A/N: Well, this is my first little stint at authoring, and I'd like to welcome anyone who wants to read it to my story. The characters aren't mine, of course, and neither is the world. I owe J.K. Rowling quite a bit for the unending entertainment she has provided, so I would never claim anything that is hers. I don't pretend to be a great author, but I want to be better, so if anyone has any ideas, suggestions, or comments, please review. The story is more than halfway finished, and I write faster than things get posted, so expect quick updates, and I promise not to abandon the story before it's all done and posted. (Don't expect many author's notes from me either, I just wanted to get all of this out of the way early on.)
Happy Reading - GhostCoon


Chapter One: Leaving for Good


The day was drawing to a close at number four Privet Drive, and for once the atmosphere in the smallest bedroom was warm and cheerful. For once, Harry Potter had his friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, with him. Also, to his immense satisfaction, they were just finishing packing up all of his things and getting ready to leave Privet Drive and his only surviving relatives, the Dursleys, behind forever.

As Hermione finished arranging the items in the trunk, Ron picked up the cage for Harry’s owl, Hedwig, and asked, “Are you still sure you don’t want to go back to school this year?�

Hermione instantly perked up, keenly interested in the answer. She had never been too happy about that decision.

“I’m sure,� Harry responded, “We’ll never have time to search for the Horcruxes and attend classes at the same time.�

Hermione looked dejected, but stayed silent. Truthfully, Harry wasn’t so happy about the situation himself. The best memories of his whole life were at Hogwarts, and Ginny would be there… best not to think about Ginny though. Leaving was partly for her protection as well.

Ron handed the cage to Hermione and picked up one end of the trunk, and muttered, “You can tell that to my mother.�

Harry had nothing to say to this, because he couldn’t imagine anything more frightening in the immediate future than that inevitable confrontation. Except perhaps the one with Voldemort. Although only sixteen years of age, Harry Potter was destined by prophecy to be the wizard to eliminate the darkest wizard in recent history… or die trying.

Harry picked up his end of the trunk and helped Ron carry it down the stairs. The three of them left the house and made their way down the street towards Mrs. Figg’s house, where Ron and Hermione had been staying while Harry was at his relative’s house. They went in and deposited Harry’s things, and spent some time planning the next several days. The plan was to first drop off Harry’s belongings at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix which resided at number twelve Grimmauld Place, and which, incidentally, Harry owned. The wedding between Ron’s brother, Bill, and Fleur Delacour had been postponed temporarily to allow Bill more time to heal from his run-in with the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, so that left them time to visit Godric’s Hollow. That was where Harry’s parents had been killed defending him, and where Voldemort had been defeated by the protection Harry’s mother had given him by dying for him.

“After that, we’ll definitely need time to study more about the Horcruxes, and about who the initials R.A.B. belong to.� Hermione stated. “That means we’ll want access to the library at Hogwarts, although there is probably a lot of material in the library at Grimmauld Place that we can use. There are lots of dark magic texts there, as I recall.�

Hermione loved anything to do with studying, and Harry knew that if they had any hope at all of succeeding, it would be largely due to Hermione’s skillful research. They needed to find three hidden Horcruxes, objects with pieces of Voldemort’s twisted soul imbedded in them, and destroy them, before destroying the last Horcrux which was a snake that was likely to be with Voldemort himself. Then Harry would be able to try and kill Voldemort.

This train of thought was doing him no good. Harry got up to leave for the Dursley’s, where he would be staying his last night. Hermione laid a hand on his arm. “We can do this, Harry. You’ll see.�

Ron was quick to join in, “Seriously, mate, we’ll be done with this business in no time.�

Their confidence in him was gratifying, and Harry grinned back. “I’m sure we will. Now you two have a good night, talking, or whatever it is you two do together.�

Harry smirked as Hermione’s cheeks turned pink and Ron’s ears turned red. They had been getting closer to each other as the summer progressed, and Harry was certain that they were doing more than talking. “You two be good.�

Ron grinned sheepishly and said, “Right. We’ll see you in the morning.�


************


Harry took his time wandering back to Privet Drive. He hated that home and the only reason he was excited about that night was that he would never have to go back after it was over. He was having a difficult time keeping his thoughts on cheerful topics; it seemed like everything that used to make him happy had been overshadowed by the all-consuming quest to rid the world of Voldemort and free himself from the burden of the prophecy. Death had taken too many people from him, and all of those deaths weighed heavily on his mind. He knew what he had to do, but there were so many variables that he didn’t understand, so many questions that he knew he would have, and he had no one to go to for answers now that Dumbledore was dead. He couldn’t stop himself from thinking that he didn’t even have Ginny to go to for comfort anymore. He had let her go to protect her, but he was sure that she probably wouldn’t even take him back if he asked her again. Ron and Hermione tried to tell him otherwise, but he had taken so long to notice her in the first place, and he knew she wouldn’t let herself be hurt by him again.

Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass shattered his thoughts. He stopped and looked around, and at first glance nothing seemed to be out of place. Then he saw what looked like flashlights waiving in the window of the house in front of him, where a nondescript van was parked in the driveway.

Harry’s eyes narrowed, as he pulled out his wand. He knew he couldn’t legally use magic for another week, but he also knew that the family in that house, friends of the Dursleys, was at home, and likely in great danger. He knew he should run to another house and phone the police, but he feared that by the time anyone arrived it would be too late. Harry knew that the Ministry for Magic would let him off of any charges in exchange for favorable press, so he decided to help. Harry crept towards the front door, keeping his eyes open, and making no noise. The door was slightly ajar, and Harry pushed it open slowly, trying to see into the dark.

Without warning, Harry felt something hit him in the side of the head, hard, and saw his wand fly off into the night. Dazed, he realized he was curled up on the ground, and felt something warm and wet trickling down his face.

I’m never going to hear the end of this, he thought. Beat up by Muggles.

His problems grew worse. The burglars from inside the house joined the one who had been left to watch the front, carrying the last of the items they were stealing. Harry was struggling to stay conscious and heard them discussing what to do with him.

“Let’s take him with us; we can use him as a hostage if anything goes wrong on the way to London.� One of them suggested.

“What do we do with him then?� another asked.

“We can dump him in some alley, and no one will find him until we’re long gone.�

Harry didn’t like the way this conversation was going at all, and tried to get up, managing a half crawl. One of the thieves swore and kicked him hard in the side. Gasping for breath, Harry collapsed again, and had time to berate himself for being in such a stupid situation one last time before a booted foot made contact with his head and he passed out.

Chapter Two: Waiting and Worrying



Ron and Hermione waited until Harry was an hour overdue the next day before growing nervous. At first Hermione was annoyed that Harry would be having a lie in and ruining the day’s schedule that she had carefully prepared. When he still didn’t show up, she and Ron decided that they would go and get him, both assuming that he was probably having some difficulty with the Muggles.

They arrived and knocked, and were treated to Mrs. Dursley’s most contemptuous glare.

“What do you want now?� she hissed.

“We just came to see if Harry was ready yet,� Hermione responded meekly, intimidated by such blatant rudeness.

“He left with you yesterday, and I don’t expect he shall return, as I had hoped you would not,� Mrs. Dursley responded angrily.

“He came back here for one last night,� snapped Ron, who tired quickly of anyone speaking to Hermione that way. “Didn’t you see him?�

“I assure you he never came back here last night, so if you have lost him you’ll have to find him elsewhere. Good day.� She slammed the door after she said this, and neither Ron nor Hermione was foolish enough to believe her last words were heartfelt.

They were left at the front door, the first real fear starting to show on their faces.

“What do we do?� Ron asked, desperately hoping Hermione would have the answers like she always seemed to.

“We need to find him, quickly, and we’re going to need help,� Hermione answered. She grabbed Ron’s hand and Apparated to the Burrow.

***

Ginny was in the kitchen helping her mother cook, thinking about Harry. She was doing that more and more lately, and was getting tired of it but didn’t know how to stop. She was furious with him for trying to make decisions for her without asking how she felt about it, and the more she thought about it the angrier she got.

What right does he have to decide what I do for my protection, she thought bitterly. Well, the next time she saw him, he was going to get a piece of her mind. She imagined hexing him in several different ways and savagely pounded the dough she was kneading. She knew she didn’t really want to hex him, and yelling at him was only a precursor to what she really wanted, which was to be with him again. She sighed as her anger partially deflated. It didn’t help that Ron and Hermione got to be with him for the summer and she didn’t, she thought glumly. She would give almost anything to be with them, and decided she would find out if she could floo over to Mrs. Figg’s to see them all for a day or two, if they were still there. She hoped they would come to the Burrow before leaving on whatever silly secret trip they were going on.

Suddenly she looked outside and saw two people running up the driveway, and recognized Ron and Hermione. She looked expectantly for Harry, but could see him nowhere, and began to be worried. The worry intensified when she could make out the looks on their faces.

As they skidded to a halt in the kitchen, she confronted them.

“What’s happened, where is Harry?�

“Harry is missing, we need helpm,� Hermione responded succinctly.

Ginny paled, but her expression was determined. “I’m going with you.�

Neither of them dared argue with her.

***

Once Molly Weasley knew that Harry was missing she was able to round up a good sized search party of Weasleys in no time flat. Arthur came from the ministry, and Fred and George were quick to arrive from their shop, while Bill and Fleur were already there and willing to take part in the search as well. They all traveled by Floo Powder to Mrs. Figg’s home and began searching the neighborhood between her house and the Dursleys, while Mrs. Weasley went to go talk to Mrs. Dursley again to see if she could get any more information out of her. The police line in front of one of the houses was discovered quickly, and Arthur Weasley inquired what had happened. When he was informed that it was a robbery/homicide with three people shot, he demanded to know who the victims were, but they were all residents of the house, which led him to almost collapse with relief. The relief didn’t last, because not long after, Ginny discovered Harry’s wand a few feet away from the property line of that house. Ginny had tears running down her face, and Arthur took her into her arms, also knowing that Harry, the biggest target of Lord Voldemort, was somewhere alone with no means to defend himself. He didn’t know what he would do if the boy that had saved the lives of so many of his family was dead, but he knew that Ginny would be completely devastated.

“We need to get the Order involved,� he whispered, and he could feel Ginny nodding in agreement against his shoulder.


*********


A week had passed since Harry had gone missing, and Ginny felt like she was starting to lose touch with reality. She kept Harry’s wand with her at all times, hoping for the chance to give it back to him, and listening for any news from anyone in the house. Mad-Eye Moody had begun to search through Muggle police records while others were discretely searching everywhere they thought Harry might have turned up. Ron and Hermione had informed them that Harry could Apparate in an emergency, so they had to assume that he was either in a place where that wasn’t possible or that he wasn’t physically able to do so. The only good news was that they had discovered that Voldemort was furiously searching for Harry himself, and that was only good insofar as the fact that he hadn’t already managed to capture him. After the fourth day without any further information on Harry, Moody had tried to tell them that the chances for finding Harry alive were no longer good. Molly Weasley had burst into tears, and a disbelieving Arthur had tried to comfort her, while sending furtive glances in Ginny’s direction. She knew they were concerned about her, but she had remained calm.

“Harry is alive, and we have to find him,� she told them simply.

Ron and Hermione, seeing the frustration of the searchers, had called Moody, Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin, and Ginny into a private meeting in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place.

Hermione looked at them all nervously before beginning. “We can’t give up the search for Harry, because if he is gone, the whole war is lost.�

Ron nodded emphatically while Hermione related to all of them the prophecy that made Harry the hope of the wizarding world.

All of them had been shocked, but Ginny was the first to recover enough to respond.

“Everything they’re saying about him being the Chosen One is true…� she began tearfully, “Why didn’t he tell me… us?�

Ron put an arm around her and said, “Dumbledore didn’t want too many people to know about the prophecy, and Harry wanted to protect you.�

It was the wrong thing to say.

“WELL HE CAN FORGET ABOUT PROTECTING ME AND START WORRYING ABOUT HIMSELF,� she raged. “THE NEXT TIME I SEE HIM HE’S GOING TO NEED A LOT OF PROTECTING!�

She was set to continue, but McGonagall interrupted her.

“This does change everything. We need to get back out searching immediately. I hope you know we would never have given up on Harry regardless, but this makes everything more urgent,� she said, before taking her leave.

“We’ll find him,� Moody stated gruffly, as he made his own way out.

Ginny had taken to wandering around the house, hoping to catch any news from anyone since then. Hermione had given up being very useful in the search for Harry early on, and had insisted that she could do Harry more good doing research of some kind instead. McGonagall had been a little miffed when she would not say what about, but had provided Hermione with a Portkey that would allow her to travel between Gimmauld place and Hogwarts, so she could use both libraries. Ron had stayed as involved with the search as possible, but there was so little that he could do that he began spending more time with Hermione on her strange project. This left Ginny almost completely alone, as they were certainly not involving her, and there was little or nothing she could contribute to the search, especially considering she couldn’t legally use magic outside of school.

This all contributed to her continuously deteriorating mood, and anyone coming back knew not to say anything at all to her unless they had news, because she was liable to bite their heads off. Of one thing she was certain; Harry was going to take her back no matter what he thought of the matter.

Suddenly she heard a loud commotion in the kitchen, and rushed towards the noise. Moody was back and shouting for Arthur, Lupin, and Tonks to come right away.

Ginny arrived slightly before the others, and had to wait for them to catch up.

“We’ve found him and he’s alive!� Moody said, as he prepared a portkey. “He’s in a Muggle hospital in London, but we need to hurry because they released his description on the news, and Voldemort could have heard it as easily as we did.�

This set in motion a flurry of activity, as those who were going prepared themselves.

“What’s wrong with him, how bad is he hurt?� Ginny demanded, dreading the answer.

Moody hesitated visibly, but answered, “We don’t know how badly he’s hurt, but they say he has amnesia; he doesn’t know who he is. We only know it’s him by his description, but the scar makes everything pretty certain.�

Chapter Three: Muggle Trouble


Harry groggily opened his eyes and found himself in the back of the van, which was currently in motion. His head was pounding mercilessly, and the pain in his side was almost as severe. He hoped that his ribs were only bruised and not broken. He could feel his hands and feet tied together, and a filthy bandanna was tied around his mouth, making him want to gag. A man in front of him turned around and saw him awake, and pointed a gun at his head.

“If you make one little sound, you’re dead.� he growled.

Harry closed his eyes in desperation, as he felt a wave of nausea course through him. Everyone will be looking for me, he thought miserably, including Voldemort, but no one will know where to look.

He didn’t know how long they had driven before he woke up, and he couldn’t tell how long they were driving afterward, but it was night and he could tell they were in London. If they would just dump him in an alley like they were talking about he could probably get himself free and find his way to the Leaky Cauldron. He was beginning to be hopeful of this when the van quietly pulled into a dark alley and the door opened. He was grabbed roughly and dragged out of the van, almost passing out when one of the thugs grabbed the hair around the cut in his scalp. He looked at Harry with a sneering grin, and then Harry saw the gun in his hand. He looked up, panicked, as the gun was pointed at his midsection and tried to scream as the gun let out a muffled pop. He felt a searing pain in his gut, and could dimly feel himself falling to the ground. His head hit the ground with a loud crack, and the world went black.


***********

Harry clawed his way slowly back to consciousness, and felt deep aching pain all over his body, but concentrated especially in his head and abdomen. He had no idea how long he had been out, and only had vague memories of strange dreams, flashes of images moving too fast to really understand, and all accompanied by the haunting tones of the song of a phoenix. He opened his eyes but everything remained pitch black, so he decided that it must be night where ever he was. He could hear the beeping and whirring of machines, and decided that it sounded like a hospital from a Muggle television show, and that seemed to be a safe assumption of where he was. He groaned as a slight shift brought a fresh surge of pain.

“So, you’re finally awake. You gave us all a good scare.�

The friendly voice startled Harry, coming as it did from the darkened room.

“How… how long have I been out? Are you a doctor?� Harry asked, his voice hoarse from not being used.

“We’ve had you here for about a week, and yes I’m Doctor Hedges. You came in with severe head trauma and a bullet wound to the abdomen that did a fair bit of damage, not to mention some bruised ribs and other minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises. We removed the bullet and had to repair some internal damage, but everything seems to be healing quickly. We had to report the bullet wound to the police and they want to know what happened. You weren’t carrying any identification so we haven’t been able to notify any family either. Could we start with your name?�

Harry blinked several times, and tried to think. If he said his name, it would just as likely be Voldemort himself that would show up. If he didn’t give his name, the Order wouldn’t know where to find him either.

“Can we turn on the lights please?� Harry asked, trying to buy more time to think. There was a long pause, and then Harry could hear the doctor moving around in front of him.

“What are you doing?� Harry inquired nervously, a deep unease settling into the pit of his stomach.

“Son, the lights are on…� the doctor began, and then hesitated. “This could be a side affect of the head trauma, and we’re going to need to run some tests, but your eyes aren’t responding to motion or light. Can you see anything?�

Harry couldn’t. He was blind.

The next several hours flew by in a blur for Harry, as several tests were run that all confirmed the initial opinion that Harry was suffering complete loss of vision caused by unknown damage from the trauma to his head. The doctors couldn’t confirm whether it was permanent or not, but assured Harry that there were cases of the situation being temporary. Harry had decided on telling the doctors that he didn’t know who he was or how he got there, guessing that it would be at least partially plausible because of the blows to his head, and that it would save him from having to answer the questions of the police, while putting his dilemma about anyone finding him on hold.

Finally he sat alone, at least as far as he could tell, silently trying to come to grips with the reality of his situation. He felt despair begin to overwhelm him, but pushed it down, trying to convince himself that Madame Pomfrey would be able to fix everything with a wave of her wand; she had always been able to fix all of his many and varied injuries. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to come up with a plan for making it to her. He didn’t want to attempt to Apparate when he was so weak, and he knew that he couldn’t Apparate into Grimmauld Place or Hogwarts, and he would never find his way to them from the outside because he couldn’t see. Once outside the hospital he would be a target, and completely helpless without either sight or a wand.

Finally, having come to no decent conclusion, Harry began to drift into sleep. Once again the flashing images returned, along with the trilling cry of a phoenix. The pictures came in a terrifyingly fast succession, and Harry felt that had he been fully conscious he would have vomited. He could almost make out some of the images, as wand movements, and pages from books, but some were more than just images. Some seemed more like thoughts and ideas. What little consciousness Harry had maintained wavered, and he slept while the images continued their insane dance in his mind.

***

When Harry woke again his eyes opened to the same blackness that had become his prison. He heard movement, and started, before he heard the calming voice of Dr. Hedges again.

“How are you feeling today? Is there any change in your vision, or have you been able to remember anything?� the doctor asked kindly.

“I still can’t see anything, and I don’t know any more than I did yesterday,� Harry stated truthfully.

“Well, we released your description to the news, so we should hopefully hear from someone soon. You have a very distinctive scar on your forehead, so if anyone does know who you are they will know it’s you. We are somewhat concerned about the lack of a missing person’s report out for you, but we are certain someone is looking for you somewhere, so don’t worry. We’ll get you back where you belong.�

Harry smiled and tried to appear reassured, but the news terrified him. He needed to get away from where he was, because if a Death Eater came for him first, it would all be over. He assured the doctor that he would eat the food a nurse would bring him and then get some more sleep, but his foreboding and his frustration over not being able to feed himself eventually led him to claim he wasn’t hungry. He demanded to be left alone so that he could sleep.

After the door to his room closed, Harry listened carefully for several minutes trying to make certain no one else was in his room. Satisfied, Harry settled back and tried to think. As his thoughts drifted to his strange dreams, he thought of the phoenix song, and wished that Fawkes would come as he had in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry remembered that Fawkes had been able to allow Dumbledore to appear and disappear even in Hogwarts.

Without thinking, Harry raised his hand and said, “Fawkes!� and felt a rushing sound and what sounded like a faint echo of the call of a phoenix, which was followed immediately by the same call, only louder and appearing to come from his room.

Harry was stunned as he heard and felt something land on the edge of his bed and reached out. Sure enough a bird was there, and as far as Harry could tell it was Fawkes, as he stroked the bird’s head. He also suddenly felt the presence of the phoenix within his mind, and knew that the bird wished him to grab onto his tail feathers. Harry did so, and felt the phoenix leap into the air before there was a loud rushing sound and a flash of intense but not painful heat. Suddenly, the phoenix feathers were gone from his hand, and he was no longer in a bed, but lying on a cold hard floor, and the sounds of the hospital room were replaced by a deep silence that was soon broken by a piercing shriek.

Chapter Four: Home Again



Arthur moved swiftly through the hospital, with Remus and Tonks behind him, and Moody somewhere close by under an invisibility cloak. A few questions and a Confundus charm gave them the right ward and room, and after ascending several flights of stairs they emerged into a brightly lit hallway. Arthur froze at the sight of two men standing outside of what was supposed to be Harry’s room, one of them obviously a doctor, and the other obviously a poorly disguised Death Eater.

“If he has no memory and he’s blind and been shot, how could he have possibly vanished?� the Death Eater demanded angrily.

He got no more information, however, as he caught sight of Arthur and Arthur launched a series of unpleasant spells that were backed up by both Remus and Tonks. The Death Eater didn’t even try to fight and just Disapparated instantly instead. Arthur continued on to the doctor without pausing, while Tonks and Moody began modifying the memories of the few nurses and orderlies that had been present. After a long conversation with the doctor, Arthur modified his memory as well.

Lupin appeared to be beside himself with worry. “Is what we heard true?� he asked desperately.

Arthur’s face was unreadable. “The doctor confirmed it. Harry is blind, and he vanished earlier today, though no one saw him leave his room.�

“Could he have Apparated? Where would he have gone?�

Moody stumped up and joined the discussion. “Don’t worry, laddie,� he said slapping Remus on the back, “at least we know You-Know-Who doesn’t have him yet.�

Arthur responded in a whisper that only Moody could hear, “But he does know that Harry is blind.�

Tonks put a hand on Remus’ arm and tried to smile. “We’ll find him yet," she murmured softly; Remus seemed to take confidence from her words, and nodded.

“Let’s get back to headquarters,� Arthur said softly. “I don’t look forward to telling Ginny.�

Moody shuddered and responded, “I should think not! I don’t reckon I’ll be staying around for that battle.�



**********


Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place, drinking tea, and waiting impatiently for her father to return. She had been furious when they wouldn’t let her go with them, but Moody wouldn’t budge on the matter. She had then spent a good deal of time brooding about this latest news, trying to convince herself that even if he had lost his memory she would be able to help him remember, or at least convince him to give them a chance at a relationship.

Ron and Hermione were still in the library, but had been wandering around the house at other times, and both appeared excited about something. Ginny was getting frustrated with their close-mouthed ways and was just getting ready to go yell at them on principle, when a huge burst of flame appeared in the middle of the kitchen. The flash was brief, and as it disappeared she saw a man she didn’t recognize lying on the floor. She screamed, pulling out her wand, and as she did the figure seemed to visibly sag with relief.

“Ginny?� the figure inquired tentatively, as he turned his face towards her. His eyes never seemed to find her, but she recognized his voice and those eyes.

“Harry!� she shrieked, and rushed to his side, taking him into her arms and kissing him gently on the lips. He knows who I am! she thought exultantly, as she pulled back to examine him. His head was wrapped in bandages and, from what she could see, his hair had been shaved off. He appeared battered and bruised, and there was a large bandage wrapped around his stomach. He appeared to be in a great deal of pain, and his eyes had still not found her.

“Harry, where have you been, what happened, are you alright…� she began.

“Ginny?� he asked again, interrupting her, before his eyes closed and his body sagged in her arms, and she felt blood begin to leak out of the bandage around his stomach.

“RON! HERMIONE! COME QUICK!� she screamed, as she held Harry’s broken body. They rushed into the room and both gasped in shock when they caught sight of him.

“Is that… Harry?� Hermione asked, in a tone both skeptical and frightened.

“It is, and I need your Portkey to Hogwarts, he needs to see Madame Pomfrey.�

Hermione nodded, and pulled out the Portkey. She appeared to want to activate it for all of them, but Ginny insisted one of them stay.

“Someone will need to tell Dad and the others where he is,� she reasoned. Her look dared them to suggest it be her, but neither of them was foolish enough to try it. Hermione decided to stay while Ron picked Harry up and disappeared with Ginny.

They appeared in the entry of the castle, and Ginny raced ahead of Ron towards the hospital wing, screaming for Madame Pomfrey. She was in her office and rushed Harry into a bed, muttering about Harry’s inability to stay out of trouble even over the holidays. Her expression became grim as she worked on Harry, but she made no comment. Ron put a comforting arm around Ginny and both of them settled in to wait.


**********


Harry opened his eyes again after another bout of flashing picture dreams, but the world was still dark. He could feel that he was in a warm bed again, but it was definitely not the Muggle hospital. He felt a hand touch his face, and flinched back in fear, before hearing a voice call his name.

“Harry, it’s me, Ginny.� He instantly relaxed into her touch, and remembered hearing her briefly before he had passed out. He heard other voices and movement, and tensed again.

“Where am I? Who else is here?� he demanded, frustrated that he couldn’t see for himself. He heard a chorus of people responding with their names, and ascertained that all of the Weasleys but Percy and Charlie were there, along with Remus, Tonks, Moody, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall.

“You are in the hospital wing again Mr. Potter,� came the familiar voice of Madame Pomfrey, “and you were in worse shape than is usual even for you. I don’t even want to begin discussing how much damage I had to fix from what those muggle doctors did to you. The only good that can be said about them is that they didn’t let you die and they didn’t kill you. Luckily, everything seems to be in order now.�

As she said this last bit, Ginny’s hand was replaced by Madame Pomfrey’s on his head, and he heard her wand swishing around above him. His head felt strange against her hand, and he suddenly groaned.

“My hair…� he whispered.

“Your hair will grow back, and we might even give you a hair-growing potion later if you so desire, but for now I decided to concentrate on what was the most urgent.�

“What about my eyes?� Harry said haltingly, distressed that everyone knew that he was blind but knowing that they would all know eventually anyway. Harry could hear the frown in Madame Pomfrey’s voice as she answered.

“We will have to start you on a series of potions for you eyes, and if it works it will take several months, maybe even a year, before your sight will be completely restored, though you should see some improvement before that.�

“If it works?� Harry asked, fearing the answer.

“Blindness has never been an easy thing to cure, and you have gone without magical treatment for some time after the injury was done. Still, it could be that your sight would return on its own even without the potions. Don’t worry, Mr. Potter. We’ll take care of everything we can, and the rest will work out.�

Harry had never heard such words of comfort from Madame Pomfrey before, and even though they were of little to no comfort, he was touched, and he nodded.

Ron could no longer hold his silence and said, “What the bloody hell happened, Harry?�

Several of the women in the room chided Ron for his language, but there were similar demands from others, so Harry sat back in his bed and told them almost everything he knew, leaving out what he knew about Fawkes, and ending with “I’m not sure how I got here after that, though I’m pretty sure I didn’t Apparate.�

Ginny told how she had found Harry in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, mostly for Harry’s benefit as everyone else had already heard the story.

Arthur also told Harry what had transpired at the hospital, and while he was pleased that no one had been hurt, he was also deeply troubled by the fact that Voldemort knew he was blind and helpless.

“You really had us in a panic with that amnesia bit, Harry,� Arthur finished sternly, though the amusement was plain in his voice. The twins also thought this was hilarious, as Harry apologized sheepishly.

“I didn’t know what else to do,� he said quietly.

Everyone noticed that he was growing quieter as the conversation continued, and they all assumed he was tired and needed more rest, which opinion was greatly encouraged by Madame Pomfrey shooing everyone away from her patient. Still, McGonagall, Remus, Tonks, and Moody remained with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione.

Hermione was the first to speak after the doors shut, and Harry started at the sound of her voice, and demanded to know who was present again. After telling him, Hermione continued.

“Harry, after you were missing for a few days, Ron and I thought it was best for everyone here to know about the full contents of the prophecy. We’re sorry if you didn’t want that, but we thought it was the right thing to do.�

Hermione was expecting an outburst after this revelation, but Harry hardly reacted at all.

“That’s fine.� he said stoically, “I’m sure everyone here can keep what they know to themselves, and I trust you all.�

Ginny squeezed his hand as he said the last part, but he didn’t squeeze back.

“I really need some rest,� he told them. “Could you all give me some time alone?�

All of them except Ginny answered, but he felt her hand leave his. He maintained his calm expression until the footsteps had faded and the door closed, before slumping down in his bed.

***

Ginny watched as Harry’s face sagged in complete desperation, and began to grow nervous. He wouldn’t want her to witness this uncharacteristic show of helplessness. His eyes shone with unshed tears and stared blankly in random directions. That was still hard to come to terms with, but she could get used to it if it didn’t get better. This confrontation had to come sooner or later, and it may as well be sooner.

“Harry?� She asked tentatively, and saw him sit up quickly in surprise.

“Ginny! What are…? Please, just leave me alone,� he said desperately, swiping at the tears that had been dislodged by his sudden movement.

“I’m not going anywhere until we’ve had a chance to talk,� she said firmly.

“About what?� he whispered, barely loud enough to hear.

“About us! You suddenly decided that we couldn’t be together for my own protection, and you couldn’t even protect yourself. Now I’m wondering about your judgment in matters concerning people’s protection,� she stated, attempting to lighten the mood.

Harry’s mood obviously wasn’t lightened. His eyes were filled with anguish as they stared at some unknown point past her while he answered.

“I understand.�

“Understand what?� Ginny asked, confused.

“That you don’t want to be around me anymore. Everyone with any connection to me at all will never be safe until this is over, even if we’re just friends.�

“Harry, you daft prat, that’s not what I’m saying at all! I’m saying we’re back together no matter what you say. Maybe, since you think I can’t make take care of myself, and I know you can’t take care of yourself, we can take care of each other instead.�

His eyes opened wider in disbelief, and he could hear the smile in her voice, and what sounded like genuine affection, mixed in with the anger.

“How could you…? How could you mean that, knowing about the prophecy? I’m blind! I’m practically helpless, and I won’t likely live through any confrontation with Voldemort. I would only be a… burden on you for the short time I’m alive.� He finished hopelessly, certain that she would see reason and leave him.

“I don’t care if you’re blind, Harry. We’ll work that out, and we’ll figure something out with Voldemort too, even if I have to stand next to you and tell you where to point your wand. I was ready to take you back even if you didn’t remember who I am. You’ve made enough of my choices without giving me a chance to decide for myself, now I’m making a choice for you, and this is final.�

He could hear her voice soften as she whispered fiercely, “I love you, Harry.�

Harry was stunned. This couldn’t possibly be true, but he couldn’t think of any reason she would tease him about this. She wasn’t cruel, and she sounded sincere, but he just couldn’t reconcile her decision with his situation.

Thinking desperately that he needed some way to know if she was serious, he acted without knowing what he was doing. His eyes closed and he thought the word Legilemens!

Ginny watched the confusion and disbelief on his face, and was desperately trying to come up with a way to convince him of her love, when his eyes closed and his expression changed. Suddenly, images of Harry were flashing through her mind, her thoughts and feelings all brought to the surface, and she could feel Harry’s familiar presence among them all. She watched as his eyes snapped open in wonder and the presence faded from her mind. Tears were again building up in his eyes, but he appeared incapable of saying anything.

“Did you… just read my mind?� she asked shakily, unsure of what was happening.

He nodded slightly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing, I shouldn’t have…� he stammered, horrified he had intruded on her in that manner.

“So you know I’m serious,� she interrupted him.

He nodded again.

“Why?� he asked, once again in a barely audible whisper.

“Because I love you, Harry, and I think you’re worth it, even if you are an idiot who couldn’t see what’s right in front of him even if he could see.�

“I… love you too.� He said quietly.

That was the cue she had been waiting for and she threw herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him fiercely, and the kiss was returned with earnest as his arms wrapped around her waist. She held him and let him hold her for some time, before she pulled back enough to look at his face.

“How did you do that, Harry?�

“Do what?�

“Read my mind. Have you always been able to do that?� She was glad he couldn’t see her blushing.

“No! I really don’t know how I did it. I just needed to know that what you were saying was real and I just knew how to find out.�

“I’m glad you know I mean business, Harry,� she began, but continued grumpily, “I just don’t think it’s fair for you to read my mind when I can’t read yours.�

Harry pulled her close into his arms again, and closed his eyes once more. Again he thought the word Legilimens, but this time instead of putting himself into her mind he pulled her into his, allowing her to see his feelings for her. She gasped as she realized how terrified he had been upon learning he was blind, not that he could no longer see, but that he wouldn’t be able to find his way back to her, and that she would never take him back as he was. She was able to see that he cared as much for her as she did for him, and her heart swelled up as her eyes filled with tears.

“Thank you, Harry.� She whispered, as she sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Do you know how you did that?�

“I know how I did it, I just don’t know how I knew how to do it,� he responded.

“So, are we back together?� she demanded.

“I’m glad I don’t have a choice in the matter; you already made the right decision for me,� he answered, his voice heavy with emotion.

She was about to respond when the door opened again. She was about to pull away, not wanting to embarrass him, but he pulled her back.

“Who’s here?� he asked in a whisper, and she could hear his frustration at not knowing what was around him.

“Ron and Hermione,� she whispered back. “If anyone else comes in, I’ll let you know who it is.�

He nodded gratefully, and allowed her to pull away, but only far enough to stand comfortably next to him, and he kept an arm around her waist. He turned his face toward the sound of footsteps coming closer, and waited for one of his two best friends to speak.

Ron broke the silence first.

“It looks like you finally came to your senses about Ginny, mate.� Ron began jovially.

Harry grinned. “I didn’t have much of a choice, but at least I realized that before she had to hurt me.�

Ginny swatted his arm, but was pleased to hear him back in a good mood, and to see him smiling.

“Harry, we’re so glad you’re back safe,� Hermione started.

“And that I’ve learned my lesson about underestimating muggles,� Harry muttered.

“That too,� Hermione answered with a smile, before continuing. “Can Ron and I talk to you alone?�

Ginny started to move, but Harry pulled her tightly against his side.

“You may as well tell Ginny everything too. I can’t even keep my thoughts from her anymore, so she’d find out anyway.� Ginny’s heart soared with pleasure that Harry wouldn’t let her be excluded.

Hermione agreed hesitantly, but began to explain everything they knew about Horcruxes to Ginny.

“Hermione and I were helping with the search, but when we realized we couldn’t do much we decided to continue the research so that we could have information for you when you got back.� Ron added after Hermione was done.

“Harry, we think we’ve found one of the Horcruxes!� Hermione exclaimed, obviously proud of the pronouncement.

“Where is it?� Harry asked excitedly, “where is it located?�

“No, Harry,� Ron answered, “We have it.�

Chapter Five: Unknown Knowledge


Harry’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“You have it? How? Where was it?�

“We’re not positive, Harry, we just think there’s a really good chance.� Hermione interjected, not wanting to build his hopes up too high. “We were searching for anyone with the initials R.A.B., and Ron came across Sirius’ brother’s name in a Black genealogy book. Regulus Black had turned on the Death Eaters before he died, and we wondered if he might have accomplished anything against them.�

“It was completely on accident really, I just picked up the first book I saw,� Ron said with obviously false modesty.

Hermione smiled at him and continued, “And then we remembered the locket we found when we were cleaning the house, the one that no one could open. We thought at first that Sirius had thrown it away or that Mundungus might have taken it before he got arrested, but we searched the house anyway, and found it with all of the other junk Kreacher had saved in his room.�

As she said this, Hermione reached out and took the hand that wasn’t around Ginny’s waist and placed a silver locket and chain into Harry’s palm. Harry took his other hand away from Ginny and ran his fingers over the surface of the locket frowning, though he smiled slightly again when Ginny just tightened her hold on his shoulder.

“We know it doesn’t look exactly like the locket you described, but we thought…� Hermione began, but trailed off as she realized that Harry was muttering incantations under his breath and waving his hand over the locket in very precise movements. She started to interrupt, certain that Harry couldn’t possibly know what he was doing, but Ginny silenced her with a look and a shake of her head. Harry was no longer frowning, and suddenly smiled as he said one last spell and tapped the locket with his finger. The locket appeared to melt slightly before suddenly changing its appearance, and becoming what was obviously Slytherin’s locket.

“Harry! How…� Hermione began again, but was stopped by a gesture from Ginny once more.

“Regulus must have gotten the locket back to Grimmauld Place and failed in his attempts to destroy it,� Harry answered. “He knew the Death Eaters were after him, and he didn’t want Voldemort to know that he had managed to remove the Horcrux from its spot, so he changed its appearance. It probably saved his family’s lives as well.�

“How could you possibly know that, Harry?� Hermione demanded, astonished at what he had done without a wand.

“It was in the spells around the locket,� Harry answered. “It was warded from Dark magic both within and without, but when I held it, it triggered another spell that was easily detectable and let me know that it wasn’t what it appeared. He wanted this found, just not by the wrong people.�

“I never felt a spell triggered when I touched it,� Hermione muttered, displeased that Harry would know something she didn’t, and call it easy at that.

“Well, it was very subtle,� Harry said sheepishly, hearing her tone and knowing she wasn’t happy with this turn of events.

Hermione started to ask yet another question, when Ginny interrupted her.

“How are we going to destroy it if Regulus couldn’t?� she asked, feeling that somehow Harry would have the answer and wanting to test the theory.

Harry’s face became thoughtful, as he pondered the question. When he spoke he didn’t provide an answer.

“Everyone get behind me,� he whispered. Ron moved immediately, and pulled Hermione with him when it appeared that she wanted to argue. Ron was beginning to think along the same lines as Ginny, though he was more nervous about it. Ginny stayed where she was with an arm around Harry’s shoulder, and he turned his face in her general direction and smiled reassuringly, so she assumed her place was acceptable.

Harry once again faced the locket in his palm and raised his other hand in the air. He began muttering spells under his breath again, and the locket began to float above his open hand. With blinding speed it shot into the center of the room and hung in the air. The lights in the room almost seemed to dim, as Harry’s muttering grew louder and an eerie wind that seemed to come from nowhere and have no direction filled the room. Ginny’s arm tightened on Harry’s shoulder involuntarily, but he wasn’t distracted. Both of his hands were moving now, and a large spherical shield had appeared and shimmered all around the locket. Light began flashing around the locket, and suddenly the entire area within the shield was filled with a brilliant white fire that caused everyone but Harry to flinch and avert their eyes. The fire continued for a few seconds, before Harry’s voice grew loud and firm and there was an incredible muffled thump, a sound more felt than heard, and the floor shook briefly under their feet. The fire was gone, replaced by thick grey smoke, and the shield disappeared allowing the smoke to billow up towards the ceiling.

Harry collapsed back into his bed, exhausted, and Vanished the smoke with a casual wave of his hand; obviously he had known it would be there as there was no way he could have seen it. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood there in shocked silence as the obviously cracked locket zoomed back into Harry’s outstretched hand.

Hermione was obviously about to demand an explanation, when the doors burst open. Harry turned towards the door and wrapped one of his arms around Ginny’s waist again, while hiding the hand with the locket under the bedclothes. Ginny leaned down and whispered that everyone that had been there before was back, and they all had their wands out.

“What in Merlin’s name is going on here?� Professor McGonagall demanded, while everyone else put their wands away upon seeing no immediate danger. “We leave you alone for a few moments, and then there is enough magic pouring out of this room to destroy the castle, and then the floor shakes under our feet as though you were trying to do so!�

“Harry…� Hermione began.

“Was just testing out a few simple spells to see if he still could,� Harry finished, attempting to sound innocent and failing miserably. No one in the room believed he was telling the truth.

“I was beginning to think Ginny had cursed him,� Arthur told the room at large, “But I see he came to his senses before that became necessary.� Everyone chuckled at comment, and Ginny and Harry both blushed, but neither relinquished their grip on the other. Ginny smiled brightly at her father, who smiled back, while Molly Weasley appeared to have tears in her eyes.

“All right, Harry?� Lupin asked, openly concerned about Harry, who was slumped back in exhaustion.

“I’m fine…� Harry began, before being interrupted by Madame Pomfrey.

“I shall be the judge of that! I believe I recall demanding everyone allow my patient some rest, and here I find him using enough magic to pull down the ceiling. Everybody out! I expect you to really get some sleep this time.�

As everyone began to file out, Harry demanded that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny be allowed to stay for at least a few minutes longer. Madame Pomfrey frowned, but relented after Harry’s assurance that they wouldn’t stay long, and that Harry would take the first of the potions for his eyes which she left on his bedside table before leaving. The three who had been asked to stay watched as Harry downed the potion, which was thankfully not nearly as bad as others he taken.

Surprisingly, it was Ron that beat Hermione to speaking first.

“Harry, that was wicked! How in the world did you do that?�

“I don’t know exactly,� Harry said, and would have said more, but Hermione gasped.

“Don’t tell me you were doing that without knowing what it was, Harry, that was really powerful magic, and that could be really dangerous, especially without a wand…�

“I knew exactly what I was doing, Hermione, but I don’t know where I learned it. I just knew it would work, so I did it. I don’t think I can explain that right now, but maybe if you give me a night to think about it I can tell you more. By the way, where is my wand?�

Ginny pulled out his wand from her pocket and told him she had it. Harry handed Hermione the locket and asked her to hide it somewhere safe, before taking the wand and holding it in his hands, a thoughtful expression on his face. He reached over and placed it on the bedside table, and seemingly forgot about it, though he thanked Ginny profusely for keeping it safe for him. They made small talk for a few moments before Harry asked shyly if someone would help lead him to the bathroom.

Ginny smiled and took his arm as he got up out of his bed, and led him to the right door.

“Will you need any help in there?� She asked sweetly, and Harry felt his face flush scarlet.

“I… I think that I can manage, thanks,� he stammered, clearly unsettled, while Ron and Hermione laughed at his discomfort.

Thankfully, he was able to find his own way, and Ginny was waiting for him when he came out. She said nothing as she led him back to his bed, though by now he was leaning heavily on her, and he could barely keep his eyes open. He couldn’t hold back the laugh that burst forth at the thought, realizing it couldn’t matter much whether they were open or not.

“What’s so funny,� she asked suspiciously, as she helped him back into his bed.

“I was just thinking about how you have to guide me around like I’m an old man, and I’m only sixteen. Are you sure you want me around, Ginny?�

“Harry, you know exactly how I feel about you, so you know that I do. And you aren’t sixteen anymore. Your birthday was a few days ago, and you slept through the whole thing.� She responded, while helping him under the covers and making him comfortable.

“Don’t worry, mate, we still have a party planned for you as soon as you are up to it,� Ron informed him, “Though I imagine Hermione will have to return the book she bought you and get something else.�


Hermione slapped Ron’s arm and glared at him for being so insensitive, but to everyone’s surprise Harry burst out laughing. It cheered everyone, and they all felt better seeing Harry’s obvious good humor. Ginny held his hand as they talked for a brief while longer, but Harry was very soon asleep. She put his hand down, and smiled at his peacefully sleeping face, before ushering Ron and Hermione from the room.


**********

Some three hours later, Harry’s eyes snapped open and he sat up in his bed. His sleep had been free of the flashing dreams, and had concentrated instead on Ginny, which was an exceptionally pleasant change. He felt wonderfully well rested, but knew that he hadn’t been asleep for more than a few hours, and somehow he could feel that it was somewhere close to midnight. That feeling reminded him of all the other things he somehow knew, and he sat back trying to think about how he could possibly have learned all of the things he suddenly knew.

It was somewhat frightening, to realize how much he truly did know. He could merely think of a subject and thoughts he had never had before would flood his mind, words from books he had never read and could easily remember. He could recite potion ingredients and the incantations to complex charms; he even knew the advanced theory of the Animagus transformation. That last one brought a smile to his face as he thought of becoming like his father or Sirius. It also somewhat disturbed him to know that he could perform almost all of the spells he knew without his wand, though he also knew that his wand would help him focus his energy and keep him from becoming as tired as he had when he destroyed the Horcrux. He also knew that non-verbal spells would never be a problem for him again.

The answer to the unknown knowledge was somehow tied to the strange dreams and the phoenix song, and probably to Fawkes as well. Harry remembered how his mind had connected with the bird in the hospital, and also how he had summoned him. Once again Harry raised his hand and called the phoenix, to the same effect. Fawkes was suddenly perched on his table, and Harry reached out to stroke the bird’s head.

“What’s happening to me, Fawkes?� Harry asked in a whisper.

Fawkes trilled softly in response, and Harry felt his mind connect to the bird once more, and he was able to see an image of Dumbledore casting an incredibly complex spell on himself and Fawkes, at what must have been some time ago. Harry, with his newfound knowledge recognized the spell instantly, and sat back in astonishment.

“He knew he was dying, so he prepared you to transfer his knowledge to me?�

Fawkes trilled again, and to Harry it was as clear an affirmative as a spoken ‘yes.’

Harry was astonished that Dumbledore would cast such a spell, because once cast, he would have been severely weakened for the rest of his life. Harry could now appreciate all that had happened with Dumbledore the previous year, and why his reflexes had slowed so much in so short a space of time. It was one more debt to pay that Harry didn’t want.

“I didn’t ask for this,� he whispered.

Fawkes sang this time, briefly, and it was a song of comfort. In that song, Harry knew that Fawkes had chosen to stay with him as he had stayed with Dumbledore, as a friend and guardian. Harry thanked Fawkes, and continued to stroke the feathers on his head. Harry, knowing the source of his newfound knowledge, knew also that Dumbledore had hardly ever needed to sleep for more than three or four hours a night.

“What did Dumbledore do with all of his extra time?� Harry asked, knowing he wasn’t going to make it back to sleep that night, and that it would be many hours before anyone else was awake.

Fawkes’ response rang with musical laughter, and Harry was treated to an image of Dumbledore perched over an old book in a dressing gown and wearing large fuzzy slippers, sipping at a steaming mug.

“Oh, bloody brilliant!� Harry exclaimed grumpily. “I’m the most knowledgeable seventeen-year-old in the world, and I’m expected to continue learning. Hermione will love this.� Harry was now actually comforted by the fact that he could no longer see to read.

“I wouldn’t mind having some tea or hot chocolate or something though.� Fawkes’ laughter ended with a flare of heat on the side of Harry’s face, and he knew the phoenix was gone, but his surprise was interrupted by Fawkes’ immediate return, followed by the pop of something Apparating near him.

Before Harry even had time to think, he felt two small arms grab his hand from the bed and heard a sobbing voice.

“Harry Potter is back! Dobby has been hearing awful rumors about Harry Potter being hurt, and that he can’t see, and no one knows where he is…� the house elf wailed, as Harry tried to extract his hand and calm the hysterical elf.

“I’m fine, Dobby, really! I was just talking to Fawkes here about getting a mug of hot chocolate, do you think you could do that for me?� Harry asked, knowing that a task to complete would cheer Dobby right up.

“Certainly! Harry Potter is welcome to anything that Dobby can do for him, any time. He certainly doesn’t need to ask Kreacher to do anything because Dobby will do it better.� Dobby Disapparated and Apparated back with two quick ‘pops’ and Harry felt a hot mug being placed gently into his hands.

“Thanks Dobby,� Harry said, taking a grateful sip from his mug. He could feel Fawkes’ pleasure at helping Harry and amusement at the antics of the house elf and Harry’s annoyance, and chuckled thinking that Fawkes certainly had a well developed sense of humor.

Fawkes trilled proudly at the thought, and Harry could imagine the bird preening. Harry realized that there was now another person in his life he wouldn’t be able to keep his thoughts from, and Fawkes sang to the affirmative once again.

“Is there anything else Dobby can do for the great Harry Potter?� Dobby begged hopefully.

“No Dobby, thank you. You can head back to the kitchens. I’ll certainly call you if I need anything at all.�

Dobby gushed on for a short while longer about how great and generous Harry was, and then was gone.

Harry sat sipping at his mug quietly, thinking about everything he had just learned. As he sat, Fawkes began singing again, and his song was beautiful and happy; Harry enjoyed it immensely, and he could feel Fawkes’ pleasure at his approval. Harry grinned, remembering Tom Riddle calling Fawkes a ‘songbird’ in the chamber of secrets. He had been right, but Harry found it one more thing to love about Fawkes. At this thought he was treated to a series of familiar images from the Chamber, mostly of himself swinging the sword of Gryffindor at the basilisk, and finally killing it. He could also feel the pride Fawkes felt for him at his accomplishments, and so he responded with memories of his own, of Fawkes tearing out the basilisk’s eyes so that Harry had a chance to survive. He shared his gratitude with the phoenix, and felt that Fawkes was somewhat embarrassed at the compliment but pleased as well.

Harry smiled as he finished the hot chocolate and felt beside him until he could set the mug down on the table.

“Well, that took care of about twenty minutes of the night. What do we do now?�

Fawkes’ reply was clearly that he would enjoy whatever Harry wanted to do.

“You’re no help,� Harry grumbled. “Want to attempt to go for a walk?� Harry was suddenly very tired of hospitals in general, and was feeling kind of daring now that Fawkes was with him.

Fawkes sang his approval, so Harry slowly got out of bed and stood up. He felt around for his wand, and then transfigured a bed sheet into a robe and his hot chocolate mug into a walking stick. Fawkes then landed on his shoulder, and Harry could feel him telling him which direction to face to get out.

“Thanks, Fawkes,� he said, somewhat hesitant about moving around, but determined that he wouldn’t spend the rest of his life in bed. Fawkes sang out what sounded like a phoenix battle cry, and they set out.

Chapter Six: Adjusting



As Harry set out from the hospital wing he had no idea where he wanted to go, so he just wandered. Fawkes was exceptionally helpful, giving Harry hints at which way to turn, providing warnings for obstacles like furniture and suits of armor, and being there to laugh at him when he stumbled anyway. This kept Harry in a very good mood, and he was quickly coming to think of Fawkes as less of a bird and a pet, and more as a friend. Fawkes let out a few stern notes, letting him know that that was how he should have felt from the beginning.

They wandered for some time, conversing in their strange way, before Harry was interrupted by the voice of Professor Lupin.

“Harry, what are you doing up and awake, and how did you get up here?�

“Good morning, Professor. I was thinking that I’d been asleep in hospitals for long enough, so I decided to head out. I’m not quite sure where ‘here’ is, but I walked,� Harry answered.

