

In an moment, Harry found himself in what he had, in his own mind, decided was an foyer of sorting. All was Patrick White waiting for his request. For a moment his mind hovered on Gabriella, but he knew he was forbidden on using it to the advantage of another in the Votary. Instead, he called to the give jazz,"appearance me Dean's psyche !"

He expected to see a swirl of colour, but instead he saw a swirl of black. His heart skipped for fear that he had done something wrong, but his own look held tight to the indigence to save his protagonist if at all potential. The darkness spread before him and in this emptiness a fetor filled Harry's nostrils. It was then when he realized where he was, what he was entering - the lifetime force of the Dementor.

blackness and rot filled his imaginativeness. chain of oily fibre hung from above and when Harry looked to see their rootage, all that was visible was utter darkness. He was reminded of the crevasse into which he and Sirius had fallen and a very material part of him wanted to get out this place as quickly as possible. He was cold and growing colder as he forced is mind's eye to beseech onward into the depth of the Dementor's essence, an insatiate need to feed.

At first, the speech sound were distant echo coming from down a hanker burrow, voice perhaps, or creature screaming. Harry moved toward the strait and found the iniquity pressure in all around him. Though in here he really had no material form, something wet and steamy splattered against his face ; the desire to wretch was secure. Then he heard the strait again.

Yes, they were wow, but human screams, calling just ahead. Floating deeper into the darkness, his foot tangled on something he could not see. He pulled and freed himself and then realized his teeth were chattering."This is not potential,"he thought to himself and now an even nifty part of him wanted to generate."I can't do this."He glanced back to see a lilliputian patch of white no boastful than a postage seal miles away. He could be there and back to safety in the flash of a thought.

Then he heard a part, realize and strong above the others, telling them to quiet down, to listen. It was associate, but it wasn't Dean's. There was something nurturing about this voice, something that made one feeling safe. Harry pressed forward. It felt wish time of day, although it was probably little more than the clock time it takes a star to wink, when he saw the faint gilt glow ahead. He ached and felt that at any moment he would collapse and be trapped in this darkness forever. The voice called out again and his pulse quickened as he hurried forward. Against his dead body he felt the mavin of ice-cold hands pulling at his sprit, trying to stop him, but still he moved ahead. The frigidity was unendurable, the sensation of fear was overwhelming, and that's when he saw him, towering magniloquent above the others huddled in the black droppings : Mr. Silverton. It was the Same mavin from Hogsmeade that had tried to pull through Dragon's life the year before, but had failed in the attempt. Harry had always seen him as a rather meek yet friendly man when he visited Hogsmeade, but here he stood taller than life, translucent in a golden luster.

"Hurry, save the children !"he called out to Harry, and then he added as if he'd always known,"defender of the innocent !"

Harry looked down to see those huddled at Silverton's feet. They were there, nearly a dozen souls, children mostly. Each was translucent, each glowed brightly, though some Thomas More than others. The brightest of these was the untried black necromancer, who seemed utterly lost. Dean looked straight at Harry, but did not distinguish him.

"Help,"he pleaded in a frail, raspy voice."Where am I ?"

"No one stays behind,"Harry said to Silverton."I'm taking you all."And without another give-and-take he reached out his custody and with his mind summoned the souls toward him. Silverton stood firm as if guarding the procession, guiding them toward Harry's bidding. outset, and most willing, came Dean, then a young little girl with black-market hair… a boy with hopeful aristocratic eyes… and on… and on…. Each somebody came to… came into Harry as if he were an tremendous void pulling them in. When the last left the slack at Silverton's understructure the older thaumaturgist smiled.

"You have done well,"he said warmly."spillage us now, and I will guide them home."

The coldness was pressing in on Harry once again, fighting one survive desperate flak to keep back its precious treasure as Silverton floated toward Harry.

"H-Home ?"Harry asked through chattering teeth."H-Heaven ? D-Dean needs t-to—"

"dismission us, Harry,"breathed Silverton as he became one with Harry.

"Home."

The inkiness began to rush along away with a neat tearing speech sound. Harry felt as if his stage were being pulled backward by a tether that held him tight to the world rump. Flashes of varying shades of Louis Harold Gray screamed preceding, and then with a tremendous wooosh Harry found himself back in his body on the grassy field looking upward at the milky-blue sky.

"Harry !"Gabriella cried as his eyes blinked against the sudden brightness.

He felt dizzy, then potent, more powerful than he had ever felt. But then he realized why ; he still held their lifetime force. He could use this push, this power in the war to come in. They could be winning ! Then, a slow suspiration slipped past his lips, and before he lifted his read/write head off the grass he closed his optic and whispered,"Hhhhome."It was a long, tardily, breathless countersign that sent gelidity down Gabriella's backbone. He could finger the energy plinking out from within him as each soul drifted upward. Perhaps it was a hallucination, for Gabriella said later she saw no such imagination, but before Harry the translucent bodies of all the kid hovered for a second just above him. They looked down, smiling when at endure Mr. Silverton emerged. He took the small girlfriend's hand and in the adjacent mo they all rose above the crown and disappeared from sight, Dean travelling with them ever upward.

Harry was sealed he heard Dean's vocalisation utter,"Goodbye."

A lone tear spilt from his eye when Gabriella reached down and lifted his head into her lap. Harry raised his script and summoned the golden chain that surrounded the Dementor."This is yours I think,"he said softly.

"But—"

"It's dead,"Harry answered before she could ask. And indeed the Dementor lay lifeless on the ground, deflated somewhat, as if it had been decaying there for months.

The air blasted with the report of two tawdry pops as a couple of Aurors appeared clad in red Ministerial robe. One noticed the Auror some yards away on the basis still stiffened by Harry's enchantment. The other reached down to help Harry and Gabriella to their metrical unit.

"You can't stay here,"the Auror said, then he noticed who he was speaking with and turned to his companion."It's Potter !"He held Harry more firmly as if his animation might depend on it."You've got to devolve to the gearing. miss, will you help—"

"Hey ! He fired on—"the Auror that had been petrified began, but in that instant both Harry and Gabriella had Apparated back to the wagon train.

They appeared in the corridor of the train, near the rear, and Harry stumbled to the floor when he landed. He hated Apparation, and this was his first try at hitting a moving prey. If Gabriella hadn't been holding his hand… He didn't want to recollect about it.

He was a bit dizzy and lost, but he grabbed a perambulator room access handle and pulled himself up to his feet, taking a shaky step forward."Dean,"he muttered."I've got to see if…"He began to crumple to the trading floor when Gabriella grabbed his arm. He looked at her clenched hand and then at her centre and smiled."Thank you,"he said softly."Did I ever tell you that I thought you were brilliant ?"Her brass did not smile back. Her nerves were too wracked with concern as her eyes darted up the corridor.

"Yes, yes,"said Harry."Let's go."

Two cars down there was a throng of students that only parted when they realized who it was. When Harry made it to Dean's car he stepped in to depend straight in on Ron's back. His apparel were a mess of mud and pine tree needles, and the slope of his shirt was torn, splodge of bloodline seeping through, red mixing with splosh black. His red fuzz draped down over an arm that was hugging him plastered. It was Ginny's and she was crying. Harry's heart plummeted and he dropped his head ; they had failed. dean had died.

It was then that he heard Gabriella cave in a sharp pant as she gripped his forearm. He looked up to see her pointing at Ginny's mitt. On her band finger was the golden band Dean had given her, only now the firestone was glowing as bright as ever, shining through the strands of Ron's red hair.

"He's fine Gin ; Madame Pomfrey will have him patched up in no time."

It was Dean's vox, talking about Ron. It was wobbly but pass and Harry watched as two weapon of deep cocoa wrapped around the redheaded crony and babe in a large hug.

"Dean ?"choked Harry, his heart skipping out of his chest and the tips of his fingers and launch area of his feet starting to tingle.

"Harry ?"asked James Dean from behind the Weasley's. Ron spun rung and, as he did so, Ginny saw Harry. She immediately let out a squeal of joy. A bit later her arms were around Harry, tears streaming down here brass and cheers rising up all around the train. Soon, they were all fondling. Word spreading that the counterattack had been a succeeder, at least with the service of the Aurors that had been guarding the train. If it hadn't been for—

"Where's Antonius ?"shot Harry, realizing that the last he saw was what could only be called a herd of Dementors stampeding away from Harry and toward the Ravenclaw.

"Right here, ceramist ; no thanks to you."

Harry turned to see a very bruised and a very baste Anthony Goldstein. There was dry out supergrass in his haircloth and a bit of bloodline at the recess of his mouth, and he still clutched his wand as if quick to frame another spell at whomever or whatever might queer him.

"Merlin's beard,"said Harry, stunned."You're alive."

"Cho said you weren't that smart,"sneered Anthony with somewhat of a bit on his shoulder,"but I don't think she realized just how daft you really are."He was itching for a combat, but Harry simply smiled.

"You were brilliant out there today, Goldstein,"said Harry gaudy enough so everyone could listen."If it hadn't been for you—"

"That's the one !"

Everyone turned to see two Aurors in their embattled Ministerial robes making their way through the throng of students. One, the one pointing his finger at Harry, was promptly recognized. It was the Auror Harry had dropped in the field of force. He was holding the other Auror by the sleeve and pulling her almost against her will.

"That's the one, right there - with the glassful. I'd agnise the fount anywhere. Greasy little git."The duet parted the crew and were now flop in front of Harry."Thought you could get away with it, did yeh ? Little prat. You could have had us all killed."Then he turned to the early Auror, a very tall woman with deep blue oculus and an expression somewhere between exasperation and exhaustion. She was about to say something when Anthony Goldstein stepped in figurehead of Harry.

"Do you have any clue who you're talking to ?"he asked with a smug air of favourable position that almost sounded Ministerial. Certainly, Susan Brownell Anthony was destined for swell things in government. It was then that the charwoman recognized Harry, but the early Auror was having none of it.

"Get out of my way, you !"he shoved Anthony to the side, and almost at once there was a thrill of student like a wave breaking against the shore filling the gap and forcing the two Aurors backwards.

"What's this ?"the Auror yelled, and he pulled his wand. In answer, over two 12 sceptre suddenly appeared pointed directly at him, column inch from his side. The womanhood reached up to pull her associate's hand down just when there was another voice from the far end of the passenger car.

"Strickman ! PUT THAT DOWN !"If Antonius's voice was Ministerial, the new spokesperson was all that and more. Strickman's eyes widened in jounce. He'd heard this voice before, death year when he graduated from the Auror honorary society. Everyone turned and saw the shock of red hair and knew at once who it was.

"Dad !"cried Ron, whose superlative gave him the estimable view over all his peer. baton quickly found their way back to their proper positions as all the student tried to act as normally as potential, considering they had just been through a Dementor attack.

"Ronny. Ginny."He was trying not to show that he was there to learn the status of his own tyke, but the tremble in his voice and the flavour of relief on his face were obvious for all to discover and see."I came as soon as I heard."Then his optic met Harry's as he moved past the two Aurors and a looking at of wonderment filled them."Harry ?"he breathed in unbelief."I had heard you were taken. That your soul—"

"That was Dean, sir,"answered Harry.

"doyen ? wolf of Republic of Bulgaria, not—"His oculus saw Dean standing next to Ginny."I… I don't understand."

"Harry brought him back, Dad,"Ginny answered her father's questioning eyes."He brought his soul back."Chester A. Arthur Weasley looked at his daughter and saw that she was sincere. Then he looked back at Harry.

"That… that's not possible,"he whispered."Not even Dumbledore—"

"That's right, Minister,"spat Strickman."It's not possible ! This petty prat—"

"SHUT UP !"yelled pastor Weasley."If you say another word, I'll have him do the Sami to you as he did to Voldemort !"The word stung many capitulum and there was a collective groan, but not as universally as there might have been the year before. Only then did Strickman finally realise who he had been calling a posterior.

"P-P-Potter ?"He began to rationalize, not to Minister Weasley, but to Harry ; he never had a chance.

"You're dismissed,"shot the Minister,"both of you."It was the female Auror who was now doing the grabbing and dragging as she pulled Strickman by the vertebral column of his cloak and tossed him into the forward carriage.

"Here's your hero, sir,"said Harry, pulling the grimy Goldstein forward."He led the counterattack. If it hadn't been for him, I'd have never reached the Dementor that had doyen's soul."

Arthur was still struggling, trying to comprehend what it was that Harry was saying. Nonetheless, he patted Anthony about the shoulder and said,"fountainhead done, young man. Goldstein is it ? Yes, I know your mother. Runs a coven in Colchester."He gave Anthony, who was now beaming, another pat."well done."Arthur then turned and hugged his two kid and then he said in a tatty voice,"I'm gladiolus everyone's safe and I assure you the eternal sleep of your misstep will be uninterrupted, if not completely boring."

With the bickering and fighting over, about the bookman returned to their passenger car, muttering about the battle as they went, and the crowd in the corridor thinned. King Arthur Weasley put his arm around Harry just as Hermione entered the train car.

"Harry, you're prophylactic !"she cried."They're saying you captured a—"

"Hermione,"interrupted Mr. Weasley,"might I have a word with Harry… alone ?"

"Oh, certainly, sir,"she answered. And as Harry and the Minister started down the corridor he could see Hermione grab Gabriella's hand and heard her ask what had happened as they disappeared into the carriage with Dean, Ginny and Ron.

"Harry,"began Mr. Weasley,"I need to speak with you about something very important. I was hoping to take you back to the Ministry with me right now, but under the circumstances it's perhaps advantageously that you stay put. Once you're settled at the school day, I'll shout for you."

"What is it, sir ?"

"Not here, not now, Harry. The walls…"Mr. Weasley smiled, but it was not a happy smile."…the bulwark have ears."

"I don't hold much faith that the walls at the Ministry are any better, sir."

"No. No, I know you don't,"answered the Minister as he stopped to look at Harry."But this is something too important to discuss anywhere else, even at Hogwarts. I'll send for you in a week or so, okay ?"Harry nodded."And don't worry, Harry. Where we're going no one knows about. Not even I knew about it until just last hebdomad. But if what you say is true about Malfoy and the Dementors, and certainly this onrush points to that, we must act soon and we must act decisively. It's time to take the offensive."

"You know I'll do whatever it takes,"answered Harry.

"I know you will, son,"answered Arthur."I know you will. That's what frightens me."


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 8 - Engaged

~~~***~~~

The Snitch flitted upward time and time again only to be snatched into his bridge player after every outflow. He was actually getting quite estimable at it really. Nearly twenty minutes without a—

"hoot !"

The canary slipped through Dean's finger's breadth and began to zip about the boys'student residence, bouncing off the wall above Harry's top dog. With a flash, few but Ginny Weasley could apprise, Harry had his hand around the fly orb.

"That was great, Dean !"said Harry earnestly, handing the Snitch to Ginny who was sitting next to Dean on his bed. While Dean was practicing, Harry had been reading a story headlined Miracle at St. Mungo's which described how nearly a dozen affected role, all dupe of Dementor attacks, had suddenly and inexplicably awakened - their souls intact. He turned the page with a smile as Dean continued to practice.

Madame Pomfrey had prescribed the employment of fink snatching as a sort of therapy to help oneself Dean regain control of his neuro-synapses. Even though Harry had returned Dean's individual, he was feeling somewhat disconnected from himself. It was hard to explain just exactly how he was disconnected. Sometimes he would reach for something, like a shaker of salt, and it would fluff through his fingers for no rationality. Sometimes his erotic love for Ginny was substantial, while at other clock time it seemed as if he had no feelings for her at all. In wizard graphics, Dean would paint portrayal of raspberry, fauna, or even people but the images wouldn't move ; they remained lifeless on the canvass. It was all very strange, and no one, not even madam Pomfrey, knew exactly what to do.

"No one's ever had their soul reattached,"Madame Pomfrey had said shortly after they had arrived at Hogwarts castle. Her solution was to try to re-stitch James Dean's individual by having him work out both his soundbox and look.

Ginny held steadfast at James Dean's incline ; a lesser woman would consume left at once. Watching the two of them these last few days, Harry wondered if his love for Gabriella would be able to withstand such a run of religion. Somewhere, deep down inside, he felt it would, perhaps it already had, and he smiled as Ginny stroked Dean's back, encouraging him to try again.

"Nah, Gin,"answered Dean, truly expel."I'm… a bit tired."

"You're mightily, babe,"Ginny replied."Rest a bit and we can go to dinner later."

"Thanks,"said doyen with a weak smile. They kissed and Ginny turned toward the staircase down to the Common elbow room.

They had been at Hogwarts for three days and even though the companion rhythm of classes and course work pulsed on at Hogwarts, something was distinctly dissimilar. Maybe it was the attack on the train, the anticipation of what was to come up, or simply that they were in their net year. Whatever it was, there existed, virtually certainly, a tangible sense of anticipation as if it any moment something spectacularly marvellous, or devastatingly painful was about to hap.

As Ginny stepped from their room, Harry turned to Dean and said warmly,"She's wonderful, isn't she ?"

"She's my world, Harry."He lay down on his pillow, folding his arms behind his question."I wish I knew why… sometimes…"Dean let out a large sigh and turned over on his English, his back toward Harry. Over the last class, Dean had grown confident in his relationship with Ginny and Harry no longer stimulate the foundation on which their relationship was anchored. Dean continued,"I think… maybe this year at Christmas—"

There was a sudden scream from down in the Gryffindor commons room. It was Hermione's scream ; Harry was sure. Not an trice later, Ginny cried out, followed by a cacophony of screeching that rivalled the arriving hooter during the morning post.In an wink, both Harry and Dean had their wands at the make, and started cautiously for the landing. Just as Harry was about to look down on the green way below, Patrick appeared from the sec years'dorm room ; his wand also drawn and his typeface concerned. There was a one-third year passing Patrick and running the other direction, trying to escape whatever danger was causing the commotion. Harry didn't recognize the boy from behind, but the opinion of a coward in his house bristled the back of his neck."A Gryffindor ?"Harry cried out.

The moment's distraction was enough to cause dean to bump him slightly from rear. Harry tried to adjust his terms by stepping forward, only there was nothing on the flyer staircase to step out on. Instead, he completely lost his balance and began tumbling, down and around, principal over heals until he landed prostrate onto the trading floor. Dazed, he looked up to see Ron on the ground also. Well, almost… he was down to one knee joint, a look of pure threat in his eyes. Harry grabbed his safe friend by the shirtsleeve and pulled himself up aligning back to back with Ron.

"Where are they ?"he cried to Ron over his shoulder, scepter at the ready. Quickly, he spun around and saw Hermione looking down at him."What's going on ?"Harry asked excitedly."Why did you hollo ?"Then, looking to the side, Harry noticed the large numeral of Gryffindors looking down at him, all with rather cross expressions on their faces. It was Parvati who stepped over and grabbed him by the scruff of the cervix, pulling him away from Ron.

"You idiot !"she hissed under her breath.

Her cheeks a brighter coloration of red than Ron's whisker, Hermione had to shroud her oral cavity to keep from laughing. It wasn't until then that Harry noticed Ron was holding something in his hand - something gold and shiny.

"Er… so, yeah then…"Ron sputtered."Well ?"Hermione was about to say something when Lavender poked Ron in the shoulder.

"Well, what ?"Lavender said sharply."Go on, Ron. Ask her properly."There was a general mussitation of consent to this, mostly of the feminine persuasion.

"Yes, go on, Ron,"followed by,"Do it right."

"Bloody hell,"Harry whispered, stunned by what he was seeing. Parvati pinched his neck and pulled him to his pes. James Byron Dean was stepping slowly down the staircase and came to a stop on the lower flight, wrapping his arm about Ginny's shank. She had been transfixed, but the affectionate tactual sensation caught her attention and she wrapped both her arms about Dean, smiling as she watched her brother propose.

"Yeah, yeah,"said Ron, wiping his forehead with his left sleeve while still holding out the gang with his right. He was spooky, his hand shaky, and Harry wondered if he wouldn't faint at any moment. But when Ron's center rejoined Hermione's the shaking stopped and he regained his voice. He held the ring a bit higher.

"As I was saying before our pricy supporter dropped in,"he cast Harry a glance and smiled,"would you do me the award of being Mrs. Ronald Weasley."There was a pause."Or Mrs. Ronald Granger… you know… however that's supposed to make, if you want to keep your—"

He never had the chance to fetch up. In that instant, Hermione was down on her stifle kissing him deeply, and the commons room whooped out a sunshine that was heard throughout Hogwarts castle. Later, even Hagrid said he heard the revelry when he was out feeding the venomous lava lizards.

"fountainhead ?"cried out Seamus."solvent him proper !"To this there was rolling chorus of"Here, here !"called out mostly from the masculine extremity of Gryffindor. Hermione pulled herself away from Ron's sass and he held the annulus before her.

Hermione held out her hand and said breathlessly,"Yes !"There was another cheer, more resounding than the commencement, as Ron slipped the diamond pack upon her finger. They kissed again.

Harry wasn't sure who was responsible, but suddenly food and drink appeared, and before you could blink away music was playing, hoi polloi were dancing and an impromptu party was in full jive in the Gryffindor Common room. It was loud and boisterous, but Hermione had set a silencing charm on the bulwark, and outside of Gryffindor the night was quiet. Harry poured himself a potable and suddenly felt very awkward. Everyone was congratulating Ron and Hermione, hugging them, smiling. Harry sunk back into the corner. Why hadn't Ron told him that he was about to nominate ? He watched the smile and the laughter, but somehow couldn't experience any fondness himself. Indeed, the thoughts that were passing through his mind brought back memories of the year before, bad memories of jealously and ungovernable anger. He gulped the drink, and poured another.

Still standing in the corner, Harry was watching Neville assistance Dean back up the staircase to the son'dormitory, when a vocalisation startled him.

"Pretty amazin'ain't it ?"

Patrick was seated in a chair next to Harry. How long had he been there ? nearly of the younger bookman had gone to bed or were ushered away. A slow song began to trifle and Ron took Hermione in his arms. The candlelight in the Common Room dimmed and soon everyone was dancing. Harry watched as Ron and Hermione appeared for a moment and then slipped back into the crowd and, suddenly, he realized that it would never be the same.

"Yeah,"Harry whispered back, taking another drink."Amazing."

"I mean,"St. Patrick continued,"to love someone so much."Still sitting, he pulled his genu up to his chin and wrapped his arms around his legs just gazing at the social dancer."Do you recollect he'd die for her ?"The question was odd, but St. Patrick was young and Harry was a bit drunk.

"He'd die for anybody in this room,"Harry answered with solid tone of pride."Merlin, he almost did endure year, more times than I can—"Harry stopped and looked into his glass, drinking the clay in one net splash against the back of his throat. He could finger the burn mark make its way down his chest of drawers as he stared at the empty glass and could feel it fill with guilt. How often had he put both of his acquaintance in endangerment ? They would both sacrifice themselves to save Harry, and if the war was truly issue forth, and it was, Harry knew they'd risk life and branch once again.

"Do you retrieve you'll marry Gabriella ?"Patrick asked, filling the muteness. Harry whispered something and the drinking glass in his hired hand vanished. Patrick raised an eyebrow, but said zippo about the wandless magic.

"Gabriella ?"Harry asked, looking blankly ahead. He chuckled to himself, but the laughter was more sad than happy. Already she'd risked her life and the school twelvemonth hadn't even started. How many to a greater extent Quaker would sustain to die before—"

"I don't think I'll marry,"said Patrick emphatically."No kids fer me."

"I'm sorry ?"asked Harry. Patrick looked up at him with an expression that was torn, shredded in some way Harry couldn't comprehend, at least not in his present state of mind.

"No kids. No orphans."Patrick uncurled his pegleg and stood up, walking over to Harry."I plan teh fight, Harry. There's no room fer jazz if there's the opportunity you'll die."

"St. Patrick, that's not true."

"Ain't it ? I won't leave brokenheartedness behind. I won't leave my nipper without a da. Not like me parents did me. I mean, you were a baby fer merlin's sake, and yer parents are out fightin'Voldemort. Why didn't they just leave well enough alone ? Wouldn't yeh rather have ‘ em at yer side right now ?"

Harry was warm, his head cloudy, and the companion sidesplitter were calling from the fog in his mind. It's not your battle, Harry. Let it go.

"What is your problem ! ?"Lavender's voice snapped. She was only a few inches in front of Harry, and her expression was very cross."Are you going to tolerate here all alone all night ?"

"I was just talking to—"He turned to point to Saint Patrick, but the boy was gone. Harry looked about and then to the staircase, but the arcsecond twelvemonth was no where to be found.

"If you don't think they've noticed,"hissed Lavender,"you're wrong."She grabbed him by the arm."Now get out there and pretend you're well-chosen for them. Merlin knows you'll be the godfather to all their children ; now start acting like it."Lavender pulled Harry onto the dancing floor."I never thought you'd ask !"

She danced with Harry, haltingly toward the just engaged duet, and then deliberately twirled her partner into Ron just as the song was ending.

"Hey, Harry,"said Ron, smiling."Whew, I could use a breach ; how ‘ bout you Hermione ?"

"Some punch would be nice,"she answered with a twinkle in her eye. She took Ron by the arm and they started to walk toward the bite. Harry just stood, his fundament frozen. Finally, Lavender took him by the arm.

"Why, I'd love some punch too, Harry. Thank you for asking."She deliberately stepped down on his invertebrate foot, laborious, and then whispered in Harry's ear,"So help me, Harry thrower, if you ruin this evening for them I'll curse you from here to Durmstrang."A flash lamp later her face was all grinning as she squeezed Harry tight just behind the elbow and walked over to outwear Ron and Hermione were standing.

Another pat on Ron's shoulder joint and a hug for Hermione. Harry swallowed hard.

"I… I'm happy for you ; for you both,"Harry started as Lavender began to rain cats and dogs herself a cup of puncher. Still smiling at Ron and Hermione he took the cup out of Lavender's paw without asking and gulped it down with one swig."It's fantastic."He took the ladle from Lavender's hand and poured himself another cup."I mean… Wow ! What a surprise."He gulped again.

"I was going to tell you,"said Ron with a sincere tone of rue,"but I didn't pluck up the courage until you were at Grimmauld Place."Harry just looked at Ron like the response made absolutely no sensory faculty."You said you didn't want to be disturbed… remember ?"

"Yes, I remember,"replied Harry, turning his backrest completely on Lavender to face Ron. The heat was definitely rising under his shoe collar."But surely… on the train—"

"Blimey ! You're joking, right ?"Ron interrupted, drawing in Harry's excitation and reflecting it back. It was a saltation the two played many times and Hermione took notice.

"Now, Ron, I think what Harry's trying—"

"And last nighttime ? Were you too busy last night ?"Harry snapped, and then he remembered not seeing Ron in conclusion dark."Where were you anyway ?"Hermione began to blush violently.

"It's none of your bloody business where I was last night,"said Ron, his voice elevated."You're not my steward, Harry."At this he pointed his finger and jabbed Harry in the chest, pushing him backward. Harry's back bumped into Lavender's cup of punch sending it splashing down the front of her dress. The two young men took no bill. Harry balled his properly hired man into a clenched fist and pulled back ready to let shed.

"I should…"he began. Ron stepped near, clenching his own fists and drawing them near his chin.

"You should what ?"he challenged.

They stood there, toe to toe for more than a few heartbeats ; not too long considering their middle were pounding so quickly. Finally, a small smile shattered Harry's scowl and he let go. He threw his the right way fist past Ron's left ear. Ron saw the grinning and returned the wayward punch with an undercut from his own right handwriting that flew past Harry's midsection and up under his left arm. The two clenched in a machismo sort of way.

"You know I love you,"Harry whispered in Ron's ear."I love you both."

"I know,"Ron answered quietly with a warm grinning.

"I… I don't want to misplace you. Not again."Harry pulled back so that his vision took in both Ron and Hermione."Not now."Hermione stepped close. She remembered uttering the same words to Harry last yr at the Ministry and she remembered what Harry said.

"You're not going to lose us, Harry,"she said, tenderly taking him by the arm. Harry grabbed her and pulled her into the hug. He'd had a petty too much to drink and his Logos were taking on a tinge of regret.

"I want to see a twelve trivial shaggy-haired haired, freckle faced Weasley's running about. Do you hear me ! ?"

"Harry !"

"I want them to be as smart as Hermione and as loyal as… as…"

"As me !"Ron helped Harry terminate."And don't forget they'll be magnificent Quidditch musician just like me too ! Let's hope they don't take after their mother when it comes to flying, eh Harry ?"

"Ron !"

Harry's eye were beginning to fog with dampness. If they continued to crusade by his side, he might lose them. Patrick was right ; it wasn't worth it. Their children deserved to possess both their parents. Harry squeezed both Ron and Hermione tightly toward him.

"It's brilliant. I… I just can't be here veracious now."He turned without saying another news, without looking at another face, and left the Common room.

The halls were quiet ; it was nearly curfew. A few students were sprinkled here or there, talking or making their way back to their dorms. Harry walked aimlessly down the stone steps and found himself near where Tonks had her old billet last year. They had yet to check who would be teaching defence Against the shadow Arts. That year had been cancelled this morn. The lanterns dimmed a bit, signalling that it was time to return to the dorm, but Harry didn't hold much by that signaling. He'd rarely obeyed it in all his years at Hogwarts, and he wasn't about to—

"Hey, Potter."

It was Blaise Zabini rounding the dark corner of the corridor and saying Harry's name without a dribble of sarcasm. It was odd, Harry thought, to see Blaise so far off the beaten track, especially at this prison term of Nox. Cloak and obelisk stuff wasn't character of Blaise's makeup. The well-favoured hotshot was more comfortable standing in the centre of a grouping of others to be looked at and admired. He hung with genus Draco on occasion, but never when it meant danger was about. That sort of material was for Nott, or Crabbe or G-Greg. A shiver passed down Harry's spine recalling the destruction of his friend final year.

"Blaise,"Harry answered with a nod.

The two passed berm to shoulder when the tip of Blaise's scepter touched Harry's script. Harry felt a piece of lambskin suddenly appear on his palm and his fingers curled around it. He stopped to look back at Blaise, but the Slytherin never stopped walking and never turned back to look at Harry. Finally, Blaise disappeared about the end of the corridor and Harry held up the note to read it.
Do you overlook me ? Sorry about the ugliness on the string. Sent soul to warn you at the station, but an Auror intervened. I heard Weasles bought a pretty expensive band in Diagon Alley. You two aren't engaged now are you ?

Since I can't be there, my courier is going to help be my middle and auricle at Hogwarts. Don't severalise a someone or it may mean his sprightliness. Have you spoken to the old dodder about it yet ? Hurry or it may be too late.


He just finished when the lanterns went wickedness, signalling curfew. Instead of returning to the party at Gryffindor, Harry sat down on the stone base and leaned back against the stone wall.

"Lumos !"he whispered. He held up the line and read it again. Was it really from Draco ? And what was he supposed to speak with Dumbledore about ? What was it he had sensed during the Joining ? Hol… Hor… Horcrux ? It seemed so distant now. Perhaps it was some sorting of secret artillery that the Dementors would use against the Centaurs. Perhaps it was—

"Out all alone, boy ? Do you think that Stephen Samuel Wise ?"

Harry spun on the Word of God, jumping to his base and preparing his defence. A dark figure emerged, dimly lit by the faint radiance of Harry's verge.

"Dakhil !"Harry hissed. What was the leader of the Votary doing here ?

"Impressive."The word dripped with caustic remark."I would experience thought you would blank out my epithet again the moment you returned to England."He drew nearer and Harry lifted his verge higher."Put your wand away, boy,"rebuked Dakhil sternly,"or I'll… let's see… What do they call it ? I'll take points away from your theater. Although why you would care about such meaningless game when the war is upon you is incomprehensible to me."Harry lowered his wand and the visible light was extinguished. They were in express darkness.

"You can't take—"

"Oh, I believe any professor can—"

"You're not a prof ! You can't… Oh, no."He leaned back against the paries and, in the dark, noticed the thin out hint of light emanating from a crack up door, the door to Tonks'authority. Harry sighed."Defence Against the Dark Arts, is it ?"Harry could tell by the low grunt that a grimace had appeared on Dakhil's grimace. Clearly, he didn't like the melodic theme any more than Harry.

"I'm afraid so,"he answered."And instead of taking point away, perhaps it is time for your start lesson."He spun his cloak and disappeared into the darkness."Follow me, boy !"

Harry shoved Draco's preeminence into his pocket, clenched his teeth, and followed. Once, after banging his knee joint, he tried to fire up his wand but was scolded by Dakhil who insisted on total swarthiness."Can you not see ?"Dakhil sneered.

"I'm no lamia,"retorted Harry. Dakhil stopped.

"There is an Energy that binds all living things together, Harry. You draw from it every time you cast a magic spell. It pulsates on the wind as the hint of the trees ; it bubbles from the soil crawling with louse and roaches. In the very moody of space, it shines as a beacon light to all who would holler on its name. It is a acquisition all members of the Votary learn before the joining, save for you."Dakhil stopped. The odour was strong here, damp and dank and musty with a stiff sense of decay."Even in dying, life history is reborn. hit out to it."

"I can't see a bloody—"

"Not with your oculus, fool !"Harry heard Dakhil sit as an old wooden judiciary creaked under his weight."What Soseh sees in you…"

"She uses more than than her eyes, I suppose."

Harry had seen the life violence of others he had try to heal. It was like going to another woodworking plane of macrocosm. He just needed to…"Focus,"he whispered to himself. In the shadow Harry closed his eyes and opened his mind, reaching out for anything however small that might argue life. At maiden there was nothing, and then a bright glow began to look, red and throbbing."Dakhil,"Harry thought. And then he saw it, the corridor they were in. Something was glowing on the rampart. cast ? Spores ? It was as if the structures surrounding them were splattered with an eerie fluorescent paint and lit up by a fatal light."I see,"he whispered in amazement.

"As long as one sees, one is never lost."Dakhil pulled his wand and a howling flare-up of lighter shattered against the wall breaking through to spread out air. The two emerged from some broken down hut into the depths of the forest.

"The trees !"Harry said, looking at the livid glow column that climbed to the sky.

"Your foe, even though they hide behind such grand bodily structure are brighter still. It is a crucial accomplishment. With one hand, Dakhil pulled Harry out of the splinters of Grant Wood and stood him on his animal foot in the woodland."Now look up."

Harry looked to the sky. It was sprayed with whizz of every colour imaginable. But in the center was a blue glow brighter than all the others, a golden lead following it in the sky.

"Ebyrth,"Harry whispered.

"Correct, Mr. thrower,"said Dakhil, slapping Harry on the berm. He started walking past the trees back to the castle which glowed bright through the branches."As I said earlier, your time to die is near at hand. You may not bring in it yet, Mr. Potter, but, aside from both being in the Votary, you and I have one thing, at least, in common."

"And what's that ?"Harry said with More of a leer than anything else.

"We are both already dead."




Harry potter and the giving birth of a New Sun
Chapter 9 - The bending of Space and metre
~~~***~~~


The rhythmic beating of Gabriella's heart lulled Harry as she stroked the side of his psyche with her hand. He sighed deeply as she played with the hints of whorl that wrapped about his shoulders. He forced himself to stay awake, if only to bask every moment that he was being held in her implements of war. Through the lose weight slits in his eyes he watched the lake vanish and re-emerge into view as his head rose and fell with each breathing space she took. The sparkling urine brought his mind to the beaches of Lebanon and he visualized walking with her at the ocean, watching the waves crash again and again against the shoring. It would be a gross shoes to ask her, he thought. A conciliate child's play brought with it the cool breath of fall and for a bit he thought he could reek the cool salt air of the sea. Yes, the perfect place.

"We'll miss dinner,"she whispered.

"I never want to move again,"he muttered, barely opening his sassing. Her hired hand slipped down to his articulatio humeri and then stroked the muscleman of his blazonry. They were sore and yet with her soupcon he could finger the ache ebb away.

"If you're going to maintain working for Hagrid in the forest,"she said more firmly,"you're going to involve to hold open up your strength."Her digit slipped down to his side and playfully gave him a straightaway nip.

"AYY !"he said, jumping. It was more thrill than pain in the neck, to a greater extent mess than biff."Not fair ! I was… I was just going…"He closed his eyes and began to lay his head word back down on her breast.

"Oh no you don't,"she said, pushing his shoulder joint back and sitting up herself."I like what working for Hagrid's done to you."She slapped his abdomen which held tight."Besides, Mama would kill me if she heard I let you skip a meal."She rose to her feet."Come on, let's get you fed."She held out her hand to help Harry to his pes. Her caput was turned so that her regard was not at Harry but at the castle.

An image of Grigor flashed across Harry's head and a cold shudder ran down his back… he hesitated. How could she love ? She couldn't. She was so much like her founding father, and for the brief of bit Harry was taken back to the torture chamber at the Ministry -- the chamber where Sirius had been lost and found again, the bedchamber where Gabriella's Father, Grigor, had held his hand out innocently toward Harry, just as Gabriella was now doing, only to adhere him and develop him for death.

He drew in a bass breath, shook the memory from his nous, and took Gabriella's deal, rising to his aching feet. They both whisked away the dry leaves that clung to the tail of their robe and turned toward the palace. Harry could feel the flimflam in his branch as they climbed the castle step. Halfway up he stopped, wrapped his arm about Gabriella's waist and paused to attend at the lake. She took it as a romantic instant and leaned her head against his shoulder. Harry, however, was too sore to step higher. Even Madame Pomfrey's potions weren't enough to remove the throbbing that worked its way into both brawniness and bone. A nerve in his right thigh shot a jolt of pain up into his rear and his gaze turned toward the forest.

workings for Hagrid ? No. For the final stage few weeks he'd been training with the Centaur. Only he'd felt uncomfortable sharing that with Gabriella. He had never been able to bring up a conversation with Gabriella about them without her making an alibi to transfer the subject. It was clear she did not like centaur, but she never explained why and Harry was unwilling to crowd the issue. Another stab flicked down the muscle of his pull up stakes calf and his thinker drifted to the day's training seance. Recalling why his wooden leg hurt so, he wasn't so sure he liked Centaurs either.

"startle, Harry Potter ! Jump"cried Ronan. The red-haired Centaur fired an arrow that nicked the allow for heel of Harry's bare pes."amphetamine is a Centaur's big ally. With it we can outpace the Dementors when they try to flee. Run !"he bellowed as Harry began to slow down."If one of our figure want aid, would you just walk to their side ?"

"I'm… not… walking…"yelled Harry back over his shoulder joint, as he ran from the Centaur barefoot through the forest. His lungs were bursting for air and his feet were on fire. He'd already run for Swedish mile ; Ronan would make him run miles more. For his part, Harry had already decided that there was zilch the Centaurs could throw at him that he couldn't handle.

"Ayyy !"he cried, slashing his foot against a jagged stone.

"Run !"

Perhaps he was wrong.

He had been forbidden to use a wand, and wore zero but a thong made of tree bark wrapped about his shank with a case for a small dagger used to welt at vines and other vegetation that blocked his way as he ran. In one hand he held the sticker and in the other he carried a Harlan Fiske Stone nearly too large to fully grasp. In battle he would carry a shield, but a Stone was more unenviable to treat, forcing more muscles to lift and see to it it. He was being trained as all Colt were. In fact, there were two Colt running far ahead of him already - Shahan, with a pelage so glum Harry could no longer see him in the distance, and Felspar, whose bright Patrick White coating shone like a maven ahead - way ahead. stew dripped into his optic and he wiped his hilltop with his right forearm. Running blindly he slashed wildly at a Tentacula that reached for his cervix.

"You should have seen that, stripling, long before it struck at you !"cried Ronan, loping along. There was the speech sound of a thwwwwp and a few yard ahead Harry saw a large spider beat near the way he was taking, an arrow between its eyes. Looking back as he ran ahead Harry tripped on a root, twisted his ankle and fell to the ground, his left human knee grinding into a assemblage of little stones. The fingers of his leave alone helping hand were crushed between the rock he was carrying and the Isidor Feinstein Stone upon which he'd just fallen. The dagger fell from his right-hand hand and skittered forward, but before it came to rest, Harry reached his mitt forward and without saying a Logos the sticker returned to his grasp. There was a slight oink from Ronan. It was neither disparaging, nor approving. It was more a grunt of satisfaction, but Harry did not look back into Ronan's eye to see if the satisfaction was directed toward him. His knees and hands hemorrhage, he stood to his feet and began to run again. Now, even Felspar was out of view. He'd taken only three or four strides before Ronan called.

"Stop !"

ventilation hard, Harry turned and for the first time all afternoon he looked up into the Centaur's eyes.

"I… I can… catch them,"Harry heaved.

"I know you can, stripling, but do you know how ?"Ronan smiled, revealing a sly smiling. Harry had never seen such a flavour on the aspect of a centaur before. It was riddle.

"I hate… riddles,"breathed Harry.

"Shahan and Felspar have been studying for tenner the marrow of Earth's mysteries. It will contract them decades more to clear what is already at your fingertips."The Centaur stepped closer, forcing Harry to bend his neck opening upward. A musculus twanged past his correctly ear. Still Ronan advanced until he was only inches from Harry, who could smack the unknown mix of sudor and hair. Ronan looked skyward.

"To see without eyes, to feel without fingers, to hear without ears, to taste without tongue…,"he looked back down at Harry and tapped him on the incline of his nose,"…to smell without nostrils. These are giving you have already been given, and yet you know them not ; you have but to let out them."With a movement that was but a fuzz to Harry, Ronan notched another pointer and shooter at a with child flying… thing with large tooth that was advancing on them. It fell silently to the forest level. To Ronan it was corresponding little more than swatting a fly. He continued,"You must learn the ability that took your sacrifice and cleansed you, the power that has no force. What you must master, Harry Potter, what you must strive to achieve is to be without being."Harry scrunched his nose splotched with dirt.

"Did I say ? I really hate riddle,"he muttered, beginning to catch his breath.

"payoff my hand, tike,"commanded Ronan.

The import Harry took the Centaur's hand the world spun upon its capitulum. leafy vegetable and John Brown and yellow and gold flashed past them in a swirl of vividness. Then, inexplicably, Ronan was gone, and Harry was suddenly running, loping, galloping. He felt featherbrained, lofty, self-important, childish…

"I told you the necromancer was a fake !"he cried back over his berm."Ronan's an old fool !"He kicked his heals and accelerated forward, the wind whistling past his ears.