“Call me Remus, Harry; I haven’t been a professor for years now. I’m glad you’re adjusting so well; I can’t imagine trying to maneuver without sight like you are. You are actually just outside the staff quarters, on the fifth floor. Is that Dumbledore’s phoenix?�

“This is Fawkes, yes.� And the phoenix trilled in friendly greeting. “He’s the one who got me out of the Muggle hospital. And he’s been helping me move around too; I don’t think I would have made it anywhere tonight without him.�

Remus reached out and stroked Fawkes’ head.

“It looks like we all owe you a lot of gratitude, Fawkes,� he told the phoenix. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you again, Harry. Your father would be disappointed with me; I should have been able to find you, and I should have put more weight to what you said about Snape and Malfoy last year.�

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,� Harry said bracingly, “Everyone was fooled by that git. What are you doing up this early?�

“I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I would visit the kitchens. Would you like to accompany me?�

“That would be brilliant,� Harry said, sure that Dobby would love another chance to serve them.

Harry felt Remus take his arm, and was grateful for the more direct guidance as they made their way to the kitchens. Remus took the intervening time to regale Harry with old stories about the Marauders, and Harry gave more time to the thought of becoming an Animagus like his father. Several hours later, Harry found himself still seated at a table in the kitchen with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits, laughing along with Remus’ stories.

“So then Lily caught both James and Sirius in full-body binds, and floated them about twenty feet above the lake before freeing them. This was only about five minutes before class, so both of them showed up sopping wet and neither would tell McGonagall why, because neither wanted to admit to being bested by one thirteen year old witch. That got both of them another detention,� Remus finished, laughing himself.

“Where were you?� Harry asked, laughing as well.

Lupin was quiet for a moment. “I was with Peter, watching. We knew better than to get on Lily Evan’s bad side.�

Harry decided he didn’t want to talk about Wormtail at all, and was going to try and change the subject when another voice interrupted.

“Harry! What are you doing awake?� Ginny demanded.

“Good morning, Ginny!� Harry exclaimed happily, and started to rise to greet her. He was almost successful, but tripped over the edge of his chair and ended up flat on his face.

“Harry!� both Ginny and Remus exclaimed, obviously concerned. Harry felt Ginny take his arm, and help him to his feet.

“I’m alright,� Harry said, his face red with embarrassment, “More damage to my pride than myself.� He could feel Fawkes laughing at him in his mind.

Harry tried to ignore that, and used one arm to pull Ginny close to him while he used his other hand to find her face and lips so he could kiss her good morning. She was happy to oblige him, and the kiss went on for some time.

“Hey, kids? I’m still here!� Remus grumbled.

Ginny grinned at him. “Apparently now that Harry can’t see anything, he doesn’t care what anyone else sees.� Harry grinned as well, while Ginny led him back to the table and they both sat down.

“What brings you down so early, Ginny?� Harry asked.

“It’s nearly eight o’clock, Harry. How long has Professor Lupin kept you awake down here?�

Remus shifted guiltily. “Harry kept me up all night telling stories, so you can blame him.�

“Thanks for the support,� Harry muttered, but Ginny was too pleased to see Harry happy and the two of them getting along so well to be upset.

“I had come down to get breakfast for you, Harry, but it looks like you beat me here. Couldn’t you sleep? I thought you were exhausted last night! Is that Fawkes?�

“I was exhausted, and I slept like a baby for about 3 hours. That seemed like plenty of sleep to me when I woke up so I went for a walk.� While he was talking he heard Fawkes take off and land close to him, and assumed that he had landed on Ginny’s shoulder. He could feel the bird’s pleasure at seeing Ginny and grinned.

“Yes, this is Fawkes. He’s happy to see you; he really likes you for some reason.� Harry then received an image from Fawkes, of Ginny bringing a large basket of treats to Dumbledore’s office, obviously for Fawkes, and by her age in the image he could guess that this must have been just after the incidents in the Chamber of Secrets.

“Ah! He says he enjoyed the treats you took him your first year very much.� Harry added.

Ginny was speechless.

“Can you talk to him, Harry?� Remus asked curiously.

“Kind of…� Harry hesitated. “It’s more like sharing feelings and memories than talking.�

“Well, tell Fawkes that I was grateful for him saving my serpent-slaying knight in shining armor.� Ginny said, finding her voice.

Fawkes trilled happily. “He understood you,� Harry informed her.

“Well, I don’t want to interrupt what looks like a fun party,� Ron’s voice suddenly interrupted. He sounded agitated and out of breath. “But everyone is looking for you, Harry. Dad and Mum went to see you in the hospital wing and found you gone again, and everyone has gone mental looking for you.�

“Is it any wonder you got to search the kitchen?� Harry jibed, but he did feel bad that everyone was worried again. “You and Remus had better start heading back to the hospital wing, then, and try and find everyone on your way. Ginny and I will be there before you.�

“How?� Ron asked suspiciously.

Harry’s response was to smile and reach out to grab Ginny with one hand, and reach the other into the air. Fawkes had taken flight and flew so that his tail feathers passed into Harry’s hand, and there was a flash of flame, and all three were gone.

“So he takes her with him and makes us walk,� Ron complained, but Remus just laughed.


**********


Ginny felt Harry’s arm and the sudden heat of the fire, and suddenly she was in the hospital wing. And they weren’t alone. There were exclamations of panic and then relief from her parents and Bill swore quite eloquently. She could also see Madame Pomfrey bustling out of her office, obviously furious. Ginny got the first words in to Harry, though, as she slapped his arm.

“How about a little warning next time, Harry,� she said sternly, though she decided that it was her favorite way to travel so far. Fawkes had appeared with them, but as soon as Harry had let go of his tail he had disappeared again, and Harry was distractedly facing the general direction he had last been.

Harry turned back to face her and grinned.

“Sorry Ginny, but I thought you would enjoy the ride.�

“Where did Fawkes go?� She asked, and he frowned.

Before he could answer, Ginny’s parents were upon them, and Ginny could see they were somewhat furious. Bill was watching in amusement now, and Ginny knew he was anticipating the telling off she and Harry were going to receive. It had always been a game between the two of them, to see who could get out of the most punishment in these situations, and she was determined to prevent him from being too satisfied.

“Harry! Ginny! Have you been together all night?� Mrs. Weasley demanded, and this caught both Harry and Ginny off guard. Harry flushed scarlet and started stammering denials, but Ginny interrupted him.

“Mum! I can’t believe you would think that of either of us, but for your information, I had just barely gone to the kitchen when I found Harry talking with Professor Lupin. They were up all night, not me.�

She could see Bill laughing silently at her response, and he gave her a thumbs up; Harry was the one in trouble now. She took Harry’s hand, and she could see the corners of his mouth twitching. Obviously he knew what she was doing, though she couldn’t tell whether he was amused or annoyed or both.

Harry spent the next several minutes being interrogated by her parents and Madame Pomfrey about how he felt, and why he was out of bed. As other members of the Order arrived in the hospital wing, including Remus and Ron, everyone wanted to know where he had been, and everyone wanted to know about Fawkes turning up. When people asked where Fawkes was now, Harry turned towards the corner he had last been and frowned again, but didn’t say anything. Ginny was curious about his actions, but didn’t say anything either.

Finally Harry seemed to decide he’d had enough.

“I’m sorry I had everyone worried, but I really did get enough sleep. I appreciate your concern, but just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I need someone holding my hand all of the time. Unless it’s Ginny,� he amended, smiling towards her, and she felt her heart soar with love again. “With Fawkes with me I was able to make my way around without falling on my face.�

“Even though you had no idea where you were,� Remus interrupted, grinning.

“That was the point of wandering aimlessly,� Harry retorted, “and I knew that I was still in the castle. I promise I won’t be trying to leave and take on Death Eaters right away, but in the mean time I hope you all can give me at least the illusion of independence.�

“Of course we will, Harry,� Molly said, “But we just got you back after more than a week of being missing, and several days of being unconscious after that. You’ll have to forgive us being protective.� Arthur voiced his agreement, since he knew Harry wouldn’t see his nod.

“So,� Harry began, pretending that the previous conversation had never taken place, “what are we going to do today? I seem to remember someone saying something about a birthday party once I was feeling up to it.�

Everyone laughed, and once Madame Pomfrey was satisfied that he was healthy enough to leave the hospital wing for good, and making him drink a hair growing potion, allowed them all to leave for the Great Hall, where breakfast was waiting for everyone.


**********


Harry was growing a little frustrated with trying to feed himself. Ginny had said nothing as she had fixed him a plate and placed a fork in his hand, and he was grateful for that. Even so, he had no idea what he was trying to pick up with his fork from the different parts of his plate, and he wasn’t having much success keeping things on his fork long enough for them to reach his mouth. It didn’t help that he could feel Fawkes laughing at his frustration.

He assumed since no one had said anything about the phoenix that Fawkes was still invisible, and Fawkes told him that was indeed the case. He had felt the bird disappear from the hospital wing after transporting him and Ginny there, but had also felt his presence remain in the room. It wasn’t until everyone was asking where he had gone that Harry realized that he had become invisible. While trying to appear guilty at the telling off he was getting, he had carried on a silent “conversation� with Fawkes, and learned that Fawkes hadn’t wanted excess attention at the time, but enjoyed watching Harry’s discomfort. He had also discovered how Fawkes had facilitated Dumbledore’s apparent omniscience when it came to knowing what was going on at the school. It was Fawkes who had followed Harry to the Mirror of Erised, and then brought Dumbledore back with him, keeping the headmaster invisible as well. Harry was happy he would no longer need his cloak as much, but wished the phoenix would show more support.

When he had thought this, the image of a newly hatched baby bird squawking for food burst into his mind, and Harry had then lost patience with the scolding around him. And when he had gotten to the part about not needing someone to hold his hand, Fawkes had shared a picture of Ginny’s hand in his, and Harry had had to agree that he did need that, although that served to cheer him up.

Now, though, this attempt at eating was clearly failing. Harry dropped his fork, and was about to ask if he could just get some toast, when Ginny interrupted him.

“Open wide!� she said calmly, and his mouth dropped open in shock. Surely she wasn’t going to feed him like an infant! Apparently she was, because his open mouth was immediately filled with a large forkful of eggs. When he had finished chewing and swallowing, he was about to angrily assert his independence, but Ginny spoke first.

“Don’t get any ideas about getting used to this, Harry,� she said sternly. “I’ll help you until you can do things for yourself, but don’t expect me to do everything for you forever.�

Harry waited for Fawkes to continue laughing at him, but the phoenix had sensed his very real frustration and anger, and instead encouraged him to accept Ginny’s help, providing him with an image of Dumbledore kindly feeding a baby Fawkes after a burning day.

Harry’s angry reply died on his lips.

“This is really hard for me,� he whispered instead, feeling the burning in his eyes and a lump growing in his throat. “Can anyone else hear us?�

“No one is close enough to hear if you whisper, Harry. And of course this is hard for you. You have to learn how to do practically everything over again, and it’s going to be difficult and frustrating. I’m amazed with how well you’re coping with it all,� she whispered back.

Harry reached over and found her arm, and followed it down to her hand which he grasped tightly with his own.

“I just wish I weren’t such a burden on everyone around me, and that I could still do simple things for myself, like eat breakfast. It didn’t bother me to have Remus lead me around, or you, but I’m just starting to realize that I might need that forever. I haven’t even started thinking about all the things I may never be able to do now.�

His voice broke once or twice as he spoke, but he was able to keep his tears back.

Ginny took her hand from his and rubbed his back with it instead.

“Like I said Harry, you’ll have to learn to adjust, and that will mean you need help, at least at first. You saved me from Tom and a basilisk. The least I can do is feed you breakfast a few times. Now, open up. I talked to Mum, and they are planning on having your birthday party here this evening, and we have an Order meeting this afternoon, and you still need to take a shower.�

Harry was grateful for her no-nonsense approach, and willingly allowed her to help him finish his breakfast. Fawkes approved of his returned good attitude and let him know. Harry was amazed as his ability to communicate with Fawkes seemed to be growing by the minute.

After breakfast, Ginny led him to Gryffindor tower, where the Weasleys had all been staying while Harry was in the hospital wing, and led him to his room. His belongings had all been brought here, and she picked out clean clothes for him. He was slightly uncomfortable having her do this, but she just joked about picking clothes that might or might not match, so he didn’t say anything.

As he walked into the bathroom, he nearly had a heart attack when Ginny followed him in.

“Ginny! I don’t care how helpless I am now, there are some things you are NOT going to help me with!� he sputtered.

She merely laughed. “Relax, Harry. I was just going to put your clothes down and help you feel where they are for when you get out. Then I’m leaving.�

She then did as she said, and he was actually very grateful. As he heard the door close and started to unbutton his pajamas, he suddenly had an awful suspicion.

“How do I know that you are gone?� he asked the room at large. Only silence followed. He had just started feeling around the room, trying to make sure she was really gone, when he heard a short bit of amused sounding phoenix song. Fawkes let him know she was indeed gone.

After he showered, he was able to find his clothes as Ginny had laid them out, and made his way back out the door.

“Ginny?� he called.

“She went to go get ready herself, mate,� came Ron’s reply. Ron laughed at Harry’s startled reaction to his voice.

“I know I’m not nearly as good looking as she is, but you can’t be too disappointed since that can’t matter much anymore.�

“Hermione always did say you were an insensitive wart,� Harry snarled, hurling his towel towards Ron’s voice and hoping very much that he hit him.

“That’s not what she says anymore,� Ron answered proudly.

Harry forgot his anger and grinned, as he allowed Ron to take his arm and lead him into the common room.

“So are you two finally together, then?� Harry asked.

“Yes, we finally are,� Hermione replied happily, and Harry jumped again.

“Why do you always get so nervous every time someone new says something, Harry?� Ron asked.

“I… I guess that’s been the worst thing for me so far.� Harry responded slowly. “Not knowing who is in a room with me, who could be listening to what I’m saying, or watching me without me knowing it. I think I’m getting a bit paranoid about it all.�

“Then you probably won’t be very happy to know that we’re in here,� came the voice of one of the twins, though Harry wasn’t sure which. Actually, he didn’t care much which it was, as when he had heard the voice he spun towards it pulling out his wand. He then promptly tripped on a chair, and only Ron and Hermione both grabbing an arm kept him from falling.

“Oh, very graceful Harry,� the other twin laughed. Harry could tell talking to the twins would be an adventure all its own. “I was just saying to Fed this morning that we absolutely had to come and see our friend Harry. Word was out that you were blind, temporarily at least, and we wanted to make sure no one pulled any pranks on you behind your back.�

“Or tried any experimental products on you,� Fred added.

“Or otherwise tried to take advantage of you in your current condition.� George finished.

Harry knew then that the twins were not going to treat him like a baby due to his current circumstances, but didn’t find that very comforting.

“After all,� Fred continued, “This is the least we could do for the guy who tried to dump our little sister and made her miserable for weeks.�

Harry flinched at that comment, and knew that he would definitely be experiencing something unpleasant before the day was out unless he took measures against it. Truthfully, on that score he wasn’t sure he didn’t deserve it. Still, he decided he’d at least make it interesting.

Harry waived his hand toward each twin’s voice and there was a flash of light and a popping noise around each of them. Both were startled and demanded to know what Harry had done. Harry only smiled mischievously.

“I’m sure everyone will find out before the day is over.� Harry answered.

Before anything more could be said, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came down from the room they had been staying in, and Ginny came with them.

“Are we all ready for the meeting, then?� Arthur asked brightly. “Good. To the Headmistress’ office.�

Harry felt Ginny’s hand take his and he allowed her to lead him out into the corridor, while Fawkes flew merrily behind them.

Chapter Seven: No Longer at the Kid’s Table



As they arrived in front of the stone gargoyle, Harry sensed the magic protecting the office and knew exactly where he was. It was a wonderful feeling, he decided. He waved his hand and pulled Ginny forward, unaware that everyone else had stopped in shock.

“How did you do that, Harry?� one of the twins asked in awe.

“Do what?� Harry stopped, confused.

“You made the gargoyle move, without the password!� Arthur exclaimed. “This could be a real security issue for Professor McGonagall, if anyone can just walk into her office.�

Harry cursed himself for not thinking about what he was doing. Fawkes landed on his shoulder and Harry felt the burst of heat that told him the bird was visible again.

“I’m sure it was just Fawkes,� Harry said, “After living here for so long the security is probably geared to open for him.�

Fawkes was laughing at the very idea, knowing that he could appear and disappear anywhere in the school without having to worry about such trifles as doors. At least everyone else seemed to buy it, Harry thought, since no one said anything as they filed into the office. Of course, he couldn’t see the suspicious looks all of them were giving him.

“Since when were we allowed to attend Order meetings, anyway?� Harry asked, trying to change the subject.

“Ever since a certain meeting with Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger convinced me that you probably know more than the Order does,� came the wry response from Professor McGonagall.

Harry smiled unabashedly at this comment, and allowed Ginny to guide him to a seat.

“It wasn’t Fawkes, was it Harry,� she stated in a whisper, right next to his ear.

His smile faltered. So much for that excuse, he thought, and Fawkes fluffed up his feathers in indignation, telling him it was a lousy excuse anyway. Harry didn’t say anything. He was trying to decide how much to reveal in this meeting.

“Who is here?� he asked, deciding that that would greatly influence how much he would share.

He was informed that Remus, Tonks, Moody, and all of the Weasleys, except for Percy, Charlie, and Bill were there. Bill had apparently gone to spend some time with Fleur. All of the other Order members were on assignment, attempting to protect the world from the ever increasing attacks from Death Eaters.

Harry decided that everyone here was trustworthy, and was certain he couldn’t do what he needed without more help. Almost everyone here knew about the prophecy anyway, and the Weasleys certainly deserved to know. He was about to open his mouth to begin talking, but Professor McGonagall interrupted him.

“I’m sure we’ll have time for you to share your thoughts, Harry, but if you don’t mind, I will conduct this meeting.�

Harry flushed, embarrassed that he was taking charge of things without thinking. He nodded for McGonagall to continue.

She then proceeded to tell them all about recent Death Eater attacks, and it became obvious that Voldemort had no pattern or goals beyond instilling fear in the world. He said as much and added, “He’s stalling for something.�

“Very good, Mr. Potter,� McGonagall continued, impressed that he had picked up on that. “We believe he is stalling so that he can get to you and finish you before trying to take over.�

Mrs. Weasley was mortified.

“How can you say that? Why would You-Know-Who put everything on hold for Harry? And even if it’s true you shouldn’t say it. He’s only a ch-�

“She can say it because I already know it,� Harry interrupted. “And I’m supposed to be of age now, so I’m not a child. Voldemort wants to kill me because I’m the only one who can kill him.�

Everyone who hadn’t known the prophecy was sitting speechless. Harry then related to everyone the contents of the prophecy.

“Voldemort only knows the beginning, but that is enough to tell him that I have the power to vanquish him. He wanted the whole prophecy to see if it would give him any clues as to how I survived, and how best to kill me. I think right now, though, he would settle for one of his followers cursing me in the back,� he finished.

Mrs. Weasley was sobbing openly now, and Arthur was trying to comfort her, but sounded too dazed himself to do much good. Ginny, who knew all of this already, squeezed Harry’s hand.

It was one of the twins who spoke first. “You know we’re with you, Harry. No matter what happens.�

The uncharacteristic seriousness of the voice, coupled with the words deeply touched Harry, and as the rest of the people present echoed the sentiment, including Molly and Arthur, Harry couldn’t fight the lump rising in his throat or the burning in his eyes.

“Thank you,� he whispered hoarsely, “That means a lot to me.� His voice broke slightly as he finished, and Fawkes began singing reassuringly.

“So we need to decide how we’re going to get you ready to face the Dark Lord,� Moody mused darkly. “We can probably get a few aurors and others to come train you while you’re in school this year, and we can work out what to do about your eyes. We might even be able to start during the summer.�

“We’re not going back to school this year,� Hermione started, deciding that now was the best time to have this confrontation. She rolled her eyes at Ron’s terror at her breaching the subject, but Harry interrupted her before she could continue or Mrs. Weasley could blow up.

“Things have changed, Hermione. I can’t go on as we’d planned like this, at least not until I can get used to being blind. I was going to ask, Professor McGonagall, if I could come to school, but not attend classes. I could take Moody up on his offer, and be training instead. That way Ron and Hermione can continue taking classes as well, and if everything works out, I’ll just finish school with Ginny next year.�

Hermione was beside herself with elation at this suggestion, and Ron didn’t seem unhappy. Molly was mollified, at least. Ginny threw her arms around him, and he could hear the emotion in her voice as she whispered to him.

“I won’t have to be here alone! Thank you, Harry.� He put his arm around her and pulled her tightly to him.

“I think that could probably be arranged, Mr. Potter. We would need to come up with a plausible reason for you to be here, besides just training, but I have some ideas that I will share with you later. We also need to decide where you will be staying the rest of the summer before we can close this meeting,� Professor McGonagall added. “I would suggest that the Burrow would be less secure than either Grimmauld Place or here at Hogwarts.�

“I think that staying here would be best,� Harry stated. “Has the vanishing cabinet has been destroyed?�

“Yes, and I’ve already asked Remus to help me seal the secret entrances to the grounds tomorrow,� McGonagall answered.

“Would it be possible for us to stay as well?� Mrs. Weasley demanded.

Harry’s heart swelled with gratitude that the only people who had really treated him like family would be staying with him, even though they could return to their own home. They were assured they could stay, and the meeting was concluded so that preparations for the party could be made, though McGonagall asked Harry if he would stay for a moment. Harry asked if Ginny could remain with him, and after some hesitation, McGonagall agreed. No one could miss how dependent he was becoming on Ginny, including Harry, but she was pleased with being so important to him, and McGonagall didn’t have the heart to separate them, though she decided she would have to keep an eye on them as well. She wished Albus had left instructions on how he always seemed to know everything that was going on in the school.

“I just wished to talk to you about your financial situation, Harry,� she began, “Since you are now of age, you are now able to take control of your full inheritance from your parents.�

Harry appeared to be confused. “I already have all of the money they left me, and all of the money Sirius left me as well. What else is there?�

“The money you had in your vault was only a tenth of your inheritance, and you were given access to it so that you would be able to pay for school. Gringotts has now placed the full amount into your vault, and while this doesn’t make you necessarily wealthy beyond belief, you could probably live comfortably off the interest, as your father did.�

“What did he do for a living then?� Harry asked. McGonagall smiled.

“He was our Quidditch referee and flying lessons instructor before Madame Hooche, though he worked for free. He just enjoyed flying.�

Harry closed his eyes as his heart gave a lurch. Flying! He would never be able to play Quidditch if he couldn’t see. I’ll never fly again, he thought, devastated.

McGonagall continued, “There is also the matter of Professor Dumbledore’s will. He left half of his considerable fortune to his brother Aberforth, and had intended to leave you the rest, Harry.�

“I don’t want it!� Harry interrupted forcefully, forgetting about flying for the moment, “Give it to the Weasleys or throw it away.�

“Harry!� Ginny exclaimed, her face turning red in embarrassment, “We don’t need charity!�

McGonagall interrupted before they could fight over the issue. “Albus said you would say that Harry, so he wrote in his will that they were to be the final recipients. Albus just wanted you to know that he really did care for you, more than you’ll ever know. He also insisted that most of the personal belongings he left in this office, including the pensieve, be left to you instead, though some of the items seem to be broken or in poor repair�

Ginny eyes popped. “Do my parents know?�

“Yes, they were informed as soon as the will was read, and the money has already been transferred to their vault.�

Harry was occupied thinking about the different things that were in Dumbledore’s office. He found he knew how to use many of the objects he remembered, and he knew they would all be extremely useful, though most of them would do no good in his fight with Voldemort. He also knew that anything that was broken had been broken when he had destroyed practically everything in the office at the end of his fifth year, and knew that Dumbledore had left some un-repaired on purpose, though whether as a joke or a remonstration, he couldn’t tell. Judging by Fawkes’ amusement, it was probably a joke.

“Can I leave those items here for now,� Harry asked.

“Of course, though you’ll have to let me know if you want to use any of them while they are here. I can’t have people walking into my office without permission or a password,� she said, though not unkindly.

Harry flushed, but ignored the comment. He thanked Professor McGonagall, and he and Ginny made their way out of the office.


**********


Ginny had been tasked with keeping Harry occupied and away from the Great Hall while everyone was busy preparing, so she asked him if he would like to take a walk on the grounds.

“That would be brilliant,� he exclaimed, “I don’t think I’ve been outside in forever.�

She had wondered why her mother had insisted on going to all of the trouble with decorating since Harry wouldn’t be able to see any of it to appreciate it, but she knew her mother would not relent on the issue, and so she hadn’t said anything. She was glad it provided her an excuse to get some time alone with Harry, though.

She led him out into the summer afternoon warmth, leading him by the hand until they were out by the lake, where they finally sat under a tree for some shade.

As she sat, rejoicing in the arm he kept around her, she felt a surge of sorrow at his condition. She was determined to help him live his life happily no matter what happened, and his blindness certainly didn’t affect how she felt about him, but it was sad that he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the sight of a beautiful summer day.

Still, he seemed content, and kept a smile was on his face. Fawkes was singing merrily from a branch high in the tree, and seemed to be enjoying the sun as well. She ran a hand through his newly re-grown hair, and he sighed with pleasure at her touch.

“Your hair looks good again, Harry,� she told him happily, pulling him back until he was lying down as she leaned over him continuing to play with his hair. “You don’t look very good bald, you know.�

He laughed as she continued. “I like how I can see your eyes now too. I bet it’s nice not to have to wear glasses all of the time.�

“Thanks for helping me see the good in everything, Ginny,� he said, grinning, as he pulled her down next to him. He found her face and kissed her fiercely, and she responded in kind.

“That’s what I’m here for, Harry.�

“What am I here for, then?� he asked, growing more serious.

“You’re here to make everything bad and scary in the world disappear so that we can make each other happy for the rest of our lives,� she responded, her tone joking, but inwardly very serious, and he knew she was.

“I’ll do what I can,� he answered, grinning again. “How long do you have to keep me out here?�

She slapped his arm. “Am I such boring company?�

“No! I just wanted to know how you were planning on keeping me entertained until the party starts.�

“I had a few things in mind…� She said, kissing him again. She pulled back just long enough to say “Happy late birthday Harry,� before he pulled her back.


*********


The party that evening was a great success. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had bought him a completely new wardrobe and had thrown the last of his old ill-fitting clothing away. Ron had given him a large assortment of sweets, and the twins gave him a box full of items from their shop, including several of the very useful defense items from their back room. Hermione, true to form, had found what she called a Book Reader, which felt like a very stiff bookmark. All he had to do was stick it in the page he was at in a book, and a voice would read the book aloud so that only he could hear it. He thanked her profusely, touched at her thoughtfulness. Ginny joked about having originally bought him a hat, but deciding to return it when Madame Pomfrey fixed his hair so quickly. She had gotten him an Item Finder, which felt like a television remote control, and would help guide him to whatever item he was looking for.

“So you can find your own clothes without help when you want to take a shower,� she had whispered jokingly in his ear.

It was obvious that many gifts must have been changed in response to his current condition, but Harry was touched at how thoughtful everyone had been.

The food was fantastic; Harry learned that Mrs. Weasley had chased several house elves out of the kitchen so that she could prepare most of it herself, and the cake had been especially good.

Perhaps most entertaining were the antics of the twins; every so often one of them would be acting normal and suddenly turn into donkey, or start laughing uncontrollably, or have bats fly out of their drink and flap around their head while screeching madly. Ginny kept up a running commentary on what was happening to them, while Ron was kept bent over laughing almost permanently. Even Hermione was starting to giggle at each new thing.

Finally, they both grew desperate, and demanded to know what Harry had done to them.

“I combined a Secrecy Spell with a Triggering Charm,� he informed them, “So that anything you tried to do secretly would be triggered before it could reach anyone else, which, most importantly, includes me.�

“Blimey! Can you teach us how to do that?� one of them exclaimed.

“It would make a fantastic product!� the other agreed.

Neither were upset in the slightest, of course, because their products had still been demonstrated successfully, and that was all they cared about. Harry was assured that they wouldn’t single him out unfairly and removed his spells.

“That was some really impressive magic, Harry,� Hermione stated quietly, “All without a wand again. Are you ready to tell us how you can do all of this yet?�

Harry hesitated. He would have to tell him eventually, but he wasn’t sure how any of them, especially Hermione, would react. How would anyone react to finding out one of their best friends had all of the knowledge of the greatest wizard of the age, while being only seventeen years old?

Before he could say anything, however, the doors to the Great Hall burst open and the sound of people running into the room filled Harry’s ears. His tension at the sound turned to panic as Ginny screamed.

“Death Eaters! At least a dozen of them!� she shrieked. Harry instantly threw up a shield that covered himself and Ginny, and Ron and Hermione, and curses immediately began impacting on it as the room filled with deadly magic and terrifying shouts and screams.

Chapter Eight: First Blood


As she screamed to Harry about the Death Eaters, Ginny pulled out her wand, determined to defend him since he was blind. When she saw the shield he threw up, its size and power amazed her, and she had a sudden feeling that it might end up being the other way around. As her parents and the others starting lobbing curses, back at the Death Eaters, Fred and George turned over the table they were standing by and starting firing from behind it. She saw Harry wave his wand at her, Ron, and Hermione while maintaining the shield with his other hand, and saw faint auras appear around Ron and Hermione, and assumed there was one around herself as well.

Harry then dropped the large shield and shouted “Fulgio!� Ginny’s hair stood on end as a brilliant bolt of lightning arced out from Harry’s wand and grounded on the floor just a few feet from the largest knot of Death Eaters who hadn’t quite gotten inside yet. The ground there exploded and Death Eaters went flying in every direction, and Ginny used the distraction to start hurling stunners at the Death Eaters who were still standing.

Harry also started firing curses, and although he fired an incredible number of spells in a short period of time, it was obvious he was firing towards the sound of the Death Eater’s voices as they sent their own spells, and most of the time they had already moved. Surprisingly, Harry made no effort to dodge their spells, but always seemed to know when to raise his shield, and nothing hit him. Ginny also noticed that spells that she didn’t manage to dodge always seemed to glance off an invisible wall just in front of her. She felt a rush of gratitude for that, as several Death Eaters had targeted her at once, and she couldn’t dodge or block all of them herself.

Since the lightning bolt, the Order seemed to be holding its own against their unexpected antagonists, but suddenly she heard one of the Death Eaters shout “Pertundo� aiming at the table Fred and George were shielded by. She screamed in horror as the spell drilled through the table and Fred fell back bleeding profusely, and crying out in pain. George also screamed in fear and rage, and started firing fiercely back at the Death Eaters advancing on his position while standing over Fred’s body.

***

Harry was still trying to fire at the sounds of voices shouting unfriendly spells when he heard the twins and Ginny cry out. He paled at the cries of anguish, and tried desperately to come up with a way to end the battle quickly. Fawkes was invisible and hovering above him, warning him every time he needed to raise his shield, and suddenly inspiration struck.

“Alitis!� Harry shouted, pointing his wand out at the room. Dozens of large, squawking ravens shot from his wand, and started attacking the Death Eaters. None of the birds did much by themselves, but they distracted their targets, and provided noisy beacons for Harry to strike. Harry began firing stunners rapidly, and once the Death Eater they were attacking was down, the ravens would move on to another. In minutes, all of the Death Eaters were unconscious, and the ravens vanished.

In the comparative silence, he could hear Ginny sobbing, while George was desperately calling for help. He couldn’t tell if anyone else was hurt or not.

“Fawkes, get Madame Pomfrey!� he shouted, and turned to where he had last heard Hermione. “Start binding the Death Eaters, the incantation is ‘Alligo,’� he told her, demonstrating the wand movement. “Someone, lead me to Fred!� He demanded. He felt a hand on his arm, and assumed it was Ron, and felt himself being led across the room. Ginny was still sobbing and screaming uncontrollably, George was nearly hysterical, and they had been joined by the tormented cries of Mrs. Weasley.

He knelt down and felt his pants immediately soak through with blood. Ignoring this, Harry began waiving his wand and his hand over Fred’s body, muttering spells. As he worked he could hear Hermione moving throughout the room casting the binding spell, and heard Moody join her. Slowly the wounds closed, and the bleeding stopped.

“Calm down,� he told Ginny, George, and Molly who still hadn’t recovered. “He’ll need a Blood Replenishing potion, but he’s fine.� Ginny hurled herself at him, hugging him tightly, and he put his arm around her as well.

“That’s another Weasley that owes his life to you, Harry,� Arthur said as his voice broke with emotion.

“Is anyone else hurt?� he asked.

“McGonagall and Tonks are both unconscious,� he heard Remus shout.

Harry was about to have Ginny lead him to the others when Fawkes reappeared in the room singing out in alarm. Harry received the image of Madame Pomfrey sealing the doorway to the hospital wing and waiting with her wand raised as though she were expecting attack, followed by a view of three Death Eaters on the other side of the door.

“Are they hurt badly?� he asked frantically, pulling out his wand again and standing up.

“They aren’t bleeding, and their breathing is normal,� Remus answered, although he sounded somewhat frantic, no doubt because of Tonks.

Harry nodded, and pushed Ginny away from him. She called his name in confusion, her voice sounding hurt.

“The hospital wing is under attack,� he said. “I need to go help Madame Pomfrey!�

With that he raised his hand and caught Fawkes’ tail feathers and disappeared in a flash of flame.

***

Ginny stared speechlessly at where Harry had just been. He was blind and blindly rushing into an unknown situation, with no one to watch his back.

Swearing, she ran from the room, and could hear her parents frantically calling her back, and she saw Ron and Hermione sprinting alongside her.

When they reached the hospital wing, however, all they found were three unconscious Death Eaters. Harry was bleeding from several places, but none of the wounds appeared to be serious. He was kneeling next to an unconscious Madame Pomfrey, while Fawkes was shedding tears into a horrific wound in her chest. The wound was closing itself when they rushed in. At the sound of them arriving, Harry fired a stunning spell and raised a shield around himself and Madame Pomfrey. The stunner hit Ginny directly in the chest, and she felt unconsciousness claim her.

***

“Harry, you idiot, it’s us!� Ron shouted angrily, diving out of the way of another randomly placed curse. Harry immediately stopped firing and dropped his shield.

“How was I supposed to know that?� he demanded angrily. “Help me get Madame Pomfrey into a bed! Fawkes will you search the castle and see if there are any more Death Eaters here?�

Hermione floated Madame Pomfrey into a bed, while Ron rushed to Ginny’s side.

“You stunned Ginny, Harry!�

Harry’s face went white, and he stumbled over towards Ron’s voice.

“Is she okay?� he asked desperately.

“She has a lump on her head from when she fell,� Ron answered, as he picked Ginny up and laid her in a nearby bed. Harry felt Ron’s hand on his arm guide him to the bed, and he waived his wand over Ginny’s head. He sagged in relief, as he discovered that she wasn’t badly hurt. He healed the lump on her head, and then said “Ennervate.� He heard Ginny moving, and then felt her take his hand.

“Thanks for mistaking me for a Death Eater, Harry,� she said sternly, though he could tell that she was joking and not really upset.

Fawkes appeared again and trilled out an all clear.

“Ron, go to the Great Hall and tell everyone to come here and bring everyone that’s wounded. Hermione, go find where Madame Pomfrey keeps the Blood Replenishing potions, and get enough for both her and Fred.�

“What do you need me to do?� Ginny demanded, getting out of the bed, determined to help.

Harry smiled at her and answered, “I need you to stay with me so I don’t curse any more of my friends on accident, and so I don’t trip over anything.�

After about a half hour, everyone was in the hospital wing, conscious and in good health except for Fred and Madame Pomfrey. Harry had done most of the healing himself, though he was helped by Professor McGonagall once she was woken up. Except for Fred and Pomfrey, most of the injuries had been limited to minor cuts and bruises.

“How did they breach the wards?� Molly demanded angrily from Fred’s side.

“It must have been through the secret passages,� Remus answered, “Peter would have told them all about them. I’ll go see about sealing them all now.�

As Remus left, Moody came back in.

“I contacted the Ministry; they’ll have people here to pick up the Death Eaters as soon as possible. We captured 14 of them alive,� he told them.

“Weren’t there more than that?� Ginny demanded from Harry’s side.

Moody looked somewhat uncomfortable answering, but said, “Three of them were killed by the lightning bolt.�

Everyone watched as Harry’s face went pale and he stood in shock for a few moments, before he wavered on his feet. Only Ginny’s arm around his waist kept him upright.

“I didn’t mean to kill anyone,� he whispered.

Ginny, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley all had tears in their eyes at the sound of the anguish in his voice, and Ginny hugged him tightly in compassion.

“You saved all of our lives, Harry,� Mr. Weasley said, walking over to put a reassuring hand and Harry’s shoulder. “They were overwhelming us, and that lightning bolt scattered them enough to give us a chance. Even after that, we would probably have all been killed if you hadn’t taken most of them out.�

Harry didn’t look like he was listening. He had started shaking, and was clutching Ginny to keep himself upright. They led him over to a chair, and he sat down, though the trembling didn’t stop.

Moody left, claiming he needed to meet the ministry workers to keep them away from Harry, and McGonagall and Tonks left to go find Remus and help him secure the castle. Harry sat clutching Ginny’s hand for an unknown amount of time, lost in his tortured thoughts. Ginny was watching him closely and rubbing his back with her other hand, clearly waiting for him to accept what he had done.

Ron and Hermione were quietly talking to each other and holding hands while George was standing next to Fred’s bed with an unreadable expression. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were watching all of them, unsure of who to comfort.

“They were after me,� Harry finally said slowly. “They thought I was in the hospital wing, and must have heard everyone else in the Great Hall. They sent most of the Death Eaters there to keep you all busy while the other three were supposed to finish me off. They thought I would be helpless.�

“Well, you certainly showed them otherwise,� Ginny stated firmly, “and don’t get any funny ideas about saying all of us are in danger because we’re connected to you, Harry. We love you and we’re not leaving you alone, and killing those men while protecting us doesn’t change anything.�

Harry turned towards her, and hesitated before responding.

“The thought had never occurred to me,� he lied, finally smiling weakly. Ginny smiled back and kissed him warmly. Everyone was heartened by the exchange, even George.

Chapter Nine: A New Job



About a week had passed since the attack and Harry was growing more restless. He had continued to sleep a bare three hours a night for which he was exceptionally grateful. His dreams were plagued with the sound of thunder and the sickening sound of bodies hitting the floor. The lack of relatable images failed to make it any more bearable. Still, Ginny was always there for him, to comfort him and lead him around. With her help he had finally begun to be able to do more things for himself, including eat his own meals.

His nightly wanderings had continued, and he was becoming proficient at communicating with Fawkes in a manner that allowed him to maneuver without too much difficulty. He had even gotten used to the patterns of the hallways to the point that he could find his way to the Great Hall, the library, and the hospital wing, though the stairs were very difficult to manage, even with Fawkes, so he usually had Fawkes carry him past them. Fawkes was always with him one way or another, and Harry had grown to depend on him a great deal.

Fred and Madame Pomfrey had both woken up after a day and were both completely well soon afterwards. Madame Pomfrey had been somewhat miffed upon learning that her most frequent patient had been running the hospital in her absence, but she had smiled when he told her he had watched her healing long enough to learn it all himself. Fred and George had been pestering him since Fred had been able to walk around, trying to get him to teach them spells. He had shown them several spells, but some of the things they wanted to know, including exactly how to conjure the lightning bolt, seemed too dangerous, and he adamantly refused. Hermione was pleased with him for that at least.

Harry still hadn’t revealed how he knew how to do all of the things he had done. The spells he had used in the fight and in healing everyone afterwards had only confused everyone more. He still wasn’t sure what to say about it all and so he kept his silence.

Today was Ginny’s birthday; the Weasleys had another party planned, and Harry was determined to make sure hers ended better than his hand. Currently it was somewhere around 2:00 in the morning, and he was having Fawkes transport him to all of the secret entrances, including those that had been collapsed for years, and checking the seals on them. Remus had collapsed the ceilings on all of the tunnels and cast Wards to keep anyone from attempting to fix them or dig through them. The Wards were all very well cast, and Harry was finding very little to do.

He had been anxious over what to give Ginny for her birthday; he had no way of shopping, and couldn’t see what anything looked like for himself. He had finally taken his problem to Remus and Tonks, and Tonks had offered to buy jewelry or clothes. Remus had suggested Harry try and do something for her to try and make it more personal, so Harry had decided to do both. Tonks had found a beautiful (so she said) gold locket, and had placed a picture of Harry and Ginny in it for him. Following Remus’ advice had been more difficult, and he had spent a good deal of time thinking about it.

He had begun to attempt to apply what he knew about becoming an Animagus, and had soon discovered that the knowledge of how to do something was often a far cry from actually doing it. So far he had managed what felt like a very partial transformation, but nothing far enough to even know what he was transforming into. He wanted to be able to do the transformation and teach Ginny how to do it as well. Fawkes seemed to like the idea, anyway, and so Harry had decided to go ahead with it regardless of whether or not he could do it himself. If nothing else it was something they could work on together.

Finished with his rounds among the passageways, Harry had Fawkes transport him to the library, where he began using the Book Reader Hermione had given him to read more on the transformation.

“What are you reading Harry?� Hermione asked, her voice startling Harry enough that he dropped his book on the floor. He sent a furious thought to Fawkes for not warning him, but the bird began singing what was obviously laughter, even to Hermione.

“Sorry about that,� she said, amusement evident in her voice, as she reached down and picked up his book for him.

“Animagi: Making the Transformation,� she read, and he could hear the incredulity in her voice. “That’s not really light night-time reading. Are you trying to become and Animagus, Harry?�

Harry sighed.

“Only you would come here in the middle of the night instead of the kitchen, Hermione. I would appreciate it if you would keep that to yourself; I have no intention of doing this legally.�

“Harry! Is this because of your father and Sirius?�

“Not entirely,� he answered, “but I’ll keep my reasons to myself.�

“You keep too much to yourself these days, Harry.�

Harry sighed again. “Alright. I’m not sure if you know anything about this kind of thing, but prior to our sixth year Dumbledore used a spell with Fawkes that made it possible for him to transfer his knowledge to me.�

Harry explained what he knew about the spell, and then waited. Hermione remained silent, and he began to grow uncomfortable.

“Are you still there?�

“I don’t know what to say, Harry.�

“You don’t think this is fair; if I were to venture a guess, I would say you don’t think I came by what I know honestly.�

“I don’t know, Harry. I guess I do think that, at least a little bit. It’s just that I’ve spent so much of my time working on learning everything I could, and now you know more than me without ever doing anything.�

“I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, in a lot of ways I wish it hadn’t happened. Maybe he would still be alive if he hadn’t weakened himself to do this. I still have to sift through everything I know, and sometimes I’m not sure what is right for every situation. I only have Dumbledore’s knowledge, not his wisdom. If I had had more time to think about it, or if I had experimented with things so that I knew better what they did, I probably would have done something besides the lightning bolt, and three people would still be alive.�

Hermione remained silent, so Harry continued.

“I’m not trying to take away your usefulness, Hermione, and there are things that I still don’t know. I need you to help me find the Horcruxes, and I definitely need you to keep me making the right decisions.�

“Will you register as an Animagus legally then?� she asked, and Harry could hear the good humor creeping back into her voice.

“I will someday, but probably not until after Voldemort is destroyed.� Harry answered, smiling. “At least, that’s if I can manage to do it at all.�

Hermione got up and hugged Harry.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. If you need any help let me know, but for now I’d better get back to sleep.�

Harry waited as she left, and then went back to his book, occasionally attempting the transformation as he learned something new. By the time everyone else would be starting to get up for breakfast, he was tired, but had made some definite, albeit slow, progress.

***

Ginny’s day had begun very well and continued to get better. She had woken up to find Harry standing next to her bed with a tray of food, a flower, and a smile. Fawkes was singing merrily from his shoulder.

“You’ll have to take the tray from me,� he said brightly, “and I’m not sure what the flower looks like since Fawkes picked it, but he says it’s very pretty. Happy Birthday.�

Ginny thanked him profusely while taking the tray. The flower was bright yellow and orange and looked like a burst of flame. She thanked Fawkes for it, and saw the bird fluff up his feathers in pleasure.

Ginny ate her breakfast while Harry sat on the end of her bed and chatted with her. After a while, she said she needed to get ready, and Harry had left using Fawkes, claiming he didn’t want her parents getting the wrong idea again, though he smiled when he said it.

When she came down the stairs into the common room everyone, including Harry, was waiting for her, and they all wished her a happy birthday.

The day since then had been spent playing games and having fun. In the afternoon, Fred had suggested they go out to the Quidditch pitch and do some flying. Ginny hadn’t wanted to at first, not wanting to leave Harry out, but he had used Legilimency again and found out that she really did want to, and had insisted that she use his Firebolt. After playing for an hour or so, she had turned to see him in the stands with her parents, and felt bad for the glum expression on his face. It was quickly smothered and replaced by a smile when he heard her calling his name as she flew up.

“Want to ride behind me?� she called out, as she landed next to him.

His smile suddenly became real and dazzling as he nodded and got up. She felt her heart racing as he got behind her and put his arms around her waist, and she was thrilled to hear him shout with pleasure as they shot off into the sky, her mother shouting for them to be careful.

They had walked back to the castle flushed with excitement, and they had been welcomed back by a feast and a huge birthday cake.

Now everyone else was asleep, and she was sitting in the common room talking with Harry.

“I wanted to talk to you about your present, Ginny,� Harry said, changing the subject completely.

She felt the locket around her neck and smiled. “I love the locket, Harry, thank you.�

“Not that, although you’re very welcome. Tonks had to pick it out for me, so I wanted to do something for you myself.� He was clearly nervous, and she sat up in anticipation.

“How would you like to become an Animagus?� he finished, in a rush.

Out of all the things she had been thinking about, this had not been one of them.
She sat speechlessly for a while, and Harry began to panic.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to, I can think of something else…� he started, but she cut him off.

“That would be amazing, Harry! How would we do it? Can you do it already? What if I’m something terrible, like a snake or a mouse?� she blurted, the questions coming out faster, and a note of panic coming into her voice at the end.

He answered her last question first.

“You won’t be anything like that. The animal you become depends on what you really want to become, deep down. My dad wanted to be noble and impress my mother, and he became a stag. Wormtail wanted to hide from all of his problems, so he became a rat.�

She was comforted by this, but still wanted to know how.

Taking her hand, he said “I’ll show you.�

Through his Legilimency he showed her all that he knew about the transformation, and also all the things he had done himself so far.

“It will take a lot of work,� he started.

“But we’ll get to do it together,� she finished, smiling happily as she kissed him. This was going to be her best present of all.


*********


Bill’s wedding had been a smashing success, at least as far as Harry was concerned. The ceremony had been held outdoors on the grounds at Hogwarts, followed by a feast and dancing in the Great Hall. The hole in the ground was long since repaired, and the decorations were magnificent, according to everyone else. Best of all, he got to dance with Ginny, and his inability to lead wasn’t a hindrance at all, since she had to lead now anyway.

“Wasn’t the ceremony beautiful, Harry?� Ginny asked, sighing.

“It was nice, yeah.� Harry answered nervously. He didn’t know much about that kind of thing, and was afraid of getting into it.

“What do you want your wedding to be like?� she asked, seemingly ignoring his earlier answer. Harry was certain this was a loaded question and thought carefully.

“Whatever you want it to be like,� he answered, although it was phrased like a question the way he said it.

“Do you really mean that, Harry?� she asked, her voice suddenly very serious, and he could tell she wasn’t talking about the wedding ceremony or location anymore.

“I’m not saying right away, and I don’t know how everything with Voldemort will work out, and we have to finish school…� Harry stuttered, trailing off. There was a long pause where neither said anything, both thinking.

“I love you, Ginny, and I want to spend my life with you,� he finally whispered.

“I love you too; and I won’t let you die fighting Voldemort, so we’ll be together for a very long time.�


*********


Molly and Arthur Weasley gathered Ron and Ginny in for hugs, wishing them a good term, before hugging Harry and Hermione as well. The students who were coming back would be arriving in a few days and everyone but Harry was planning on using the time for the homework they had put off. Harry was still unsure of what he would be doing during the school year and decided that he would discuss it with Professor McGonagall that day. He left everyone else while they were surrounded by the books Arthur had purchased them all for the year, not noticing the jealous glares he was getting from Ron and Ginny at his lack of homework.

Fawkes brought him to McGonagall’s office and he waved his hand. The gargoyle leapt aside allowing him to pass through and Harry walked up to the office door and knocked. He had discovered that he could get past any door in the castle without a password, but hadn’t used that ability much, though he had come up with a number of great plans for terrorizing Slytherins with the ability.

McGonagall called him in, frowning, while muttering about needing different security.

“What can I do for you today, Mr. Potter?� she asked, taking her own seat behind the table.

“You had told me earlier that you had some ideas of what I could be doing while I am here at school, so I thought now might be a good time to find out.�

“Yes. At first, it was just an idea, but after seeing you defeat the Death Eaters at your party, I am sure. You know we stand in need of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and I have been completely unable to find anyone for the job. I am already going to continue teaching Transfiguration along with being Headmistress, so I cannot do it myself. I have asked Professor Flitwick to teach the sixth and seventh year classes, and Professor Slughorn has consented, for a slight pay raise, to handle the fourth and fifth years. I would like you to take charge of the first through third year classes as a student teacher.�

Harry was stunned.

“How will I be able to teach,� he sputtered, “I can’t see to know if they are moving their wands right, and if the classes get out of hand I won’t be able to control them!�

McGonagall smiled. “Don’t be afraid of docking a lot of points, and be liberal handing out detentions, at least at first. Eventually they will come to respect you. As far as seeing the classes, recall that the first three years are concerned mostly with theory and dark creatures, so you won’t need to worry as much about advanced spells or wand movements. We can assign some of the prefects to attend your classes as assistants, and they can point out any mistakes as necessary.�

Harry sat silently for a while, and Fawkes flew over to his shoulder and began singing reassuringly.

“You can do this, Mr. Potter. You were blind and defeated over a dozen Death Eaters in deadly combat. You can certainly figure out how to teach children to deal with a Boggart.�

Her words finally broke through his shell of astonishment and he realized she had a point. How much harder could it be, especially since he also had all the knowledge of the greatest wizard of the age?

“I’ll do it then,� he said quietly, “and I will be grateful for having some prefects help in the classes as well. I’ll also need to be able to leave the castle whenever I have to, but I should be able to keep that to evenings and weekends.�

“We will have the assignments ready by the opening feast. Madame Pomfrey is still hopeful that the potions she has you taking now will work, so perhaps we won’t need them for long. Regardless, there will be significantly fewer students here, so things shouldn’t be unmanageable. And if you need to leave, as a staff member you won’t be questioned, though I advise you to let me know in advance. Would you like to move into the staff quarters, or remain in Gryffindor tower?�

Harry told her that the tower would be fine, and left, still in a daze. Lesson plans and ideas were already going through his head, much like they had with the DA. He was still trying to reassure himself, though, and so he had Fawkes take him back to the Gryffindor common room. Ginny hugged him in congratulations, and Ron and Hermione both assured him that he would do well. All of them demanded that they be able to help in his classes as well. Hermione had been made Head Girl, and Ginny had been made a prefect since the other prefect in her year would not be returning to school.

“Hermione, will you help me prepare some lesson plans?� he asked finally. “You’ll have to write them for me, and help me get materials…� Harry was interrupted by Hermione hugging him.

“Of course I will, Harry,� she said, gratified that he felt that she was still important.

Harry went to bed that evening intensely grateful to his friends, certain that he could handle anything with their help.

A/N: Wow! Another rare Author's note! I just wanted to mention that this is a pretty pivotal chapter to the story, but I'm not sure at all how people are going to take it. Review and let me know!


Chapter Ten: Transformation



That night, Harry was awake after little more than an hour, soaked in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. Tears were running down his face and he frantically leapt out of bed and stumbled out the door. He wanted to run, but made it as far as the common room before tripping over a chair. He threw out his hands, throwing out spells that would seal the room from intrusion and keep sound from escaping, and then screamed out in rage and frustration. He grabbed the chair he had tripped over and picked it up, hurling it across the room. The sound it had made shattering against the wall made him feel slightly better, and he felt around until he had a table to smash as well. Fawkes appeared briefly, let out a squawk of alarm, and disappeared again. Harry continued his rampage until he was exhausted, and then he sank to the floor, breathing heavily, trying to get his emotions under control.

“Harry?� Ginny’s voice shook with fear. “What’s wrong?�

“How did you get in here?� he demanded angrily, after attempting to get to his feet in surprise and falling back down.

“Fawkes woke me up, and he wouldn’t leave me alone until I grabbed his feathers and he brought me here,� she answered, fear still evident in her voice.

The fear in her voice made him feel terrible, and his anger over her intrusion evaporated instantly.

“Please, just leave me alone. I need some time to…� he began, but was interrupted.

“I will not leave you alone! Fawkes thought you needed me, and he was obviously right. What could possibly have happened to make you want to destroy the common room?�

The fear in her voice was gone, replaced by anger that he would try and shut her out.

“I had a dream,� he began, waiting for her to laugh at him for being so upset over a dream.

“And?� she prodded.

“Everyone I care about was in the dream and I couldn’t see their faces. They were all blank, or blurry, and they all accused me of forgetting them. When I woke up, I tried to remember everyone’s faces, and I couldn’t,� he trailed off. “I can’t remember… your face,� he finished with a whisper, hanging his head.

Ginny knelt next to him on the floor, and wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m sorry, Harry, but that doesn’t matter. You know me, my mind and my heart, and that’s all that matters.�

“I know that you love me, and I love you too, but I don’t know if I can bear the thought that I might never be able to look at you again.�

“You have to get used to it, Harry, because the potions might not work, and you have to be able to deal with that. I hope everything gets better, but even if it doesn’t you still have me, whether you can see me or not.�

She could see she wasn’t making much progress comforting him, so she decided to try and occupy him otherwise.

“Come on. Let’s fix this room and work on the Animagus transformation again. I think I felt more of a change the last time I tried, and I want to see if I can do more.�

Ginny then went about the room repairing the furniture, while Harry waited, trying not to feel useless. When they finally sat down on the couch and began to work, he was at first distracted and trying half-heartedly, and he accomplished nothing. Her words had struck him hard, and he was trying to think about what she had said. He had convinced himself that the potions would work, and that it was only a matter of time before he could see again. But he couldn’t live in that false confidence any longer. The dream and her words had taken that away, and he felt a deep sorrow at the loss, and a longing to at least see her at least one last time.

“Harry! You aren’t concentrating at all, and I’m never going to be able to do this without your help,� Ginny yelled, determined to get him to stop moping.

Harry’s mouth tightened, but his face grew determined. She watched him and smiled at the change on his features, happy that she had gotten him to think about something else. Suddenly, Harry changed, and for a very brief moment he became a large black hawk, before changing back to himself. His eyes were wide with shock, and a smile slowly came to his face, while a tear slipped out of his eye.

“Harry, you did it!� she shouted happily, clapping her hands.

“Don’t move, Ginny.�

She was confused, but remained still as he transformed back into the hawk. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was, even as a bird. Suddenly, she noticed that the hawk was looking straight at her, and not to the side or past her into space like Harry’s eyes always did.

“You can see!� she whispered in wonder, and the hawk flapped its wings once and bobbed its head.

She reached out and stroked his feathered head, where some of the feathers stuck out in odd angles like Harry’s hair, and then he was Harry again, and kissing her fiercely, while laughing and crying at the same time. She kissed him back with equal ardor, her tears matching his own, while both listened to Fawkes singing triumphantly behind them.

Finally, she pushed him back.

“How did you do it? What was different?�

“I think I finally figured out what I wanted. I wanted to have back some of what being blind had taken from me; not being able to see you and not being able to fly have been the hardest things so far, and I can’t believe how well I can see when I transform. You’re so beautiful, Ginny!�

He leaned in and kissed her again.

“Aren’t you going to try and fly?� she asked finally. “You’ve missed flying, and now you can again.�

“What am I exactly, anyway?� he asked back, “I know I must be some kind of bird. I’m not a crow, am I?� he finished in horror.

“You’re a hawk, a big handsome black one,� she reassured him, “Now how about flying?�

“Do you want to get my broom and come with me?�

“I’d love to!�

Harry unsealed the room, and waited for her to get the broom. She came back quickly and led him over to a window, which he opened with a wave of his hand. She mounted the broom and flew out, turning and hovering out in front of the room. Harry turned back into the hawk and perched on the window sill before spreading his wings out and leaping into the night air. He was filled with exhilaration as he soared out into the night, gliding on currents of air, turning on a wingtip, and then folding his wings and diving. He could hear Ginny whooping with glee behind him as she followed him into the dive. Five feet from the ground he opened his wings again and began gliding, but he couldn’t pull up quite fast enough. Ginny screamed his name as he ploughed into the ground. He turned back into himself and sat there in a daze for a moment, while she ran up to him and frantically ran her hands over him checking to see if he was okay.

“What happened?� she asked finally, convinced he was unhurt, and helping him to his feet.

“This isn’t much like riding a broom,� he grumbled, not quite managing to cover his embarrassment. “It’ll just take some getting used to.�

She laughed at him and re-mounted the broom. “Try and catch me then, bird-boy!� She took off, and he changed back into the hawk and flew after her, letting loose a piercing cry at the challenge. He was no match for the Firebolt in speed, but he could outmaneuver her easily, and they spent an hour chasing each other happily. Finally Harry was feeling exhausted, and remembered guiltily that Ginny wasn’t used to sleeping a few hours every night. He let loose his piercing cry again, and flapped back to the window. Ginny caught on and followed him in. Both were breathing heavily when he turned back to normal and she got off the broom, though both were smiling happily.

“Thanks for being here for me tonight, Ginny,� he told her, wrapping her in his arms. “Thanks to you I can at least see part of the time. I love you.�

“Any time, Harry. I love you too.�

They kissed, and she led him back to his own bed before returning to her own. Harry smiled as he lay back down, thinking that maybe, tonight at least, he would wake up at the same time as everyone else.


*************


The next morning, Harry and Ginny were both bleary eyed and yawning frequently at breakfast, and Ron was eyeing the two of the suspiciously.

“And just what were the two of you doing last night?� he asked, glaring at Ginny, since he knew Harry wouldn’t see the glare anyway.

Harry choked around his large mouthful of food. He had discovered that flying had made him ravenously hungry. They had both decided to keep the Animagus transformation secret until they could both do it, but he couldn’t think of any viable excuses. Before he could clear his mouth, though, Ginny answered for both of them.

“Harry was helping me with some of my homework,� she lied primly, “And I will thank you for not making baseless accusations about our morality.� Ron’s mouth snapped shut, cutting off the baseless accusation that had no doubt been forming.

Hermione laughed at his discomfiture, and kissed him on the cheek.

“I have some lesson plans ready, Harry, if you want to go over them with me. If we work together, we could probably be done with everything until Christmas in a few hours.�

“That would be brilliant! Thanks Hermione.�

Ron and Ginny went to go get their homework so that they could work in the Great Hall as well, while Harry and Hermione began working. By the time they were all finished, lunch was being served. As they ate Professor McGonagall came in and sat down with them.

“This looks excellent, Mr. Potter,� she said as she looked over the lesson plans. “I believe a good deal of this came from you as well, Miss Granger.�

Hermione blushed at the compliment, while McGonagall continued.

“I shall have your class schedule ready before the opening feast, and Moody will have your training schedule prepared by then as well. I’m going to ask you to sit at the staff table with the other teachers at the feast, though for most meals you should be able to sit with your housemates. Mr. Weasley, with Mr. Potter’s permission, I am going to make you the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, that is if we can get enough people together for a team.�

Harry grinned as Ron gasped audibly in shock.

“I think that will be acceptable,� Harry said, laughing. “I didn’t think I’d be able to continue on, what with other obligations, and Ron will do a good job.�

Ron nearly fell over himself assuring Professor McGonagall that the Quidditch Cup was as good as theirs, while Hermione hugged him in congratulations.

After McGonagall left, Ron began talking about Quidditch excitedly, demanding to know what position Ginny would be playing, and asking Harry if he knew anyone that would fit the various positions that would be available. Harry was happy for Ron, and found that he wasn’t jealous or disappointed at all. At the very least, he would hopefully have far fewer injuries this year.

Chapter Eleven: In School Again



Harry sat brooding, alone, in his place at the teacher’s table in the Great Hall. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had all needed to go meet the train and help organize things, so Ginny had brought Harry and dropped him off here in the Great Hall beforehand, and helped him find his seat. He didn’t at all like being dropped off everywhere, feeling it would be nice if he could walk Ginny to her door for a change. Fawkes was perched on a rafter above him, invisible, clearly eagerly anticipating the arrival of the students and the feast that would follow.

He and Fawkes had been getting along even better for the last two days, as Fawkes had been completely ecstatic to see Harry as a hawk. They had taken to going flying together at nigh, first with Ginny until she would go to bed, and then without her. Fawkes had been helping to teach Harry more about flying with wings instead of magic, and with his aid, Harry hadn’t had any more unwelcome encounters with the ground.

After flying for a while, Harry had found that he enjoyed sitting perched atop the highest tower at Hogwarts, simply surveying the beautiful surroundings, relishing his ability to see. It was different from sight as a human, which Harry still missed deeply, but as a hawk he could see things from incredible distances, catching the movements of small animals with ease. Sometimes he had a hard time resisting the desire to swoop down on an unsuspecting rabbit or squirrel; he could feel his instincts telling him to do it, but he thought he would be sick if he ever tried to eat raw forest creature, hawk or not.

Ginny had made a lot of progress in her own transformation, but was still a ways away from making it completely. Still, Harry greatly enjoyed the time they spent together working on it, and he hoped there would still be time for that while they were in school. Harry was growing more confident that he would be able to teach, since he had memorized the lesson plans that Hermione had helped him prepare. McGonagall had chosen the books this year, and they were all excellent texts.

Suddenly, Harry’s musings were interrupted by the sound of doors opening and people entering the room. The teachers had arrived, and were making their way to their places to await the students. After being greeted warmly by several of them, including Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick, who was sitting to his left, Harry heard a jovial voice call out.

“Harry, my boy! Beginning as a teacher before you’ve even finished school! Knew you had it in you, of course, though I was shocked when I read about your condition in the paper,� Professor Slughorn rambled on happily. Harry was slightly sickened to find out that his blindness had been in the press.

“Still, no one can say you aren’t fit for the job. Subduing fourteen Death Eaters single-handedly without even being able to see is an incredible feat. You’ll go far, Mr. Potter, mark my words. I have contacts that can put you into any field you could possibly want, you know, and I’m not opposed to giving one of my best students a hand getting into the system� the rotund Professor finished patronizingly.

“It wasn’t exactly single-handed…� Harry began, before being cut off by more flattering words. Harry continued trying to put in a word here and their while Slughorn spoke, but was deeply grateful when the main doors opened and the hall flooded with sound as students poured in.

***

Ginny sighed wearily as she entered with the other Gryffindors. After spending so much time with Harry, and being so concerned with the war and Voldemort’s destruction, the concerns and gossip of the other students seemed petty and insignificant.

Her eyes immediately searched for Harry, who was looking somewhat harried as he spoke, or attempted to speak, with Professor Slughorn. She sighed, and wished she could wave or smile at him to offer some encouragement. She couldn’t even send him a note with Hedwig.

“What’s Harry doing up there?� Neville asked curiously.

“He’s student teaching the first three years of Defense Against the Dark Arts,� Ron replied smugly, sitting with Hermione at the front of the table. Ron always enjoyed knowing things that others didn’t.

“Wicked!� Neville exclaimed, as he and Ginny sat with Ron and Hermione.

As she scanned the teacher’s table she realized that she couldn’t see Hagrid anywhere, but Professor Grubbly-Plank was back and chatting amiably with Professor Slughorn, who had left Harry alone for a moment. Harry looked relieved at least. Ginny turned to Hermione, who was next to her.

“Where’s Hagrid?� she whispered.

“I don’t know! I don’t remember seeing him all summer either. Maybe Harry will find out from one of the other teachers and we can find out from him later tonight.�

They were interrupted by the doors banging open and Professor McGonagall leading a somewhat smaller than usual group of scared-looking first years into the room.

The Sorting Hat’s song was short and somewhat sorrowful, speaking of loss, and a need to stand together through trials. Many people seemed sobered by it, excepting the Slytherins. It appeared that more of them had come back to school this year than any other house, and Ron was already complaining about the larger pool they had to choose from for their Quidditch team.

As the Sorting concluded and the feast began, Ginny continued to watch Harry. His blankly staring eyes were fixed on a point somewhere to the left of the Gryffindor table, and she resisted the urge to look where he was staring. She was proud of how he handled his fork and spoon, remembering the efforts they had put into helping him learn to use them again. He still can’t cut his own meat, she thought wryly, but where’s the fun of teaching him how to do everything? She greatly enjoyed his dependence on her; it made her feel important and useful.

After the feast was over, she felt a slight pang of sorrow as it was Professor McGonagall and not Professor Dumbledore who stood up to make announcements.

“As you all know, I have been named the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. I have a few announcements before you may return to your dormitories; first of all, I would like to remind all of the students that the Forbidden Forest is completely off limits, and Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that items from Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes are banned, along with a number of other items, and the prefects and teachers will be enforcing these rules,� she said sternly, looking around the room. It just wasn’t the same as when Dumbledore had said the same things.

“Also, the teaching situation this year will be slightly different. While our present Care of Magical Creatures teacher is away on business, I would like you all to welcome Professor Grubbly-Plank who will be covering for him. As you may also have noticed, Mr. Potter is here at the head table. Mr. Potter has consented to teach the first three years of Defense Against the Dark Arts; I can personally assure you he is well qualified for the position. The article in the Daily Prophet concerning Mr. Potter’s recent run-in with Death Eaters is, for once, completely accurate.�

Ginny watched in amusement as Harry’s face went completely red. His emotions had always been easy to read, for her anyway, but since he had lost his sight, it seemed like she could almost read his mind by the expressions on his face.

McGonagall had outlined the rest of the teaching situation, and had informed them all that the new Head of Gryffindor house had yet to be chosen, and that she would continue on in that role in the meantime.

“I assure you, however, that I will not show any favoritism to the members of any house. If there are no further questions, you are all dismissed.�

Ginny waited with Ron and Hermione for the rest of the students to leave before going up to get Harry. Harry smiled upon hearing them approach, knowing who it would be.

“Did any of you know about the Daily Prophet article?� he asked, seemingly amused at the situation, though Ginny knew that it was at least partially a false front.

“Not until everyone else here was talking about it,� Ginny answered while taking Harry’s arm and helping him up. “I need to get myself a copy though. I hear it has a fantastic picture of you, and I want to put it up next to my bed like some of the fourth years were talking about doing.�

Harry laughed, though she could see the faint traces of red in his cheeks. He’s too easy, she thought smugly.

“Shall we head up to the tower?� Hermione suggested, leading them out of the Great Hall.

Harry had just finished explaining how Hagrid and Grawp were on some kind of mission for the Order according to Professor Flitwick, as they entered the common room and everything went silent. All of the students were staring at Harry, some with mouths dangling open. Unfortunately the silence was soon broken, and starting with the Creeveys, everyone was clamoring to know how Harry had come to be a teacher, what he was going to do in classes, and more than anything, asking about fighting Death Eaters while being blind.

Harry had paled as soon as the questions started coming, and at first had tried to stammer out responses, but things grew too loud for him. Ginny was trying to yell at them all to shut up, when suddenly Harry put an arm around her and reached up. Ginny felt the familiar flash of heat, and they were surrounded by blessed silence.

***

Fawkes sang merrily from Ginny’s shoulder, proud to have “rescued� Harry again; the phoenix seemed to feel that getting Harry away from pesky students was somewhere on the level with tearing out the eyes of a basilisk.

Fawkes had transported them to the Gargoyle outside McGonagall’s office, and Ginny had again hit him lightly, reminding him that she would prefer to have warning.

“What are we doing here, anyway?� she asked, finished with her scolding.

“I remembered that Professor McGonagall had offered me rooms in the staff quarters and I suddenly felt like that was a good idea. We’re going to find out if that offer is still good, and if you’re willing, you are going to help me find my way around my new rooms.�

“The offer is indeed still open to you, Mr. Potter,� Professor McGonagall said, coming around the corner. “I had a feeling you might change your mind, so I took the liberty of preparing the rooms for you anyway. If the two of you will follow me?� she finished, continuing down the hallway without stopping.

Harry let Ginny lead him down several corridors and staircases, until he was thoroughly lost, and knew he would have to spend a good deal of his nights getting used to this new route in the castle. Finally they arrived somewhere, and McGonagall said a password, which ended up being “Potter.�

“You can change that as you like, Mr. Potter, it was only temporary. You have five rooms here, in a private tower off the fifth floor; two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a sitting room, which we are in now. I sent Dobby to bring your things in, and to get Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, and I imagine he will arrive with them shortly.�

The end of this sentence was punctuated by the sharp crack of something Apparating, and Dobby’s voice joined the conversation.

“Harry Potter! Dobby is so pleased to be helping you with your rooms. I will have all of your things put away instantly!� and Harry could hear him moving around the rooms noisily conversing with himself about how much of an honor helping Harry was.

“Professor,� Harry began, “why do I have two bedrooms and bathrooms?�

“Well, Mr. Potter, I realized that it would probably be difficult for you to live alone because of your blindness, and I know that Miss Weasley has been helping you thus far, so I thought that she might join you living here if she would like to.�

Before Ginny could express her happiness at this turn of events, Ron’s voice entered the room, accompanied, Harry assumed, by Ron himself.

“You can’t let them live together alone!� he sputtered angrily, “they’d… they could…�

Before either Ginny or Harry could interrupt him angrily, Professor McGonagall spoke again.

“I completely agree with you, Mr. Weasley. I would never allow any of my students to be in such a compromising situation, so I was going to ask if you and Miss Granger would like to join them here as well.�

“We’d love to!� Hermione interjected happily.

The rest of the evening was spent getting all of their things settled, and Professor McGonagall outlining several rules, informing them that noise levels were to be kept to a minimum for the benefit of the other teachers, and that no students but the four of them were to be allowed in the rooms at all, finishing with a stern warning about keeping to their own bedrooms while all four of them blushed embarrassedly; they were informed that various alarms would sound in her room if any of the rules were broken.

After Dobby had brought the rest of their things, they all sat talking excitedly in the sitting room for a while, before Ron and Hermione made their way to their rooms. Harry waited until he thought they were asleep before turning into a hawk so he could look at the rooms himself. The bedroom was very similar to the one they had had in Gryffindor tower, though larger and with larger beds, and there were nice big desks along the wall under the window, from which they had a spectacular view of the lake; their tower was practically right over it. Ron was already snoring loudly, so Harry knew the beds must be comfortable as well. The bathrooms were similar to the prefects bathrooms, although much smaller. Harry was excited about only having to share a bathroom with Ron and not a whole dorm-full of messy teenage boys. The sitting room was elegantly furnished with comfortable chairs and couches centered on a large fireplace, with a couple of tables at the sides. There was a large perch centered over a small platform that Harry recognized as Fawkes’ from Dumbledore’s office. He perched on it himself, looking around the room happily.

As his gaze rested on Ginny, he noticed her watching him enviously. He flapped over to land on the couch next to her and became himself again.

“What’s wrong, Ginny?� he asked as he took her into his arms.

“Nothing… well, I guess I am a little jealous that you are an Animagus and I’m not yet. Still, I’m really happy about being able to live here with you, although Ron and Hermione being around kind of ruins it a bit. For a while there I thought it was going to be just the two of us.�

Harry cleared his throat awkwardly, feeling his face heat up.

“That might be for the best, Ginny. Imagine what your mother would do…� he began, though Ginny interrupted him laughing.

“By the look on your face, I think you are imagining what I would do,� she teased playfully.

Harry grinned as he kissed her thoroughly, before they worked on her Animagus transformation for a while and then went to bed.

Chapter Twelve: Godric’s Hollow



Harry waited nervously in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, dreading the arrival of his first class. It was a group of second year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and they would be arriving before too long.

At breakfast, McGonagall had come to let Harry know what his schedule would be like. He had six classes to teach; two for every year. He also had training, directed by Moody, once a day, five days a week. He was due for his first training today, after teaching two more classes.

He heard someone walk in, and assumed correctly that it would be Hermione, who had managed to get the position of the first class helper, though he suspected she had used her authority to influence that situation. A surprising number of the prefects had wanted to be involved in assisting him in class, though luckily he was allowed final say in who actually did.

“Nervous, Harry?� Hermione asked nervously.

“Yeah… you?�

“Yeah. What if our lesson plans don’t work? It’ll be my fault, and…�

“You aren’t helping much, Hermione,� Harry grumbled. “Anyway, don’t forget, all I really need you for today is to watch the students and let me know the names of the ones who need points docked or detentions. I think I’m going to take McGonagall’s advice this time around.�

The class arrived in a group, clearly excited to find out what it would be like to be taught by a student. As soon as class was to officially start, Harry got to his feet, and used a hand on his desk to guide himself around to its front. Leaning back against the desk, he folded his arms and called the class to order. The whispering immediately died down and everyone waited. Fawkes was sitting in the back of the classroom behind the students, invisible, and waiting eagerly to see how Harry would handle this new task.

“Everyone, my name is Harry Potter, as you all know. While we are in this class, I expect you to call me Mr. Potter or ‘sir.’ We will have a good mixture of theory and practical application in this class, so I expect all of you to have your wands and books with you for every class. I assume you are all also aware of the fact that I am blind. Some of you may think that you can use this fact to get away with not paying attention in class or breaking rules of one sort or another. Just to give you fair warning, Miss Granger here will be able to spot anything very easily, and detentions served with me will generally be very unpleasant. Are there any questions?�

Hermione began calling on students who had raised their hands to speak, and then Harry answered their questions. The first question was about how he defeated the Death Eaters blind. So were the second and third, and then Harry stopped allowing them questions unrelated to the text. That first class he gave out three detentions and took away around 40 points total, but he was able to cover the material he had planned, and he felt like he had done a much better job than Gilderoy Lockhart had in his second year.

“That was really good Harry!� Hermione congratulated him, as she gathered her things to leave.

“Thanks,� Harry said, pleased, “I appreciate you catching the kid throwing paper airplane notes around. I probably would have missed that even if I could see. Who’s helping with the next class?�

“I think Ginny is supposed to be here.�

“I am,� came Ginny’s voice. “How did the first lesson go, Harry?�

“Pretty well, I’d say. I have to be somewhat mean right now because they think they can take advantage of me, but I think that idea will go away within a few more class periods,� he answered smugly.

“Well, don’t be too harsh,� she said, giggling.

Harry folded his arms sternly. “You’d better not be questioning my teaching methods, Miss Weasley. I have every right to give out detentions, you know, and I can think of several onerous tasks to put you to right now.�

Ginny giggled again. “Well, I can’t think of anything much worse than serving a detention with my boyfriend.�

Harry smiled, and would have continued, but the next class began filing in.

“Back to work,� he said, grinning.

***

“Welcome to hell, Mr. Potter,� Moody growled, as Harry entered the Room of Requirement.

“What?� Harry asked nervously. That wasn’t at all the greeting he had expected, or wanted.

“I mean that for the next several months, I am going to put you through hell every time you enter this room. We’re going to start by working on physical training. We’re going to teach you how to fight by feel, both Muggle-style and with magic. We’re going to teach you to fall without hurting yourself, because you’re going to fall a lot. We’ll also do everything we can to help you be able to live independently. Any questions?�

“That all sounds good to me,� Harry answered hesitantly.

“Good. We’ll start with push-ups. FIFTY, NOW!� Moody roared, his sudden shouting startling Harry and nearly causing him to fall over. He complied with what he was told, and began working.

***

When Harry woke up that night, he wished he was dead. He was aching all over from the workout that Moody had put him through, and he was also bruised and battered from the dueling he had been through after that. Moody wouldn’t let him resort to tricks like ravens or lightening bolts; he was to learn how to do everything in a traditional style so that when he did use those tricks they would come as more of a surprise. This had been intensely frustrating, because no matter how hard he listened, Moody always managed to get behind him when he wasn’t suspecting it. Despite having a wooden leg, Moody could move as silently as the wind. He had done better with Tonks, but only because she was more clumsy and made more noise.

He groaned slightly as he got up out of his bed, and wandered down the hall to the sitting room, feeling his way along the wall. As near as he could tell it was around three in the morning; the extra work had caused him to sleep an hour longer than usual.

As he settled into a chair with another groan, he heard a slight movement. Listening closely in the silence he could hear deep breathing, like someone asleep. He turned into a hawk and saw Ginny asleep on the couch, a book on the Animagus transformation draped open over her torso. He sat and admired her beauty for a few moments before turning back into himself and kneeling next to the couch.

“Ginny?� he whispered, shaking her. She woke with a start.

“Harry? What time is it? I must have fallen asleep,� she yawned widely as she said this.

Harry took her book away and set it aside, before helping her up.

“It’s sometime around three in the morning. You can still get another three or four hours of sleep in your own bed. Come on,� he told her, wrapping an arm around her, and leading her down the wall, though she still steered some.
She let him walk her to her door, and he held her close for a long moment before kissing her goodnight. She sighed gratefully as she sunk deep into the soft mattress of her bed. Harry stood in her doorway for a short while before whispering, “Good night, Ginny. I love you.�

“I love you too, Harry.�

Harry then walked over to the window, which opened silently at a wave of his hand, and turned into a hawk, soaring out into the night to fly with Fawkes.

***

Ginny listened as Harry flew out the window, wishing fervently that she could join him. She had been left out by Harry, Ron, and Hermione on so many occasions in the past, and even though she knew that Harry loved and depended on her, she hated anything that left her behind. She had been doubling her efforts with the transformation, and was certain that she was close to finally becoming an Animagus. Then she and Harry could go out together. Sometime soon, she was certain.

She yawned again before dropping into a deep sleep filled with dreams about flying with a hawk.

***

After a week of classes and training, Harry was growing more confident as a teacher. He was gaining more and more independence in his living habits, though he wasn’t sure Ginny was as happy as she said she was about that, and the students were finally beginning to respect him. Today was Friday, and he hadn’t had to give a single detention. Moreover, he had actually given more points than he had taken away.

After the first couple of days, Mr. Filch had come to like Harry very much; Harry had been turning the majority of his students serving detentions over to him, and he had worked them mercilessly. Harry had decided he wouldn’t have the heart to be so severe himself, and anything to overcome the enmity he and the caretaker had long shared was good in his opinion.

After dinner, Harry had gone back to his rooms, and waited patiently for the others. At the sound of the door opening, he smiled and stood up.

“Sorry, Harry, I’m not Ginny,� Ron laughed, “but she is right behind me.�

Scowling, Harry took Ginny, who came into the room a second later, into his arms and kissed her.

“How was your day?� he asked, his scowl replaced by a loving smile.

“It was great! No really hard classes and hardly any homework over the weekend.�

“Good. I was thinking we could go for a trip over the weekend instead. Is Hermione here?�

“I’m here, Harry, but I have to warn you that I do have lots of homework. What are you planning?� Hermione asked suspiciously.

“I think I’m finally ready to take that trip to Godric’s Hollow,� Harry announced.

***

Ginny waited patiently with Harry for Ron and Hermione to get back from informing McGonagall about their trip. They didn’t expect to stay for too long, so they weren’t concerned about the security. Harry was absently stroking Fawkes, who was waiting on his perch with them.

She was excited to see the place where Harry had lived as a baby; hopefully they would be able to find some pieces of his past and help Harry find more direction in his future. She fervently hoped that the trip would be good for him and not bring him down in depression.

Finally, Ron and Hermione returned, and Harry had them all grab onto him while he grabbed onto Fawkes. In a flash of bright flames they were suddenly outside standing in front of the collapsed ruins of an old house. Ginny kept a hand on Harry’s arm, and watched as Fawkes disappeared. Harry had told her about the bird’s ability to become invisible, so she wasn’t concerned; Fawkes would be there if they needed him.

“It looks like a ruin, Harry,� Ginny told him, as she looked around. “I can see some other houses just a little ways away down the hill, so we must be on the edges of a small town.�

Harry nodded absently. “Can you point my wand arm towards the middle of the ruin?� he asked.

Ginny did as he asked, and then watched in awe as he began a complicated set of wand movements, before loudly saying “Aedifico!�

The ruins shuddered and, right before their eyes, the house began to rebuild itself. After a very short while, the ruin was replaced by a modest two story home, painted white with red trim on the window and door frames. Ginny described what had happened to Harry, and led him in the door.

Once inside she was somewhat surprised to discover that the spell had not repaired everything. There was a conspicuous lack of furniture, and broken items lay strewn around the floor. Harry said nothing as she described what she saw, though asked to hold some of the things that they found; regular items like a single shoe or broken figurine, all made special by the fact that they had once belonged to his parents. Harry asked Ginny to take him upstairs, and in one room they found a small crib, and a few filthy and broken toys scattered around. Harry was silent as he stood in the room where his mother had died, and where Voldemort’s powers had been broken.

Ginny watched sadly as tears began to course down his face, and pulled Harry into a comforting embrace. He clung to her desperately and she could feel him shuddering as he mourned for the life he had never been able to have. She felt her own eyes burning as she thought of how unfair fate had been to Harry and how little he had deserved the life he had lived. Finally, after what seemed like a long time, the shuddering ceased, and Harry pulled back.

“This is why I have to destroy Voldemort,� Harry stated simply.

Ginny furrowed her brow in confusion. “I thought the prophecy…� she began, but Harry interrupted her.

“The prophecy wouldn’t be enough for me,� he said, and then gestured around the room. “This, everything that he took from me, is what drives me. This and the life I might be able to live if I can defeat him.�

“You will defeat him, Harry. I know you can, and then we’ll have a lifetime to live together.�

Harry pulled her in for another hug, and then they made their way back to Ron and Hermione. As soon as all of them were outside, Harry waved his wand again and the house returned to being a collapsed ruin, once again burying the haunting memories of his past. Harry wanted to visit the town’s graveyard as well, and there wasn’t much daylight left. They walked for about half an hour before they arrived, and then Ginny led Harry through the rows of graves, searching for where his parents finally rested. At last they found a beautifully carved stone above two side by side plots, with the names of James and Lily Potter engraved on it in beautiful script. Below the names and the dates of their births and death, read the inscription:

To die so that one you love might live is no death at all. Love set the course of our lives and defined our actions to the end.
All our love to our son,
James and Lily

As Ginny read the inscription to Harry, her voice broke. Instead of a generic eulogy, a last beautiful message had been left to Harry. Harry dropped to his knees in front of the stone, tears again running down his face.

“I’d like some time alone please,� he whispered.

Ginny’s heart was breaking for him, but she led Ron and Hermione out of the graveyard where they waited for him, listening to the sorrowful song of Fawkes mourning his friend’s loss and pain.

The song cut off instantly, however, as a dozen loud ‘pops’ intruded into the evening air. Ginny looked around in horror as a dozen Death Eaters stood before them and a sickeningly familiar voice called out.

“I knew the little baby would come looking for his mother,� Bellatrix Lestrange cackled wickedly, as the curses began flying.

***

Harry couldn’t decide how he was supposed to feel, kneeling over his parents’ graves. He was deeply touched by the inscription that Ginny had read to him, and felt the love his parents had had for him surface in those words. Harry offered no words or promises to his parents, certain that wherever they were, they would know that he would honor their sacrifice and do whatever he could to rid the world of Voldemort’s evil.

His reverie was broken by the distant sounds of people Apparating, and Harry felt the alarm flooding his mind, both from himself and from Fawkes. He got to his feet quickly and started forward, but tripped on a gravestone. Cursing, he turned into a hawk and peered out towards the graveyard’s entrance. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had taken refuge just within the gates, and were valiantly hurling curses in an attempt to drive their attackers back. The Death Eaters were pushing them steadily backwards and Harry knew they wouldn’t be able to hold long. Confident no one had seen him turn into a hawk because of the failing light, Harry took flight and circled around the Death Eaters swiftly. Still unnoticed, he flew behind a tree and changed back into himself.

Taking a deep breath, Harry walked silently towards the Death Eaters. As he neared them, he began to hear the desperate cries coming from the entrance and quickened his pace. He was almost upon them when he heard one of them cursing for the others to look behind them. Harry raised his shield and hurled himself into the midst of the group, where practically every curse he hurled would connect with a target, shouting his rage at the people that wouldn’t even let him grieve in peace.

***

Ginny watched in horror as Harry casually walked up behind the Death Eaters. When they noticed him, he leapt into the group and began moving and casting spells like a mad man, shouting out wordlessly as his opponents began to fall. Ginny started throwing her own hexes out, but was limited because she didn’t want to hit Harry.

After a few minutes, there were only six Death Eaters still standing, though even they were looking worse for wear. Still, they had managed to get behind Harry so they were only facing one front. Harry was left alone with no cover, trying to shield himself against the curses coming at him, while Bellatrix shrieked incessantly for the others to bring him down.

“Come on, we have to help him!� she shouted to Ron and Hermione. They rushed out of the graveyard to stand next to Harry and add their spells to his.

For a moment, it seemed like they would be able to defeat the Death Eaters in front of them, but then Ginny was hit in the arm by a cutting hex from Bellatrix. As her skin was torn open, Ginny couldn’t suppress the cry of agony that escaped her lips as blood began to spatter all around her.

“Ginny!� Harry cried, panicked that he couldn’t see what was wrong with her. He was distracted long enough that a blasting curse caught him full in the chest, and he was knocked back several feet to lie gasping for breath. Ginny rushed to his side and clutched his arm, raising a shield around them both. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it long.

“Anguis!� Harry muttered, and Ginny was doubly horrified to see blood at the edges of Harry’s mouth and several dangerous looking serpents appearing from his wand. Harry then uttered a few unintelligible words in Parseltongue, and then passed out. The snakes slithered toward the Death Eaters and began striking at them and curling around their legs.

The distraction was enough. Fawkes appeared and grabbed onto Ginny’s shoulder, and in a flash she and Harry were back in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Ginny was beginning to feel dizzy, but managed to stay conscious long enough to see Fawkes disappear and reappear seconds later with a horrified Ron and Hermione before she passed out.

Chapter Thirteen: Quidditch



Ginny woke up to bright lights and the sound of people rushing frantically around the room, and wondered for a few moments where she could possibly be. Then her memory rushed back in a flash, and she sat up instantly.

“Harry!� she shouted, trying to get out of the bed. She was prevented from accomplishing this, however, by Ron pushing her back and a wave of dizziness that threatened to take her back into unconsciousness. Closing her eyes, she sat back in her bed and took a few deep breaths, while Ron tried to calm her down.

“Careful, Ginny! You lost a lot of blood and the potions you were given won’t have fully worked yet. Harry’s alive, and they’ll have him fixed up in no time,� he said, but though he made a valiant effort to sound reassuring, he couldn’t keep the worry from entering his voice at the end.

“What’s wrong with him,� Ginny demanded firmly.

Ron hesitated, and Hermione answered for him.

“He had several broken ribs and punctured one of his lungs, along with some other internal damage. His right leg was broken in five places, too… he must have landed with it wrong… when we got back he was lying on it…�

Ginny felt a bout of nausea rise up at Hermione’s inability to even describe Harry’s injury. And he had been hit because she had cried out.

“It’s not your fault, Ginny,� Ron said, apparently reading her expression accurately. “We were all lucky to get out alive, and Harry probably would have been captured if you hadn’t led us all up to help him.�

Ginny nodded, deciding to accept his words for now; it would be less painful that way, but she knew she needed to hear those words from Harry before she would be able to get over it.

“Has Madame Pomfrey been able to heal him yet? How long have I been unconscious?�

“It’s barely Saturday morning,� Hermione replied. “Madame Pomfrey had your arm fixed in an instant, but wanted you to wake up on your own. She says she fixed Harry’s ribs and most of the internal damage, and she said she was going to do his leg before he wakes up. She’s probably doing it right now.�

“So why are you so worried,� Ginny asked suspiciously.

“Well… Harry hit his head again, when he fell…� Ron started.

“And Madame Pomfrey doesn’t know what that might have done. It’s really bad to keep getting repeated head injuries like Harry has, and there could be more damage,� Hermione finished in a rush. “We won’t know if he’s alright until he wakes up.�

Ginny paled visibly, but insisted they help her up. She made her way over to where Harry lay in his bed, and stood next to him, running her hands through his hair. Madame Pomfrey had gotten to his leg, and he appeared to be uninjured. He was exceptionally pale, though, and his breathing was shallow.

“Why is he breathing like that?� she asked in a whisper.

“Madame Pomfrey said it was an after-affect from the punctured lung; it’s supposed to go away before long,� Ron answered.

“He’ll be okay,� Ginny stated firmly, conjuring herself a chair next to his bed.

The others said nothing as they also set in to wait.

***

Harry leaned heavily on his cane as he limped his way down the hall to his classroom. The cane was an annoyance, but all in all, it was a small price to pay for the injuries he had received. He also enjoyed how the bumpier ride on his shoulder annoyed Fawkes.

He had regained consciousness that Sunday afternoon, feeling sore and confused. His last memory was of the snakes he had conjured, and had no idea where he was. He had also panicked, thinking of his friends, until he heard their voices reassuring him they were there, and telling him where he was. Ginny’s comforting hand in his hair had been very welcome, and she had remained there with him until he was allowed to leave Monday morning. He had had to deal with shortness of breath for a few days, and had been told that he would be able to stop using the cane after a few weeks. The injuries to his leg had necessitated the re-growth of the bone in a few places, and the muscles had been torn and broken as well. He was as grateful as any of the others that he hadn’t suffered any serious damage to his head, and had promised Madame Pomfrey that he would be more careful. He had been proud that he hadn’t missed any of his classes.

The night after he had woken up, once they were alone, Ginny had spent fifteen minutes yelling at him about needing to concentrate and not letting things distract him. He had been completely confused at the telling off, until she had finally broken down sobbing, apologizing for getting him hurt. He had taken her in his arms and they had discussed things until both were satisfied that no one was at fault. Harry remembered comforting her after that with a smile.

He rarely needed the cane much anymore, truthfully, except for when he had been walking a lot, or if he had had a hard day of training. Today he had done both, and his leg twinged painfully with every step. Apparently, his injuries were not going to excuse him with Moody. He smiled at the thought of the day’s training. He had been training with Remus for most of the day, before one last match against Moody. Harry had decided to cheat a little, and threw a wood warping spell throughout the room, causing everything made out of wood to warp and twist. This had included several bookshelves, chairs, and, incidentally, Moody’s wooden leg. He had gone down with a crash and Harry had disarmed him easily. Moody had roared with laughter, congratulating Harry on his ingenuity before making him run through a grueling exercise regimen to finish the day.

Now, Harry had to grade papers. Harry hated grading papers with a passion, especially since he couldn’t see them himself. Instead he had to use his Book Reader, and a special Teacher’s Edition Dictation Quill that would copy down whatever he said in the margins and then write down the final score. Sometimes he found it very hard to give good grades entirely because he hated the task, but he tried to be fair, even to the Slytherins.

As he settled behind his desk and got everything into place, Harry again thought of the upcoming Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor the following day. Ron had been keeping his team out in practices almost constantly, and they definitely needed it. Ginny had remained a Chaser, and their Beaters had returned, but they had needed two more Chasers and a Seeker, and they hadn’t had the best pool to draw from. The Slytherins had had larger numbers to choose from, and Crabbe and Goyle had come back as Beaters. They had spread the word that they would be aiming specifically for Ron and Ginny, and Harry had almost attempted to curse them when he heard it. It was sure to be a dirty game, and Harry was worried.

He had told Ron, Hermione, and Ginny that he wasn’t planning on going to the match, claiming that since he couldn’t see, he may as well grade papers instead. Ron and Ginny had pleaded with him to reconsider, and Hermione had offered to help grade papers. He could imagine the hurt in Ginny’s eyes when he assured them it was fine; he just didn’t want to go. He wanted to surprise her with his being there, and Ron and Hermione would never know he was there anyway.

***

Ginny made her way out to the changing tent, and began to get ready to play quietly. Harry had eaten breakfast with them, and then blithely wished them luck and had Fawkes carry him away. She knew it was hard for him, not being able to play himself, but she was still hurt that he wouldn’t come to support her. Hadn’t she helped him with almost every single task he had needed to do since he had become blind? And yet when she finally asked him if he would come for her, he had politely refused, saying that maybe he would go another time, and insisting she use his Firebolt. That had made her feel a bit better, but she still wished he would be there to cheer for her.

He’s going to get a piece of my mind for this, she thought angrily.

As she walked out onto the field with the rest of the team, however, her angry thoughts were interrupted by loud piercing cry. Looking up in confusion, she caught sight of the hawk perched on top of one of the Gryffindor goal hoops, flapping its wings slightly before crying out again.

Her heart soared as she watched Harry take flight and wing over to the top of the bleachers where he landed again, staring out over the field imperiously.

He didn’t just want to hear me play, he wanted to watch too, she thought exultantly. She was going to make sure he got a fantastic show.

***

Harry flapped his wings in excitement and let loose with another cry as Ginny scored yet again. He had never seen anyone fly the way she was flying, and it was thrilling to watch. The game had been going on for hours and Gryffindor was leading Slytherin 320 to 180, and Ginny had scored twenty-six of the goals for her team. The Slytherins were resorting to dirtier and more vicious tricks as the game progressed, determined to end the domination, but so far Ginny’s incredible skills and the speed of the Firebolt had made her untouchable.

Harry was only slightly upset that he couldn’t be down there playing too. He had discovered that locating the Snitch was incredibly easy as a hawk. All he had to do was look out over the field and he could see it zooming around the field, his enhanced vision catching the movement and the flashes of reflected sunlight. He was positive he could have swooped down on it and caught it in his talons, but no one would give the victory to Gryffindor if he did that, so he had restrained himself. So far, neither of the Seekers had shown themselves to be very skilled, so Harry was pretty sure that Ginny would soon score enough that it wouldn’t matter who caught the snitch.

Ginny was soaring towards the goal post yet again, swerving around the opposing Chasers with ease, when Harry saw the Slytherin Seeker catch sight of the Snitch near the Slytherin goal posts. He cried out in alarm, and Ginny must have heard him because she suddenly flew high, hurling the Quaffle towards a hoop and flying after the Seeker without looking to see if she scored, though Harry was happy to see that she had. As she chased the Seeker, however, she didn’t see Crabbe coming in from the side, Beater bat raised threateningly. There was no Bludger anywhere near where he was going.

There was no way Harry could stay out of it. He launched himself off of the bleachers and went into a steep dive, spreading his wings just in front of Crabbe as the bat began to swing for Ginny’s head. Harry was able to grasp the bat with his talons and yanked it out of Crabbe’s hand; the confused boy’s reach wasn’t nearly long enough to reach Ginny without the bat, and the momentum that wasn’t counteracted by an impact carried him right off his broom. Luckily for him, he was only about 8 feet off the ground, and fell harmlessly to the soft grass. Unfortunately for him, Harry decided that the bat was too heavy to fly with and dropped it on top of him, crying out with malicious glee as the heavy bat hit him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Harry flew quickly off the pitch, not wanting to call more attention to the already bizarre behavior of a hawk that apparently couldn’t tell the difference between a squirrel and a Beater’s bat.

He had just reclaimed his perch atop the stands when he turned to catch sight of Ginny flying barely ahead of the Seeker and catching the Snitch herself; apparently she hadn’t noticed the situation with Crabbe at all. The crowd went wild, while the Slytherins complained about the Snitch being caught by a Chaser and everyone else cheered insanely. Harry could make out Luna’s oversized lion hat roaring in triumph as Hermione hugged her and both screamed in delight. The rest of the team collided with Ginny, hugging her in the air, and she handed the Snitch to the Gryffindor Seeker in case there were any questions as to the legality of the catch. He then caught sight of Ginny looking straight at him, and cried out again, before taking flight and soaring down towards the changing tents.

***

Ginny was walking on air as she made her way back to the tent. Not only had she single-handedly scored 420 points for her team in one game, which Madame Hooch assured her was a school record, but Harry had obviously been happy watching the game; his screeching cheers had pushed her to play better than she had ever thought she could.

As she entered the tent with the rest of the team, Harry was standing there waiting, flushed with excitement and with an enormous grin plastered over his face.

“You were incredible, Ginny!� he shouted as she threw herself into his arms. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life…�

“Finally decided to support the team, Harry? And how would you have seen anything, anyway?� Ron asked bitterly.

“Ron!� Ginny shouted, “He must have been down here listening. I’m sure he just didn’t want to have to sit in the stands with everyone else.�

Harry nodded, upset that Ron would say what he had, and upset that he had slipped about seeing the game.

“I’m sorry, Ron, I wish I could have seen it but I can’t; and I decided that I’d be trampled in the crowd in the stands if I went up there, and I didn’t want Hermione to feel like she had to stay down here with me,� Harry explained shortly, using his prefabricated excuse.

Ron got over being upset quickly, and even apologized to Harry for his angry words. Then, as Hermione joined them, he began a play by play account of the entire game, starting with his own fantastic saves, which everyone had to admit had been great. He finished with Ginny’s exploits on the pitch, and Ginny blushed with pleasure and held Harry tighter.

“And then that bird came out of nowhere and took out Crabbe before he could hit you,� Ron chortled, finishing with how the bird had dropped the bat on Crabbe before flying away.

“What bird? And what about Crabbe, I don’t remember him being around me?� Ginny asked suspiciously, looking at Harry. All of her attention had been on keeping the Snitch from the Slytherin Seeker.

“It was a hawk or an eagle or something,� Ron answered distractedly, “And Crabbe was flying up to your side and looked like he was going to try and take you out with his bat. I thought he was going to until that bird pulled it out of his hand.� Ron’s tone was angry as he said this last part. “I almost fell off my broom, I was so worried.�

Ginny’s eyes narrowed as she looked up at Harry’s face. He had a completely unbelievable mask of innocence on his face that ended up making him look as guilty as possible.

“Imagine that, Harry,� Ginny stated with teeth clenched, and a fake smile of her own, “A hawk interrupting a Quidditch match and pulling a Beater’s bat right from his hand. I’ve never heard of a hawk acting that way before.�

Harry paled visibly as he accurately read her mood from her voice, though luckily Ron was oblivious to the entire exchange and Hermione was busy congratulating him enthusiastically.

“We’ll talk about this later,� Ginny hissed in a whisper meant for Harry alone. Harry’s smile collapsed completely, but he kept his arm around her as they joined the happy throng making their way back to the Gryffindor tower.

***

“And everything I did doesn’t mean anything now, because you cheated! You interfered with the game and couldn’t let me handle things on my own!� Ginny shouted, as she paced back and forth in their sitting room. Ron and Hermione were still at the party in Gryffindor tower, which had been going on for hours. Harry had wanted to resolve this as soon as possible and get back to the party, but Ginny had been yelling for some time, and it didn’t look like they would make it back any time soon.

“He was the one cheating!� Harry retorted, “Beaters aren’t allowed to hit other players with those bats, and he was swinging right for your head! He could have killed you, and you expect me to sit there and watch?�

“I’m my own person, Harry! I can take care of myself. Now you have yet another victory, the great Harry Potter saves the day again, and I have nothing!�

Harry was momentarily speechless. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to be angry. Thinking carefully, though, he decided laughing would have a high probability of getting him killed, and being angry wouldn’t end the argument.

“Is that what you really think?� he asked quietly. “That I don’t let you have any credit, or that I don’t let you do anything for yourself?�

His soft voice had gotten her attention, and she stopped pacing and sat down next to him on the couch.

“It’s hard not to think that sometimes, Harry. You seem to know everything now, and even though you’re blind you saved practically my whole family from Death Eaters, and then took almost all of them out by yourself in Godric’s Hollow. You made the Animagus transformation in no time and I still can’t manage it. I thought I was doing something great on my own tonight, and I wanted to do it for you. And then suddenly I find out you rescued me again,� she said all this in a much calmer voice and he could hear her becoming more emotional as she went on.

“I just wanted to show you that I could be great too,� she finished, and he heard her start to cry.

“Ginny, I know better than anyone that you can handle yourself in almost any situation. You’ve faced Voldemort’s Death Eaters without flinching when most people won’t even say his name,� he said soothingly, as he wrapped an arm around her and held her close. “But sometimes everyone needs help. If you hadn’t helped me around when I was first blind, I would be a bitter wreck and the Death Eaters would have found me sulking in the hospital wing when they attacked, just like they expected, and then I would have been dead. I still can’t even cut my own meat!�

Ginny laughed, as she wiped tears from her eyes, and looked up at his face.