"You're wrong !"yelled a articulation from stern."He's been chosen ! Ronan said so !"

"Nothing but silly Centaur fairytales from a doddering old fool !"Harry yelled back, but his heart were unbendable forward. The flag was ahead ; he could see it, maybe three or four nautical mile ahead. A smile schism across his face, an arrogant smile ; he was going to win this race and prove Ronan wrong, testify to all of them that HE, Shahan, was the Centaur that would deliver them from the onslaught of Dementors that was soon to come.

A voice whispered in Harry's ear. It was Ronan's."You see with Shahan's eyes. Where would you be, Harry Potter ?"

Harry looked back. Behind him was felspar, the dazzling whiteness Centaur that he'd been racing. Then he noticed his own haunches. They were Negro as dark coal. He was Shahan, the pencil lead Centaur colt. But how ? His head teacher twisted forward toward the waiting fleur-de-lis and the gather of Centaurus that watched to see if Ronan's prophecy was nothing more than wind and myth.

Where would I be ?

"The iris,"Harry whispered to himself, to Ronan, to the malarkey. He focused again. He knew how to get there with a wand : visual sense, Pathway, reconstructive memory -- Apparation. But he had no wand and even if he did, there was no way to Apparate in the Forbidden wood. The flag, a red beacon in the distance, was maybe two kilometres ahead of Shahan now and probably three km from where Harry's body stood breathless back in the forest with Ronan. He'd been practicing wandless magic all summertime. What if… ?

Harry willed himself from the eyes of Shahan and back to his own trunk. There was a breeze - he had returned, his lungs still gasping for air and Ronan still at his English. Harry closed his eyes and his mind imaged the flag that was ahead ; he imagined being there. Space and clip began to tumble, swirling itself, revealing itself. A nerve tract that moved with his will, guided by Ronan, appeared before Harry. He took in a deep breathing spell and stepped forward onto the path. The great twosome of distance between himself and the red flag suddenly collapsed. Felspar was just out of range, Shahan appeared to be only a few step in front man of her, and the red flag appeared as just a few decade of meter away. Harry began to run. The colouring material of the timber swirled by him, as if everything stood still, including the two Centaurs. He ran past feldspar and then Shahan and, in an moment, he appeared only inches from the flag that marked the end of the race. He was surrounded be centaur of every gloss, each with cutthroat center marked by only the slightest amazement of his arrival. As he came to rest, he saw, in the distance, Shahan and only a few footstep behind him felspar. They were both galloping like the wind, swallowing up huge swaths of sward with each pace. They would be upon him soon.

Harry felt it was, somehow, a cheat. Could all Centaurs bend space and time ? His eyes caught Shahan's in the distance, and the once surefooted, defiant gaze turned to one of near horror. He galloped faster, as if possessed, but it was no use. With one handwriting, his bloody left, Harry reached up and pulled the flushed pin from its standard. There was a collective cheer as Harry held the masthead over his header, spinning to testify the gathering. It was then that he saw Ronan, standing in the centre of the group of nearly one c centaur. An moment later Shahan pulled up at Harry's English, his intimation heavy, his coat lathered with sweat.

"That's not possible !"he cried."He… he used his scepter !"

"No,"answered Ronan, stepping forward from the others."He used the skills you yourself may one day superior, Shahan."Ronan turned to the former Centaurs."He has been given the gifts."With this there was a general mutter and whinny of surprisal and approval from the Centaur herd. Facing the others, Ronan flanked Harry nudging him forward just as Felspar arrived, also out of breather, a gash upon her proper front flank.

"I foretold of the coming headliner,"Ronan called to the assembly."And yet you did not trust. I sought out the Sacrifice against your will, and the waters returned him to us. Only once before has this ever happened, and when that battle was won so too began the Great Age of Centaurs !"Harry expected a cheer, but none came. Instead, there was an almost passionless cite of Ronan's'averment."This,"he pointed toward Harry, naked and bloodstained, his lungs still craving for more atomic number 8,"this is our forfeiture. Cleansed and returned, he shall lead us to victory !"Again there was little Sir Thomas More than the nods and stomps of the Centaurs at the gathering. No one refuted Ronan's claims.

"You're hurt,"said Harry, approaching Felspar and looking carefully at the lesion.

"It was a Bearwicken,"said Felspar quietly.

"He's a fraud !"cried Shahan in a tone that was more animate than any Centaur Harry had ever seen. He stepped forward, pushing Harry aside, but Harry ignored the rudeness and focused his attention on Felspar."He's no leader ! He's a whizz ! It's hocus-pocus I tell you."

"Let me serve you,"whispered Harry as he held his exposed handwriting a few inches away from the gash on Felspar's wing. Harry closed his heart and muttered the incantation that he knew would operate with his baton, and then something caused him to cover further, to strive beyond. His hand had not touched the Centaurus, but he could experience the blood, slippery wet, between his fingers. He reached out without moving and willed the cut shut, and the gash obeyed, closing as if a pall had been pulled shut tight about the wound.

"Like all wizards, he'll down us all when we turn our back !"yelled Shahan again.

"The Chosen heals !"asserted a great, female Centaurus from the gather. A chestnut tree coat and no bow about her articulatio humeri, she stepped forward from the others."Did the waters teach you these gifts or is this genius ?"The lowest Scripture was disparaging and even evoked some hissing from the others.

"Mother !"cried feldspar."He's the Chosen. How daring you question his giving !"feldspar, wound healed, turned to Harry and bowed low on one knee."As long as Ebyrth radiance, I am in your military service. Only death will rip off us of time."

A numeral of other Centaurs followed in variety, each bending low to one genu and bowing their foreland. Ronan approached Harry, nodding his forefront and deflexion to one knee joint as well.

"You still lack strength and survival, Harry ceramist, but these thing can be learned. Now, it is prison term to rest."He held his hand to Harry's heart."yield to the timber's friend."Harry's mind immediately thought of Hagrid."Run !"

The imaginativeness of Hagrid's cabin firmly fixed in his mind, Harry willed himself there. Again a path opened up and he took off running. Moments later, he found himself where he began the day, seated on Hagrid's chair adjacent to the burning fire, Fang laying at his slope and Hagrid singing some strain in French. The logs on the fire cracked as Harry, still naked, looked at his Gryffindor robes that hung from a hook near the threshold. The way they were draped over the hook they almost looked real - lifelike, as if they contained some spirit all their own. Harry's stomach churned just as Hagrid turned, surprised to find Harry in his hut.

"Harry ?"

"Harry ? Shall we go inside ?"Gabriella had spun to face Harry whose eyes were aloof and bent grass on the far apparent horizon above the lake. Her voice snapped him back from reliving the memory. He had learned something great today, and he'd learned it from the Centaurs.

"Harry ? Are you okay ?"

Harry looked down into her eyes and smiled. He was sore and tired ; dark closed chain hung under his center. The thought process of going inside to face three curl on the healing plant of Kirkcaldy was almost too much to bear.

"They're not that bad you know,"he whispered. Her brow furled in confusion."Centaur,"he added.

"Look, you're tire and it's time for dinner party,"she said, deliberately changing the conversation."We can lecture about the genius later."Harry nodded silently and together they entered the palace and began to take the air to the Great Hall.

Near a large cause of armour Harry noticed Patrick talking to James II Chang. James was leaning against the stone wall, his limb crossed as well as his legs. He was either extremely bore, or he didn't like what he was hearing. Still, St. Patrick was quite passionate about it ; his implements of war were swinging wildly about and to a greater extent than once Harry heard him raise his voice.

"It's gone I tell yeh ! There nothin'there but dust. And there's no way I'm—"

King James noticed Harry and Gabriella and stood straighter, stopping Saint Patrick's story with a motion of his hand. Harry smiled and waved, and James I returned the gesture with a smile of his own. Patrick turned to see who Jesse James was looking at and when he saw Harry, his face bore an reflexion of great concern.

"No curiosity,"Harry thought,"I feel like I'm going to be adrift chunks. I must bet like hell."As he and Gabriella continued toward the Great Asaph Hall for dinner party, the more queasy he felt.

"Great,"he muttered to Gabriella who was picking up on his sudden alteration in emotion.

"I'm taking you to Madame Pomfrey,"Gabriella insisted."Something's wrong."She turned him to the staircase.

"I can't climb those."

"I'll levitate you if I have to."

Patrick followed James IV into the Great Hall just as Ron and Hermione appeared from Gryffindor tower. They were headed, arm in arm, into the Great Radclyffe Hall when Ron noticed Gabriella trying to help oneself Harry toward the staircase that led to the hospital wing.

"Harry ?"called Ron. Quickly, he came over to Harry and helped Gabriella bread and butter him. Hermione was right field behind him.

"What happened ?"

"I'm fine, really,"demanded Harry, and in fact he was beginning to feel better although the floor was still a bit unfirm under his pes. They stepped him over to a hanker bench beneath a magnanimous portrait of a neat ninth century battle aspect. Harry hated it here, he always had ; the clangor and crash of sword against armour was always deafening when the combatants weren't sipping tea together, discussing whose scheme was Superior in the hold up engagement. Ron noticed a bruise beneath Harry's pick up and leaned in close to Harry's ear.

"You went out again today, didn't you ?"he whispered. His tone was more angry than concerned.

"CHHHHT,"crack Harry with a blast of air between his clinch teeth, trying to quieten is friend. Seated between a mind-reader and an empath, Harry had little hope of keeping anything secret, but he didn't want to discuss his education with the Centaurs in strawman of Gabriella.

"You said you'd take me,"complained Ron."‘ The side by side clock time I go,'you said."Ron crossed his weapon system."I thought maybe this twelvemonth would be different."Harry opened his backtalk to explain.

"Ron,"injected Hermione,"they'd just as soon spit you as anything else. Harry's just trying to protect you."

So, Hermione knew. So much for Ron's sworn curse that he wouldn't secernate a soul. Harry rolled his eyes and shook his question knowing that Hermione was only partially correct. She was right about the skewer piece, but Harry knew at once Ron would take on the protect part the ill-timed way. He did.

"I don't need Harry's protection ! We're at war !"

"Ron,"Harry began, holding up his hand,"the thing is—"

"Skewer you ?"asked Gabriella."What are you talking about ? Was Hagrid making you work with Stabbing Snapspiders again ?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed on Harry, whose own regard darted away to look at Ron who was ignoring Gabriella's question and was now standing in a seeing red and about ready to storm off. Harry stood too, the vertigo he was feeling all but gone.

"Ron,"Harry said, taking hold of Ron's arm,"I said you would go with me the next time I could. This morning I asked you know who, and they said I had to go by myself. I had a test… of sorts."

"test ?"asked Ron, now with Thomas More involvement than anger.

"They ?"asked Gabriella, taking to her feet.

"This morning you were supposed to help Professor Barghouti's instant year category for their DADA lesson,"scolded Hermione, also rising.

"What kind of test ?

"Who are they ?"

"Didn't you hear what happened to petty Nolie Langston from Slytherin ?"

Harry feigned dizziness again and tilted in toward Ron who grabbed him by the shoulders."I think I need to eat,"he muttered, and then leaning closer he whispered to Ron,"Saturday."Gabriella knew he was feeling fine ; she could smell that. Hermione knew he was feeling amercement ; she'd read the Harry Potter book long ago. Both women just glared, while Ron was steadfast.

"Can't you see the man's exhausted ? He has to eat !"he exclaimed."Blimey ! Give him a break for Merlin's sake."He put Harry's arm about his articulatio humeri."Come on, mate. Let's get you a chomp and then we can go over the weekend's practice schedule. I know Ginny's been playing amercement as Chaser and all, but I think if…."

In the Great G. Stanley Hall, Dumbledore had the houses sit wherever they wished for breakfast and lunch, but for dinner each house ate at freestanding board from the others. It was a compromise between the vision of the future tense and a deference for tradition. Tonight, Harry was thankful because it meant, for a piece at least, he and Gabriella would be separated. As they entered the Great manor hall she kissed him on the cheek, holding his go away hand. He toyed with the fortunate anchor ring he'd given her the year before on Valentine's. There was a twinkle in her eyes and a sly smile upon her face.

"You will assure me later ?"she asked, but the tone was more indicatory of a statement than a interrogative sentence.

"You know already. You just won't talk of the town about it."His smile had a tinge of sadness as their fingers let go of each other. Her twinkle faded and her eyes would not support his gaze as she turned away. Harry did not look back as he followed Ron to the Gryffindor table.

Lavender and Parvati were having an animated conversation about the signification of a large stain on the tablecloth. Parvati had spilt her drinking and it left a night, twirling synopsis of something resembling, at least to Harry, a heavy toadstool. He sat down realizing he did, very much, need to eat.

"It's a Celtic helix,"said Lavender, her finger tracking the scheme of the top of the toadstool.

"A crane,"countered Parvati, pointing at the long crooked neck of the toadstool.

"That makes no sentience,"said Lavender."No, it's a Celtic volute and,"she pointed to some dark inner spot,"with these here it would represent eternal life."

"No. See this here ? The way the helix fade out away ? Not eternal life… life, death, and reincarnation. It's clearly a crane,"Parvati said, pointing out the bird's features."Here are the eyes, the coil neck, the retentive legs."She grew more positive with each description.

"Then you're both good,"chimed in Hermione. The two Pres Young ladies looked up, stunned saying on both their faces."The crane represents longevity. Eternal life… longevity… Saami thing."She shrugged her articulatio humeri and took a bit of dinner.

"NooOoo,"both Parvati and Lavender harmonized in a rather foresighted and melodic tune."It could mean deception if—"

Deliberately, Harry accidentally spilled his tea onto the stain covering up any discernable detail. The liquid began to decant off the boundary toward Parvati and Lavender and they both took to their feet.

"That looks like a muddy pond to me, Harry"said Ron, chewing on a stick of bread."See the large ripples flowin'down the table."

"Honestly, Ron,"sighed Hermione, whisking out her wand and vanishing the tea and grease together.

"HERMIONE !"cried Lavender.

"How could you !"scolded Parvati.

"ME ?"queried Hermione, clearly flummoxed."But they—"

"seminal fluid on, Lavender."Parvati spun on her heals and took off, Lavender right behind her, but not before she shot a scathing glare at Hermione. No Oklahoman had they left the table than Ron let out a snort, a piece of staff of life shooting from his nose.

"Ronald Weasley, I should…"

"Honestly, Hermione, Harry just wants to eat. You can't begrudge the man his peace after all he's been through today."Ron took another bite of dinero and looked at Harry's scale."Are you going to eat those ?"he asked pointing at some Saratoga chip. Harry just glared back. Ron shrugged and took another sting of bread.

"And as for you,"Hermione continued, now turning to Harry,"you better tell Gabriella straight away what you're up to, or it'll spoil what you both have."Setting down his ramification, Harry looked up at her.

"Oh, right, and you two are the poster span for honest and open discussions."

"Harry,"said Hermione without losing step,"you know there's something bothering her. You need to find out what it is."

"Don't you think I've tried ! ?"asked Harry, raising his voice just enough for those around him to stop their conversations. He knew he hadn't, not really, but he also knew that Hermione didn't know. Her eyes simply looked into his, probing, her reflexion calm. The flavour was unnerve because he knew his own facial expression was giving him away."wellspring I have,"he insisted, pushing his plate in for good measure.

He wasn't sure the drama was having the upshot he wanted. Ron simply nipped one of his leftover chips and Hermione only let out a foresightful disapproving sigh. Past the point of return, at least for this line of reasoning, Harry stood up and left the Great Hall in as foul a mood as he could come up. His head focused on the Gryffindor board, he didn't notice the Slytherin that stood as well and followed him out of the Great antechamber.

Harry was moving down the corridor toward Gryffindor when he heard the pace behind him. He stopped and turned ; only no one was there. He looked over past a causa of armour and then behind a pillar - still no one. Tired, if not completely exhausted, he continued toward Gryffindor and his awaiting preparation. He was nearly at the portrait of the Fat gentlewoman when there was a tap on his helping hand and a rustle in his ear.

"Your days grow short."

Harry felt the bill appear on his medal and spun at once.

"Blaise ?"he whispered back, but there was no answer.

Harry unfolded the patch of parchment."They think it's at the Ministry. Is it ?"was all it said. The portrayal swung give and Harry quickly moved to hide the note, only he didn't have to. It flashed in a ottoman of smoke and disappeared. Neville stepped out of the Gryffindor park way followed by the most unbelievable of faces - Severus Snape. Strangely neither took a lot placard of Harry. Beyond a slight drumhead nod by Neville, it was as if he didn't even exist.

"The affair is, professor,"Neville was saying as he past Harry,"if the two roots are to own the issue you want, they'll have to be grown to exactly the Saami length."

"Quit restating the obvious, Longbottom,"replied Snape without so a lot as a nod toward Harry as he past."The questions is can you do it ?"Neville scratched his chin as they disappeared down the corridor.

"I think so, with the right Christ Within. If I can take up some…"and the conversation faded away.

Amazed, Harry shook his question and turned toward the portraiture of the Fat ma'am.

"Password ?"she asked with a smile.

Just before he answered, Harry paused, scratching his Chin much as Neville had just done. What was at the Ministry ? The Horcrux that Draco had mentioned ? Whatever that was.

"Erm, sorry,"said Harry,"changed my mind."He turned and headed back down the corridor, wondering if his secret bill giver was still nearby. As much as he hated the cerebration of climbing back up the stairway, he had to go down and address with Dumbledore. Besides, the three scrolls on the healing works of Kirkcaldy could wait till later.


Harry ceramicist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 10 - Visions
~~~***~~~




Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.
The ash gray instrument rose and fell on Dumbledore's mahogany desk as Harry stroked Fawkes'feathers, waiting for the headmaster to return. Not much self-aggrandizing than a bread-bin, it was a strange collection of gears and springs and Harry spent some clock time trying to deduce its import. The gizmo, rimmed with winged creatures Harry couldn't recognize, reminded him of a similar device in the Black home estate at Grimmauld Place. It too had the same flier annulus that ran up a notch staircase only the blackness twist was golden, its winged puppet looked more menacing, and Harry had never seen it operate.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Tink.

Shot by a natural spring, another silver annulus ran up the staircase only to reach the top, falter, and descent into a mint below. The pile seemed to be shrinking as Harry stood watching, but he could not see where the rings disappeared to, nor could he observe the reservoir for the tintinnabulation that sprung forth from the nates. There it was - a never ending procession that seemed to own no purpose.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Unable to incorporate himself, Harry reached out and grabbed the silver gray mob before it had a chance to fall from atop the small stairway. The scene changed and he suddenly found himself on the Hogwarts Express walking toward the front of the train, two tempo behind Greg Goyle. But, this couldn't be - Greg was dead. It took him a moment to realize that he'd traveled back in time. They were about to arrive at the front of the power train ; Greg wasn't dead, he was about to die.

Harry tried to speak, but no news came. He tried to reach his paw up to stop Greg, but it would not move. unable to keep in line his motility, Harry could do cipher but watch history unfold as it had stopping point twelvemonth. He poked his head into a carriage, telling a mathematical group of fifth part yr what was up.

"I've been wondering what was taking so long with the intellectual nourishment tram,"said Ernie Macmillan. Harry explained that the professors had gone missing and Ernie joined him to discern the trouble. As Harry slipped back out of the carriage with Ernie, Goyle took the breaker point and started toward the forepart of the wagon train. Once again Harry tried to stop his Quaker when, through the glass door to the box ahead, Harry saw a witch in dark gown suddenly appear in the corridor. Anaxarete. Harry wished he could cast a killing curse, but it was no use ; he could do nothing. She glanced back, revealing a sinister smile and piercing super acid eyes. Harry tried to put himself in front of Greg, but was unable to pass Goyle's broad shoulder joint. It didn't thing ; an blink of an eye later she was gone and an trice after that the front of the wagon train exploded with a tremendous white trice.

Harry fell to the floor of Dumbledore's office, the silver halo firmly clenched within his hired man. He was shaking, the explosion still ringing in his pinna, when he opened his eyes and found Dumbledore looking down at him. The headmaster bent with difficulty to one knee and held out his hand.

"I take it you did not obtain yourself in one of professor Binns'lectures, Harry ?"

Harry took Dumbledore's manus and rose to his human foot. He held the ring out between his quarter round and forefinger.

"What… what is it ?"he asked still shaken. Dumbledore took the ringing and placed it back atop the silver staircase.

Tink.

It fell into the pile below which now was growing magnanimous as Dumbledore stood and spoke with Harry.

"It is a memory book of sorts… a photo album."Dumbledore moved to his desk and sat down, leaning back against his chair."Different for each who reads it."Harry couldn't helper but think that the greatest wizard of the age was beginning to show signboard of wear. He had grown much thinner since Harry live saw him at the end of the schooling yr, and his work force were beginning to curl in an unnatural way.

"Like a Pensieve ?"Harry asked.

"Not quite, Harry,"replied the schoolmaster."A Pensieve lets you store or hit your memory board so that you can look them over later. You can select the memory to remove, to examine."He leaned forward and held his helping hand together."This is a Möbius Machine. It reflects a whiz's life history. It is a never ending grommet that plays over and over again, shrinking or expanding to suit the viewer. Each silver lot is a ringlet of a portion of your life history. While the rings play in order of magnitude, there is no way, unfortunately, to determine which memory, which life experience you will visit."

A chill past tense by Harry again, and for a minute he thought he felt the breath of death whispering its name against the nape of his neck.

"I take it, Harry,"continued Dumbledore,"that your experience was not a pleasant one."

"No, sir,"answered Harry, sitting himself."It was… on the geartrain ; when I was with Greg, just when… just when…"

"I understand."Dumbledore sighed. He stood and walked back to the device. He waived his wand and uttered an incantation and the halo stopped running up the stairway, and fell wherever they were in the Hz."I wish your memories could be happier, Harry. I would hate to see you as a tottering old man, sitting down in a dusty office staff wondering if you could risk reliving the tragedies that grasping a few rings might take. Fawkes quietly vocalized his agreement, as Dumbledore slipped his verge away and placed his paw on Harry's articulatio humeri."I know you have been chosen, Harry. But you need not rate yourself between the Centaur and the Dementors ; it is not your war."

"You said it yourself, Professor,"said Harry, looking up into Dumbledore's still bright bluish eyes,"it's the way of life we choose that make us who we are. I'm not doing this because I was chosen. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do. Lucius Malfoy is going to use this to try and traverse the darkness back across this land, and I won't let him."Harry's own heart were bowelless with determination and defiance."I've been training with Ronan."Harry paused."Are centaur wizard ?"

"Very much so, Harry,"said Dumbledore with a smiling."It is folly for wizards to trust they are the most powerful creatures on this globe. You know, of line, Centaurs have keen sight and are skilled with a bow, but these things are physical skills that many wizards dismiss. Ahh… not so, Harry… not so. Why do you think a centaur never misses his mark ?"Harry shrugged."Because a skilled centaur can follow the arrow all the way to its destination, nudging its flight along the way. They can bow outer space and metre, Harry. Even while wizards are ineffective to Apparate on Hogwarts dry land, Ronan can evaporate and reappear wherever he pleases simply by using his mind."

"He showed me today. He taught me today."

Dumbledore said naught. Harry could narrate by his manifestation that he was move, or surprised, but the old wizard made no word of it. Instead he stood from his chairman and walked over to his telescope.

"They are lots secure flight attendant of such skill than whizz would ever be,"the aged wizard whispered, looking down into the lens of the telescope. The legal document was fixed on the dower of the sky through which the comet Ebyrth was now passing. Harry no longer needed a telescope to see the comet's bright tail.

"It is not your war, Harry,"said Dumbledore still looking into the lens."The Ministry can care the the likes of of Lucius and his ilk."He adjusted the direction."They have no strength in numbers, no allies for living, no asylum in which to conceal. It's only a thing of time."

"Then why haven't they been caught ?"asked Harry."It's been calendar month, and nothing."

"Lucius is no fool,"answered Dumbledore."He'll remain shroud for as long as possible and only smash when he thinks he can win."The whizz looked up."He can't win, Harry."But Harry wasn't so sure. He turned his spinal column on Dumbledore and walked over to Guy Fawkes, stroking the bird's plume. Harry didn't recognize how to make for it up, but he had to ask.

"What if… what if he had a weapon ? A arcanum weapon ?"

"enigma arm ?"asked Dumbledore, turning to face Harry more fully."What do you mean ?"

"A… A Horcrux."

The portraits that were earlier minding their own business, napping, reading the paper, or off to some other place were suddenly thrown into a tumultuousness. The master of old began complaining at once about the impudence of the Young man to discuss such affair here.

"It's an abhorrence, Albus !"one cried.

"Lucius is cunningly evil,"called Phineas,"But he would never grovel to such depths."

Dumbledore finally quieted them all by threatening to bring down a sheet of darkness. His face was grave, almost pale and the step of his voice was filled with big fear. Harry knew at once that whatever a Horcrux was, it was drear magic, but then… did he expect otherwise ?

"Harry,"began Dumbledore slowly, his representative quite and sombre,"what makes you believe that Lucius Malfoy would utilize a Horcrux ?"Harry turned away from Dumbledore, not willing to assert eye contact."Certainly such news does not come from our champion the Centaurs."

"Well… I… I heard that…"He stalled and then turned back to face Dumbledore. How could he know how one employed a Horcrux if he didn't even sleep with what one was ?"Professor, what is a Horcrux ?"Dumbledore walked back to the silver car that was now quiet on the table. He tapped it with his verge and the silver rings began to roll again. He took a ringing and held it in his hand for but a moment when he laughed and placed it back along its path.

"Precious,"he whispered to himself."So precious."

"Professor ?"

"It was the day when Professor McGonagall asked me if I enjoyed teaching at Hogwarts. She was thinking of applying to learn here as well, but wasn't sure if her husband would agree."

"Husband ?"asked Harry incredulously."prof McGonagall was married ?"

"Oh yes, Harry,"answered Dumbledore."And very happily I might add. He was killed by a Death Eater when Voldemort first returned. She joined the Order of the phoenix soon after. Since then, she's been our strongest ally against the darkness."This new intelligence had Harry's head spinning just a bit. He'd always assumed…. Dumbledore turned back to the silver simple machine."Can you opine what it would be like if professor McGonagall did not hold the memory of the murder of her husband ?"

"I… I suppose she'd be happy."

"But she is happy, Harry. Certainly, if you were to ask, she would wish that he was still at her side of meat, but she is very happy."Dumbledore's hands squeezed the wooden table and he drew in a rich breath. When he turned to look back into Harry's oculus, his fount was grave and his own oculus derriere."What I'm about to differentiate you, Harry, is not supposed to forget this room."Harry glanced toward the room access as if there might be somebody there."Harry, I know with whom you would like to share. You should cognize that it is forbidden. I would not even speak of it with you, had you not brought it up first. Do I have your word ?"

"Yes, sir,"replied Harry, his voice smaller than he thought it should be. He began to question if he should have ever asked. Dumbledore stepped close.

"Imagine for a mo that I could dissever you into three citizenry. Not written matter mind you, but three decided parts of your very essence… your soul. One would delay with the body you now possess ; the former two would be put away for storage you might say. If you, the part of you that inhabits the body you now have, were to die, one of the other piece would seek out another body to inhabit… to hold in. You, division of you, would live again."

"share of me ?"

"The part that you hid away."Again Dumbledore turned to the machine on the board."The mountain of rings that you see in front of me here, Harry, is big than your was. Why ?"

"You have more memory board, more experiences."

"Precisely ! But a break up soul would only select with it portions, darkness of the retentivity the original soul carried. Imagine, my boy, if you had to choose… what portions of your person would you cut up away ? What office of you would stay ? There are many choices. You could carve out the bad memories, perhaps the end of Greg Goyle, and go on believing that he had never died ? But then, what would encounter if you were to die, and the Horcrux storing only the bad memories was released ? What variety of soured somebody would rest ?

"Then there are those wizards who believe that it is the tragedy of a wizard's animation that drives him forward ? Such a ace might keep the tragic retention at the set erasing all joy and happiness, perhaps the day you first arrived at Hogwarts ?.

"And it's not just memories, Harry. It's also the essence of who we are, what we have become, both good and malevolent, dark and fire up. A wizard must decide how to separate each slice of joy and ruefulness into tiny pieces, sprinkling a niggling bit of everything into each portion of your soul, splintering all you ever were into shards of fogged methamphetamine hydrochloride that can never really be made whole again. Tell me, Harry, what pick would you make ?"

"I… I wouldn't choose such a life, sir,"replied Harry, horrified of the intellection.

"No, Harry, nor would I."Dumbledore's berm drooped slightly as if a orotund weight sat square upon them."Thankfully, most adept and witches would reject to take as well. Fewer still know that there is such a course one can demand ; and only the most powerful of those would be able to take it."Suddenly looking quite tired, Dumbledore returned to the chair behind his desk and let out a late sigh, closing his centre."The Horcrux is simply the storage vessel… it could be a rock, a cloak, a cup—"

"But Lucius—"

"Think, Harry,"Dumbledore interrupted."It might even be a book…"There was a hanker pause. Harry could try a number of the portrait on the paries mumbling to themselves. Clearly they were unhappy with the direction of the conversation, particularly Phineas.

"The diary ?"Harry answered finally, his voice more sealed than uncertain, and with each new question the precariousness vanished."Tom conundrum's diary ? That was a Horcrux ? Voldemort used a Horcrux."

"Lucius is cunning, ruthless and evil, but I have seen deeply into his eyes. He could not master the Horcrux even if he desired to."

"But I saw Voldemort die,"said Harry."There was nothing left."

"Yes,"said Dumbledore, nodding."You also saw Tom Riddle die in the sleeping accommodation of arcanum. I had always assumed he had divided himself in two. Who would risk fracturing themselves to a greater extent than once ?"Dumbledore chuckled to himself grimly."Who indeed ?"Then he turned back to Harry."This news show palls the purview with a new shadow. Tell me, Harry, why you believe that someone is employing a Horcrux because, if someone is, Voldemort is most certainly behind it."

Again, Harry found himself turning away. He didn't want this newsworthiness. He thought it had something to do with Lucius, with the war that would soon be upon them. He didn't want to conceive what he had felt all summer, what he had felt since returning to Hogwarts, that Voldemort was somehow still animated. But where ? How ? Harry, his eyes sincere, looked back at Dumbledore.

"Sir, I… I can't. I gave my word."Dumbledore's eyes narrowed and then, quite naturally, he smiled back.

"well, I suppose if you told me, then your promise to keep our conversation of the Horcrux private would signify nothing."

"If it does survive,"Harry said anxiously,"we have to find it before it's too late."

"Harry,"said Dumbledore with grave concern,"such weewee are filled with Grindylows and Inferi."Harry looked at Dumbledore, confused.

"Inf— ?"

"It's far too dangerous for you to start out some journey to search the humans for a Horcrux. Voldemort's been to the sharpness of the globe and beyond ; it could be anywhere. More likely, it has already been activated. No, I will speak with the phallus of the—"

"Sir, you can't. I swore that I'd—"

"Relax, Harry, there will be no need to entail your amour. In fact, it's more to our reward to hold on your epithet completely out of the picture."

Dumbledore breathed in deeply and closed his oculus as he slowly let out his breather."Yes, I think I understand. He didn't just split himself in two. He may not have stopped at three. There's no telling."He walked over and stroked Guy Fawkes'plume, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to say."I despise mystery, Harry, but if Voldemort has reanimated he may, once again, have agents working within the shoal rampart. I'm sure Lucius does. That we know another Horcrux might exist gives us an edge we dare not lose. Do you have any idea—"The chimes of the great clock struck twice.

"Oh dear,"said Dumbledore."I've made you lately for class."He paused, struggling for the briefest of moments about what to say next."You Best be on your way. We can uphold this later. Tell Professor Barghouti it was all my faulting and I'll confer with him about it later."

"But—"

"Go on, Harry,"interrupted Dumbledore.

Harry sighed, grabbed his books and started for year. Just as he was about to wave his hand across the large brass doorknob, Dumbledore stopped him.

"Harry, there are those that we can trust—long-time supporter and soul mates. I understand that you may be compelled to try help. If you must discuss this, celebrate the conversation within the walls of Gryffindor."Harry paused for a moment, taking in the schoolmaster's Scripture.

"But that means—"

"You know what it means. Now, be on your way."

As Harry walked down the corridors toward Defence Against the nighttime Arts family, his head was spinning with the new information and trying to brook everything that Dumbledore has shared with him. Within the walls of Gryffindor. Even though this class students were destitute to get in the park room of any sign of the zodiac into which they were invited, Harry knew exactly what Dumbledore meant ; he shouldn't trust Gabriella. He pondered how he would keep Gabriella out of any word he might take with Ron or Hermione concerning the Horcrux. Maybe he was better off not saying anything to anybody. His concerns about Gabriella faded quickly, however, when arrived late to class and Professor Barghouti took ten points away from Gryffindor for Harry's tardiness. He wouldn't let Harry say a countersign about where he was or who he was with.

Normally, Harry arrived early to course so that he could sit in back. He like the legal age of the grade wanted to sit in as far away from Professor Barghouti as possible. For most students it was because their prof was a vampire ; Harry simply didn't like him. Every metre Harry looked into his eyes he felt that he had to raise himself desirable ; that he was somehow lacking when it came to the Votary. Now, having arrived to class late, Harry had to sit in front next to the only other student who would : Hermione and Gabriella. Harry took his fanny next to Gabriella who offered him a supportive smile after he was chastised by Barghouti about time management.

"Now, as I was saying,"said Professor Barghouti with a bit of a drawl that reminded Harry all too much of a mark between Snape and Malfoy,"before we were so rudely interrupted… Occlumency is more art than learned, more nature than nurture. Nonetheless, even the most inept star,"he looked at Harry,"can learn to repel at least vestigial attempts to interpenetrate the mind. Fortunately, most of you are sorely lacking as Legilimens."Barghouti stared once again at Harry.

"I want each of you to come up a partner and while one tries to riddle his partner's mental defences the other will use the proficiency you described in net night's homework assignment. For those of you who found the appointment to dull and choose instead to drill Quidditch,"again he looked at Harry,"expect to pass the evening with Madame Pomfrey as she treats your headache."

"But, professor,"complained Hermione while raising her hand.

"Yes, Ms Granger ?"

"What if multitude don't want to deliver their head read ? It is, after all, a misdemeanor of personal space."

"True, Ms. husbandman ; it is a violation. But then, so is the Killing condemnation and we've learned to support ourselves, as best we can, against such an blast. Would you prefer to have your sentiment read freely by Lucius Malfoy's spies ? Have them know your plans so that they can stamp out you or your loved single when you least expect it ?"

"But—"

"Pair with soul you trust,"he interrupted."We'll talk of this no more."

Hermione's mouth pursed as she crossed her arms. Harry knew that looking before. Still, he didn't think that it was such a big deal. Instinctively, he paired with Gabriella. Ron was about to pair with Hermione when Barghouti grabbed him by the arm.

"I think not, Mr. Weasley. I understand you're quite gifted in this country. Today, you can be my partner."Barghouti offered a rarified smile and both Ron and Harry expected to see his fang, but all that appeared was a straight row of bright, pearly teeth.

Harry turned his desk about and sat opposite Gabriella. He had let her into his mind many times before. There was something playful, almost erotic about how they would communicate in this way. While she had become quite star at curling herself around Harry's thoughts, she never went abstruse than Harry offered. For his part, he had never been able to see her intellection unless he opened his own first. They always had to recreate in Harry's idea, and he had never tried to tug her away. She was smiling at him, a sparkling in her optic, as she took his hired man in hers. It wasn't until their hands touched that his philia skipped. Foremost in his idea was something he couldn't let her see — his conversation with Dumbledore. His paw pulled away ; he couldn't stop her from sensing his emotions, but he could stop her from reading his brain.

"Harry,"she asked, sensing immediately his excited shift,"what's wrong."

"Erm… N-nothing,"he answered evasively."I… I mean we already know you can get into my head. How ‘ bout I try to get into yours first ?"She said nada, trying to put his words in alignment with the feelings she was sensing."That's okay, isn't it ?"he asked.

"Sure,"she said slowly. She reached out her bridge player again, but Harry placed his own in his lap.

"Erm… Let me present it a go without contact."

"You know you can't."

"I can try,"he snap back with a bit of defiance. His vocalism was heated for no expert reason, and he knew she'd sense that as well. If he stayed flustered, she'd be right ; there would be no way for him to come close to reading her mind.

Around the class some pupil were having better achiever than others. Most attempt were fairly hebdomad and were being met by prompt repulsion. This resulted in more than a few students being knocked backwards out of their hot seat. Ron was popping down on to the ground more prison term than you could shake a wand at and Barghouti was taking great satisfaction in being capable to repel Ron's advances. Just behind Harry, Hermione had teamed with Neville who, at the second, was trying to penetrate her mind. Avoiding Gabriella's oculus, Harry took a bass breath.

"Ready ?"he asked.

"Go tiger,"said Gabriella with a smiling.

Harry began to focalise as best he could on Gabriella's cerebration, but all he was sensing was the rachis of his palpebra. Squeezing his eyes closed more firmly, he heard another magnanimous thump that he took to be Ron's arse once again striking the slate trading floor. It felt like an timeless existence, but at some point he could get wind Gabriella calling his gens. Not with her mouth, but with her psyche. Instead of pushing him back, she was trying to wheedle him in. Even with the assist he was finding it extremely difficult to push his way through the swarthiness to her thoughts. Not aware that he was now grabbing the edge of the desk with his hands, he redoubled, tripled his efforts to push his way in.

Suddenly, there was a saccade from can. Trying to penetrate into Neville's mind, Hermione had been repelled backwards and fell against Harry. She grabbed his articulatio humeri and began to pull him backwards. Without thinking and still focused mentally to come home Gabriella with all his big businessman, he reached out toward her. She grabbed his paw and when she did the panorama in Harry's mind changed. The sound was sucked out of the elbow room and all was darkness. He had penetrated Gabriella's mind ; but what was this… her memory or something more ?

The ruction of the course of instruction had disappeared and an eerie quiet surrounded him. He heard first, a rushing of piddle, a drip-drip-drip, a whisper of folio and then crying… Then the air filled with a musty, wet perfume of pine tree and loam… The Forbidden Forest, he knew at once. Slowly, a brightness began to spread out up before him and he realized that the crying came from the infant he was holding in his weapon system. This was no storage ; Harry was himself in this vision. He found that his robe were soaked. Both he and the offspring tiddler, still less than a year old, looked as if they'd just come from the lake. The baby, glistening wet, was wrapped in drear bend of moistness material, dripping on his boots. A handwriting touched his shoulder from behind.

"You'll have to remove care of him now, Harry."It was Hermione, her phonation seeped in sadness."She'd want it that way."

A rushing of fear began to pour itself over Harry. He was cold, shivering, teeth chattering, the small fry in his limb continued to cry out for its mother, but Harry knew that it was a cry that would never be answered. He wanted to scream, to run, but when the fry looked at him his fondness warmed and his resolve strengthened. Slowly Harry's finger brushed the fry's face.

"You know,"he whispered, quelling the minor's tear,"you have your mother's eyes."


Harry ceramist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 11 - Notty Boy
~~~***~~~

Bass throb, strings reverberating, the band was trashy and Harry was not feeling all that well. He slumped back, sinking into the large, overstuffed chairman and rubbed his synagogue. Why did he let Ron and James Byron Dean challenge him into a drinking affaire d'honneur upstairs ? The Quidditch match against Hufflepuff was tomorrow and he swore he wouldn't take a sip. But then Ron convinced him that they were two-hundred point favourite over their sister house and why not celebrate… a fiddling ? It was Halloween after all ; their last at Hogwarts.

Feeling a bit drunk, he then had let Neville win over him to eat far too much during the feast. Why not ? It was, after all, their last Allhallows Eve together. And then when he had stepped outside for some fresh air, Hermione started in on him again.

"I saw it. You saw it. By the way she's acting, all three of us saw it, Harry."Her voice was more sympathetic than chiding as she set her helping hand upon his berm. She had tried this approach path once already ; it hadn't worked then either. Harry didn't know why she wouldn't just let it go. okay, that was a lie - he did know. That was just what Hermione did. She wanted to work out a trouble that she didn't understand and not knowing the solvent was driving her mad. Nonetheless, after her protestations, Harry had simply rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

"If she doesn't want to talk about it, then—"

"You need to narrate her what you saw,"Hermione had said, stepping in more closely to Harry, but his idea had grown foggier than ever. Instead of being refreshed by the night air, he was just cold and rummy. He shook his fountainhead, disagreeing with Hermione, unceremoniously pushing her gentle bridge player away, and had wandered, stumbling a bit, back into the dance, where he had found the Nice cushy chair he now was melting into. Frustrated, Hermione had left his English before he entered the Great Hall, and he was thankful for that. Rubbing his temples, Harry considered the new song. Yes, the stripe was very aloud, but everyone was having a great sentence.

The Great foyer was dark save for the pip that bathed the band in an eerie orange and purple igniter. Now and then a row of wax light burning at the presence of the stage would flash bright, sparkling into the air. It was the only time you could make much of anything out, except when a professor's wand grew bright, lighting up two snogging students typically in a darkened corner covered by the fog that floated some three understructure off the floor.

Harry was surprised to see Saint Patrick dancing with a one-third class female child from Slytherin, if you could call his gyrations dancing. The lad was flailing his arms and pounding his animal foot ; Harry expected to see him smiling, but Patrick didn't seem too please with it. Ron was nowhere to be seen, which put a fugitive smirk on Harry's look, for it was Harry who had won their earlier bet. He smiled even more broadly, thinking that Ron would have to go three nighttime straight without wearing any socks. There was another bright newsbreak and he caught spate of Gabriella passing by William James Chang as she entered the Great Marguerite Radclyffe Hall. Eyes blurred, Harry thought she had been carrying something, but couldn't make out what it was before the room went dark again. His stomach churned ; he did not feel well at all. A moment later she was at his incline with a Harlan Fisk Stone mug in her hand, steam boiling out the top and rolling down over her bridge player.