“I depend on you almost completely, and if anything happened to you I don’t think I could take it. So if you would prefer to look at it that way, I was merely looking out for my own interests, not trying to rescue you. And regardless of what I did, you played better tonight than anyone I’ve ever seen, and the Hogwarts record books will show that for a long time.�

Ginny sighed as she hugged him tightly.

“I’m sorry I got so mad about everything, Harry. Thanks for being so understanding. I guess I do enjoy being the best Quidditch player in Hogwarts history, rather than being unconscious in the hospital wing,� she finished, laughing as she pulled Harry down for a kiss that went on for some time.

Finally he pulled away slightly and smiled.

“Not that I’m not enjoying myself immensely,� he said, sounding a little out of breath, “but aren’t we missing your party?�

“I like my party here more than the one in the tower,� Ginny answered, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him back.

A/N: Welcome back to the story! I just wanted to mention that this is my favorite chapter up until now. It is also the longest yet, so that should make everyone happy. I really hope you enjoy it, and I hope you'll let me know if you do! -GhostCoon


Chapter Fourteen: The Broken Tower


Harry sat back in his desk with a sigh as his last class let out for the day. It had been another busy week, and Harry was looking forward to the weekend, even though it was still three days away. Training was becoming more interesting, as Harry became more adept at feeling his way through a duel. Remus had been continuing to come for practices, and Harry enjoyed spending more time with him; it gave him a sense of connection with his parents and Sirius.

“Ready for dinner, Harry?� came Ginny’s cheerful voice.

“Absolutely! I think I could out-eat Ron right now,� Harry answered, as he allowed her to help him to his feet and lead him from the room.

Dinner was excellent as usual, and Harry enjoyed the time spent talking with his friends. It seemed that he got to do that less and less, as training and teaching took up more of his time. Still, all three were very active in helping him with his class, and they lived together, so they did spend a lot of time together. Unfortunately, most of the time seemed to be spent in discussion and research concerning the Horcruxes, and so just having fun together was always a pleasant change.

Tonight, he and Ginny were going to spend more time working on the Animagus transformation. Harry was certain she was close to making it, and was hoping that tonight they would be able to do it together.

Since the argument after the Quidditch match, Harry had been trying to let her do more things on her own, and trying to give her recognition for things she accomplished. She also seemed to be more accepting of the help he did offer, so they had been getting along better than ever.

***

“That’s it! I give up! I’m never going to make this stupid transformation, and it’s time I stopped wasting my time on it!� Ginny shouted, hurling whatever book she had been reading onto the floor.

“Ginny, calm down…� Harry began.

“I’m perfectly calm! I’m just finally coming to my senses. I was stupid to think I would be able to do this anyway,� Ginny continued to shout, obviously anything but calm.

Harry felt his way to the couch she was sitting on and sat next to her, putting his arm around her, and ignoring her attempts to shrug it off.

“You’ve already made it further than practically everybody that tries; giving up now, when you’re so close, would just ruin all of your effort.�

Ginny finally reached up and pushed his arm away.

“I’m done, Harry. I’m going to bed.�

Harry sat stunned as she stomped off and slammed the door to her room. He heard Ron emerge from his room and enter the sitting room.

“What did you do to her?� he asked suspiciously.

“Nothing!� Harry answered, trying to come up with a way to change the subject. He didn’t think Ginny was quitting for real, at least he hoped she wasn’t, and they had agreed not to say anything until they could announce it together.

“Well, if it was nothing, why is she so upset?� Ron pressed.

“I don’t know. We were working on something together and she just blew up and said she was quitting, and left.�

“Well… Ginny’s always had a temper three times as big as she is. I’m sure whatever has her upset now will go away, and she’ll forgive you tomorrow. I’m going back to bed.�

Harry hoped Ron was right, and went to bed himself. The next day, however, Ginny adamantly refused to work on the transformation again, and although she acted like she wasn’t angry, he could almost feel the anger and frustration rolling off of her. The situation concerned him, because he knew she would feel inadequate if she didn’t accomplish the goal, and she would never do it if she didn’t try.

Finally, Harry came up with a plan that would either help her make the transformation or get him killed; in the absence of any other plan he decided that it was all he had. At dinner that night he cornered Ginny.

“Ginny?�

“I’m not going to do it, Harry, so stop bothering me about it!� she stated firmly.

“No, this isn’t about that. I was going to ask if you wanted to have lunch alone with me on Saturday, you know… like a date,� he trailed off uncertainly.

“Of course I would, Harry, that would be great!� she answered, her voice softening immediately. She seemed pleased that he wasn’t going to push any more. Harry flinched inwardly at the trouble he was sure to be in, but steeled his resolve. It was all for her own good.

***

Ginny chatted cheerfully while she led Harry down the corridor. He had said that they were going to have lunch, which Dobby had prepared and was going to bring up, in the Room of Requirement. She was happy that he wasn’t pushing about the Animagus training anymore, and excited about having a date with him, without Ron and Hermione hanging around.

They arrived at the right spot, and Harry walked up and down the hallway three times, with a look of concentration on his face. The doorway appeared and they entered the room.

Ginny’s first thought on entering the room was that it was a strange setup for a lunch date. There was a table with romantic place settings and candles and two chairs, but the room was very large with a high peaked ceiling and open rafters. There were also a few shelves of books and a comfortable looking sofa in front of a merrily blazing fire.

Before she could turn to Harry and ask him about the strange setup, however, he muttered a spell while waving his hand at her, and she felt her wand pulled out of her pocket and watched it zoom to his palm. He then used it to shoot some spell at the door, over which she noticed Fawkes was hovering as though telling Harry where it was. The door melded with the wall until it disappeared, leaving no exit to the room. Harry then turned into a hawk and flew up to the rafters where he landed next to Fawkes before turning back into himself. He looked somewhat ridiculous, just sitting in the rafters with his legs dangling down, smiling uneasily in her general direction.

“Harry! What in Merlin’s name are you doing up there? You could get yourself killed if you fall from there, and anyway, what’s going on?� she questioned him angrily, confused by his strange actions.

“I think I’ll be safer up here than down there in just a second,� Harry answered cheekily. “And what’s going on is this: you are an incredibly talented witch, and you have the ability to become an Animagus and you’re throwing it away. I know for a fact that you want to do it more than almost anything, so I’m not letting you give up. You’re staying in this room until you make the transformation, and I don’t care if it takes a week!�

Ginny had begun growling the second he started talking about becoming an Animagus, and when he reached that last bit about not leaving, she blew up.

“YOU CAN’T KEEP ME HERE AGAINST MY WILL! YOU LET ME OUT THIS INSTANT HARRY JAMES POTTER, OR SO HELP ME…� she shouted with as much venom in her voice as Harry had ever heard. She watched in manic glee as he almost fell off the rafter at the anger in her voice, but he caught himself and squared his shoulders.

“I know that you’re feeling really angry with me right now, and I understand that. When I come down and give you your wand back, I expect I’ll live to regret it, but that isn’t happening until you make the transformation. You’ve been close for weeks now, so it might not even take long. But you’ll find that I very much can keep you here; no one will know what I needed so they won’t be able to find the door, and if they did somehow manage it, I don’t think anyone except perhaps McGonagall could unseal that door besides me, and it would take her a very long time to do it. I’d get to work.�

With that Harry changed back into a hawk and sat in the rafters staring down at her impassively.

Ginny raged on for quite a while longer. There was shouting, threats, and finally tears of frustration and anger. She saw Harry shift uneasily when she threatened to leave him for good, and when she started crying she saw him flap his wings and almost fly off the rafter. Both times however, he seemed to deepen his resolve and remained where he was. When she started yelling at Fawkes, asking him to carry her out of the room, the phoenix vanished leaving her alone with Harry, though she had no doubt that he was still in the room watching.

Finally, Ginny had nothing left to yell. She was incredibly hurt and upset, and wasn’t quite sure what to do. It seemed like the only thing she could do was begin to work on the transformation. Part of her wanted to take more than a week to do it and see if his resolve lasted, but she really wanted some time apart from him right now. Stomping heavily over to a bookshelf, she grabbed a book on the topic that she hadn’t yet read and threw herself into the couch, occasionally glaring at the hawk that sat watching her so intently.

At first all she could think about was trying to turn into something that enjoyed eating hawks, but she knew that really wasn’t in her nature, and wouldn’t help her at all. She started reading this new book, and found one specific passage that reached out to her.

To make the final transformation, the subject must find and understand their deepest aspirations. They must focus on their heart’s desire and become that which could best embody those qualities they most long to achieve. This, above all, makes the transformation so difficult, because so few can sift through the petty wishes and empty dreams that keep us from realizing our own true character.

Ginny knew that she knew all of the details of the transformation, and what she was supposed to do, but suddenly realized that she couldn’t transform until she knew what she most wanted. She closed the book, and sat back in the couch, folding her arms in front of her, and crossing her legs. She began to sift through her mind and heart, weeding out what she didn’t want, to try and discover what she truly needed.

***

Harry watched as Ginny read from the book for a while before sitting back in the couch and closing her eyes. He began to grow nervous that she wasn’t going to try at all, and leave them both sitting here in the room. When Harry had said that no one knew how to get in, he hadn’t been completely honest. Dobby could get to them and bring them food, and Harry had been sure to include a bathroom in his list of needs for the room, so he wasn’t concerned about surviving here. He just knew that eventually he would have to come down from the rafter and when he did, Ginny would most likely pummel him. If she got her wand back she would also probably curse him into oblivion.

Harry pushed these thoughts aside; he had started this, so he may as well finish it. He would help her make the transformation, and hopefully when she accomplished it, she would be so happy that she forgave him. Or at least become something that didn’t regularly eat hawks.

After several hours, Harry had fallen asleep. He was completely comfortable perched on the rafter, and just sitting there watching Ginny sit on the couch with her eyes closed was boring enough that he couldn’t keep his eyes open. After some indeterminable time, Harry was awakened by a strange noise, and opened his eyes quickly. Looking down at the room, he couldn’t see Ginny anywhere. He had just come to the conclusion that Fawkes had broken her out, even though the phoenix had promised not to, when he heard the sound again, a scratching noise, like something scraping against a wooden rafter.

Harry turned to his side and found himself looking into the very fierce eyes of a magnificent black and white falcon that was only slightly smaller than him. Harry knew in an instant that the bird was Ginny and panicked; he let out a shrill cry of alarm and threw himself off the rafter diving to the floor to get away. He didn’t get very far before he felt the falcon slam into his back, and they became tangled together. She pushed him into the ground roughly and turned back into Ginny, holding him down with her hands. Not wanting to accidentally hurt her with a misplaced talon, and knowing she deserved her revenge, he turned back into himself as well and found himself being pinned to the ground with her straddling his waist. It was only slightly less intimidating not to have to look at her angry face.

Sure enough, the first sensation he experienced while pinned underneath her on the floor was a full armed slap that left his face burning and his ears ringing. He was barely beginning to register the pain, however, when that sensation was replaced by a much more pleasant one. Unless she had given him a severe concussion, he was quite certain he was being kissed very thoroughly. He decided that it was real and began kissing her back, pulling her down closer.

After some time he felt her pull back while breathing heavily, and grinned towards where he knew her face would be, struggling for air himself.

Another full armed slap wiped the grin from his face.

“Ginny! I’d hoped you were past that!� he exclaimed, reaching up to rub his face gingerly. “I’m sure I have a hand print on each cheek!�

“It serves you right, Harry James Potter! It’s the least you deserve for doing this to me…� she began, but then trailed off and allowed her voice to soften considerably. “But I think you’ve been suitably punished now, and I won’t have to go through with any of my other threats.�

Harry sighed with relief. When she had threatened to leave him, he had nearly panicked completely. He was positive he would never be able to handle that.

“I need to thank you too, Harry,� she continued, as she pulled him up and sat him in the couch, and then sat in his lap and put her arms around him. “I did it.�

Her last words were spoken in a whisper full of emotion, and Harry smiled proudly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight.

“I knew you could; you don’t give yourself enough credit, Ginny,� he told her.

“Well, thanks for not giving up on me. Now you’ll never leave me behind again,� she stated fervently, and Harry’s heart gave a giant leap that that was what she wanted, “Though if you ever do anything like that again, I’ll personally end your life. What kind of bird was I exactly? I was almost as big as you.�

“You are the most beautiful falcon I have ever seen. I think my hawk self has an even bigger crush on you than I do now,� Harry laughed, as she slapped his arm playfully. “I think we should go flying to celebrate.�

Ginny thought this was a wonderful idea, and Harry unsealed the door and returned Ginny’s wand. It was quite late in the evening, as she pulled him through the corridors by his hand, almost running with the anticipation of experiencing flight as a bird.

They reached the cold night air of the Astronomy Tower without being caught, and Harry took his hand from hers.

“Remember to get used to it before being too enthusiastic with the diving. Pulling up isn’t as easy as it is with a broom, and the ground isn’t soft.�

With that he turned into a hawk and took off from the tower before circling in time to see her take off as well. She let out a beautiful piercing cry that he imagined was full of love and excitement.

***

The evening was very cold though it hadn’t yet begun to snow, but as she transformed into the falcon, Ginny felt quite comfortable. As she spread her wings and leapt from the tower she felt an incredible surge of excitement and saw Harry circling back to watch her, and let loose a cry of happiness. She flew towards him, and together they winged off into the night, taking turns flying in the other’s slipstream, swooping and wheeling about, happily enjoying their time together.

When she felt like she had a good feel for her abilities, Ginny climbed to a considerable height above the school, and went into a steep dive. She angled her wings back sharply and felt the air whistle past her feathers at an incredible speed. Harry had followed her into the dive, but his larger frame couldn’t move through the air with the same ease, and he fell behind. He cried out in alarm as Ginny spread her wings very late, and then again with pride as her talons merely brushed against the grass, before she banked up and back towards him.

After playing for a long time, she followed him to the top of the highest tower of Hogwarts and perched there with him. Fawkes appeared and joined them singing happily that all three were together, and Ginny was completely taken with the surreal beauty of the grounds, bathed in cold clear light from a waxing moon, with mist from the cold lingering about the edges of the lake. She felt the warmth of Harry’s feathered body at her side, and felt a peaceful happiness well up within her.

As the first rays of sunlight broke through the darkness, they made their way quickly back to the Astronomy Tower, where they became themselves again.

“Thank you so much, Harry!� she whispered as she launched herself into his arms and kissed him fiercely. That went on for some time, before he pulled back.

“Thank you for being here with me,� he finally answered, “but we need to get back. Ron will kill me if we walk in together in the morning without ever having been in our beds.�

Ginny laughed, but agreed completely. Harry had Fawkes transport her to her bed, before doing the same for him. She snuggled into her blankets, exhausted but extremely content with everything, and quickly fell asleep.

***

Harry was asleep almost the second his head hit the pillow… and was awake again minutes after that as Ron shook his shoulder and directed him to get ready for breakfast.

Harry groaned, but got out of bed, knowing Ron would make him get up anyway.

“What are you doing still asleep anyway?� Ron asked, suddenly recalling he hadn’t been the one to wake Harry up since before school started.

Harry tried to think up an excuse while choosing clothes that Ginny had helped him lay out and color coordinate.

“I guess I was just really tired last night,� he mumbled, hoping that would be good enough for Ron.

Apparently it was, because Ron said nothing as he led Harry out into the sitting room where they waited for Hermione and Ginny.

“Good morning Ron, Harry,� came Hermione’s disgustingly cheerful voice, and Harry could hear one set of light footsteps and one slow shuffle.

“Morning… Harry,� Ginny mumbled around a yawn, as she wrapped her arms around Harry. Harry loved the feel of her warm body snuggled up next to his, and hugged her back.

“How’d you sleep?� he asked playfully.

“Brilliantly, thank you,� she said, slapping him on the stomach, and not very gently.

They were able to perk up somewhat over breakfast, and were happy to discover that snow had begun falling while they were eating, and it was falling fast and thick. They rushed back to their rooms and grabbed all of their warm clothes, bundling up against the cold so they could spend the rest of the morning outside. By lunchtime, there was enough snow that several snowball fights were raging, and Ron and Hermione were in the thick of it, while Ginny sat next to Harry telling him what was happening, and both of them laughed at everyone’s antics.

Suddenly, Harry felt something very cold and wet smash into his face, and was momentarily stunned as he spat out snow, and tried to get his bearings, while Fawkes was laughing hysterically in his mind.

“Who threw that?� Ginny demanded angrily.

There was a pause followed by the sound of hesitant footsteps, and a small voice answered.

“It was me. I’m sorry Mr. Potter, it was an accident… I was aiming for someone else…� the terrified student answered.

Harry recognized the voice as one of his first year students.

“Samantha, isn’t it, from Ravenclaw?� Harry asked.

“You’re not going to take points from me, are you?� the girl asked fearfully.

“Of course not! In fact, I think Ravenclaw deserves five points. I’ve been waiting for someone to invite me into a snowball fight all morning, and no one else has.�

Ginny and the little girl both laughed gleefully as Harry got up out of his seat and walked hesitantly onto the grounds. Someone nearby asked if he was really going to join the fight, and Harry responded with a wave of his hand that magically packed a snowball and sent it whizzing toward the kid’s voice. Harry was rewarded with a wet smacking sound and an exclamation of surprise. After a brief pause, Harry received a brief warning from Fawkes, and raised a shield, blocking an incoming snow projectile. From there, the battle was begun.

It took no time at all for word to spread throughout the school among the first through third year students that one of their teachers was currently involved in a snowball fight with the students, and everyone wanted to see it, and maybe take part. Harry stood unmoving, in the center of a large ring of students, who were dodging frantically as he magically sent snowballs flying at anyone who made the slightest noise. Dozens of snowballs were flying towards Harry at any given moment, and he would raise a shield to block them as they came, though occasionally one would get through. Whenever that happened, Harry would award the student a house point, and there was soon a mad competition to see who could hit Harry the most.

After about an hour of intense play, Harry held up his hands in surrender.

“Alright everyone, I give up! If anyone else hits me with a snowball I’m going to take points away instead.�

The students groaned in disappointment, and Harry chuckled.

“Okay, maybe we’ll have a class devoted to winter defensive maneuvers sometime soon.�

The kids were happily dispersing while they discussed this possibility, and Harry was waiting for Ginny to come and lead him away as well when he was knocked over by someone running into him. Harry had time for a moment of confusion before snow was being rubbed into his face, and Ginny’s familiar voice was giggling madly.

“Are you going to take points from me, Mr. Potter?� she asked playfully.

Harry grabbed her arms and rolled over until she was pinned beneath him. He reached out and grabbed a handful of snow, and held it threateningly over her head.

“I don’t need to take points. I can take revenge!�

Ginny shrieked, as Harry rubbed snow in her face, struggling frantically to get away. Before long, the struggling had ceased and they had moved on to more exciting recreation, before being interrupted.

“Harry! Ginny! You can’t be snogging like that in public on the grounds! As Head Girl I can’t let behavior like this slide, there were first years around. Ten points from Gryffindor!� Hermione scolded, while Harry and Ginny scowled.

“You can’t take points from me, I’m an instructor,� Harry protested.

“I know. Those points were from Ginny,� Hermione answered smartly while Ron chortled.

“Well, ten points to Gryffindor then, for excellent snogging,� Harry answered.

Ginny and Ron laughed while Hermione complained about Harry’s abuse of his position, while Harry smirked and threatened to take points from Hermione. They continued the discussion as they went inside and went to the Great Hall, where they received a late lunch and plenty of hot chocolate.

***

Ginny sighed tiredly as they reached their sitting room. They had had a busy day already, and she was running on no sleep. All of them returned their winter clothes to their rooms, and then came back to the sitting room where they all sat down. Ron was about to begin recounting the better moments of the snowball fights, when Harry interrupted him.

“I think we need to start discussing the Horcruxes, and where we might be able to find the last two.�

“Are you ready to go looking for them, Harry?� Hermione asked. “From what you told us about the cave, it’s going to be really dangerous wherever they are.�

“I’m as ready as I can be while I’m blind, and I won’t be leaving any of you behind anyway, so I’ll have help. We need to make sure to keep quiet about what we are doing, though. Somehow the Death Eaters knew we were outside the school last time, and maybe they even knew where we were going, though they might have been able to guess that.�

“No one but McGonagall knew, though, did they?� Ron asked thoughtfully. “I mean, we only told her, and no one else would have seen us leaving. D’you think McGonagall might be under the Imperius or something?�

“No, I’m certain she’s been too well protected for that. I’m not sure how they found out; we’ll just have to be careful.�

“Well… I was thinking about what you told us, and I’m thinking that the Muggle orphanage that Voldemort lived at would be a good place to look,� Ginny suggested.

“That’s a good idea,� Harry said, thinking carefully. “How could we find out where it is exactly?�

“I think there should be records here at the school about where Tom Riddle lived,� Hermione threw in, eager to talk about anything to do with research. “I can check the library, and if there isn’t anything there, I can go to McGonagall and get her to let me look into the official school records.�

“Good, though you can’t let her know what we’re researching. Any other suggestions?� Harry asked them all.

“I was also thinking we would need to research any items that belonged to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, and find out where they came from. We might want to check Hepzibah Smith’s house, since that’s where he got two of his Horcruxes; he might have considered that a victory,� Hermione added, thoughtfully.

“We should find out where Voldemort went after Tom Riddle disappeared for all those years, find out where he trained and learned all of his dark magic,� Ron said, impressing everyone with his sudden insight.

“Alright, this is fantastic,� Harry said, “This is probably enough to go on. Let’s learn as much as we can, and we’ll start visiting these places as soon as we know where they are.�

They all felt a renewed sense of commitment to the goal of destroying Voldemort as they all set about their own specific tasks.

***

Ginny lasted until just before dinner time, before her head slumped down on her arms.

“I can’t stay awake anymore,� she mumbled exhaustedly, “I’m going to bed.�

“What’s wrong with her?� Ron asked as she went to her room.

“She said she didn’t sleep well last night,� Hermione informed him.

“So… Harry and Ginny both get up this morning exhausted, both claiming to be really tired…� Ron’s voice trailed off as his anger grew.

“Relax, Ron, we didn’t do anything,� Harry said shortly, angered that they would be suspected and not feeling this was anyone else’s business anyway.

“You’d better watch yourself, Harry,� Ron snapped back, “All it would take is one word to Fred and George, or worse yet my mother.�

“I hope you won’t mind if I enter into correspondence with Mr. and Mrs. Granger then!�

“Okay, that’s enough!� Hermione interrupted, “I’m sure we can all trust each other and mind our own business, can’t we?�

They mumbled apologies to each other and all of them made their way down to dinner. As they were eating, Hermione nudged Harry and whispered “Professor Lupin is here,� seconds before Harry could distinguish the sound of quick footsteps.

“Harry, could I have a word with you outside?� Remus asked, and Harry could hear tension in his voice.

“Okay,� he answered slowly, as his stomach sank. This can’t be good.

When they were outside the Great Hall, Remus turned him into a deserted hallway and stopped him.

“Harry, I was just here to check the wards I left when I sealed the tunnels. All of the wards are still in place, but in one of the tunnels I found a small hole that went around the ward. It wasn’t big enough for a person, and it could just be mice…�

“But it could also be a rat,� Harry said, catching Remus’ meaning. “What do we do?�

“I need to look at the Marauder’s Map, and we’ll see if there’s anyone here that isn’t supposed to be.�

“Right. It’s in my rooms,� Harry said, allowing Remus to lead him through the corridors.

As they came around the last corner in the hallway, both were stopped short by a familiar voice.

“That will be far enough, Remus. Hello, Harry. My master wishes very much to speak with you.� Wormtail’s voice was obviously nervous, but not nearly as nervous as Harry felt it should be with this kind of confrontation. Clearly, he had some kind of reassurance that Harry would cooperate with him.

Both he and Remus made as if to reach for their wands, but he interrupted them again.

“I wouldn’t if I were you. I currently have my wand ready, and while I’m sure either of you could defeat me in a duel, Remus will remember that I have a considerable talent with Blasting Curses. Any wrong moves and I’ll blast this entire tower to oblivion.�

“You’d never get through my shield,� Harry told him, trying to sound confident.

“Perhaps not, but the tower will be destroyed along with anyone in it.� Harry could hear the evil smile in his words, but tried again.

“Everyone’s at dinner, so you’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you’ll take those risks.�

“Everyone, except perhaps a young red-headed girl that has some considerable value to you Harry. My Lord has decided that sending Death Eaters to take you by force might not be the best way; despite the fact that I was able to tell them exactly where to go to find you, they have been woefully unsuccessful. Instead, he has asked me to obtain some leverage against you, and I have watched closely enough to know what you care for most. Now, you’re going to take hold of this Portkey and we’re going to go talk to the Dark Lord, or your girlfriend is going to wake up to her room collapsing on her and falling with her to her painful death.�

Harry’s mind was suddenly screaming in panic as every fear he had ever had concerning Ginny became an instant reality. She was being used against him, and if he went with Wormtail now, he would certainly be killed and the war would be lost. If he let Wormtail kill her now, he would be broken completely and the end result would be the same. Still, he knew what he must do, the only real choice he had.

“You win,� he whispered. “I’ll do anything for her.�

“You can’t, Harry! Ginny wouldn’t want you to do this; you’ll throw everything away for nothing!� Remus shouted, horrified that Harry would concede.

“Shut up, Remus!� Wormtail snapped, “His decision is made. The Dark Lord knew his love would destroy him.�

“I can’t lose her, Remus,� Harry said, his voice utterly devoid of hope.

“And I can’t let you throw everything away. If the war is lost, she’ll be killed anyway, along with everyone you love… I hope you’ll forgive me someday.�

As Remus said this last part he drew his wand with incredible speed and blasted the Portkey out of Wormtail’s hand. Harry had half of a second to scream in terror as Fawkes screamed for him to raise a shield, before the Blasting Curse was fired.

Harry’s shield was raised in time, protecting both himself and Remus from the shockwave of destruction. He heard snapping beams and falling stone, and knew without doubt that the tower had been severed from the rest of the building and was falling to the lake below.

Harry didn’t even think about Wormtail, and ignored Remus’ screams for him to come back as he ran full tilt down the hall. Suddenly the ground was gone from beneath him and he was falling, until he transformed into the hawk and could suddenly see the tower below him. His reaction had been fast enough that it hadn’t yet hit the lake, and he was somewhat relieved to see that it was largely intact; she could still be alive. The tower made a huge splash as it impacted the lake, and sunk to half its length into the water before coming to a rest. Harry arrived seconds later and dove into a hole in the wall.

He stayed in his hawk form so he could see, though he found it somewhat difficult to maneuver around the fallen furniture and collapsed walls. Hopping and flapping around the debris, Harry made his way to where the girl’s bedroom was in ruins. It was filling with water quickly and there were bricks and support beams everywhere. Finally he caught sight of a lock of red hair, and his panic intensified to the point where he had to act completely on adrenaline and instinct.

Ginny was wedged beneath a large wooden beam and the floor, covered in rubble, her body bent at angles that shouldn’t be possible. What he could see of her body through the rubble was broken and bloody, and her face, thankfully free of debris, was so battered that Harry would not have recognized her had it not been for her hair. He knew this image would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life.

He wasted no time on horror, making his way to her side and becoming himself again; the water had already risen to the level of her chest and was continuing to rise rapidly. He waved his hand through several rapid spells, vanishing the beam and rubble around Ginny, and used a spell that kept her stable while levitating her. Harry cast several more spells blasting holes in the ersatz ceiling and shielding the two of them from falling bricks and mortar. He then levitated the two of them out of the sinking tower, his spells carrying them to the shore.

Harry laid Ginny’s body down gently and frantically began waving his wand in Diagnosing Charms. He almost collapsed himself as he found a pulse and discovered she was breathing, although both vital signs were faint and fading. Harry screamed for Fawkes to make sure Madame Pomfrey was ready in the hospital wing; he couldn’t heal everything here himself, but he needed to do what he could to keep her alive immediately, and he didn’t dare transport her to the hospital wing until some things, including her shattered ribs, were fixed enough so that they wouldn’t cause more internal damage if she was moved.

Harry worked frantically, mending more damage than he cared to quantify, when Fawkes was suddenly back, somewhere above him, and calling out in fear. Harry’s mind filled with an image of a beam breaking free of the wrecked side of the building that Harry was currently under. He could see himself over Ginny’s broken body under the falling beam and knew they would be hit.

He threw out a spell to try and stop the beam, but all of the intense spellwork he had been doing, combined with the day’s physical exertions done on a night without sleep were catching up to him. His spell was insufficient to stop the beam completely, but it did slow it down. Harry threw himself over Ginny protectively, and the beam hit him in the back hard. He felt something break in his own body, but ignored the pain and growing numbness in his limbs, forcing himself to remain in place over Ginny despite the incredible weight that was pushing him down into her. He knew if even the slightest weight was put on her in the wrong places she would die.

His muscles were slowly becoming numb and Harry could feel himself beginning to shake uncontrollably. He also found himself slipping steadily into the familiar realm of unconsciousness, and refused to succumb while Ginny’s life was in danger. He pulled deeply from within himself using his magic to push new strength into his muscles, exerting control over the raw power and energy that was available to him. He felt an incredible tingling as the shaking stopped and he was able push himself back against the weight of the beam.

He yelled for Fawkes, and felt the power crackling into his voice, radiating command and urgency through his words.

Though it seemed like a lifetime, a very short time had passed since Fawkes had shown Harry the falling beam, and the phoenix had been quickly winging towards them when it happened. Fawkes landed next to Ginny and cried out in alarm; Harry was treated to a vision of himself, holding up the beam with his body, crouched over Ginny on his hands and knees. His face was pale, but glowed with an unearthly light, and Harry knew that if he had drawn so much of his magic that he was showing an aura, he would be unable to maintain his strength for much longer.

“Take her to the hospital wing, Fawkes, and then come back for me,� Harry said, his voice once more filled with power and certainty.

The phoenix complied, knowing Harry placed more value in Ginny’s life than his own, and Harry felt his heart soar as he felt the flash of flame that meant Ginny was safe. His joy was soon claimed by exhaustion as his magical power was finally drained, and his limbs went numb. Harry had a fleeting moment of confusion, wondering why his face was being pushed into the ground, before welcome oblivion claimed him.

Chapter Fifteen: Wormtail’s End


Remus watched in horror as Harry ran down the hallway and threw himself through the gaping hole in the wall, his mind apparently consumed by madness, heedless to Remus' calls for him to stop. As Harry disappeared, most likely to his death, Remus felt a cold knife of fear and pain dig into his stomach, realizing his actions had doomed the war as much as Harry's decision to accompany Wormtail would have.

"Look what you’ve done, Remus," Wormtail laughed gleefully, before firing several curses.

Remus dodged and shielded himself, feeling his grief give way to anger at the man before him. James, Lily, Sirius, Cedric Diggory, and countless others all owed their demise to this cowering cretin, and the whole wizarding world owed the return of Lord Voldemort to his fear. And now, Harry and Ginny were both gone as well, and the world could blame the loss of the war between good and evil on Remus Lupin.

James, Sirius, and Harry may never forgive me, he thought, but at the least I will make sure their murderer never hurts anyone ever again.

Screaming in rage and frustration, Remus threw himself at Wormtail in a vicious duel that both of them knew must be to the death. Wormtail fought with ferocity uncommon to him, though Remus knew that this was because he stood between Wormtail and freedom. A cornered rat will fight fiercely for survival.

Remus was hurling hexes in rapid fire, snarling like the wolf he was inside, and began throwing taunts at the sorry excuse for a human being in front of him as well.

"This is the end, Wormtail. You'll never survive this time; Harry isn't around to save you from me. How could your life possibly be worth the pain and suffering you've put everyone, including your best friends, through?"

This last jab seemed to affect Wormtail deeply, and he snarled as he answered.

"It's not! It never was! But it's all I have left, and no one will take it from me!" He screamed in rage as he rushed forward, intent on destroying the last of his friends, his most adamant enemy.

His rush was caught short as Remus cast a disarming charm that blasted his wand away, and then the werewolf's hand closed around his throat. Frantically he tried to use his powerful silver hand to crush the arm that held him bound, but a quickly fired Severing Hex once again left him with only one hand. His other hand wasn't strong enough to break the grip that held him, and he felt his vision begin to darken as his brain was cut off from the oxygen his lungs could no longer supply. He tried desperately to speak, to plead for his life, but only choked babbling escaped his lips.

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say, Peter," Remus whispered quietly, dragging the choking wretch before him to the hole at the end of the hallway. "No begging or transforming or running in cowardly fear will save you now."

Remus pulled Wormtail's panicked face to within inches of his own.

"Goodbye," Remus said quietly.

Summoning all of his strength, enhanced by his dormant werewolf nature, and encouraged by his bestial rage, Remus threw the man who had betrayed the light out into the winter evening, and watched dispassionately as the man landed hard on the partially submerged tower, never to rise again.

Remus, now at the edge of the precipice, suddenly saw movement on the few feet of shore between the lake and the castle. His heart leapt in hope as he realized it was Harry collapsing under the weight of a huge support beam that must have fallen while he had been dueling. Harry was still alive, or had been enough to move seconds earlier.

Remus levitated himself down, and frantically lifted the beam off of Harry the same way. He could see Harry breathing, but was dismayed at the sight of his injuries. The fallen beam had laid open a huge gash in Harry's back, and his hands and knees were scraped raw and bleeding. And every second, Remus could see Harry's breathing becoming shallower, coming in longer intervals.

Remus gathered the only son of his best friend into his arms and was about to begin a sprint to Madame Pomfrey, when Fawkes appeared in a flash of flame and called to him. Remus gratefully allowed the phoenix to transport him to the hospital wing.

***

Ron and Hermione had still been at dinner when they heard the explosion that shook the whole castle. The students around them had panicked, and they had joined with the other prefects and teachers in calming everyone down and sending them to their dormitories, all the while hoping fervently that Harry and Ginny were safe.

After helping with the other students, they were ready to rush off to their rooms to see if Ginny and Harry were safe, but McGonagall stopped them.

"We need you to go to the hospital wing and help Madame Pomfrey prepare for anyone who might be hurt. Clearly the school is under some kind of attack," she told them, before leading the rest of the teachers out of the Great Hall, wands drawn.

Ron and Hermione ran to the hospital wing, and arrived to the horrific sight of Ginny's maimed body lying in a hospital bed while Madame Pomfrey worked her wand over her frantically, trying to repair the incredible damage that had been done to her.

"Ginny!" both of them screamed, rushing to her side.

"What happened to her?" Ron demanded, his voice breaking with fear and sorrow at what had been done to his only sister.

Before Madame Pomfrey could answer, there was a bright flare of golden fire and suddenly Remus Lupin stood before them, dripping blood from several of his own wounds, and cradling Harry's unconscious body in his arms.

Remus caught sight of Ginny and paled at the sight of her injuries, then shouted in astonishment.

"She's alive! Somehow he must have saved her! Maybe he will forgive me."

This last part was spoken in a whisper which everyone heard, but no one understood. Remus staggered to the bed next to Ginny’s and gently laid Harry's body down, before he jumped back in horror.

"Poppy, he's not breathing!"

Ron and Hermione were completely in shock, and each held the other tightly in their arms as they watched Madame Pomfrey leave Ginny's side and begin casting spells over Harry's completely still form and summoning several potions from her supply cupboard. All of them breathed a sigh of relief as Harry's chest began to rise and fall again as she poured the potions down his throat.

Madame Pomfrey began switching back and forth between the two of them, working on one then the other, trying to stabilize them enough to keep them alive.

Before long, McGonagall and the other teachers arrived, led by Fawkes. After Remus assured them all that the attack on the castle was only one man, and that he was dead, McGonagall sent the other instructors away and demanded the full explanation.

As Remus began to tell his story, Hermione buried her face into Ron's shoulder, sobbing, while Ron listened in numb disbelief at what his friend had endured, and what he had been willing to do for his sister. He felt a thrill of satisfaction as Remus told of Wormtail's death in a monotone voice.

When Remus explained how he had found Harry and then how Harry must have somehow survived the fall and pulled Ginny from the tower, Madame Pomfrey interrupted.

"I don't know exactly what he did to save her, but I do know that he used every ounce of magical power in his entire body to do it. The shock of that magic running out was what almost killed him, though with a strong dose of strengthening solution he should be able to live. His back is broken, too, most likely from the beam that fell on him."

Everyone paused, trying to imagine what Harry could possibly have done that would have saved Ginny, and coming up blank. Hopefully, before too long, Harry or Ginny would be able to tell them themselves, and they all settled in to wait as Professor McGonagall went to notify Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Madame Pomfrey continued her healing, with more calmness than before, but with a still obvious urgency.


A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. I had originally intended all of this to be part of the last chapter, but it just kept getting longer and I felt like it should end. There just wasn’t enough left over to make this chapter very long. The next one is longer again, but I haven’t written anything as long as chapter fourteen and I don’t think anything else will ever be quite as long. At least I update quickly, right?

Chapter Sixteen: Phoenix Eyes




As Ginny's eyes fluttered open, the first thing she noticed was pain. Her entire body ached terribly and she had no idea why; the last thing she remembered was falling asleep after a long, wonderful day.

She couldn't hold back the moan that escaped her lips as she tried to turn her head, suddenly realizing that she wasn't in her room anymore.

At the sound of her moan, she heard people moving around her, and Ron shouted "Ginny!" and the relief in his voice coupled with her mother's sobbing told her she was probably in the hospital wing; that would explain the pain. She shifted, trying to see her family, and the dull ache she felt all over suddenly became a burning fire, as though a thousand hot needles were being driven into her flesh; it took her several moments after that to realize the screaming she was hearing was coming from her. Her scream dissolved into a wracking cough, and the pain became even worse; she felt sure she was about to die.

Madame Pomfrey was at her side in an instant, casting lung clearing charms and pressing a cup to Ginny's mouth. As she swallowed the potion, she felt the pain dissipate, lessening to the point that she could think again, and heard Madame Pomfrey muttering.

"If Mr. Potter woke up to screaming like that, he'd destroy the hospital wing." Her voice grew louder as she continued, "How is the pain now, Miss Weasley?"

Ginny took a few deep breaths before answering; she found her thoughts were growing slightly muddled, and she desperately wanted answers. She was greatly reassured when each of her parents took one of her hands.

"It's not as bad as it was... What happened, where's Harry?"

She listened with growing confusion as they explained the confrontation with Wormtail, but as the story progressed, she began asking for things to be repeated and was still unable to understand.

"Never mind. Where is Harry?" she asked again.

"He's in the bed next to yours, Ginny," her father said in comforting tones.

Ginny found her eyes drifting shut.

"Is he okay?" she asked insistently, determined to fight off sleep until she knew.

"He'll be alright, Miss Weasley," this coming from Madame Pomfrey.

"Oh. Good," Ginny stated as her eyes finally shut and sleep claimed her.

***

Harry made his way back to consciousness through sheer force of will; he felt a debilitating exhaustion that tried to suck him back into the realms of sleep, and fought it off as much as he could. He found that his limbs were tingling, and he couldn’t seem to move against the crippling tiredness that filled him. His internal clock didn’t seem to be functioning, but he could sense that Fawkes was in the room somewhere, sleeping, so he knew he was somewhere safe, and by the familiar feel of the bed, he was sure it was the hospital wing.

“Ginny,� he mumbled, though not much sound escaped. He worked moisture back into his mouth and called again, “Ginny?�

He heard no answer, and he desperately needed to know if she had made it. If she was dead… she just couldn’t be dead.

Ignoring the weight in his mind that was still trying to put him to sleep, Harry once again began a struggle with his un-responsive body. First, he was able to shift his arms, and brought them to where he could push himself up into a sitting position. His muscles were incredibly sore as he flexed his arms against his weight, but he found he was making progress. After several minutes he was in a sitting position on his bed, and found himself fighting off dizziness and nausea.

Once he was certain he wasn’t going to be sick, Harry called for Madame Pomfrey, able to call in a louder voice with unrestricted lungs, and finally got a response.

“Mr. Potter!� she shouted, as she rushed into the room, “You lay back down this instant! Your body is attempting to recover your magic, and this activity will slow your recovery time considerably. Professor McGonagall is already unhappy to be covering your classes, and she will not be happy to do it longer than is necessary.�

Harry heard Madame Pomfrey reach his side, and felt a firm hand on his chest, gently pushing him back. Harry resisted this with one hand behind him, and closed his other hand around Pomfrey’s arm. She was shocked at the strength of his grip, despite his injuries and obvious weakness.

“Where’s Ginny?� he demanded, and traces of power could again be heard on the edge of his voice.

“She’s in the bed next to you, Mr. Potter, and she’ll be fine. Somehow, you managed to save her,� she answered, flustered at being questioned so forcefully.

Harry slumped in relief as he learned she was alive. All the energy he had used to move himself was suddenly gone, and he felt his body go limp as Madame Pomfrey gently laid him back down in his bed and covered him with his blanket. He slipped easily back to sleep.

***

The next time Ginny woke up, she still felt the deep aching pain, but it had lessened and she could move without making it much worse. She opened her eyes, and found herself looking into her father's smiling face.

"Good morning, Ginny," he said gently, "Feeling better today?"

"Hi, Dad," she answered, and pushed herself up, not quite hiding the wince of pain caused by the movement. She looked over at Harry’s pale, sleeping form and asked “How’s Harry?�

Arthur laughed fondly, as he helped his daughter sit more comfortably.

“You’ve both got very one-track minds right now. He was awake briefly last night, according to Madame Pomfrey, and he wouldn’t go back to sleep until he knew where you were and if you were safe. He really shouldn’t have been able to wake up at all, between his magic being drained and the potions he was on, but he was able to sit up, shout, and make demands.�

Ginny was gratified to hear about Harry’s protectiveness, and smiled brightly at her father.

“So what happened?� she asked, this time ready to hear and understand the answers.

“Pettigrew was able to sneak past the wards and confronted Harry and Remus in front of your rooms. He tried to make Harry take a Portkey by threatening to use a Blasting Curse on the tower, and Harry tried to go along with that to protect you, so Remus cursed the Portkey and Wormtail blasted the tower, with you in it.�

Ginny sat in shock for a few moments and then whispered, “He’s going to try and push me away again, now.�

Arthur smiled down at her and took her hand.

“I wouldn’t worry about that, yet. When the tower fell, Remus said he went completely berserk, and threw himself out the hole after you. Remus was certain he’d killed you both, then, and he killed Peter. Somehow, though, Harry was able to pull you out, and Madame Pomfrey says he also healed you enough that you were able to survive until she could help, and he drained all of his magic somewhere in the process, and broke his back. I think you’ll have to worry about some over-protectiveness from him for a while, but I don’t think he’ll push you away.�

“He broke his back and drained his magic? Is he alright?�

“Except for the magic, his injuries weren’t nearly as bad as yours. Madame Pomfrey was able to heal his back without any problems, though he might have some temporary loss of feeling in his extremities.�

“How badly was I hurt,� she wanted to know.

“Well, Poppy said you’d broken more bones at once than anyone she’s ever seen, including Harry, and there were all kinds of internal injuries. She’ll tell you more about it if you want; we were too happy that you were alive to pay attention to what she was saying exactly,� and his eyes grew misty as he went on, “you looked pretty bad.�

“Well,� she said, trying to lighten his mood, “I don’t think Harry will ever let me die, so there isn’t much to worry about as long as he’s around.�

“I think that might go for the whole Weasley family, considering the number of us he’s saved so far,� Arthur answered chuckling.

***

After two more days of sleeping, Harry finally woke up again. By this time, Ginny was walking about with the help of a cane, and getting very tired of the hospital wing. She was sitting next to Harry’s bed and shouted his name when his eyes open and began staring blankly around the room.

“Finally, you’re awake! I’ve been so bored without you to talk to,� she gushed, putting her arms around him and kissing him softly.

“That’s a good way to wake up,� he rasped, his voice failing him. He cleared his throat, and went on in a clearer tone, “How are you doing?�

“I beat you to waking up completely by two days,� she said proudly, “and I have the new record for the most bones broken at once, so now I’m better than you at Quidditch and getting hurt.�

Harry couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.

“I can’t tell you how good it is to hear you talk and to feel you there,� he whispered. “I thought I had lost you.�

“I understand you almost killed yourself saving me, so I almost lost you too; we’re even.�

Harry laughed again and kissed her soundly. Just being with her was helping to drive away the feeling of exhaustion that was still pulling him down. He closed his eyes and reached within himself, trying to determine if his magic were back to normal.

“If you’re worrying if your magic is back yet, Madame Pomfrey said that you should be fine by the time you woke up. She kept you on sleeping potions so you wouldn’t set yourself back again.�

Harry grinned and pushed himself up in his bed.

“Do you think she’d mind if we went for a walk?� Harry asked.

“Where would we go?� Ginny asked in response.

“I think it’s lunch time. How about to the Great Hall?�

“It’s a date, Harry.�

***

The two of them staggered about like a very, very old couple, laughing at their inability to get around by themselves. Before long, Fawkes had joined them from somewhere and also found the sight very amusing, and offered to transport them to the Great Hall. Harry had the phoenix take them to just outside the doors, and the two of them hobbled in together.

When they first made their appearance, the hall went deathly quiet. As they made their way up to their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, the room began to buzz with whispered conversations. As Harry raised an arm and waved at the room in general, all of the first through third year students, including the Slytherins, exploded with cheering, glad to have their teacher back.

Harry’s face turned red as Ginny laughed, and the two of them sat down with Ron and Hermione.

“What are you two doing out of bed?� Hermione demanded, shocked that they were there.

“We were hungry,� Ginny responded, as if the answer were completely obvious. “The hospital wing isn’t exactly the best place to go to for lunch.�

Harry and Ron snickered as Hermione lectured them about following the doctor’s orders.

Before much longer, after another lecture from McGonagall, who had gotten an angry note from Madame Pomfrey, both Harry and Ginny were exhausted. Ginny needed another pain potion when they got back to the hospital and Harry fell asleep twice while they were walking back, despite the fact that he was standing up and moving. They were then lectured by Madame Pomfrey herself, sentenced to another full day in the hospital wing, and sent to bed.

As Ginny settled her head back into her pillow, she heard a rustling noise from the bed beside her, and caught the words “I love you, Ginny,� whispered from Harry.

She smiled sleepily, and answered. “I love you too.�

***

Harry slept that night for a full twelve hours, which seemed strange to him, even though he had been asleep for more than a week because of his injuries. Still, when he woke up, he felt incredibly refreshed, albeit a bit sore, and was in such high spirits that he even ate a hospital breakfast without complaint.

Ginny was still sleeping, and Harry didn’t want to invoke the wrath of the hospital matron, nor did he have it in his heart to disturb Ginny’s peaceful rest. Still, without her, he didn’t have much to do, and quickly became bored with his surroundings.

After a few moments, Fawkes appeared in the room, and Harry smiled as the bird landed on his shoulder.

“Hello, Fawkes. What have you been up to for the past several days?�

Fawkes sang a few mournful notes, and Harry saw a view of himself and Ginny lying in the hospital beds side by side, both looking very much the worse for wear. The image brought to mind how close he had come to losing Ginny, and he promised himself then that he would keep her with him where he could keep her safe.

“Thanks for looking out for us, Fawkes. She’d have died if you hadn’t pulled her out of there. I would have died too, if you hadn’t come back.�

Fawkes sang a few happy notes, letting Harry know that he was happy to help wherever he could.

Something about talking to Fawkes troubled Harry, though. Harry sat brooding, trying to remember something that seemed very important.

Harry suddenly sat up in the bed, causing Fawkes to squawk in protest and fly over to Harry’s bedside table.

“Fawkes! You showed me the beam falling, right when it was happening, right?�

Fawkes uttered a few musical tones that clearly indicated confusion, and Harry saw the beam falling once again.

“No, I don’t want to see it again… Can you show me what you are seeing now?�

Harry was beside himself with anticipation, and then suddenly Harry received a view of himself sitting in the hospital bed, and looked into his own eyes. Harry shut his eyes to free himself of the disconcerting image, but it remained in his mind. Harry couldn’t speak for a few moments, as he tried to decide how this would affect his life.

“Fawkes… would you be willing to do this for me often?� Harry asked, not wanting to put too much of a burden on the phoenix, but growing hopeful that he could function more independently, and the phoenix was with him almost all the time anyway.

Fawkes sang happily, assuring Harry that as often as he was with Harry, and even if they were apart, Harry would be more than welcome to see what Fawkes could see.

Harry asked Fawkes to fly up into a corner of the room, and held tightly to his bed as the phoenix complied and Harry’s vision flew dizzyingly to the new location. Harry suddenly had a panoramic view of the entire hospital wing, including the beds where both he and Ginny were laying. He got to his feet, trying to judge where he was as he watched himself move, and tried walking down the aisle. He staggered drunkenly, trying to get used to the new perspective, and a wave of nausea consumed him. He watched himself fall to his knees as he vomited on the floor. The phoenix sight cut off and Fawkes flew down in concern, and Ginny, woken up by his staggering into a bed, was at his side in seconds.

“Harry! Are you alright? Madame Pomfrey!� she said, calling the matrons name out loudly at the end.

Harry stayed on his hands and knees, shaking, as Ginny rubbed his back. He finally felt the nausea subside and fell back, waving his hand in a vanishing spell, cleaning up the mess before him.

“I’m okay,� he said, his words slurring slightly. “I just got a little dizzy, and then I got sick, it’s nothing.�

Madame Pomfrey was not so easily dissuaded, however, and demanded a full explanation. Harry said he had gotten up and felt a little sick and that was all, and after pressing for a while, Madame Pomfrey finally provided a potion that would calm his stomach and left them alone again.

“I know you too well now, Harry, and I know you were lying. What really happened?� Ginny demanded suspiciously.

Harry responded by taking her hand and using Legilimency to show her what had happened with Fawkes.

“It’ll take some getting used to, but I think this will help me a lot. If I can work with it, I’ll be able to see all around me, and no one will know what to expect because they’ll think I’m blind.�

“That’s wonderful, Harry!� Ginny exclaimed, genuinely happy for him, “And thank you for being willing to help him, Fawkes. Maybe now he’ll be able to cut his own meat.�

“Hey! I thought you liked cutting my meat!�

“Dream on, bird-brain.�

“You’re one to talk, there.�

They continued to joke with each other for a while, before Ginny changed the subject.