"You owe me for this !"she called out over the raging music."Ginny told me what you did upstairs. You can't do that, Harry. It's too dangerous for you to be this vulnerable."She handed the mug to Harry, who was nodding his head even though he couldn't make out a I give-and-take she was saying, and squished in next to him on the oversized cushion. Harry took a tentative sip. Feeling her warmth next to his, Harry was certainly she had been praising him for imbibing Ron and Dean under the table. There was another jiffy of Dame Muriel Spark and he noticed a few of the younger students including James and St. Patrick were leaving. He looked back down into his mug, mustered up the braveness and swallowed down the ease. The core was nearly immediate. The nausea passed and his vision began to clear up. He was feeling better, but he was growing tired. When he set the mug down, Gabriella took him by the helping hand.

"You did a howling job helping prof Flitwick with the decorations. The Snake that kept swallowing initiatory days was quite creative."

"A Slytherin inspired me,"replied Harry, smiling back at her now that the ringing was leaving his spike. He glanced over at the snake that was over in the box of the Great mansion. The few outset year students that remained were still lining up to be swallowed by the large, greyish beast with fierce chickenhearted oculus. Once swallowed, scholarly person were transported to the battlefront of the phase where the band was playing. It was the just way the vernal scholarly person could make up their way to the front of the swarm that crushed up against the stagecoach. If they were favorable, they got to sing with the lot. If they weren't, the onetime scholar would cast aside them to the back of the crowd. This recently, it became more a game than anything else with first years finding some sort of treat or concoction from Fred and George VI's workshop in their sac by the meter they were flung out of the gang.

"I can't believe you're the but one who offered to help,"said Gabriella.

"Flitwick usually does it all himself. Er… live year… I made a hope, I guess."

Harry was suddenly nervous, remembering where he was and what he had done lowest yr at Hallowe'en. At first he tried to look away, but he could palpate Gabriella's bleak eyes penetrating his tactile sensation, so he turned to her and try out to switch the subject to something he knew she wouldn't want to babble about, especially not here.

"You know… Hermione thinks you should enjoin us what we saw."

At best it was difficult to hear, and with the long interruption and tot deficiency of reaction on Gabriella's part, Harry wondered if she'd even heard him. He tried to recapitulate himself.

"I said, Hermione thinks—"

"I know what Hermione thinks,"Gabriella snapped."AND I know what YOU think."She let go of Harry's manpower and crossed her arms and legs. Her eyes were not tempestuous, they were sad, almost frightened.

"I didn't mean to—"

"You just don't understand, Harry."Her jaw was set as they watched another showtime year go flying off the degree and be thrown to the dorsum of the Great antechamber, disappearing into the swirling fog that hung low on the floor. Without looking at Harry, she yelled,"Is there somewhere we can go so we're not screaming at each other ! ?"

Harry was taken aback. He didn't expect that she'd wishing to talk at all about it. His eyes darted toward the entrance hall off the Great Hall. No one could get in there save professors ; yet professor Dumbledore had taken Harry there the year before and he remembered how to get in. Still he hesitated, but then his spirit began to race a bit, cerebration of the possibleness. It was dark ; if they stayed finale to the wall no one would see them err behind the stage.

"Well ?"Gabriella called out.

Harry took her promontory and nodded for her to stick with. It wasn't easy making it to the paries, but the crew was focused on a particularly shrieking song by the lead singer with bass promissory note that pounded the floor and tossed folk off their substructure. Undetected, Gabriella and Harry slipped into the side way and the medicine instantly fell away. The anteroom was dimly lit by the lovesome glow of the fireplace and a handful of lit candle. Beyond that there wasn't another stick of furniture in the plaza. Harry paused, thinking about the right trance, but before he put it together, Gabriella had conjured up a nice tete-a-tete near the open fireplace.

For the abbreviated of second he thought to ask Gabriella about what he had seen in her judgement, but being in this particular room on this picky night caused computer storage of Cho to rush over him. His emotions were mixed between excitement and concern. He hadn't heard from Cho since schoolhouse let out and when Gabriella offered to visit Cho at her home, Mrs Yangtze Kiang said that she had gone to the State and wouldn't be back for the eternal rest of summer. The only educatee who had any contact with her at all was Anthony Goldstein who seemed to be her boyfriend now. He seemed to gloat that he knew something that Harry didn't and he wouldn't say a word about what Cho was up to ; only that she was good for you and happy and that they'd be seeing a lot more of each former after he graduated.

"Has she answered your letter ?"Harry whispered without thinking.

"Who ?"asked Gabriella, a bit throw.

"Cho. Only Anthony seems to have sex anything, but he seems to be playing Prince Valiant by keeping mum. Have you heard anything ?"

"You know I haven't,"answered Gabriella."Why do you—"

"I hope she hasn't relapsed,"said Harry with concern.

To Gabriella, Harry's sudden concern for Cho was odd, out of station. Why here ? Why now ? Still, it was somehow heart-warming, and she took his script again as they sat down together by the attack.

"If something was amiss, we would accept heard,"she said comfortingly."If anything, Mark Antony's filled with pride and felicity. I can sense it. He feels as if he's doing something tremendously important. Is it so bad if he won't share ? Why ?"She smiled devilishly."Are you overjealous ?"Gabriella pinched Harry's side and made him yelp.

Harry put on his best Bogart impersonation."These eyes are only unripe for you, sweetheart."

He leaned over and kissed Gabriella hard against the lips. It had been ages since they had been truly alone together, and she pressed her lips firmly back against his. Her arms wrapped around his rear and she pulled him pixilated to her chest. His hands slipped to the warm, soft soma of her belly. Thoughts of Centaur visions slipped past both their nous in favour of other, more pleasurable, natural process.

Later, as Harry was tying up the lacing of his flight simulator, he realized how artfully Gabriella had managed to keep him from asking her about the visual sense they'd seen. She kissed him one last time as he reached for the knob on the doorway that led back out to the Great Hall. There was still a multitude of people crowding against the stage when they slipped back out of the ante-chamber. They chose not to dance and instead made their way out to the straw man of the castle. It was well past midnight, but there were still a few couples huddled together, watching the night sky. It was the most outstanding Halloween Harry could remember. The superstar were smart as a whip, but then he saw it. His regard froze and his smile fell.

"What ? What's the matter, Harry ?"Gabriella placed her helping hand against the side of Harry's face and then looked to the heavens above her shoulder joint."What's wrong ? What do you see ?"

"Ebyrth,"said Harry flatly. Gabriella leaned her head against his shoulder and patted his book binding, saying nothing. Harry sighed deeply."I… I just don't get it."

"What ?"

"I don't see how it can arise much brighter. I see it during the day now."

"It may be bright for you,"she answered quietly,"but near the rest of us can't yet see it at all."

"Where's the war ? I don't know why things haven't started already,"said Harry, but then a late, scratchy voice broke the Night's stillness.

"What makes you think they haven't ?"

Both Gabriella and Harry jumped. It was prof Barghouti. The moment the former twosome saw him they began to scramble up the movement steps of the castling, constantly casting backward glances to make indisputable he wasn't following them, and occasionally reaching for their necks as if to reassure themselves that they hadn't been bitten. Harry forced himself to regain his composure, but Gabriella had beaten him to it.

"Dakhil, where have you been ?"she asked."I've been looking for you all day ?"

"I had a visit with a werewolf,"he answered."Only fitting, don't you think ?"He laughed at his own joke and while Gabriella laughed as well, Harry was having none of it.

"Just got back then, did you ? Wings a bit tired ? Slurp up a few tourists along the way ?"

"Harry !"Gabriella snapped.

"Yes, boy,"said Barghouti unimpressed,"as a matter of fact…,"he ran his clapper across his teeth, and this clock time a row of jagged, razor-sharp teeth appeared,"…I did."

"Dakhil !"chided Gabriella. Barghouti merely chuckled again and the teeth became true and pearly whitened.

"You may not see it, boy,"said Barghouti, tapping Harry across the typeface with his vauntingly manus,"but your war has begun. Does that make you feel better ?"Harry's eyes were incredulous.

"What do you entail ?"he asked."There hasn't been an incident since the train."

"The Centaurs of the Great Forest are not the only Centaurs in the world, boy. And, as much as you might care to believe that England is the middle of the worldly concern, it is but a very small part of it."He looked at Gabriella."It is as I had feared. The war has begun at home."

"I thought you said you didn't care about the war,"queried Harry."Why the long expression now ?"

"Because, oh chosen one,"Barghouti sneered,"your acquaintance Lucius Malfoy has enlisted the help of vampires and hence his choice of get-go strike - the Carpathians. Only they're not just killing centaur, they're wiping out anything and anyone in their path - all of them Muggles. A hale village was destroyed. The Muggle written document are reporting that the devastation was due to a gas explosion."A burst of air popped between his sassing."I must return to Singehorn for a few days. I fear my old friend may move to intervene and repeat old mistakes. prof Dumbledore has been informed and prof lupine will take care of my classes."

"wait ! I'm going with you,"said Harry emphatically. Barghouti snickered and turned."I said—"

"You wish to economise the earthly concern, boy ?"Barghouti snapped, spinning back upon Harry. He was clearly wild, as if Harry had started the wholly matter ; as if Harry had placed the comet in the celestial sphere himself."Why don't you try saving this school first ? Why don't you try saving THEM ?"His handwriting shot out toward the tree that surrounded the school ; all was duskiness. Harry squinted, which only made Barghouti all the more exasperated.

"have you learned nix ?"he cried. There was a small squeal from one of the remaining students near the castle doors who quickly ran inside, slamming the door behind her."Can you not SEE ?"

Harry looked again into the wickedness, squinting. Then he remembered. He took a cryptical breath and closed his eye. Then, he reached out with his mind toward the forest. As Dakhil had shown him before, all experience matter began to look before him - the grass, bushes, and trees all glowed brightly. He scanned further out and then saw it : a Centaur some ten yards into the trees, bow in helping hand. Motion to the right hand caught his visual sensation again - another Centaur, another bow. Harry continued to scan. Every thirty to fifty yards another centaur stood guard, watching over the schooltime in the darkness. But Harry couldn't tell if they were trying to hold something out, or something in.

"What are they doing ?"he whispered.

"I am pall of teaching the ignorant,"Barghouti muttered."The Centaur can smell the wickedness, fool. It is already upon you. You would be wise to find its source before it swallows you whole."In a swirl he disappeared before Harry had a chance to say another word. The audio of flapping flank, faded to nothingness. What he noticed, after the detritus settled, was that Gabriella's finger's breadth were digging into the sonant flesh of his forearm.

"What— ?"He looked over at her and saw pure fright on her face. She was mesmerized, staring intently at the darkness of the timber. Then he realized that she was searching for what Harry could see, but she could not. She was afraid of the Centaur. She took a step behind Harry, almost as if using him as a cuticle against the darkness, and then pulled him toward that castle doors.

"Let's go inside,"she breathed.

"They're protecting us, Gab,"said Harry, trying to calm her nerves."They won't hurt you. They would never smart you."Her eyes never left the timberland and, if anything, the concern that filled the dim pools of her heart slipped toward anger.

"Now."

Harry sighed and nodded his mind."Alright,"he acquiesced, and followed her up the stairs, noting that she was ever sure as shooting to keep his eubstance between her and the duskiness of the timberland. When the door finally closed behind them, he could see the weight lift from her shoulder and the relievo bed cover across her face. She leaned back against the doors, placing her mitt over her face. Harry stepped closer, touching her berm softly.

"Baby, what is it ?"he asked."What's wrong ?"The workforce upon her cheek began to shake and rip began to streak down her cheeks, one by one, but she would not cry, not out tacky. Slowly, her eyes turned to the face to look at Harry. He'd seen that look when Gabriella lost her male parent, Grigor. It was a look of doubt, of care, of death. Without saying a watchword, she shook her head and turned to walk away. She'd gone only a few paces before Harry called her to block off, but she wouldn't listen. She past the stone column and began to head down to the donjon, to the entree of Slytherin. Her groundwork did not make the first dance step before Harry grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.

"Tell me what's—"He never finished. She didn't use her wand ; she didn't need to. Her free hand came up under Harry's neck and he was out cold on the storey.

When he came to, he was lying on a ticket story, but he wasn't at the top of the staircase leading down to Slytherin anymore. He was bound with Mexican valium, unable to move, in some elbow room, well lit by torches. The paries were Oliver Stone, and along their top was a crown-moulding made of oak. Along its facial expression, every few foundation, was engraved a snake's foreland.

"Slytherin,"Harry hissed.

"Well done, Potty."The representative came from behind and Harry had to wheel over to see who he knew to be there.

"hullo, Teddy,"Harry said, knowing Nott hated the name. Harry was not surprised to find Crabbe at Nott's side."Taken to nobble now ? A step up from watching murder I suppose."

"Just gathering road-kill, can,"Nott retorted."A picayune bird told me you'd been drinking… a bit too much. ideate my surprise when I found you passed out on the stairs to Slytherin."Nott stepped closer."Were you trying to incur your true love ?"Harry said nada."I can find you a mirror if you'd like."

"I see you found yours,"Harry smirked, tossing his oral sex in Crabbe's direction. Crabbe took Sir Thomas More offence than Nott and kicked Harry in the side. The puff was hard and a salvo of air guess from Harry's oral fissure.

"Why don't you untie me Crabbe, and then let's see how weather you are ?"Harry's middle were on fervour. Fearful, Crabbe stepped backward.

"I… I wonder how w-well Gryffindor will do without their Seeker tomorrow,"Crabbe shot back shakily.

"So that's it, is it ?"asked Harry.

"I wonder,"added Nott,"what the Wizarding earth will do without its hero. How ever will we get on… once you're dead ?"Harry's eyes narrowed on Nott. Crabbe's eyes darted nervously toward Nott.

"Dead ?"he muttered under his breath. Evidently, he was not in on Nott's full programme.

"That's a bit bold for you, teddy, isn't it ?"

"Did you do it ?"asked Nott, ignoring Harry's motion and Crabbe's care."Malfoy's enlisted over two twelve lamia and Thomas More are joining every day. They're crushing everything in their path, and soon, they'll be here at Hogwarts. Soon, they'll be coming for you, and they don't die, Potter."

"Oh, they die, slip. I've seen them die. Didn't you know ? I was attacked by them this summertime. Turns out that a well placed centaur arrow… thwup… and they die."Harry chuckled deliberately."suspicious thing, lamia. When they're pierced, their vampire carapace sheds away and for a minute they're who they once were, the hydrophobia gone."Harry looked up at the green ceiling."I like to suppose that in that instant, goodness had a chance to look sharp in and fill their souls once more. They have a chance to be saved."

"applesauce,"shot Nott, believing more than disbelieving.

"Yes,"said Harry still looking upward."vampire, at least, have a second chance."He turned to face Nott."You on the early hand… I suppose you'll rot for all eternity."Crabbe's side was white, but Nott's was flushed with anger and defeat. It was his spell to kick Harry hard in the gut. It was all Harry could do not to vomit.

"Don't vexation, Potterkins. You won't die tonight. But you will mislay to Hufflepuff in tomorrow's—"

"Bloody hell ! I knew it !"

A flash of red pilus told Harry at once who had just entered the way. Ron was breathing hard, his wand drawn, but his hired man was shaking noticeably, not because he was scared or winded, but because he'd had too lots to drink. Harry could stool out a flare of green robe behind him ; he assumed it was Gabriella which, with Ron in his present condition, he was grateful for. Both Nott and Crabbe turned toward Ron still standing at the room access, wands drawn.

"How'd you find this place, Weasley ?"spat Nott.

"A little hoot told him,"said the part behind Ron. It wasn't Gabriella, it was James Chang ; Harry's arrest began to turn once more. There wasn't much of a chance if Ron couldn't wrench it together… and quickly. The endorse class who had freely chosen to be in Slytherin this semester stepped in straw man of Ron with his wand drawn.

"Chang ?"Nott asked, almost laughing."You little—"

"Obliviate !"chanted James, casting a spell well beyond his years. A burst of Orange visible light erupted from his verge throwing both Nott and Crabbe against the wall, knocking them unconscious mind, and wiping their thinker of recent remembering. The intensity of the Obliviate piece determined how much retention was removed. Normally, a second yr wouldn't even be able to cast the spell, but Harry was sure that the effect would be lasting.

Ron released Harry from his ties while Saint James the Apostle bound his two house brothers."They'll be the 1 missing the catch tomorrow,"he whispered with a grinning pursing his lips.

Rising to his metrical unit, Harry felt a piddling airheaded, the nausea once again returning, and had to tip on Ron for keep. He looked over at Henry James, wanting to thank him for his assist, but more curious about the spell.

"King James I,"he asked,"how did you—"He was struck from tush.

"Harry !"

It was Gabriella, followed closely be Saint Patrick. She wrapped him in her arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sooo sorry."She kissed his cervix and face, and then looked into his center."Can you forgive me ?"Harry looked over at the two Slytherins on the trading floor and back at St. James.

"Let's go,"he said, a chill elbow grease beading on his brow ; the potion Gabriella had given him earlier was obviously beginning to wear off."This place gives me the creeps."

They made their way up a constrict row of I. F. Stone steps that opened out on the Slytherin common room. Harry hadn't been here since he was a inaugural year. St. James and Patrick nonchalantly split away from the group to tattle to some other mo years that had just returned from the evening's company while Gabriella walked Harry and Ron out. The three began their trek up to the Gryffindor tower. By the clip they made it to the tower, Harry was feeling much ameliorate and it was Ron that was leaning on Harry and Gabriella.

"I hope Henry James blasted Nott's memory to the Harlan Fiske Stone Age,"said Ron.

"No you don't,"answered Harry coolly, recalling his conversation with Dumbledore about the Horcruxes."Two days ago I think he might have taken this luck to wipe out me, just to rise himself to his Father of the Church and the early Death feeder. Tonight, he was just a bag full of hot air. He's learned something since then, since his Fatherhood died."Harry paused."compassion I think."

"Oh, p-lease !"cried Ron."Nott ? Compasshhhionate ? James said he was goin'to turn you over to them… to the expiry Eaters. He might not have delivered the blow, Harry, but he still would consume been dancin'on your grave."

"Saint James the Apostle told you that ?"asked Gabriella."Patrick told me that they were going to hold him in the lake."

"If they had tried, they wouldn't have gotten very far,"said Harry calmly.

"What makes you say that ?"asked Ron, just as the reached the portrait of the Fat madam.

"centaur,"answered Harry, he looked at Gabriella."At dark, they've got the castle surrounded."

"aplomb,"said Ron with a smiling, rocking a bit on his own two pegleg. Harry didn't think it would admit much to pink him over."I'd like to see Nott with an pointer up his arse."Gabriella tried to muster a smile, but couldn't.

"Ron,"she said,"you go on in. I need to mouth with Harry alone for a moment."Ron grinned.

"Sure,"he said."I get it."He turned toward the paining."Err… Erm…."He turned back to Harry."P-Password, mate ?"

"toffy drop,"said Harry and the painting swung capable and Ron stumbled through. Before it shut, he looked back at the two, pointing his fingerbreadth in no particular instruction and judder it."But not too long, P-Potter. It'sss game Nox !"

A few moments later, Gabriella and Harry were alone in the corridor outside the Gryffindor common room. Gabriella walked him over to a Isidor Feinstein Stone work bench and the two sat down. Even though the walls and base were now spick, he never liked sitting here, remembering the Dementors that had nearly killed Professor McGonagall the yr before. There was a sentiency of death in the air and for a second Harry felt a cool flush swim up his sticker, whispering death's name. Gabriella held his helping hand, but would not confine his gaze. Instead, she watched their fingers intertwined and mingling.

"Mama has the sight,"she began."You know that, Harry. Me… I can only smell out the emotions of others. I can't see the doors and windowpane that open on to the other planes."

"But—"

"Shhhh."She put one hand gently across his lips."Since I was untested, before I ever went to Al Bsahri, I have had one heap. Sometimes years would pass before it would return, the Saami scenery, over and over. Since we've returned to Hogwarts this year, it comes to me nearly every day."She leaned her head against Harry's shoulder."Yesterday, I asked mamma what happened when you and Hermione plunged into the scene that has been playing in my mind without you for so many years."There was a foresighted pause, and Harry could pick up laughter coming from way down the staircases below ; it died away.

"And ?"he asked, nudging Gabriella along.

"A visual sensation from another plane is like a finely cut jewel, a diamond with many facets. One can look in and see different images from all angles. You and Hermione became part of my imagination and somehow shared it from your own perspective. We all saw the same thing, but all differently. And what we each saw can mean unlike things."

"Then why don't you want to—"

"No sight is perfect, Harry ; and, like time-turners, there are also dominion about looking into the futurity. Most would take a shit changes based on the imperfect knowledge they see, often changes that lead to more annihilating outcomes. Only the respectable, those like Mama, have any hope of moving the litoral of prison term to regulate the outcome of the other planes. Others go mad trying to change what n-never was to c-come."She began to tremble as she delivered the conclusion lyric and in the silence that followed Harry felt a tear drop onto his forearm. He put his arm around her and held her pixilated.

"Gabriella,"he asked,"what is it ? You need to elevate this weight from off your soul. I swear I won't do anything to transfer the future."Her eyes met his ; she did not believe him, so he repeated himself more forcefully."I swear on my parents that I won't do anything to vary the hereafter. Please, tell me what you saw."Again there was another silence, and then Gabriella squeezed Harry's deal. Finally, not looking into Harry's eyes, she began to whisper.

"It begins with a flash of lighting, a firing erupting from a glistening emerald lake. We are surrounded by them. There is a thigh-slapper and then muteness. And then there is me… case down in the marvellous Gunter Wilhelm Grass. I… I am short, Harry. Buried deep in my back is the long wooden arrow of a Centaur."


Harry Potter and the parturition of a New Sun

Chapter 12 - subterfuge circumstances
~~~***~~~

The air was quick for fall, yet the sky was a heavy grey. Flying with the appeal of his Caduceus P2 off, Harry could feel the wetness in the air. He knew it would rain soon and that, more than than anything else, focused his get-up-and-go on finding the Snitch. It had been hard concentrating. Last year, Ron had lost Harry's Scots heather when he had been attacked flying into the Burrow. So this year he was riding the latest model of Caduceus, the new P2, P for thrower. Cleansweep was paying him a humble fortune to use his gens for their new broom, monies that Harry was using to assist the home who had lost loved single in the war. That didn't seem to matter much. Even his own household was ribbing him for the branding of his name and it didn't help that smooch in the middle of the visitant stand was a ten base by xx foot crystalline portrait of Harry flying the new Scots heather and wafture at the gang. Every so often lyric would appear : The Caduceus P2. So fast it'll blow the competition away. It was a bid on the write up run by the Daily oracle about Harry's frustration of Voldemort. The tarradiddle said that the piece Harry cast was so potent, not only did it destroy Voldemort, but it nearly took the Ministry down with it. Even now, the Ministry was digging out and repairing the gaping drop into nothingness that remained after the floor of the death chamber fell away, swallowing whole the Curtain of Phenolem and the dais upon which it stood. Harry glanced again at the huge sheet of paper of crystal, his own look-alike smiling back at him and waiving, and shook his head to clear his thought.

He'd been distracted all day and most folks thought it had to do with first game jitters. He was Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain this yr and nearly everyone believed it a folly decision. Since the flak on the train, the whole shoal knew that he was going to be fighting the Dementors when the war with the Centaur came. How could anyone focus on training their squad with a burden like that on their shoulders ? Indeed, even Professor McGonagall thought that Ron Weasley might make the better choice ; she told Harry so.

"If I can't have your mind on the biz, you're no use to the team, Mr. Potter,"she had said in assurance."Ron Weasley bleeds Quidditch and his mind is sharp when it comes to analyzing the other teams'weaknesses."Harry had nodded and had turned to go forth her agency when she stopped him."But no one commands loyalty like you, Harry. It takes seven to win a Quidditch match and all Gryffindor would sooner fly into the lake than let you down. The question is — can you keep from letting all Gryffindor down ?"

"No, ma'am. I mean yes ma'am,"Harry sputtered."I mean…"He sighed."I won't lie, professor. Ron's the estimable strategian, and there's no one wagerer in northern Britain when it comes to keeping a Quaffle from skewering the rings. Dennis Creevey is the fastest in all Hogwarts and is starting to make out up with plays I could never stargaze of. Jack Sloper's put on thirty pounds since go year and he can knock a fagot off a fencepost at l meters. Slytherin was the only team that had a supplication to scramble us, but with Malfoy gone they don't have a luck. The team doesn't need me to pass them ma'am. Anyone can guide us to the cup."McGonagall looked at Harry over the top of her glasses.

"Is that so ?"she had asked."Well then, Mr. Potter, I suppose you'll do then. I want the team roll, to include the musician replacing Katie at chaser, and the every week practice schedule by tomorrow morning. And, to proceed you motivated since this will be such an gentle year, let's say that if we don't win every biz by more than one-hundred 50 level, you'll be back in my office on Sundays for detention."

"But—"

"triad hours, each week. Good-day, Mr. Potter."

Harry had thought the challenge simple enough, but sorting out the team proved more difficult than he expected. They couldn't determine a serious Chaser and when jimmy Peakes tried out for Beater he played ferociously, unseating Hooper from the team. Finally, Harry selected Demelza robin as Chaser, if for no other reason than she was particularly full at dodging Bludgers. The shuffle caused a lot of growing pain in the neck and suffering look, but after three weeks of practice Harry was confident once again that the team could not be defeated.

Now, flying high over the pitch, Harry wasn't so sure. Trying to ignore his own grimace, he glanced at the scoreboard to detect Gryffindor up by XL which, as far as Harry was concerned, was pathetic. They should have been clobbering Hufflepuff from the outset, but Ron was letting nearly every Quaffle through. Having heard that the passenger car of the prater, Bernard Bennegin, was coming specifically to scout Ron's execution he was a uneasy wreck. To make up subject worse he was suffering from a holdover and was having trouble seeing the Quaffle, let alone stopping it. The only safe word was that Jimmy and Jack were keeping the Bludgers off the squad while Dennis and Demelza were scoring nearly at will. Ginny could have been too, but she was so occupy yelling at Ron for being such a git she hadn't scored a single end.

Harry scanned the skies once more, searching for the Snitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker, Summerby, had seen it about an hr earlier. Harry had been well out of view, and if it hadn't been for a fountainhead placed Bludger by Sloper, Gryffindor would have lost. It was then Harry turned off the charms of his broom, hoping that he might better sense the fink's location. Suddenly, the yellow face of the pitch erupted in cheers ; Hufflepuff had scored. Harry forced himself not to appear at the scoreboard. He had to remain watchful, but before you could say snicklfritz the crew erupted again - another musical score for Hufflepuff. Finally, Harry called timeout.

The team gathered over by Ron whose capitulum were flaming red with embarrassment. Ginny began to tear into her pal.

"So help me, Ron !"she yelled,"The side by side Quaffle that goes through one of those rings is going to find its way up your—"

"Hang on !"Harry interrupted."We're not here to fight with each other ; we're here to find oneself a way to win."

"You could be looking for the stool pigeon !"snapped Ginny as she pulled out her wand."So aid me, if either of you two drink on a game Nox again, I'm going to hex you both back into prof Trelawney's social class !"

"You think you can threaten me ?"yelled Ron at his baby as he pulled his own wand, however shaky his hired hand was.

"Stop it !"yelled Dennis above the fray. With a no-nonsense voice that commanded aid, Dennis Creevey, who was still the smallest on the squad, began to point out what needed to be done.

"Ron, they're constantly feinting right and shooting left. If you move higher in the air and control spatial relation just a picayune farsighted, you'll stop them. Ginny, we could use a little more of your attending on the Hufflepuff side of the field of view. Dem, they're starting to catch on to Harry's first few plays."His optic dotted to Harry who nodded in accord."I think we should move on to what he was showing us last weekend."

"But we've only flown that three or four prison term,"argued Demelza.

"Dennis is compensate,"countered Ginny."At the rack up we'll have given them a new look. At the near we'll score three or four before they catch on."

"Jack, Jimmy, you guys have been unflawed. Just keep the Bludgers off our backs and we'll grudge for sure."Then Dennis looked at Harry."Harry, I don't blame you if you tell me to sod off, but…"

"Go on,"said Harry.

"Well, it seems like you've been day dreaming up there, Harry. I know there are a m affair you should be thinking about besides Quidditch, but we're gon na take the Snitch today, and if Summerby sees it again we've lost. Are you with us ?"

Harry had to smile at the new general on the subject."Our own little Napoleon Bonaparte,"he thought. Madame Hooch blew the whistle for shimmer to take up. Hufflepuff broke their scrum and began to fly into location. Harry looked down on the pitch below. There was nix he loved more in the world than flying.

"I'm with you,"he said with self-assurance."Summerby won't have a chance. I swear."Harry stroke into position just to the west and a little below Summerby. If anything, the sky was growing darker and the air colder, but he resisted the temptation to engage the charms of his broom.

Dennis had been right. Over the next forty minutes or so, Ron had blocked six straight Hufflepuff endeavor while the Gryffindor Chasers had scored four times. Still, they would need the Snitch. He flew over by the Slytherin stands and heard a fistful of hushing, and one cheerfulness.

Harry could retrieve of few Hogwarts cleaning lady besides Gabriella Darbinyan able to withstand the taunts and scoffing of Slytherin for being Harry's girlfriend. Of grade, there were no taunting or jeers, because all of Slytherin was deathly afraid of Gabriella. Perhaps because she came from a school known for its nighttime deception, but more because any comment usually meant the commenter had a one-way ticket to the infirmary backstage. Harry looked down and saw her smiling up at him.

"Go, Harry !"she cried. Harry waved back, smiling and giving her a thumbs-up."NO ! GO !"she yelled, pointing her finger. The motion and the pant of the crew told him at once that the snitch had been seen. He spun to see Summerby plunging toward the turf at the northwards end of the rake. Below him was a flicker of atomic number 79, racing low and heading toward the visitant'pedestal. Summerby was ahead by at least fifty meters when Harry began to charge.

"You bloody half-wit !"Harry cursed at himself as he clenched his teeth."You flobberworm sucking idiot !"The farting roared furiously at his face. The Snitch was flying low to the greensward and Harry could see that it would suffer to rick or rise once it hit the pedestal on the opposition slope of the sales pitch. Even as proficient a flyer as Summerby was, he would not reach the Snitch until it hit the rampart. Harry leaned forward, accelerating his broom."It will rise,"Harry whispered to himself, focusing wholly on the gold globe that was coming closer."It will rise."He chose to fly the unbowed line to intercept the snitch where he thought it would be. If the sneaker turned left or right at the wall, Summerby would suffer it before Harry could react. If the Snitch flew up… Harry groaned. At this focal ratio it was still impossible. Harry poured all his energy into making his broom accelerate. The fag end of his gown began to tatter in the vicious wind and his goggles were pressing hard against his human face. The press tunnelled his imaginativeness, but he didn't maintenance. He could still see the gold flicker growing larger before him."Faster ! Damn it ! Faster !"

The pitch below him was a haze ; the outdoor stage faded to dark and all that Harry could see was the golden Snitch and the trail of yellowness that followed it -- the trail of yellow that Harry was passing. Faster ! A sheet of purple — the visitor'bandstand. The golden stoolie flying upward. Yes !
Harry's fingerbreadth pressed firmly against the wing snitcher when he heard the howler of brat. They conflicted with his own sentiency of joy.

"We won !"thought Harry, feeling the hard metal in his hold."Why would anyone be— ?"
Then everything went violently red… just before he lost cognizance.

Waking, and still feeling a bit groggy, the beginning thing Harry recognized was the phone of plastic being break, torn and then crumpled. The rhythmic mastication that followed told him at once that Ron was nearby. Harry smiled. He tried to open his eye, but couldn't. He leaned to his right English and felt a dull ached that ran up the pull up stakes half of his body. With his right hand he felt the sheets about his breast, the pillow behind his head, the patch that wrapped his brass.

"He's awake,"whispered Gabriella out of the darkness. A ardent touch took his mitt."Hi, sweetheart,"she said softly."How are you feeling ?"

"Hey, mate,"Ron added before Harry could answer."Erm.. don't trouble ; Madame Pomfrey will have you back to new in… in no time."The voice had a bit of a tremor in it and it wasn't because a burnt umber frog found its way down the damage pipework.

"That's right,"added Hermione with a remains and unnatural tone. And then voice, dozens of voices it seemed to Harry, added their agreement.

"You'll be fine, Harry."“ Don't concern, Harry."“ Flyin'in no time, you'll see !"“ Shut up, stupid."“ Hey, I didn't mean—"

"Alright… Alright…"echoed the voice of Madame Pomfrey."You've seen him move, now be off, all of you."

A bit of folk music touched Harry's good arm. He felt of few kisses against his face. He heard a few cheery auf wiedersehen and Later, mates, but he also heard a few sniffs and sobs. The door swung closed with a deeply thunk.

"I'm still here,"whispered Gabriella and she took his hand once more. With his sore arm Harry reached up to pry off the bandages that wrapped about his face, just to have a peak.

"No you don't, Mr. thrower !"cried Madame Pomfrey. She grabbed his arm and gently pulled it down."The patch are to remain on for the next three week if you wish to have any Hope of seeing again."

okay. So he had been growing more and more apprehensive since he first became conscious. And the bandages were starting to freak him out… just a bit. Something in the back of his psyche had said the word, but he had pushed it back down. Only job was… the dark corners of Harry's mind were shouting now.

"See again ?"he asked."What the hell does that mean ? I… I'm blind ?"he asked weakly. Madame Pomfrey let out a marvelous sigh.

"Oh, dearest,"she said quietly,"I didn't mean for it to fall out that way."Gabriella's hired man tightened about Harry's and he felt her shiver.

"It was the crystal portrait, Harry,"Gabriella said sadly."You slammed right through it, sending splinters of methamphetamine hydrochloride everywhere. They shattered your goggles and your… your…"

"Your eyes were shredded, Mr. Potter,"cut in Madame Pomfrey."I wish I could say I've seen worse, but I haven't. I had therapist Sventstein from St. Mungo's perform the performance. If it were up to me, you'd still be there, but professor Dumbledore insisted that you remain within the castle."

"You've b-been out for two daylight, Harry,"said Gabriella, another frisson of gloominess cracked her voice. Harry reached up and touched the patch wrapping his face.

"Mr. Potter,"snapped Madame Pomfrey."If you keep touching your wrapping you'll assuredly disturb their good luck charm ! I will not suffer you go blind ! Do you get a line me ! If you keep moving your arms I will immobilize them."Her voice was husky. She'd been crying ; Harry could tell. The lugubriousness in the way was almost overwhelming. Finally, he turned his psyche in the direction of Gabriella.

"Did we win ?"he asked.

"What ?"she replied, still dazed.

"Did we win ?"he repeated."I did watch the canary. Hooch saw that, didn't she ? We did win, didn't we ?"

"Harry, how can you—"

"RON !"Harry screamed. In a flash the door burst undetermined.

"What ? What is it, Harry ?"Ron called nervously.

"Did we win ?"Harry asked. Without Harry saying another word, Ron began an exposition that was nearly poetic. At least… he thought it was.

"Blimey, Harry,"he began,"it was amazing. There you two were, screaming across the pitch to the Frederick North. Everyone was standing, even prof Snape. Although, who he was cheering for, I don't know. But he was screaming just the Lapp. Summerby was flying low to the ground, his robes flicking up desiccated grass and tossing it into the air. The blowing debris made it front as if his Scots heather was on fire.

"I thought for for sure we'd lost, when you spun over and started closing in from on high. The Snitch was flying just to my right and I could have sworn there were electric arc flying out the shadow of your broom. It was glowing red. Heading toward the standpoint, it was clear you were going to pass Summerby, but you were too high ; everyone could see that. But it didn't thing. No one has ever seen someone fly that fast at Hogwarts… ever ! Crimey, maybe in all UK !

"When you passed Summerby, I thought you'd diving to stave off the stands, to grab the Snitch that was still screaming low to the footing. But you didn't ; you stayed straight on. When the sneak darted up toward you…"Ron sighed in exaltation."It was a miracle, mate. Like you were calling out to it and it obeyed. Pop ! Right into your mitt."There was a foresightful pause."It's when everyone's eyes popped up with the Snitch we saw what was going to happen. That's when the belly laugh began."Ron walked over next to Harry's bed."Summerby smashed into the supporting down low. Broke his leg and lost a match tooth. He got out of the hospital yesterday. You… you…"Ron swallowed grueling.

"You held on, fellow. Yeah, we won, alright."Ron patted Harry on the chest."C. H. Best damn quester in all Britain."

"You still think Krum's better then, do you ?"asked Harry with a smiling. Ron sat back down next to Gabriella.

"well, now,"Ron answered,"I know you've had your bonnie part, Harry, but I still think superior can palm a dig to the pass with a Bludger better than you."

"That's because there's nothing up there to hurt,"added Gabriella.

"O.K., okay you three,"said Madame Pomfrey."Mr. Potter needs his rest."She shuffled the two friend outside the room, but not until Gabriella kissed Harry on the sass.

"I love you,"she whispered into his ear."Whatever happens, I love you."

When the door closed, Madame Pomfrey walked over to Harry's bed. He was wondering if he'd ever look into the shadow consortium of Gabriella's eyes once again. He was scared.

"Harry,"she said softly."We'll do everything possible, but you need to pass on them time to cure. The wrap will persist on for at to the lowest degree three weeks. Your lids will be sealed longer still. Even when you can open your eyes, Harry, I don't suspect you'll see Thomas More than shades of light and nighttime. Once we know what you can and can't see, healer Sventstein can lead off making the right corrections. You'll have to be patient, my honey, very patient."

He could hear her folding some papers, putting trash away he thought, and then she stepped over to the side of the room and teem something into a glass or goblet.

"I need you to booze this,"she said, helping him sit up and wrap his handwriting around the cup. He winced when she held his get out arm."Yes, the unharmed left-hand slope of your body was pretty much hamburger kernel. We've summoned out all the glass shards we can. There may be a few that aren't responding. I'll work on that more tomorrow."She sounded tired, so Harry decided not to debate about the drinking and swallowed it down in one long draught. The pain running down his face ebbed away and the understanding about his sight faded. Soon he was asleep.

When Harry woke, he found himself confused and disoriented. He couldn't understand why he couldn't see and he began to flail around, rising out of bed, the stone floor cold beneath his bare human foot. He was about to reach up to his aspect when a bridge player took him by the arm. At number one he was startled, but the voice settled him at once.

"Easy there, flyboy."It was Canicula."Bad dream ?"

"Sirius ?"Harry asked to the iniquity, reaching out and touching Sothis'expression.

"Afraid so,"Harry's godfather responded."I was in the surface area ; thought I'd stop in."Harry began to move forward.

"storage area on ! Hold on !"Dog Star stopped Harry from running into the candles hovering at his bedside."Let's er… let's get you back in bed."Sirius helped Harry climb into bed and pulled the canvas back over him."There, that's better."He patted Harry's secure leg and remained standing at his bedside.

"What time is it ?"Harry asked.

"Not quite three in the morning."

"Three in the morning ?"He paused, rising up on his articulatio cubiti and looking about the room."Anyone else here ?"

"Just you and me trivial brother. How are you feeling ?"

"Blind,"Harry answered flatly, dropping back against his pillow.

"Yeah,"agreed Sothis smartly."That's what I hear."Harry could see Sirius bury back into his chair and sigh."I have to admit, Harry, that was the fastest I've ever seen a ling fly, and I've seen a few Quidditch mates in my day. When you hit that damn portrait with your picture on it, the affair exploded. It was like a giant crystal firework. And that you still held onto the Snitch… well, it's been all over the theme. Most figure you broke the record, but the folks from Cleansweep want you to fall out and execute a fly-off against Comet — twenty 1000 galleons to the winner's charity."Harry turned on his side, his back toward Sirius.

"Like that's ever going to befall,"he muttered.

"What do you think of ?"

"You know what I mean,"Harry answered curtly."If they've told anybody, they've told you. I'm blind and I'm… I'm going to last out blind."

"That's not avowedly, Harry,"began Sothis."Madame Pomfrey—"Harry spun and faced Sothis. Sirius didn't need to see Harry's eyes to bonk the look he was getting right now. He sighed."Ten percent is not zero percent,"he whispered.

"Yeah, right,"Harry replied and dropped back down again. Likewise, Sirius sunk back into his president, crossing his blazon and searching for what to say. There wasn't much he could say. Harry, after all, was set. Once a crone or genius lost their middle there was often lilliputian that could be done—eyes simply hold too much trick. therapist could re-grow many things, but the eyes… the eyes, particularly of a herculean witch or wizard, were nearly insufferable to repair. Sirius let out a low groan as the silence stretched between them. After that, the flicker of candlelight was the only haphazardness that accompanied their respiration. At last, it was Sirius who began again, not certain if Harry was even still awake. His vocalisation was unsteady, recalling a part of his past he had never shared with Harry.

"When I… when I was in Azkaban, there was nothing to see but darkness, nothing to reek but the stench of dying, nothing to find out but the cry of wail, nothing to sample but the remnants of bout that had long since died away, and the but affair one felt was the cold breathing spell of despair. What food they gave us was more like black gruel with a consistency somewhere between mud and slime."Canicula chuckled grimly to himself."When the Dementors departed, leaving this black gook behind, I would smile. It was the only joy I had, sensing their departure, knowing that however awful the food was, the emptiness that screamed from my belly would soon be staved for another day. That crusty arena of dogshit and my pure hatred for Peter Pettigrew were all that kept me alive.

"I never dreamed that one day…"Dog Star'voice halted and he had to bury to get together himself."That one day… the son of my dearest friend would double up my ten-percent of naught and save me… not from the Dementors of Azkaban… not from the Curtain of Phenolem, but… from myself. I was used up inside, Harry ; a shell of a thaumaturge and less a man. You've shown me, even now as darkness rushes in toward us, how to populate again… how to love again. I'm amazed that today, I once again walk the halls of Hogwarts—a free man, not because I'm spare of the horrors of Azkaban, but because I'm discharge of the duskiness and hatred that once consumed my soul. Because of you, I'm free to taste the delicious fruits of life once again."

"Erm, surely you're not referring to your preparation ?"asked Harry, turning back to look Dog Star. Because I think you could pop your own restaurant for pitch blackness sludge."

"If I could smack you, I would,"inject Sothis, kicking the post of Harry's bed with his foot, a tear sliding down the side of his face.

"Bring it on, old man !"called Harry, rising up in bed and brandishing two fists that were swinging wildly in the air—something akin to a boxer's side."I can subscribe you with both eyes tied behind my dorsum !"Harry was smiling as Dog Star rose to his foundation. The previous wizard wiped his eyes and then, gently, took Harry's hands in his own.

"You just have to consider that it'll get best, Harry. It will. I know it will."The smile on Harry's brass drooped.

"Dog Star, if I can't see, I can't battle… I can't fly… I can't…."Harry shook his head and then looked toward where he knew Sothis to be."So many hoi polloi are depending on me. I can't let them down. I can't—"

"Enough already ! Stop telling me what you can't do ! I don't want to discover it anymore !"This clip Sothis'voice was heated."I still wake in the middle of the night grasping for my piece of paper, fearing that it has all been a dream, wondering if in the nothingness of nighttime I'm really still trapped behind the mantle of Phenolem. One day the incubus will end ; I know so, because I believe they will. Until they do, I will go to sleep at night, searching for those ambition that will carry me through till morning.

"Harry, you need to believe that one day you will see again."

"Yeah, but—"

"And more than than that,"Sirius interrupted,"until the day comes when your imaginativeness returns, you'll have to find a way to see through your blindness."Harry's quick reaction was to let a burst of air thrust through his back talk in scoffing dismissal of Canicula'words. He began to shine back into his pillow when he stopped himself and held fast to Sothis'manus. To see through sightlessness ? power it still be possible ?

Not sure what to await, Harry reached out with his mind as Dakhil had shown him — to see without seeing. Why hadn't he thought of it before ? Almost immediately he could realise the brightness of Sirius before him. It wasn't an icon so much as an atmosphere of light that shown bright. Harry leaned forward in his bed. Reaching out further he began to guide in the dim glow of the organic life that clung to the walls, ceiling and floor. Without saying a intelligence he let go of Sothis'hand and rose out of bed.

"Harry, I don't think—"But Harry held up his script and his godfather simply watched.

What Harry was ‘ seeing'wasn't so a good deal an image as an impression of all that was around him. It would take clock time to trace the conformation, hues and intensities. There was a glow coming toward them. Harry pointed at the door.

"soul's coming,"he said. Sirius spun, confused. An instant later, Madame Pomfrey walked through the door.

"Harry ceramicist !"she cried."Get back in bed this twinkling !"Harry smiled as she reached over to serve him, but he moved out of the way before she could reach him.

"I should let known it was you by your colour,"he said happily."Bright blue — the color of a healer's spell."He looked back at his godfather."Sirius, you're a bit orange right now. You were brighter a minute ago. What's wrong ?"

"My god,"whispered Sirius."You can see."


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 13 - The New improver
~~~***~~~

"The watercourse. The stream ! Do you see the stream ?"

"Ye… yes, Ro… Ronan. I… I see… the bloody… stream."

"Jump !"

Ronan didn't demand to secern him. Harry had already started the saltation.

It had been bitterly cold all day, but with all the running Harry was beginning to regret his decision to wear clothes. They were pushing the terminal point between forcible and magical elbow grease and Harry's feet, well clad in a yoke of trainers, were on fervency. The Light jacket and pants he was wearing were suffocating and felt like they weighed a thousand Cypriot pound.

Once again he was training with Shahan and Felspar. Over the last few solar day, the three had been put though their rate by Ronan, Firenze and others — running, lifting, and shooting pointer from one side of the Forbidden Forest to the other. Harry was exhausted — a feeling he was beginning to enjoy. If anything, he preferred to be out in nature.

Still blind, he was developing his restrain power to reach out and smell out the aura of spirit around him. While he could make impressions about where things were at Hogwarts, occasionally very clean house target would miss his tending. A mathematical group of Slytherin one-quarter geezerhood had discovered this about a calendar week after Harry had returned from hospital and had taken to conjuring marbles in surface area where they knew Harry would be walking. Harry, in turn, developed a few tour that helped sort out his way. The tinkling of wits usually meant that a Slytherin was nearby, waiting to watch Harry spill. But since Harry could follow somebody's aura, even through walls, the culprit was usually found fastened to the wall with their underclothing on their heads and nil else. It was a Sir Frederick Handley Page out of what Nott and Parkinson had done to Ron last year and Harry didn't mind a fiddling playful vengeance.

In the forest, however, Harry felt as if his vision was bettor than having sight. Everything was alive and vibrant. Trees and flora, the great animate being and the smallest spores, Harry could see it all as if he'd never been blind.

Shahan had cleared the stream ahead and was already pulling away. Felspar came a bit short and she splashed piddle into the air. Harry, just a step behind felspar, was unretentive still, landing a full cadence away from the bank's edge. His base landed firmly in the water and he struggled to maintain his balance so as not to hang into the icy water completely. He'd only taken three stone's throw when he noticed the iciness around his feet. When he focused his attention downward he could sense clearly that his trainer were gone, the bottoms of his pants in tatters. Where the splash from feldspar hit the front of his jersey it had dissolved away as if it had been burned by acid, the aura of his bare skin underneath beaming through.

Stepping backward as he moved out of and away from the watercourse, Harry focused at the guide weewee. For the first of all meter he noticed that its colour was different than the other streams he'd seen through the wood. The light emanating from this weewee was whiter, more crystalline, more pure. With a great bounce Ronan, who had been following, jumped from banking company to bank with ease. Harry expected to be chastised for stopping, yelled at for falling seat, but Ronan said nothing. Harry noticed that the whitish-gray of Ronan's glory warmed a bit. He'd learned, at to the lowest degree with his Quaker, that such a variety meant a smiling. He wondered what it meant with a Centaur.

Shahan had long disappeared in the underwood ahead, but Felspar stopped curt of the thickening Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and returned to Harry and Ronan.

"Is something untimely ?"Felspar asked.

"Only one of the three has seen it,"answered Ronan coolly."I asked you not to reckon on your situation and to arrive at out with your vision."

"But Shahan said—"felspar began, but Ronan cut him off.

"You are your own Centaur, Felspar ! You have passed these H2O so often, and yet you still can not see ?"feldspar stepped closer to the stream, staring down at its ripples.

"Not with your eyes, foolish one !"snapped Ronan. Felspar stepped back and closed her eyes. A moment passed before she rose up on her rise up legs and spun toward them.

"The declivity !"she cried with fervour."The stream that feeds the falls !"Then feldspar stepped over to Harry, noticing his bare feet and mortise joint."Harry Potter, your fetlock joint are bare."She stepped closer."But the flesh is unharmed. If ever I held dubiousness in the Chosen, they have forever washed away."feldspar nodded with a fragile bow. Harry nodded in issue and the smiled as he saw Felspar own fetlocks.

"And I thought you couldn't be any whiter,"Harry said, grinning.

"The boy is right, Felspar,"said Ronan."Your own fetlock have grown brighter. Like the Chosen, you now wear socks."He laughed as Felspar looked down to see that indeed her white pelage was glistening more brightly from the knee and soak down.

"Perhaps you should jump off in wholly,"suggested Harry.

"No,"said Felspar immediately, backing away from the weewee."I would not place the innocence of my pump at such a standard. Indeed, if I had known these were the very waters…"

"feldspar,"said Ronan,"catch up to Shahan if you can and tell him that we are done for the day. He has, once again, failed the test. You are golden that you stopped to return. In these clip we must commemorate to think of the ruck before our own interests."felspar bowed.

"Shahan will not be pleased,"felspar said to the ground.

"As I am not,"retorted Ronan."For three straightforward twenty-four hours Shahan has failed to comprehend the lesson. Firenze says Shahan did not even infliction to search for Ebyrth. The Centaur is of no use to the heard if he refuses to learn our ways. I care not that he is young."Then Ronan stepped closer to Felspar ; his posture becoming rigid."You would be wise not to listen to Shahan's persuasion, Felspar. That your coat should transfer gloss at all is not a skilful augury. Your female parent has raised you better."Then Ronan's demeanour changed back to one of teacher.

"stress your mind on where you need to be, Felspar."He said nothing more, but feldspar turned toward the portion of the forest through which Shahan had disappeared. A instant later in a streak of whiten she was gone.

"Is that not an Apparation ?"Harry asked.

"One can not Apparate on these priming coat, Harry Potter. The earth is too filled with illusion. The Centaur can twist blank space and dim time so that distance travelled can be covered far more quickly than on hoof alone. You have accomplished this already. What's more you have learned to provide your mortal body and travel with the former living spirits of the forest."

"You helped me… when I was with Shahan."

"Yes,"answered Ronan."But I need not register you again ; these acquirement are yours to command. Do you sense the Bowtruckle staring at us from across the stream ? Perhaps he can help you see what you've thirsted for. gain out to the creature's mind."

When Harry did reach out, he found it far easier than he first expected. The vitality of the forest seemed to imbue him with added perceptiveness, guiding his thought as he became focused on the creature, leaving his own self, releasing his corporeal physical body behind and melding into the essence of a reefer. In a flash he was one with the woody Bowtruckle. His eye blinked. Ahead, across the stream were a Centaur and young man with tattered pant and no shoes. Harry tried to tread forward, but the brute would not respond. It was as if he were simply eavesdropping. Suddenly, he felt quite athirst. Instead of looking ahead at the two across the watercourse, Harry found himself looking down. There was a rather large reek louse wriggling its protuberant head between two leaves. He bent down, sniffed the foul thing at pulled it up out of the soil grinding gut and earth between his teeth.

"yakety-yak !"said Harry, returning to his own consistency and spitting out what wasn't there. Ronan remained expressionless.

"Well done, Harry ceramist. It has been less than a year since the cleaning, and already you have learned the Centaur Arts. It will take much more clip to master them and many years to empathize their true nature. It is…"Ronan paused looking toward the horse opera sky."…unfortunate that we have so picayune time."His hoof clawed at the priming coat."It does not go well for our sidekick in Eastern Europe. Wizards have joined the Dementors and brought a new ally to the war."These last Son were spoken with the most emotion Harry had ever heard from a Centaur—contempt.

"vampire,"said Harry quietly."It's the work of Lucius Malfoy."

"It is the work of Ebyrth. Malfoy is but its tool."

Harry could palpate shadow falling, and for the first time he was beginning to find cold. Ronan sensed this at once.

"It is time for you to yield to the castling, Harry ceramist. I have been training you far too hard and far too flying, I'm afraid. So it is with Shahan and feldspar. You are all learning before your ability to comprehend. If we were greater in number…"Ronan let out a long sigh as Harry turned to look him.

"Why wage war,"asked Harry,"simply because Ebyrth has returned to the heavens ? How is it that this solstice is any different than last ?"

"That is not a head for the Centaurs, Harry potter,"said Ronan defiantly."It is a interrogative sentence for the Dementors. It is not our war ; it is theirs. It is not the Centaurus herds that are destroying the villages of Eastern Europe. That is the oeuvre of the Dementors and their ilk. They are the one swayed by Ebyrth's return ; we are simply defending ourselves."

"I read that in the struggle of the Fifth Age the Centaur herd nearly obliterated Dementors from the font of the earth."

"Would that we had,"said Ronan coolly."Their darkness has no intent former than destruction. Near the end of that war, only a handful escaped into the swamp and bogs through which we could not jaunt. It was there they learned to fly ; it was there they developed their thirst for soulfulness. Now, from a scattered few, their progeny have multiplied. They outnumber the Centaurus two to one. For that we can thank the Wizarding public and the humans of man whose avarice has consumed the earth and produced sustenance on which the Dementors feed.

"No, Harry Potter, you fight on the slope of righteousness, as the Centaurs have for C. But, I am afraid, virtue alone will not be enough to precede us to victory. We will involve your strength and more."

"It doesn't help that I'll never see again,"said Harry, rubbing his limb with his hands to land some warmth to them.

"It is the will of Ebyrth. There is a reason and you will detect it. Already your blindness has taught you to see many things."

"Yeah, right,"said Harry a bit sarcastically."I see that everyone's their own pretty colour. If I had a few one C I might be capable to recognize everyone's picky hue."

"It is a windowpane to the spirit that lies within. This vision you have goes beyond external appearance and penetrates the effect of the creature before you. My people hold their emotions well, so they appear grey-headed or gabardine. Have you noticed that house extremely low frequency are nearly always—"

"Green. Er… greenish. Yeah, I noticed."

"Goblins, whose natures are always raging, are almost always level with red. While sensation and crone carry the colours that suit their nature, colours the discipline Centaurus mind can discern. It does not carry long to recognize the given hue."

"Or hues,"added Harry.

"Excuse me ?"asked Ronan."What do you intend ?"

"fountainhead, when they have More than one colouring material. You know, say green that sometimes turns blue."Ronan was staring blankly at Harry."You know, the guy's variety of blue sometimes, kind of honey oil other times… right ?"

"Unless there is a phenomenal transformation, a look carries but one hue, Harry Potter. It may clear up or darken, but the hue remains the Lapp. Unless…"

"Unless what ?"asked Harry. Ronan stepped back from Harry and scanned the forest about them.

"Do you see this in many ?"he asked cautiously. Harry had to reckon for a moment.

"No, not really. Now that I think of it. Just a handful… in the school."Ronan stepped closemouthed.

"There are ways you might see two hues, Harry thrower. Some wizards or beldam are known Animagi. The wight inside can play a unlike hue, although even among the Animagi it is rarified. Usually, the fauna reflects the nature of the witch or wizard."There was a tenacious pause.

"And the other ?"asked Harry.

"It can be the oeuvre of a fractured tone, someone who is really two people, or possibly under the ascendance of another."

"The Imperius Curse ?"Harry asked.

"Perhaps. Such is the way of wizards and my knowledge falters there. I hope this is not someone close. Someone in your trust ?"

"Erm, no… not really,"Harry lied."I've got to go, Ronan. Thank you for your teachings today."Harry's mind was clicking of the list of epithet. He focused on bending the outer space between where he was and Hagrid's hut."I think I can find—"Before he finished his sentence, Harry had warped clip and found himself outside Hagrid's front doorway. He'd covered the distance, some miles, in little more than the nictitation of an eye. Still, in so doing he'd exhausted what lilliputian resourcefulness of strength he had left. His clothes shredded, he was about to knock on Hagrid's door when he sensed that someone was hidden in the Tree behind the garden. Harry reached for his wand and held it at the fix. Barefoot, he began to step silently toward the spy. It was one technique taught him by the Centaurs and for the fleetest of moments Harry thought he'd prefer a serrate arrow right about now.

Stealthily, Harry moved closer. The shape, with a bright emerald green aura, didn't move. Its position continued to remain against the tree. Just a few K away Harry's nostrils took in the feel of smoke, a distinctively redolent bullet.

"Draco !"Harry hissed quiet and low. This close, Harry could see the figure, still leaning motionless against the Tree, bring his hand to his mouth. He was taking another pull on his butt. Harry could hear the exhale, long and slow.

"shit, Potter,"Draco said, pulling himself away from the tree and turning to fount Harry."I thought you'd never get here."Draco took a footprint closer."Merlin, what the inferno happened to you ?"

"Dragon, you can't be here. Do you sleep together what will happen if—"

"You don't know yet, do you ?"said Draco in a prospicient low drawl. He liked knowing more than than Harry and didn't judgment showing it, if only for a bit."How long have you been in the forest ? All day ?"

In the darkness from far up the J. J. Hill Harry could listen the front room access of the castle loose with their characteristic go. What he didn't expect to see next was Ron Weasley's vocalism.

"He should be there by now, I'm sure."

Followed by his male parent's.

"I should hope so, Ron. I don't have much more fourth dimension and this is quite important."

Harry spun to see three figures walking their way down to Hagrid's hut. One he didn't recognize, but was sure was Mr. Weasley. The former two were Ron and Professor Dumbledore.

"I thought the old man would be dead by now,"said Draco with a matter of fact tincture as he pulled what was left of Harry's jersey toward some thicker undergrowth. Harry acquiesced and the two withdrew deeper into the woods as Ron, Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley made their way to Hagrid's hut. When Hagrid answered the knock he was livid.

"Yeh should have been here an hour ago !"he called from inside."I don't care what Ronan tells yeh ; the forest ain't safe after dar—. Er… professor Dumbledore, sir. Erm… minister of religion. I… er… I wasn't expectin'company."

"I take it,"said Dumbledore, making his way into the hut,"that Harry has not yet returned from his time with the Centaurs ?"A moment later and the door shut leaving Harry alone with Dragon once again.

"What's going on, Draco ?"said Harry not holding the proper occupation of vision with Draco's eyes."I thought you were going to use Blaise to—"

"So it's true,"said Draco, waving his hand in front of Harry's face."You're blind."Able to see the gleam from the life-forms that clung there, Harry grabbed Dragon's arm.

"You can read !"said Harry dismissively."It's been in every paper I can think of."genus Draco ignored the crack, reached up and touched the side of meat of Harry's face.

"Does it hurt ?"

"I'm too dusty to find anything right now,"said Harry rubbing his arms again."What's up with Blaise ?"

"Blaise has been… compromised. He and I have a magical haul phrase that we use to ensure the other is mentally free from any… tampering. For the last two week, Blaise has tried to touch me without using that phrasal idiom. He's someone else's now."Draco took another long drag on his cigarette."How don found out… I don't know."His password were deeply disturb. It was an aroused transformation in Draco that Harry had rarely seen."We were measured ; more than than measured. You need to know that there's a spy in the castle. I thought maybe Nott, but he doesn't have the accomplishment to throw away the Imperius."

"You're r-risking your life to distinguish me there's a spy ?"asked Harry incredulously."There's p-probably a XII !"His tooth were beginning to chew the fat as the dusty set in.

"And you're supposed to be our Jesus of Nazareth ? We're screwed."Draco flicked his butt into the air and it vanished."Here."He passed Harry his cloak and wrapped it around his shoulder joint."You know, aside from being scratched bloody, having essentially no dress, and looking like you were just run over by the Hogwarts Express, you're in pretty good configuration. Maybe if you stopped running around the timberland butt naked—"

"T-Training,"Harry interrupted.

"right, like that's going to lay aside your sorry ass. I don't know what potions you've been taking, but you right wake up and see what's going on around here."

"I don't know where the hell you've been, Draco, but I've been here since day one. I think I know what's going—"

"Cho and Goldstein are going to be married over Christmas. Did you know that ? A secret wedding."

"What ? What are you talking about ?"

"I've been here since day one,"Draco mocked Harry."Yes, you're so in tune, so enlightened. Scheol, Harry, that's not even the worry news."

"Married ? Goldstein ?"

"Not even her minuscule brother knows they're getting married. Quite scandalous."Draco chuckled to himself and then sat cross-legged on the basis."But I suppose you, all knowing prophet of the screen have insight to that."Harry said nothing, but sat down next to Draco crossing his arms and pegleg under genus Draco's cloak.

"Come on, Potter,"drawled Draco once again."Surely you can pretend why Cho and Goldstein would want to… nay… would need to get married secretly."Again there was a long pause and Harry pulled genus Draco's cloak tighter about his shoulders. He was feeling a pang of green-eyed monster and he had no right to. He had loved Cho and he would always love her, but their paths were never meant to move together. His path was and would forever be entangled with Gabriella. It wasn't perfect but the attracter was unassailable and the love firm and the doubtfulness of any given day that kept Harry forever on edge tickled a very Slytherin parting of his spirit that wriggled inscrutable inside him. Finally, Harry breathed.

"Cho's pregnant,"Harry whispered."That explains why they've been meeting secretly for calendar month. Goldstein won't say where."

"France,"answered Draco with a sly grin."Don't tell anyone, Harry, but Goldstein's guardian may be their chaperone by day, but at nighttime he's a demise feeder in my father's help. It's a tryst of little result to my Father-God and it pays the bills for Henry, the chaperone, but I knew you might have a special interest."

"I never thought that Goldstein and Cho would—"

"Oh, but I'm not done, Harry. Cho Chang spends her daylight in France, in a little villa just north of Marseille, a town called La Mure. She and the—"

"When's she due ?"Harry asked."Do you make love how far along she is ?"At this Dragon smiled.

"beldam can hide that fact until the very day of delivery, Harry. Have you ever seen a pregnant witch ?"For a bit, Harry pondered the idea. No, he hadn't ever seen a pregnant witch. And then he remembered that he'd seen Geoffrey Hooper's mother just a few weeks before her sister was born and she looked no different than the yr before.

The room access to Hagrid's cabin opened and the giant stepped out for just a import looking toward the woodland."Should be any mo, sir,"he said to the folks inside."Any moment."Then more quietly to himself before he went back in he whispered to the forest,"Harry, where in Singehorn's name are yeh ?"Harry began to fend, but Dragon pulled him back down. For a flashbulb, Harry was irritated, but caught himself.

"You know, Draco,"Harry said gently,"if we walked in there right now, together, Dumbledore and the government minister would take you back. You'd be—"

"Dead in about two Clarence Day,"cut in Draco."Not by the Ministry's hand, but by its night underbelly."

"Then why are you risking your life right now ? It's not to gossip on about some lady friend and guy you couldn't give a damn about. What's so crucial that—"

"They've found it,"Draco interrupted."Months ago I asked you to find it first, and you didn't even try. Now they have it."He flicked a sprig into Harry's face."Blaise risked his spirit and you did nothing. Now he's been found out."Draco leaned over and grabbed the cloak about Harry's neck opening. Harry could feel the cloth tighten, not by Draco's hand, but another strength."You're going to get it back, dearest, or I'll killing you myself."The cloth tightened further. Harry reached for his wand, but found the cloak held his hands tight.

"Draco,"he gasped,"I don't know what you're—"

"Save it for somebody who gives a damn."He leaned over Harry who was gasping for breath now."Funny thing… magical cloaks. They can hold so many enchantments."He pressed Harry firmly against the sod as the Gryffindor desperately tried to gather air."Understand, Harry, I don't want it and I sure as Scheol don't want my Father to get his hands on it. But he will if they have their way. Get it out of the Ministry before it's too late."

All of a sudden, the cloak released Harry and he began to cough, heaving in as practically air as he could. Draco took to his invertebrate foot and wrapped the black cloak about his shoulders, his long blonde hair starkly white in contrast. Still coughing, Harry stumbled to his foot and pulled his wand. Dragon ignored the gesture and turned to impart. But then he stopped as if suddenly remembering a forgotten mentation. The door to the Hagrid's hut opened and Ron stepped out. He'd heard the phone of Harry's cough.

"Harry ? !"Ron called to the wickedness.

"Oh, and Harry,"Draco said, looking Harry in the eyes even if the glimpse was not returned."Cho isn't pregnant."He turned to leave."It's a new-sprung baby boy. well, not so much newborn any More. You'll never guess the birthday… it's the same day as yours."

"Harry !"Ron called again. This time, by the tone in Ron's voice, Harry knew they'd been seen. He focused back toward the hut, but when he turned back to Dragon, the Slytherin was gone.

"That's not possible,"he whispered at the emptiness. The speech sound of footsteps came charging up from behind and Harry could hear the commotion on the look porch of Hagrid's hut. A helping hand touched Harry's shoulder.

"Was that who I think it was ?"Ron asked quietly. Harry simply nodded."That can't be estimable,"Ron muttered.

"No. No, Ron, it's not."

"Harry ? Is that you my boy ?"President Arthur Weasley called from the hut."Harry, derive inside. Get out of the cold."

"I told you, Arthur,"Dumbledore said gently from within the hut,"null to worry about. occur in and let's destination our tea."

"My god, Albus !"cried Arthur as Harry and Ron returned to the cabin."smell at the boy !"Harry was still barefooted, what remained of his apparel in tatters, his face covered in mud and now a thin red line that wrapped about his neck opening shown through the grime. As he climbed the footmark with Ron's assistance his teeth once again began to chatter.

"Yes, yes,"said Dumbledore, dispassionately."I see they've been working you rather hard today, Harry."The statement was more question than anything."A lot to think about ?"Harry just nodded and walked through the room access."Well, it's not going to get any easier, Whitney Young man."

"Get o'er by the fervency, lad,"said Hagrid, offering a cover. But before Harry had a chance to accept, Dumbledore pulled his wand and tapped Harry's shoulder. The grime disappeared and a Hogwarts robe covered his physical structure. The reduce red line about his cervix and the aching muscularity, however, remained.

"Hagrid,"said Dumbledore,"perhaps some tea and some…"Harry tried to catch Dumbledore's eyes to tell him to stop, but found, as it had been since his accident, he could no longer effectively commune silently with his middle."…stone cakes."

Warming his muscles by the flak, sipping a bit of tea, and pretending to love Hagrid's rock-hard stone cakes, Harry was beginning to sense himself again. He assured Arthur Weasley that he was fine and that his dishevelled appearance was all in a day's employment, training with the Centaur in the forest ; but the Minister was none too convinced.

"Your clothes were in shred, Harry, and it still looks as if you've been strangled."

"Just a little body of work with Devil's Snare is all, sir,"answered Harry, rubbing his neck with his left hand and sipping some more tea with the other. If they could see his eyes, they would have a go at it he wasn't listening to a word they were saying. genus Draco probably thought his piffling show would centre Harry's idea fully on some Horcrux that the Ministry had no uncertainty just found, but Harry's mind was anything but centred. After a bit more backchat about school, regrets about Harry being blind, and news about the struggle raging in Eastern EU, Chester Alan Arthur Weasley finally got down to the purpose of his sojourn.

"You know, I'm sure,"he began,"that we have been excavating the crash that occurred at the Ministry last class, beneath the… erm, chamber."

"What ?"Harry exclaimed."Why ?"

"Well, to try to recover the bodies, Harry,"answered Mr. Weasley, surprised somewhat at Harry's reaction."Many Aurors lost their lives that evening and their consistence have never been found — at to the lowest degree, not until death week. Since the crash we tried for months to find the bottom with no success. We encountered one magical portal after another, and the prole were none too inclined to accidentally stumble across the drape itself."

"You recovered the drapery of Phenolem ?"cried Ron."Why ? Why in bloody—"

"No, Ron,"interrupted Dumbledore,"the drape and the dais were destroyed in the spill. No, just the bodies, body from both slope, have been returned to their loved ones."

"Well, yes, Albus,"added Arthur with some nervousness."nigh of them, anyway. We have yet to find genus Draco Malfoy's remains."Ron began to cough.

"Hagrid,"he asked, clearing his throat once again,"do you have any more stone cakes ?"

"Why sure, Ron,"said Hagrid with gleefulness."Come on in teh the kitchen."Ron stood and followed Hagrid, patting Harry's shoulder on the way.

"I don't really see what any of this has to do with me, sir,"said Harry."I mean… well, I've put that behind me now. harbour't I ? There's another darkness we need to stave off, isn't there ?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely, Harry, absolutely."Arthur patted Harry's lap."But there was one other recovery at the very depths of the gaping fissure."All at once, Mr. Weasley's aura faded and Harry knew the following words were a lie."They pulled it up today, just before luncheon. I looked for you earliest, Harry, but you'd already left for the forest."President Arthur Weasley stood from his professorship and looked out the window facing the castle, the gloss returned to his nimbus."I was thinking we could have a dedication of sorts. You could come to the Ministry as we put it on display. It would certainly prompt the hoi polloi in these saturnine multiplication that we can trounce darkness."

"I'm sorry, sir, but what did you recover ?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry, Harry,"answered Arthur."I've wanted to discuss our search since you and I spoke on the train. I never knew taking care of the Ministry would consume so much of my time."His eyes wandered for a bit and then returned to meet Harry's."No thing,"he whispered."In our lookup, we recovered the cloak. The inglorious cloak of… You-Know-Who. The simply remainder of his darkness and a symbol to all of his defeat."

"Voldemort ?"snapped Harry."You have Voldemort's cloak ?"Harry turned in his chairperson."Burn the damn thing. Destroy it !"

"I knew you might sense this way, Harry,"said Arthur with understanding."That's why I came myself. You must realize what an icon you've become in the Wizarding globe. Just one picture of you, perhaps wand drawn, next to the cloak of the evil you destroyed would mean so a great deal to—"

"It's insane !"said Harry, rising to his fundament."Do you make love what that might be ? It could—"

"Harry,"said Dumbledore sternly, silencing Harry's rant."I think it would be wise for you to guide some clip to moot what all the implications are. time to believe what's best for… everyone involved."Harry expected to see the warmth of anger build in Dumbledore's aura, but if anything his light dimmed with a coolness of concern.

"I… I'm sorry, sir,"said Harry, cooling his own temperament."Yes, that's what I need Minister… time."

"Please, Harry, you needn't cry me—"

"exculpation me, sir. I need to go. It's just… I'm really tired is all."Harry reached out his deal to shake off, and Arthur Weasley took it."Let me get my capitulum together, and I'll get back to you. Just a day or two."

"Certainly, Harry, I understand. Until then, we'll keep it dependable ; I can assure you."Harry started for the doorway."Here, let me walk you to the castle."

"I got it dad,"said Ron, dropping one of the stone cakes on the table with a clunk."Finish your tea and have some more… er, cakes."Ron ran to the threshold next to Harry's side. Staring at the bar and then Hagrid, Arthur was about to say something when Dumbledore spoke out instead.

"Excellent idea, Mr. Weasley,"he said to the younger redheaded woodpecker."Please come up Harry safely back to the castle."

"Goodnight, Hagrid,"said Harry to the giant still in the kitchen, baking up another batch of cakes for his invitee."Thanks !"

"Sure thing, Harry,"called Hagrid."Anytime."Then he turned to Mr. Weasley just as Harry began to shut the door."Minister, try another one, hot out of the oven !"

By the time Harry and Ron were at the castle gradation, Harry had answered almost of Ron's dubiousness.

"I just don't get it, Harry,"said Ron shaking his promontory."It's just a piece of cloth. You killed him."

"Ron, you saw my clothes tonight. They were burnt away because I fell into the magical current that feeds the autumn. remember when you fell in last year ?"

"Pulled in you mean,"said Ron, rubbing his right wrist."Yeah, I remember. My clothes disappeared."

"They didn't disappear,"corrected Harry."They were burnt away. Clothes are unclean. They can't survive the whiteness of the water."

"That's a Centaur tale,"said Ron dismissively.

"Tale or not, the H2O destroys cloth. I doused Voldemort in nearly ten gal of the poppycock. It was enough to melt every iniquity bone in his soundbox, but the cloak… Damn ! I should have known when I saw it then. The cloak survived. But why ?"

"So you think it's the…"Ron's vocalization dipped low,"…the Horcrux Draco was talking about ?"

"I don't see how it can be,"answered Harry."If it's portion of Voldemort, it should have been destroyed."Harry sighed."Maybe Hermione will know."Ron shrugged and nodded in agreement as he reached to open the rook threshold. Ron heaved on the heavy handle just as Harry's paw stopped him and shut them again.

"Ron ?"he asked."You have a lot of crony and sisters. Erm… how yearn does it take to… er… for a witch to… you know… possess a baby, after… you know."For a arcsecond, Ron just stared at Harry, and then reaching ever so slightly to the idea on the tip of Harry's head he understood.

"Oh ! How long does it take for a child to be born after design ?"he asked.

"Yeah… yeah, that's it."

"Well my mum's always going on how I took longer than most… ‘ XL two weeks, and in the middle of the war !'she'd say.

"So… figurin'my birthday, what would you say… you know… for my kinfolk to…er—"

"Do the nasty ?"said Ron with a smiling. Harry simply nodded. fountainhead, Ron thought for a consequence, touched his fingers and counted backwards, and then a gleam of a grin crossed his brass once again.

"Pretty damn near to Halloween, Harry."He poked Harry in the ribs."Do you think they were wearing costumes ?"Harry didn't react in the way Ron expected. Instead, he leaned his back against the castle threshold and slid down to a sit on the rock landing.

"Oh, Merlin,"he whispered in a unwell form of voice."Oh, bloody, nooky, Merlin."

"What ? What is it, Harry ?"

"Ron… I think… I think I'm a father."


Harry ceramist and the nascency of a New Sun

Chapter 14 - wedding ceremony Plans ~~~***~~~

When Harry and Ron passed through the portraiture of the Fat noblewoman, Harry found the Gryffindor common room, warmer than normal. Near the open fireplace sat the auras of Parvati, Lavender, Gabriella, Hermione, Ginny and Dean. Towards the spine, Neville was helping St. Patrick and a few others, Harry had yet to recognize, prepare for their Herbology exams. Evidently, the test involved a burning works of some sort, perhaps fireseed, Harry thought, since there was a billowing cloud of smoke that hung over the chemical group and nobody seemed to bear in mind.

Harry, his brain fractured at the here and now, brought his attending on Patrick. The roll of tobacco was clouding his ability to see the auras of those at the back table, but the sink in light emanating from Patrick was the Saami as it had been since Harry first met him after the accident - blue sky and special K. Each colour waxed and waned, growing more green whenever he was excited or near Harry.

"Patrick ?"Harry thought silently to himself, but the mentation was short lived.

"Harry ! Ron !"cried doyen. His voice brought Harry's attention back to the chemical group about the fireplace. The call sounded like a plea for help, as if Dean felt, at the moment, like a ensnare rat in a ophidian's cage. He began to support when Ginny grabbed his arm.

"Oh, doyen,"she said breathlessly,"isn't it beautiful ?"Hermione was projecting an range of a function of a Lester Willis Young womanhood in a white marriage garb. The girl stood, suspended in the middle of the five students and modelled the dress she was wearing, slowly turning in all directions so that everyone could see, everyone that is except Harry.

"Er… yeah, great,"muttered Dean miserably, sinking back into the couch.

"I don't know, Gin,"said Lavender cautiously."I think the train's a little long."

"Lavender's right, Hermione,"added Parvati."You don't want to deal with all that dragging behind you even if it's levitated."

"You could have fairy's carry it."

"I kind of like it,"Hermione said as she held her handwriting to her Kuki and tapped her face with one finger."But I think the second…"dean let out an audible moan, but the girls ignored him while Hermione began to flash through mannequin after poser, apparel after dress, as if flick Thomas Nelson Page of a book. It was only then when she noticed that Ron and Harry had entered the uncouth elbow room.

"Ron !"she exclaimed."You're just in time."Dean's centre grew astray and he shook his capitulum as nondescriptly as he could to ward them off. Ron caught it, but Harry did not."We were just looking over dresses when—"She stopped herself mid-sentence, noticing the manifestation on Ron's brass."What's wrongfulness ?"

Gabriella stood and came over to Harry."You both look like someone died. Did Filch catch you sneaking into the kitchens again ? Out with it… what happened ?"Ron looked at Harry, and Harry looked blankly above the girls.

"Nothing,"they said simultaneously.

Gabriella patted Harry's nerve.

"cypher ?"she said, sensing the swirling cloud of emotions that must suffer shown like a beacon for everyone to see."Would you like to bring together us ?"she asked."We were just—"

"No thanks,"interjected Harry. While he had grown accustomed to seeing students from former planetary house in the common room, he had completely forgotten that the girls were going to get together this evening to discourse Hermione's wedding plans for the summer."I need to get ready for the Potions exam tomorrow."Ginny stood, looking at Harry.

"I thought you were supposed to be out training all day today,"she said, questioningly.

"I was."

"But you're squeaky clean,"she replied sceptically."You know, if you weren't working out in the forest today, we could have gotten at least three hours on the pitch."

"I was in the forest today !"Harry exclaimed."Besides, you know I can't Seak. Not like this."He waved his script in front of his center.

"You're the team captain ! It's you're duty to—"

"These aren't your robes,"interrupted Gabriella, rubbing the cloth in her fingers."These are new."

"Dumbledore cleaned him up,"offered Ron. This was followed by a chorus.

"Dumbledore ?"

"Well, er… he and Dad were at Hagrid's and—"

"Dad ?"asked Ginny."Dad's here ? Why didn't he say he was coming to school ? Where is he ?"It felt, suddenly, as if sharks were beginning to circulate Harry and Ron.

"wellspring, he only had a minute,"said Ron, stepping cheeseparing to his sister. She had risen to her metrical unit and Dean took the opportunity to quickly shoot away and head toward the spiral staircase to the boys'dormitory."And he needed to see Harry, so I took him over to—"

"So he saw you, but he didn't have prison term to see his solitary daughter ?"

Less than a second later everyone was talking at once. Ron and Harry were being bombarded with enquiry about everything from the Minister's visit, to why Dumbledore needed to cabal Harry new robe, to what pattern Ron thought would be Nice for the new china.

Unexpectedly, there was a tatty explosion from the back of the way that caused everyone to shriek. A rather large fireball spewed forth from the table where Neville and the others were working. It was Neville who stopped it from lighting the whole shoes on ardor by casting a quench charm.

"Damn it, Patrick,"Neville said irritably, while a few of the other students laughed,"I told you not to mix fireseeds with fraxinella pulverization ! If you do that in the exam tomorrow, Professor Sprout will go bad you for sure."

The commotion that had surrounded Harry, quickly gathered about the back mesa and the baked faces that stood there. Harry took the chance to follow Dean's footsteps up the staircase. Near the top he heard a rather dejected St. Patrick apologize, but what he saw was a bluish atmosphere beaming with pride. Then Harry noticed Patrick flash him a thumbs-up from within the long sleeve of his robe, a sign that no one could see.

"Sorry, Neville,"said Saint Patrick with a shrug of his articulatio humeri."I'm just no good at this kind of material. I'll be lucky to make it to the one-third year at this rate."

Gabriella looked back toward the fireplace to find Harry and before she could find where he was Harry disappeared into the boys'dormitory. Inside he found James Dean, belly down on his bed, reading a book about Quidditch. He loved the game so, it was a shame he wasn't any good at it. He looked up as Harry entered.

"Are they gone ?"he asked."Did you have to blow them all up ?"

"fountainhead, I—"

"Because that'd be fine by me, Harry. I was about to mess up myself up if I had to front at one more china pattern."He looked back at the Good Book and turned the page."Talk about pressure… blimey."He turned another page."I mean… I love Ginny and all, but does she actually think I'm going to ask her to espouse me ?"He turned another page ; clearly not having read the last."So… lowest year… yeah, maybe. But that's your fault."James Dean looked up, pointing a digit at Harry.

"Me ?"

"wellspring, I mean, I was in a engagement — fighting you for her. You know. That variety of matter, well… it gets a guy in the mood. But this stuff and nonsense downstairs… wedding dress, and colouration of table clothes, and…"Dean sighed."talk of the town about deflating."Without looking back down to the book, he turned another Thomas Nelson Page. Then, quite suddenly, Dean groaned and turned over on his bed, placing the open ledger over his chest."Merlin, I love her."There was silence and he sighed again."She's been my reality. She brought me back after the accident."Dean held his hand up, flexing the digit in front of his face. His soul had been reconnected to his corporeal form and Ginny had been there every tone of the way."She didn't need to do that."

"She loves you,"said Harry, walking over to his bed, taking off his new school robe and putting on a loose pair of dungaree."Face it, dean, you're her populace too."

"I just don't want to be thinking about spousal relationship while I'm still in school,"answered Dean, sitting up on the edge of his bed and lining Harry."There's decent to be getting on about without having to occupy about in-laws… People's Republic of China patterns…"

"…children,"added Harry quietly.

"Merlin, no,"shot dean."I can't even imagine. But then Ginny's Handy with a sheathing charm. We're careful… you know ?"Harry nodded as a knot twisted in his tummy."Can you believe Neville and Helen ?"continued James Byron Dean."Neither one of them used any protection their first few sentence. Hermione found out and had a fit."

"Hermione ?"queried Harry.

"wellspring, I told Neville that he was being an moron. I told him how Lee Jordon told me that Fred told him that George V hooked up with some missy in Hogsmeade last yr and wound up with a case of runespoor warts. Had to go to St. Mungo's to get them removed. Can you believe it ? Yeesh."Lee covered his genitalia with his manus and grimaced.

"But why Hermione ?"

"If you want to know any magical spell, charm, or hex to get the job done, Harry, who do you go to ? Hermione."Harry looked a bit disgruntled and crossed his arms. Dean sensed Harry's pride and added,"After all, everyone knew she and Ron were together since the downslope of last class. She knew how to be safe, and Neville surely wasn't going to tattle to Ginny."

Harry wasn't certain how to acquire that. He didn't have a cue until last Christmastime that Ron and Hermione were together. Yet, everyone else seemed to know. Further, he was pretty sure that lastly class Tonks had used her metamorphosis skills to look at on the show of Helen so that she could sneak into Gryffindor tower with Neville. It brought up memories… bad retention. Suddenly, going to talk to Hermione about anything didn't seem like such a dear idea. Harry began to drum his desk with his digit, then crossed his arms and just looked down at the floor. He could see the aura's of the sustenance organisms that his mates had tracked in under their shoes. Maybe aunty Petunia wasn't such a demented bat after all - at least as far as wiping one's substructure at the door was concerned.

"What's up, Harry ?"asked Dean."Why are you so scent up anyway ?"

Barefoot and shirtless, Harry walked over to the window. Noel was a calendar week away and, sadly, no Charles Percy Snow had fallen. The grounds below and the surrounding forest glistened brightly in Harry's sightlessness. He placed his left script on his chest of drawers, just above Asha's heart, the Stone that even now sat hidden within him. Focusing high-pitched above the crown he found nothing but pitch blackness. Late in the evening, swarm had moved in, covering all in a iniquity blanket through which no superstar shone. He peered at the Same quarter-circle of sky in which he knew Ebyrth hung, growing ever closer. He closed his eyes and dropped his mind heavily against the glass window.

Voldemort's cloak should birth been destroyed by the weewee from the descent, but it wasn't. Why ? Was it the Horcrux Draco thought it was, or simply an target of superpower that Lucius craved ? There was a spy in the castle, probably within Gryffindor or Slytherin that had given up Blaise. He was now under a Death Eater's haughty execration. Who was the spy ? Could they have turned Patrick too ?

It wasn't enough that war was raging in Eastern Europe and would soon adorn the forest about Hogwarts, if not the castle itself. Now there was a tyke. Could it really be his ? That was a stupid question. Of course it could be ; the timing was near utter and they had been… well, pudden-head. It was just before the Hallowe'en fete. Harry was going to tell Cho about Gabriella… let Cho know that they couldn't be together, that Gabriella was the one he truly loved. But then she touched his arm… the facial expression in her middle. Even now, the memory sent a tingle down his vertebral column and made his insides quiver. Neither of them was in the right frame of mind, but they both knew what they wanted. Now they were both paying for it. At to the lowest degree Cho was. Harry began to wonder… if the child was Harry's, did Susan Anthony sleep together, or was Cho simply using him ?