“Harry,� she asked hesitantly, “Will you use Legilimency to show me what happened with Wormtail?�

“Ginny, I…� Harry began, but she cut him off.

“I know you probably don’t want me to see it, but I need to see what happened to us, and no one but you knows the whole story.�

Harry knew he couldn’t deny her anything, and took her hand gently in his own. As he showed her the images and feelings he’d experienced, he heard her gasping in shock and commiseration, and could hear her crying by the end.

“Harry… you… thank you…� was all she could manage, as she buried her face into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. After a time, she added, “Thanks for not trying to push me away this time.�

“I’ve learned that I can’t live without you, no matter what… and I remembered that I don’t have a choice in that matter anyway,� he finished, smiling.

Ginny laughed through her tears, and then the two of them got to their feet. Ginny looked up and found that a haggard looking Remus Lupin had wandered into the room. He stood there awkwardly, looking as though he were trying to decide what to say.

Ginny leaned close to Harry’s ear and whispered “Remus is here, Harry.�

“Take me to him,� Harry whispered back.

As the two of them approached him, Remus began to look somewhat panicked and started stuttering.

“Harry, I, uh, wanted to…� he began, but Harry cut him off.

“Remus,� Harry said, before throwing himself into the last Marauder’s arms. “Thanks for having the courage to do what I couldn’t.�

Ginny watched Harry proudly, as Remus struggled trying to find words for the moment.

“Harry… I almost got you both killed!� he exclaimed.

“I would have died for sure if I went with him, and he may have cast the Blasting Curse anyway. And if the war is lost and Voldemort wins, I don’t expect anyone who has been close to me will live very long. You did what was right,� Harry finished.

Remus shook tears from his eyes and whispered “Thank you,� before the two of them stepped apart, and Ginny took Harry’s hand again.

“We’re on our way to lunch in the Great Hall again,� Ginny said, “Care to join us?�

Remus grinned as he accepted and they all made their way to the enticing aromas coming from the Great Hall, joking about how much trouble they would be in with Madame Pomfrey.

Chapter Seventeen: New Pets



Harry and Ginny were able to return to normal activities the next day, though Ginny still needed help getting out of a chair, and Harry was liable to fall asleep if things got too slow. Ginny also began helping Harry get used to using Fawkes as his eyes and after a week, and several more bouts of nausea, Harry was able to walk around on his own without being sick.

Harry’s first day of training since the attack came soon after this development, and Harry was anxious to use his new sight.

He arrived with Ginny in the Room of Requirement and Moody, Tonks, and Remus were all waiting for him.

“Decided to bring someone to hold your hand today, Potter?� Moody joked, laughing is his raspy voice.

“I just wanted to watch all three of you lose to Harry at once,� Ginny taunted in return, and Harry blushed crimson.

“Well, I think we ought to show Miss Weasley what really happens in these training sessions,� Tonks put in as she whipped out her wand, and the three of them began circling Harry. Ginny moved into a corner and felt Fawkes land on her shoulder, though he remained invisible.

Harry went into a defensive stance, turning his head in different directions as though listening for his attackers as he usually did in the past. Remus fired first, but Harry threw himself forward into a rolling dive, and came up behind Tonks. Without his wand, Harry fired three rapid stunners and all three of them were unconscious.

“Should we tell them how I did that?� Harry asked with a cocky grin.

“Let them wonder,� Ginny responded lightly, “I think they need to respect my boyfriend a bit more.�

After Harry revived the three instructors, Moody looked at him suspiciously.

“I’ve never seen you move like that before, Potter,� he growled, “You haven’t been holding out on me, have you?�

Harry grinned enigmatically, and set himself into a defensive posture. The three began to circle again, but it was with a great deal more caution. This time, Harry made the first move and fired a few stunners at each of them, alternating between his wand and bare hand to throw out the spells quickly. His opponents were only mildly surprised this time, and Harry only succeeded in stunning Tonks. Moody and Remus began firing spells and dodging and shielding in earnest, and the duel was truly begun.

Harry held his own solidly, shielding himself from numerous spells, and dodging around the room making himself a difficult target. He felt a grin growing on his face and let it stay there; make them wonder.

Remus, probably looking to catch him off guard, wordlessly woke up Tonks and the two of them worked their way around behind him, as Moody began firing faster to cover their movement. Harry’s grin widened as they moved to right where he wanted them. So far, he had turned to face whoever he was casting spells at, and now they were expecting him to continue. Just as Remus and Tonks started casting their spells Harry cast two disarming spells, one from each hand, without turning around. They both lost their wands, and Harry then used his wand hand to raise a shield to block Moody, and stunned and bound both Tonks and Lupin with the other.

“Just you and me now, Mad-eye!� he taunted.

“I have a few tricks of my own, laddie,� he answered, and turned and cast a stunning spell at Ginny.

Harry acted without thinking, throwing himself into the path of the stunner while pouring magical power into a stunner of his own aimed at Moody. Harry was hit square in the chest, and collapsed, his sight from Fawkes going black.

***

Ginny watched in amazement as Harry battled the other three, astonished at his ability to move, and his power in casting spells, all with a taunting grin plastered on his face.

It’s a good thing he doesn’t know how good he looks with that smile, she thought fondly, or he’d be impossible to live with.

Then Harry and Moody were the last ones standing, and she listened with amusement as they taunted each other.

Suddenly, Moody shot a stunning spell straight for her. She had a moment to fumble for her own wand, before Harry had jumped into the spell’s path and Moody was blasted across the room; Ginny found herself the only conscious person present.

She went to Harry first and used her wand to wake him up. He sat up groggily, and shook his head.

“What happened?� he asked.

“You were playing the hero again, Harry,� she answered as she rushed over to Moody’s side. “It looks like he hit his head when he landed, Harry. You’d better look at him.�

Harry, his connection with Fawkes re-established, made his way to the old Auror’s side, and cast a couple basic healing charms before waking him up. Moody sat up and glared at him, before climbing awkwardly to his feet.

“I think I need more people to set you against, Potter; maybe Shacklebolt will join us next time, along with a few others.�

“To be fair, you did get him with the stunner you sent at me,� Ginny told him bracingly.

“Well, I figured it might distract him a bit, but I was hoping for more success than I got.�

Harry laughed as he released Tonks and Remus, and they got to their feet, looking chagrined.

“How’d you manage all of this, Harry?� Remus asked, “Did the potions for your eyes finally work?�

Harry shook his head ruefully, and explained what he had discovered he could do with Fawkes.

“Though I hope you’ll keep all of that to yourselves,� Harry finished, “I’d like to keep it as a surprise for the next set of Death Eaters I run into.�

They all congratulated him on his new ability, and Fawkes became visible, preening proudly on Ginny’s shoulder, welcoming the praise they all gave him.

Ginny interrupted with her own question.

“Do you think I could join the training too?� she asked somewhat hesitantly.

“Of course you can!� Moody bellowed, “We could have used you on our side there. Anyway, it’s time you learned how to really fight Death Eaters. Ron and Hermione should join us too.�

“I’m sorry, Ginny,� Harry said sheepishly. “I should have made sure you were all part of this a lot earlier.�

“That’s okay, Harry… as long as it doesn’t happen again,� she said with a stern voice, though Harry could tell, even though Fawkes couldn’t see Ginny’s face, that she was smiling as she said it.

***

A few days later, Ginny was waiting in the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione. Harry hadn’t yet arrived for dinner, and all of them had decided to eat without him, though Ginny had made a plate and cast a warming charm on it for him.

“Where’s Harry?� Ron asked around a partially full mouth; Hermione had been working on that with him, and he was now mostly understandable at mealtimes.

“I don’t know,� Ginny answered again.

“Well, we have news about what we talked about before Wormtail showed up,� Hermione stated quietly, “and we want to tell him about it.�

Ginny was excited by this news, but was interrupted from answering by a sudden commotion among the other students in the hall.

“That’s not an owl…� Ron stated in confusion.

Ginny looked around and caught sight of a dark-feathered hawk clutching a note flying towards her.

As it landed and Ginny reached for the note, Hermione grabbed her hand.

“Don’t touch that! It could be a trap or a Portkey or something. We don’t know anything about this bird.�

Ginny covered her smile with a hand as the hawk fluffed up his feathers in indignation and clacked his beak in Hermione’s direction.

“Looks dodgy to me, too,� Ron added in concern.

Harry looked ready to advance on either of them, so Ginny intervened.

“This is a pet that I’ve been training. I found him out by the Forest a couple months ago, and thought I might be able to use him like an owl. He’s nowhere near as efficient as Hedwig, but not so annoying as Pig,� Ginny informed them as she took the note. Harry promptly turned his back on her in a huff, as she read the note.

I reckon it’s time we told Ron and Hermione that we are Animagi now, and I thought this might be a good way to bring it up. I can’t wait to see what will happen when they see a hawk giving you mail. Get them out of the hall and take them somewhere where we can talk, and I’ll scare the daylights out of them when I turn back to myself.

“It looks like Harry’s not feeling well, and he’s not coming down,� she informed Ron and Hermione, “but now that you’ve met Gilderoy, do you want to see some of his tricks?�

“How did you manage to catch and train a hawk without us knowing?� Hermione asked disbelievingly.

“And why would you name him Gilderoy?� Ron asked in disgust.

“Harry and I were keeping him a secret, and I named him that because he looks pretty good but he’s not too smart.�

Ron and Hermione laughed, and the hawk let out a piercing cry of anger.

“We’d better take him out of here, though, or he’s going to get us into trouble with the noise,� Ginny said, enjoying herself immensely.

Ginny got up and held out her hand. The hawk regarded her balefully for a moment before flapping over and perching on her arm, gripping slightly harder than necessary with his talons. He turned his head away from her, but allowed her to stroke the feathers on his head as she led Ron and Hermione to the Room of Requirement. When they entered, it was once again the room with a high ceiling and open rafters, and the hawk immediately took off and perched above their heads.

“He can be so difficult sometimes,� Ginny said in exasperation, though it wasn’t hard to detect the amusement in her voice.

“So what tricks have you taught him?� Ron asked, growing curious and interested in seeing a show.

“Yeah, I’ve read that owls are the only birds of prey that can be trained for post and other things like that,� Hermione added.

“Well, honestly, I think Gilderoy here is a lot smarter than most owls. Watch this,� Ginny said, and she began giving Harry commands.

At first Harry wouldn’t come down from the rafters, but after a little pleading, he came down and began performing whatever tricks Ginny asked. After a moment, Harry really started to enjoy the shouts of astonishment when Ginny had him do simple arithmetic by bobbing his head a certain number of times. Finally, Ginny ordered him to write his name on a chalkboard she conjured.

The bird looked at her for a while, and Ron and Hermione protested that no hawk would be able to do that. Finally, Harry flapped over to Ginny and took the chalk in his beak, and flew back to the chalkboard. Using his wings to steady himself, Harry began writing in large blocky letters.

“Not Gilderoy,� Hermione read, and looked at the bird in amazement.

“What is it then?� Ron asked.

Harry was himself again in an instant, and shouted “Not Gilderoy!�

Ginny laughed hysterically, and after seeing Ron’s and Hermione’s horrified faces through Fawkes’ eyes, who had been perched in the rafters the whole time, Harry couldn’t help but join her. Fawkes had thought it degrading that Harry would resort to performing tricks, but admitted that the results were amusing.

Hermione recovered first.

“Harry, you did it! You became an Animagus!�

“That was bloody brilliant, Harry,� Ron put in, “How’d you manage this?�

“Well, it took a lot of work, and Ginny helped a lot,� Harry said as he turned his face towards her and treated her to as much of a glare as he could manage without being able to focus his eyes on her. “But I didn’t expect the treachery I was shown tonight!�

“Oh come on, Harry, you have to admit it was funny,� Ginny laughed.

“Well, you guys should see the tricks I’ve taught to my pet falcon, Cho.�

Ron and Hermione watched as Harry held out his arm and Ginny turned into a large falcon. They laughed as she ignored the proffered perch and flew straight into Harry’s stomach, knocking him down and turning back into herself, seated on top of him.

“Cho? That was below the belt, Potter!�

Harry pleaded for mercy and Ginny finally forgave him, and then apologized for the Gilderoy business.

“Well, this is fantastic,� Ron said, interrupting them. “How do we do it too?�

“I’ll show you both how, but there is a lot of personal work that makes it really difficult,� Harry told them. Ron was starting to enumerate possibilities of what he would be when Hermione interrupted.

“Harry, now that you’re here and we know it’s you, we know where the orphanage is.�

Harry’s attention was immediately completely focused on this new conversation.

“Is it still being used as an orphanage?� he asked.

“No, the building has been abandoned for years, but it’s still there. I also found Hephzibah Smith’s house, but her family still lives there, so I think the orphanage is more likely.�

“Alright, then it’s time to plan our next trip,� Harry told them, as he cast several spells on the room and declared it clear. “And this time no one will know we are coming, and will hopefully never know we were there.�



A/N: Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that this chapter was a little silly. As such, it’s one of my least favorite chapters, but once I started writing it I couldn’t stop, and now that it’s done I can’t bring myself to take it out. Maybe all of you will like it anyway. You’ll let me know, right?

Chapter Eighteen: Dead End


Harry insisted that they all be very cautious in their preparations to depart. Harry informed McGonagall that they would be gone for the weekend, but refused to say where they were going or exactly how long they would be. He also had insisted they all come to at least two training sessions each in the week preceding the trip, and since she wasn’t sitting exams that year, Ginny came every day. She was improving greatly every day, and she had been good to begin with.

Hermione had also spent more time researching the area surrounding the orphanage, and had discovered that the neighborhood had long since fallen into hard times, and was known as somewhere where you wouldn’t normally wander around after dark. She was able to find a fairly nice motel within a few blocks that they could use as a base of operations. Harry wanted to be able to observe the place from afar for a while before actually going in.

Hedwig had been sent to Gringott’s and brought back plenty of Muggle money, and a confused Remus had provided them all with dark clothing, and various supplies. Harry was confidant that they were prepared for every conceivable eventuality, but was also worried because there could be many inconceivable events that he hadn’t been able to think of.

Finally, directly after classes on Friday, they all gathered in their recently repaired rooms, where Harry went over the final plans with them all.

“We’ll have Fawkes transport us to an alley near the hotel under the cloak, and Ginny and I will then transform and circle the area to determine whether or not anyone noticed or is waiting for our arrival. If there is anything wrong, Ginny or I will call out twice, and the two of you will Apparate to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, and Ginny and I will join you as soon as Fawkes can take us. If we call out once, then you can make your way to the motel, and set up the rooms. Hermione, you’ll handle dealing with the Muggles, paying for the rooms and anything else we’ll need, but here is some money for everyone just in case.�

Harry then passed out a couple hundred Pounds to everyone else. Hermione’s eyes widened at how much he was giving them.

“We probably don’t want to let anyone see that kind of money where we are going, so please be discrete,� she informed them all.

“Right,� Harry agreed, “and we want to make sure that no one, especially either of you two girls is ever out alone. It’s a rough neighborhood, and we don’t want to have to resort to magic if we can help it.�

“You’d be just as helpless against Muggles as me, and I’m not blind,� Ginny complained.

“Well… they won’t know I’m blind, and I can try and look intimidating,� Harry said with a grin, but dropped it quickly and continued, “I know either of you can handle yourselves just fine, but I just don’t want anyone to be tempted to try anything. We’ll try and use the cloak and our Animagus transformations as often as possible so that we won’t have to deal with anyone. Any questions?�

“What are we going to do about food?� Ron wanted to know.

“We have enough money to eat out for a few days, and we’ll try and do that in a nicer neighborhood if we can help it,� Harry answered.

“What happens if we do have to use magic against Muggles?� Ginny asked.

Harry hesitated, thinking. “If we have to and it’s serious we’ll get out of there and meet in Hogsmeade afterwards so we don’t have to deal with Magical Law Enforcement. If doing that would put us or someone else in danger and we have to be there when they show up, we’ll just have to make sure that you aren’t around, since you’re still underage. I don’t think we have to worry about you doing magic otherwise, though, since they won’t be watching that area.�

When there were no more questions, they all gathered their bags and climbed under the cloak, and Fawkes took them away.

***

Ginny transformed eagerly and took off out of the alley, winging out into the night air of London. She loved the feel of the wind as she moved through it swiftly and silently, and she had come to love this kind of flying more than even her broomstick. She began scouring the streets and alleyways with her gaze, looking for signs of anything that shouldn’t be there. The first thing she noticed was that Hermione saying it was a rough neighborhood was a bit of an understatement. Vagrants and mean looking kids wandered the streets and there was trash everywhere. She suddenly very much agreed with Harry’s suggestion that she and Hermione not go anywhere without someone else.

Still, she could see nothing wrong and turned to look for Harry. She caught sight of him circling the alley where Ron and Hermione were still waiting. When he saw her coming towards him and she didn’t call out, he called once, letting the others know they could move out. Ron and Hermione came out from beneath the cloak and began walking down the street briskly, eager to reach the comparative safety of the motel, while Harry and Ginny flew from building to building, keeping an eye on them. Finally, they reached it and entered the office, followed by a wait of several minutes that left Harry and Ginny huddled together on the roof of a tall building a block away, their combined warmth keeping the chilly London air at bay. Ron and Hermione emerged from the office, and went to a third story room where they left the door open. First Harry and then Ginny took flight, spacing the timing to avoid more attention, and soon all of them were together in their new accommodations.

“This hardly seems worth thirty-five Pounds a night,� Hermione complained, as she examined the slightly run-down room with trepidation.

There were two beds, a bathroom, and a small living area with a TV all in various states of shabbiness.

“It’ll be alright,� Ginny said bravely, while Harry shrugged. He wouldn’t have to deal with the way it looked, anyway, unless he had Fawkes seeing for him.

The plan for this evening called for Ron and Hermione to wait in the motel while Harry, Ginny, and Fawkes flew around the Orphanage, and observed the surrounding area. If Harry felt it was clear, they would come back and inform Ron and Hermione, who would then make their way there on foot under the invisibility cloak.

Fawkes remained invisible on the flight over, and Harry and Ginny flew in tandem with Harry setting the pace in front, since Ginny could fly faster than he could. After only a few minutes they caught sight of the building they were looking for, which Harry recognized from Dumbledore’s memory. They flew to a roof nearby and became themselves again so they could discuss what they saw. Harry felt Fawkes land on his shoulder and was able to see the orphanage again through the phoenix’s eyes. The large square building was still surrounded by iron gates, but they were chained shut, and rusted over. There were more broken windows than whole, and there were signs warning trespassers to keep away from the derelict edifice. There were no lights, or signs of movement or people living there at all.

“It does look pretty abandoned, doesn’t it,� Harry stated, sitting low on the roof so as not to attract anyone’s attention.

“I don’t like this place at all,� Ginny said, her voice trembling slightly as she shivered with the cold.

Harry wrapped an arm around her, trying to keep her warm. “Hopefully this isn’t a dead end, and we can be another step closer to winning. Honestly, so far this isn’t nearly as bad as the cave.�

“That’s not very comforting, Harry. Anything like the cave would be in a hidden room or basement or something, and we’d still have to deal with it.�

“Well, let’s deal with it when it happens. Do you see anything suspicious?�

“No,� she answered uncertainly.

“Fawkes, do you see anything dangerous?�

Ginny couldn’t see the phoenix, but heard a quiet warbling cry of an uneasy ‘no.’

“Well, I guess we can go back and get Ron and Hermione. Maybe we can be done before we even have to spend a night here,� Harry said with confidence in his voice, and Ginny fervently hoped that would be true.

***

Harry and Ginny waited above the gate, and were rewarded by the sight of the gates opening themselves and then closing again. Following Ron and Hermione while they were under the invisibility cloak had proven to be somewhat impossible, so they had decided to wait where they could see signs of them moving.

Taking the cue, Harry and Ginny flew forward and into one of the shattered windows on the top floor. The plan was for Ron and Hermione to search from the ground level up, and for Harry and Ginny to go from the top down, hopefully meeting in the middle.

Staying in their bird forms, the two flew silently around the halls and rooms, looking for any trace of something that didn’t belong. Before too long, they had made their way down to the next floor, and were in the middle of searching that, when Harry suddenly turned back into himself.

Following suit, Ginny asked, “What’s wrong, Harry?�

“Something’s going on down on the first floor; Fawkes says Ron and Hermione are in trouble. Come on!�

Harry turned back into a hawk and flew out of another broken window nearby, before circling briefly and flying back in another one on the first floor and Ginny frantically followed him, concerned for her brother.

***

Ron and Hermione reached the front door of the orphanage with no trouble, and entered the darkened front room. There was a reception area, and several adjoining offices, and through another door, a large common room, filled with old furniture.

“Do you think we can take the cloak off, now?� Ron asked, hopefully.

“I suppose so…� Hermione said, hesitating, “it’s kind of hard to move around underneath it with the two of us, since you’re so tall now.�

They came out from under the cloak and Hermione wrapped it up and put it into the small backpack she had brought along. She also pulled out a couple of flashlights, and handed one to Ron.

“What’s this?� he asked curiously, moving the strange object around in his hands.

“It’s a Muggle device to make light, so we don’t have to use magic unless it is absolutely necessary,� Hermione told him, as she demonstrated how to turn it on.

“Wicked!� Ron exclaimed, “I have to get my Dad one of these, he’d love it!�

They continued on through the offices and front room, searching for any sign of magic or anything else that might give them a clue as to where a hidden Horcrux might be. The offices were no help, as all of the papers had been removed, presumably when the orphanage had closed down, and Hermione was very disappointed.

The common room was next, and they were almost finished looking there, when they heard the front door open and close. Ron had his wand out in a flash and was pointing it and his flashlight at the door, shielding Hermione from whatever was coming. Hermione looked over his shoulder with apprehension, and then someone grabbed her from behind.

Shrieking, she tried to fight off the person who had grabbed her, while calling to Ron for help. Then she caught sight of Ron on the ground, being kicked viciously by another man, his wand and flashlight both gone. She shouted in anger and redoubled her efforts to fight off her attacker, but a hard blow to the head suddenly left her dazed and unable to struggle.

In a matter of minutes both of them were tied up, and sitting in chairs, being questioned by a filthy-looking thug who was waiving a gun around as he demanded to know who they were and what they were doing there. Ron was looking pale, and his face was swollen in a few places, and trickles of blood were running down his mouth and out of his nose. There were several other people gathered around, watching interestedly.

Finally, the man with the gun got up in Hermione’s face and started yelling, “If you don’t tell me who you are, right now, I’m going to shoot the red-head and let the boys have some playtime with you!�

Hermione felt terror like she had never felt before, as the others who had only been watching before began laughing and making lewd faces and gestures towards her. Her mind was completely blank and she couldn’t think of anything to say, as tears began running down her face.

“Have it your way,� the man said evilly, and pointed the gun at Ron. Hermione screamed in horror as he pulled the trigger.

***

Harry and Ginny had flown into the room and perched briefly on a high window sill, trying to figure out what was going on. Harry watched in horror as the man leveled his gun at Ron, knowing there was no way that either of them could get there in time to do anything.

As the trigger was pulled, however, Fawkes appeared in front of Ron in a flash of flame, and took the bullet right between his outstretched wings, crying out in anger and then pain, as feathers went flying in every direction. Harry felt the phoenix’s pain as he burst into flame, dying to protect Ron; it was a pain like nothing Harry had ever felt before, made worse because it was someone he cared about, and could do nothing for. He cried out himself with the agony, echoing a cry of incredible anger that came from the falcon next to him.

While he was momentarily stunned by Fawkes’ sacrifice, Ginny threw herself at the man who was holding the gun and staring in shock at where Fawkes had just burst into flame in front of him. He screamed in fear and agony, dropping his gun, as Ginny collided with him full force, sinking her talons into the back of his neck and digging in with her hooked beak. Harry was galvanized into action himself as he saw Ginny attacking the man madly, and flew over to where he would be facing the other men in the room, between them and his friends. He turned back into himself and threw out both of his hands, using a Reductor Curse with a wordless shout of rage. In his anger over Fawkes’ pain, the curse went out in a shockwave that hit everyone in front of him, and he could hear their cries of terror as they were thrown into walls and furniture. He turned back into a hawk to see if any of them were still potential threats, and was grimly pleased that none of them appeared to be even conscious. He turned and was about to go free Ron and Hermione, when Ginny screamed in terror. Harry looked toward her, and was horrified to see blood covering her hands and face as she stood over the body of the man she had attacked. Harry felt a cold flash of recognition as he looked at the man and saw in an instant that he was dead, probably from a severed spine by the look of the back of his neck, and that the blood was not from any wound on Ginny.

She continued to scream hysterically as Harry flew over quickly, and turned back into himself. She wouldn’t let him touch her at first as he tried to take her into his arms, but finally he was able to pull her close, and she collapsed into his embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.

Harry held her for a short while, before fumbling over to where Hermione and Ron were still bound and freeing them with a wave of his hand. Hermione was also crying and ran to Ron’s side, as he groaned in agony.

“Hermione, I need you to bind everyone here, quickly,� Harry said quietly.

“I… can’t… Ron… I couldn’t…� she sobbed, shaking her head as Ron tried to assure her he was okay.

“Hermione, you are the only one who can do it right now; I can’t see, and I need to heal Ron, and Ginny…� he trailed off as he held Ginny tighter, “you can do it,� he finished firmly.

Hermione stopped crying as Ron also assured her that she could do it; she squared her shoulders and walked to all of the other men in the room, some of whom were beginning to groan in pain, waving her wand and shouting “Incarcerous!�

Ginny wouldn’t allow him to let her go, as he tried to kneel by Ron’s side, so he pulled her down with him, and kept one arm around her while he waved his wand over Ron. He had one broken rib and several others were bruised, besides being fairly beaten up around the face. Harry left the face alone, and just fixed the ribs, which eased Ron’s pain enough that he could get up as Harry told him what had happened.

“Blimey, Harry! I never thought breaking a rib would hurt so much, since you’ve done it so many times and it never seems to bother you!� he exclaimed, grateful that he could breathe again.

“Help me get this blood off of her,� Harry whispered back.

Ron cast several cleansing spells that finally left Ginny without a trace of the dead man’s blood on her hands and face. This seemed to help her calm down a great deal, though she still wouldn’t speak and Harry could feel her shaking uncontrollably as she held tightly onto his waist, both arms constricted into a death grip.

Hermione had finished binding everyone, and walked over to join them.

“What do we do, Harry? I don’t think this will go unnoticed by the Ministry, and we’ll be in a lot of trouble if they find us here,� she said, with just a trace of a tremor in her voice.

Harry said nothing, as he reached with his mind towards Fawkes. Instead of the usual friendly presence in his mind, all he could feel now was a baby bird’s fear and hunger, as it shivered with cold. Harry slowly felt his way towards where the feelings were coming from, and gently reached down and picked up the baby phoenix. The feelings of cold and fear were suddenly gone, replaced by warmth and trust, though the hunger remained.

“He saved my life,� Ron stated in wonder, as Harry gently slipped the little phoenix into his pocket.

“We need to get out of here,� Harry stated firmly, “but I can’t Apparate without Fawkes, and none of the rest of you are in any condition to Apparate on your own, and Ginny can’t at all yet, anyway. And I need to finish searching the building. Ron, take Ginny,� he finished, as he tried to get her to let go of him. Finally, she was clutching Ron instead, and Harry borrowed Hermione’s backpack and pointed his wand at it, muttering “Portus.� The pack glowed blue to everyone else’s eyes, and Harry handed it to the other three, and handed the baby Fawkes to Hermione.

“This will take you back to the motel. Wait there for me, and try and find something for Fawkes to eat. I’ll make sure that someone from some kind of Law Enforcement does come, and finish searching the place before I meet you there.�

All of them protested, but Harry overrode their concerns and finally they all gripped the bag and were gone. Harry turned back into a hawk and hesitated briefly, looking down at the dead man on the floor. He could feel only sorrow for Ginny’s pain, though he felt he should feel more; satisfaction or a sense of justice being done. Still, the cost of what had happened left him with nothing but remorse that this person’s choices would lead him to hurt others with such callousness. It was the same in its way as the situation with Voldemort, and Harry once again renewed his vow to bring the Dark Lord to justice, at the cost of his own life if necessary.

***

Harry finished his search of the building in short order, and was intensely disappointed when he could find no trace of magic or a hiding place for a Horcrux. As he looked around, he decided Voldemort probably would want something darker or grander as a resting place for a piece of his soul anyway.

He was perched high on a windowsill in the room where the men were tied up when a sickening thought occurred to him. If the men below him were questioned by Aurors, they would be given the description of Harry and his friends, and they would be caught and held before the Wizengamot for breaking several laws, and Ginny would have to deal with having killed the one with the gun. Harry cursed himself for not thinking to modify their memories beforehand, and was about to fly down to do it when the loud cracks of people Apparating into the room caused him to freeze in panic.

Two figures made their way into the room, wand-tips lit as they cautiously approached the bound men. Harry was suddenly very relieved to see that they were none other than Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks.

Making a quick decision, Harry silently took off and landed behind them, turning back into himself and flicking his wand to produce a ‘pop’ that sounded just like someone Apparating. Harry could hear them spin in alarm, and prepared himself to use a shield if they were too startled. He cursed his inability to see without Fawkes, not knowing what the two in front of him were doing.

“Harry!� came Tonks’ startled voice, “What in Merlin’s name are you doing here, what happened?�

“Hold on,� Shacklebolt said in his deep voice, “What magazine did I show Arthur Weasley when you came in for the underage use of magic trial?�

“It was the Quibbler, and it was for Sirius,� Harry answered quickly. “And you asking that question is good enough for me. As for what happened… well, I would prefer no one know that, so I hope you’ll allow me to modify their memories before you take care of them.�

“Harry, we need some kind of information, something we can pass on to Muggle authorities,� Tonks protested, and Harry hesitated briefly.

“The dead one is the one that shot me over the summer, and you can connect him to the robberies and murders related to that. I guess all of them would have been involved one way or another as well,� Harry finished, before pulling out his wand and feeling his way over to the first person whose memory he was going to alter.

“Did you come looking for them, Harry?� Kingsley asked slowly.

Tonks began helping by guiding him around the room while he answered, “No, I was here for something else; this was all self-defense, but I need you to make sure no one else ever knows I was here. It’s incredibly important… this is where Voldemort lived before going to Hogwarts, and he can’t know that I know that much about his past.�

“Your secret is safe with us, Harry,� Tonks said firmly, and Shacklebolt agreed, happy to hear that Harry hadn’t been out for revenge.

“Are you here alone?� Tonks asked.

“Yes… now,� Harry answered, hesitating again.

“That’s okay, Harry. We don’t need to know anything else, and we can take care of all of this from here. Just remember, the Order exists to defeat Voldemort, and if you need any help we’re here for you,� Shacklebolt said calmly.

“Thank you,� Harry said, genuinely touched, “Sometimes it’s hard to remember that, but you can count on me calling the entire Order to help when the time is right.�

All of the incriminating memories were changed in short order, and Harry crafted another Portkey, since he was unable to think of any other way to leave without giving away too much, and Tonks coughed in amusement at his illegal use of the spell. Harry gave them one last parting grin, and felt the hook behind his navel as he was sent to the motel room.

***

Landing after Portkey travel while blind wasn’t a fun experience, Harry had decided as he picked himself up off the floor.

“Harry! What took you so long? Did you find something? What happened to those people?� Hermione asked rapidly, and Harry sighed, knowing her quick speech was hiding inner anguish.

Harry filled them all in on what he had found, and what had happened with Tonks and Shacklebolt. Ron and Hermione were both thoroughly depressed when they learned that everything they had gone through was for nothing.

“Where’s Ginny?� Harry asked then, curious since she hadn’t said anything since he had come back.

“She’s here on the couch, Harry,� Ron answered, before leaning close to Harry’s ear and whispering, “She hasn’t said anything since we got back, and she was pretty sick for a while.�

Harry had Ron lead him to the couch and sat next to Ginny, gathering her into his arms. He could feel her begin to tremble slightly and then shake in tiny spasms as she began crying again. Harry held her gently and said nothing for several minutes before speaking to Ron and Hermione once more.

“What have you been up to since you got back? Is Fawkes okay?� he asked, his voice somewhat hoarse with the sorrow he was feeling for Ginny.

Ron told him how Hermione had been able to heal the rest of his injuries, and Hermione let him know that Fawkes had eaten ravenously and was now asleep.

“I think we should head back to the school now,� Harry decided after they were finished. “We’ll take a Portkey back to our rooms and get some sleep, and then we can deal with everything else,� he nodded toward Ginny, “and decide what we’re doing next.�

They agreed quickly and Hermione settled the bill with the motel and returned their keys, before they disappeared from London as quickly as they had arrived.

Chapter Nineteen: Dead Man’s Blood


Ginny was still in shock when they arrived back in their rooms. She clung to Harry numbly, trying to think about anything rather than the haunting images of blood spattering all over herself that wouldn’t leave her mind. She relived the moment over and over again when she had thrown herself into the man who had tried to murder her brother, felt again her vindictive glee as he screamed in agony, and the horror she felt when she realized that he was dead, and she had killed him. Instinct had driven her to use her beak and talons, but she couldn’t get past the feeling that she had killed a man with her hands and mouth, and she would never forget the horror of his blood dripping down her face and off of her hands. When they had first gone back to the motel, she had been violently ill, and it had seemed as though she had brought up everything she had ever eaten in her entire life, until she couldn’t imagine ever eating again.

Harry tried to get her to go to her bed, but she refused to let go of him; he was providing a stable tie to reality and she wasn’t going to give that up. Harry gave up, and sent Ron to inform McGonagall that they were back, before leading her over to a couch and sitting down. He kept his arms wrapped around her tightly, and rocked her back and forth, saying nothing as he held her. Ginny squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that were returning again, but was powerless to stop them. She could feel Harry’s love for her radiating off of him, and desperately tried to gain some measure of comfort from his embrace.

Ginny lost track of time as she sat in Harry’s arms, as tears streamed down her face and her body trembled with the memories. Finally, after a few hours, she pulled back and looked up into Harry’s eyes. They were sightlessly staring off into space, their brilliant green depths filled with sorrow, and tears had left twin tracks down his face. The sight of his sorrow helped her subdue her own.

“Harry,� she began, but her voice cracked and she stopped, trying to stop the tears that threatened again.

Harry conjured a glass of water for her with a wave of his hand, and she gratefully drained it before continuing.

“I’m sorry… I should be able to handle this better…� her voice began shaking and she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to think about it anymore, but needing desperately to talk about it.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for Ginny,� Harry said slowly in a soft voice. “That man had intended to kill Ron, and he did kill Fawkes. And…� Harry hesitated before revealing the last detail, “he shot me over the summer, and gave me the injuries that took away my sight.�

“That was the same person?� Ginny asked incredulously, her own pain temporarily forgotten as she tried to take in this incredible coincidence.

“It was. I recognized him while I was a hawk… I’ll never forget his face…� Harry paused before going on in a stronger tone, “The point is, he chose a life that only brought pain and suffering to others; he’s killed several other people, and he would have killed all of us without thinking twice about it. What you did was defend your family, and in the process you’ve made it so others won’t have to suffer in the future. It’s no different from me having to kill Voldemort. I have to kill him to prevent the suffering of others.�

Ginny took several minutes to think about this, trying to take what he was saying into her heart to drive away the pain she felt at being a killer.

“But, I killed him… with my… beak… and the blood…� She couldn’t make herself more coherent than that, but Harry seemed to understand.

“After my party when I killed those men with the lightning bolt, I had nightmares for weeks; I couldn’t see anything in the dreams. I just heard the sounds. I couldn’t listen to a thunderstorm without thinking about what I had done, but I came to realize that the spell I used was the only weapon I could come up with to protect the people I love. You have to understand, you were following instincts that led you to use the weapons that you had. If you hadn’t taken him by surprise like that, he still might have managed to shoot one of us.�

“But I wanted to hurt him… I was happy I hurt him.�

Harry could hear from her voice that she was coming closer to acceptance, and rubbed her back gently.

“In the Ministry two years ago… I tried to use the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix Lestrange after Sirius fell through the Veil. It didn’t work because it was only righteous anger, not a desire to cause pain for pain’s sake. You just wanted him to pay for trying to hurt your brother.�

Ginny tightened her grip on Harry and leaned her head up against his chest, and felt her body finally begin to relax. She still had images of the man’s dead body flashing through her mind, and could still feel the blood dripping from her hands… but she could also imagine that those feelings would fade with time.

“Thank you, Harry,� she said quietly, looking up at his face again.

He smiled sadly. “This is what you did for me after I killed the Death Eaters. I just wish I didn’t have to do the same for you… are you still sure you want to be around me?�

Ginny tightened her grip until Harry grunted at the pressure. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried, Potter.�

Harry smiled again, with more warmth and less sorrow.

Harry continued to hold her, talking quietly until she finally grew tired and fell asleep, where her dreams were thankfully of Harry and not her experiences that night.

***

When Ron and Hermione emerged from their rooms early in the afternoon of the next day, they found Harry awake and still sitting with Ginny, his arms around her as she slept peacefully.

“How is she?� Ron asked quietly, concerned about his sister.

“I’m fine,� Ginny responded, opening her eyes and stretching, feeling slightly sore after sleeping on the couch. She appeared pale, and somewhat withdrawn, but she was doing much better than the night before.

“Did you get any sleep at all, Harry?� she demanded, as she turned to look at him.

Harry grinned, and his face was momentarily free of the cares and worries that so often made him look older than he was.

“I was having too much fun to go to bed. You talk in your sleep,� he said, a mischievous light entering into his eyes.

Ginny blushed as she remembered parts of her dreams. “I do not!� she exclaimed, only partially sure.

“Do too,� Harry retorted, his grin growing larger.

“What did I say?�

“Do you want me to tell you in front of Ron and Hermione?�

“Okay, that’s enough of that,� Hermione interrupted, though she giggled briefly at the exchange. It was incredible to her how easily Harry was making Ginny forget about her problems. “What are we going to do next, since the orphanage didn’t get us anywhere?�

Ron was eager to put his previous idea forward again. “What about finding where he learned all of his dark magic after he disappeared?�

Harry sat thinking for a moment.

“Where do you go to learn to be a Dark Wizard?� he asked.

“To another Dark Wizard,� Ginny answered, as a sudden thought occurred to her.

“Who else...? You mean Grindelwald?� Hermione queried incredulously. “He was killed around the same time Voldemort got out of school.�

“But he might have gone to Germany to see if he could find anything of Grindelwald’s,� Ron put in enthusiastically.

“And if he couldn’t find something belonging to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, he might have chosen something belonging to the previously most-feared Dark Wizard,� Harry added thoughtfully.

“How are we going to search Germany?� Hermione wanted to know, “None of us speak German, and we won’t have proper papers if we need to stay somewhere or if something happens.�

“If we do go,� Harry said, “then we should research everything we can about Grindelwald before we go, and have a plan as to exactly where we want to look. We’ll have to wait until Fawkes has grown up again, but he can just bring us back here when we are done searching every day, so hopefully we can keep from having any contact at all with the Germans. We’ll probably be able to find everything we would need at Grimmauld Place; the Blacks seemed to like Dark Wizards a lot, so we can do our research over the Christmas break.�

“Brilliant,� Ron muttered sarcastically. “Our one break from our NEWT year homework, and we get to spend it doing research.�

***

The rest of the time before break was relatively peaceful, and most of Harry’s time was spent teaching, training, and caring for Fawkes. The little phoenix grew remarkably fast, and was flying around their rooms within a week. He had all the knowledge and memories of the old Fawkes, but he still seemed somewhat immature; behaving like an adolescent, Harry would think in amusement. Training without Fawkes had been difficult, because Moody expected him to perform just as well without him, but within a few days after being able to fly, Fawkes was providing Harry with vision again. Harry had a bit of trouble restraining the phoenix, in his current reckless stage, from joining the fight himself, but soon Harry was able to take on large groups of Order members all working together. His confidence was also growing, and he began to feel like he really would have a chance against Voldemort when the time came.

Finally, Harry had his last day of classes; he had been teaching all of his classes evasion techniques, and finally came through with his promise of a future snow battle. The charm that hurled snowballs was simple, and all of his students, including the first years, had been able to learn it quickly, so Harry spent the last day pairing up his students in mock duels where they would hurl snowball “curses� at each other while trying to evade anything coming their way. The students had a wonderful time, and Harry was proud of the way they were learning to move and think. As Ginny picked him up from his last class of the day and walked him back to their rooms, he couldn’t help but excitedly telling her about the whole day.

“You really enjoy teaching, don’t you?� she asked fondly.

“Yeah…� Harry said, suddenly thoughtful. “I do.�

“Rethinking your decision to become an Auror?� she pressed.

“I don’t know. I think I’m putting a lot of my plans for the future on hold, until I have more of a future to plan for.�

“Well, keep your options open. You never know; you could suddenly decide to enter Muggle Relations with my Dad,� she laughed.

“All of my experiences with Muggles haven’t been that great lately,� Harry said, smirking, “so I really don’t think that that is very likely.�

They laughed together as they reached their rooms and began to pack for their Christmas trip to headquarters.

***

They waited until the train carried the rest of the students away, before Fawkes tried his first long distance transport since his death. When they appeared in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, Fawkes flew around exuberantly, singing proudly about his accomplishment. Harry let the phoenix feel his gratitude and pride, and Fawkes alighted on his shoulder and continued to sing.

Mrs. Weasley was waiting for them, and rushed around giving each of them huge hugs. She lingered with Ginny, studying her still pale features and nervous expression, and seemed to understand some what her daughter was feeling. She held her tightly, and both had shining eyes as they broke apart and Mrs. Weasley moved on to Harry.

“How are you, dear?� she asked as she embraced him warmly.

“Fine, thank you, Mrs. Weasley,� Harry answered, returning the hug.

“I’ll let you all get settled, and then we’ll have dinner. The twins and Arthur will be here, and Bill and Fleur might stop by as well.�

Dinner was a cheerful affair, with lots of good food prepared by Mrs. Weasley, and good natured joking and laughter from the twins. Mr. Weasley wanted to know how their schoolwork was going, and everyone seemed interested to know how Harry was doing with his teaching and training.

Harry was telling them all about his snowball dueling classes, while the twins complained about never having such a good time in Defense lessons, when the house suddenly shook with a resounding ‘boom,’ as the floor shook and Harry felt himself thrown from his chair.

Chapter Twenty: The Noble and Most Destroyed House of Black








Harry nearly panicked as the house continued to shake, cursing whatever was going on. He picked himself up off the floor, and saw from Fawkes that everyone else was doing the same.


“We need to get out of here!� Arthur Weasley shouted frantically, as he helped his wife to her feet and over towards the fireplace.


Harry used a plate in front of him to create a Portkey that would go to Hogwarts.


“Use this, it will be faster!� he shouted back, handing the Portkey to the Weasleys and Hermione, “I’ll use Fawkes after I see what’s going on!�


Before anyone could protest, Harry was gone in a burst of flame, and the Weasleys disappeared shortly after he did.


Harry had Fawkes keep him invisible as they flew outside the House of Black, looking down at a group of Death Eaters, led by none other than Severus Snape. He was throwing powerful curses at the house, and Harry realized what he was doing in an instant; since he had been told where headquarters were by the Secret Keeper, he could see the building. The other Death Eaters couldn’t, but if Snape could do enough damage to the house to bring down the Fidelius Charm, they would be able to rush the old home, and claim whatever secrets the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix would contain. They couldn’t possibly hope to catch anyone there by now, but they would have destroyed the base of operations of their enemies.


Harry was furious; the last time he had faced Snape, he had been woefully inadequate to the task of bringing him to justice. Now, though, he knew he would win any such confrontation, and he was itching to try. Fawkes was silently urging him to be cautious, but Harry was past listening. The Phoenix carried him so that he was behind the Death Eaters, and Harry became visible again as Fawkes flew back up to provide Harry with a better view.


Three Death Eaters had fallen to Stunning spells before the others began to notice, and suddenly they all shouted in triumph as they turned to face him. Harry was momentarily confused by that, until he saw another large group of Death Eaters coming from behind him, and he could make out Draco Malfoy in their midst. It was a trap.


Harry continued to throw curses at the Death Eaters in front of him, pretending he had not noticed those coming from behind. His panoramic view allowed him to watch himself move forward until he was face to face with his old Potions professor.


Snape appeared to be in something of a panic, but continued battling Harry vigorously. Harry was surprised at how well Snape fought, as he withstood Harry’s onslaught and returned a vicious attack of his own. Harry was also surprised that none of the spells he was using seemed to be of a particularly dark nature. He was obviously trying to capture him, not hurt or kill him.


Finally, Harry was forced to deal with those behind him as they got close enough to start casting spells of their own. Harry dodged the first volley, and threw up a shield that stopped the next. He spun away from Snape and began battling the new group. Harry was both gratified and somewhat sympathetic when he saw Malfoy’s terrified face, as the boy watched those around him fall to the ground and the strength of the spells Harry was casting. Harry was forcefully reminded that Malfoy had almost accepted Dumbledore’s mercy, and he also remembered the deal the Dumbledore was trying to make.


Knowing he wasn’t going to be able to hold his own in this battle for long anyway, Harry shouted in rage as he advanced on Malfoy, who tried frantically to get away. Harry caught him with a powerful stunner that broke cleanly through his shield, and waved his wand as if casting a fire spell. Malfoy’s prone form was suddenly engulfed in flame that burned bright and hot for a moment before going out; Malfoy’s body was gone. Some of the other Death Eaters were horrified to see that Harry was willing to blatantly kill someone who was already out of the fight, and Harry turned towards where the largest group of them had last been.


“No mercy for evil!� he told them in a cold voice, using a small amount of magic to make his words ring with menacing power. It was an effect he had learned when he was trying to save Ginny after Wormtail’s attack, and he hoped desperately that it was intimidating enough to give them pause. He could feel spells impacting on his shield, and then suddenly Fawkes was back, and Harry could see again; that short moment of complete blindness had been incredibly unnerving. Using his regained sight, Harry threw one last powerful spell at Grimmauld Place, causing the structure to collapse and setting the ruin on fire; they would find nothing of value in what had once been the Order’s headquarters. Fawkes then landed on Harry’s shoulder, and Harry became invisible as well; he had Fawkes to carry him out of the Death Eater’s line of sight before transporting him away, concealing the bright flash of flames that gave away phoenix travel.




***




As Harry appeared in a flash of flame, Ginny prepared herself to tell him off for staying alone, but he interrupted quickly.


“I have some brief business to take care of. I’ll be right back.�


Ginny sat with her family in shocked annoyance as Harry was gone for several more minutes. At least I know he’s alive, she thought bitterly. Sometimes the new knowledgeable Harry was really hard to deal with.


When Harry did get back, and Ginny got a good look at him, she paled with fear and anger.


“Harry, did you fight the Death Eaters alone? You said you were only going to look, not take them on by yourself! Are you alright?� she asked, hands on her hips.


Mrs. Weasley began ranting along the same lines, while Harry appeared confused, as though he didn’t know what they were talking about. Finally, though, probably due to adrenaline wearing off, Harry appeared to be aware of the many cuts and burns he was sporting, and at least had the good grace to look guilty.


“It was Snape,� he muttered, “I couldn’t just let him get away without doing anything.�


“Did he get away anyway?� Mr. Weasley asked shrewdly.


Harry looked uncomfortable, and nodded.


“So attacking a group of Death Eaters by yourself accomplished nothing. You need to learn how to accept help, Harry. The Order exists to help you defeat Voldemort, and if you don’t let us help, you could end up ruining all of our chances for victory,� Mr. Weasley said, though not unkindly.


His words seemed to hit Harry hard, though, and he said nothing as Mrs. Weasley and Hermione went to work on his wounds. He really wasn’t badly hurt, Ginny could see, but it had startled her to see him like that when she wasn’t expecting him to be fighting.


“What will the Order do now?� Ron wanted to know.


“We’ll need to get the word out to everyone that headquarters is gone,� Mr. Weasley responded, “Fred, George, you two start contacting Order members and letting them know. Best start with Bill and Fleur so they don’t show up there later this evening.�


Mr. Weasley then left to go find and talk to Professor McGonagall while Fred and George dashed to the nearest fireplace to begin making calls.


After several minutes, Harry was as good as new, and stood up, walking over to Ginny. Ginny glared at him for several seconds before hitting him none too gently in the stomach.


“Ginny?� he gasped, as he doubled over slightly.


She then gave him a very tight hug, and whispered in his ear, “If you get into trouble like this again without me, you’re going to get a lot worse than that.�


Harry chuckled slightly as he returned the hug before turning to Mrs. Weasley. “What are we going to do over Christmas now?� he asked.


“After this, I don’t think returning to the Burrow would be wise,� Mrs. Weasley said thoughtfully, “but we already spent most of the summer here at Hogwarts…�


She trailed off, thinking, while the others did the same.


“I could buy a house,� Harry suddenly offered.


***


The next few days were filled with several business transactions with Gringott’s Realty, a subdivision of the main bank. Fawkes carried Harry back and forth between Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, allowing him the luxury of consulting with the Weasleys and Lupin, who knew a good deal more about buying a house than Harry did. The land that the House of Black had occupied was actually fairly valuable, and Gringott’s purchased that from him at a fair price, without much bargaining. It helped, of course, that Harry could now speak the Goblin’s language; they were much more respectful to anyone who would make the effort of learning it.


Harry chose to buy a house from Muggles in London, on the grounds that people would notice a Wizarding home being taken off the market. He found a house in Brixton, bought it, and he and the Weasleys moved in with wands drawn, turning it into a Wizard’s dream home. Mrs. Weasley had protested the whole time, upset that Harry would spend so much money, but finally had a very good time decorating and furnishing a home where money was no object. Harry also performed all of the secrecy charms, making himself the Secret Keeper for the Fidelius Charm; this time the house wouldn’t be the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, but rather a safe haven and refuge for Harry and the people he loved. Harry vowed that no one that he didn’t trust completely would ever know where it was.