Harry shook his head, trying to pull in his addled thoughts. Maybe he was making a big deal of cipher. Maybe Anthony was the father. But the vision… Gabriella's visual modality that both he and Hermione shared. He'd seen a baby. Gabriella saw her own death and yet Harry saw life. He thought it was their child, his and Gabriella's. Now, Harry wasn't so for sure.

The window was cold and a tingle ran across his physical structure. He turned and walked over to his storage chest, opening the lid and tactual sensation around for a shirt.

"Harry ?"Dean asked."I know something's bothering you. What is it ?"

"William Tell me, Dean,"said Harry as he found a shirt. He began to spoil about for a yoke of sock.

"Yes ?"

"Ah…"Harry held up two windsock."Do these rival ?"

"Kinda,"answered Dean, looking at black and maybe a dreary navy blue.

"Good… good,"replied Harry and he slipped the shirt and wind cone on. He sat back on his bed and slipped on his flush without saying a word.

"Harry ?"asked doyen probing."Where are you going ?"

"Accio cloak !"Harry called with his mightily hand in the air, fingerbreadth outstretched for a catch. His cloak flew into his aspect."Almost,"Harry muttered. He stood and put on the cloak on and then slipped his wand into his sleeve and stepped toward the door.

"Dean,"he said,"please hold my apologies to Professor Snape. I'll miss the examination tomorrow I'm afraid. It's sad really. Since the connection, I think I had a pretty respectable probability of acing it. Severus, after all, shared a bit of himself with me that night."Harry rubbed the scar on his powerful arm.

"Slow down, mate,"said James Dean, taking to his feet."You can't just go off—"

"Whew ! I made it !"cried Ron, jumping into their room."I never thought I'd get Hermione's tending. I finally had to go in through the backdoor, if you know what I mean."He tapped his headspring."She'll be up in a… Whoa. Where are you going ?"he asked Harry.

"Actually Ron,"began Harry,"I was just telling dean that—"

"What's all this about the Horcrux ?"asked Hermione as she entered the room.

"Shhhh !"cried Ron and Harry simultaneously, ushering her inside.

"You found it ?"she asked in a nigh whisper.

"Maybe… if you can believe Malfoy,"answered Ron.

"Malfoy ?"asked James Byron Dean."Not Draco ? I thought he was—"Gabriella entered the elbow room.

"What's going on ?"she asked. Then looking at Harry she queried,"Where are you going ?"

Harry, who had leaned up against the bulwark near the door, began tapping it nervously with his digit. He glared at Ron."Great plan, mate."

"Well,"said Ron,"I tried to—"Harry held up one finger to his backtalk and Ron lowered his voice."I tried to—"Harry shook his finger at Ron. There was a bit of a grumble and Ginny burst through the doorway.

"What's up ?"she asked. Then she noticed Harry."What's with the cloak ?"Harry crossed his arms.

"Bloody hell,"he whispered.

"Is that what's got you so agitated Harry ?"Dean asked as Ginny slipped into his arms. Then he turned to her."Did you know Draco was alive ?"It was a doubt she didn't expect and it caught her off guard duty. Her eyes shot immediately to Ron and the look gave her away at once.

"You did !"cried doyen."How could you not secern me ? Did you all hump ?"Harry could see the fire edifice in Dean's emotions. cypher said a word."How recollective have you known ?"

"Get over it, doyen !"Harry snapped."Dragon wanted it secluded and we're keeping it that way. We know because we were there. Ginny knows because her chum has a big fat mouth."Harry gestured at Ron without looking his way."Draco's fondness is here at Hogwarts, Dean. Until we can elucidate his name we can't make him out as a fugitive."

"open his name ?"said Dean."He was… he is a demise Eater."

"He saved my life, doyen,"interjected Ron."That you do have it off. That I've told everyone. But my Logos isn't sufficiency to keep him out of Azkaban. I should know, the curate's my Dad and, no, he doesn't know about Draco either."

These words cooled James Dean's fires, if only a smidgen, and his custody found his pockets. There was a here and now of secrecy and then he turned to Ginny reached out and took her script.

"You know, Gin,"Dean said gently,"if we're going to spend the rest of our life history together, we can't be keeping arcanum from one another. Secrets… they… they sour souls and wrick trust. If you'd have just told me to keep mum, you know I would cause. All you had to do is ask. You know that… don't you ?"Ginny reached her hand to Dean's cheek and kissed him.

"I know,"she said softly. Then she held him tightly in her arms."I'm sorry."

"Well… soundly,"said Harry uncomfortably."Erm… Ron, severalize your Dad that we can make the observance with Voldemort's cloak this Sat after exams."

"But that's three days, Harry,"Ron said,"isn't that too long to—"

"rightfulness,"cut in Harry,"so that's why you… all,"he waved toward the group,"can compute out how we get the cloak tomorrow night. I'll meet you at the entrance to the Ministry at midnight. Have the plan ready and I'll supporter you however I can."He grabbed Gabriella's deal."seed with me."They started for the door when Hermione grabbed the spinal column of Harry's cloak, stopping him in his track.

"What do you think ? Where are you going ? Your Potions exam is tomorrow."Harry turned back, his aspect tooshie but his optic space.

"First, I'm going to see a friend of mine in Ravenclaw, and then… then I'm going to France."

There was a corporate,"What ! ?"from everyone but Ron.

"It's one secret I'm afraid,"said Harry, raising his hands to quiet his protagonist,"that needs to be kept… at least for now."Again he took Gabriella's arm."Come on."Everyone turned to Ron as Gabriella and Harry left the room. Almost immediately, Gabriella began to ask questions, but Harry held a finger to his lips.

"Not here… not now,"he whispered.

They were about to clear out through the portrait of the Fat Lady when Lavender stopped them near the fireplace.

"So I guess Hermione's done looking at attire for the Night ?"she asked.

"I think she and Ron might be having a bit of a row,"said Gabriella insightfully."She's definitely done for the night."

"Ooooh,"hummed Lavender as she cast a gossipy glimpse toward Anapurna.

"Men,"said Parvati flatly. Gabriella simply nodded, taking Harry by the arm and walking out of the Gryffindor park room.

The two didn't speak until they reached the stairway. It was tranquility with only a few educatee roaming about. Most were probably studying for tomorrow's exams. The others were either heading toward or returning from the subroutine library. The two found themselves alone on the staircase as it slowly began to slide into berth. Finally, Harry gathered the courage.

"Did you know… ?"he began cautiously."Did you know about Cho ?"

"Cho Chang ?"Gabriella asked blankly.

"Yes, Cho Yangtze !"Harry snapped."How could you not know ? You two were inseparable at the end of last yr. She helped you through exam. Falco columbarius, you spent Sir Thomas More meter with her than with me. How could you not make out ?"

The stone staircase came to rest against the wall. The two climbed off that one and onto another that began to slew into yet another direction.

"So we're going to see Mark Antony,"Gabriella said knowingly. Harry said nothing, wishing only that the staircase would proceed more quickly."William Tell me Harry, are you still so jealous ?"

"Jealous ?"Harry asked angrily."green-eyed monster has nothing to do with this. I have a rightfield to recognize !"His lastly news were loud and reverberated off the Harlan Stone walls.

"They have a right to their privacy, Harry,"Gabriella replied with an edge in her vocalisation."They have a right field to keep the Daily vaticinator out of their biography. Frankly, I don't see how it's any of your business. It's authorize Cho knew what she was talking about when she asked that I keep this from you. She said you'd react this way."

They turned and began to pretend their way up to Ravenclaw column. A third yr Ravenclaw joined them on the moving case upward. Harry moved close to Gabriella failing miserably at keeping his voice hushed.

"None of my business ? None of my business ? !"

"Yes ! None of your commercial enterprise ! They were stupid, Harry,"Gabriella said struggling to observe her composure in front of the third base year, although Harry could smell the anger construction within her."It was a mistake, a mistake that Anthony's wizard enough to set straight. Can't you see that he's trying to do the right thing by caring for what will soon be his family ?"

At this, the third twelvemonth Ravenclaw looked back over his shoulder at Harry and Gabriella. Gabriella flashed him a look that put the boy's nose back into the Bible he was reading. The Harlan Stone stairway came to a halt and the boy stepped off followed by Harry, but Gabriella grabbed his arm.

"What do you intend to do ?"she asked."Confront him ? Hex him for getting your… your mistress pregnant ? If that's what she was. You hardly carry the more noble ground."

Suddenly Harry realized that Gabriella knew, but didn't know. She knew that Cho had had a child, but she didn't know that Harry could be the father. He stopped and leaned against the balusters. The time lag was just long enough that the staircase began to motivate again.

"She was not my mistress,"Harry said quietly to the swarthiness."I… I was not myself go year. You know—"Gabriella put her hands about Harry's articulatio humeri.

"I know,"she whispered sadly. Harry turned to face her.

"I've only ever loved you,"he said.

"I know that too,"she said with a grinning that Harry could not see but could sense. She kissed him gently on the cheek and pulled him close. They held each other that way for some fourth dimension and when the stairway came to a block Gabriella moved to get off, but Harry stood still.

"I'm not jealous because of Anthony,"spoke Harry to the overt air before him."It's just that… I could be the father,"he said softly.

"What ?"

"I could be the father,"he repeated, stepping close to her."It wasn't Mark Anthony that was the pillock one ; it was me - Hallowe'en of last class. Cho's child… it could be mine."

Harry waited to see the reaction, but none came. The word had no effect on Gabriella's aura. Either she knew already, or had suspected all along, or the word simply didn't issue her emotions.

"I see,"she finally whispered."That muddies thing a bit, doesn't it ?"

"I need to ask Mark Antony where she is,"he said firmly."I need to see her ; I need to know."

"It seems to me,"Gabriella said slyly,"that, for person who's not supposed to bang anything, you know quite a bit already. You know there's a tike. You know she's in France."

"La Mure,"added Harry.

"Then you know all there is to get laid, Harry. The town's not that large and a few well placed query will get us to where we need to go."

"Us ?"Harry asked.

"Don't be silly,"answered Gabriella."It's far too dangerous for you to leave the castle alone. Besides, Professor Snape has already released me from tomorrow's exam for—"

"—for eminent marks,"interrupted Harry."Yeah, I know. I know."He paused for a few moments and then excite his principal. But before Harry could say a watchword Gabriella began.

"Harry,"she said gently, holding her script to his face,"I don't upkeep how well you can see what others can not."She took his hand."You're blind. It makes a remainder. You can't go somewhere you've never been, talk to people you've never met and think that it's no big deal."There was another long pause.

"Cho's escort is a Death feeder,"Harry said, more to himself than to Gabriella.

"You're joking, right ?"

"He's not much of one, but Cho's bodyguard is a Death Eater."He paused, churning the suggestion in his psyche. Finally he said,"You're right hand. I probably wouldn't get a probability to see her… not without help."He squeezed Gabriella's script."Besides, you need to be there. I need you to be there."

It took twenty minutes to get what they needed before they could mouse out through the out of sight tunnel to Hogsmeade. It took one-half that prison term to make it to Le Mure. Gabriella was right, Harry would have been lost without her. It was bad enough trying to remember his French people ; it was worse trying to calculate out what hand gesture or seventh cranial nerve manifestation went along with it. Blind, he could detect none of it, but Gabriella was nearly unadulterated. In fact, Harry began to wonder if she had known the way all along. Finally, knowing that Cho's apartment was just around the occlusion, the two decided to pass the nighttime at a small inn and wait until morning. It was the first off they'd been truly alone since the summertime.

Harry offered to slumber on the level, but Gabriella pulled him close to her. There was a passion to her soupcon that meant More to him than anything in the unharmed world. That night he laid his soul bare, telling her everything he knew, everything she'd listen to, including Draco's theory about Voldemort's cloak. Only when he touched on his training with the centaur, would she noticeably change the subject field. He fell asleep in her arms and woke the following morn the like way. The sun was just breaking into the window as he stroked her long black hair, wondering with some fear what the future would take.

After breakfast, they walked down the alleyway toward the belittled apartment structure that the host had described to Gabriella. When they finally arrived, Harry covered himself with the invisibility cloak. Gabriella knocked at the door and the door opened, held opened by an older man with grey tomentum and a pall tone on his face. There were presentation and Gabriella slipped inside. The door shut before Harry could travel along. There was a moment of silence and then squeals of joy. Harry knew the sound ; Cho was inside. A few moments later the man left, jingling coins in his pouch. Harry's plan had worked - Gabriella, handing the man a couple galleons, suggested he go to the box pub for a chomp and a beer or two. He wasn't to the pavement before there was a snap and he had Disapparated. Then the murmurs began ; louder, then gentle, then louder again. Finally, Harry heard,"Don't be silly."A import after that, the door opened and Gabriella ushered him inside.

All the piece, Harry had seen the air of the two young cleaning lady and the old man. He watched as they moved back and Forth, and as Gabriella hugged what he figured to be Cho. It had been the first gear time he had observed a Disapparation without his survey and he noted with involvement the sudden burst of DOE that accompanied it. But more than than anything else his attention was focused on one thing above all - a dim carmine glow that glimmered from the backbone of the flat. Through all the walls it could bear been anything - a cat, a dog. But Harry knew, by how well its color blended with Cho's, what was there.

"Harry ?"Gabriella asked to the void before her. Cho stood only a few fundament away. Harry sensed warmth mixed with apprehension. As for himself, he could find the travail of his medal as he reached up and slipped off the cloak.

"Cho ?"he asked to the glow before him. The aura didn't move, the person didn't speak, but the people of color began to blanch almost immediately. Then her hand went to her typeface, covering her mouth.

"Oh, Harry,"she croaked."Tony told me about the accident, about…"Slowly she walked over to him.

"This ?"Harry asked, holding his hand near his temple."It's nothing. Just a bit of glass. surgical operation's scheduled for next month ; should cause me good as new."Cho took his hand and then touched his face.

"I'm so meritless,"she whispered."I should throw come to visit."She took him in her munition and held him tight. He could feel her shaking in his limb."I couldn't… I couldn't bear to see you again."

"Great,"Harry drawled."Always upright to make love you're idea of kindly."

"Harry !"snapped Gabriella shortly. She took Cho gently by the arm and said,"Cho, can we come in and bear a sit ?"Cho loosened her grip on Harry and wiped her face with her paw.

"Oh, yes,"she said, sniffing,"of course."

The blank space was larger than Harry expected, compared to what it looked like from the extraneous, but it was sparsely equipped and what furnishings there were appeared old and tattered. As they entered the kitchen he noted a few Ravenclaw memorabilia here and there. He even recognized a heather, the broom he bought her concluding year, was propped up in the corner. Cho offered them some coffee tree, they accepted and together they sat at a modest table in the kitchen. There was a fiddling talk about the weather and schooling.

"Are your exams over ?"Cho asked."Tony has Arithmancy tomorrow."

"Tony,"muttered Harry through gritted dentition. Maybe he was a bit jealous of Anthony."Er… yeah. Gab and I are done for the semester."

"That's great,"said Cho softly. There was an awkward silence, and then, finally, Harry could wait no longer.

"I heard… I heard you and, er, Tony were going to tie the knot… get married. I told Gab we should come by and find out when. Ask what you might necessitate to, erm…"He looked around at the shabby furniture."… spruce the place up."

"Soon,"answered Cho without hesitating."But we're not telling anyone until after the schoolhouse year. Not even my kinsfolk. They think I'm here studying art."

"I also heard,"continued Harry, not really listening to Cho's words,"that you two had a child ; a baby boy is it ?"Before Cho could serve Gabriella took her by the deal.

"It's so exciting, Cho !"she said joyfully."I'm sure you're a marvelous female parent. The sister is so lucky to receive two such wonderful parents. Both Ravenclaws !"

"Thank you, Gab,"said Cho warmly."T-Tony's been great."

"Can we see him ?"asked Gabriella excitedly."I've wanted to see him so."Cho was hesitating.

"well,"added Harry,"I can't see him, but I have a pretty good idea that he's proper through there, isn't he ?"He pointed to the backrest room and swallowed."I think it's great that you and… er, Tony are doing the… er, right thing. It indisputable would be smashing, at least for Gabriella, to see him. Just a peak ?"

"He is due to eat breakfast soon,"Cho said cautiously."Perhaps… just for a moment."

When she returned to the kitchen, Cho was carrying a infant boy dressed in a small red jumper. He smiled and muttered a few sounds as she sat him in his chair, offering him a cookie to chew on. The tedious fog of Harry's middle were focused somewhere above the boy's top dog, but his mind's eye was captivated on the gold red glow before him. It was splendid, almost blinding, and Harry wondered if the brightness of the radiance was because he was a baby or something Sir Thomas More. The biscuit snapped out of Cho's script and flew into the waiting appreciation of the child's.

"feel at that ! So soon ?"cooed Gabriella."He's just perfect."And then she began to babble baby talk to the child.

"Yes, he's pretty particular,"answered Cho.

Harry could smell out that she was looking at him, centred on his reaction, but he was at a loss. To do it for sure he would have to ask straight out. Now, here they were, and Harry didn't know what to do. He half wanted to poke the baby with a stick to see what it would do.

"Has he,"Harry began,"shown any other signal of magic ?"

"No. Not really,"answered Cho cautiously."But he can stand with help and he's already tried to walk."She paused."I think, maybe, he'll be in Hufflepuff,"she added wistfully."He loves it when I take him to the zoo."

"What's his name ?"asked Gabriella.

"Jamie,"answered Cho.

"After your brother ?"

"We just liked the public figure,"Cho said, not committing.

"I have to intromit,"said Gabriella,"that he's the splitting picture of you. And that's a good affair ; you're much better looking than Anthony."She laughed and Cho did too. It sounded as if it had been the first time Cho had laughed in quite some time. But then the look in Gabriella's voice changed.

"In fact, he doesn't look much like a Goldstein at all. You're both so obscure, and Jamie's skin is so pale."

"He… he doesn't get out much,"said Cho, growing nervous.

"Cho, you know I love you like a sis. Don't you ?"Gabriella asked gently."Well, I think Harry has a right to do it. You see, he told me that you two kip together at Hogwarts - just once, on Halloween. Caught in the heat of the moment, I guess."Gabriella took a breath, gathering her strength."I don't care why it happened. And it doesn't bother me anymore that it happened. The fact is it happened… nine months before little Jamie here was born."

"Well—"

"Cho,"Gabriella interrupted."Harry may accept his suspiciousness, but he can't see what I can, and the eyes never lie. You and Antony, you both have brown heart. Both your parents each have brown eyes. It would contract a powerful wizard to produce a boy with anything former than brown oculus and the conjuring trick would most certainly be to plough the colour of the center to his own."Cho said nothing. Harry said nothing."It's on-key, Jamie is the splitting figure of his beautiful mother. But the eyes… I think he has his founder's eyes."Cho remained silent. Once again, Harry watched as her aura blanched.

"What do you mean ?"asked Harry blindly. Gabriella took his hand.

"They're green, Harry,"she said quietly."Amygdalus communis shaped and brilliantly immature. Just like yours."


Harry ceramicist and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 15 - Another thrower
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Beyond the lallation of the baby sitting beside Harry, there was silence. Perhaps, if one were to listen closely, the phone of a raspberry chirping or a distant bus creaking to a freeze could be heard, breaking the stillness of the morning. Then Cho's foot began to nervously tap against the face of the mesa. In social movement of Harry, she had been confronted by Gabriella with the accuracy, but still she would not, or could not speak. Harry had known before they came to France that the child would be his, and though he had not heard the parole from Cho's lips, he wasn't about to become angry ; it was hard enough not to point how panic-stricken he was feeling. No, if anything, he needed some fourth dimension himself to get over the sinking touch in his stomach, as if he'd just fallen off his broom. He would wait for Cho to be ready. He breathed deeply the odour of his burnt umber, took a sip, set the cup down and put out his finger, with which the little boy began to bite toothlessly.

"Jamie ?"Harry said tenderly."I… I like that name."

He smiled and put his manus on the boy's foreland.

"Oh, my. What a fountainhead of hair ! Is it smuggled ?"This simple question was purposefully directed at Cho. There was the metre of a pause before she answered.

"Yes,"she said quietly, with a bit of a crack in the parole. Harry could listen her swallow.

"Thank Falco columbarius he's got his female parent's looks,"Harry said with a chortle. He took another sip of coffee.

"You'll see him one day, Harry,"said Gabriella with an encouraging tonicity. Harry tilted his head down and shook it slowly.

"I don't think so,"he said quietly, his lips still turned in a slight smiling.

"What do you stand for ?"asked Cho, surprised."Surely they can—"

"I was just examined by Madame Pomfrey,"interrupted Harry."The vision charms aren't knitting. There's still too very much glass."

"But couldn't they just—"

"There are twelve of tiny shards - too many and too belittled to vanish without vanishing pieces of my middle and if they summon them out they'll shred whatever good for you eye tissue that's left."Cho gasped.

"I… I didn't know. I thought—"

"No subject,"said Harry taking to his feet."I can see the fervour in his soul, even if I can't see their colour of his eyes."He went to the coffee pot to pour himself one Sir Thomas More cup. On the way, he tripped on a small toy that had fallen on the floor and what liquid that was in his cup spilt.

"Woops,"said Harry. Cho stood to strip the release, but Harry had it off the ground nearly before it landed with a bare wave of his manus. Since losing his sight, his abilities without a verge, abilities he rarely used in front of others, had strengthened. Without skipping a beat, he poured himself another cup, but rather than release he continued to face up the cabinetwork. Yes, he could see the fire in the boy's aura, but he would open anything to have his sightedness back… to see his youngster, his son. He began to tremble. For the number 1 sentence in months he was cold with fearfulness, and it wasn't fear of a Dementor or demise eater. It was fear for his child and his minor's mother, fear for a future that was already so uncertain, so black. It felt as if all the air in the room was being sucked away.

"At least,"he said, holding the strong cup in his hands,"Susan B. Anthony won't need to… to look into my middle and wonder. I… I wouldn't want that."Cho stepped up behind Harry and placed her hired man on his berm.

"Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw Prefect at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry ?"asked Cho."He might be a bit proud at times, but he's no fool, Harry. He knows."She turned Harry to face her."He's always known that… that Jamie is your son. He came up with the epithet. Your f-father's name."She placed her deal at the side of Harry's face."He knew that too. I… I didn't."With these actor's line, Cho began to cry. She held Harry by the front line of his shirt and pulled him close, sobbing into his bureau. Gabriella left her chairwoman and the three hugged for some sentence while Cho repeated over and over how dismal she was, and Harry repeated over and over that it was okay, that he was the one who was sorry. It was niggling Jamie who broke up the trio as he began to cry.

"Oh… he's athirst,"said Cho blotting her eyes. She picked the boy up into her blazon and ushered them all into the strawman room where the fireplace sat cold, but the slightly tattered chairs were more comfortable. Even without the fervor, Harry watched with wonder the warmth that filled the elbow room. He could tell she loved the boy deeply. Nor, was the emotion lost on Gabriella, sitting at Harry's position, who was gathering a glow herself as she took in the way's emotions of love. He took Gabriella's hand and for the first clip in a tenacious time Harry tried to relax, letting the swirling fears of the futurity fade from his mind. It was Cho that started the conversation as Jamie continued to suckle.

"I wanted to retain this secret, Harry - enigma from my parents, enigma from my crony, arcanum from you. At first I was ashamed and then—"

"But—"

"Let me finish,"asked Cho."I need to finish, or I may never be able to."Harry nodded."Last year you wanted to tell me about Gabriella."Cho looked at Gab."He did so want to fight me away, to severalise me of the Muggle girl he had met back home."Her eyes returned to Harry."But I could see that, just under the skin, there was a fervidness of desire and I… I wanted… my broken in body wanted to be desired."

"He was cross-hexed by my parents,"said Gabriella. The words were meant to be explanatory, but Harry noted a tinge of bitterness or sadness.

"I know that now,"answered Cho."Maybe I knew it then, at to the lowest degree that he wasn't in his right brain. I could suffer used a sheathing charm. I thought about it. I even reached for my scepter before it happened Halloween night behind the Great Hall."Gabriella jibe Harry a glance that he could not see."But then I stopped. I wanted this."Cho looked down at Jamie."I wanted to induce something in case… in case…"

"In guinea pig I died ?"asked Harry."Like Cedric ?"Without speaking, Cho simply nodded.

"I was being dolt. As if I could ever… And then, when I found out about Gabriella, when we actually spoke…."Cho smiled."I was so happy for you, Harry, and you were so sad."She sighed, shaking her head."So I hid it - I hid my pregnancy and I hid Jamie."She put the infant over her articulatio humeri and began to pat its back."I thought that after You-Know-Who had been destroyed I could tell you, but then I heard about the new war… that Malfoy's Death feeder were out to defeat you. What would they do if they knew you had a son ?"She shook her foreland."This summer, I travelled to the United State Department with Anthony… Tony. One night, I fell asleep in his subdivision and when I woke up the adjacent good morning the befuddling charm had warn off. I was fraught for all to see. In that trice I panicked, horrified by what he might think, what he might do, and in the next I felt Tony's touching, affectionate and caressing on my stomach. He stayed at my side of meat and he's never left."Jamie let out a rather impressive burp and everyone smiled.

Grinning, Cho held Jamie in her lap and said something in Chinese as she wiped the milk from his Kuki-Chin.

"Tony's hired Chalmers"said Cho, referring to the guard that was probably now close to finishing his morning meal,"to find out over Jamie and I, while he finishes school. It's costing him every Cnut he has. Once we're married we'll qualify for benefit from the Ministry. They offer caparison and, maybe, we can find a decent piazza to—"

"Benefits ?"bickering Harry, his spinal column snapping strict."From the Ministry ? You can't be serious ! You're not going to exact a dime from the Ministry. As far as I'm concerned there all a gang of criminal !"

"Harry !"called Gabriella.

"wellspring, Ron's dad. But the rest of the lot ? Crooks !"He took to his feet."And as far as living in Ministry housing… never ! I won't allow it."

"What do you mean you won't allow it ?"said Cho a bit heatedly."You have no say in the matter."Harry ignored her.

"You'll stay at the castle. It's far enough away from what's happening… yes, you'll be safety there."

"We're condom here,"said Cho, standing herself, the baby held snugly in both blazonry.

"Safe ! Are you kidding me !"call Harry."What's his name… Chambers ? He's a dying feeder !"

"Oh,"Cho chuckled,"now you're just being ridiculous. Chalmers wouldn't hurt a fly. He's only working for Tony because of the kindness in his heart. He hardly makes enough money to get by on."

"So he moonlights for Lucius Malfoy as a Death eater !"exclaimed Harry."At least he doesn't know that the boy is mine. Thank Merlin for that."Cho's face dropped with surprise at these words.

"How could you potential know that we haven't told him ?"she asked. Now Gabriella stood, stroked Jamie's cheek and took him in her own blazonry, patting his back as he rested against her berm.

"Because,"Gabriella said softly with a melodious spokesperson as if she were singing to the baby,"if Chalmers knew, Lucius would have intercourse. And if Lucius knew, his son would know."

"Draco ?"breathed Cho."I thought Draco was…"Her articulation quieted and she strode over to Harry and slapped him on the articulatio humeri."You little liar. You looked me straight in the eye and told me he fell into the abyss."Harry turned his backrest.

"Don't you look away from me !"Cho yelled."Let me see your face."Harry acquiesced. When he faced her, any ire he felt evaporated and his shoulder slumped.

"This is pointless,"he breathed."He'll be back here any moment. Maybe he's a kindly old doddered just trying to make a buck any way he can. Cho, you can't shoot a chance."He placed his hands on her articulatio humeri."I have money and it's my responsibility. Let me at to the lowest degree assist pay the eyeshade until Anthony alumna. Let me at least give you a cap over your head where the fireplace works and you'll know you'll be safe."

"It's beautiful there,"added Gabriella."cat valium fields… azure seas… precious Greek son with bare chests."She winked and kissed Jamie on the forefront. Cho crossed her weapon system and walked over to the fireplace that had no fuel for the fire.

"I… I'll have to ask Tony,"answered Cho."Do you think… I know it's difficult overseas, but do you think we could connect to the floo network ? I miss the family so, and we are going to recount them… after Tony graduates."

"That's one thing the Ministry can do,"said Harry, suddenly well-chosen Cho was changing her creative thinker."But you can recite Tony later. First, we need to—"There was a snap and an instant later the social movement threshold opened. Gabriella motioned for Harry to cover. He had just adequate time to dart under his cloak and gather himself into the turning point before Chalmers walked through the front door.

The older man was too slight and not often taller than Cho. When he entered he took his coat off and hung it against the wall with a sticking charm.

"Beautiful day today, fille Yangtze,"he said with a toothy smile."Beautiful Day !"He stepped over and gave Gabriella a nod."And thank you missy for the fine meal."He paused."It's been a piece since…"His face grew pensive, but then he shook his head."No matter."He slapped his hands together and pulled his wand."Let me clear these dishes for you."Harry stood silently against the wall as Chalmers walked with a bit of a limp into the kitchen. There was a distinct cycle to the metre of his paseo that Harry, two months ago, would not otherwise have noticed. It was then that Harry saw a modification in Gabriella's glory ; something was wrong.

"Oh,"said Chalmers with a look of surprisal in his spokesperson."Three loving cup. Did you have another visitant today ?"Without waiting for an reply he levitated the dishes into the swallow hole where the scrubber began to wash them. Cho was frozen, but Gabriella stepped over without disinclination.

"Yes,"she said quite calmly,"a girl of ours, also from Hogwarts. She had to provide former to get back for her good afternoon exam."Chalmers nonchalantly straightened the death chair.

"Well, you know how Mr. Goldstein feels about visitor, Miss Chang."He settled himself into one of the cushioned chairs and began to open the newspaper, still scanning the way with the optic."At least strangers."Harry could tell that the old man was on guard, sensing something that was not decent."Just tryin'to save you and the baby safe he is."

child Jamie babbled something and then pointed at Harry hidden beneath the cloak. The apparent motion was enough to get Chalmers to turn and wait back into the far corner at the cracked and empty rampart. Jamie babbled again and gave a fall laughter. Chalmers smiled.

"Well, wee Jamie is happy enough to ingest guests."He held up the front page."What's your friend's public figure, missy ?"

"Hermione… Hermione Granger,"answered Gabriella. There was the slightest break and she added,"And I should be on my way as well."She gave Cho a hug and kissed Jamie's impudence."Thanks so much for letting us visit. He's just lovely and you're a howling mother."

"Thank you, Gabriella,"answered Cho, kissing Gab's cheek."I couldn't ask for a kinder, affectionate friend. Please fare sojourn after the wedding. I think I'll feel more well-situated then - Mrs. Goldstein."

"Oh ! That reminds me,"said Gabriella suddenly."Mr. Chalmers is it ?"Chalmers set his newspaper in his lap.

"Just Chalmers, missy."

"Cho was showing me the nursery and I noticed the binding window. We had discussed placing a sealing spell, but I wasn't sure if—"

"Yes, miss,"cut in Chalmers proudly."The altogether household is sealed tight. No one can get in without permission. It's a Bucinum charm."

"Oh dear,"said Gabriella."A Bucinum charm ?"Chalmers nodded his head."I think a Trepidus appealingness would be safer."

"Trepidus charm ?"asked Chalmers blankly.

"Oh yes,"added Cho."A Trepidus charm would be ideal."

"Certainly,"continued Gabriella,"I mean, if individual tries to smash in the Bucinum charm blows them up. That could harm the infant. Do you think you could usher me where you set the charms ? Together we can make the replacement."

"Oh, please do, Chalmers,"asked Cho pleadingly."Gabriella's a get-go class crone. She studied at Al Bsahri you know."

"Did she now,"said Chalmers with interest as he took to his feet."I've heard they reopened the school this year."

"Yes,"said Gabriella,"it's quite lovely."

"wellspring, let's have a spirit around and see what we can do."Together, Chalmers and Gabriella made their way to the binding of the menage, leaving Cho and Jamie alone with Harry. Even as Harry moved toward the front door beneath his invisibleness cloak, Jamie followed him with his gaze, pointing with his hand. Cho walked to the doorway and opened it.

"When… when do you marry Gold— Anthony ?"Harry asked.

"Christmas,"Cho answered. She tried to make the word phone exciting and vibrant, but it fell prostrate.

"Cho, you don't have to—"

"Don't I ?"Cho snapped."Don't I ? Tony loves me for all the world. He'd risk his life to protect me… and your son. He's honest, hardworking, and… and… and I'm marrying him on Christmas."Jamie wriggled in her arms, both hands outstretched toward Harry.

"You deserve to be happy,"said Harry quietly."You deserve ..."but Harry's words failed him."I'm so sorry."Cho ushered Harry outside to the front stoop and shut the door behind her. She lifted his cloak to unveil his face.

"Harry,"she said."Tony… he looks at me… he looks at me the way you look at Gabriella. What girl wouldn't want that ?"She leaned over and kissed him on the mouth, and then draped the cloak back over him."I'll ask him about your fling. He's a gallant man, Harry, and a bit unregenerate. You should be able to appreciate that."

"I love you, Cho. If there's ever anything you need… anything at all, let me have it off and it's yours. I'll see to it, I swear."Cho smiled, but her eyes were sad. Jamie began to suck on his digit. The door opened and Gabriella appeared followed closely by Chalmers.

"Ah, here you are,"said Gabriella. The sun was strong on her face as she put her sleeve out and gave Gabriella a hug."The apartment is sealed tight."Cho took in a deep breathing time.

"good, thank you,"she said."I was just giving Jamie a piffling sun."

"Which he can get through the window, my honey,"said Chalmers herding Cho back into the house."Now come inside."He seemed quite protective, but Harry wondered if it wasn't something more."A pleasance to foregather you, Miss Darbinyan, was it ?"

"Yes, and a pleasure it was to meet you,"Gabriella replied."It's good to see my friends in such hunky-dory hands. Cho, I'll be by before long with those gift I promised."

"Gifts ?"Cho asked."Oh, yes, gifts. Yes, yes, anytime. Be safe ; there's a quiet space to Apparate just behind that gray building over there."They kissed adieu and Gabriella began to walk down the street, Harry at her side. Chalmers stood for some time after Cho had gone inside, watching from the stoep. Gabriella waved one last clip as she turned the corner out of passel. Harry was about to pull off the cloak when she stopped him.

"Stay hidden,"Gabriella whispered."We're being followed."Harry spun and there behind the building they'd just passed were the glory of two small figures. They hadn't been there a minute before.

"Did you see them ?"Harry asked."I didn't hear an Apparation."

"House elves,"Gabriella whispered,"at least one of them. The other… I can't tell."

"But there weren't any house elves at the business firm,"said Harry.

"I know,"she replied."They must belong to somebody else, or one's with its master."

"Who ?"

Gabriella just shrugged.

"How did he know your name ?"asked Harry.

"It just slipped out. But I don't think—"

"You don't think Lucius would just as soon see you up on a pike as me ? It was stupidity !"

"He'd have found out soon enough,"said Gabriella with a sigh as the two turned another corner. The street was deserted save for two young boys playing football near the end by a chain-link fence. Gabriella pulled her wand. She was going to attack the two that were nearing the recess, but Harry stayed her mitt.

"Gab, no,"he whispered."Grimmauld Place."

"But—"

"Now !"

A present moment later they found themselves on the streets of London, just outside of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. They waited to see if they might have been followed, then checked that the streets were clear. Finally, Harry uncloaked and walked up the steps to the door, knocking twice. The door opened of its own conformity and the two walked in. There was a rustle, a thud, and then Canicula appeared atop the staircase wearing Boxer and a t-shirt. Wand drawn he pointed it blindly toward the doorway.

"Freeze !"he screamed."Or I'll obliterate you !"

"I hope not,"answered Harry."I'm kinda hungry."

"Harry ?"Sirius said, blinking his eyes."Harry what the hell… Gabriella ?"Sirius made an attempt at slicking back his hair and started down the stairs.

"It's after noon,"Harry said."Don't tell me you were still sleeping."

"I was up late last night. Remus finished grading report and we— Hey, isn't your Potions exam today ?"Sirius'eyes shot to the doorway."And why didn't you use the floo ? What's going on ?"

"Erm… can we eat first,"asked Harry.

"What,"shot Sirius in a singularly insistent tint,"is… going… on ? !"

"Sothis,"said Gabriella softly,"I think it best if we sit down."

"You do, do you ?"snipped Dog Star, but Gabriella's black-market eye caught a soft-spot in Sothis'bark."Well… okay."

The three moved into the kitchen and Sirius started toward the stove. He grabbed a spatula and summoned some sausage balloon when Gabriella took his hand.

"Here,"she said softly,"let me do that. You sit with Harry."Canicula moved to the table and sat opposite his godson.

"well ?"Sirius queried."It's obvious something's afoot. spit out it out."Harry tried, but he couldn't make his godfather's gaze.

"I… I, erm…"He sucked in a large swig of air and exhaled."Igoterpregnant."

"What ?"Sirius asked."What was that ?"

"I… I got her pregnant."

"What !"Sothis stood and spin around towards Gabriella."You're pregnant ?"Gabriella turned the sausage with her baton."How could you—"

"Let him finish,"she replied, floating three plates out onto the table.

"Not Gabriella,"Harry said. Canicula turned back to face Harry."Cho… Cho Chang."Sirius fell back into his chairwoman.

"Are you sure ?"asked Dog Star with a disbelieving tone."Because sometimes witches can—"

"Oh,"cut in Gabriella sharply."He's sure."

"Merlin,"he whispered, scratching his Chin."Harry, you should know better."

"I know. I know I should know better."

"And you,"Sirius said, turning back to Gabriella,"why are you here with this cheating trash if Cho's running around meaning ?"Expressionless, Gabriella placed the sausages on the plate and added some warmed beans.

"It was endure year,"she answered sitting down and handing Sirius a fork.

"The infant was born in July,"said Harry."On my natal day. His epithet is Jamie."

Sirius'forking fell with a clangoring onto the home base, splattering red edible bean onto his white-ish t-shirt.

"A b-boy ? Jamie ?"

"They're living in a dump,"said Harry quickly,"and I can't have my son living like that. I won't have another thrower live with rubble and spiders, not as long as it's in my power. So, I offered to have them outride at your castling. You know… until Antonius grad. merlin save up his soulfulness if he ever—"

"My castle ? Antony ? Who's Anthony."

"Goldstein. well Cho calls him tone. How cheesy is that ? Anyhow, the matter is…."

It was well into the evening before Harry had set Sothis straight on all the details, uncertain as they were. Sirius then began a speech that lasted for nearly thirty instant and included a few references to Harry's parents. But when Harry began to poke into deeper Sirius changed the content. After venting about Harry's betise, he had agreed to take Anthony, Cho and Jamie in and help in any way he could.

The sausages Cho cooked little more than than a memory, Sirius grew hungry again and he convinced them to go to a Thai restaurant that he had found just a few pulley-block away. When they arrived, Harry discovered that it was run by an old Muggle, but frequented by a number of witches and mavin. The occasional split second of magic that occurred never seemed to enervate the old man. Sirius called him a Savant, a Muggle in tune with the magic of the natural world but possessing no skill his own. Harry was half-way through his Panang Curry when he realized that tonight he was to foregather Ron and Hermione at the Ministry.

"The cloak,"he muttered suddenly to himself, before taking another bite.

"What's that, Harry ?"asked Sothis. Harry looked up into Sirius'eye ; they were smiling. Harry's cecity didn't allow him to see that the creases that had once drawn the sides of Canicula'heart down were now curling upward. But he could sense the smartness of the aura in his godfather's facial expression. For a moment, Harry considered telling Canicula of their plans at the Ministry. Gabriella touched his hand.

"More tea ?"the waiter asked, and all three nodded. Harry continued to wait toward Canicula who was as glad as ever. The thinking of asking Sirius to help them, particularly at the Ministry, curdled the curry in Harry's tum.

"I said I almost choked,"Harry said with a cough.

"You're eating too fast,"said Gabriella knowingly, rubbing his arm and smiling."It's not a race."

"Probably the curry,"said Canicula, taking another sharpness."It's a bit spicy tonight."

"Yeah… yeah that's it,"Harry answered. He wiped his sass with his serviette and set it on the table."Erm… Actually, I think I better be—"

"Harry,"interrupted Gabriella,"I have to go before it gets preceding midnight."

"Is it getting that late ?"asked Sirius, his mouth half full. Harry shot her a glance ; his back talk frowned. He didn't want her at the Ministry any more than he wanted Sirius. There were too many memories—bad memories. Then she said something that surprised even Harry.

"I need to see Jamie,"she said,"just for a mo. I should have taken care of it this daybreak, but I forgot. I've not been in tune with the old ways for some time. Mama would be disappointed in me."Unconsciously, Harry began to rub the Draco scar that was emblazoned on his right forearm.

He remembered what Gabriella's mother, Soseh, had said at the end of last school year."The approving is inscribed on the males of each generation by the charwoman of the generation before. It will be Gabriella's duty to pass the blessing to your sons."Once it was sack that Harry would take over Jamie as his son, it was Gabriella's duty, by oath, that she pass to him the blessing of Asha.

"The Votary,"Harry whispered quietly, staring down at the bowl of yellow and gold. Then his pall eyes looked toward hers."It's too life-threatening,"he said sharply."What if Chalmers has told them. What if he knew all along ? What if they're still there ?"

"They ? They who ?"asked Sirius.

"We were followed after we left Cho's apartment,"said Gabriella."But it makes no divergence. By award, I have no choice. It must be done, and the Oklahoman it's done the greater the tycoon of Jamie's grace, of his protective covering. He'll pauperism Asha's help in these times of darkness."

"You mentioned the last Eater bodyguard, but you didn't acknowledgment that you were followed,"said Sirius, his eyes turning toward Harry with a more serious limelight.

"Draco said that Chalmers doesn't work dark, at least not for Goldstein. Sirius, you need to go with her, keep her safe. That way you can see Jamie and pass on the news program, maybe convince Cho to run into the castle tonight while Chalmers is away."

"And you ?"Canicula asked.

"I'll just question back to Hogwarts. If the two were a couple of Lucius'thugs out to get me it'd be expert if I wasn't there."Sirius sighed, looking longingly at an unswayed barbeque surplus rib. He licked his back talk and pushed his dental plate forward.

"Very well, let's go."They paid and made their way outside and down the street, finding a more outback bowling alley often used by the visiting witches and wizards to Apparate. Sirius took Harry by the arm and looked him in the eyes, but Harry turned away to look down the street as a car past times by.

"straight person to Hogwarts,"said Sirius sternly,"okay, Harry ?"

"straight to Hogwarts,"Harry agreed. Gabriella kissed him on the cheek.

"I can see your emotions roiling,"she whispered in his ear."Be vigilant and say, ‘ Hi !'to Ron and Hermione for me."She pulled her wand as did Sirius."Oh, and don't worry ; Jamie will be fine. I'll make sure as shooting that no evil harms your child."Harry tried to rally a smile.

"Did I ever tell you how much I loved you ?"he asked and then they kissed."I'll see you at schooling in the daybreak. Keep her good, Sirius."There was a snap and both Gabriella and Sirius had vanished. Harry focused his vision to another constituent of London and in the next minute found himself at a telephone set box above the incoming to the Ministry. As off-putting as Apparating was for Harry, he was ill prepared for what happened next.

"Stupefy !"The blast of red light hit Harry squarely in the chest, knocking him backward some ten to twenty metrical foot, his sceptre tumbling from his hand."There, Harrington,"a large clothe frame said with a rather blustering voice, picking up Harry's wand,"and you were about ready to wet your drawers. He is a boy, after all."Still on his back Harry could feel them stepping toward him.

"I… am not… a… boy !"he rasped. This made the close-fitting sensation joke, but the diminished man behind him said nothing.

"Well, I've got your verge, little man. I doubt you'll—"

"Diffindo !"Harry hissed, stretching his flop arm forward. orange light erupted from the shoulder down and extended out and beyond Harry's fingertips.

The front of the Death Eater's cloak looked as if a large sabre had just slashed across it, tearing cloth and human body alike up and outward. Harry could experience the blood spatter his face. The Death Eater screamed falling to his knees. Unsteadily, Harry stood. The whole place seemed to be spinning. He was woozy and a gathering wiz of nausea was building inside.

"Accio baton !"he cried, wrenching his wand from the decease Eater's grasp and in to his own helping hand. Limping forward he yelled"BOY ?"Then he placed his wand on the forehead of his foe."BOY ?"Blood continued to trickle from beneath the crouching Death feeder's ribs and between the hands that clutched his breast."Who do you work for ?"Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

Harry had focused so often attention on the big Death eater, he had neglected the little one that had retreated to the phantasm.

"I said WHO - DO - YOU - study FOR !"Standing over his cowering victim, it was then that he noticed the lights - passel of illumination. Five more than air had Apparated ; he was surrounded. Seemingly emboldened by the new arrivals, the pocket-sized Death eater emerged from the shadows and held out his wand.

"Expel—"There were three enchantment cast almost simultaneously that stopped the ace before he had a probability to finish.

"Stupefy !"“ Diffindo !"and Harry's harbour magical spell,"Contego !"

Only, Harry didn't need the shield charm… for himself. The first trance came from one of the approaching air Harry presumed to be more Death feeder. The bolt of lightning, not the strongest Harry had ever seen, knocked the smaller wizard backward, albeit only a few feet. Fearing for his life, and rightfully so, the midget Death Eater Disapparated. The indorsement spell came from yet another halo, small yet intense. It was directed at the halting magician crouching before Harry. The result was horrifying and instantaneous ; the Death feeder's head fell to the gravelled pavement and his torso slumped forward, draining lineage at Harry's feet, a boiling syndicate of light source like lave erupting from a volcano.

Harry spun to face up the five champion approaching him, holding his sceptre high. Two showed steer of both red and green in their auras as they drew nearer."Imperious Curse ?"Harry wondered. And then a voice came to him that startled him more than that of the previous Death Eater.

"Bloody hell, James ! What in Falco columbarius's public figure did you do that for ?"

The semblance, the canter, the tone… Harry knew at once it was Ron Weasley.


Harry ceramist and the nativity of a New Sun

Chapter 16 - The burden Calls
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"He was reaching for his wand,"said William James, pointing at the decapitated Death eater at Harry's metrical foot."He was going to down Harry !"

"He was on his knee,"snapped Hermione."Harry had him firmly in control."

"He didn'have the… that little guy in control,"countered Patrick."I had teh take him down."

"You're just lucky he was as frightened as a molamar in water system,"said Antonius Goldstein with a rather prideful part.

"Goldstein ?"asked Harry in surprise as the mathematical group converged on him.

"shit, Potter,"said Goldstein,"you're a bloody mass. And I do mean bloody. Scourgify !"The splash covering the movement of Harry's face, shirt and pants vanished, though the pool on the paving remained."There, that's better."

"Who in Aidoneus told Goldstein ?"cried Harry.

"Actually, thrower,"replied Goldstein,"I stumbled on this merry troupe as they tried to sneak out. Seemed like a dependable DA mission.

"Are you kidding ?"snapped Harry, gazing at the aura of the man who'd be his son's father. There was a sinlessness about it, but Harry was to inflamed to consider it."You… you can't be here. It's too dangerous."

"Yes, I see that,"said Goldstein with a rather sarcastic tone. Gingerly, Harry stepped out of the ancestry, pooling at his feet. Hermione ran over to him and hugged him.

"Who were they ?"she asked."nonentity's supposed to know we're here."

"That's what I thought,"answered Harry."I was trying to get an answer when Henry James here decided to roleplay the butcher."Harry turned to the s class."The next fourth dimension I need your help Chang, I'll ask for it."Harry sensed at once the anger construction within the diminished genius, but then it subsided almost as quickly as it came.

"I… I was just trying too backbreaking I guess,"answered Saint James."It was scary."

"And why are you two,"Harry pointed to both St. James the Apostle and Patrick,"here in the first billet ? stumble across the troupe as well ?"He shot Ron a glimpse and wished he could convey eyes of last.

"Patrick overheard our program and said he'd snitch if we didn't bring ‘ em along,"answered Ron."It was supposed to be quiet ; I didn't figure we'd run into expiry Eaters."

"If that's what they were,"said Harry, still holding his wand at the set up."They acted more like hired thug than Death Eaters."

The Night air was cold and quiet. He could experience the damp of a thinly mist wrapper about his case, sending shudder down his pricker. For a instant he thought of Dementors, but the frigidness, this chilled clamminess was something else, something more visceral. The rustling of death were swirling ; somehow Harry knew that. And not for the man that had just been slain, the rustling were telling Harry that Sir Thomas More would soon join the dead man at his feet. But who ?

"Goldstein,"Harry said suddenly,"Mark Anthony, really you… you have to—"

"Well, we're here now,"said James."Dispatchio !"The dead ace and the pool of blood beneath him vanished."Let's say we get in, get the cloak and get out before anymore… er, dark wizard show up. Wouldn't want Luci—"

"Where'd you learn that magical spell ?"queried Hermione."That's one-fifth year."St. James the Apostle shrugged his shoulder joint.

"My sister I guess,"he said."She's the smart one in the family."

"Yeah… I see,"said Harry, noticing King James I'aura disappearance from putting surface to red then back from red to green. For the first time, he thought James might not really be an ally."Ron, maybe you should take—"

"James is right,"interrupted Susan Brownell Anthony."Best if we get down into the Ministry before another dozen Death feeder Apparate in."

"But—"

"Harry,"interrupted Hermione,"let's just get downstairs. We can talk then."Harry heaved a sigh and the group squeezed into the phone kiosk. Ron said the parole his Church Father had told him and a ash grey orb appeared, scanning Ron in a indisposed white light source. Then, with a jar, the elevator began to plump. Harry tried to seem at Ron and hint to the redhead that he should read Harry's thinker, but his eye were blank shell and Ron didn't make out the facial aspect as he once would have. Harry silently cursed his cecity.

Harry's inwardness began to quicken. If the two second years were under the Imperious scourge, they were potential in Lucius Malfoy's mastery. He was feeling strongly like he wanted to wretch onto the svelte marble floors just as the room access opened onto the splendiferous entrance Hall of the Ministry of trick. The six stepped out, verge drawn.

After only a few step, they all saw where the cloak was to be displayed - it was obvious. A declamatory drinking glass suit had already been erected. On a pole was the torso of a form and future to that a lucky statue of Harry with his scepter drawn. They all stepped confining. There was no cloak, but there was a plaque. It read,"This site commemorates the defeat of the Dark Wizard Voldemort by the thousand Wizard Harry Potter, parliamentary law of merlin, first Class, who faced his foe wand-to-wand and struck him down."
"decree of pigeon hawk ?"asked Goldstein surprised."I didn't know—"

"Neither did I,"cut in Harry.

"They'll probably award it to you during the ceremonial tomorrow,"said Hermione brightly. Harry turned to her.

"If we do this right field, there won't be any ceremony,"said Harry shortly."No Dark cloak, no issue of Voldemort, no ceremony. Ron, do you have any idea where—"

There was a resonance coming from down the hall and a swoon glow that was growing nearer. It sounded as if somebody were humming. The group began to pull back, away from the video display event ; all, that is, except James. Harry went to grab his sleeve, but the boy wouldn't move.

"Is this it ?"he asked, still staring at the re-enactment before him."Is this how it happened ? You struck him down ? cipher could tell me for indisputable, not even Gabriella."Harry held more tightly to James'robes and began to pull him bodily across the floor.

"James,"Harry said, huffing between his teeth,"there are some affair you can't believe. offset, never consider a word Trelawney says unless she sounds like a goblin on fire whiskey. Second, never believe a Holy Writ written in the Dailey Prophet, unless it's written by Luna Lovegood. And finally, never… ever believe anything the Ministry says - ever !"He continued dragging James by the rear of his collar until they were hidden between two marble newspaper column.

"Bold words, Harry,"continued James passively."But I never believed you could beat Lord Voldemort wand-to-wand. Tell me, is there still a part of the Dark Jehovah that courses through your venous blood vessel ? That could be utile, if—"

"Shhh."All was soundless, save for the occasional cracking coal from one of the hearth that surrounded the heroic entrance hall and the humming that was growing louder by the moment. Again Harry tried to foregather Ron's attention, but he was busy whispering something in Hermione's ear as they clung together behind a suit of armour opposite the jet of Magical Brethren. At another column just behind Harry and Saint James, Patrick and Susan B. Anthony crouched. The susurration of death were growing louder. So meretricious, in fact, that Harry turned to see if perhaps a specter or something more than were at his right side. Only Henry James was there, kneeling quietly on the trading floor.

The light grew brighter and then the witch appeared. Harry could make out her halo, a shimmering gold, but not her features at this distance. In front of her was a cloak levitated some two foot off the ground. She was approaching the display eccentric when James I began to wriggle under Harry's manus.

"Hold still,"he whispered, but the marble walls took in the sound, resound them about, amplifying the noise such that it was audible to the witch at the exhibit sheath. Harry noticed the hesitation. He expected her to turn, but she did not. Instead, she levitated the cloak onto the trunk within the display caseful and closed the ice door. She cast a appeal with her wand and then turned as if to leave. In turning, she revealed her aspect to the others, but Harry was still unable to greet who the witch was. From the swoon gasp from across the manor hall it was sort out that Hermione, for one, knew who it was. The witch stepped toward the fountain and took something out of her pocket, perhaps a coin, Harry couldn't tell. In a gesture that was as graceful and as foxiness as any Harry had ever seen, she flipped the object into the natural spring. It gyrate high into the air and, just as it crested in its arc, her other manus pointed her wand toward it and cast the charm.

"Immobulus !"Harry recognized the spokesperson at once ; it was Molly Weasley, Ron's mother.

one-half of the unhorse leaving her wand passed the coin cleanly and struck the enchantress and thaumaturgist by the suit of clothes of armour. The other half, however, glinted off the coin, reflecting toward and blasting the two wizards next to the column behind Harry. With one tour she had immobilized Ron, Hermione, Antonius and Patrick. Again, King James I wriggled under Harry's grasp and again Harry held him fast.

"I know you're there,"Mrs. Weasley said with a voice that held no fear."I'm afraid it's well after minute. If you're lost, I'm indisputable I can help you find oneself your way. number out from behind the pillar and let's see where you belong. Shall we ?"

Again Saint James pushed against the free weight of Harry who was pressing him knockout against the marble floor. Finally, Harry had had enough. He couldn't peril what James might do.

"Incarcerous !"he called. Ropes sprung from his wand and began to twine themselves about James.

"Sectumsempra !"cried James, slashing the ropes with his baton and pushing Harry away. Then he pointed his scepter at Mrs. Weasley."Avada Ked— !"
"Stupefy !"she called, her charm interrupting the boy's. The red brightness level nearly struck James who deflected it at the finish moment, sending the beam into the roof above, showering them all with pieces of marble and splinters of walnut. This was no moment year superstar.

Harry jumped to his groundwork and vagabond his own stunning tour, but again James deflected it. It was then that Molly Weasley noticed who he was.

"Harry ?"she called.

"hide, Mrs. Weasley !"he cried in takings."Hide !"

James cast a jet of red light Harry's way. Harry focused on where he needed to be—out of the light beam's route. Suddenly, everything slowed and he found himself running to the right wing, toward the natural spring, just as the bolt of red passed his get out cubitus. James smiled.

"Impressssive, Harry,"Epistle of James hissed in a much gamey, insensate voice, a voice that shook Harry to the core. It couldn't be."You've learned well from the Centaurs. I did as well ; although I suspect my method acting of extracting the knowledge I required were somewhat different than yours."There was another bolt, greens, and again Harry disappeared and reappeared into another piece of the sublime hall.

"Diffindo !"called Mrs. Weasley. Her spell run into James on the pull up stakes shoulder, leaving a nasty slash. Saint James the Apostle spun on the witch.

"Avada Kedavra !"

This time the green light sailed toward molly Weasley. Harry began to levitate a marble bench into the light beam's way, but quickly realized the bench was too heavy and would not go fast enough. Instead he ran, slowing clip and bending the space between them tightly together. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her to the ground just as the blast past the brace, smashing into the paries behind and showering them with rubble and rock-and-roll. Harry landed on his back as Mrs. Weasley landed on top of him, knocking the air out of his chest of drawers.

"Harry,"she said sternly as only a mother could,"what are you doing here ? What's going on ?"

"It… it's Voldemort,"he gasped trying to find air that wasn't there."He's… back."He wheezed, sucking in a forgetful breath of air."In… James."Without questioning further, Mrs Weasley's back went rigid and she rose to front Jesse James, to look Voldemort.

"Nooo,"Harry rasped, struggling to sit up, but barely able. She ignored his beckon and faced the small boy now standing only a few metrical foot in social movement of her.

"Leave the boy, Voldemort,"she commanded, brandishing her wand."He can't possibly be of any use to you, now we know the truth."

"Truth ?"queried William James as his eyes shot toward the dark cloak still protected behind the varnish field glass. Harry rose to his human knee, trying to land air back into his lungs."The truth is that there are only two things in this way I want… and you're not one of them."His wand rose in unison with Harry's, only Harry was unable to gasp the enchantment.

"Avada Kedavra !"

Placing himself between Mrs Weasley and Voldemort, Harry tried to rise up in front end of the jet of K but the stamp out curse would win the race this meter ; he knew that. For her office, mollie Weasley cast a shield appealingness about them both, hoping to deflect the tour, but they all knew it wouldn't study. In her last instant of life her hands gripped Harry by the shoulders and she cast a coup d'oeil down into his subterfuge optic, a glimpse that held love and compassion, a glance that was filled with concern not for herself but for the boy before her… a glance he couldn't see. She fell bushed to the floor.

"NO !"cried Harry as he spun and cast another slashing spell against James IV who deflected it with ease."You're being controlled, James ! Fight back !"James only laughed.

"YOU stood face-to-face with the Great iniquity Lord Voldemort and defeated him ?"St. James the Apostle mocked."What a joke !"

With Mrs. Weasley bushed, the magical spell she cast on the other four thaumaturgist began to wear off. Slowly, they were coming to there senses, working to regain control of their move. James walked over to a groaning Patrick who was still prone on the trading floor. He grabbed Patrick's haircloth and pulled his head off the ground.

"This one here,"called James, his voice echoing off the walls,"thinks of you as a comrade, potter. He'd Oklahoman die than see you come to harm. Yet he's betrayed you at my every mastery. Shall I kill him next ?"

"Expelliarmus !"Harry cried, but once again James II deflected the charm.

"Haven't you figured it out yet, ceramist ? Even with the accomplishment of the Centaurs, you're as slack as your beat parents. Nonetheless, you could be useful ; the Malfoy boy suggested as a good deal. I heard, perhaps, he's not as suddenly as everyone thinks."He released Saint Patrick whose heading cracked against the endocarp floor. But instead of striking at Harry, James held his wand to the spyglass display character."Diffindo !"The blast of light struck the glass, but held firm as if swallowing the push of the blast, the glass began to beam. For the first time, the smile on James Yangtze's aspect disappeared."Diffindo !"he called again, and again the energy was absorbed and the glass grew brighter still.

"You've pour down your only chance for opening the case,"Harry sneered."But then… I always heard that that was one of your greatest weaknesses… TOM… being stupefied !"

Another blast of visible light snapshot toward Harry ; it was red not green, not a killing curse. Once more, Harry slipped out of its way. This time he moved quickly around and behind Saint James the Apostle reappearing with his verge drawn.

"Stupefy !"Harry cried, sending a blast of red at St. James the Apostle'back, but again the wizard deflected the trance as if swatting a fly and then turned back toward the video display case."You're not trying to kill me, Tom. Why not ?"

"I'll kill you sssoon enough,"James slithered."First, the cloak. Then, I need to pull up something of mine that you stole from me when you were a sister. Soon, I will be—"Suddenly two more spells came from beyond the spring. Ron and Hermione had revived themselves sufficiency to contend, but barely.

"No ! Get out of here !"Harry screamed."It's Voldemort ! Run !"

"I don't have sentence for this,"cried James, sending three more attack of light at the glass case. On the third gear thunderbolt the glass cracked, but only just. Harry could tell that the enchantment that James had cast over the finish few moment were draining him. He looked outwear, almost vulnerable. At the same bit the fires ringing the elevated hall roared to life.

"Finally,"Harry whispered,"some help."Wizard after wizard appeared at each hearth, brandishing their wands."Whatever time you thought you had has just expired, Tom."

The room erupted in red lighting. Seven gust came at the small thaumaturgist by the display instance. Two struck true up while the others struck the glowing glass, shattering it completely. The enceinte glass shard that scattered the level, however, were still glowing as brightly as ever. There were to a greater extent blasts of red directed at Harry.

"It's me !"he yelled."Harry potter !"

"Harry !"cried Hermione from the far side of the hall."It's not the Ministry ! It's—"A attack of red dropped her to the flat coat.

"Hermione !"cried Ron."He cast a spell knocking the wizard by Hermione backward into the wall with a loud chap. He pointed towards another genius and ran at him."leave-taking her alone, you bloody—"There was a bang of purple and he too fell to the floor.

"We're student !"Harry yelled, but it only focused the attention of another barrage of red bolts his way. Harry cast a shield magical spell and sent them flying in every conceivable direction. The blasts weakened him."Are you crazy ? ! We're—"And then he noticed it - the unmistakably bright emerald putting green aura of Draco Malfoy, stepping from the flames of one of the open fireplace. He had warned Harry and now it was too late.

Simultaneously, ropes began to swirl about Ron, Hermione, Patrick, and most importantly King James who was still motionless on the floor. Somehow Anthony had managed an flight and stood at Harry's face. There were nearly a 12 decease Eaters moving in on them.

"pick out the cloak, genus Draco,"drawled a tall sensation in dark black robes with deep red lining.

"Lucius ?"Harry sneered in the wizard's counsel."Is that you ? I should take known by the sickening yellow colour."The wizard said cypher, trying to ignore Harry."Now that I'm blind, you're much better looking in — smasher that. No you're not. You're still as much a pig as you always were. Still, somehow… missing an arm cause you. How'd you lose it again ?"The spur worked.

"Big words for a blind boy, thrower,"he snapped.

"Now, now… marijuana cigarette and stones…. But then I guess six months with Dementors and bore will curdle anyone's conversational capabilities."Harry could see that Draco was moving over the glowing glass and into the showcase to retrieve the robe. Harry turned to face him.

"Hey ! Blonde bastard ! I wouldn't go in there if I were—"

"What's this ?"Draco cried out. He had come to Molly Weasley's soundbox. The colour of his glory blanched."I gave specific gild ! Who cast a killing hex ?"Harry could secern immediately that Draco was livid.

"gather the cloak !"yelled Lucius.

"But father—"

"NOW !"

"Don't do it !"yelled Harry.

genus Draco moved forward toward the fount. Suddenly, the shattered glass that was still glowing with the vigor it had absorbed exploded in a glorious white-hot flash. Draco flew up into the air, nearly striking the ceiling, and then landed with a sickening crunch against the marble storey.

"Dragon !"cried Lucius. Goldstein took the misdirection as his opportunity. His wand erupted with bright blue visible radiation, but instead of being directed at one of the Death eater, it was directed toward one of the portraits hanging high on the wall of the grand dormitory. The portrait sparked, zapping the elderly wizard that had, so far, slept through the ruckus.

"Hey,"the wizard in the portrait yelped."No demand for—"

"Get helper you idiot !"yelled Goldstein. The champion in the portrait, seeing the destruction, disappeared instantly."It won't be long now,"Goldstein muttered, staring at the empty portrait.

There was another burst of enchantment headed at the two wizard and together they fended them off, but Harry was growing weaker by the moment. Lucius ignored Goldstein's call for aid, he ignored the conflict of wands, and he ignored the wrinkle muckle on the flooring that was his son. Instead, unwilling to advert it himself, he pointed to the cloak that was still standing in the windowless display case.

"The cloak !"he yelled again. After some hesitation, another Death Eater approached the inglorious cloth and grabbed it just as James, still bound by R-2, began to come to his senses. With lust-filled eyes, Lucius only half glanced at Draco, still motionless on the floor, blood dripping from the corner of his sass. Instead, he focused fully on the calamitous robes held before him.

"Luciusss,"uttered James breathlessly,"you fool."

Malfoy wrenched the fabric out of the Death Eater's helping hand. Quickly, he slipped it on and waited as if anticipating something to happen.

"You expected, maybe, a enthronisation ?"Harry sneered."Perhaps a crown and trumpets as we all bow down to buss your arse ? It's a stupid piece of cloth !"

"Kill him,"Malfoy drawled, pointing with his goodness arm toward Harry."kill HIM !"Harry grabbed Anthony by the arm as the dash of unripened approached and in an instant they were on the other English of the resplendent hall that now appeared more like a war zone than the collector's item of the Ministry. Looking back, they saw that the spot where they once stood was cypher now but a crater. Goldstein grabbed Harry's arm.

"How did you do—"

"You are NOT going to leave out the marriage ceremony,"Harry snapped. He took in a abstruse breathing spell, reaching out with his mind to pick any magic he could from the mankind around him. He let out a longsighted, slow exhale and pointed his sceptre at the flooring.

"Festio !"he cried, ripping dozens of marble tile upward and sending them toward his opponent. The Death Eaters tried to shatter the tiles with magic spell, but the action at law only served to make grand of tiny projectile all headed in their charge. A few cast carapace charms in fourth dimension, but almost were struck. Above the din of screams, Harry could hear James IV cursing Lucius.

"Release me, you idiot ! liberate me now."But Malfoy, ignorant of James River'truthful individuality, ignored the boy's pleadings. He had what he came for and was beginning to walk toward his son when snaps began to fulfill the room. Auror after Auror was Apparating within the grand Asaph Hall. In an instant, patch were flying everywhere. Blast after blow of light source, cutting down wizard after whiz, witch after beldam. The way was filled with utter havoc and Harry, his shoulder slumped with weariness, moved to participate the ruffle. Before Harry could take aim a entire step, Goldstein grabbed him by the shoulder.

"You're no good to anybody dead,"he whispered."We need you, Harry. Me… I'm not much Thomas More than canon fodder."And then he charged forward ahead of Harry, taking down two Death Eaters before he too was stunned and fell to the ground. It was then that Harry noticed James. He was beginning to slip unloose of the adherence that held him. Lucius, on the early hand, had abandoned everyone, including his son, and was racing to the floo. A dash of Orange light struck the wall behind Harry, casting I. F. Stone and dust down his dorsum. Lucius was about ready to lam. Harry focused on where he needed to be and before Lucius had taken another dance step, Harry was standing in battlefront of him, blocking the entry to the fireplace.

"Silencio !"Harry whispered, holding his helping hand between the cloak's folds of fatal cloth and directly against Malfoy's breast. The thaumaturge tried to cast a spell, but was mute."Now, what with the sporty arm and all… that's what I call an advance. You should commend to button up before you step out, Lucius. Now, look at off the cloak before I blast it off."Malfoy's middle glowed with pure hatred and he raised his wand."Expelliarmus !"Harry whispered again and Malfoy's baton flew from his hand. There was an expression of surprisal in Malfoy's eye that made Harry smile.

"Now,"continued Harry,"as I was saying, subscribe to off the—"With a sudden shove from behind, Malfoy fell forward onto Harry and they both tumbled to the trading floor. It was then that Harry noticed that James had freed himself and now, forgoing the use of a wand, had his hands around Malfoy's pharynx, squeezing… squeezing. He was in a frenzy of pure hatred and anger.

"Do you have it away who I am ?"cried James II."flavour into my eyes !"

Lucius, even Harry, saw the flaming of red spark in James'middle.

"N-Not pos-sible,"he gasped, ineffectual to pass off."D-Dead."Then the full moon realization struck him."I-I never knew."

"You know now,"James spat between gritted teeth."And now is sssoon enough."A blast of red light came from the far bulwark and struck James in the English, but before he released his clutch on Lucius, a dark acrid heater issued from his mouth and nostril. To Harry, it was a stream of green evilness leaving the red behind. James'handle on Lucius released and the blond wizard gasped for air, but instead of air he sucked in nil but smoke. Voldemort had penetrated him. Stunned, Harry saw the Green surroundings the yellow and snuff it out. Lucius took to his groundwork as a blast of red struck him in the back. nix happened. It bounced off him, off the cloak he was wearing, like water off a duck's back. Before Harry could oppose, Lucius, Voldemort and the cloak had vanished in a swirl of super C flame.

There were a couple more flack, a couple more cinch, and a couple more sidesplitter of pain, but finally the elbow room fell silent. Only the sound of rock and roll scraping against the level, as the remaining Aurors stepped across the debris, broke the silence.

"Minister, over here. It's your… over here, sir. Please."For the low gear time, Harry realized that Arthur Weasley had been among the Aurors that had come to protect the Ministry. He watched as the wizard walked toward the shatter display case, while the Auror that called him levitated a wooden beam of light that had fallen over Molly Weasley up and out of the way. It landed with a dull thud.

"mollie ?"he uttered as if trying to gently rouse someone from a deep sleep."molly,"he said again only louder."MOLLY !"He grabbed his married woman in his blazonry, pulling her up out of the dust ; pebbles cascaded to the floor."Oh my god, no. No… no… no… no… NOOO !"he screamed. The grand hall rumbled, shaking mortar loose from the walls onto the story below as Mr. Weasley buried his heading into the nook of his wife's cervix. He continued to heave great asshole as Harry looked down at James I, prone on the floor, sleeve outstretched toward the fireside. The William Green was gone ; only blue remained, but the twinkle was weak and flickered. He was near death. The mo twelvemonth began to grown, slowly looking up to find Harry.

"H-Harry ? H-Help… I… I can't…."And he collapsed to the story. Harry looked around at the destruction. Jesse James was not the alone one near death. Instinctively, he pulled his baton to muster up the middle of Asha, but before he could shed the spell, catch after snap began to fill the lobby ; Healers were appearing. In a topic of seconds nearly a dozen Healers had Apparated into the Ministry. One, an erstwhile wizard with bushy white hair, was at James'side almost instantly. Scanning the boy with his scepter he turned to Harry.

"You're the Potter boy, aren't you ?"Without waiting for an answer he said quickly,"William Tell me, was it a stunner ? Because I'm not detecting any—"

"He was possessed by Voldemort,"Harry cut in. The therapist cringed, looking up at Harry with disbelief.

"smell son,"he said derisively,"you shouldn't go around—"

"damn it !"Harry screamed."His flavor's been sundered ! It probably has been all year. Voldemort just left him to take on on another host. If you don't hurry, he'll die."For only a second, the Healer tried to read the expression of Harry's nerve. He was old enough to have sex what Harry meant. He remembered the old war and he didn't need to be told twice. Without saying another Word of God, the therapist rose to his feet and a flash of wondrous purple light left his scepter bathing Henry James in its glow from principal to toe.

Harry stepped back, twisting his articulatio talocruralis on a rock candy beneath his metrical unit. He cursed. Other than the people swarming about the hall, it was unmanageable to make anything out. His vision was truly failing him in the rocky great deal. He could see Mr. Weasley and heard his sobs, and tried to clean his way through the debris as Auror and Healer alike seemed to fleet him by as they rushed to another's aid. It was as if no one knew him, or no one cared. His emotions were sloshing back and forth. He needed to help… he needed to tail after Lucius, after Voldemort… he needed to —"

"Minister !"mortal cried out."pastor ! It's your son !"Harry turned his attention on a glow that lay prone on the floor near an Auror's feet.

"My god, Percy ? !"cried Mr. Weasley still reeling from the red of his married woman.

"No, sir,"the Auror replied."It's your youngest boy, Ron. Looks like a lulu is all."

"That's not potential,"whispered Chester Alan Arthur Weasley, unsure just what to do."He's at Hogwarts."Then he noticed Harry, stumbling blindly toward him."Harry ? My god, Harry why are you—"

"He's back,"said Harry weakly. He was tired and sore, and his right arm was starting to prickle with hurting."Voldemort's back."

"What ?"

"A Horcrux,"Harry whispered nonsensically, stumbling closer to Mr. Malfoy and rubbing his right forearm with his left over deal. It itched."There must have been Sir Thomas More than one. We… we came for the cloak."

"jinx,"called another Healer to the old man that was working on James,"I need your supporter. It's the Malfoy boy. What's his name, Dragon ?"

"I thought he was stagnant ?"the old man called back. The younger therapist looked down at Draco and then back up.

"fountainhead, if he wasn't before—"

"You knew ?"asked Mr. Weasley, his voice sceptical. Gently he kissed his wife's brass and lowered her to the story."You knew they were coming ?"

Harry was feeling dazed. He looked toward Draco, toward Chester Alan Arthur Weasley. His right arm was aching. He had reached Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and his ticker began to sink further.

"No one was supposed to be here,"Harry said thinly, his voice hoarse with sorrow."I just wanted to destroy the cloak before… before…"Mr. Weasley rose to his feet.

"She loved you like a son !"he yelled and slapped Harry heavily across the face."AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER !"

The reversal knocked Harry backwards and he slipped on the loose gem that scattered the floor. Rising to one elbow he could smack the blood that was dripping from his cut lip, and then he noticed his right forearm - it was glowing. A slim etch of a rune had appeared, the Viswa Vajra. Harry had always wondered when it would befall, in what way it would manifest itself, and even though he'd never seen such a lambency, he knew what it meant, and he knew he had no choice but to obey.

The Minister of Magic who had loved Harry as his own son was demanding solvent, answers Harry desperately wanted to give. Draco and James lay near Death, and Harry had it in his tycoon to easily bring through them both. Voldemort had escaped with a new body and another piece of his someone, and Harry anxiously needed to chase after them - the Wizarding domain was again at risk. Once More, death began to whisper in his ear and he began to shiver.

In maliciousness of that, none of it mattered. He had sworn an oath ; it was a effect all members of the Votary carried. He was being summoned and so, clutching his wand, he focused on where he needed to be. He felt a soft touch on his shoulder and hear Hermione call his figure. He looked up at her, wishing he could convey the sadness weighing on his soul.

"Harry…"

He was gone.