By Christmas, the Noble and New House of Potter, as the twins had taken to calling it, was complete. There were enough rooms for everyone, and a wonderfully huge kitchen that Mrs. Weasley was putting to excellent use. Harry sat in the spacious den, in a large overstuffed chair, musing over his excellent fortune. He now had a house that he could call a home, and a wonderful family to share it with.


Ginny interrupted his thoughts by suddenly plopping down in his lap,


“Fawkes must not be around, or you would have seen that coming,� Ginny laughed, as Harry got over his surprise and wrapped his arms around her.


“I sent him on to Grindelwald’s Castle in Germany,� Harry said, “He’s going to scout things out and then let me know if there is anything we should know about in advance.�


“We’ll never be able to know everything in advance, Harry. Sometimes things just happen, and let’s face it… They usually happen to you.�


Harry grimaced in response. “That doesn’t mean I won’t do everything I can to make sure it is safe in advance!�


“No, but you also can’t blame yourself when everything goes wrong and you have to save all of our lives.�


Harry sat quietly for a moment, contemplating the matter, before changing the subject. “It’s Christmas… Do you want your present now?�


“Okay!� Ginny exclaimed delightedly. Presents from Harry were always good.


“It’s a little silly,� Harry said quietly, “but I thought you might like something to wear, as a falcon.�


He handed her a little package, which she opened in some confusion. Inside, she found a set of red leather jesses and a falcon’s hood. She looked up, bewildered that Harry would offer her such a gift, and found him grinning devilishly.


“I thought of having them embossed with the name Cho, but I knew that would have just been suicide.�


Ginny hurled the gift back at Harry, who laughed while pulling out another package. Inside she found a fine set of quills with metal tips and an assortment of inks. She was once again confused, until she noticed that half of the quills were bright red or orange and the other half were a jet black. She looked up at Harry in astonishment.


“Imagine ripping out a handful of hair all at once,� Harry began, but Ginny cut him off by hugging him.


“Thank you, Harry! I can’t believe you did that for me! And you have to thank Fawkes for me as well.�


“The quills from Fawkes are special,� Harry said, “If you hold one of them in your hand and call Fawkes’ name, then he will come for you, no matter what’s going on. You can only use them once though, so use them carefully.�


“Thank you, Harry! Here’s your present from me,� she said shyly, as she pulled out a small package of her own.


Harry felt the package in his hands for a while before opening it. It was small and felt like a box. As he got it open, he found that it was a box with a seam around the middle and hinges on one side. He opened it, and sure enough there was a large man’s ring inside. Harry took the ring from the box and held it for a while, noticing that it was unnaturally but not uncomfortably warm, before lifting his face up in amusement.


“Are you proposing? I thought that was my job!� Harry said, grinning.


Ginny slapped his arm, glad that he couldn’t see the scarlet color of her face.


“No, that is your job, and you’d better wait until we’re out of school, or else. This is so that you can always know if I am safe or not. I was hoping Fawkes would be around when I gave it to you, so that he could show it to you. It has a ruby set in the middle, and it glows if I’m hurt or in danger. If Fawkes isn’t around, or if you are too busy to look, it also grows cold. Hermione helped me make it.�


Harry sat openmouthed for a moment, dumbstruck at Ginny’s thoughtfulness.


“Thank you! That is one of my biggest fears, not knowing whether you are in danger or not. Now I won’t have anywhere near as much to worry about!�


“I don’t know about that, Harry. I’m still going with you, and there’s still going to be danger. This just means it’ll be easier to look out for yourself since you’ll know I’m safe.�


Harry grinned, and pulled her in close for a hug, before they both ran off to join her family for Christmas.


***


The Christmas celebration was quite a grand affair. Many of the members of the Order had been brought to the house, though none but Remus, Tonks, Moody, and McGonagall had been told where it was. Everyone had a great time, and Mrs. Weasley, assisted by Dobby, had outdone herself on the food. Finally, as everyone was settling down afterwards, Fawkes returned and Harry cornered Remus and Tonks, who had retreated to the den, no doubt intending to have some time alone. Harry was sorry to deny them the pleasure but wanted more information, so he sealed the room from intrusion and asked his first question.


“Remus, what can you tell me about the defeat of Grindelwald?�


Remus, still somewhat surprised at the intrusion, looked over at Tonks, who shook her head. Remus looked back and sighed, before answering.


“I’m sure you know that Grindelwald was powerful during the Second World War, and I’m sure you guessed that he was involved with the war itself. Grindelwald wasn’t quite the same as Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He was willing to use Muggles for his own purposes, and promised many of them power and glory, enough that many of them joined his cause. While the Muggles fought their war, the Wizarding World fought its own, and it was horrific. Finally, Dumbledore led several hundred witches and wizards in a battle right at Grindelwald’s castle, which everyone insisted couldn’t be found. Once Grindelwald was dead, his followers surrendered or were captured. The Muggle war ended soon after that.�


“What is Grindelwald’s castle like?� Harry wanted to know, pushing for the details that would really help him.


Remus paused again, looking uncomfortable as he exchanged glances with Tonks.


“Why do you want to know, Harry?� Tonks asked, suspicion in her voice.


“I have my reasons,� Harry answered enigmatically.


“I’m sure he’s alright, Harry,� Remus said slowly, and Harry began to think that something was going on.


“Who?� Harry asked, now suspicious himself.


Tonks slapped Remus on the back of the head and answered for him. “Nobody, Harry. Remus just thought you were asking because you thought someone might be in trouble up there. We all know how you like to save people.�


Harry was not so easily deceived. “I don’t think I would have to be an accomplished Legilimens to know you were lying, Tonks. What’s going on, and don’t try to lie to me.�


Tonks gave Remus an infuriated look, but Remus just shrugged and answered Harry honestly.


“I’m sure you’ve discovered that Grindelwald had a large community of giants working for him, but you probably didn’t know that the giants still live in the area around the castle, where they claim that Grindelwald will return and that they must guard the castle until he does,� Remus explained.


“So Hagrid is there,� Harry stated with quiet certainty. “Why wouldn’t he be okay?�


“We haven’t heard from him for a while, and he should have been back by now. He was supposed to approach the giants like he did the last group, though we were hoping he would have more success than last time since he has Grawp with him.�


“Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?� Harry demanded.


"Harry, the only person who knows everything that the Order is doing is the leader, McGonagall. Remus and I only found out because we are being sent to see if we can find them if they aren’t back in another week,� Tonks explained. “You have to let the Order handle this, Harry, promise me!�


Harry sat quietly for a few moments before replying. “I promise that this won’t change my plans at all.�

Chapter Twenty One: Grindelwald’s Castle



Ginny, Ron, and Hermione watched with concern as Harry raged about the lack of information as he paced back and forth in the room. He had gathered them all together, sealed the room, and begun a ranting explanation of what he had just learned from Remus and Tonks. Fawkes was perched in a corner of the room, and was obviously a little more impressionable than the older, more mature Fawkes, because he was singing menacingly along with Harry’s tirade, and looked quite frightening.

“Harry, this really isn’t that much different than you not telling anyone about the Horcruxes. Some information just can’t be shared with everyone,� Hermione tried reasoning with him calmly while Ron nodded.

“That’s right, Harry,� Ron added. “Why don’t we just wait and try and go with Tonks and Lupin when they go. It will give us an excuse to be there, and we can help Hagrid.�

“No!� Harry shouted, “I promised we weren’t going to change our plans. We were planning on leaving tomorrow, and that’s when we are leaving.�

“What if we run into the giants, Harry, how are we supposed to fight them if Stunners won’t work?� Ginny wanted to know.

Ginny’s calm voice seemed to calm Harry down as well. “The Conjunctivitis Curse would be very effective, and you can scare them with fire and loud noises. If we need to, Reductor Curses and Cutting Hexes will work, but if we start really hurting them we’ll probably have to kill them, because then they won’t stop fighting.�

Hermione nodded at his description of the effective methods of fighting giants, until he got to the part about killing them, when she paled slightly.

“We… We can’t go planning to kill them, Harry!� she spluttered, while Ginny nodded adamantly.

“I’m not letting anything happen to Hagrid!� Harry exclaimed forcefully. “He cared for me more than my family, and he brought me to the Wizarding World. Whatever it takes, if I can help him, I’m going to.�

Ginny watched him for a few moments before walking over and wrapping him in her arms.

“What do we need to take with us?� she asked calmly.

***

Fawkes transported them to a clearing in the woods, not far from the main gate of the castle and closer than the giants in the area usually came. There were anti-Apparation wards in place all around the castle, placed there by Grindelwald himself, but Fawkes was able to move through them as easily as he moved through the wards at Hogwarts.

As they approached the castle gate, Fawkes flew from tree to tree providing Harry with a panoramic view of the area around him. He was still somewhat disconcerted over the sight of Fawkes flying while he was walking. Neither Harry nor Fawkes could sense anything amiss, but the feeling that something was wrong wouldn’t leave them. Harry could see by the way they were walking that the others were also nervous. The forest around them was deathly quiet, Harry realized suddenly, and Fawkes could neither sense nor see any living creatures nearby, except for themselves.

Finally, they arrived at the gate, and looked up at the ruined castle. There was a thick portcullis in front of a massive iron strapped wooden door, surrounded by crumbling stone that still seemed as though it could repel cannon fire. Just in front of the gate there was a tarnished plaque that Ron read aloud.

“Never forget the price of allowing evil to grow un-contested. It is the responsibility of all those who love truth and justice to always oppose those who would deprive the world of it. Complacency is the only evil that can truly defeat the light. Remember those who fought and died here, who refused to let that evil triumph, and brought peace again to the world,� Ron looked up as he finished reading, his face solemn.

“Dumbledore wrote that,� Harry said quietly, not sure exactly how he knew, but certain nonetheless.

“He’s right,� Ron said firmly. “While we and the Order try and destroy the Horcruxes and defeat Voldemort, the rest of the Wizarding World seems content to let it continue. The attacks on Muggles and Half-bloods continue every day, but as long as magical homes aren’t destroyed, people seem content to ignore the problem. My Dad is laughed at every day for his defense of Muggles, while the ministry is trying so hard to reassure everyone that it has everything under control, and no one knows who to believe.�

“Well, this time we are the ones who are fighting and refusing to let evil triumph,� Hermione put in. “The rest of the world will thanks us when we’re done, and be grateful they didn’t have to lift a finger, but we still have to fight.�

“Let’s just hope that none of us have to die for it,� Ginny stated darkly, ending the conversation.

Harry pulled out his wand, and the others followed suit, before they magically opened the gate and entered Grindelwald’s castle. It became quickly apparent that the castle had been searched and looted several times over, although some things were obviously magically charmed to resist movement. Harry steered them clear of such objects, feeling the dark intent and purposes behind their placement.

When they entered the great hall, the others were given an example of the dark magic they were unable to sense as Harry could. Just inside the doors, two suits of armor stood on pedestals, seemingly identical to those in Hogwarts, except that these were equipped with large maces. They were walking past them when a shouted warning from Fawkes in Harry’s mind caused him to throw out a defensive shield around all of them. At that exact moment the suits of armor sprang to life, bringing their maces crashing down on shield. Both suits of armor immediately reset themselves, becoming lifeless once more. Ginny and Ron had both cried out, startled, while Hermione stood wide eyed and was shaking slightly, though she had acted quickly enough to raise her own shield. Harry was somewhat amused that the shield only covered Ron, and Hermione blushed slightly before letting the shield disappear. Harry decided not to mention it.

“Keep your eyes open, everyone,� Harry said, as he continued forward calmly.

“Right,� Ginny muttered, while noticing for the first time the rust colored stains beneath the two statues.

They continued searching the castle, though they didn’t run into any more dark surprises, and didn’t find anything indicating the presence of a Horcrux. Unfortunately, it was a huge edifice, and there was too much to search in one day. Finally, they opened a large door on the ground floor that opened up to the courtyard. The room inside was large and mostly empty, and Harry could sense no magic at work inside. In short order the room was cleared, cleaned, and secured with strong wards, and Harry conjured sleeping bags while Hermione created a smokeless fire and Ron unpacked food. Ginny was delighted to see the squashy purple sleeping bags she remembered from their night in the Great Hall when she was in her second year.

“A final tribute to Dumbledore, Harry?� she asked quietly.

Harry blushed slightly. “I always thought it was funny, the way everything he conjured was usually purple and very comfortable. I think he enjoyed the reactions he got out of people.�

“Well, don’t start conjuring things like that in public, or people will think you are crazy too,� Ginny said jokingly.

“You just don’t want to be stuck with a boyfriend who likes purple,� Harry retorted.

Ron interrupted them with dinner, and after everyone had eaten they climbed into their sleeping bags, exhausted. Hermione had brought a fairly detailed map and had outline a search pattern that would have the castle cleared in three days, though no one was looking forward to spending so much time in the dark and forbidding castle.

***

As usual, Harry’s eyes snapped open after only a few hours of sleep.

Time to find Hagrid, he said to himself, summoning Fawkes and casting extra protection spells around the room. The others did no more than stir slightly, and Harry was glad. He knew that all of them would protest his leaving alone, but he knew they couldn’t spare time from the search from the Horcrux, and the others needed to sleep. Harry could feel a growing pressure within himself to finish his task and be free; he could also feel that Voldemort was growing more eager to have his only threat removed and fully begin his reign of terror. A final confrontation was coming, and Harry knew it would be soon; he just needed to make sure that he was ready and that the confrontation came on grounds chosen by him and not Voldemort.

Fawkes transported Harry from the room, leaving the protection wards intact, and took him up to a high tower where Harry was able to transform and take flight. His enhanced hawk vision allowed him to scour the grounds around the castle, and he began flying in a spiral pattern around the area, flying farther out every time and looking for any traces of the giants and Hagrid. After about an hour, Harry found them approximately two miles away from the castle, in a canyon between two heavily forested hills. Had they not been giants, Harry was certain he wouldn’t have seen them. As it was it was kind of obvious.

He soared down to the trees surrounding the giant community and landed, perched where he could observe everything that was going on. Though it was nighttime and most of them were asleep, the giants who were awake were still a raucous group. Their guttural language was hard on the ears, but Harry found that he could understand them well enough. There were several conversations going on, and it took Harry a while to distinguish between the one about whether a rock made a better weapon than a club and another about cooked as opposed to raw meat. Clearly the giants were not intellectuals. Finally, though, Harry heard a conversation that interested him greatly; it was a discussion between a very large ugly giant and a few others, concerning what the village was going to do with some prisoners. The details were difficult to catch, but Harry got the distinct impression that the greater portion of the conversation was how they were planning on cooking them.

This alarmed Harry greatly, and he began flying from tree to tree looking for any sign of the captives, who he was reasonably sure were Hagrid and Grawp. Finally, he found a cave large enough to admit a few giants at once, its entrance guarded by two giants wielding clubs, that he was positive held his friend. The giants were already mostly asleep, and there weren’t any others nearby, so Harry landed outside of the giants’ view and turned back into himself. Using his sight from Fawkes, Harry cast two very quick and very powerful sleeping charms, ensuring the giants would not awaken when he entered the cave. Fawkes flew into the cave and Harry changed back into his Animagus form and followed, dreading what he would find. Not too far into the entrance, he found exactly what he had feared.

Hagrid and Grawp both lay asleep or unconscious on the floor, both looking battered and bruised. Harry changed back into himself once more and slowly approached his old friend, inwardly burning with anger over how he had been treated.

Suddenly there was a roar from the entrance of the cave, and Fawkes turned quickly to catch site of several angry giants rushing into the cave. Had Harry been thinking more clearly, he probably would have had Fawkes transport himself, Hagrid, and Grawp away, but the seething anger had burst into a potent rage, and Harry began throwing spells like mad. The first blasting curse hurled one of the giants back out of the cave, while the giant next to him was hit by a powerful conjunctivitis curse that left it clutching its eyes and howling in pain and anger, thrashing around and hindering the other giants. Several of Harry’s spells were failing to penetrate the giants’ natural defenses against magic, but enough did that Harry was holding his own. Then Fawkes, singing out in the anger that he shared with Harry, joined the fray.

Harry was reminded immediately of the battle against the basilisk as he was given a first person view of Fawkes charging the giants. The phoenix lashed out with beak and talon, causing the giants to cry out in rage. Frantically, they tried to swat at the tiny bird that was causing them so much pain, and generally ended up hitting other giants. Harry was suddenly aware of just how heavy a burden the phoenix could carry as he picked up one of the remaining giants and hurled it out of the cave. Fawkes then grabbed another and transported it to about a hundred feet above the ground outside the cave, where the giant was summarily let go. As the giant crashed into the ground with a deafening thud, Fawkes returned to the cave and found that all of the giants had been incapacitated.

Harry sent Fawkes out to see if any more of the giants were coming towards the cave and turned back towards where Hagrid was laying, intending to feel his way over and heal his friend. He was interrupted by a disarming spell that sent his wand flying out of his hand to fall noisily to the cave floor some distance away.

“Well, Mr. Potter… It seems we got much more than we bargained for this time.�

Harry was suddenly quite afraid as he heard once again the familiar voice of Bellatrix Lestrange, who began cackling gleefully. He sent out a call for help with his mind, asking Fawkes to come to his aid.

***

Hagrid awoke to the feeling of sound of something wooden clattering to the ground in front of him. He opened his eyes groggily, very mindful of the beating he had received, and found himself looking at a wand right in front of him.

He came fully awake instantly, knowing his best chance of escape lay right in front of him. Lestrange had been going on and on about how the Order was sure to send someone to find him, someone who would also be trapped and hopefully able to give more information to the Death Eaters. Hagrid had been quite thankful he didn’t know very much about the Order’s plans and secrets, but he had been dreading the help he had also known would come.

Trying to get a better feel for his surroundings, he looked up in time to see Harry standing in front of Lestrange, who waved her wand in a complicated manner and muttered an incantation that Hagrid couldn’t make out. A coruscating blue light flashed towards Harry, but a familiar flash of flame appeared between Harry and the oncoming spell. Hagrid grabbed the wand, sure that Fawkes had saved Harry from the spell, and ready to stop Lestrange from casting another.

Oddly, though, as the spell hit Fawkes, both Harry and Fawkes cried out in agony and dropped to the floor, Harry clutching his head and landing next to Fawkes, who lay in a crumpled heap.

“Harry!� Hagrid cried out in anger, before shouting a spell at Lestrange. The hateful woman had just long enough to look up in surprise before being hit by a stunning spell that blasted her off of her feet and into the cave wall. Hagrid didn’t give her another thought; though he had never been very good at magic, mostly due to his inability to remember spells and the right wand movements, the spells he could cast had always had plenty of power behind them.

Hagrid first woke up Grawp, who had really only been sleeping; he had been beaten as well, but was a great deal more resilient than Hagrid. Hagrid then limped over to Harry and Fawkes, and lifted them up gently. Their eyes were open and staring into space, and both were as limp as rag-dolls. Hagrid had no idea what that meant, but knew it wasn’t good. Rushing back to Grawp, Hagrid explained carefully that they needed to get to Grindelwald’s castle, where he knew the giants weren’t likely to follow them, and where he could try and get a message to the Order.

Grawp nodded his understanding, and both Hagrid and Grawp rushed out into the growing light of early dawn.

***

When Ginny woke up she became instantly aware that Harry was no longer in the sleeping bag next to hers.

“Harry!� she cried out, looking around the room in fear.

Ron and Hermione were instantly awake, and they were all shocked to find that Harry was no longer with him.

“He must have gone looking for Hagrid,� Hermione said frantically. “You know he only sleeps a few hours every night.�

“I should have thought about that before,� Ginny said, frustrated. “I should have known he would have gone out on his own, trying to keep the rest of us safe.�

“Well, let’s go find him,� Ron interrupted, “I’m sure he’s not in too much trouble.�

They quickly packed up all of their things and exited the room, where Ginny instantly turned into a falcon and flew up to a high tower, hoping to catch some glimpse of Harry. She wasn’t at all expecting what she did see.

A large figure was running through the forest towards the castle gate, staggering under the weight of something big cradled in its arms, and running from the much smaller figures of several cloaked and hooded Death Eaters who were chasing it.

Ginny quickly flew back to Ron and Hermione, resumed her normal form, and told them what she had seen. All of them rushed to the gate which Hermione opened with a few quick spells. By this time, the figure was fairly close to castle, and they could make out the large battered form of Grawp.

Grawp also caught sight of them, and shouted “Hermy!� while quickening his pace. He reached the castle just as the shouting Death Eaters came into view, and Ron and Ginny quickly shut the gates and sealed them with as many protective spells as they could think of.

Grawp gently laid down the unconscious figure of Hagrid, who was in turn clutching the unmoving forms of Harry and Fawkes. Ginny cried out in alarm and rushed to Harry’s side.

“Hermy, help Hagger!� Grawp cried out loudly, looking down at Hermione with a look of complete misery.

“Hermione! Harry’s not breathing!� Ginny shouted frantically, clutching Harry’s hand.

Hermione paled as she rushed to Harry’s side. She cast a few spells, and looked up at Ginny, who had tears streaming down her face, and hesitated.

“I don’t think he’s dead, Ginny,� she told the younger girl, unable to help the tears that were beginning to course down her face as well. “I can’t do anything for him right now anyway; I have to wake up Hagrid and find out what happened.�

Hermione was proud that her voice only cracked a few times. She was sure Ginny would never forgive this lie, but Ginny needed to be able to fight.

Hermione ran to Hagrid’s side, and began casting the healing charms she knew, hoping that she could do something. As she started, though, spells began impacting against the gate as the Death Eaters began trying to break through.

“Ron! Ginny! You have to hold them off!� she shouted urgently, while still trying to concentrate on the healing she was doing.

Ron nodded and grabbed Ginny’s arm; she looked back at Harry for a brief while, looking as though her heart had been torn out, before following Ron up to the ramparts where they could fire down on the Death Eaters.

***

Ron and Ginny reached the battlements over the gate and began firing down on the Death Eaters below them. Two of them were down before the rest became aware of the new threat, but they were quick to return fire, and Ginny and Ron were soon pinned down by one group of them, while another continued trying to batter down the gates.

Ron gritted his teeth in frustration as he fired a spell off and ducked back behind the battlements as five more spells fired up at him. There were too many of them for just him and Ginny to hold off, and as he shared a look with Ginny, he could see that she knew it too.

Ron pounded the stone wall with his fist in anger. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with Harry, but he was certain that if Harry were awake, he would be able to deal with the Death Eaters in short order, but now it was up to them to protect him. Their time training with Moody and Harry had left them far from helpless, but they would need more. Suddenly, Ron remembered the Death Eater attack in the graveyard and how Harry had been able to fly around to the back of the Death Eaters. Harry’s Animagus transformation had given him an edge in combat, Ron knew, and he needed an edge now. Harry and Ginny had shared everything they knew about the transformation, but Ron and Hermione had been quick to discover that it would take a lot more internal effort than they had suspected, while trying to discover what they really wanted. Now, though, Ron was absolutely certain about what he wanted; he wanted to protect his friend, his sister, and the girl he loved.

Suddenly the gates were thrown open and three of the Death Eaters rushed through, shouting in triumph. Ron motioned for Ginny to concentrate on keeping the rest out, and she stood and began firing courageously at the Death Eaters still outside the gate, preventing them from entering as well, her eyes alight with a fury that frightened him. The three that were in already were just passing below Ron, and they would be attacking Hermione in seconds.


Howling in anger, Ron leapt from the wall. It was thirty feet down to the Death Eaters, and Ron put everything he had into making the transformation. As he fell, he suddenly felt himself changing. His body grew larger, and his senses changed as well. His sight was sharper, and his hearing and sense of smell grew more powerful. He could see and smell the Death Eaters below him, and he knew he was going to land on them. He also realized that he felt no fear.

***

Hermione was just getting ready to revive Hagrid when she heard the gates open. She held up her wand, ready to defend herself from the three Death Eaters that were charging towards her. Their charge was interrupted, however, when a huge lion with a shaggy red mane landed on one of them, crushing him into the ground. The lion roared in challenge, batting another Death Eater aside with one swipe of a huge clawed paw. The last man tried to bring his wand up, but the lion pounced on him, biting him hard on the shoulder and shaking him around like a rag-doll before throwing his limp body aside. None of the Death Eaters moved.

The lion then became Ron, and he was closing and resealing the gates. Finally he turned back to her, and spoke.

“Are you okay?� he asked gently.

Hermione continued to look at him in shock and nodded dumbly, though tears continued to fall.

“I have to go back and help Ginny,� he shouted then, before rushing back to the stairs leading to the battlements.

Hermione watched him go, temporarily unable to understand what had just happened. She shook her head, deciding to think about it later, and woke up Hagrid.

Hagrid sat up suddenly, yelling out.

“Where’s Harry?� he asked, looking around and finding Harry lying next to him. “Hermione? What er you lot doin’ here? It ain’t safe!�

“I know, Hagrid! Ron and Ginny are trying to hold off Death Eaters at the gate. What do we do?�

“How did yeh get here?� Hagrid wanted to know.

“Harry and Fawkes brought us, but they can’t get us home. How did you get here?�

“McGonagall made me a Portkey,� he said gruffly, “and I was s’posed ter contact ‘em when my mission was finished.�

“Can you contact them now?� Hermione demanded.

“I can try,� Hagrid said thoughtfully. “I on’y hope the owl will reach ‘em in time.�

Hermione paled at the thought of waiting for an owl to travel to the Order and back, while Hagrid whistled and an owl that must have been waiting for him flew down to where they were. The owl appeared to be sleek and swift, but Hermione was doubtful that it would be able to make it to England in less than a few days. Hagrid scrawled a quick note and tied it to the owl’s leg, sending the owl on its way with a few words of encouragement. To Hermione’s surprise, the owl shot off into the air like a rocket, flying faster than she had ever seen an owl fly. Maybe we do have a chance, Hermione thought hopefully.

With the message sent, Hermione, Hagrid, and a happy Grawp went to join the battle.

***

When the gate had broken open, Ginny had stood up to keep the other Death Eaters back, and had taken a beating for it. By the time Ron came back she was clutching a gash in her side while doing her best to ignore a bad burn that ran from her shoulder and up the side of her face. Ron took one look at her and shouted in rage, throwing a barrage of hexes and curses at the Death Eaters gathered below. With fewer numbers, the Death Eaters were having a difficult time keeping Ron and Ginny pinned down, and were starting to grow tired.

Suddenly, Ron heard the front gate open again, and turned down to the courtyard to see who was coming in now, certain they were doomed; Ginny couldn’t handle the whole group again while he went to deal with whoever had broken in.

Then Ginny cried out in triumph, and he turned back in time to see Grawp run out and begin kicking and stamping on the attacking Death Eaters. Hagrid and Hermione both followed, casting stunning spells in rapid fire, and before long the Death Eaters were running or unconscious.

“Stop ‘em!� Hagrid shouted, “They’ll bring back more Death Eaters!�

Only two of them were still conscious enough to run, and they went in different directions. Ginny immediately turned into a falcon and flew after one, while Ron also changed into his Animagus form and raced down the stairs and out the gate after the other. He was sure he was some kind of big cat, after seeing his paws when he had attacked the Death Eaters earlier, and he was eager to find out just what he was and what he looked like. He was certain he would be quite intimidating.

He raced silently after the Death Eater, loving the ease with which he moved and his ability to track his prey. He ran until he was past the man and waited in his path. The Death Eater was watching the trail behind when Ron jumped him, slamming him back into the ground. The Death Eater didn’t even have time to scream before he was unconscious. Ron changed back into himself and levitated the man back to the castle. Ginny was similarly levitating the man she had followed and Hermione was still in the midst of binding the Death Eaters they had left behind. Hagrid was glowing with praise about them becoming Animagi, while Grawp had grown bored with everything and was wandering around the area pulling up trees.

As the last Death Eater was bound and stunned, Hermione raced up to Ron and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard.

“You saved me!� she cried, and then began sobbing herself. Ron began trying to comfort her, confused, before Ginny interrupted them.

“What’s wrong with Harry?� she demanded, while rushing back to his side. “What do we do?�

“I’m sorry, Ginny. He’s… he’s…� Hermione tried to finish, but couldn’t.

Ginny stood in shock, unable to comprehend what she was being told, while Ron sat down hard.

“No! He wasn’t even hit,� Hagrid shouted in disbelief. “Fawkes took the hit but both of ‘em fell. The spell was blue and sparkled; it wasn’t green.�

Hermione took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself enough to speak. “That sounds like a mind-neutralizing spell that would have incapacitated Harry and kept him from fighting them while they captured him. If he was connected to Fawkes mentally when Fawkes got hit, it could have changed the way the spell works.�

She rushed over to Ginny and wrapped her arms around her, trying to comfort her. Ginny shook her off, and knelt next to Harry.

“He’s not dead,� she stated firmly, taking Harry’s hand. It was cold. Ginny burst into tears again, and wouldn’t let anyone touch her as she fell over Harry’s chest.

“There’ll be Death Eaters coming before long,� Hermione said, “We need to get somewhere nearby where they won’t find us, but where the giants won’t come after us either. We need to take his… him home.�

In short order they had all of the Death Eaters locked in the room they had spent the night in, and cast most of the same protection spells and wards as they had before, but this time on the outside of the room. Hagrid, also crying now, had to pull Ginny off of Harry before picking up his limp body and cradling him in one giant arm before using the other to pick up Fawkes. Ginny said nothing before she turned into a falcon and flew above them to watch for any sign of pursuit, while Ron and Hermione walked ahead of Hagrid with wands drawn. Grawp followed behind, somewhat morose at having been told not to uproot any trees, though he was obeying well. The little group made their way out, leaving the castle, disheartened and stunned at what had happened, not even capable of thinking about what this would mean for the war.

Chapter Twenty Two: From the Dead


Harry came to himself slowly, not quite sure where he was or what was going on around him. He remembered the pain, a like a sharp blow to his head, and then nothing. He couldn’t see anything, but that was nothing new. He could vaguely hear voices, but they seemed to be coming from a great distance. He could also feel Fawkes’ presence, like a protective blanket wrapped around his mind, but he couldn’t seem to communicate with him no matter how hard he tried.

Suddenly he felt himself being lifted off of the ground, and he could hear Hagrid’s voice much closer, explaining to someone else where they were going. Harry also realized that he couldn’t move.

What’s happening to me? Harry thought to himself wonderingly. He felt Hagrid running, and the ride became rough. After a few minutes, Harry heard a shouted spell that caused Hagrid to yell in pain, and felt himself fall, though he felt no pain as he hit. He heard Grawp’s familiar voice cry out in fear and anger, and felt himself being lifted again. After a much longer period of time, and many sounds he couldn’t quite understand, Harry heard Ginny’s and Hermione’s voices, and then Ginny crying, and tried frantically to call to them, to let them know he was there. He heard the assault on the gates, and Ginny and Ron left; then he heard Hermione talking with Hagrid, sending for help, and then charging into the battle.

Harry would have wept with frustration, but he didn’t even have the ability to cry. His friends were fighting a battle without him, and while he didn’t doubt their abilities, it just always seemed as though the odds favored the Death Eaters. He rejoiced to hear his friends returning as they achieved victory.

“What’s wrong with Harry?� he heard Ginny ask “What do we do?�

I’m here! Harry cried out in his mind, unable to make his mouth respond.

He listened with despair as Hermione tried to say that he was dead.

I’m not! He wanted to scream. Hermione announced what must have happened with the spell that he was hit with. His heart almost broke as he heard Ginny declare him to be alive, and then begin sobbing. It’s alright, he wanted to say, please don’t cry. All of the knowledge he had from Dumbledore included nothing that could help him understand what was happening. Somehow, Fawkes had been hit by the spell and changed its effects such that it incapacitated both of them, and made him seem as if he were dead. Harry could still feel Fawkes’ presence, but he couldn’t communicate with him any more than he could with the others. I’m not dead… I can’t be.

***

Ginny found a hiding place fairly quickly after they left the castle; it was a small flat spot on top of a rocky promontory, with a scattering of trees that would make them harder to spot from below, but not hinder them from watching anyone below them. There was only a small trail leading up to the area, barely large enough for Grawp and certainly not big enough for a larger giant. They would be able to defend themselves reasonably well from any Death Eaters that might come up the trail, as the rocks provided excellent cover.

Hagrid tearfully set down Harry’s body and began making camp, while Ron and Hermione went to a corner alone, crying on each other’s shoulders and providing what comfort they could to the other. Ginny walked slowly over to where Harry lay peacefully on the ground, wrapped in a blanket that Hermione had conjured. She sat on the ground next to him and pulled the blanket down away from his face. His eyes had been closed and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully, and Ginny couldn’t help reaching her hand out to brush the hair away out of his face.

“Harry…� she started quietly, but had to stop and clear her throat. After a moment she continued.

“I don’t know what to do, Harry. You can’t be gone; I can’t live without you… what do I do? Tell me what to do!�

She began crying again, wishing desperately that he would wrap his arms around her and comfort her again. Carefully she arranged his body so that he looked comfortable and unrolled her sleeping bag next to him. She also placed Fawkes on Harry’s other side; they had been together so much this year that Harry almost didn’t look right without Fawkes next to him. The phoenix was still staring blankly into space, though the bird was breathing. Hermione didn’t know what was wrong with him, but assumed he was alive since a phoenix couldn’t really die anyway. Still crying, Ginny climbed into her sleeping bag and lay facing Harry, desperately wishing that they had never come to Germany.

***

Hermione lay awake as the light of early dawn crept over the horizon. The owl that Hagrid had sent, apparently McGonagall’s, would know how to find them and bring help, but it wouldn’t take too much effort for the Death Eaters to find them either. The area had been carefully warded, and anyone coming up the trail would find themselves in a great deal of trouble.

Hermione sighed in misery. Ron had completely closed himself off since learning his best friend was dead; he had held her in his arms, but had refused to talk about what he was feeling. He just looked lost, unsure what to do or what to think, and Hermione wasn’t sure how she was supposed to deal with all of it. Ginny was even worse, though that was understandable. She had stayed next to Harry’s body all night, and refused to let anyone put the blanket back over his face. And sometime around midnight, Hagrid had started howling in sorrow, and no one had been able to comfort him. Hermione didn’t feel great herself, but she knew she was the most in control of her emotions at present, excluding Grawp, who really didn’t know what was going on, and she needed to be strong for the others.

Suddenly a brief blue light flashed in the little clearing, invisible to anyone but Hermione, as one of her wards was tripped. Blue means they’re coming from the air, she thought in horror.

She rushed to Ron and shook his shoulder. He hadn’t been asleep but it was still like waking him up. He looked up at her with a mildly curious look on his face, wondering what she wanted.

“Someone’s coming from the air,� she told him briefly. His eyes widened and he got to his feet.

Rushing to his pack, Ron rummaged around inside until he produced his Omnioculars from the Quidditch World Cup and began scanning around the sky, looking for brooms. Hermione watched him, stunned.

“You brought your Omnioculars?� she asked incredulously. Ron merely nodded and continued searching. Hermione was stunned at his foresight; Ron didn’t normally think things through in advance.

Suddenly he pointed to a growing little cloud of dots speeding toward them, coming from out of the rising light of the morning and making them difficult to see.

“Death Eaters!� he spat, his voice filled with venom, and surprising Hermione with their intensity.

“How do you know?� she asked anxiously.

Ron wordlessly handed her the Omnioculars and she zeroed in on the approaching group, zooming in until she could make them out. Riding at the front of the formation was Lucious Malfoy, his white hair streaming out behind him and his face filled with madness.

***

Ginny heard the exchange between Ron and Hermione and watched until she could also make out the Death Eaters flying towards them. She looked back at Harry’s peaceful face, and suddenly felt an incredible burning hatred welling up inside of her. These were the people that had taken Harry away from her… and they would pay for it.

She jumped up out of her sleeping bag and changed into the falcon, ignoring Ron and Hermione’s startled cries for her to come back. She found a thermal updraft and began circling, higher and higher, before winging out towards where the Death Eaters were still on their way. There were around thirty of them and they were laughing and telling each other of the rewards they would receive from their Dark Lord, when Ginny ploughed into the rearmost flyer. Screaming, he fell from his broom to the ground a few hundred feet below, while Ginny once again circled into the air. The other Death Eaters hadn’t seen her, and knew only that one of their number had been eliminated. Malfoy called for them to tighten their formation and keep flying ahead. By the time they were within spell range of the hilltop camp, Ginny had knocked three more of them off their brooms and they had little more idea what was going on. Just as Malfoy began screaming for them to attack and something about avenging the death of his son, which Ginny didn’t understand, spells began rising from the rocks below them, and the broomstick riders began dodging frantically trying to protect themselves as best they could. Unfortunately, the broomsticks provided many of them with much greater agility, and soon they knew exactly where the spells were coming from and launching counter-attacks of their own. Also, half a dozen of them landed their brooms and began making their way up the trail, determined to attack them on two fronts.

By now Ginny was growing tired and even more angry. Her beak and talons were once again red with blood, but she was past caring. As Harry had told her, those were the weapons she had available, and she was going to use them. Suddenly, Malfoy began hurling blasting curses down on the camp indiscriminately, while dodging anything aimed back at him. The spells were impacting on shields thrown up by Ron and Hermione, but they would never be able to keep it up. As she began making her way over to take out Malfoy, Ginny suddenly became aware of a second group of broomstick riders speeding into the battle. With her acute avian vision, Ginny was quickly able to make out Moody, Tonks, and Lupin at the forefront of the group, and she was surprised to see a large crowd of red-headed flyers in their midst. Also, she was somewhat disturbed to see that many of them already appeared to be somewhat battered even though they hadn’t yet joined the fight, and they were still outnumbered by the Death Eaters.

Malfoy also noticed the Order of the Phoenix approaching, and began shouting for the Death Eaters to turn and face this new threat, sending a few last blasting curses at the hilltop. Two of them were stopped by shields, but the third flew into the clearing striking the ground with an explosive crack at the exact spot where Harry’s body had been hidden.

Screeching out in rage and sorrow, Ginny abandoned the fight and flew down to find the body of the boy she loved.

***

Harry also heard the conversation between Ron and Hermione concerning the approaching Death Eaters, and wanted to panic. He listened helplessly as Ginny took off despite Ron and Hermione’s calls for her to come back. She was going into the midst of deadly danger, convinced that he was dead. Harry frantically reached out with his mind, determined to break free of whatever was holding his mind captive, even if it drained all of his magic once again. Unfortunately, he couldn’t even connect himself to his magic; he was completely cut off.

He swore in his mind, desperate to do something. When Ginny had sat next to him the night before and begged him to tell her what to do, it had broken his heart. He was frantic to tell her that he was still there, that somehow he would return.

After what seemed like an eternity of listening to spells being cast and deflected, he suddenly heard a resounding crack and felt himself being flung into the air. He hit the ground, hard, though he still felt no pain, and wondered what had happened, cursing his lack of sensory input.

Then he heard Ginny scream “Harry!� and felt intense relief. She was still alright.

***

“Harry!� Ginny screamed as she turned back into herself and ran across the clearing to where his body had been thrown into the rocks, surprisingly right next to Fawkes. As she began clearing the debris off of Harry’s face she immediately became aware of two things. First, while Fawkes was more battered than before, Harry wasn’t showing any sign of having been blasted twenty feet through the air to land on some rocks. Second, while Hermione had said he was dead the day before, he was showing no signs of rigor mortis; his body was limp, not stiff like a corpse. Clutching his cold body in her arms, she dragged him to cover, while levitating Fawkes behind them. Once under cover she tried to think about what this could mean. Is he alive? she asked herself hopefully.

Sure that she didn’t have the time to worry about it right then, Ginny ran to where she could see the battle. She had never seen a full Wizard battle on broomsticks before, and the sight was frightening. Dozens of wizards and witched flying around at dizzying speeds, occasionally falling, and shooting powerful spells at each other that hit people they weren’t aiming at as often as not. Her family was right in the thick of the battle, though her mother and father had landed and were fighting from the ground with Ron and Hermione. She was also surprised to see Percy flying in the battle, handling himself well against two or three opponents; not for nothing had he been Head Boy. Suddenly, two more Death Eaters joined the fight against him, and Ginny watched in horror as he was hit by several minor spells before he went into a steep dive. There was no way she could get there in time to help her long-estranged brother. A sudden thought occurred to her, and she pulled one of the phoenix feather quills Harry had given her from her pocket. Perhaps Fawkes couldn’t respond, but Harry had promised that no matter what, if she used the quill and called Fawkes’ name, the phoenix would come to her. Holding the feather tight, she shouted out “Fawkes.�

The feather burst into flames in her hands, though it didn’t burn her, and suddenly Fawkes was there flying next to her. He saw in an instant what she wanted and in a flash had transported to Percy and transported him back. Ginny hugged Percy joyfully, while he groaned in agony from his injuries, and Fawkes cried out in rage and challenge, before flying into the thick of the fight.

***

Harry felt Ginny drag his body to yet another location; the constant movement without him knowing where he was going was getting very tiring. After a while however, Harry felt a sudden flash of heat next to him, and Fawkes’ presence was gone from around his mind. In that same instant, Harry felt his mind return to control of his body; he was free!

***

Ron and Hermione were working together from the cover of some of the rocks while Hagrid was further into some trees with Harry’s wand, though it seemed he was planning on throwing more rocks than spells. Grawp was waiting for the dismounted Death Eaters to come far enough up the trail so that he could jump on them, so no one really worried about the attack from that direction. As the attack became more intense they began to despair of surviving the attack at all. Then the Order of the Phoenix was there and they were given a reprieve from the fighting. Molly and Arthur Weasley landed next to them, joining their fight from the ground.

“What have you gotten yourselves into this time?� Molly asked irately. “Where are Harry and Ginny?�

“I don’t know where Ginny is,� Ron shouted, his voice cracking slightly, “and Harry… Harry is dead.�

Hermione was chilled at the deadness to Ron’s voice as he revealed this last part. Molly stared at them both in disbelief, unwilling to believe what was being said. Suddenly, she glared at Ron with intense rage.

“That wasn’t funny at all, Ron! When we get home I’ll have a few things to say to you about inappropriate jokes!� Molly yelled as she threw several high powered spells at some Death Eaters who had flown too close. Everyone was momentarily distracted as Grawp finally made his move, scattering all six Death Eaters at once while laughing gleefully. Ron turned back to his mother, confused.

“What are you talking about?� he asked.

“Harry’s right over there. He looks fine, so either you’re joking or he’s back from the dead.� Molly said, while pointing exasperatedly.

Harry had walked purposefully into the center of the clearing. His hands were glowing with power and he had a look of intense concentration on his face. Suddenly Fawkes swooped down and clutched the back of Harry’s shirt in his talons, lifting both of them into the air. Spells began shooting out of Harry’s hands, and not many of them missed their mark. Between Harry’s unerring aim and the efforts of the Order, the tide of the battle changed completely. Before long, Malfoy was calling the retreat, screaming madly at the people around him. As soon as they were running, Harry let them go, abandoning the chase and flying back down to where Ginny was standing, dumbstruck.

About four feet off the ground, Harry dropped from Fawkes’ grip and landed firmly on two feet, rushing to Ginny’s side and flinging his arms around her. She still couldn’t move, too stunned to do anything but cry. Harry also had tears in his eyes as he spoke to her.

“I’m so sorry,� he said into her ear, keeping his arms around her. “I don’t want to leave you ever again. I’ll try to…�

Ginny, finally coming to her senses, cut him off by clasping him tightly to herself, crying happily and saying his name over and over again. Ron and Hermione couldn’t hold back any longer and rushed to join the embrace. Hagrid walked into the clearing and saw Harry and began dancing and shouting with glee, until Grawp joined in and had to be stopped before he stepped on Order members.

It was Percy who broke up the happy moment.

“That’s enough, everyone,� he said stuffily, grunting in pain as he climbed to his feet. “We need to get back to the battle.�

“The battle is over,� Ron said incredulously.

“Only here,� Remus said tiredly, and they suddenly noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and the eyes of many of the others. “Things have been busy since you left.�

Harry didn’t move from where he was in Ginny’s arms.

“What do you mean?� he asked cautiously.

“Voldemort himself attacked the Ministry yesterday,� Percy said, sounding lost and confused. “He brought dozens of Death Eaters and no one could stop him… he killed Minister Scrimgeour when the Minister tried to lead a counter-attack, and he’s freed all of the Death Eaters that we had captured before.�

“What Percy isn’t saying is that if the Order hadn’t shown up to help drive them back, the entire ministry would have been destroyed. The Order is still helping there, but this group left around the time we got the owl from Hagrid,� Fred said venomously, shooting Percy an angry look.

“What I am saying is that we need to get back to the Ministry and drive them off!� Percy shouted desperately.

“I can’t face Voldemort yet,� Harry said evenly. “There are other things I have to do first. I’m sorry about the Ministry, but we should evacuate everyone we can to Hogwarts and leave it at that.�

“Harry, you’ve been able to drive off large numbers of Death Eaters single-handedly on several occasions,� Percy pleaded, “With the Order and the Ministry behind you, I’m sure we could win, even if Voldemort is there.�

“Go yourself, Percy,� George interrupted. “If Harry says he’s not ready, then that’s that.�

“I promise we will get rid of him eventually,� Harry added, “but right now I can’t.�

Percy let his head fall bitterly, while his mother went and put her arms around him, speaking softly. Tonks chose this moment to walk up to Harry and fold her arms sternly.

“You promised, Harry. You said you wouldn’t come to Germany to look for Hagrid, and here you are! Why couldn’t you just let us handle it?�

“I wasn’t here just for Hagrid. We were coming anyway, and all I said was that my plans hadn’t changed. If I had it to do over, I would have brought more of the Order with me, but I can’t be too sure when someone will decide that I’m not ready to handle something because I’m too young, can I?�

Ginny turned to Harry and mirrored Tonks’ pose.

“We thought you were dead, Harry. Were you ready to handle that by yourself? You should have at least taken us with you, but you decided you had to do it all on your own. Why? And what happened to you, anyway?� she said angrily, her relief and finding him alive finally giving way to her frustration at being left behind.

Harry turned to Fawkes for several moments, conversing with the phoenix, trying to determine what happened. Finally, he turned back to them.

“I guess when Fawkes was hit by that spell his mind stopped working properly. He says that his only instincts were to protect me, and he was able to put me in some kind of stasis that protected both my mind and body, but also kept me trapped. When you called for him, Ginny, he remembered that he was supposed to come to you no matter what danger I was in, and once he left I was free. He says he feels fine now.�

Ginny looked at him in astonishment, glad that she was able to free Harry, even if it was unintentional.

“So what should we do, Harry? We at least need to go back to the Ministry and get the rest of the Order and anyone else left alive out of there.� Remus asked quietly.

“You’ll have to go without me,� Harry said, frustrated. “If Voldemort sees me now, he will kill me. I’m not ready yet, and I can’t take chances with him. Everything else I am doing is necessary, I promise, but you’ll have to get them out without me.�

“We’ll follow you, Harry. No matter what,� Ginny said quietly, while those around her agreed wholeheartedly.


A/N: Okay, so I want you all to know, I would never kill Harry or Ginny. Making Harry seem dead was an idea I didn't come up with until I started on this chapter, and I liked it so I went back and changed the last chapter. Sorry to everyone who thought Harry would get his sight back here. He may or may not in the future, though, so don't give up hope!

Chapter Twenty Three: Hufflepuff’s Cup


Harry sat back in his chair in their rooms, sighing. After returning to Grindelwald’s castle, it had taken the better part of three days to finish searching, and they had once again come up with nothing. While Dark Magic lingered over the entire place, there was no sign of a resting place for part of Voldemort’s soul.

“It makes sense, really,� Hermione said for the third time, “Voldemort would have thought that Grindelwald was weak for being defeated, and he wouldn’t have wanted anything weak.�

“Give over, Hermione,� Ron said grumpily, disgruntled that his idea hadn’t worked.

Harry shut out the conversation, thinking over the events of the last few days. They had returned to Hogwarts to find a refugee camp filled with Ministry workers and Order members. The dorms were filled with children again, and the Hospital Wing had been expanded to accommodate all of the wounded, while Madame Pomfrey directed a large group of healers on loan from St. Mungo’s. The castle grounds were filled with tents, and there were witches and wizards patrolling the grounds and keeping watch at the walls. Since the death of Rufus Scrimgeour, the Wizengamot had met and had granted at least temporary leadership of the Ministry of Magic, temporarily headquartered at Hogwarts, to Minerva McGonagall, who, though she repeatedly said she didn’t want the responsibility, had run things smoothly ever since. She had had to deal with Percy fawning over her ever since, but she said he actually was rather helpful, once you got over the obsequiousness.

And what had Harry, the Chosen One, been able to do? Nothing, he thought bitterly, because I can’t find the Horcruxes and can’t face Voldemort. In the Battle of the Ministry, as it was being called, the Death Eaters had merely gone to destroy whatever they could. The Unspeakables had somehow managed to seal the Department of Mysteries completely, using spells they wouldn’t reveal to anyone. Voldemort had been furious, but hadn’t been able to penetrate the defenses. The rest of the Ministry had been completely destroyed. Since then, the combined forces of Magical Law Enforcement, the Aurors, and the Order of the Phoenix had been kept extremely busy. Death Eater attacks, mostly against Muggles, were almost constant. There were deaths being reported every day, and many witches and wizards were fleeing the country completely. And there isn’t anything I can do about it yet.

The Weasley family had reacted surprisingly well to Percy’s return to the family. Ron and the twins still wouldn’t speak to him at all, and Ginny had yelled at him for two solid hours until he came and apologized to Harry for everything he had done. Arthur and Molly had just been grateful to have him back, though Harry was sure Arthur had had a few things to say to his son. Bill spent all of his free time with Fleur, so Harry didn’t know how he was reacting, and Charlie hadn’t returned home since Percy had come back.

“So where else could we look?� Ginny asked, interrupting the argument brewing between Ron and Hermione.

“Why don’t we try Hepzibah Smith’s house?� Ron asked, eager to put forth another idea.

“There are still people living there, Ron,� Hermione said dismissively, waving aside the suggestion.

Harry sat up quickly. “Ron that’s fantastic! You’re right, Hermione, there are people living there, so why would anyone assume Voldemort would use it? It’s perfect! I bet that’s right where he’s got one of the Horcruxes. Do you still know where it is, Hermione?�

Hermione was looking a little put out, while Ron was looking at her triumphantly.

“I know where it is,� she said quietly, before getting up and walking out of the room. Ron watched her go in confusion, while Ginny looked at him in exasperation.