Harry potter and the nascence of a New Sun

Chapter 17 - The Summoning
~~~***~~~

When Dakhil left Harry at the stone steps leading to the front door of Hogwarts Castle, Harry had pleaded that he too fight the onslaught of Dementors and Death feeder raging against Dakhil's homeland in the Carpathians. The vampire should have been gone for only a few Day, but it had been workweek and Dakhil had not returned nor had he sent word of the status of the battle. The Daily seer had been worthless, only reporting the difficulties that the versatile European Ministries were having trying to disguise the legion atrocities as natural tragedy. More bedevilment was that Antreas had left shortly after Dakhil and had not been heard from since. Everyone who had left to press seemed to vanish into a great maelstrom of nothingness.

Before he disappeared, Dakhil had told Harry that his job was to protect Hogwarts, to protect the Centaurs of the Great woodland from a darkness within the school. Harry brushed the feeling of darkness inside the castling walls aside, believing it was a backhanded revilement toward Harry, but now he was paying for it. Maybe that's why they were summoning him, he had failed in his one mission. Voldemort had not only escaped, but he had captured his Horcrux and was ready to refund to top executive. Or was he ?

Voldemort had said he needed only two matter in the grand hallway of the Ministry - his old black cloak and Harry. He had asked earlier if there was still component part of the Dark nobleman that coursed through Harry's mineral vein. What James I, what Voldemort didn't know was that the darkness, Voldemort's stigma, had been washed away by the cleansing of the falls in the Great Forest. Perhaps, Voldemort was too weak without this other piece of himself, perhaps—

It was hot, painfully hot - the first thing Harry noticed when he finally appeared at the summoning situation - hot and dark. Not dark in the sentience that there was no light source, although it was that too ; a lack of brightness level wouldn't matter to a unsighted man. No, it was dark in the sense that Harry saw zilch. There was no lifetime here, no biography in any commission, just heat, an acute, blistering heat that appeared, to Harry, like a dense haze as he looked to the Night sky and saw Ebyrth shining as bright as ever.

He had been able-bodied to Apparate across the Channel. From there he had tried once more, but couldn't make it across Germany. He was drained, ineffectual to cast another magic spell, and the richness of the ground's energy, normally plentiful in this area, was parched like an desiccated desert. There was nada for Harry to soak up on to fill again what magical energy he could throw away. Instead, he used the powers of the Centaurus to bend blank space and boring time, and he ran. He ran until his shoes wore through and fell away ; he ran over rivers that supported his weight as if they were frozen square ; he ran past flying hiss that hovered in the air like floating balloons. He ran for what felt like days, stopping only to drink from the periodic stream or brook. At one point, just international Vienna, he had grabbed half of a sandwich from the manus of a passer-by who might as well have been a statue frozen in prison term. His leg ached, his lungs wanted to burst and all he could hear was the voice of Ronan compelling him forward, not to run into the call of the Centaur, but to answer the summoning of the dragon.

By the time he had begun the final climb, his mind was blurred with fatigue. He had paid no notice to the mountain he had been climbing. stew burning his blind heart, he had ignored the howler and the fires through which he had past. He didn't see the transition from animation to death. He only knew one affair - the summoning site. He would not fail again, even as the last drop cloth of persuasiveness left his being.

This… this was the maculation ; he was sure enough. Huge gulps of air splashed down his electrocution lungs unable to assuage his hungriness for oxygen. His mere feet burned. Almost forgetfully, he held out his scepter, hand shaking from enfeeblement and mind knowing that he would not be able to cast a charm even if he wanted to. Sweat dripped down his forehead ; the heat was unbearable. He stood for a import, wand outstretched, squinting with failed eyes into the darkness. Merlin, it was hot. He moved to train a step forward, an virulent olfactory perception filling his anterior naris, when his left leg cramped and he fell case first hard into the stony land. He didn't have the vitality to pull away from the scorching stone, nor could he spit out the sand and tiny pebbles that filled his backtalk and burned his tongue.

"Maybe,"he thought,"if I rest for just—"He passed out, dropping his baton at his side.

unconscious on the sweltering earth, swirls of smoke and lightness coalesced in his mind forming a scene of darkness and despair. Even in his dream the olfaction of burning shape was unendurable. Yet, in his dream he could see - his vision, his sight was as good as ever. The smoke and the sense of smell cleared and he found himself at the falls, the falls where Gabriella lay face down in the marvelous grass, an arrow sunk deep into her rachis. In the air was unhappiness. No… Thomas More than sadness - there was anger. It was Ron, screaming, screaming….

"NOOOOOOO !"

The worldly concern shook.

"proceeds him ! direct him now ! Hurry !"

The scene changed. He was flying… flying in the air. Bounce. On a Hippogriff. bouncing. Harry felt a jarring pain against the side of his rib. He blinked. The blindness had returned, but he could sense that there was a faint beneath him. Bounce. A individual.

"hurriedness !"

The voice… he knew that representative. The darkness was clearing from his brain. He was waking. He was being carried. A group of five was climbing up the side of the mickle. One had Harry over his shoulder. Weakly, Harry began to struggle to free himself.

"Easy, Harry,"the Pres Young man holding him said gently, but with some urgency in his phonation."When we get you back to the fastness, we'll demand a look at the George Burns. Praise Asha you're a phallus of the Votary, or you'd be dead."

"An-Antreas ?"Harry muttered. He hadn't heard the voice of Gabriella's brother since the summer, but there was still no mistaking the undeniable intonation that was the demand replica of Antreas'father, Grigor."What… What's going on ?"

"There will be clock time for answers later !"cried another vocalism."Run !"Harry knew at once the other man speaking. He also recognized the air ; it was Dakhil. Troubling was the common sense of concern, even fright in Dakhil's voice. He'd never heard that before, even when they were being attacked by vampire go summer. What was more troubling, however, was something that had bothered Harry since his last object lesson with Ronan, something he had seen in Dakhil ever since the vampire first taught him to see without seeing. The atmosphere of Dakhil faded from red to empurple and back to red again. There were two character present in his atmosphere. For the low time since he'd arrived at the Mountain of Singehorn, Harry felt frigidity.

They continued to speed up the hatful. Occasionally, Dakhil or one of the others would cast magic spell back in the management from which they came. Harry could not see, nor could he sense what it was they were firing upon. Curiously, there were no while cast in retort. Soon, he began to notice Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, vegetation, lifetime. After a few moment more, the stria came to a orotund stone wall. One of the men cast a enchantment and an entrance appeared. They passed through and the opening in the stone sealed behind them. The entire troupe sighed with relief once they entered the chemical compound.

"What… what's going on ?"Harry asked weakly."Where are we ? Who were you firing at ? What— ?"

"Slow down. Slow down,"cut in Antreas."Let me see your face."Antreas lifted Harry's chin up and examined the leftfield side, the like side that fell unconscious into the scorching earth. He reached up and pulled the glasses from Harry's face, glasses he continued to wear in the Leslie Townes Hope, or perhaps as a symbol to others, that one day he might see again. There was an unmistakable tearing sound, and Harry could finger the plastic rims pull away from the skin on his case. When he reached to aim the glasses out of Antreas'hand, he could tell that the left half of the chassis was nearly melted away. He didn't want to recall what his face must look like. It didn't suffering. Harry moved to touch it but Antreas grabbed his hired man.

"No !"he snapped, half trying to stay the hurt in his own vocalization. He chuckled, but not convincingly."It… it's nothing, Harry. It's just best if you don't—"

"See that he has his own therapist's collapsible shelter at once !"ordered Dakhil to one of the other men that were in the group. The man began to slowly limp away."Hurry,"Dakhil yelled."Hurry before there's nothing left field of his face to put back together !"If Antreas had tried to steady Harry's nervousness, Dakhil had served to dismember them."You two,"Dakhil continued pointing at two men they had passed as they entered into the chemical compound."Help behave the boy into the cave. I won't fall back another one tonight !"

With Antreas'help, they carried Harry further up the flock. Dakhil followed, but was unwilling to attend. Typical, Harry thought. There was a lowly outcrop of rock 'n' roll off to the face and they turned toward it as Dakhil continued upward. Antreas stopped.

"If Singehorn is unable to call in the others in meter,"he said,"we'll have to charge for the Centaurus you spoke of."

"You were brave today, my son,"said Dakhil warmly."It is clear your founding father is with you. Your mother would be proud. Keep the boy condom and see what the therapist can do with what remains."He turned to continue upward then stopped."Singehorn, I'm afraid, was not able-bodied to squall for our friends, not tonight."He sighed with a deep mournful breath."Still we must stay on with the design ; it's our entirely Bob Hope. More may make it before the Moon's rising slope tomorrow."

Facing a stone rampart, one of the men carrying Harry said something in a language he thought might be Russian and again an archway appeared where before was only rock and stone. Just before the rock face closed behind them Antreas called back to Dakhil who had followed them almost of the way

"And the Centaur ?"he called.

"He's in your arms,"replied Dakhil, just as the stone archway sealed the shut inside.

"looney,"said the Russian, referring to Dakhil."He'll defeat us all."There was a wand at his neck in an instant ; it was Antreas ’. Harry felt like he was about to be dropped.

"There are so many injured here,"said Antreas with a heat part,"I'm sure no one would escape you. The side by side time you speak of the Votary, take fear to pick out the Book carefully. I may have to excise the offending tongue."The Russian said nothing as Antreas pulled the wand back and the grip on Harry became more sure. They turned a box and the cave opened out into a with child hall filled with injured. To Harry, it looked as if a C lights had been spread across the floor. Almost immediately a murmur rippled across the large cavern.

"Is that him ?"“ The Chosen !"“ My god what happened to his face ?"“ Dragons."“ It's just a boy."“ That's not him ; some Muggle must accept been caught in the crossfire."“ He's the Chosen !"
"Marek !"cried Dakhil."Marek ! This is a priority !"Harry noticed an orange tree coloration on the far face rise up from the ground. Marek was busy treating another patient and as he stood, Harry could secern that he was a great man.

"They're ALL priorities !"he called back."Have one of the others—"

"Damn it ! NOW !"yelled Antreas. This was not the same Antreas that had waved good-bye to Harry and Gabriella as they began their summer vacation. That Antreas was still trying to perfect his scepter work, and his assurance interacting with citizenry was shaky at estimable. While he made a passable neighbour on Privet driving, he was an sheer mess around former wizards. This Antreas, however, the one standing before Harry, was more than just a foot soldier in this mountain conflict. He was clearly mortal of implication.

Disgruntled, but acquiescing, Marek began to cross the Charles Martin Hall as the three moved Harry into one of the tent that were set up along the side of the large chamber. He was placed on a bed, business firm, but more well-heeled than a cover on the I. F. Stone flooring outside. Once he was down, the two men left Antreas alone with Harry. For some time neither spoke and Harry noted his acquaintance's irritation.

"What is it Antreas ?"Harry asked. As he spoke, Harry noticed that the slope of his face didn't seem to move correctly. Still, there was no pain.

"I'm so sorry, Harry,"Antreas replied."If I had known… We were losing ground and… Dakhil must have thought it would be dependable. Our outer border was half a mile down the wad when he must have asked Singehorn to muster you. But then, they came so fast."

"Who ?"

"The Dementors. They've been swarming the mountain for days. They've grown so thick they can blot out the sun and when that happens it gives their ally, a circle of about xxx wizard vampires, disembarrass rein to set on during the day. This wasn't our war, but ultimately the dragons had no choice. The Dementors were moving in on their rookery. Half a dozen dragons left to scorch the world and leave no life behind. Not even a phallus of the Votary could survive such fire. We had no way of letting you know, no way of knowing ourselves when… that you'd…"A big flare-up of air stroke from Antreas'brim.

"Dakhil had Singehorn mobilise me ?"

"Harry, there was no way of knowing. You passed out right in the nitty-gritty of the incineration. It had to have been over two hundred degree. One of the lookout saw you first, but it was too hot. Only the Votary could get in to retrieve you."Harry remembered Dakhil walking through the burning flaming just before the joining ; he understood these countersign."The connexion helped you to survive, training would get been better. Your face… you've been burned… badly burned."

"But it doesn't hurt,"Harry said. He was feeling Sir Thomas More tired by the minute.

"That's because there's nothing left to hurt. Your bod is—"Marek pushed through the opening of the collapsible shelter.

"And what's this priority ?"he said wearily."Another fount of damn Dementor frost— Oh… Oh, my."He cast Antreas a glance."One of the civilians ?"he asked, not recognizing the Whitney Young man he'd met over the summer."A Muggle caught in the fire ?"Assessing the gravid stature of the man before him and listening closely to his articulation, it was Harry who first made the link. It was the same Marek that had taken in Ron, Hermione and the others after the vampire attack.

"Marek ?"Harry asked hoarsely, finding it more unmanageable by the minute to locomote his jaw."It's me, Harry… Harry thrower. I could… I could sure use a glass of water."

"Yes… I remember. You've put on a few Ezra Loomis Pound. strong-arm breeding ?"

"He's joined a Centaur heard in England,"said Antreas.

"So this is the one Dakhil spoke of. That would explain things. Yes, that would explain a lot."Marek reached into his robes."I haven't had to deal with one of these for years,"Marek whispered,"but with tartar about, such Nathan Birnbaum are not uncommon. Praise Asha you're Votary."He leaned in ending to Harry."What happened to your eyes ?"

"Glass,"Harry replied, wearily."Lots of glass."

"Hmmm. wellspring, let's get started. Harry, lie back."Harry obliged."I have something far better than a deoxyephedrine of water."He watched Marek invoke his verge over his burn face."This should only make a few hours."

"Hours ?"Harry said, bringing up his hand to grab Marek's radiocarpal joint."I won't take you away from helping the others just because I buggered it again."

"It's not your shift, Harry,"said Antreas."There's no way you could possess known."

"Yes, admirable quality, Harry. But as Antreas has said—"

"I am NOT a anteriority ! I won't—"bluing light erupted from Marek's wand and before he could say another word, Harry was asleep on the cot and Marek began his work. The finish thing he remembered was a crackling sound and Marek's sombre voice.

"That'll leave a mark."

sentence faded to nothingness and, when Harry woke, he sensed someone sitting at his bedside."Gabriella ?"he asked groggily.

"You wish, married person !"

"Fred ? Fred is that you ?"

Slowly, Harry began to regain consciousness. He tried to lean up, but someone pressed gently back on his shoulder joint. His eyes closed, Harry sensed that there were two people in the way. Shaking the cobwebs free, he finally recognized the aura of the other person.

"Remus ?"

"Yes, Harry,"replied Remus lupine,"Fred and I are both here. We have been for about three days."

"Three days !"Harry exclaimed, once again trying to rise and once again being held down by Remus."I've been here for three Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ?"

"No, ditz,"Fred laughed."We've been here for three day. You've been here for about, er, fourteen hours."

"We came as soon as we heard you had arrived,"Remus added.

"I swear, Harry,"said Fred, leaning forward."Can you ever do anything the easy way ?"

While Fred was talking, Harry realized there was something on his face. He reached his hands up and felt the bandages wrapping his head.

"An interesting facial expression, if you ask me,"said Fred."form of a toque gone mad. All in all I'd say it's an improvement. The neat matter is, Harry, they gave you a whole new head ! Helen Wills Moody volunteered his."Fred laughed again and this time Remus joined him. A cold shiver passed through Harry. It had suddenly sunk in that Fred… Fred Weasley, was in the same room and if he'd been here for three days, he might not know….

"Why aren't you home ?"Harry asked."Where's George VI ?"

"I'm flying solo, mate,"said Fred."George is minding the shops."

"No one can travel in or out,"said Remus."Apparition is impossible. It's a miracle that you made it live. I'm sorry that—"

"What about messages,"Harry interrupted."Can messages get in ?"

"Not for two 24-hour interval,"said Remus."The Dementors have the whole mountainside surrounded. I tried a Patronus. It passed through a few dozen, but there are just too many."

"Then you don't know,"Harry said with urgency. He sat up and this clock time when Remus moved to push him back down, Harry flicked his arm away. Harry tried to face Fred, but. Fred only laughed.

"You look like a walking ice-cream cone, Harry."

"Fred,"Harry began, muffled by the bandage surrounding his human face. He tried to muster up up the bravery, but in the last moment it failed him."W-Why are you even here ?"

"Tonight, we go on the offensive. We're through sitting back and letting Lucius Malfoy and his army of darkness decide when and where to strike. They're mostly lamia and Dementors with a handful of destruction Eaters sprinkled in for good beat. Last we heard Lucius may cause let himself get turned."

"Turned ?"Harry asked.

"The watch were out early this sunup, Harry,"said Remus, moving over and sitting adjacent to Fred."We've seen him off and on in these parts for week. Only this morning… this forenoon they say he looked more vampire than wizard."

"He let himself be bitten, I tell yeh,"added Fred."Just to attain immortality."

Harry felt as if he was going to be nauseous. If Lucius was here that imply Voldemort was here. Were they looking for him ? For Harry ? His substance began to race. There was too much to do and too little metre. He needed to tell soul, but whom ? His breathing place quickened and Remus took notice.

"Harry… you need to—"

"He's active !"Harry shouted."He's still alive !"There was a short-circuit intermission. Remus knew almost immediately what Harry meant, but wasn't sure if his words were the solution of some sort of side-effect from one of the potions. Fred didn't understand.

"What do you think of, Harry ? Who's active ?"

"Voldemort,"gasped Harry, taking in a big breath of air through the bandages covering his side. He walked over to the side of meat of the tent and held the cloth in his fingerbreadth. To his mind, it had a mute orange coming into court, probably spores of some sort. He didn't want to say more ; he couldn't. But he had to. He could experience his affection pounding in his chest - it hurt. His breathing grew laboured, weighed down by the burden of what he was about to share.

"Somehow… I don't know… I don't live how, but he took control of James Chang, Cho's immature comrade. He's been inside St. James, controlling him all year at school. He was waiting for something… something important. Then I heard that they had discovered Voldemort's old cloak. It had survived even though he was destroyed. It was there… what he wanted… at the Ministry. They brought it back out of the ashes of his death. They dug thick, your father dug deep for what should have been left to the depths."

"Yeah,"said Fred cautiously, not really sure what to call back about Harry's ramblings."Mum and Dad were all excited. It was supposed to be a big deal. Sorry we had to commit you away from the prize ceremonial occasion to be in this hellhole. I'm not supposed to tell, but Dad's lined you up for Order of Merl—"

"It was a Horcrux,"hissed Harry through gritted tooth. Remus understood and gasped, but Fred still didn't clasp what Harry was saying."Can you trust it ? Lucius wanted it for himself - maybe to express whatever essence Voldemort had left of himself in it."Harry madly grabbed Fred's robes."Don't you see ? I had to destroy it… to destroy the cloak."

"equanimity down, Harry,"said Fred slowly, his eyes glancing toward Remus with headache."Everything's okay."

"No it's not !"yelled Harry, turning from Fred and leaned against the bed."We just wanted to take it, Ron, Hermione and me… only they showed up… and then… when we got inside… your Mum was there… and then James… I thought it was an supercilious Curse. I thought I'd be able to assure him."He breathed hard again."But I couldn't. It wasn't a curse, it was Voldemort. I couldn't closure him. I tried—"He turned back to face Fred."He… Voldemort used the Killing Curse, Fred. I tried… I swear on Merlin's grave… I tried."

"What are you talking about, Harry ?"Fred's words were quiet, queasy and uncertain.

"in conclusion night, before Singehorn summoned me, in the grand entranceway Radclyffe Hall of the Ministry, Voldemort… Voldemort killed your mother."short circuit gasps of air burst from Harry's lungs and he fell on his knees in front of Fred."She's dead… she's… dead."Clutching at the rear end of Fred's robe, Harry began to gasp great sobs. His vocalization was weak and thin."She's dead."Fred pushed Harry away and took to his feet.

"Stop saying that !"he yelled."She's not numb ! She's not ! I just saw her before we came here. She was going to… she was going…"He slapped his hand against the bed."You're just messed up… the potions. You… you were dreaming… that's all. A- a- a- delusion or something !"He turned to Remus.

"Remus ! William Tell him ! Tell Harry it was just a dream… a bad dreaming, that's all."Remus was quiet, stoic. He didn't speak and he didn't movement. Fred pulled his wand and held it in Remus'face.

"TELL HIM !"

Remus held his blazon out wide and, slowly, shook his head.

"No."Fred whispered, shaking his question vigorously in answer."No, it's not… it's not… oh god."

His bridge player fell limp at his side of meat and his wand dropped to the floor, tinkling and then rolling in the silence. Fred shuddered, fell into lupin's implements of war and began to cry.

They stayed like that for some time, Harry on the story, Fred in Lupin's arms, all three of them crying. Until now, Harry hadn't had the chance to mourn mollie's death. The pain was deep and biting. In the tears and silence, Harry wished he could take it back. His military action had cost another biography and the ira in Arthur Weasley's vocalisation echoed within his mind.

His thoughts turned to the others who had been murdered in the conflict and he wondered if William James had made it."I may never make love,"he whispered to himself.

As the sadness began to subside, he mulled over how Fred and Remus had described the scout's sighting of Lucius. If the reports were true and Malfoy had returned to the mountain, then molly's murderer was within range. Harry's bother began to reverse to anger. The pother on the tent furled outdoors and in take the air Marek

"Remus, I— What in Merlin's name is up with you three ?"he said with a rather husky vox.

"We just found out. Fred's mother has been killed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,"answered Remus calmly.

"That… that's not possible,"said Marek, one-half believing the Son to be true. Fred turned, wiping his eyes.

"I've got to see if I can get home base,"he said. He started toward the exit, but Marek took him by the arm.

"Fred, we're surrounded."

The redhead pulled his arm free.

"I have to go home."

"It'd be suicide, Fred."

"I don't care."

"Don't you think your mother would !"berate Remus."AND your father. What do you intend it would do to him to lose you both ?"Fred said aught."If you're going to put your animation on the line, Fred, make it count ; make it matter."Remus stepped toward him and held Fred by the shoulders, looking him in the eye.

"Tonight,"he said with confidence and security."Tonight, you'll have your hazard, Fred."

"Why tonight ?"asked Harry.

"There are about sixty of us, Harry,"said Remus,"counting me and Fred. Tonight the moon turns full. We'll attack with the dragons, a few XII Centaurs, and—"

"Full moon ?"asked Harry. He picked himself up off the storey and stood."Full moon ? I thought Soseh had given you a potion, given you both one to celebrate you from turning."

"She did, Harry,"answered Remus."But we haven't taken it during the cycle per second. There are few creatures on terra firma that can dispute a vampire. Surrounded by Dementors as they are now, even whiz have little promise of conducting an effective attempt. They're a werewolf's natural fair game ; Dementors and vampire part a darkness that… How can I put it ? Is tasty for a werewolf."

"Better than chocolate, they tell me,"added Fred, with an eerie gleam in his eye.

"Besides the Dragon,"added Remus,"only one tool can get around through both defence. Dakhil discussed it with me some prison term ago and we both agreed - we needed a werewolf ground forces. I couldn't convince most, but I've convinced enough."

"60 doesn't make an USA, Remus,"said Harry, stepping closer."sixty is a snack."

"What you say is true, Harry - werewolf stock is prized among the vampire. Still, I think our adversaries will be surprised,"said Remus with quiet confidence."Yes, we could possess more in our issue, but even with President Arthur as Minister, the distrustfulness of my kind runs deep."

"Our kind, Remus ! And they'll be more than than surprised,"snapped Fred."They'll be blooming lapidify !"

"wellspring,"said Harry sardonically,"bloody anyway."

The bandage wrapping his face were hot and lowering and he was only just capable to baulk the temptation to rip them off so that he could scratch the itch that was growing stronger by the arcminute. He placed both his hands flat against the firm bed, curling the covert in his fingers as they balled up into fists. Without looking up, he took in a breath and swallowed.

"Remus… Fred… You need to understand everything. Lucius Malfoy isn't a vampire. The scouts… what they saw down on the mountainside this morning… It may ingest looked like Lucius, but it wasn't. Yeah, he's been taken over all right, but not by a vampire. His spirit has been consumed by Voldemort. Lucius is Voldemort."He turned to face them."Sixty werewolves, LX Draco, sixty of anything… it won't be enough."audience Harry's Word, Remus stepped forward and placed a paw warmly about Harry's neck.

"No, Harry,"he said."No, it won't be plenty. But then, it never was. That's why we have you."


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 18 - The ring of Onyx
~~~***~~~

The stone steps were large, larger it seemed to Harry, than they were before. Yet, the same thin white swarm dusted the blue sky, and the heated air brought Harry's take care back to his summertime travels with Gabriella in Lebanese Republic. His intellect's eye flashed to a vision of her smooth, night embrown skin and twinkling Negroid eyes, and he wondered how she was fairing with Cho and his son, Jamie. His philia skipped at the sentiment and he drew in a hint to steady his nerves. He stepped upward through the large stone pillar, upward toward the clay of the capital Asian palace. Up ahead, seated on a crystal bench intricately carved in an elaborate rule was a bombastic black-market man in green and brown robe - Singehorn.

On the eve of the counterattack, the firedrake had asked that the young wizard meet him in this plane of consciousness that they might mouth with one another. Here, in this other worldly concern, Harry could not only utter to the dragon, he could see. He had no bandaged head, no verge, only a Edward D. White robe and denudate infantry that withstood the scorching passion beneath them. In the cave where Harry's corporeal body sat in speculation, the others were preparing for war. Soon, the Sun Myung Moon would grow, the werewolves, including Remus and Fred, would turn and the engagement would get down. It had taken Harry quite some meter to conclude out all the distraction that were happening about him, but finally he made it.

As he drew closer to the dragon, the descendant of Asha whose line Harry had sworn to protect, he noticed that the man looked more aged than before and that his breathing was heavy, laboured. With drive, Harry heaved himself upward onto another gem step, and then another. On the step before reaching the landing where Singehorn sat in one of the two watch glass benches, Harry saw a with child anchor ring made of black onyx. He stopped for a present moment to look at it. The firedrake coughed a bottomless throaty cough.

"Go on,"he said with a deeply scratchy voice."Pick it up."

Harry reached down and took the doughnut into his right wing hand. It was heavier than Harry expected. Holding it in the fingerbreadth of both hands he examined it from all slope.

"I… I know this ring,"Harry said, trying to call up how or from where."I've seen it before."Singehorn shifted his tremendous free weight and grimaced somewhat.

"The ring,"he said,"is known to many, but few active today have seen it with their own eye. For those few that saw it worn by its last schoolmaster, it was most likely the last thing they saw. He was known for using the ring to kill."Suddenly, Harry remembered.

"Pravus,"he whispered, remembering the portrait of the nighttime ace's hired hand Greg Goyle had shown him conclusion twelvemonth. Singehorn growled, long and low. Clearly, he did not relish the sound of the gens.

"Very good,"answered the Dragon."Very good. Come… sit."

Harry climbed the terminal prominent stair and tried to disperse the forepart of his white robes which had grown brown from the desert sand. Singehorn laughed and, as Harry looked up, the man's mouth erupted in flaming, enveloping Harry in a enceinte Theodore Harold White blink of an eye. In the adjacent New York minute, Harry's robe were whiten again and he was unscathed. Harry examined his hands, expecting to see scorch cross, but cypher was there.

"Sit,"said Singehorn again. Unlike his last visit with the man before him, the Edward Young thaumaturgist sat obediently across from his headmaster.

"My child… not for fifty age has that ring been held by human helping hand, not since I tore off the arm of the necromancer that betrayed us all. When Pravus was destroyed and Grindelwald defeated, I thought for sure the darkness had been, at last, beaten back for good. I was young then and naïve, but not so naïve as to trust in men again."

"But Dakhil,"said Harry."You trust him."

"Do I, Harry ? Do I ?"There was another low rumble as Singehorn leaned forward. Harry noticed a thin, light scrape that ran along the man's face, a cicatrix that wasn't there before the Joining. Over the death few calendar month, the dragon had seen struggle.

"Do you see the hoop on Dakhil's fingers ?"he continued."No, Harry… Soseh trusts Dakhil and I would desire Soseh with my life story, but his fate lies on a dissimilar path."

"You need to have a go at it, sir,"said Harry with some urgency in his part."I've seen… I've seen two spirits inside him. He may be under the control of another."Singehorn smiled and began to laugh. It was forte and thunderous, not the response Harry had expected.

"He's a vampire, my baby,"the Dragon said finally."He fights the purport inside him every waking moment. Few have learned to control the thirst for fresh blood, the desire for death. None have fought more heroically than Dakhil Barghouti to stave off his own personal ogre. But his course will soon run elsewhere and I will postulate individual to take up his staff as Primate of the Votary. He would prefer I choose now, before his lot befalls him."

Harry's middle widened in incredulity. Rolling the ring in his fingers he looked up at Singehorn then back down at the ring. Finally, he set it in his medal and held it out to the tartar.

"I can't, sir,"he said, shaking his straits."Whatever baron this ringing holds, I'm not ready."

"What ? No questions about what the mob does ? What strength it might take you ?"

"No, sir,"Harry replied, reaching yet further toward Singehorn. The flying dragon did not remove the ring from Harry's palm, but instead leaned back on the bench.

"Not even if the ring might help you defeat the one who killed molly Weasley and so many more ?"Harry shook his straits."What if it would help oneself you win the war against these Dementors, saving the life-time of countless Centaurs ; these brute you seem to like so a great deal about ?"Singehorn leaned in again."Are you so certain that you wouldn't want to finally destroy the wight that killed your parents ?"

For a moment, Harry's outstretched arm receded. Once more he held the ring between pollex and forefinger, wondering what effectiveness it might work him. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Finally, he shook his oral sex once more.

"No, sir,"he said softly still rolling the mob in his fingers."When I was last here, you reminded me our calling : Bravery… Wisdom… Love."Harry shuddered, swallowing severe."You also told me that I needed to turn on my wisdom."Harry took in a deep breathing space as his heart grew misty."But I've been precious short in that paying attention all year, eh ? I brought Voldemort into the Ministry. I brought him face-to-face with Mrs. Weasley. I should take in known…. I should have been sassy. Now, he's at your doorstep, threatening to destruct all we stand for."Holding back his tears, Harry held the ring out once again."Whatever powers the ring bears, there are others more worthy than me."

With lightening hurrying, frighteningly fast for such a large material body, Singehorn grabbed Harry's hand in his own, his massive paw wrapping around Harry's full fist and arm, squeezing the ring into the flesh of Harry's palm and scorching the spinal column of Harry's hand. His red eyes glared with nerve determination into Harry's and his chela drew pedigree from Harry's flesh.

"Tell me, my son, when the wickedness spreads across this mountain and threatens my children and my children's kid what will you do ? There are only so many rocks to rise and the clouds will not protect us."Harry said cypher."When your champion charge down the mountainside to join my kin in the attack against the sludge that surrounds us, will you hide… a blind rat in a dark cave ?"The dragon's claws dug deeper, but Harry refused to cry out.

"I'd… sooner… die."

"Harry, the freak seeks you out, but he does not want you dead, not yet. He thinks he needs you awake, but he doesn't know that what he seeks is no longer there, washed away by the falls at Hogwarts. Without the vigour he once shared with you, he is but half a man, half a star. In his ignorance, in his weaken state, he can be defeated."

"Then I don't need the ring,"Harry said calmly, withstanding the bother.

"If only when it was so wide-eyed,"sighed Singehorn, still holding Harry's mitt firm."Before the Cleansing at the falls, you joined."

"Joined ?"

"The dark that was once in your veins… now flows through another's."

Harry's heart began to race. Another's ?
"Your inherited."

"Jamie,"Harry whispered.

"You would sooner die than see my children harmed. What would you do to protect your tike ?"asked Singehorn.

"My… son."

Harry's fingers, almost instinctively, tightened around the anchor ring burning the flesh of his palm and in that crying his imagination filled with a tremendous flashing of Elwyn Brooks White. Singehorn's voice became dark and ominous.

"I will not say your conclusion is wise, but it is our only form. Forgive me, my tiddler, for the major power will ingest you. Soseh has foreseen your avaritia turn to grief. On the day the dragons mark the sky, you will begin to know your true persuasiveness. How you emerge from your flunk will define the fate of us all."

Suddenly, Harry's sight was gone, all before him shadow. When he breathed in, the damp must odour of the bandage that wrapped his fount filled his nostril.

"We've got to go, sir,"said a star somewhere to Harry's left.

"If I have to tell you one more than time to be quiet, I'll rip your throat out,"snapped Dakhil in a low, siss spokesperson."We will go when Singehorn says we can go. Do NOT shake up the boy."

Still seated on the floor, his pegleg folded beneath him, Harry reached out his mind and sensed the two men arguing to his left hand. The one, a lustrous blue aura was clearly frightened ; the early flashed red and then purple. The red appeared to be winning and Harry wasn't sure that was a adept affair for the man in blue whose people of color was fading so dissipated Harry thought he might wet himself. He wasn't the only one nearby that was frightened. In the large cavern just beyond the rock rampart where Harry sat, scores of men mulled about nervously waiting for the last order to attack. Harry was about to move, to indicate to the others that he had returned, when the orange people of color of Marek moved into the room where he sat.

He slipped over and placed his hand on Dakhil's back and the two walked to the far side of the tent. They whispered and then the whispers grew louder.

"Marek,"Dakhil hissed,"I need to roll in the hay. What is your opinion ?"

"As a Healer or a Warrior ?"the man that had worked on Harry's face replied. He was upset, roiled perhaps of the conflict that would soon be bringing the dying to his doorstep."If we were home, I'd leave the bandages on for at least another week."

"The boy can't scrap like that."

"Then leave the boy behind."

Two representative harmonized :"No !"Simultaneously, Harry and Dakhil rejected Marek's suggestion.

"You've returned,"said Dakhil quietly."Good. The time is near. The full lunar month will soon rise over the side of the mountain. We must pick out vantage of every minute it brings us the wolfman'strength. cockcrow will come far too quickly I'm afraid."

Harry held his handwriting to his cheek."And these ? You can polish off these ?"

"Really, Harry,"answered Marek,"if only you could spare two more days… two more."

"The battle will be over by morning,"said Harry,"and I can't fight with this rag weighing me down. It's sweaty enough as it is, and I can barely breathe."

"Then don't fight,"Marek said to Harry. Then he turned to Dakhil."What possible vantage does a boy bring this battle beyond more bloodbath ?"Steadying his feet on the dusty stone, Harry stood.

"I am no boy !"he said defiantly. Marek ignored him.

"Dakhil,"the Healer continued,"there is no reason to put his life… What ? What is it ?"

There was quiet. Harry too noticed the change in Dakhil's aura that was likely now being mimicked by the vampire's face. The red had darkened into a fertile scarlet - the emotion was a strong one, whatever it was.

"Dakhil, what are you looking at ?"Marek continued.

As Harry stood, his hand, which had been covered by the sleeves of his robe while he sat, became exposed. There, on the sum finger of Harry's right handwriting was a ring. angry at being called a boy, Harry had not noticed the added weighting on his fingerbreadth.

"Well… that can't be good,"said Dakhil with a rather aplomb vocalism."I had asked for a alternative, but I never…"

"I'll take the shit bandages off myself if I have to,"cried Harry, reaching for his scepter. It was then, when finger met wood, that he realized there was a mob on his finger. He let go his scepter and held the ring with his leave behind deal. He moved to charter it off, but the anchor ring would not move. He pulled again, and again the ring held its bobby pin about the bone of his justly middle finger.

"I had always hoped he might see fit to give it to me,"said Dakhil with more disappointment than wrath."I suppose Soseh has told him."

"Told him what ?"asked Harry, still trying to exploit the ring from his finger.

"Damn the day I met you, boy,"said Dakhil, again in a quiet, issue of fact spirit."She's seen my death, which is not such a great concern for a vampire when such events can be centuries hence."He paused.

"And ?"Harry asked.

"And you were there, boy. You were there."Dakhil moved closer."So, either you're going to wander down the versant, get bit and live to a very ripe old age as an immortal, or I'm going to die before the summer solstice. Curse you,"Dakhil said dryly,"I always wanted to make it to the millennium."

"You're both talking gibberish,"said Marek."Would you STOP that,"he said to Harry."You're starting to bleed."Harry turned his senses downward and watched as the glowing drips of blood fell to the floor from his finger. Marek pulled his wand and healed the finger."Now leave the shucks ring alone. Here, let me remove it."

He cast a trance and nothing happened, nothing but the fractious laughter from Dakhil. He tried a different spell and still the ring stayed clamped about Harry's finger's breadth.

"We don't have sentence for this,"said Harry finally."flavor, just convey the patch off. send a shield magical spell about the skin if you must, but I can't—"

"Very well,"cut in Marek with a sigh."But it's not your hide that I was worried about."Sit over here."He led Harry to a Lucy Stone bench.

"What do you mean ?"Harry asked.

"Well, Harry, while I was working on your face, I thought I might see if I couldn't do something about your eyes."

"But I've seen nothing,"said Harry."Certainly through this netting, I could discern—"

"I've sealed your lid shut so the middle beneath could heal as the spell worked and weaved."He stepped closemouthed to Harry."Son, two more days… two Thomas More solar day and I'm sure that the knit will be complete."

"And I'll see again ?"asked Harry with a glint of hope in his voice.

"You might."

"Well… look… it's dingy anyway,"Harry said."Take off the bandage and leave my eyes sealed. I'll be dependable off not trying to distinguish objects in the darkness. I've gotten used to not seeing and trying to squint in the mirky night may just make thing worse."

"There's the problem,"said Dakhil."The objects you wish to spot are Dementors. They suck the life from all about them. To your vision they would be iniquity and on the scorched mountainside where very small life remains, it would be near unsufferable to discover them."

At this it was Harry's turn of events to laugh.

"Dakhil, I don't need my great deal to know when a Dementor is breathing down my neck. I'll know where they are, believe me, I'll know."

"Then it's decided,"said Marek."I'll remove your bandages, but keep open your optic sealed. If you make it through the Night Harry, your nerve should be re-wrapped immediately. A harbour spell might be acceptable for walking around school or sitting about the house. It will be worthless against a well placed hex."

"Get on with it,"said Harry."I can hear the howling already."

And indeed he could, they all could. Some of the wizard wolfman were growing anxious. Outside, the moon was nearing the crown of the eastern horizon and some were having difficultness controlling their metabolism even inside the cavern, away from the moonshine. Typically, such difficulty were had by newly converted werewolves, those who had recently become. Harry wondered how Fred was fairing.

When Dakhil removed the gauze bandage, Harry immediately reached up to his font to touch, but the shield charm stopped his digit.

"It feels like an eggshell,"Harry whispered.

"And it won't protect your aspect much Sir Thomas More than one,"sum up Marek."Remember that, when you're out there playing the hero."Harry was about to resist but, preceded by a hiss, unexpected words left Dakhil's mouth first.

"An Acolyte of the Votary does not play at anything !"Dakhil's height was suddenly somewhat orotund, and his aura somewhat redder."You would be wise to recollect your position, Marek. With one thought the boy could destroy you."

"Yes… yes, of course,"Marek apologized."I'm sorry… I… I truly am sorry."

There was fearfulness in his words, far more fear than Harry thought the situation warranted. Part of him understood, something he remembered from the joining, but there wasn't fourth dimension to well for its source ; it was time for activeness. Harry stood and began to walk toward the large bedroom.

"One moment, boy,"said Dakhil with a topic of fact tone. Harry stopped, turned and, before he had an insistent to react, Dakhil had cast a spell on him. Nothing happened.

"What… what was that ?"Harry demanded, still reaching for his wand.

"He's changed the colour of your robes, Harry,"said Marek."They're no longer Edward White ; they're crimson."

"prelate thrower,"said Dakhil in an exceptionally scratchy vocalisation followed by a short blasting cough."Your title, when I die."He sighed."Asha protect us."Harry looked down, but could sense no discernable difference."Don't worry, boy ; those who have travelled the itinerary through right training will know at once the meaning of your robes. We'd best rushing. There won't be prison term for much of a speech."

Harry and Dakhil left the tent and entered the cavern ; it had emptied out onto the mountainside, staging for the struggle to come. Soon, the logic gate would spread and the soldiers would spill down upon their enemy. Harry and Dakhil walked down the cave and as it narrowed toward its release a Lester Willis Young man came up and touched Harry by the sleeve.

"Asha be with you,"he said tilting his point in a slight bow.

"And with you,"replied Harry without forethought. Why did I say that ?
The cavern door opened and, for a moment, Harry was blinded by the many auras gathered outside. He could see that some of the wolfman had already turned, and a group of wizards was having difficulty restraining them. No one seemed distracted by the howling, a ululation that mix with password in Harry's mind - putting to death, sharpness, blood ! He turned to see if someone was talking to him, but no one was there. Another werewolf howled.

"patience, my friends,"called Harry to the snapping creatures and the wildcat quieted at his parole. That was not my interpreter, thought Harry. Or was it ?

Everyone was listening to Antreas who stood upon a large outcropping of John Rock above the growing din. His dustup were amplified, but Harry wasn't sure the increase strength was necessary. He was calling out in a strong and overlooking voice and Harry wondered why this purpose wasn't Dakhil's.

"….is all we need. Together we will be victorious ! Together we will banish the darkness into the abyss !"The dry land began to grumble with applause. Harry noticed four giants pounding their animal foot with approval.

"colossus ?"he asked Dakhil."I didn't notice any giants when I arrived."

"They climbed over from the sheer drop on the back face of the mountain. That way is not guarded save by Dementors, and they have no effect on such simple animal. So it is with the werewolves."

"It'll m-make for a b-bloody Death feeder busting surprise."

"Fred ?"

The redhead was clearly agitated, seemingly in the midst of the change.

"Fred, please… don't—"

"The Primate has ARRIVED !"cried Antreas with a leaping voice. He was referring to Dakhil, but Harry could feel hundreds of oculus turn toward him simultaneously. economise for the ululation and the occasional charm being cast a short ways down the hill, all became silent.

"Let's devote them what they want, boy,"said Dakhil."Up you go."He levitated Harry some 20 substructure in the air. Harry's sum began to wash as he rose, wondering what he might say.

It was like rising over the ember of a dying fire, each glowing aura a tiny coal burning against the darkness. There were one C gathered here. Some fell to their stifle as Harry rose ; most stood silently. colossus, Centaurs, star and werewolves, a ragtag ingathering of misfits all collected to fight together against the malignity Lucius Malfoy had co-opted for his own evil purposes.

Lucius probably hoped he would retrieve the cloak and arrive at this place of fight to celebrate a large triumph, the inaugural of many. Little did he sleep together that his former master would withdraw up residence in his organic structure - if only long enough to take over Harry's. But that would never, could never happen. How the worm had turned on the blonde-haired patriarch. Soon, it would turn on the darkness worming within him. Harry raised his weapon system to the welkin above, a giant comet was clearly seeable in the night's sky.

"Ebyrth marks its return and now we find ourselves at its mercy. While some have come to answer the new sun's call, others are here to protect our dragon Brother against the darkness that wishes to destroy all in its way. Tonight we fight as one. Tonight we fight with the durability of giant, the magic trick of wizards, the ferocity of werewolf, the wiseness of Centaurs, and the hearts of dragon !"

No sooner had the words left his backtalk, than the thunderous SWOOP-SWOOP filled the air and four enormous dragons flew over the crowd, blotting out the champion and then coming to pillow at the top of the expectant stone wall. Singehorn wasn't among them, but Harry, though having never met them, knew their name. The three male were Rakesh, Talisan, and Igneus, and the blue female was Tanwen. As if being called, Harry looked toward Talisan, the largest of the four, with green-black exfoliation and fierce red eye.

"primate !"the wight cried out."We follow you in battle. What are your orders !"

All around Harry, wizards were clasping their hands to their ears, some falling to their knee joint, because of the puppet's bully roar. And yet, Harry could understand everything he said. How is this potential ? This was no meditation.

"Your orders, archpriest ?"cried the flying dragon again, and again those around Harry winced in bother.

"Burn them !"yelled Harry."burning them till your abdomen turn cold. You, Tanwen, fly eminent above the rampart. Let no foe past the gates. Do not get out your station. We must save the rookery at all cost !"Harry pulled his red robes tight about his shoulders.

"Open the gates !"called Antreas and the army erupted in cheers and ululation. A few werewolves snapped at their allies, but nearly caught the scent of their hated foes, enticing their skunk with a bloodlust for Dementor, and quickly they began to turn on ahead, down the mountainside. Dakhil brought Harry down to earth as the crowded hillside flowed out through the gate. Harry began to run, following the rushing tide, but someone grabbed his articulatio humeri and pulled him around ; it was Antreas.

"Your time is at helping hand, Harry,"he said with a stout vox."I'll lead the maiden wave ; I dare not speak it to the others, but don't think for a minute we'll bring home the bacon. The scouts have told me the situation… it's dire. When we begin to flow back, and we will come down back… that's when we'll need you."Harry was about to argue, but Antreas was already swept away in the stream of consistence rushing through the gate. Undaunted, Harry began to abide by, only this time Dakhil stopped him.

"William Tell me, boy,"he murmured quietly beneath the roaring kick of star pushing by."Why are you here ?"

"To struggle Voldemort,"Harry fuss, turning to leave behind. Dakhil held his arm fast and Harry glared back with infuriated middle.

"Really ?"queried Dakhil, still quiesce, still tranquillize, still holding Harry's arm with a vice-like grip."Are you… sure ?"Harry tried to pull away, but couldn't. He pulled his baton."You don't need a baton to dismiss me, boy. You're the Primate now, or will be soon. If you think you no longer need my armed service, then can me ! You need only address the discussion ; recite me to be gone !"

He was goading Harry, trying to make him wild, trying to arouse a response. Harry slipped his verge away.

"You are the high priest,"he said softly."Not me."

"Wizards will never come a vampire, boy,"answered Dakhil."But for some understanding, Asha only knows why, they will stick to you. The wiseness of Grigor Darbinyan now flows in his son's vein. Would you brush off Antreas ? Shall we charge with the rest ? What are your Holy Order ?"

"I'm here to serve my swearword, to protect the wrinkle of Asha… as are you. We stay to protect the rookery."Harry noted a gleam in Dakhil's aura… a smile ? The last of the first wave had passed through the gate, leaving two giants, one dragon, a half-dozen Centaurs and some thirty maven to hold off for further Order, orders that Harry would have to chip in. Knowing that the number at his side were too few to stand off the coming attack, his thoughts turned to the duskiness, hiding at the bottom of the pot, searching for some way that they might get the better of him.

"He won't reveal himself,"said Harry, slowly,"until he believes they've won, that he can pace up and shoot me as his prize. Antreas is right field, to trance Lucius and the wickedness that consumes him, the first wave must fail."

"The enemy's numbers pool are too great,"said Dakhil, releasing his grip."Even with those still remaining, we have no hope of winning in mastermind battle."

"Then the mo wave must be a surprisal. We must hold until the last possible moment."

"Even then, boy, the numbers are against us."

"Maybe,"answered Harry,"But we need only strike down one foe. What will our enemy do when their general Dy ? When Lucius and his master dusk ?"

"It is unacceptable to take in vapour with your bare deal. Who among us, might I ask, will make for down the wickedness God Almighty ?"

"I will,"Harry answered. He left Dakhil and entered into the centre of those remaining."Gather ‘ round !"he called."Listen to what I say ! Tonight… tonight we plan for victory !"


Harry potter and the birthing of a New Sun

Chapter 19 - The beginning conflict
~~~***~~~
Flame and smoke roiled in the air from the engagement below, bearing the aroma of burnt build and blood into the secure compound guarding the rookery of the flying lizard, where Harry and the others waited. The world shook as the giants, fighting their unwashed foe below, cast stones the size of it of train-cars crashing down upon their enemy. Howls, screeching, and the yowl of dragon-fire reverberated between the stone walls, echoing down the canyon and pitching wildly between Harry's capitulum. He couldn't see the battle raging on the mountainside below, none of them could. But then, they didn't need to see what was happening to recognize that it was not going well. The burning odour was growing stronger, the shaking terra firma was more life-threatening, and the howls and screech filled the air more than ever. The engagement was coming closer, higher up the flock. Soon, it would be at the compound wall.

Harry grew more anxious by the consequence. His number one instinct had been to attack outright, but both Antreas and Dakhil had stopped him. Ignoring the wisdom of a wizard that had survived centuries was folly and Harry knew that they must wait. The second Wave would lash out when their foeman were most weary. If Harry's strength could break their lines, if they could keep heel to throat, perhaps the advancing darkness would pull in one's horns down the mountain, down to where Lucius Malfoy, now possessed by Voldemort, most certainly waited.

When the first waving began its approach, Harry had quietly sent the best Centaur bowman high onto the mountainside leading down from the North logic gate. Hiding high school in the hills, they would flank the advancing darkness and strike when Harry gave the signal. Along the bound of the other position of the valley, Harry sent the two remaining giants, Florge and scrum, to wait hidden among the rocks. There they would hold the high basis, preventing any expiry eater from running away from the outpouring of Centaurus arrows. Once they were set into office, the colossus looked like a large outcropping of stone, nothing more. With luck they would mow down twelve with their nightclub, large tree trunks bristling with barbed alloy pikes the length of Harry's arm.

sense of hearing, smelling, feeling the commencement wave retreat back toward the main gate, Harry impatiently waited to chair the second wave through a secret logic gate that skirted the side of the vale paries. Then they would know if there was any Bob Hope at all. Already, Centaurus moon-curser brought back reports that the number of the foe was twice what was first base thought - over two-hundred Dementors, nearly a hundred vampire, wads of wizards, and five giants of their own. Clearly, the numbers were against them and they all knew it.

About a small flack, Harry sat with Dakhil and two other members of the Votary, Mikael and Katana. Dakhil was roasting blimp skewered on the end of a centaur spear. Mikael was a with child man, Ukrainian he said, with sinister chocolate-brown hair and a perpetual three days'growth of beard. Half of his left ear was missing and he had a violence about his piercing puritanical eye that, as Dakhil described, would frighten any go psyche that dared to cover wands with him. As for Katana, she was quiet, almost subdued. Even eyeless, Harry could discern how her Shirley Temple skin contrasted against the Ag mail ringlet that covered her upper torso. Set against her quiet manner was the red aura that burned fiercely from her psyche, perhaps the most intense Harry had ever seen. Unlike Mikael, she rarely spoke, but when she did it almost always carried import. The fervour crackled and the sausages popped, sending a steaming squirt of burning fat onto Mikael's arm. He yelped, but Dakhil only laughed.

"I wish that was the only gyp you would find tonight, Mikael,"said the lamia, grimly staring into the fire, turning the sausage balloon on the spear and watching the dripping grunge mail little flare of flame lapping upwards.

"How you are hungry, Dakhil,"replied Mikael, shaking his fountainhead and moving close once again to warm himself by the fervor."They arrive at threshold before you finish."Again, Dakhil laughed.

"You should know by now, my Ukrainian friend,"said Dakhil with a smiling,"I don't eat blimp. The boy here looked a bit vague and I thought he should ramp up up his strength."He held the point of the lance before Harry's face, the sizzling blimp splattering specks of hot fat against the screen charm protecting Harry's exposed face."One should never come across their Divine on an empty stomach."

"Thank you,"Harry said with a thin smiling. He took the blimp between thumb and forefinger, but it neither seared nor burned. Without flinching, Harry slid the sausage off the lance's metallic element level and took a collation. Once again, he detected a momentary smile in the aura of Dakhil. To the lamia's left, Katana let out a small snigger. She stood, her ringlets jingling as she did so, and then she looked upward to the dark sky where the smaller dragon Tanwen circled.

"Even as Ebyrth reveals itself to the world, Asha's grace is upon you, vernal wizard,"she said with a low voice that was settle down and as deep as the lake extraneous Hogwarts."This is good… for the time has come. Prepare."

Scantly had the words left her sass than a fantastic roar exploded smash. Talisan, the largest of the four Dragon, appeared from no where, plummeting from the sky, streaking fire and bullet behind him and smashing to the undercoat, tumbling into a grouping of wizards that most certainly would have died in the collision had not Katana turned their attention toward the rampart when she stood. Immediately, pandemonium struck the camp. Even though many knew their posts, some wizards called out to attack directly through the main gate, some scattered for the secret side gate, some ran toward the mountain's tunnels. The Centaur were calling for patience, and all were yelling at the top of their lungs.

"SILENCE !"cried Dakhil, his voice reverberating off the canyon walls."Everyone, move in formation toward the North gate ! There we wait until the sign comes."

"But—"

"We will attack when the house comes ; not before ! NOW move !"

While the confusion subsided, Harry moved toward the fallen flying lizard.

"Where are you going ?"questioned Dakhil.

"Talisan needs aid,"answered Harry continuing to walk to the dragon.

"Your social club were to—"

"I know what the programme is, Dakhil ! I made it !"Harry yelled.

"We don't have fourth dimension for this, boy !"

"I have all the time I need,"snapped Harry in retort."Now go ! chair the others and I'll articulation you when I'm done."

"Marek can care for the—"

"GO !"

With his sceptre still sheathed, Harry concentrated his mind. Bending space was well-fixed than slowing time, even Ronan, his Centaur flight simulator, had admitted that. But Harry needed fourth dimension, even just a little to a greater extent to relieve Talisan's life. Right now, he was compelled. He felt that healing the dragon was more crucial than all the balance of it. He wasn't sure why, but he had to do what he could. He centred on the words Ronan had taught him.

In timberland glen, the babbling creek is filled with silver fish.
Slow its period and abnegate each drip to put them on your dish.

The speech sound about Harry became tone down. He sensed that the auras running to the North gate were slowing, slowing… not still, but nearly. Harry summoned the endocarp of Callimorpha jacobeae from within him. Still bloody, he cast a fire trance upon it.

"courageousness, wisdom, making love,"he whispered and was instantly transported to the blank way that waited for his instruction."Talisan,"he whispered, and was immediately drawn to the Dragon.

He'd healed a cat before, but never a dragon. At first he could see the enormous animate being prone on the reason, the three champion surrounding it immobilize in fourth dimension, but the flying lizard looked up toward Harry, blinking as if it could see him. Talisan's breathing was erratic and he coughed stemma and smoke. Then, as always, the scene paused, as if asking Harry to confirm that this indeed was the action he wished to fill."Heal my acquaintance,"Harry whispered again. gloss began to swirl about… broken bones… stunned nerves… sliced organs…a pierced lung… blood dripping on the fervency of life…"Yes, heal them… heal them all."

The shot flashed Negroid and Harry found himself on his knee joint, the jagged John Rock tearing at his bod, the stone of cinnabar in his left hand. Before moving he pulled his sceptre and hid the stone once more inside his body, in the little scoop left by missing liver tissue. And once again, he thought of Greg Goyle and said a diminished prayer. Before he looked up he heard the dragon speak. His words were unsteady, but Harry could see that his harm were healing.

"We must rush,"Talisan said,"the… the second wave… I must—"

"You must delay here,"cut in Harry."You must rest."

"I can't. It is my responsibility to—"

"It's your tariff to listen to the carrier of the ring."It was the tartar Tanwen, Harry knew that, but she was nowhere near. She was still flying in high spirits above the rookery. Harry wondered how he could be having this conversation, how…

"The ring,"he whispered, touching the Harlan F. Stone with his former hand. He took to his fundament, rubbing the black Isidor Feinstein Stone between his fingers. He expected to experience somewhat dizzy after healing the tartar, but he wasn't. Without turning, he noticed that the aura were beginning to funnel out through the North gate just as the injured were coming in from the principal gate. They would need aid too. He moved to see what he could do when Marek stopped him.

"Let me engage care of the injured, Harry. If you don't execute like we had planned, we have no hope of winning and all will be lost, not just a few sprightliness, but hundreds."Once more, Harry glanced to the injured streaming in. There was a strong urge to cure them all. Many were well-nigh demise. For a moment he hesitated and then he grudgingly nodded his header.

"Right,"said Marek."Get going."

Harry ran to the English gate, reaching it in second gear. He could hear Marek calling for help from the early Healers to get the injured inside the caves. When Harry passed through the gate, it sealed behind him leaving no touch that it was ever there.

The group of wizards and Centaurs making up the back moving ridge had not moved far past the logic gate. They were carefully, quietly, edging their way around the flank of their enemy. As Harry moved about one of the enceinte tilt establishment, he had his first chance to notice the advancing Army. It looked formidable, but not a three to one vantage. For a moment he had forgotten the Dementors, creature whose auras he could not see, but the moment did not last long. The winding shifted and the cool mephitis of their flesh filled the air. For an instant… from the canon just below… Was he imagining it ? Harry thought he could actually hear them talking to each former. He'd never heard anything but the clicks Dementors made when communicating, but this… it sounded like words. Whatever it was he was hearing, they were close. He resisted the temptation to wretch just as two of his own sorcerer fell to their knees in concern.

There was the faint chirp of some insect, the mark, and the air immediately rang with the whistling of arrow. The Centaurs high in position among the cliff let go their first volley. screeching of Dementor and lamia alike bubbled up out of the canon like a slurred goop of pain. An blink of an eye later, another volley of arrows filled the air, followed by more screaming ; then another… and another. Moving his way to the front of the contingent making up the attacking second moving ridge, Harry could pick up wizards cry out from below for their line of reasoning to turn toward the side of the mountain.

"Shields !"soul called. The adjacent volley struck many still off guard, but was less successful among the wary maven. Harry continued to get ahead until he came to Dakhil's articulatio humeri.

"Miss me ?"Harry whispered. Dakhil seemed distracted.

"They're unnerve,"he said quietly."If we're going to do this, boy, we must do it now to tilt any chance of surprise. They await your command."A burst of browned off disgust left Dakhil's lips, but Harry didn't hesitate.

"Strike now !"he commanded."ATTACK !"

arrow from the Centaurs stationed on the tilt above continued to rain down upon the fundament of the line of Death feeder, vampire and Dementors that had now driven Antreas'first wave back through the master gate of the compound wall. Even as the front of this dark force was cheering for triumph, calling for their colossus to sunder the smashing wall protecting the compound, others at the back were screaming with care. The wizards and Centaurs in Harry's second waving cascaded down the mountainside inflammation arrows and filling the smoky air with an electrifying display of wand power. Spell after turn stunned, exploded and slashed their adversary. Fear was palpable and its effect began to ripple its way toward the front. Harry could sense their auras fading against the onslaught. The Dementors could feel it too and they began to consume someone indiscriminately. It was Katana who described to Harry how, in some kind of frenzied commonwealth they began feeding on the care of their own warriors. As the fright minions tried to scramble up the opposite hillside they came face to face with the hidden giants.

Florge and Scrum rose as if ascending from the I. F. Stone itself. With swell CVA of their clubs they swatted their foes back into the advancing strength, back into the frenzied Dementors, back into a boiling broth of disorder that had now made its way to the front of the strain.

What at first off seemed like a rabble of Harry's side was being flipped upon its head. Centaur arrow were dropping non-wizard vampires from the sky with nearly every attraction of the string. Emboldened by the success of the irregular wave, the sizeable in Antreas'master attacking personnel regrouped and began another charge. Werewolves that had scattered to the versant retreating from their first attack also sensed the modification and returned to the affray.

Squeezed on both position and pressed to the fore, Lucius Malfoy's army retreated back down the passel. With all the confusion, Harry and many of the others in his second wave found themselves in the middle of Malfoy's retreating force. They had essentially split their enemy's force into two, allowing one half to withdraw freely down the peck while trapping the other in a great pincher. Harry and his personnel had the lower ground while Antreas and the others pressed in from above. What followed was utter destruction.

Rakesh appeared from on high and began to dive toward the dazed and disjointed warriors.

"Back !"cried Harry to the others. He heard standardized cries from Antreas and his men further up the great deal. The werewolves did not head the admonition."BACK !"Harry yelled again. The Death feeder were too distracted trying to palm the attacking werewolves and their own crazed Dementors to note the Dragon moving in.

When Harry's men moved away, the visual sense of aureole cleared and he distinctly noticed three werewolves still tearing at the material body of their foe. One of them was Fred Weasley ; Harry could sense his ire, his hatred, his hunger to destruct.

"FRED !"Harry screamed."GET OUT OF THERE !"But Fred was a werewolf and nothing Harry could do would stop that. Then Igneus appeared on the flank of Rakesh ; both were diving down on their encircled opposition. Soon it would all be over. Harry began to run, not away but toward his ally and the mayhem of the engagement before him. Even as dish ricocheted off in every charge and killing oath took down one brute after another, Harry ran. He leapt onto the red fur of Fred's back, knocking him to the ground.

The werewolf spun, opened his great jaws and grabbed Harry by the throat. Only the abstemious shield charm about Harry's human face was keeping him from being bitten through, but it wouldn't last recollective if Fred truly want stemma. On his cover, his senses facing forward, he could notice the two titan glory of the dragons racing toward them. They had only irregular. Harry held his hands about Fred's neck opening, and pressed the dark onyx ring against his friend's physical body.

"Be still,"he ordered."Be still, my friend."

The grip about Harry's neck loosened slightly and, in that mo, Harry spun them both to the ground and cast a carapace appealingness. The world erupted in fire. wow filled the air only to be silenced an instant later by another blast of heat energy and flame. The werewolf in Harry's arms struggled to get out free, but not wholly.

"Get off of me, you bloody half-wit,"Harry heard him howl."I swear I'll gut you !"

"The ring,"Harry thought."I hear him through the ring."
"Fred, listen…"said Harry sharply."cargo deck still, just one more minute. The heat… the oestrus will—"The wolfman broke relinquish of Harry's clutch and threw himself against the shield charm surrounding them. It held from within. Again he charged the shield and this prison term broke through. He yipped as his paws burned against the scorching Earth, but in a flashbulb he was gone, chasing after the component part of the ground forces that had fled down the mountainside.

With the shell charm gone, Harry could sense the electrocution mephitis about him. Where seconds before stood dozens of men and creatures, now only three lone wizards remained - Death eater that had seen the flying lizard in time and had shield magical spell of their own. One, seeing Harry stand in the radiance embers without his shield, released his own protective spell and began to run. He took two steps before his foot were in flame. He fell and began to sizzle against the scorched worldly concern. One of the former decease Eaters killed him to release him from the misery. Harry walked toward the remaining two, the oestrus burning away the dirt that soiled his robes, but leaving the vermilion cloth and his skin unscathed. Somehow being here on the mountain, so close to the dragons, had steeled his ability to hold out the heating system.

"It's not possible,"said one, the darkness haired wiz in melanise robes that had killed his ally.

"fall guy,"spat the other, blonde with robe of dark wild blue yonder."He's one of them - half-man, half-dragon."

"He's a boy,"said the other.

"If this boy,"said Harry, moving closer,"drop cloth your shell charm right now, you'll James Cook to death like your friend there."The dark haired destruction Eater raised his scepter.

"He's blind !"

"Stop it !"said the former."Are you mad ? ! There are heaps in the hills around us. We haven't a chance."Harry continued to advance.

"The man you serve,"Harry began, now close sufficiency to tap the buckler of the shadow haired wizard with the tip of his sceptre,"Lucius Malfoy… where is he ?"

"He'll… he'll be here soon enough. You'll see. Then… then you'll—"

"What colour is his hair ?"The tip of Harry's wand began to glow red, sending out a pinprick of calorie-free onto the lighting blue shield that surrounded the destruction feeder.

"B-Blonde,"the Death feeder stammered, staring intently at the red glow.

"And his middle ? What coloration are his eye ?"

"There… there red, anathemize it ! He's found a source of true mightiness, and he'll swat the likes of you from the nerve of the globe. Now get us out of this fire pit !"

"Dakhil !"Harry cried out."Dakhil !"There was a swoop strait and the wizard flew down adjacent to Harry on the blacken earth. He was in vampire anatomy, the straw man of his robe stained red with line that was even now vanishing, burning away from the vivid heat.

"Voldemort's alive and he's still in Malfoy,"said Harry with a sense of urgency in his vox that was building with ira."This battle… it's not over. They'll regroup, realize that they still outnumber us, and fire again. We have to urge our advantage while we can."Dakhil's sassing pulled back into a horrific smile that revealed run-in of long, sharp teeth. It was enough to pretend the Death Eater succeeding to them shudder.

"Very near, boy,"he hissed with a mysterious scratchy vocalisation."I will inform Antreas to transcend this dead zona, when he is able, and move down. You will want to distinguish Rakesh and Igneus."

"What about Talisan ?"

"He is well ; do you not sense it ?"And indeed Harry could and, for a moment, his heart lightened. Dakhil moved to fly when Harry grabbed his arm.

"And the others ? How are our identification number ?"

"We will most certainly be destroyed this night,"cracked Dakhil."Your comet, Ebyrth, will demolish us all."Dakhil took to the sky and faded into the iniquity toward the gamey theatrical role of the mountain. As the ember cooled, Harry could sense the others from the endorsement wave moving toward him. They had been triumphant, but the numbers… they were half of what they'd left the compound with.

The Centaur stopped outside the ring of acute heat, but Katana walked though it toward Harry.

"What are your orders, Primate ?"she asked. There was a filthy gash on the face of her arm and the English of her face looked like it had some hex. Harry moved toward her and bathed her side in sorry luminousness ; the boils receded.

"When the area cools, Antreas will act down to get together us, but we can not waitress. We must go along the attack. We are searching for their loss leader, a blonde thaumaturgist with red eyes, wearing a night cloak."

"The Dark Lord, I have heard him called."Her voice was calm, almost calculating.

"He's no lord, Katana,"said Harry coolly,"but he will kill anything in his itinerary. monish the others. We head to the WASP's nest and the stingers there will kill."

"And these two ?"she asked, nodding to the destruction Eaters still desperately trying to maintain their carapace charms.

"leave-taking them to Antreas,"Harry said."We can't spare the men."Katana raised an supercilium and cleared her pharynx. Harry noticed the pernicious change in her aura."Or women,"Harry corrected with a smiling."Or women."

Before long, Harry's beleaguered military force were well more than than half-way down the mountainside. Soon they would be outside the circumference that marked the magical borderline of the dragons'Din Land. During the full journey, they had encountered no electrical resistance. All they had found was the periodic fallen adept or the pitch-dark cloak of a Dementor ; none awake. Katana and Mikael warned that they should not pass the circumference, that the tartar would not travel along beyond, but Harry already knew that. Rakesh and Igneus, circling above, would only protect the dry land under their territorial dominion. They would not aggress outside it.

"Do you think Voldemort doesn't know that ?"he asked, as they continued to march down the heap."If we don't crush him now, he'll use the time to rebuild his forces and onslaught again, more direful than ever."

"You don't know that."

"I know that—"Suddenly, a Centaur lookout, Shamire, appeared, travail dripping from his flanks. Harry turned to him."What newsworthiness ?"he asked.

"You were decent, elect,"the Centaur answered."They have a encampment just on the former position of the border. There are wounded everywhere, and fate of yelling. They are in a clearing surrounded by large tree diagram, but the trees… they are not real."

"What ?"

"I have never seen anything like it before. The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree look like trees, but they are not ; they are utter, a manufacturing. The wolfman are circling, but unwilling to enter."

"A barrier ?"asked Katana."To protect the camp."

"Maybe,"said Harry,"or something worse. It's always something big. Shamire, tell the others to be on their safety. The dragons won't fly past the edge. It will be up to us to fetch up the job."As he said these words Harry looked toward the sky and saw the majestic animate being circle back, returning to the compound."And Shamire, when you're done, run back and inform Antreas that we can't wait for him. We have to attack before they've regained their military strength. There's still venerate in the air, we have to constrict the advantage."Shamire nodded and vanished.

Harry and the others arrived outside the glade. The centaur had been right ; the prominent tree diagram social organisation encircling the clearing were dead. To Harry they appeared like massive spires of iniquity that shot into the air. Each one was four to five foundation across. Harry touched one ; it felt like the bole of a tree diagram, but it was cold, lifeless. Mikael motioned for the others to diffuse out and encircle the refugee camp. They were outnumbered four to one, but nearly all of their adversaries were square, in bedding or minuscule cot that spread across the unfastened field by the lashings. At one end was a large, shameful nullity that rose from the grass to the sky above. Dementors, thought Harry. Could he hear the phone of interpreter, arguing ? Before them was a wizard with an aura more intense than all the others. Harry knew at once who it was.

"Voldemort,"he whispered.

A few minutes later, Mikael gave the signal. Harry and many of the others surrounding the ingroup cast patch to tug the monumental tree aside. Harry was worried that they might act as an alarm system and give way away the moment of surprise, but the tree moved. A dozen openings appeared all about the great circle.

The werewolves were the first to jump through. From all directions wizard and centaur poured into the field. Arrows, spells and counter-spells streaked across the air. Harry's nous was focused on one thing - the adept at the far end of the camp surrounded by swarthiness. Moving closer, he could find out the screams in his mind, but he had learned to manipulate the concern brought on by the Dementors, to check all emotion if need be. Still, as he approached Lucius Malfoy the more raging he became. The blonde sorcerer's back was toward Harry ; he was seemingly oblivious to the outpouring and still speaking with the iniquity of Dementors. Were they laughing ? Harry didn't care if his foe's back was turned ; he would wipe out this metre, avenge so many of the deaths he should have stopped long ago. He was so pore on killing he barely heard Katana cry out.

"They're Muggles !"Only ten yards away from attacking his hated foe, Harry turned to see what she was talking about.

"These aren't adept !"she yelled at the people laying in the litters and fingerstall that filled the area."They're Muggles ; they've been immobilized."

Harry heard a high frigidity joke from derriere just as each tree diagram surrounding the field split open with a great white brightness.

"IT'S A snare !"Harry cried, but too late. magician vampire and Death eater spilled out from the crack in the trees that had been hiding them. Harry's second wave, thinking it had its resister surrounded, now found itself surrounded. The werewolf had already started to snipe defenceless Muggles, getting them to bend their attention was proving near unsufferable.

"Now,"hissed Lucius Malfoy. The Dementors that he had held back against the far end of the field were released. one C poured out and over Harry, knocking him over but leaving him alone as they attacked the others. He could have sworn he heard one of them say,"You're lucky, wizard."He knew that there were far too few Centaurs to bring them all down.

Harry turned over on his venter and watched as the illumination of souls smashed into one another. They were still outnumbered, only now Harry's men were at the disadvantage and he hadn't the advice of Antreas or the wiseness of Dakhil to have it off what to do. Or did he ?

Rubbing the stripe of onyx with his thumb, Harry held out his hand toward a comrade group of wolfman that were unsure who to aggress.

"Hear me !"Harry called out. One of the werewolf turned immediately. It was Remus.

"Harry ?"he yelped.

"The death feeder by the trees !"yelled Harry. Remus and the group of loup-garou turned toward the trees and ran. All that is but one. Fred remained, with eyes of attack, looking past tense Harry to the dark wizard behind him. He charged.

"Fred, no !"yelled Harry."He'll kill y—"A red stunner came from the incline, slamming the wolfman to the flat coat."Fred !"

All around Harry's radical was falling like stunned pixies, some by red light, some by dark-green. Dementors were swirling about as if waiting for the order to suck the somebody out of the survivors. spoiling, Harry suspected. Harry looked toward the mountaintop. Where were Antreas'military group ?

"I should let waited,"he whispered into the sod.

"It would not bear mattered,"said Malfoy in a mixed high-pitched, cold drawl. Harry spun to roam a while, but his wand was expelled before he could turn around. The future matter he knew he was immobilized, stiff as a add-in, but well aware of what was happening. He spit. His mouth was working, but try as he might he could not turn his head. He heard Katana screaming in pain somewhere behind him.

"Isn't it delicious, Potter,"Malfoy asked, stepping close. Harry could smell the malodour of the wizard coming. He could not see the red heart burning in their sockets, but he could feel the auras fighting within. Evidently, Malfoy was a bit more difficult to verify than young James Chang Jiang. He wasn't going down willingly.

"Since I was a short boy, I've always loved that strait, the way it penetrates the ear and rings the soul."

"You have no psyche, Tom,"snapped Harry."You're a shell, a third of what you once were."

"And yet here I am, and there you are. A seventh of my power would be enough to destroy you !"bit of tongue splattered against Harry's face - he felt them. The shell appeal protecting his eyes had been broken. Lucius touched Harry's face.

"A few scars… not too bad. And the eyes… well, one can always find eyes from a willing donor."He laughed. Harry could find out the battle raging behind him, but here between the two, time seemed to stand up still. Malfoy slipped off the darkness cloak that had been Voldemort's… the back Horcrux.

"I couldn't posse comitatus you before, Potter ; some silliness about beloved. But this…"He stroked the blackness cloth of the cloak."This will change all that. You might say it's everything inside me that was ever good. Who needs such things, eh ? Ah, yes… you do, don't you ?"He shake up the cloak like a big mantle and wrapped it about Harry's shoulder joint."There. Its innocence always protected me against wayward spells."

"Like a shell surrounding a rotten nut ?"asked Harry dryly."Why put it on me ?"

"Because… with it I can diffuse you, withstand the goodness that binds you. With it I can take control of what I once gave you. Since the Night I killed your parents my spirit, my powerfulness has flowed within the very framework of your being - a 4th Horcrux, you might say. I will use it to take staring control and when I do I will be unit once more. It does become so irksome always having to agitate the Host. But you, ceramicist, you are already me."

"You're mistaken, Tom."

"I think not."Lucius sighed. His head turned by Harry."Your forces are crushed. Once I take your body, I will return to the lair of Singehorn and ruin the only military force that can stand in my way. With the dragons destroyed, Europe will be mine."

"No… don't. I- I-"

"Don't beg, Potter. It's not how you'll want your last second on earth to be remembered. Now,"he sighed again,"this won't bruise a bit."

There was a pocket-sized flicker of intensity in Malfoy's nimbus. Harry watched as the Green River evil began to issue out through his lip and nose like a cestode being pulled from a gut. For a moment, the commons glow hung in the air as Malfoy fell to the reason.

"Don't do it, Tom."

The greens encircled Harry and penetrated. Pain. The coils of Voldemort's essence wrapping itself around Harry's. Squeezing. Probing. Penetrating. Searching. Harry's skull felt as if it might burst forth.

Where is it, ceramicist ? How are you hiding it ?

The coils wrapped tighter, the pain became more vivid.

You have the stone… and the band ! But where is it, that which I truly require ?

"ejaculate closer, Tom… closer."Harry drew in his invader, pulling him dear to his inner self."flavour true pain."

Suddenly, Voldemort found that he wasn't in restraint. The coils of his heart wrapped ever more tightly about Harry's, but it wasn't at his bid. Still immobilized, Harry's inward self fought his enemy, while his outward ego saw the comer of Antreas'army and the retreat of Lucius Malfoy and his followers down the mountainside. It wasn't much long before Voldemort realized that the iniquity with which he had marked Harry was no long there.

Where is it ? WHAT have YOU DONE ?

"Purity of brightness level. sexual love harbours no enemy. supporter these precepts, Tom and be cleansed !"Somehow, Harry was drawing power from the goodness of the robe surrounding him. prospect of laughter, strong laughter from a small boy flashed across his judgment. The pureness, the goodness was too a good deal for Voldemort to bear.

This is not potential !
"But it is, Tom. I've been cleansed. Your king over me, our oneness is no longer."

The scene in Harry's mind showed a small baby being born. The mother, near death, held the nestling in her quivering arms, smiled warmly and kissed his forehead. Seeing this aspect of love, Harry's thoughts betrayed him.

A boy ? You have a boy ? Try as Harry might to stop them, the coils around his essence released. He could feel Voldemort vanish from his body.

"No !"Harry yelled as he fell limp to the ground. Before the swarthiness came, he watched as the green swarm of mist disappeared into the timberland in search of yet another body to possess - Harry's son.


Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 20 - Aftermath
~~~***~~~

She was laughing at him - a joyous, playful laugh that was one part tantalization, one part liquid body substance, and all of it provocative. It was the form of laugh that makes a young man smile back even when he doesn't want to, the kind of laugh that makes the confidential information of the ears turn red, the cheeks flush, and that little spot, somewhere near the tum, twist into a flyspeck air mile wondering if maybe… maybe tonight…. It was the sort of jest that made Harry remember why he had loved her, why he had—

He was laughing at him - a giggly, unbridle laugh, as he jumped all about in the tall Green grass beneath a clear blue sky and a brilliant xanthous sun. It was the variety of joke that made one wish to express mirth along, to dance and play. The sort of laugh that said,"I love you Dad !"and brought Harry to his human knee for a hug and a kiss.

They were, all of them, barefoot, running and playing in the summer's heat, splashing through the cool stream that wound its way about the top of the meadow. Faster ! Faster ! They ran, giggling, to where the J. J. Hill turned sharply down, stopped and looked over the edge - a quiet grassy incline that plunged perhaps twenty metres before it flattened out into another meadow bursting with golden flowers.

Jamie dropped to the ground stretched his stage straight and pulled his hands in finis to his chest. roller with me, daddy ! I'll raceway you down ! Harry grinned and fell to the locoweed. He'd seen kids roll in the fields about Hogwarts, but never had tried it himself. As a nipper in Little Whinging he never had the chance to do anything open air, especially if it might stimulate been enjoyable. He pulled in his weaponry and began to roll.

The tall grass was soft and whisked at his font with each twirl, circle and round of drinks, down the hill. He could hear Jamie laughing, louder and more boisterous than ever before. With a flash lamp and a twist, Harry glanced at his son, seeing joy and felicity, a smiling that would evaporate the coolest of hearts, and… red eyes.

Harry spun once round and looked again. The boy's laughter grew to a greater extent shrill, high and cold, but the fount looked flattened, snakelike. He tried to reach out, to stop himself from spinning, but his branch wouldn't motility. They were pinned to his chest as tightly as his legs were held straight. Faster, Daddy, Faster !

It was as if a titan snake had wrapped itself about Harry's full body ; its enormous volute constricting as he continued to roll, spinning uncontrollably down a hill that had no end. The grass was whipping at his face, tearing at his eyes. He tried, but he could no longer see his son. But the high, moth-eaten voice remained. Are you dizzy, Daddy ? The sky had grown wickedness and cold and the world shuddered as the earth beneath Harry gave way, and he began to plump downward into the abyss.

He woke, each recess of the way spinning about in a different centering. His subdivision flung out as he grabbed grasp of the linen paper covering his bed, clutching them for devout life, trying to steady himself and regain a sense that he was no longer falling, no longer trapped in the nightmare - the first he'd had of Voldemort since last year. Still, clinging to his bed as if it were a single plank in an unfastened ocean, everything twisted, tumbling this way and that. He… he couldn't assistance it. His stomach turning in international nautical mile, he retched out onto his bed, onto the wall, onto the trading floor.

"Falco columbarius, Harry !"

His consistence began to shake, and the nausea swelled up once more exploding out of him. He wanted to brook, to defend on to something more tangible than a flimsy bed pad, but he couldn't ; he was so weak he could barely lift his arms enough to turn his head to one side. It was forged than his hangover after Duncan's hold up party in Little Whinging.

"The potion, by the bed, see if you can get him to take a swallow."

A hand reached out… a drear vile. Harry recoiled.

"Come on, first mate, just one swallow. Marek knows what he's talking about."

"F-Fred ?"Harry asked weakly. The redheaded necromancer, standing in social movement of him, pulled his wand and cleaned the bed and the flooring with a flick of his articulatio radiocarpea.

"red cent, Harry, when will you study that I am so a lot better looking than my furry pal ? Besides… he drools."

"St. George ?"

"smudge on, now take a swig."

Harry turned his head and let George I pour the depressed liquidity into his mouth. He swallowed, and almost immediately the nausea passed. Remnants of the weakness wracking his body still remained.

"punter ?"

Harry looked up at George and found a big, toothy grin. He looked over to the street corner of the way and found Marek, standing near a small-scale wooden desk, smiling. Beside him, hanging from the wall was a black cloak - Voldemort's cloak.

"Bad dream ?"Marek asked.

"Something like that. I thought—"

He could see Marek smiling at him. He could see George's red haircloth. wink, Harry reached up toward his middle.

"Oh, no,"said Marek, gently holding Harry's arm."C. H. Best not to relate for a few mean solar day. I expected you would experience somewhat disoriented once you could see a bit, but I never thought it would be that extreme."Harry was silent, looking about the room - the sheets were whiteness, stained with blotch of dry out rakehell, and there was the wooden table in the far corner. He'd sensed that before, before the fight, but never noticed the carving on its movement grimace - a flying dragon gilded in gold.

"wellspring, go on. What do you see ? blur ? Images ? Flashes of darkness and visible light ?"

"I… I see everything. You… you are George. I thought maybe Fred… Fred ! Is he okay ? Is he— ?"

"He's getting his affair together right now,"interrupted George V."We need to get him home. I think you know why."Harry simply nodded."The boy about here say you had a pretty hefty hand in seeing my brother to refuge, the pigheaded brute."The flap on the door flew heart-to-heart and in walked George's twin.

"Pigheaded ?"he squealed."I'm not pigheaded ! I eat pig-heads for snack. Now you, dear brother… yes, just looking at your expression make's me salivate."Fred started to induce lapping sounds as he stepped skinny to George. Harry wanted to smile, but he couldn't. His eyes were raspy and his visual modality began to smudge - not because of any relapse, but because of the tears beginning to well within them. He did indeed know why George had come to fetch his brother : their mother's funeral.

"So, where's Charlie ?"Fred asked."I thought he was going to bring the portkey and check in on the dragons."

"Probably met some German crone in a pub on his way over here,"answered George.

"I think his gustation lean more… French, don't you ?"

"Oooh, la, la."

There was a legal brief quiet, and then Harry swallowed hard and asked,"How'd I get here ?"

"You don't remember ?"asked Marek. Harry shook his head."wellspring, the way Antreas described it, after he and his violence arrived at the glade, the enemy began to run. It was as if someone simply popped a balloon. Whatever bluster the enemy had, whatever repulse them to attack, disappeared.

"You began to heal the injure, Muggle and Wizard alike. Igneus saw that the battle was over and landed on the field of force, breathed fervour into that stone of yours and you began to bring around like a maniac. There were thirty near end, including Fred there, and you saved nearly every one."

"Nearly ?"

"I'm sorry Harry, but Mikael didn't make it. They had to pull you off when it was clear you were using up your own liveliness force-out. You'd have both been dead."An mental image of Mikael's face flashed across Harry's mind and along with it a memory of thwarting. He had to use his own life energy, not that of the stone. The gemstone's magnate may not be used for members of the Votary. It is forbidden. Harry could remember reaching further and further to notice Mikael's life force, but it had passed into the following sheet. He'd paused between those two woodworking plane, wondering if perhaps he could displace beyond and still institute him back. You can't bring back the dead. It was the last thing he remembered, before the nightmare.

"How long have I been out ?"

"About eight 60 minutes,"answered Fred."We just had lunch."

"Is that how all the Weasleys William Tell clip ? By what meal it is ?"

"Yeah, pretty much,"said George. This was followed by an awkward silence. There was now one less Weasley and, at to the lowest degree in Harry's head, it was all Harry's fault. He wanted to tell them how it happened, but he couldn't find the words. Marek broke the stillness.

"tidings of the engagement got out as soon as the cloud of Dementors lifted,"he said."The minister of religion in Britain asked immediately for news program of the post and the position of his son. We told him the battle had been won, but his son was in no condition to rise down the great deal to where he could Apparate."

"A bit of a Doctor's over protection I'd say,"chimed in Fred.

"So George and Charlie were to derive with a portkey and retrieve their brother."

"And in all honesty,"added George V, seemingly concerned,"he shouldn't have been that far behind me. He said he was going to need fear of a few affair with dad."

"fountainhead he's not much of a crampoon,"said Fred."Now if there was a damsel in hurt here at the chemical compound, maybe then—"Again, the front flap of the tent flew open ; it was Charlie.

"Geesh,"he said with a winded gasp."There you are."His boldness was blossom and travail was dripping from his brow."I didn't see you the unharmed way up. I was only a few minute of arc behind. Why didn't you wait ?"he asked George, and then his eyes narrowed."You don't seem too winded for having just climbed an hour."George III bore a mock look of surprisal, which instantly drew a scowl on Charlie's face ; he knew a rat when he saw his brother."There's no WAY you Apparated here ; it can't be done."

"OH ! That's right,"George VI said."We were going to hike together from the modest perimeter. I… I guess I forgot."George stood, reaching to the corner behind him and grabbing his broom."I thought it might be easier if I just flew up."Charlie looked like he was ready to explode."Sorry, I didn't think you might require to hobble a ride."

"Why you little—"

"Now, I'll have none of that in here,"interrupted Marek. Charlie stopped and pulled his wand back, giving Marek a nice, quick nod of the head.

"right, sir."Regaining his composure, the older Weasley wiped his forehead, but still gave George a look of sodding fire. Then his centre fell on Harry who immediately looked away.

"Hi, Harry,"said the elder Weasley."soundly to see you're well."Harry said nothing in takings. He was afraid that if he spoke it would all drool out in a blubbering mess.

"Gents,"said Charlie,"do you bear in mind if I have a watchword with Harry alone ?"

Marek and, after some cajoling, Fred and George I finally departed, leaving Charlie and Harry to themselves.

"So… I see your eyes are better,"Charlie began. Harry blinked, still not able to keep George's gaze.

"Yeah,"Harry answered quietly with a thin sigh,"a bit better."Charlie pulled up a chairwoman next to Harry's bed.

"Once I get Fred back, there's going to be a help for Mum - with full Ministerial pageantry. Dad never wanted to be Minister ; I think maybe because he knew that the day would come when… one of us… fountainhead, we can't always have heartsease, can we ?"George wiped his eyes with his sleeve and took a deep breather."There's… there's a division of Dad that doesn't want you within ten klick of him…"Harry nodded that he understood,"…and a contribution of him that wants to hold you nigh than the rest of us."Harry looked up and George took his manus ; both their oculus were wet."Harry, you're a appendage of the family. You were as much a son to Mum as I was and we want you at the service."

"We ?"asked Harry pointedly, but Charlie dodged the enquiry.

"tone, if Marek says you're well enough, will you fare with us ? The portkey can take us all."Harry shook his head.

"I… I don't think that—"

"tinker's damn it, Harry ! Don't be as unregenerate as… just say yes. We'll figure out the respite later."

Harry looked up into Charlie's eyes and saw the heartfelt sincerity there. Since his accident on the tar, he'd missed that ability, the ability to look into the Windows of a thaumaturgist's soul and know if the words and the emotions matched. Reading auras he could discern, to some extent, truth from lie, but the subtle shades of desire, the intricate approach pattern of joy and sorrow, those were hidden in the eyes. He could see them all playing about Charlie's grimace and knew that he should join them.

He was about to say he'd go when he remembered the struggle, the putting green Mary Jane, his son.

"Cho,"he whispered suddenly, almost in a terror."I- I've got to see Cho."

"That's where we're going first,"said Charlie. Harry was confused ; why would they be going to France ? Charlie continued.

"I just saw her this break of day with Anthony Goldstein at St. Mungo's."

"Anthony ? Is he— ?"

"He's fine. He's in the same way with Ron. Ron should be released today and from there we can Apparate to the Borough. Susan B. Anthony should get out in a few days, hopefully before Christmas."Charlie continued to sit as Harry sat up with some urgency and put his legs over the border of the bed. Charlie smiled."Cho was holding a babe boy. I guess the two of them… well, you know."

"Yeah, I know,"said Harry standing up and slowly walking over to his clothes that were folded on the board.

"Then we're on ?"asked Charlie.

"We're on."

Harry dressed and then folded the disgraceful cloak over his arm, as the two went out into the expectant cavern. Harry had expected to see it filled with injured, but there were only a fistful of wizards and the few of them were simply standing about talking. Katana was speaking with Antreas and other fellow member of the Votary. Visually, she was more mint than ever. Dakhil, however, was no where to be found. When she saw Harry, she walked over to greet him. She put her arms around him and pulled him close with a hug that nearly broke Harry's back.

"wellspring done,"she said simply."I now understand."Just as she let go, Antreas who was only a few stride behind her espouse Harry about the shoulders, thankfully less forcefully.

"How is Singehorn ?"Harry asked."And Talisan ?"

"mulct,"Antreas said with a smile."They are both hunky-dory. Singehorn is finally well enough and began his journey to the east this morning. tool around the world, not just Dementors and centaur, are using the riposte of Ebyrth to conflagrate old hatred. The war it seems is spreading, and the old necktie must be rekindled among the flying lizard families."

"And Dakhil ?"

"Resting. For the initiative clock time in Clarence Day the sun is shining brightly. We are, all of us, somewhat tired."

"Just one Sir Thomas More matter left to do,"said Harry."I need this stored in the rookery, against the west paries where it will be safe."

"The rookery ?"Antreas asked as Harry handed him the cloak.

"Conceal it near the box to look like the large black granite stone."

"I know the one, but—"

"It's of import that it persist safety, that it quell hidden. The tartar will guard the rookery until the final stage of their fire fails. And Antreas… don't tell Dakhil."Antreas folded the cloak about his own arm and nodded although his hilltop was furrowed.

"Very well, archpriest,"he said with a nod. He glanced at Charlie and then back to Harry."You're leaving us then ?"he asked and Harry nodded.

"Yes, Antreas, as you say there are former battles to be won."A grin snag across Antreas'face.

"Perhaps you face one with my sister for risking your cervix again."

"And yours,"added Harry with his own grin.

"It is honorable to see the glow in your eyes once more."Antreas stepped closer and put his arm about Harry."I have to say that your healing piece of work was miraculous at the basis of the mountain, choosing to mend all rather than just your own soldiers. Mother was rightfield to bestow upon you the Isidor Feinstein Stone. Your heat for life… well, it was something my Fatherhood was once known for ; he would give been lofty. And if one day the champion so pick out, I can imagine of no other that I would rather call brother."He smiled as Harry's expression reddened.

"Well,"said Charlie,"the kin's growing bigger by the minute."He called for Fred and George II to come over as he pulled out a bag that held the portkey, an old leather football game that had deflated. Before they all took grip Harry looked back at Antreas.

"Whatever the future, Antreas, we will always be brothers."

With a tug and a flash lamp they were whizzing their way to St. Mungo's. The way things were spinning, Harry almost wished he hadn't had his seeing back, but before he could regret it too very much it was over. They landed with a clunk on a dark marble floor veined with flecks of gold ; Harry had come to despise that Lucy Stone. Harry fell to one knee while the others remained on their human foot.

"Thank Falco columbarius ! I was beginning to interest. Is he… Harry !"

Harry looked up to find Hermione looking back at him.

"Your centre !"she exclaimed."You can… can you ?"Harry nodded as he stood up. Hermione wrapped her arms about him in a great hug, a sad chortle whispered across his ear."The darkness and the visible radiation. Oh, Harry, it's been madness."

"What do you have in mind ?"

"He's got Draco locked in the Ministry, and he aims to see him tried for the murder of his wife."

"That's ridiculous ! You were there. Didn't you tell him ? Didn't Ron—"

"Yes ! But he won't believe us. He thinks we were too stunned to call back properly. Maybe with time we could change his thinker, but Draco's confessed."

"Confessed ? Confessed to what ?"

"To killing Mrs. Weasley,"Hermione said miserably. The three Weasley Brother came over to solace Hermione.

"It's alright, Hermione,"said George,"They'll tidy it all out in the trial."

"What trial ?"snapped Fred."The ferret confessed."

"genus Draco didn't kill anybody !"yelled Harry."I was there, think ?"His mind moved back to the scene and his voice grew calm."Her hands… her hands were on my shoulders."He reached up as if prehension for the remembering of her soupcon."I tried to stand in prison term, to shield her with my soundbox, but… she tried to save me."Harry smiled sadly in warm admiration."I felt her last breath against my brass and she died in my weapons system, crumpling to the floor."Harry began to thrill."Draco didn't promote his wand against a soul.

"Voldemort killed your mum,"he said, looking directly at Fred,"and saying it was Dragon is an loathing to her storage. molly Weasley could eat the likes of Draco Malfoy for dejeuner and spit him out before supper. I've never seen a woman use a baton the way… the way…"He couldn't polish.

"Harry,"whispered Hermione,"it gets sorry. I need you to come over here and sit down."Harry hesitated."Please ?"George V slapped Harry on the berm.

"Go on,"he said, giving Harry a slight push."We want to hear this too."Harry acquiesced and sat next to Hermione on a wooden Bench. She took him by the manus. In the corridor just outside the Welcoming manor hall, mavin and therapist were walking to and fro. Some recognise each other with hugs of joy, others with tear of sorrow. Here death and lifespan battled daily with one another, a frail counterpoise that had been tossed on its head upon the return of the shadow Divine.

"Now, try to stay calm."Her Book were anything but calming.

"Yesterday, Cho came with the baby to see Anthony,"said Hermione."Everyone believes it's his child."

"Yes,"said Harry dismissively."I don't care what people think, but I do need to see her mightily away. She's still here ?"Hermione nodded, gripping Harry's hands a bit more tightly. Fred, St. George and Charlie were trying to shoot in Harry's statement.

"When she arrived at the infirmary, she asked where Gabriella was. Evidently the two were to run into here, hoping that they might encounter you or at to the lowest degree discern your whereabouts. Only, the thing is, Gabriella never showed. She hasn't been seen since she left Cho and Antonius's house in La Mure."Harry moved to put up, but Hermione held firmly to his manus.

"We just got countersign about an hr ago,"she continued."Lucius Malfoy's men discovered she was your lady friend and they thought she might buy some leverage. They've taken her and are holding her hostage."

"Where ? What do they want ?"Harry's words were sharp, tense up.

"We don't know where yet,"replied Hermione,"but we do screw what they want."She paused.

"Well, what is it ?"asked Harry."hold it to them !"

"They want Draco Malfoy."Harry laughed, as a wave of relief passed over him.

"That's easygoing. He's innocent. Just let him go."

"He's confessed to murdering the Minister's wife."

"This is harebrained !"

"Dumbledore was here a little patch ago,"she said."He met Mr. Weasley in Ron and Anthony's hospital room. I don't know how, but I think he's convinced Mr. Weasley to go ahead with the exchange."

"Then why seaport't they— ?"

"Draco refuses,"cut in Hermione."He swears he's guilty and must be punished. They tried to use Veritaserum, but he's built up some form of drug margin. It won't work."She took a deep breath.

"Then wrap his arse up and get off him to his father with a red bow !"snapped Harry.

"They can't,"answered Charlie."It's Ministerial law. In any prisoner exchange, the prisoner must go willingly. It's to protect those who would go back only to be punished."

"He's not going to be punished !"cried Harry."His father wants him at his side, or… or…"If Voldemort thought that Draco had set him up, convincing him he needed a third Horcrux of goodness…

"Harry, Draco says there's only one way that he'll agree to the central,"said Hermione.

"What's that ?"Harry asked, his intellect distracted by the hypothesis that Draco might actually be in trouble.

"He demands to see you."