“Go after her, Ron! Find out what’s wrong,� she told him firmly. Ron nodded dumbly before following her out.

“What do you suppose is wrong?� Harry asked, also somewhat baffled.

“I think she’s feeling like she isn’t being very useful, and also a little left out since she’s the only one who hasn’t been able to make the Animagus transformation yet. I think Ron should lock her in the Room of Requirement for a few days until she just does it,� Ginny answered shrewdly.

Harry’s expression was amused as he held out his arms, inviting her to sit on his lap. She did so happily.

“I think you’re probably right, but she needs to remember that if she hadn’t spent so many weeks with Ron working on the mechanics of the transformation, he would never have been able to do it. She was able to go that far faster than anyone, even me,� he told her.

“But she’s hasn’t been able to do anything else for weeks either, and I think the rest of it will be harder for her than it has been for any of the rest of us. Her mind is a lot more complicated.�

Harry laughed and held Ginny close for a moment, before pushing her to her feet.

“Come on, we have to plan this trip out and get packed,� he said, brightly. “And I promise I’ll stay with you the whole time.�

“You’d better.�

***

“Hermione! Wait! What’s wrong?� Ron called out as he chased her down the hall.

Oh, leave me alone,� she said, crying now, and looking for a place where she could be alone. Unfortunately there were very few places unoccupied in the castle, so there weren’t many options. That day was Sunday and classes were beginning the next day, since McGonagall insisted that the school continue to operate as usual, so there weren’t any unused classrooms that they could go into. Finally, she ran to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room and into Harry’s office, knowing he wouldn’t be there.

Unfortunately, Ron followed her in, still demanding to know what the problem was.

“I don’t know, Ron. You seem to have all the answers now, why don’t you go tell Harry and the two of you can figure it out without me,� she said, hating how sullen her voice sounded.

“What? What are you talking about?� he asked, obviously confused. She couldn’t help thinking about how adorable he was when he had no idea what was going on; it softened her considerably, and helped her calm down quite a bit.

“I’m sorry, Ron,� she said, hugging him tightly, tears falling onto his shoulder. “I just don’t feel useful anymore. I say one thing, and Harry always seems to decide another. And I’m the only who one can’t make the transformation now, and I’ve been trying so hard!�

Ron held her for several moments, obviously thinking hard about what to say. Somehow, she knew that he would come up with the right thing to say, as he always did when he thought this hard about things.

“I don’t know what to say,� he started, and she looked up in despair.

“I mean, you always know what to do, and you’ve done almost all of the research while all I’ve been good for is carrying books for you. You’re the only one besides Harry who knows anything about healing, and even if he was the one who showed you how, he’s hurt often enough that that makes you all the more important. And the only reason I ever made the transformation was because you showed me how and then provided the motivation. I couldn’t do anything without you, Hermione. I love you,� he finished, and she smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. That was more like it.

“Besides,� Ron added, a teasing smirk growing on his face, “I’m Animagus enough for the both of us.�

Hermione laughed in spite of herself, smacking his arm, and looking up at him.

“You are a magnificent lion, Ron,� she said, looking into his eyes. His grin widened as he pulled her in for a kiss.

***

It took until the end of the first week of classes before they could get away from the school. Harry was needed to teach classes, and a significant number of adults had joined Defense classes with the students, making teaching more difficult since the adults thought they already knew everything they needed to know. Most of the adults went to the more advanced classes, but there was a surprising number of them that were at a very basic level, and it really rankled on them to be taught by a boy much younger than them.

Harry also had a hard time now convincing anyone that he should be allowed to leave without a substantial Order guard. To be fair, he did understand where they were coming from. Molly had been absolutely mortified when she found out that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had all actually thought that Harry was dead, and for almost two days. Since then, she had been checking in on Harry several times every day, making sure she knew where he was. This had grown especially annoying, since she had walked in on Harry and Ginny while they were kissing twice now. She hadn’t said anything, and Ginny had only laughed gleefully at Harry’s red face, but Harry couldn’t help feeling mortified that that had happened. Still, after a long talk with McGonagall, that included him conceding to not stay for more than ten hours and to send Fawkes with messages if he needed anything, he was told he could leave.

They took the invisibility cloak and their dark clothes with them, and their wands, and not much else. Fawkes transported them from Hogwarts to a small area about two miles away from the house. The air was crisp and cold; there was a smattering of snow on the ground, and a thin mist hung over the ground giving the night a ghostly feeling that chilled them all in a different way. The leafless trees were like skeletal phantoms warning them back from some illusive impending doom.

Ginny surveyed the night around them and turned to the rest of them.

“If I were to pick a spooky place for Voldemort to hide his soul, this would definitely be it,� she said in a cheerful voice that caused everyone to chuckle, though Ron and Hermione both nodded in agreement.

The plan was similar to the one they had had going in to the orphanage. Ron and Hermione waited while Harry and Ginny turned into their Animagus forms and flew off into the night to survey the area. The difference this time was that once they thought the coast was clear, Fawkes would transport them all to the house where they could begin searching in earnest.

“I hate waiting,� Hermione complained while rubbing her arms, “and it’s freezing out here!�

Ron wordlessly transformed into a lion, and curled up around her, and she suddenly found that she was quite warm and comfortable.

“Thank you, Ron,� she said quietly, burying her hands in his mane and rubbing his head. He let out a low growl that was unmistakably supposed to be a purr, and she laughed delightedly.

Before too long, Harry and Ginny were back, and everyone changed back into their regular forms.

“There isn’t anyone there at all,� Ginny said breathlessly, “It looks like the Smiths have left the country or something like that, so we shouldn’t have to deal with them.�

“And the wards on the house wouldn’t stop Crabbe and Goyle,� Harry added smugly, “so we won’t have any trouble getting in and around.�

“Fantastic,� Hermione muttered, “I get to have my first break-in experience.�

“This’ll be easier than breaking Harry out of the Muggles’ house second year, I’d wager,� Ron boasted confidently, and Harry laughed too.

“Come on, let’s get this done,� he said, ending the conversation.

***

Fawkes transported them to right outside the front door, and Hermione cast a few quick spells causing the door to open silently. They entered and surveyed the richly furnished rooms; the costly furniture and beautiful artwork exuded a feeling of extravagance and high-class that was a little daunting, yet it all also managed to be frightfully gaudy.

“I’m never furnishing a house this way,� Ginny said, looking at Harry meaningfully.

Harry laughed, and pointed to a side table in the entry hall.

“What about this table?� he asked innocently, walking over to it and putting his hand on it. “I think I might like it in my house, it would go wonderfully in the blue room.�

The room he referred to was Ginny’s room, and had been decorated personally by her, painted a beautiful vibrant blue. The table was a huge mahogany monstrosity covered in gilt and laquerwork, and Ginny couldn’t imagine it matching anything, much less her room. She made a retching noise, before putting her hands on her hips and responding.

“That’ll be the day, Harry. The blind guy never gets to choose the furniture.�

Ron and Hermione laughed, but Harry’s expression had grown pained and solemn. An awkward pause followed, while Ron and Hermione looked at each other uncomfortably, and Ginny shifted nervously. Finally she walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Harry, I didn’t mean anything by that. I know you can see with Fawkes, and you can help pick out furniture…�

Harry looked up in surprise, shaking himself as if suddenly remembering they were there. “What are you talking about?�

Ginny shook her head in exasperation. “Never mind, Harry. What have you found?�

“I think this is it,� Harry said quietly.

***

Harry flicked his wand, sending the table skidding away. The bare papered wall behind it was no different in appearance than the walls in the rest of the room, and he could tell the others were more than a little incredulous that this was the entrance to any kind of secret chamber but he was quite sure. The resonance he had felt when he had brought his hand close to the wall had filled him with pain, and an aching sense of loss for the wise old wizard whom he could almost hear, saying once again ‘It has known magic.’ This place had certainly known magic; Dark Magic.

Harry ran his hands over the wall, trying to figure out the means required to pass. Because he was already thinking of the trip to the caves, Harry was able to find out what was needed quickly.

“Alright,� he said quietly, beginning to fully appreciate how large a burden Dumbledore had always carried. “I need all of you to promise to do whatever I ask, no matter what. There will be requirements that you won’t understand, or won’t be able to handle if you aren’t prepared, and that is the only thing I can do to prepare you.�

It took a few moments, and Ginny tried several times to argue, but finally all of them agreed.

“The doorway requires payment,� Harry then announced, “of pain. No one here could cast a Cruciatus Curse, especially not on each other, so it will be difficult for us to pass. How are your healing spells going, Hermione?�

“Wait a minute,� Ginny interrupted angrily, “you mean for one of us to be tortured? And I bet it will be you, like always. I don’t care what I agreed to, this is ridiculous…�

“You did promise, and this is the only way,� Harry said with quiet finality.

“I think I can do almost as well as you at some things in healing, Harry,� Hermione answered hesitantly.

“Ok,� Harry said, “I’ll make the payment,� Ginny interrupted him with a disgruntled snort but he pushed on, “No one can interrupt me until it’s over.�

Hermione and Ron watched with wide eyes, and tears glistened in Ginny’s, though her expression remained fierce, as Harry turned away from them and faced the wall. He pointed one hand at the other and muttered “Incendio!� The hand burst into flame, and Harry cried out in spite of himself. Ginny tried to rush forward, but Ron caught her and held her back. Harry placed his free hand on the wall, desperately hoping that he could inflict enough pain on himself to pass without permanently injuring himself. The skin on his hand was turning black, and the smell was awful.

Harry was getting ready to pass out when Ginny broke free from Ron and ran up to where he was, pulling out her wand. Instead of dousing the flames, however, she gritted her teeth and lit her own arm on fire. Harry felt intense fear and anguish as she placed her other hand on the wall next to his, screaming out at the pain despite her clenched teeth. Harry’s heart cried out in agony at seeing her in such pain, and suddenly the door was open.

Hermione and Ron acted instantly, both casting extinguishing charms and easing their injured friends to the ground just inside the doorway. Fawkes flew in as well, unable to transport here, and landed next to Harry, singing reproachfully.

Harry’s and Ginny’s free hands were now clasped together, and Harry was mumbling some kind of apology. Hermione ignored them both, and cast the healing charms that would fix the damage. The skin on their hands knit back together, looking fresh and pink. Both were able to open their eyes, and look at their surroundings and each other, while Ron and Hermione both applied a salve borrowed from Madame Pomfrey and taken from a small kit that Hermione had packed with her. After a few moments more, they were able to stand, and Harry immediately threw his arms around Ginny, who hugged him back fiercely before pushing him back and looking into his eyes.

“Stop trying to do everything by yourself, Harry. You need us,� she said passionately. Harry nodded wordlessly at her, and then looked around. They were at the entrance to a long narrow corridor, which extended off into the darkness. A little farther down, the walls to the sides were replaced by barred walls, like jail cell walls, that seemed to run the length of the hallway from then on. The hallway was cold, which had initially felt good to Harry, but now seemed eerie and unnatural, and a slight breeze seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, like the chilled breath of death itself caressing their skin in anticipation.

“I don’t like this,� Hermione said in a scared voice, and Ron nodded while he put his arm around her.

“Come on,� Harry said reassuringly, lighting his wand tip and setting off down the hallway.

The others followed suit, though none shared his confidence, which was only a show to begin with. Harry slowed when they reached the area where the bars began, and saw that the hallway was really part of a huge cavern, made a hallway only because of the bars. They were magically reinforced in some way that was unfamiliar to Harry, though he could tell they were designed to keep something on the other side from getting out into the hallway, though knowing this was Voldemort’s work it was not comforting at all.

Knowing there was nothing else to do, Harry kept going, not sure what to expect but determined to be ready for anything. The others followed, equally wary and even more nervous. After they had covered a hundred paces past the beginning of the bars, Harry felt something coming. Then there were more of them.

They were like pieces of the darkness breaking off and coming towards them. Harry suddenly heard the sound of screaming, and knew exactly what it was. He lifted his wand and tried to cast the spell.

“Ex…� but that was as far as he got. He collapsed as hundreds of Dementors rushed into the light from their wands, crowding against the bars, scabrous clawed hands reaching and groping for them. They were held back by the bars, unable to touch Harry and his friends, but close enough that the four of them couldn’t escape from their influence.

Harry hadn’t been near a Dementor since the summer before his Fifth year, and he was now reminded of all of the horrific things he had seen and experienced since then. The images and sounds came, unbidden and unwanted but unrelenting. Sirius falling through the veil… Dumbledore being hit by the green light and blasted off the tower… Ginny lying broken and bleeding in the remains of the fallen tower… and along with all the rest, the desperate pleading screams of his mother went on and on, all punctuated by the awful high-pitched laughter.

Harry collapsed, and was vaguely aware that his friends were on the floor as well. They would lie here, he remembered thinking, until they were driven mad or Voldemort came to check on his soul.

***

Hermione felt herself falling, feeling sick and cold, experiencing over and over the worst moments in her life. Being made fun of in Muggle schools, and then again at Hogwarts, culminating with hearing Ron say she had no friends. Seeing her new friends hurt and injured, not knowing what to do, and then finally discovering that Harry was dead; It was an awful recounting, but Hermione willed herself to push it off. She knew very well that the worst experiences of her life were nothing compared to Harry’s and Ginny’s, and Ron wouldn’t know what to do. In a moment of clarity, she knew that it would all be up to her. She struggled against the weight on her mind, unable to get up or even move. She had never collapsed from the influence of Dementors before, but the sheer numbers were debilitating, even to her.

She tried desperately to think about how you could get past a Dementor. The Patronus Charm would never work here; she couldn’t lift her arm or speak enough to cast the spell, and hers had never been as powerful as Harry’s. Suddenly she remembered Sirius telling how he had escaped from Azkaban; he had transformed into his Animagus form and the Dementor’s influence had been unable to stop him. She screamed inwardly in frustration; she was the only one cognizant enough to help the rest, and she was the only one that couldn’t make the transformation.

After several minutes of self-doubt, she felt herself again slipping completely into the influence of the Dementors’ presence, and she pushed it off again. I can do it, she told herself over and over again, I just have to find out who I am. She concentrated until the images and sounds from the Dementors were only a blur and a hum in the background. She knew that she was intelligent, more intelligent than almost anyone; she was adaptable and fiercely protective of her friends and family, and she knew she wasn’t afraid to fight for what she wanted or for what was right. Let it be enough, she begged, furiously forcing herself through the stages required for the transformation.

It was enough; she felt herself begin to change, and felt a thrill of satisfaction as the Dementors’ awful grip lessened even more. She found that she could see and hear, and smell. It was incredible how well her sense of smell worked; she was sure she could navigate by her sense of smell alone. She looked down and saw silver-gray paws, like a dog’s, and wondered if she had been thinking of Sirius too much. Ignoring that for the moment, since helping her friends was more important than knowing what she was, she looked around. Ron was the closest, and if she could get him free from the Dementors, he would be able to help in his Animagus form. She grabbed onto his shirt with her jaws, and began dragging him back the way they had come. It didn’t take too long; although he was a fairly big person, she was strong and moved steadily. Soon they were past the bars and into the section of hallway where the Dementors couldn’t go. Ron’s eyes opened and he looked around frantically before his gaze settled on her. He screamed and threw up his arms, before she changed back into herself and slapped him.

He spluttered for a moment before looking back at her, and then asked in awe. “Hermione, are you a werewolf?�

“Of course not, Ronald,� she said in exasperation. “I need you to change into your Animagus form so that we can pull Harry and Ginny out of the hallway.�

Ron watched in delight as she changed back into a wolf and followed suit by transforming into a lion. They raced back down the hallway and quickly found their friends. They wasted no time in grabbing onto them with their mouths and dragging them back to the comparative safety of the first section of hallway.

Ginny was the first to recover, and she looked up in amazement at being free. She shook Harry gently, until he also came to, and they hugged each other tightly.

Hermione handed out some chocolate from her pack, and they were silent for a moment while eating it.

“How did we get out?� Harry asked.

Hermione blushed while Ron told a much embellished tale of how she made the Animagus transformation and saved them all.

“Can we do the same thing to get to the other side?� Harry wanted to know.

“Now that we are all Animagi, I’m sure we can all make it across,� Hermione said, “though it still isn’t pleasant to be so close to so many Dementors.�

They all made the transformation and flew and ran down the hall as quickly as they could. No one wanted to have any more contact with the Dementors than was necessary, and thankfully they were all very fast. In a few minutes they reached another section of hallway free from the barred sidewalls, and away from the Dementors’ influence. After changing back into humans and eating more chocolate they were all ready to keep going.

As they continued down the hallway, they became aware of a low roaring sound, that grew louder the farther they went. All of them were moving slowly now, not wanting to see what was making the noise, but determined to keep going as well. It didn’t take long before the noise was deafening, and then they came upon its source.

The room opened up into a huge circular cavern, with a floor that dropped several feet below where they were standing. At the center of the room, on a pedestal and lit by an unearthly white light, stood what was unmistakably Hufflepuff’s cup. Unfortunately, in the Quidditch Pitch-sized depression in the middle of the room were hundreds, if not thousands, of snarling and growling badgers.

“That’s appropriate!� Ginny shouted over the noise.

“How do we get past them,� Ron asked, “they look like they would eat us alive in minutes!�

Harry pulled out his wand and tried casting a stunning spell on the nearest badger, but the spell merely ricocheted off into the wall.

“I think these badgers have been tampered with,� Harry shouted back to the others.

It took only a few moments to discover that none of the spells they could cast would work on the badgers. They were flame and cold resistant, and shrugged off Reductor Curses, Cutting Charms, and Sleeping Spells with ease.

“We could try flying over there,� Ginny suggested doubtfully.

“We could try, but I think Voldemort would have thought of that,� Harry said with equal incredulity.

Fawkes volunteered to try to fly out over the pit to retrieve the cup, and since he couldn’t be permanently killed and they could, they were all fairly keen to that idea. Fawkes took flight, but the second he was over the depression, the badgers went mad. Suddenly, the noise was even louder than before, and the badgers started jumping at Fawkes and snapping at his feathers. This wouldn’t have been a problem for normal badgers, but these were jumping as high as the cavern roof; had the situation not been so serious, it would have been incredibly comical, watching the badgers hopping up like popcorn from a hot skillet. Fawkes was barely five feet into the room, when he cried out in fear and pain and turned back, dodging the attacking creatures, defending himself with beak and talon fiercely. By the time Fawkes reached them again, the phoenix was breathing heavily and missing quite a few feathers.

“I don’t think flying will work,� Harry said, stating what was obvious to all of them.

“The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures needs to have a look at this place,� Ron said in awe.

“Well, casting spells may not work, but Fawkes was able to hurt them,� Hermione informed them all, pointing out into the chamber.

Sure enough, several of the badgers were bleeding heavily from wounds inflicted by the phoenix.

They all stood silently for a moment, trying t decide how they could use this information.

“If one of you could fly out and grab the cup…� Hermione started to say, thoughtfully.

“Then Hermione and I could run interference on the ground!� Ron finished, excited.

“I don’t know,� Ginny said nervously, “There are a lot of them, even if you two are bigger…�

“I have an idea,� Harry interrupted suddenly, “everyone change into your Animagus form.�

They all did so and Harry began casting spells over them all, including Fawkes, making their skins impervious to any kind of physical damage.

“These spells don’t work for very long,� he informed them when he was done, “and they would have to be done over again if any of you changed back to do it for me, so I’ll go for the cup, while Ginny and Fawkes fly cover for me, and Ron and Hermione distract as many as they can on the ground. I expect we’ll only have ten minutes at best, so we’d better go now.�

Suiting his words, Harry changed into a hawk and flew out into the room. The rest of them followed quickly, and the entire room became a mad-house. Harry flew steadily, but not too quickly, careful to keep Fawkes and Ginny around him; Ginny flew above him, watching for anything coming too close to Harry, and then diving at it, driving the badgers off course and away from Harry. Fawkes, who could carry as many badgers as could try and latch onto him, flew below, warding Harry from anything that Ginny missed.

Hermione moved like a flash, a silver-gray wolf with thick, beautiful bushy hair, darting in and out of confrontations, jaws snapping and causing mayhem among the badgers which were trying to pay more attention to Harry. It was Ron, however, that kept the situation manageable. He roared loudly as he ran around, sending dozens of badgers flying with swipes of his great paws, pausing only to shake off the badgers that clung to his fur like burs, gnawing unsuccessfully at his impervious hide. Several times, Hermione would be covered completely in the swarming creatures, unable to move due to their sheer numbers; Ron would roar out in rage, and many of the badgers were torn to pieces.

Had there been only one or two of them, even with the impervious spells, they would have failed; the badgers would have pinned them down until the spells wore off and eaten them alive. As it was, it was very close; Harry made it to the cup and dove, swooping down and grabbing a handle of the cup and flying back to the top of the chamber, speeding back to the ledge. As he got closer, Ron and Hermione abandoned their efforts and started a fighting effort to get back as well. By the time they reached the ledge above the pit they became aware of the fact that the ledge hadn’t kept the badgers back, but proximity to the cup had. They managed to get ahead of the horde of ravening creatures, but it was quickly becoming a race, and the badgers were very fast.

Harry screeched out at Ron and Hermione, and when they looked up he dropped the cup into Hermione’s mouth. She caught it expertly and raced down the hallway, quickly outpacing Ron, who stayed behind in case she needed a rearguard. Harry, Ginny, and Fawkes flew quickly, keeping pace with Hermione, and watching from above. By the time they reached the corridor of the Dementors they were so tired and afraid that they barely even noticed the Dementor’s presence. Then they reached the first part of the hallway and saw that they doorway had closed again.

Hermione had turned back into herself and was looking around hopelessly for any other way to open the door, while Ron had remained a lion and stood between her and the oncoming tide of badgers. The Dementors had slowed the badgers down somewhat but they were no more than a minute behind them. Harry and Ginny landed and turned back into themselves, looking at each other in frustration. There was no way they would be able to pay the price of pain in time to get out before the badgers got them.

Harry recast the impervious spells on Ron and Ginny and sent them to hold back the badgers as well as they could, staying back with Hermione and trying to decide what to do, keeping Fawkes with him so he would be able to see. In the closer quarters of the hallway, Ron was even more fearsome, able to hold almost the entire passage by himself, so there was more time, but there still wouldn’t be much. With every passing second, Ron and the others were being driven steadily back.

Harry tried desperately to think. He knew how to do all of the spells that Dumbledore had known, but which spells would Dumbledore have used? Harry remembered the last trip, into the caves. It had been a simple spell that Harry already knew, for fire, which drove off the Inferi. The badgers seemed to be immune to every spell directed against them, but direct physical attacks were able to harm them. Harry suddenly remembered the battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort at the ministry, where Dumbledore had transfigured the Fountain of Magical Brethren into a moving defensive shield. Something like that should work well, here!

Harry began casting spells around him in rapid fire, the light flying from his wand and hand illuminating the hallway like fireworks. The spells struck loose stones and rocks from the ceiling and floor, animating them and causing them to begin circling around Harry until there were hundreds of them. He sent them forward then, extending the defensive circle to protect Ron and Ginny. Ron and Ginny turned back into themselves and limped back wide-eyed and injured; the impervious spells had worn off earlier this time, and Harry knew that if he had to cast them again they would wear off sooner still. Hopefully that won’t be necessary, Harry thought, as he fought to control the spells he had cast; the badgers were now busy contending with the rocks he had sent, but still they kept coming. Suddenly a series of well placed blasting curses came over Harry’s shoulder, impacting against the ceiling over the badgers. Harry spun around and had only a brief moment’s time for a confused look at Hermione before Ginny cast a summoning spell that lifted him off his feet and pulled him back to the others. As he was flying through the air, the ceiling began to fall; he flew into Ginny’s arms and both of them fell, while Hermione maintained a shield that kept any stray rocks from falling onto them. A few of the badgers made it through, running in their continuing frantic attempt to protect the cup, but Ron changed back into a lion and finished them off without much difficulty. As the last rocks fell, blocking them off from the badgers completely, and the dust started to clear, Harry looked up at Hermione in amazement.

“Well,� she said, obviously pleased with herself, “I got the idea from you, Harry. You pulled a few rocks out of the ceiling, and I got the idea that I could collapse the whole thing.�

Harry flushed red with embarrassment. He had spent so much time trying to think like Dumbledore that he had ignored the simplest solution. He vowed he would try and avoid the flashiest way of doing something in the future, and just do what worked.

Ginny saw his embarrassment and grinned.

“You can’t think of everything all the time, Harry,� she said giggling.

Ron had changed back into himself and was limping down the hallway, also grinning.

“Hermione’s thinking of the answers before anyone else; everything is back to normal,� he put in, sighing happily.

They all paused for a moment, catching their breath, while Harry healed Ginny and Hermione healed Ron, all the while talking about how magnificently he had handled himself against the badgers. Harry and Ginny were snickering to themselves because of how far Ron had stuck out his chest and how high he held his head, while declaring that it was all nothing.

Finally, the time came where they couldn’t put leaving off any longer. Harry looked at Ginny and saw in her eyes a fear of the pain she had experienced before, and he squeezed his hand sympathetically. As he was opening his mouth however, Ron and Hermione stepped up together and cast the spells. Harry watched in horror as his friends screamed in agony, hands pressed up against the wall; it seemed to go on forever until finally the wall opened up. This time it was Harry and Ginny that caught Ron and Hermione as they fell, and they dragged them back into the foppishly furnished foyer of the Smith’s house. As Harry cast the spells of healing and Ginny applied the salves and potions from Hermione’s pack, they finally began coming around. Ron’s first action was to put his arms around Hermione and hold her close; then he turned to Harry and, as close as Harry could tell from Fawkes’ point of view, looked him straight in the eye.

“Now you know how it feels, Harry,� he said quietly, and Harry felt a lump of guilt growing in his throat. He couldn’t say anything, so he just nodded. So this is what they feel like, every time I rush off and try to play the hero, he thought sadly. It was a bitter pill to swallow; he knew he had no choice. Fate had made him to be either hero or failure, and he was determined to be a hero. The other option left him and all of his friends dead.

Chapter Twenty Four: A Shattered Sword


Harry led them out of the house, making sure everything behind them was as it had been when they entered. As soon as they were out, Harry grabbed onto his friends, and Fawkes transported them back.

Their first stop was the hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey yelled at them all, checked the salves and forced them all to eat a very large amount of chocolate. Their next stop was to speak with McGonagall, to report back and get the latest news. McGonagall was happy to see them back, but there wasn’t any good news. There had been a couple more attacks, and several magical homes had been destroyed and their occupants killed. This had caused another wave of panic, and more families were trying to find safety at Hogwarts, while still more were leaving the country.

Finally, after a wonderful meal in the Great Hall, they returned to their rooms and Hermione pulled out the cup. It was beautifully made, and they all took a moment to admire it.

“Is there any way we can destroy the Horcrux without destroying the cup?� Hermione asked wistfully.

“I don’t know,� Harry said, equally sorrowful at the thought of destroying something so old and beautiful. “Either way, we need to go somewhere else to destroy it; we don’t want to call attention to ourselves like last time.�

“You mean you don’t want to call attention to yourself like last time, Harry. We didn’t do anything,� Ginny said, smiling.

“Where can we go?� Ron asked, “There are people in every room of the castle, and I can’t get into the Room of Requirement anymore either. Hermione and I tried to get in there a few days ago and the door wouldn’t appear…�

Ron trailed off as his face turned a brilliant red, and Hermione was suddenly much more interested in her shoes than in the conversation, while Ginny laughed gleefully.

Surprisingly, Harry said nothing until Ginny stopped laughing, and didn’t even try to poke fun at Ron.

“Dumbledore enchanted his office so that magic done inside wouldn’t be detectable outside,� Harry said, “and McGonagall will be out inspecting the camps for the rest of the afternoon.�

“And you can get in without asking,� Ginny finished knowingly.

“Well, most of the stuff in there is mine,� Harry said with a quick grin, and the others laughed.

It took a brief flash of fire and they were in McGonagall’s office. It was surprising how little the office had changed from when Dumbledore had been there; the whirring and clicking instruments were all in their places and Gryffindor’s sword was still on its stand on the wall, while the Sorting Hat sat on a shelf next to it.

“Well, Harry, I see you are taking your quest very seriously. Is that Hufflepuff’s cup I spy there in Miss Granger’s hands?�

They all jumped in surprise at the unexpected voice, and Ron fell over trying to turn around to see who was there. Harry was surprised as he turned around to find that the familiar voice actually was who he thought it was.

Dumbledore blinked down at them from behind his half-moon spectacles, a friendly smile on his wrinkled face. His portrait had woken up.

“Professor Dumbledore!� Hermione exclaimed happily, rushing over to the wall. Fawkes also sang out happily, and flew to a wall nearby and began singing quietly.

“Don’t be mistaken, Miss Granger,� the old headmaster said gravely, “I am only an imprint of the real Professor Dumbledore; I can tell you some of what he would have told you, and I can give advice and service to the new Headmistress as he would have given, but I am not the same thing.�

“I understand,� Hermione said sadly, though she was still excited to see him again.

“So, you have all been helping Harry find the Horcruxes,� Dumbledore continued, “Very good. I assume you are here to destroy it?�

“Yes, Professor,� Harry said, unable to conceal the bitterness in his voice.

“What’s wrong, Harry?� the portrait asked with concern.

“Why did he do it?� Harry shouted, surprising his friends. “Why did he weaken himself just to pass on his knowledge to me? I didn’t ask for it and I didn’t want it! I wanted him to stay and help me!�

Harry was on the verge of ransacking the office once more for old time’s sake when Ginny grabbed his hand, soothing him to the point of rationality once more. Still, he looked at the portrait for a response.

“He knew his time was coming, Harry,� Dumbledore said quietly. “Severus Snape had reported the task given to Malfoy, and he knew that it was a matter of time before someone succeeded eventually in killing him. He was even aware that it might be Snape that would do it. He needed you to be ready with the knowledge that would help you to complete your tasks. He knew, Harry, unfair as it might seem, that fate had made you the only hope of the Wizarding world, and he gave everything he could to see that you would succeed.�

Harry lowered his head, ashamed at his outburst.

“I miss him,� he said quietly.

“And he loved you, Harry. Never forget that. He saw you as something akin to his own son, or more appropriately given the age difference, as a grandson.�

There was a moment of silence, as everyone grieved for the events that had taken their headmaster from them. Finally, the portrait of Dumbledore interrupted them.

“So, Harry, why don’t we get on with the destruction of another piece of Tom’s soul? I really appreciate you choosing this particular room to accomplish that; I’m quite eager to see you get rid of him entirely.�

“Is there any way to save the cup?� Hermione asked hopefully.

“I’m afraid not, Miss Granger,� Dumbledore said sorrowfully. “The dark magic of the Horcrux has bound itself into the object itself. You could break the cup without destroying the Horcrux, but you could not destroy the Horcrux without breaking the cup. Perhaps afterwards, however, it could be repaired. I know some Goblins who are quite skilled at such things, and I would be happy to refer you to them.�

Harry nodded and once more motioned his friends to get behind him. As it had happened the previous time, the cup shot into the center of the room to hover in the midst of a shimmering shield. The wind stirred and began blowing through out the office, strange in its lack of direction, eerie in its silence. As the white fire encompassed the cup, however, something began to go wrong. Harry and Fawkes were completely focused on the cup, but they became aware of a strange resonance. Harry had never experienced anything like it, and he knew Dumbledore hadn’t either. At this stage, Harry knew that he had to continue with the cup, and did so. When Ginny began tugging his arm, and gesturing behind them, he suddenly realized that he could feel an intense heat on his back.

Realization hit him at exactly the same moment as the resounding thud signaling the destruction of the Horcrux occurred. Harry tried to turn and cover Ginny with his body, but it was too late. He felt hot knives of pain lance through his body, and was thrown through the air. His body hit the wall hard, and he lost consciousness instantly.

***

The smoke cleared slowly, but the portrait of Dumbledore waited patiently. You had to be patient to be a living portrait. When it finally did clear and he saw the destruction around him, his eyes widened in horror.

“Oh dear,� he said quietly, before rushing from his frame.

***

Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey rushed into the headmistress’ office, out of breath from rushing to get there so quickly. They both stopped short at the sight that greeted them. Tiny bits of metal were embedded in the walls, and blood seemed to be everywhere. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all lay on the floor, obviously where they had fallen after hitting the wall. Many of the objects in the room were broken and scattered, and pages torn from books in the explosion were scattered all over, blown about by wind entering from a shattered window.

McGonagall’s eyes filled up with tears of fear and sorrow as she rushed to Harry’s side while Madame Pomfrey started with Hermione, who appeared to be the worst injured.

“You had better be alright, Mr. Potter,� she said quietly. “You need to answer for wrecking my office! And I am not going to cover your classes for any more than another few days.�

***

“Why does this keep happening?� Mrs. Weasley asked in a near shriek, “It’s getting ridiculous! Every other week we’re called into the hospital and one or another of them is in some kind of life threatening condition! And now it’s all four of them!�

“Now Molly, calm down…� Mr. Weasley started to say in a calming reasonable tone.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Arthur! This has gone on long enough; if they can’t keep themselves out of the hospital wing then they can’t be allowed to continue to be so involved in the fight against Voldemort. We need to put a stop to it! Anything else would be irresponsible parenting!�

“Molly! You’ll wake them up…� Arthur tried to interject but he was over-ridden again.

“I hope I do wake them up! They’ve been asleep for long enough; I want to speak with them about what they’ve been doing. They can’t hold out on us anymore!�

“We won’t hold out… any more…� Harry said quietly and with difficulty from his bed in the hospital wing. He seemed to be having trouble catching his breath. “Assemble the Order… I’m… ready to fight… Voldemort.�

He barely managed to finish before passing out again, and Molly sat open-mouthed and angry at what she had just heard. Finally she just left, muttering about forcing McGonagall to put things right. Arthur sat back with a heavy sigh, and rubbed his eyes wearily before turning to the rest of his family.

“And why couldn’t you lot say anything?� he asked grumpily.

“Come on, Dad,� Fred answered wryly.

“We know better than that by now,� George went on.

“You have to pick your battles.�

“And you were never going to win this one.�

“They’re right,� Bill said with a grin, and Charlie echoed him.

“Well, hopefully Harry wasn’t just delirious and we can get this all done with,� Percy said pompously, and Fred smacked him hard on the back of the head. When he started to ask what that was for, George followed up with another. They had been doing that whenever he tried to speak, and not even Molly had been able to stop them; Arthur hadn’t even tried. He loved his son, but there was some atoning to be done, and Fred and George were the best suited to making it happen.

“We’d better put the Order on alert,� Arthur said with a sigh, getting up from his seat at Ginny’s side, “we want to be able to have a meeting with them as soon as they are all awake.�

They all went their own way, eager to find out what was going on, hoping they wouldn’t have to wait long.

***

Harry came awake again slowly, feeling as though he had been hit by the Knight Bus. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton, and he was desperately thirsty. He had been conscious briefly a few more times, thankfully enough that he had been able to talk to the twins, but not enough to really know what was going on with his injuries or his friends. He reached out with his mind and found that Fawkes was nearby and awake, not nearly as hurt as Harry felt. Fawkes connected to his mind, and he saw that there was a glass of water next to him, and a crowd of Order members scattered around the room. He reached for the glass first, and watched their reactions as they saw that he was awake. Several stood up in anticipation, but there didn’t seem to be too much surprise, so he assumed he wasn’t too badly hurt.

Madame Pomfrey bustled up with a beaker filled with a foul looking potion, and Harry groaned inwardly, but put a bright smile on his face.

“Madame Pomfrey! Pumpkin juice, right?� he asked with forced cheerfulness.

“That’s enough, Mr. Potter,� she said with a tight smile, “I think this potion will wipe that smile off your face in a hurry.�

Harry’s grin slipped as she tipped the cup toward him. As he gulped the potion, mostly to keep it spilling down his front, since he was certain it would leave chemical burns, he found himself experiencing a new and awful kind of pain. It spread throughout his entire body and then centered in his chest like a raging fire.

When the effects had lessened enough for him to speak, he coughed and spluttered “What was that supposed to do?�

“That was to teach you never to puncture your lungs more than once in a year,� she said while checking on the others. “I’m sure you will be pleased to know that everyone will fully recover, though you were hurt the least since the others were standing behind you.�

“And I would like to know why and how you blew up Godric Gryffindor’s sword and didn’t think to raise a simple shield to protect yourselves,� McGonagall put in sternly.

Harry took a quick accounting of the people in the room to make sure that there weren’t any present that couldn’t be trusted. Besides the entire Weasley family, there was Madame Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall, Remus and Tonks, Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Hagrid, and Harry had every confidence in all of them.

“When will the others wake up?� he asked, not wanting to exclude them from the meeting.

“I will wake them up now, if you need them,� Pomfrey said, walking around to each of their beds in turn. “Just be mindful that they will need to be asleep again soon.�

As she was doing that, Harry got up, feeling greatly strengthened since taking the potion. He cast a series of spells at the door and the room at large, sealing it and making sure that no one could eavesdrop.

The others were awake as he sat back down in his bed.

“What happened, Harry?� Ron groaned, as he tried to find a comfortable position.

“Godric Gryffindor’s sword was a Horcrux,� Harry answered, and the commotion that this information caused was intense.

McGonagall turned white as a sheet and looked as though she wanted to ask a dozen questions at once and didn’t know which one to pick first. Madame Pomfrey dropped the beaker she was holding and began cleaning it up hurriedly, while Moody was nodding thoughtfully with Remus and Tonks. The Weasley family was mostly confused, and Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all dumbfounded.

“How is that possible, Harry?� Ginny asked in a daze.

“Dumbledore never understood why Voldemort came seeking that job, when both of them knew that Dumbledore would say no,� Harry informed them. “I didn’t even think about it until I sensed the resonance as I was destroying the Horcrux in Hufflepuff’s cup.� Upon learning that there was a second Horcrux, Pomfrey dropped the pieces of the beaker, and McGonagall sat down quickly, putting a hand over her heart. Even Moody’s eye was popping. “By then it was too late; the incantation that destroys a Horcrux works without the shield, and it works by proximity, which is why the shield is so necessary. Without it…�

“You end up cut to pieces with sword shrapnel,� Hermione finished. “So Voldemort somehow severed a piece of his soul before coming to Dumbledore’s office just so that he could put it in Gryffindor’s sword?�

“It’s brilliant, really,� Ron said thoughtfully, “No one would think that he could have had enough access to the sword since Dumbledore always had it and took good care of it, and it’s still one of the belongings of one of the Founders.�

“So there’s only one left,� Ginny said quietly.

“How many were there?� McGonagall demanded finally, deciding it was time to take charge and find out what was going on.

“And what in Merlin’s name are you talking about?� Fred asked with a wave of his arm to remind the rest of them that he was there, while George and the rest of the Weasleys nodded.

At Harry’s direction, Hermione took up the explanation and told the story of the Horcruxes and their quest to destroy them.

“And now there is only Nagini left, and she is going to be with Voldemort,� Harry said as she finished, “so it’s finally time to take the fight to Voldemort.�

“How are we going to find him?� Moody asked quickly, “We’ve been searching for his hideout for months and we’re no closer to finding it than we’ve ever been.�

Harry turned his face to towards Fawkes and had the brief disconcerting view of looking into his own eyes before he told Fawkes what to do and the phoenix vanished.

“I have insider information,� Harry said with a slow smile. “Kreacher?�

The old wrinkled house elf appeared at Harry’s side, mumbling to himself.

“Did my filthy half-blood master call?� he murmured, casting angry looks at everyone else present.

“How is your charge?� Harry asked slyly.

“The young master is very well, though he is very unhappy that he is held hostage by half-bloods and blood traitors,� Kreacher said unhappily.

“Good,� Harry said, pleased, “you can go back to work in the kitchens. You are to speak to absolutely nothing and no one until I tell you otherwise, and you are not to leave this castle or communicate in any way with anyone else.�

Kreacher favored Harry with his meanest grimace before vanishing with a crack. At practically the same moment, Fawkes reappeared in a flash of flames with none other than Draco Malfoy. Everyone seemed stunned except for Fred and George, who were looking at each other in a knowing fashion.

“Finally, I’m free of that awful cell and that confounded house elf,� the boy muttered. “What do you want, Potter? I’ve been here for a month, and you haven’t been to see me or asked me any questions or anything. Of course, you wouldn’t be able to see me at all, would you? I’ll tell you nothing!�

Malfoy looked at everyone in the room with undisguised interest mingled with hatred and contempt. He openly leered at Hermione and Ginny, and Harry felt himself grow furious while Ron began cracking his knuckles meaningfully.

Instead of saying anything to Malfoy, however, Harry turned to another part of the room.

“Fred, George, I believe that you two are the most qualified people here to make a ferret talk, and Moody can supervise if it gets too inhumane.�

Everyone in the room save Malfoy was grinning now, and Moody symbolically turned his head away; he would stop nothing. Malfoy swallowed nervously but continued to look defiant.

“Why don’t we just give the git some Veritaserum and be done with it,� Ginny said with open animosity.

Fred walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulder leading her away.

“Now, sister dear,� he said kindly.

“Where would the fun be in that?� George finished from where he was standing at a table, unloading several instruments and packages from his pockets.

“We’ll do things properly, have no fear!� Fred added as he went to join his brother.

“Although we didn’t know why, Harry commissioned a new line of products from our store during the Christmas holidays,� George said with a wink.

“And he asked us to bring them to this little meeting. We would never disappoint our largest investor and benefactor,� Fred finished.

“First,� George said, pulling out a plain looking rope, “we need to restrain the subject.�

As he spoke, he casually tossed the rope toward Malfoy; the pale boy had only a moment’s shock as the rope came alive in mid-air, wrapping around him tightly and binding his arms and legs together.

“This is a little item we like to call Verata-String. It will tighten slightly every time we ask a question and Malfoy lies or tries to conceal something. If he tells the truth partially and still holds something back, it will still tighten,� Fred explained, while Malfoy’s eyes widened in fear.

“We haven’t marketed this yet, because we haven’t figured out any safety features,� George added with a merry grin, “so if he keeps lying long enough, it will probably kill him.�

Molly Weasley shifted uncomfortably, but Arthur put a restraining hand on her arm, and for once she let the matter lie.

“Very well,� Fred said, steepling his fingers together while standing in front of Malfoy. “Where is Voldemort hiding?�

“How dare you say his name, you filthy blood traitor!� Malfoy snarled, ignoring the question.

The ropes tightened visibly and Malfoy grunted at the increased pressure.

“Are you sure you don’t want to add anything to that?� George asked sweetly.

“Rot in hell!� Malfoy snapped, before the ropes tightened again.

“I think he’s being very rude, Fred,� George exclaimed with mock indignity.

“I think you’re right, George,� Fred said sadly. “Itching?�

“Itching indeed,� George said, while Fred pulled out a small vial filled with glistening powder. He poured some into his hand and then blew it towards Malfoy. As it blew towards Malfoy it appeared to catch fire, and the unfortunate junior Death Eater screamed in terror.

“The fire is just an illusion,� George told them, while everyone laughed. “The real fun comes from fairly horrific itching… everywhere.�

They all continued to laugh as they watched Draco pale further, and begin to squirm against the ropes.

“So… Any ideas as to where old snake-eyes’ lair is?� Fred asked, his cheerful demeanor almost as comical as Malfoy’s obvious discomfort.

“I don’t know,� the boy said, a hint of panic entering into his voice.

The ropes tightened further, and the itching continued.

It took the ropes, the itching, several hallucinatory potions, and some plain non-magical fire ants, before Malfoy was convinced he should talk. By this time, Madame Pomfrey had put Ron, Ginny, and Hermione back to bed out of fear that the laughter would cause further damage. Only a sharp pain in his side kept Harry from laughing hysterically; he’d waited for years to see something like this, and he couldn’t help that it was intensely satisfying.

“Alright,� he croaked around the ropes, barely able to breathe, “I’ll talk! Just make the tiny Hippogriffs go away!� He was staring at the ants crawling all over him in terror. “He’s staying at Malfoy Manor, and it’s protected by every charm known to wizardkind, so you’ll never get in.�

The ropes tightened one last time, and Malfoy’s last connection to air was cut off. George appeared to be inspecting his fingernails, while Fred was coaxing more of the ants out of the jar and onto Malfoy.

“I… can… tell you… where… it is…� Malfoy choked out finally.

George waved his wand and the ropes loosened slightly.

“How do we get in?� Fred demanded, and this time the deadly earnestness in his voice was chilling.


A/N: Okay, so here it is; the beginning of the end. Don't worry everyony, because it will still take several chapters to finish. BUT, I am getting married one week from posting this chapter. That means that if the current trends continue, I won't be able to post another chapter before I leave on my honeymoon, which will mean I won't post again until mid-June. I hope you will all understand that my honeymoon is a lot more important to me. :) Anyway, after I get back, it should be business as usual, and updates that are as frequent as Mugglenet will allow. Thanks!

Chapter Twenty Five: Preparation


Harry sat back in one of the comfortable chairs in his sitting room, thinking. The last few days had contained a blur of activity around him, while he felt as though he had done practically nothing.

“The Order will take care of it, don’t worry,� he had been told over and over again, until he finally stopped suggesting that he do anything.

Granted, he had been heavily involved in the planning; Malfoy had given them everything that they wanted. While Malfoy Manor was almost completely protected, there was a spot on the grounds that was almost completely unprotected. It was an Apparation point previously known only to Death Eaters. It was the spot to which any new or potential Death Eater was sent by recruiters to be inducted into the group, and it allowed access to the rest of the area. Unfortunately, Apparating there would alert every Death Eater of the upcoming induction ceremony via their Dark Mark tattoos, and most if not all of them were likely to show up.

Thus there arose the need for every able-bodied Witch and Wizard to join the attack. As Harry sat in a meeting with Moody, McGonagall, and several Ministry officials, all listing the people they could count on to go, he finally blurted out, “Why not involve some of the students. Dumbledore’s Army is better qualified than a lot of the Ministry workers.�

He had had to explain what the DA what, and had to argue vociferously about letting students get involved, but finally, mostly due to the desperation of their situation, they relented. They also decided to quietly get volunteers from everyone staying at Hogwarts, although they didn’t reveal when they were attacking or where. A surprising number of people were willing to be a part of it, and thus they had the manpower to carry out the plan. Harry had been intensely gratified when almost the entire DA had agreed to go as well.

Harry had also come up with the plan of action, almost by himself. Moody and Lupin had both helped fine-tune some of the details, but all of the basic ideas had been his. They would Apparate as a group, moments before those who could not Apparate would take Portkeys to the same location. Harry would lead a the main group in an all out charge on the Manor itself, and they would then presumably encounter the opposition. At the proper time, Harry would signal a much smaller group, who would then concentrate completely on finding and destroying Nagini. Harry had decided he could not be a part of that group, because he was likely the only Wizard capable of standing up to Voldemort. If Voldemort was left unchecked, he would wreak havoc on the rest of the Order’s army, and Harry could not allow that. Instead, he had put Ron and Hermione in charge of that task, and several of the Order members who already knew about the Horcruxes would assist them; specifically Moody, Lupin, Tonks, and Shacklebolt. Ginny had flatly refused to leave Harry’s side, though he had tried to encourage her that he needed her to be part of destroying the Horcrux; she knew he was just trying to put her where he thought she would be safer, and she was having none of it.

“I’m staying with you, Potter, and that’s final.� No one had even tried to back him up.

After all of the planning had been done and the Army of the Phoenix was marshaled, there were still a thousand little details to work out. Fred and George had had a Ministry order placed through their store commissioning a huge supply of their products. A large portion of the Army was going to be wearing Shield Hats, and carrying whatever protective items the twins could put together. The Ministry was desperate, and their bidding for the items had shown it. Fred and George would probably be able to retire early on the profits from this order alone, but Harry had already heard them talking quietly about new products and future plans.

All of the other details, however, were being taken care of by the Order or the Ministry. Everyone recognized that he would be leading them, and that he would be the one to face Voldemort, but they could handle setting up Portkeys for a hundred wizards without him, thank you very much.

So Harry had been training instead. He had quietly asked if he could get twenty or so Aurors to help him out and taken them to the Quidditch Pitch and fought the lot of them together. After he defeated them all soundly twice, he found ten more and continued. It was grueling practice, and he had been to see Madame Pomfrey several times since he had started, but he felt like he was honing his skills even better than before. The Aurors didn’t know him, except by reputation of course, and they didn’t hold back, especially after the first battle. Many of them were very powerful witches and wizards, and Harry was forced to remain on his toes; no exceptionally dangerous spells were being used, but a bludgeoning charm with a lot of power behind it would leave you with an incredible headache, as Harry had learned.

Eventually, many of the other people who had become part of the Army learned of Harry’s training, and started showing up on the Quidditch Pitch as well, and began receiving one on one training from Harry and the Aurors he was working with. It had been intensely satisfying to help prepare the people for the upcoming battle, but it had been sobering as well. He could not afford to tell any of them not to come, but many of them were woefully unprepared. He was certain that the Death Eaters would be trained in all kinds of dangerous spells; he only hoped that with numbers and sheer will they would be able to achieve victory.

He leaned forward in his chair and put his head in his hands; he was starting to regret suggesting that students be allowed to take part. Of course age limits had been set, and they had had to demonstrate proficiency in their Defense Against the Dark Arts, but virtually all of his friends and many of his housemates had shown themselves capable. Now, if they were hurt, or killed… he tried to avoid thinking about that last possibility since it always gave him a scared nauseous feeling that didn’t go away for some time. But anything that happened to his friends in this fight would be his fault. He knew he couldn’t take responsibility for the actions of all of those around him, but he also knew very well that he was the one leading this attack, and it was his responsibility to fight and defeat Voldemort. Even worse than the thought of some of his friends dying, was the thought of dying himself without defeating Voldemort; failing in his mission. The Prophecy had not named him the victor; it merely stated that he had the power, and that he would kill or be killed. If he lost, it was probable that all of his friends would be killed in the aftermath.

He had slept his usual three hours that night, and woke up sweating. The faces of those he loved had haunted his dreams. His parents were side by side with the Weasleys, Dumbledore and Sirius stood with Lupin, Tonks, Moody, and McGonagall, and worst of all, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood before them all. They said nothing, but the accusation in their stares was enough. It was his fault they were dead. He had failed.

He had been sitting in his chair since that time, brooding. Today was the day. Am I ready? he asked himself over and over again, and never came up with an answer.

Fawkes appeared in the room with a flash of flame that Harry felt on the side of his face. Suddenly he could see the room around him, and himself sitting in the chair. He looked older, his face consumed by cares and worries beyond his years. The sight of it was actually somewhat comical to him, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well, Fawkes, how does it feel to have an army named after you?� he asked, reaching out and stroking the phoenix’s plumaged head.

Fawkes replied with pride mixed with a touch of embarrassment, and a reminder that it was not necessarily him specifically, just a Phoenix in general.

Harry laughed again, and felt better for it, though only briefly. He could not shake the feelings of fear and trepidation that filled him.

“Did Dumbledore ever feel this way?� he asked Fawkes quietly.

His answer was a picture, a memory, of Dumbledore sitting in his office, much as Harry was sitting now. His face sagged with worry, and the lines in his face seemed deeper. He looked old, Harry thought, though he also appeared younger than Harry had ever seen him.

“When was that?� he wanted to know. Harry watched a quick succession of images; Dumbledore writing a letter with the same expression, and then a jump further forward as Dumbledore stood outside the house on Privet Drive with McGonagall and Hagrid, leaving a small basket behind on a doorstep. The message was clear; Dumbledore had been this worried about Harry, right from the beginning. It was the exact same worry that Harr felt now; worry for the hope of the Wizarding World mixed with love for someone important to him.

Harry felt gratified to have seen the memory, and thanked Fawkes. The phoenix sang quietly in reply.

“Am I ready, Fawkes?� he asked, this time seeking comfort. Instead of an answer from himself, Fawkes responded with another memory. Harry sat in the same chair and Ginny was sitting in his lap, and he asked her the same question.

“Of course you’re ready, Harry! You’ve been getting ready for this moment for your whole life, and you’ll have all of your friends with you; you can’t fail with us there by your side,� she said, while running her hands through his hair soothingly.

“I still feel like everything is weighing down on me like a load of bricks,� he had answered, “and I feel like, no matter who is with me, I’ll be completely alone when I face Voldemort. It’s like it has to be that way.�

“No matter what happens, Harry, you will never be alone. You can do this.�

The memory from earlier that evening faded away, and Fawkes sang triumphantly. Harry found himself taking comfort from what Ginny had said, even though it had brought him none when she first said it.

“I can do this,� he whispered, feeling his fear trickle away. He worried still for those who would fight with him, but his worry was slowly being replaced by determination. He could not save everyone; no matter what he did, he was sure there would be casualties in this battle, but he was determined to make the sacrifice of those who would fall worthwhile by defeating the Dark Lord once and for all. No matter what.



A/N: Okay, so I bet that everyone was thinking that I would make chapter twenty five the last battle, or the beginning of the last battle, and this is probably a little disappointing instead. I know I should have made this chapter part of the last chapter, but I wanted that one to end where it did, and everything that happened in this chapter had to happen. I promise to update with the first chapter of the Last Battle as soon as Mugglenet will allow; no more delays.
My thanks to all of you who offered congratulations on my wedding; it was wonderful, and we had a wonderful honeymoon. We are having a great time moving into our apartment, though that has been a lot of work. Unfortunately, we don’t yet have an internet connection there, so replying to reviews may take me longer than it has in the past. I obviously still have access to the internet, but I can only get on about once a day. I promise I will keep responding, though, so please keep reviewing!

A/N – The latin title to this chapter means "Bound in the Mind's Eye." That in English is also the title to the next chapter, so that should tell you that perhaps not everything is as it seems in this chapter.
GhostCoon

Chapter Twenty Six: Reus in Mens Oculus

Harry woke his friends early the next morning, and the four of them went about getting ready for the day quietly. Fawkes was sitting in the corner, allowing Harry to observe his friends, and he noticed quickly the tension that filled them all, even himself. Ron and Hermione rarely met each other’s eyes, but they paused often to hold hands, knuckles white, as the shared some kind of reassurance. Ginny looked at him constantly, smiling reassuringly, and he found himself smiling back despite himself; it touched him that she would look past her own nervousness to comfort him, though he could see a tightness to her eyes and a sickly set to her mouth whenever she was turned away from him. Sometimes it helped to be able to see from angles other people didn’t always remember, but he would just as soon believe that she was as confident as she could be.

As soon as they were ready, they all headed for the Great Hall. Every table was filled, though not just with students as was usual. Aurors and Ministry workers sat side by side with students and their parents, Order of the Phoenix members sprinkled liberally around as well. With Fawkes on his shoulder, Harry was able to see every face in the room turn toward him and silence fell over the crowd. Harry could feel the fear in the Army of the Phoenix, but he could feel their hope as well, their confidence that victory would be achieved; hope and confidence that all rested on him. He swallowed nervously and then smiled confidently before heading toward an empty spot at one of the tables and sitting down, forcing himself to pull food onto his plate and to begin eating. He tasted nothing, too nervous to notice what he was eating, but his show of confidence was enough. Everyone else in the room went back to their breakfast, and the low murmur of quiet conversation resumed, an excited rumble that spoke of people whispering of certain victory. Ginny squeezed his hand, and he had the feeling that she, at least, had known it was an act.

A large group of red heads walked into the room soon after, and Harry’s smile was real this time. Fred and George led the entire Weasley family into the Great Hall, pausing at the door and posing for the crowd. Everyone in the room began clapping and laughing at once; Fred wore a huge purple hat at a jaunty angle, complete with a huge feather sticking out to one side. George’s hat was identical except that his was a bright orange that contrasted horribly with his hair. Both wore shimmering cloaks of lime green, and both had rapiers belted around their waists. To top off the ensemble, they had both grown huge handle-bar mustaches which they made a constant show of twisting and stroking. They appeared to be twisted versions of renaissance-era gentlemen. The rest of the Weasleys didn’t stop as they came in, all dressed normally, and they sat down next to Harry and his friends to begin eating as well.

George spread his hands wide, gesturing for silence, and when he had it, Fred proclaimed loudly, “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the pre-victory feast celebrating the fall of Lord Voldemort!�

There were several gasps and screams from his use of the name, but George merely waited for them to die down before continuing. “We here are the brave few who will live on in legend as the army that will defeat the greatest Dark Wizard of all time! Down with Voldemort!� The last part was said in a shout as George drew his rapier and thrust it into the air, revealing that it was actually his wand attached to a basket hilt. Harry was surprised to hear the shout echoed by the majority of the crowd, as wands were raised and fists shaken; people were taking courage, realizing that if they were going to help destroy the Dark Lord, they shouldn’t be afraid of his name any longer. True, it wasn’t spoken by everyone, but certainly by a surprising number.

George once again gestured for silence. Fred began gesturing for Harry to come forward and Harry felt a sinking sensation in his stomach; they were going to make him speak. He tried to shake his head, but suddenly flame flashed around him, and the next thing he knew, he was standing next to Fred and George while Fawkes flew up to a rafter above him, laughing happily in Harry’s mind. Harry spared one moment for an angry thought aimed at the phoenix before Fred was speaking again.

“Our victory is assured with Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, to lead us! What words of wisdom before the battle, O mighty leader?� Harry didn’t need Fawkes to see the glint of malicious glee in Fred’s eyes; he could feel it.

“Er…� he began, and flushed at such a foolish beginning. He made himself keep going. “Voldemort has taken away our safety and freedom.� That’s better; keep going. “He’s killed countless witches and wizards, including my parents, and I know many of you have lost loved ones as well.� Harry paused for a moment, fists clenched. “He’s driven us into Hogwarts to hide from his Death Eaters, and he’s convinced that he can come after us even here. Eventually he will, and if he wins then all of us will be forced to bow to him, those of us he leaves alive. That’s why we have to stop him now! Every day more people join him out of fear. Today we’re going to try to destroy Voldemort and his followers. I can’t promise anything except that I will do everything in my power to see that Voldemort is never a threat to anyone ever again.�

He stopped and returned to his seat, and was astounded to hear the crowd erupt into cheers. His face flushed, and he lowered his head, not sure what to do. Ginny grabbed his hand, while Mrs. Weasley hugged him.

Fred and George were now moving throughout the crowd, distributing shield hats, all slightly smaller and less exuberant than their own, to anyone in the crowd that wanted them. McGonagall got up soon after and began laying out the plan of battle. Harry didn’t bother to listen; he knew the plan, had drilled it into his head until he could think of almost nothing else.

And then suddenly, it was time; everyone was standing, and dividing into groups, those who would be taking Portkeys and those who would be Apparating. Harry stayed with the Weasleys; they could all Apparate except for Ginny, and she would be transported by Fawkes with Harry. Harry waited for the signal numbly, and discovered he was no longer frightened. Then he heard it, Fawkes singing a martial hymn; it sang of victory and hope, and Harry felt the confidence that had filled him the night before return. Clutching Ginny’s hand tightly, he felt the flames engulf him once again.

The Army of the Phoenix was gathered in a huge garden outside of a large, sprawling manor house. The grounds were well tended, and exuded haughtiness. There wasn’t a living soul in sight, and silence lay heavily over the entire area.

“Come on,� Harry said, and led the way forward, toward the house.

As they neared the building the doors burst open and Voldemort strode confidently out. Harry held up an arm, and everyone stopped, waiting.

Voldemort began to laugh, his eerie, high pitched voice sending shivers down the spines of all who could hear him.

“Finally, my nemesis, your so-called ‘Chosen One,’ and his band of Muggle-loving fools gathered together in one place. I appreciate your courtesy in providing us with the convenience of wiping you all out at once.�

Suddenly Death Eaters began Apparating all around them, and began firing hexes and curses everywhere. With his panoramic view, Harry was horrified to see several members of the Army fall in the first volley. Still, the rest began hurling their own curses, and soon Death Eaters were joining the fallen. Fawkes circled overhead, singing encouragingly, and all of the Army seemed to take heart and double their efforts. Harry could see Hermione and Ron fighting back to back, Ginny standing near him with Luna and Neville, and the other Weasleys in a tight knot hurling curses out steadily and shielding each other from the unfriendly spells. The rest of the Army was similarly fighting, families and friends staying together, protecting each other and those around him. Harry found the sight encouraging, even though they were grossly outnumbered.

Suddenly, the Portkeys triggered and there were a third again more witches and wizards fighting for the Army joining the fray. The odds still stood in the favor of the Death Eaters, but now the confidence the adversary had been showing was replaced by angry snarls and wide-eyed fear.

Then, in an instant, Voldemort was upon him, and they began hurling curses of amazing power back and forth, dodging and blocking, each trying to gain the upper hand. Harry found himself struggling to match the Dark Lord, both in speed and power; it was taking all of his borrowed knowledge and agility to stay alive, and he found that he wasn’t having much luck attacking. Most of what he was doing was defensive, and Voldemort knew it. The snake-like man began laughing, and his movements and spells became contemptuous, as he began toying with his prey.

“Abolitum Atroxus!� Voldemort shouted, and a pulsing yellow light flared from his wand. Harry was just able to deflect it, and it ricocheted off into a masked Death Eater, who began to scream wildly in the voice of Lucius Malfoy, before bursting into flames and dropping to the ground, breaking apart into ashes as he fell. Harry volleyed a few more spells towards Voldemort before taunting him.

“Destroyed one of your own favorites, have you Tom?� Dumbledore had always infuriated Voldemort by calling him that; Harry figured he might be able to make him make a mistake if he got him mad enough.

“Fool!� the snake-like man hissed, “He was as replaceable as anyone. That is why I shall succeed and you shall fail. You view your followers as something more than the tools they are!� With that, Voldemort cast a killing curse, not towards Harry, but at Luna, who was fighting frantically next to Ginny against four large Death Eaters. Harry could do nothing but stare, his mouth open in a silent scream, as the spell hit her in the back, and she dropped forward on her face. Ginny began to be overwhelmed by the Death Eaters she was now facing alone; Neville had become locked in combat with Bellatrix Lestrange, and from the look in his eyes, he was unaware of everything else in the world. Voldemort cast another several spells at Harry, taking advantage of his distraction.

Harry raised a shield, knowing that it would not stop everything, but also knowing that he could not let Ginny be harmed. Even as some of the spells hit him, he shouted “Confugio!� Ginny was suddenly flying through the air as several curses flashed through the air where she had been standing. She landed in the middle of the Weasleys, and immediately turned screaming for Harry, who was now alone behind the advancing line of Death Eaters, facing Voldemort once more, but bleeding heavily from his side, where he had been hit by a harsh cutting spell.

“You see, Harry,� Voldemort mocked, “If one of my followers falls, I can always find a new one. You will be destroyed by the same love that saved you as a child.�

“Let’s see if they are all so replaceable,� Harry answered, gritting his teeth against the pain.

Using the view provided by Fawkes, Harry began dueling Voldemort with his wand, while using his free hand to send stunners and binding spells into the packed mass of Death Eaters behind him. Voldemort howled with fury, but try as he may, he seemed powerless to stop him; Harry was furious over the loss of his strange friend, angry that he didn’t even have the time to grieve, and that fury seemed to fuel his power. Before too long, the ranks of the Death Eaters were thinned considerably, and the Army began to advance, led by Hagrid and Grawp, who were laying waste to the people in front of them, yelling fiercely. As Order members broke through the line of Death Eaters, Voldemort began to scream with rage, and mirrored Harry’s tactics. Both Hagrid and Grawp went down to curses Harry didn’t immediately recognize, before Harry began concentrating all of his spells on Voldemort, hoping to occupy him enough to spare his friends. It was working, and the Army still had enough of an advantage that they continued to break through.

“Find the snake!� Harry bellowed, and Ron, Hermione, Moody, Lupin, Tonks, and Shacklebolt, followed by several others, all rushed into the Manor.

Voldemort’s eyes widened in shock.

“What do you know?� he screamed in rage, though fear was readily apparent in his voice. Harry ignored him, and briefly used his wand to cast an anti-Apparation ward around the entire area, continuing the duel with his hand.

No one can escape now, Harry thought grimly. The ward he had cast took ten times the effort and time to dispel, and Voldemort would be unable to spare the concentration. We win or die here.

Voldemort was still cursing him, with words and with magic, when an explosion from the house distracted them both. Standing outlined by the hole in the wall caused by the explosion was none other than Severus Snape, bleeding profusely from what appeared to be bite marks in his torso. In his hands he held the dead body of a huge snake.

“Finish it, Potter,� the ex-teacher spat, “I have done my part.�

Snape dropped to the ground, obviously dead.

“Nagini!� Voldemort shrieked, not in grief or sorrow, but in very real fear. “What have you done?� he raged, his voice shrill.

Harry suddenly felt Voldemort’s hated presence pushing into his mind trying to pull the information out, and his scar flared with pain. Filled with a terrible anger of his own at the pain and death around him, Harry didn’t try to shield his mind, but rather pushed back at Voldemort, and soon they were engaged in battle of wills so terrible that the ground shook beneath them, and those watching them turned away in fear.

As they struggled for mental control of each other’s minds, Harry was aware of the people who had gone after Nagini returning and re-entering the fight. The battle was not going well for the Death Eaters, and unable to escape, some were beginning to throw down their wands, begging for mercy. Harry was also aware of Neville’s continued battle with Bellatrix; both were breathing raggedly and clutching severe wounds, but they continued to circle each other, battling on with a will and frenzy that defied reason.

Harry redoubled his efforts in Legilimency, determined to best the man who had taken so much from him, determined to prevent the deaths of anyone else close to him. He was gaining ground, and started to pick up stray thoughts and feelings leaking out of the Dark Lord’s mind. I’m winning, he shouted in his mind. Voldemort panicked and raised his wand, but Harry knew his intent before the Killing Curse was cast, and raised his wand as well shouting a powerful curse of his own. The two spells collided in the air, and there was a thunderclap and a rush of intense energy that hurled Harry back into the air. He was thrown back at least two hundred feet, and Fawkes barely swooped down and caught him before he hit the ground, laying him down gently on the grass. Harry lay there, gasping in agony, feeling that he must have broken some ribs again, and his left leg was almost numb with pain. He had no idea what had just happened, but it had hurt a lot.

Harry opened his eyes, and it took a few seconds before he realized he could see. Not the magnified sharp vision of a hawk, or the aerial views provided by Fawkes, but real vision, with his own eyes.

Ginny was running towards him with a panicked look on her face, and he took in the sight of her with intense emotion. She is so beautiful! She reached him and knelt in front of him, taking in the sight of his mangled body, as tears filled her eyes. He was about to tell her it was okay, when she jerked forward into his arms, screaming in pain. Harry caught her, and looked at her back, which was cut open in a line from her hip to her shoulder, and the wound was gushing out blood; it was obvious she had just been hit by a powerful cutting curse, and Harry knew in his heart that it had been cast by Voldemort. Harry screamed in pure terror, fumbling with his wand and sealing the wound as quickly as he could. The bleeding stopped, but she was as pale as death as he laid her down on the ground, ignoring his own pain.

“Ginny?� he pleaded desperately, “please be okay. I can’t do this without you. I can’t live…� he couldn’t continue, choked with terror and grief.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked into his eyes.

“Harry?�

“I’m here, Ginny. Please don’t leave me,� he begged, tormented beyond any pain he had ever felt, anguish and despair consuming him.

She gazed at him, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a beautiful tremulous smile.

“I love…� she began, but her voice trailed off, and her eyes glazed over. Her chest no longer moved, and he could feel his own heart break as he realized she was dead.

The cry that left him seemed to go on forever, a chillingly inhuman shriek of pain and loss that reverberated out from where he sat clutching her body. Towards the end, however, the cry changed, and filled with rage beyond reason, and an audible desire for blood in revenge. Harry, crawled to his feet, and began stumbling forward, the expression on his face a mask of hatred.

***

Voldemort had been blasted back a much shorter distance, and had recovered more quickly. After sending a Cutting Curse towards Harry, hoping to catch him off guard, he had begun unraveling the ward that trapped him there. Seeing what he was doing, Order members rushed to oppose him, but he merely began killing them. His Death Eaters began to take heart again, and some who had surrendered grabbed fallen wands and turned on their captors, determined to win their master’s praise.

When Harry’s cry rang out, everyone but Voldemort had stopped and turned towards where he was clutching the lifeless body of Ginny Weasley. Voldemort merely continued to unravel the ward, cursing those around him indiscriminately. He needed to escape and find out what the boy had done.

***

Harry struggled forward despite the broken bone jutting out of his thigh, trying desperately to reach the fight and casting spells at any Death Eater within his range. His heart wrenched with every Order member who fell to the jets of green light coming from Voldemort’s wand. He watched in numb disbelief as Neville was hit where he stood over Bellatrix Lestrange’s twisted lifeless body, as Tonks went down accompanied by a bellow of disbelief and rage from Lupin. Molly and Arthur Weasley, shocked at their daughter’s death, put up no resistance as they were overwhelmed by Death Eaters. Harry cursed those he could, and those he hit did not get back up. He was past caring about laws or morals regarding the use of magic; his spells were meant to maim and kill, and they did what they were meant to do. Fawkes shouted in his mind for him to stop, but the thoughts he sent back to the Phoenix were as angry as the spells he sent at the Death Eaters. As George went down before five Death Eaters, his shield hat overwhelmed and his cloak in flames, Fred also began shouting in rage, casting spells with the intent to do harm, and they were joined by Remus who was snarling and baring his teeth wildly. Still, Harry could not be fast enough.

When Ron fell, standing over Hermione’s lifeless body, Harry’s last tenuous hold on reality was snapped. Ignoring the pain he began to run, and his curses were bringing down the last of the Death Eaters mercilessly. The jets of light leaving his wand now were a poisonous green, and he heard Fawkes sing out in sorrow, despair, and rejection. The phoenix vanished; leaving for what Harry dimly knew would be the final time. Harry had finally begun to trade curses with Voldemort, when the Dark Lord cackled with glee and Apparated away.

Harry bellowed his impotent rage into the merciless blue sky. He fell to the ground, and began to survey what had befallen the Order of the Phoenix, in what was to have been the final battle. Fred was on his knees sobbing, his cloak and hat discarded, while Remus prowled among the bodies, searching desperately for anyone who might still be alive. McGonagall was surrounded by a group of Aurors and others who were pointing at Harry angrily. Harry found that he didn’t care that they had seen his use of an Unforgivable Curse. No doubt they would try to stop him, but Harry still had his fate before him; to kill Voldemort or be killed. Percy was suddenly trying to comfort Fred, but Fred shoved him away, and Percy went to join Charlie, Bill and Fleur, who were eyeing Harry askance as well. It had been a victory for the Army. They had won, and defeated the Death Eaters, killing and capturing them to a man. Not more than a quarter of those Harry had led into the attack were dead, but it seemed like practically every Harry had cared about was gone. His chest felt hollow, as though his heart had been cored out of him and replaced by hate and the thirst for revenge. Harry summoned Ginny’s body and once again looked at her face, steeling himself for the trials that he would have to face.

As soon as I can, I will join you, he thought, as his eyes filled with tears. Shaking them away, he set his broken leg, not even noticing the pain, and healed all of his injuries. He got to his feet, and gathered his resolve. He stood, and found McGonagall and the Aurors facing him. Remus and Fred also got up, tears still in their eyes, and came over to stand with him.

“Harry…� McGonagall began, her eyes filled with sorrow, grief, and disappointment. “You are under arrest, for the repeated use of an Unforgivable Curse. I understand that you have faced terrible loss today, and I am sure the Wizengamot will be understanding, but we must uphold the law.�

“I don’t think so,� Harry said, his voice dead and cold. Those around him could hear the change, and a visible tension sprang up among the Aurors, a sense of hands reaching for wands.

“I have nothing against the Ministry or the laws of the Wizarding world, but nothing will come between me and destroying Voldemort.�

There was a bang, and smoke filled the air, along with flashes of light in every direction. When the smoke cleared only McGonagall was still standing, the Aurors around her unconscious, and her wand was held in Harry’s hand. Fred and Remus stood behind him resolutely.

“I’m going to finish what I started,� Harry said in a loud voice, for everyone around him to hear. Remus and Fred voiced their agreement behind him, and he told them quietly where to go. Harry tossed McGonagall’s wand back, and with a bang, all three of them were gone.

Chapter Twenty Seven: Bound in the Mind’s Eye


Harry ran a grizzled hand through his graying hair as he checked his watch and readied his wand, and then waited patiently. He was certain that Voldemort would be there soon, and everything was in place. He had sent Voldemort the message that he was through running.

The last thirty years had been a nightmare he couldn’t cease reliving. For several years directly after the battle, he had led the last of his friends and then a Ministry Hitwizard taskforce renowned for its brutality in hunting Dark Wizards. At first Harry, Fred, and Remus had been on the run from the Ministry, while McGonagall denounced their tactics as almost as bad as the Death Eaters. Then, surprisingly, Percy had made his way to Minister of Magic upon McGonagall’s death, and supported them as the best way to fight against the Dark Lord. And for a long time it had seemed true. Every time Voldemort managed to find new followers and launch new attacks he found Harry and those who followed him waiting, and the casualty rate among the Death Eaters had soared. The Wizarding World treated Harry and his men with a grudging respect, acknowledging them for keeping them safe, but wanting nothing to do with them socially. That was fine for them; all of them had lost family and loved ones to Voldemort, and cared for nothing beyond revenge.

Voldemort had gone to the places where he had stored his Horcruxes and discovered them all missing. Voldemort had been unable to create any more Horcruxes; his mangled soul would not survive another tearing, and they both knew it. Fearing his mortality, he had disappeared for a short while, but had resurfaced not long after, trying to gather followers again. Voldemort had been unable to regain any real powe; any time he had enough followers to begin attacking again, Harry found him and killed them. Eventually, hardly anyone would follow him due to the mortality rate of his followers. He had sworn instead to kill Harry once and for all.

Harry remembered what had been the turning point for him. He and his men had discovered Voldemort’s latest plans, which involved an attack on Hogsmeade when Hogwarts students would be visiting, instead, they found Harry and his men waiting for them. Unfortunately, it seemed that that was what they were planning on, for they numbered twice what Harry had expected. Harry remembered Fred shouting George’s name as he killed three masked wizards before five more killed him. Harry himself had turned the tide of battle, killing enough of the Death Eaters that the rest began retreating. Voldemort had glared evilly at Harry and shot one last curse, at Remus, before Apparating away. Harry had held Remus in his arms while the old Marauder died.

“This will never work, Harry,� he had gasped. “We’ve become worse than he is… worse because we know better. The ones we claim to fight for would have nothing to do with us now… don’t let it end this way…�

And with his last friends dead, Harry realized how right Remus was. His life had become meaningless, and his persona had become so distorted that he no longer knew who he was. He suddenly realized that because of what he had done to the Death Eaters, both at the battle and afterwards, he would never be able to forgive himself. His madness and grief had carried him further than he would ever have wanted to go. Ginny wouldn’t love him now; she would reject him just as Fawkes had rejected him. The blood on his hands would see to that. For the first time he missed the phoenix, wanted him to come back; call as he would, however, Fawkes never returned. He had left the taskforce then, and went into hiding. He needed time to find himself, and there was no need to continue endangering those around him. Voldemort remained true to his vow. For the next twenty years he left the Wizarding world alone and concentrated on finding Harry. Many times Voldemort found him, but he always escaped to find a new place to hide, always away from anyone else who could get hurt. He had no desire to see anyone else killed, and everything needed to be ready before he could finally end Voldemort’s life, and let the Wizarding world have peace.

Harry sighed, and walked over to the mantle in the dilapidated hut he had lived in for the last several months. Rows of framed pictures rested there, the only possessions he had kept with him after all these years. He stared hopelessly at the one of himself and Ginny, laughing merrily and holding each other, love shining in their eyes. He had sat in front of these pictures for countless hours, sometimes days at a time, begging for forgiveness from the faces of the people that had loved him; but he had let them down, and he could never be forgiven.

“Are you finally finished running, Harry?� a voice called from outside the building. Harry drew his wand and walked outside, facing his old enemy. Voldemort waited patiently; while Harry appeared lined and old beyond his age, the years had not changed Voldemort’s features, and he retained his terrifying visage and smooth movements. Harry merely looked at him impassively. Long ago, he had given up on revenge. He could never have what was taken from him back, and the only thing that mattered now was removing this threat to humankind so that no one would ever again have to suffer as he had.

“Yes, Tom, the time for running is finally at an end,� Harry answered, his voice tired but firm. “You’ve broken me completely, and you know it.�

“Then let us finish this now,� Voldemort said, raising his wand to prepare for the duel.

“Indeed, let us end it all.� Harry’s voice had hardened, but instead of raising his wand he let it fall. Reaching into his heart he poured all of his love for his fallen friends out of his soul and into his hands, mixing it with all the magical energy his body could summon. An orb of white light appeared between his palms, pulsating with inner fire as it grew larger.

Voldemort shrieked with terror, and started hurling curses at Harry, trying to stop him, but they merely bounced away. This magic would not allow interruption. Voldemort could not run; he had cast the anti-Apparation ward himself this time and sealed his own doom.

As the last of his love, untainted by hate, mixed with the last of his magic, Harry added the force of his own life and soul. The ball of light flashed brighter than Harry could look at, and he sent it out to where he knew Voldemort was. The magic he was working was a construct of his own design, working only out of love; the slightest bit of anger or hatred would have ruined it, and Harry had spent the last ten years cleansing his heart of hate. The magic demanded his own life for this last goal, and he hoped that with this last sacrifice that perhaps those who had gone before him, especially Ginny, would somehow forgive him.

Voldemort conjured the shield he had used in his duel against Dumbledore in the Ministry, unable to dodge the huge orb of light, but the shield was broken apart like tissue paper. Voldemort’s shriek of fear was cut off, as the last twisted piece of his broken soul was obliterated. The light was gone, and Harry watched as Voldemort collapsed, the twisted body coming apart and turning to ash. Harry felt himself falling, and his eyes closed, as he exhaled slowly. When he landed, the ground felt soft and warm, comforting somehow, and he felt peace fill him up. The beautiful strains of phoenix song began filling thee air and he smiled as his breathing ceased and his heart stopped beating. He hadn’t felt this way since he had last held Ginny in his arms, and he suddenly felt as if she might accept him once again when at last they met.

Before consciousness left him completely, he was dimly aware of another blast of light from somewhere else, light so bright he could feel it, and Harry felt pain once again. Through the pain, he felt some last bit of strength enter his body again, and he opened his eyes. He could see nothing, but he heard a voice he had not heard in over thirty years, but that he recognized instantly, and he felt soft arms wrapping themselves around him.

“Harry!�

With the last breath remaining in his lungs he was able to gasp, “Ginny?� His last conscious thought was that she had come to take him home.



A/N: Cliffhangers are fun, aren’t they? Wait for the next chapter, “Song of the Phoenix, for a good deal more resolution and information. Also, I recognize that I could have strung this out a lot more, but I felt this was more appropriate to the story.

Chapter Twenty Eight: Song of the Phoenix


Ginny was horrorstruck when Luna fell dead next to her, but continued to fight desperately against the Death Eaters in front of her. Just when she was certain she was going to die, she felt herself whisked away by a powerful spell and was suddenly in the midst of the rest of her family. She looked around frantically for Harry, and found him in time to see him take the cutting curse to his side. She screamed his name, and watched in fear as he was left alone behind the enemy line.

Suddenly, the Death Eater ranks were thinning, and she knew that Harry was responsible. She threw herself back into the fight, and several of the Death Eaters fell before her wand.

Everything continued to go according to the plan, as Death Eaters fell to the Army and Ron and Hermione rushed out to find and destroy Nagini. It was a complete surprise when the old Potions Master appeared in the Manor window, the snake dangling dead from his hands. She had been absolutely convinced that he had been a Death Eater at heart, as had Harry, but Hermione had always quietly voiced suspicions that it might not be so, though she never said anything to Harry. And it turned out she was right after all. Whatever had passed between him and Dumbledore might never be known, but it was certain that he knew that he was destroying a Horcrux and was willing to give his life to do it.

Ginny staggered suddenly as the ground shifted beneath her. Two Death Eaters were slower in recovering from the sudden motion, and she used the opportunity to stun both of them before turning to see what was going on.

Harry and Voldemort were engaged in some kind of power struggle, both crackling with energy, though neither moved and their wands were lowered. Anyone near them was shying away, fearful of interfering in that momentous duel.

Ginny urged Harry on in her mind wildly, as she jubilantly attacked those around her with redoubled efforts. He’s mortal now, she thought exultantly, and when Harry ends it now, it will be over for good. As she watched, Harry began to smile in what seemed to be triumph. Ginny’s answering smile was cut off, however, as Voldemort raised his wand and shouted the killing curse.

“Avada Kadavra!� the words echoed over the grounds, and she wasn’t the only one who stopped fighting to see what would happen. Army members and Death Eaters alike turned to watch, open mouthed as the green light jetted towards Harry. Harry raised his own wand and cast his own curse, but Ginny knew that the killing curse was unstoppable, and Harry hadn’t yet made any effort to dodge. She found herself screaming, running towards them, desperate to do anything to save Harry, when the two curses collided. There was a flash of light, and a shockwave of incredible power spread out from the two combatants, and Ginny was thrown back into the ground, gasping for breath. When she rose, she saw that there was a cord of light connecting Harry and Voldemort, who stood standing behind a giant sphere of shimmering light.

Ginny remembered Harry telling her of the events after the Third Task during his fourth year, and was heartened again. It would be another struggle, but Harry had won that time as well, and she was sure he could do it again. She had to do her part now.

All around her, people were getting up from the ground, where they too had been thrown after the shockwave. She was heartened to see Ron and Hermione near her, already up and with wands drawn, using the distraction to advantage. Across from her, Tonks was laying on the ground clutching a wounded leg, while Remus stood in front of her, and Death Eaters fled from the wolf-like snarl on his face as much as the spells from his wand. Fred and George had Fenrir Greyback cornered between the two of them, and try as he could, his spells merely bounced off the shields from their hats, while they shouted ridiculously, waiving their rapier-wands, sending stinging spells at him in turn, until Bill finished him with a blasting curse that sent him sprawling. The twins didn’t seem to mind at all, and merely flourished their capes before running back into the battle. It was obvious they were taking things seriously whenever anyone was in danger around them, but they were fighting with a flare that gave the Army heart and frustrated the Death Eaters to no end.

Ginny threw herself back into the battle as well, and found herself fighting next to Neville. Blood streamed from a dozen wounds, but he seemed not to notice them, and by the look on his face, she knew he had finished what Lestrange had started. The Death Eaters were panicking now; Harry had told the Order about what had happened the last time his and Voldemort’s wand connected, but Voldemort had ordered his followers never to speak of it again, and out of fear they hadn’t. Now, the vast majority of the Death Eaters and the Army of the Phoenix didn’t know what was going on, but the Army took their cue from the Order and fought on. The Death Eaters only knew that Voldemort was no longer coming to their aid, and found themselves being overwhelmed.

Before long, many of them were throwing down their wands, surrendering, and minutes after that began, there were only a few die-hard fanatics still fighting. The combined strength of the Aurors and the Order ended that, and within a half hour of Harry and Voldemort’s wands connecting, the battle was over. Ginny ran towards Harry and Voldemort, but before she got within five feet of the shield, she was hurled back, the wind knocked out of her. Gasping, she found herself being helped to her feet by her mother, who checked to see that she was alright before looking worriedly towards Harry. The rest of the Order had gathered close by, though after seeing what had happened to Ginny they all remained a safe distance back.

In the shield, Harry and Voldemort stood, a rope of energy connecting their wands, exactly like what Harry had described. Unlike that instance, however, another cord of light was shooting from their eyes and connecting them that way as well, and Ginny knew that had never been described to her. Both seemed completely unaware of anything else going one around them, and beads of light moved down both cords, sometimes closer to one of them and sometimes closer to the other, waxing and waning in ways that made no sense to anyone present.

“What’s happening?� Ginny demanded, when she could breathe again. She was getting incredibly tired of being thrown to the ground. She heard her question being echoed all around her. Remus was growling at the shield angrily, while Ron held a comforting arm around Hermione. Her mother was nervously adjusting the ridiculous shield hat she had been given by her sons, and looking questioningly at McGonagall.

McGonagall seemed to hesitate before speaking, and finally asked a question, “Do you have any idea what is going on, Miss Granger?�

Hermione seemed taken aback to be asked what was happening by a teacher, but she shook her head. “I’ve never read about anything like this before.�

McGonagall’s mouth tightened, but she spoke as though it were of no immediate concern. “Very well. If things do not change soon, I will probably send you to do some research. The rest of us are needed to help see to the wounded and the prisoners. Help the Aurors in whatever ways you can. Remus, I want you and Kingsley and Tonks to stay here and make sure that Voldemort is taken care of if he comes out of that shield. I know the prophecies say that Harry is the one who can defeat him, but we have to be careful anyway. Do whatever you think necessary, and as soon as I can, I will send more Aurors to help guard them.�

With that, McGonagall strode away to begin supervising a dozen things at once, with Percy at her heals with a parchment and quill taking down anything that needed to be done. Mrs. Weasley strode off to find Arthur, who had been wounded but had already been stabilized. Fred and George were given Portkey duty along with several others, sending members of the Army who weren’t wounded back to Hogwarts, and those who were to the hospital wing and to St. Mungo’s.

The Aurors began dismantling the wards around the Manor immediately, and Madame Pomfrey and a team of Witches and Wizards from St. Mungo’s arrived and began tending to the wounded. The Aurors immediately began dismantling the wards protecting the Manor, and teams of Medi-Witches and Wizards began arriving to help tend to the wounded, along with Madame Pomfrey herself, who checked over all of the students that had come to the battle, weeping for those who were dead. Luckily there were very few dead on either side, considering the scope of the battle, and while there was mourning all around, there was a feeling of victory as well. Voldemort was not yet destroyed, but his followers were all dead or captured, and the best hope of the Wizarding world still fought the Dark Lord and they had every reason to suspect he would win as well.

Ginny refused to leave Harry, and found herself staying with Tonks, Remus, and Shacklebolt, and Ron, who didn’t know where else to go. Hermione had stayed long enough to heal Tonks, and then left to go put her skills in healing to good use.

After several hours, the battle field seemed practically empty. There were six more Aurors standing with them watching over Harry and Voldemort in wonder. Others had tried to relieve Remus and Tonks, but Remus had refused to leave Harry and Tonks refused to leave Remus. Ginny and Ron sat quietly together, watching Harry, and saying nothing. Several times the beads of light hat gotten extremely close to Voldemort or precariously close to Harry, but they had always evened out. Ginny sighed as she leaned her head on Ron’s shoulder.

“Will he ever come out of that,� she asked weakly. She knew it had not taken hours before he had bested Voldemort in the graveyard. She was starting to fear how long this was taking.

“Don’t worry,� Ron said with confidence that she could tell was false. “Harry will win this and be out any minute now.�

Ginny knew he was telling her what she wanted to hear, and she appreciated it. She gave her brother a tight hug in gratitude, just as Hermione walked up tiredly.

“Any change?� she asked hopefully, and seemed to slump when both Weasleys shook their heads. “Well, McGonagall is sending me off to Hogwarts to do research to see if there is anything we can do to help Harry, or at least to find out what is going on. Will you come with me?�

Ron got up immediately, but Ginny sat, torn between going to find out what was going on, and staying to be there when Harry came out. Finally, the latter won out.

“You two go ahead,� she murmured, turning back towards Harry. “I’ll stay here.�

The looked at each other and Hermione seemed on the point of arguing, but Ron pulled her away and spoke as they walked away, “We’ll be back as soon as we know anything.�

Ginny felt very grateful for her brother at that point, and then continued to watch Harry.

Another several hours later, with no change except the daylight fading, Ginny was getting close to despair. Remus was sleeping on the ground not far away, and Tonks had finally left to find a bed for the night.

Ginny was startled as she felt a blanket being wrapped around her shoulders, and turned to see her mother standing behind her with a plate of food and a warm smile, though her eyes were still tight with worry.

“Why don’t you come home and get some sleep, Ginny?� she asked tenderly. “With everything the way it is now, we can go back to the Burrow.�
Ginny really liked the thought of sleeping in her own bed for the first time in a long time, but she couldn’t leave.

“I have to stay here, Mum. What if he comes out soon?� she asked sleepily.

Molly Weasley nodded as if what she had expected had been confirmed. She waved her wand and a sleeping bag appeared. Ginny didn’t argue as her mother told her firmly to eat, and watched to be sure she did, but the food tasted like ashes in her mouth. What if he never comes out? she asked herself, over and over again. And what condition will he be in when he does? That wound in his side was still there, as far as she could see, though it appeared to have stopped bleeding. And who knew what was going on inside his head?

“Have Ron and Hermione found anything yet?� she asked her mother as she handed the plate back. She could feel Remus’ eyes on them, and knew he was awake and waiting for the answer as well.

“No, dear, but they’re still looking. The whole Wizarding world is going crazy right now, celebrating. Fred and George have a part in it, I’m certain,� she said with a rueful shake of her head. “Those fireworks of theirs have been going off all over the country. The Ministry has moved back into the regular Ministry building, and your father is being run ragged trying to get everything put back together again, and him just recovered from that awful curse to his intestines. The Wizengamot is meeting tomorrow to select the next Minister of Magic, though it’s almost certain they’ll ask Professor McGonagall. She still says she doesn’t want the job, but you know that no one else will do as good a job of it. Still, who will teach transfiguration if she leaves the school, and who will the Board of Governors make the next Headmaster…�

Ginny sighed, as content as she could be given the circumstances, as she listened to her mother go on and on about all the latest happenings and gossip in the Wizarding world. She knew her mother was trying to help her get her mind off of what was going on with Harry and she was grateful for it. Before she knew it, her eyes were growing heavy, and then she was asleep.

***

Hermione stretched, pushing a fist into her back and trying to force the kinks out. She had been sitting at her table in the library for seemingly endless hours, sending Ron for more books whenever she exhausted her supply. She had looked for anything to do with Prior Incantatem and wands that shared cores, but so far she had found nothing to help with what was happening with Harry. For once, Madame Pince was actually helping with the search, as ordered by McGonagall of course, and she had been assisting Ron as they looked for more books, both in the Restricted Section and without.

Just minutes ago, Ron had come back with a huge dusty volume bound in red leather and gold, inlaid with gems. It chronicled the formation of Hogwarts, and was written by Godric Gryffindor himself. She had asked Ron why he had pulled it from the vault where the most valuable books were kept, and he had informed her that according to Madame Pince, Godric Gryffindor’s wand had shared a core with Salazar Slytherin’s. She had begun reading eagerly, and before long had found herself immersed in the story of two of the greatest wizards of history. They had started out as friends, and had worked together with Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff to build Hogwart’s Castle and begin the School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. As their differences of opinion began building a gap between them, things grew tense, and then openly hostile. When Gryffindor learned of the possibility of the Chamber of Secrets being real, he had confronted his old friend, and a battle of Legilimency commenced, as Gryffindor sought to force the information from Slytherin. They had then dueled, and their wands connected. Witnesses said they spend an over a day and a half inside the shield that had formed, and had both been intensely confused when they came out together, though they had looked at each other with nothing but hatred forever after. Slytherin never spoke of the instance again, and Gryffindor left only a very small explanation.

For a lifetime, though it is said for only a day, we were bound in the Mind’s Eye. What was real, I know not, and Salazar will not say if he experienced what I did. I doubt he will ever speak to me again..

Hermione had continued to look for anything talking their experience, or anything like it, but after several more hours she had found nothing. Still, they had every reason to believe that Harry would come out of it, as Gryffindor had, though the troublesome idea was that Slytherin had also come out, and Voldemort could too.

She closed the book she had been reading with a snap and set off to find Ron and return to Malfoy Manor.

***

Ginny awoke from nightmares of the battle to shouting voiced and flashes of light. Instantly, she was on her feet, wand raised and a stunner half cast when Remus grabbed her arm and pushed her wand down.

“That might be necessary in a bit, but we can’t stop them now, and this may even be amusing,� he told her, and she looked up in confusion. He looked older than ever, and more tired than she, but there was definitely a hint of amusement in his voice and a twinkle in his eye. Then she saw what was making the noise.

An army of reporters was marching up the grounds led by Percy who was answering questions. She knew she didn’t want pictures of this circulating in the papers, but she could already tell that Percy was putting things in a good light. The other Aurors on guard duty ignored the reporters completely, and made no effort to stop any of it.

Percy stopped a good ten feet away from the shield and continued answering whatever question he had been asked last. Several of the photographers kept moving to get closer pictures and Percy was interrupted as they were blasted through the air.

“Please stay at least this far back from the shield,� Percy said blandly, though Ginny was almost certain she saw a glimmer of laughter in his eye, and there was no doubt about the small smile he wore. It was odd really; she had been certain Percy had no sense of humor. Maybe his time with the twins was starting to do him good.

Remus and all of the Aurors had laughed openly at the photographers, but they all put on grim faces and remained silent when the reporters started asking them questions. And then they were on Ginny, a million questions being thrown at her at once while cameras flashed.

“Is it true your entire family took part in the battle?�

“How do you feel knowing your boyfriend might never come out of that shield?�

“How long have you been in a relationship with the Chosen One?�

“Do you believe Harry will win this confrontation with You-Know-Who?�

Ginny was having a hard time seeing, and she didn’t even want to think about some of their questions, much less answer them. Remus and Percy both came to her rescue; Remus came to stand in front of her with a scowl on his face that had many of the reporters drawing back in fear, and Percy by interrupting them and drawing their attention away.

“Now, now, everyone,� he said with a condescending smile, “Of course Harry will emerge victorious. We know for a fact that he was involved in a similar confrontation with Voldemort three years ago, and he won even then. Now, I believe you have had the time you were promised by the Minister, so if you will all follow me back to the Ministry, you can ask more questions there.�

As he turned to lead them away, Percy turned back to her and winked quickly, and she shook her head incredulously. Percy was changing, and for the better. Those recurring blows to the head from Fred and George had worked wonders none of them had expected.

She was still trying to recover when Ron and Hermione Apparated next to her and she jumped in surprise.

“Did you find anything?� she asked, recovering quickly.

“Just a single reference,� Hermione said sadly, dark circles under her eyes from her night without sleep, “about being trapped in the Mind’s Eye, whatever that means. The only other time we could find that something like this happened, though, it lasted a day and a half.�

Ginny sat back as Hermione told her all about the book she had read, and couldn’t hide her relief. Harry would come out. It might take a day or two, but he would come out.

Molly Weasley appeared suddenly, and she was brimming over with excitement.

“Have you heard?� she asked triumphantly.

“Heard what?� Ron responded with a yawn.

“McGonagall has been made the new Minister of Magic,� Mrs. Weasley said triumphantly, and Ron cut her off before she could continue.

“Big deal,� he scoffed. “We knew they were going to chose her before they voted. There isn’t anyone else.�

“And as I was going to say,� she said, giving Ron an angry glance that he didn’t notice, “was that she has made your father the new Head of Magical Law Enforcement!�

She was excited as she had been when she started by the end; not even Ron’s unintentional rudeness could undermine her happiness.

Ginny and Ron goggled openly, while Hermione began congratulating Mrs. Weasley. Ginny and Ron were quick to join in.

“Yes, well, of course he’s the best man for the job,� Mrs. Weasley said proudly, “though he’s being worked harder than ever. Still he was given quite a raise, you know, and he deserves it.�

Ginny was very proud of her father; he had always been there for her, even if he was a little odd at times with his obsession with Muggles, and she knew he would do an excellent job.

“And Percy is still the Junior Undersecretary to the Minister,� Molly went on happily. “McGonagall said she wouldn’t know what to do without him, though I think she had a long talk with him about lightening up. And that can only be good for him, you know.�

Ginny let her mother go on without listening turning back to Harry. The rest of the Wizarding world was already going about its business when they didn’t even know if the person who was supposed to save them was done saving them. People were excited about victory so much that they weren’t even willing to wait for it.

She sighed heavily. She knew Harry didn’t want recognition or fame for what he was doing, but he still deserved it. She was positive it would come, though, once he got out.

***

Two days later, on the morning of the third day that Harry had been in the shield found things little different. Harry and Voldemort were both looking gaunt and weak from being three days without food or drink, but they still stood unmoving and the light still connected them, beads of energy still moving in confusing patterns. Ginny was growing close to despair; she was certain that the shield would be gone eventually, but concern about Harry’s health kept her nervous. One newspaper had already claimed that Harry had learned that the Dark Lord could only be killed by being starved to death, and so Harry was keeping him bound until he died, sacrificing himself to do so. Too many people believed that one. Another had published an article say that both of them were trying to consume the other’s soul and powers, and that whichever came out alive would be twice as terrible a Dark Lord as Voldemort had been before. The Ministry had ordered the article retracted and an apology published, but too many believed that one as well.

Ginny had been at the Malfoy Manor grounds for the entire time, except for using the bathroom in the Manor and bathing at home once each day. She wanted to look good when Harry came out; Remus had spent the first two days without bathing or washing and had looked awful. Tonks had come back and forced him home, though he had come back soon thereafter, thankfully clean.

Ron and Hermione had spent the majority of their time with her, though Hermione had had what seemed to be over a hundred books brought to her to study while she was there. She had learned that the NEWTS would still be taking place that year, though any student who wanted to repeat the year instead was welcome to, since so much school had been cancelled. Ron had wanted to opt for the latter, but Hermione insisted that both of them could do it, and so she had been forcing Ron to study with her nonstop. He looked a little ill, but all in all, he seemed to be taking it better than he would have before.

“Hermione’s my best chance at getting a good score,� he had finally confided in her, “and if she’s gone next year, I won’t have a chance, so I might as well just do it now. Don’t tell her I said that, okay?�

Now, Ginny was flipping through the pages of a copy of the book by Gryffindor, more for something to do than to read; she had read it all thoroughly an had gleaned no more from it than Hermione. And then the commotion began.

The Aurors closest to the shield began shouting excitedly, waving for everyone else to come closer. The light within the shield had begun glowing brighter than it had ever been yet; something was happening.

Ginny raced to the spot, seven feet away from the shield, which was a close as she could come without being affected. Any closer and her hair would begin to stand on end, before she would be blasted back as before. Inside the shield, Harry had begun to glow with an aura of power. She knew, from him sharing the memory of his fight to save her in the fallen tower, that that meant he was using too much of his magical power at once. She screamed his name, and found Ron’s arm around her comfortingly, though he looked like he could use some comfort himself. His other arm was around Hermione, whose eyes were wide, and her hand was covering her open mouth. As the light became almost too bright to look at, the energy went streaming along the cords, the beads all being forced into Voldemort, and the Dark Lord’s head snapped back in perceivable agony, though the cords of power did not release him. One huge bead of light emerged from Harry’s eyes and flowed along the rope, slowly but inexorably toward the Dark Lord, and when it finally connected to Voldemort’s eyes, the hateful snake-like body began to come apart. White fire consumed him. Fawkes, who had been sitting in a nearby tree ever since the shield had formed, began to sing triumphantly as the wizard who had terrorized the world was destroyed, until not a particle of him remained.

It was anti-climactic, after Voldemort’s death, the way the shield dissolved. It gave a few fitful flickers of dissipating energy, and then it was gone. Harry remained standing briefly with his eyes closed; the cords of power were gone, but their after-images were burned into the eyes of everyone present. Then he fell to the ground, almost slowly, as if he weighed nothing. Ginny didn’t remember moving but she found herself next to him, her arms entwining around him. He wasn’t breathing, she noticed with horror, but the look on his face was more peaceful than she had ever seen it.

“Harry!� she yelled; she did not really know what was going on, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was leaving her. His eyes fluttered open, and she gasped. His eyes searched and found nothing, but they were filled with pain, and they looked old.

“Ginny?�

The question was a gasp, her named said with wonder and love and hope, and she knew it was the last breath in his lungs. His chest did not rise again, and she could feel no heartbeat in his body. The sightless eyes glazed over, to remain fixed at some point over her shoulder. She began screaming and sobbing at once, calling for those around her to do something, anything. No one moved. There was nothing to be done.

Then Fawkes began to sing again.


A/N: Okay, so I couldn't make everything better all at once. One last cliffhanger for old times sake, right? Two more chapters after this.

Chapter Twenty Nine: Live Your Life


As everyone present wept with grief for Harry, the song of the phoenix rose majestically around them. It filled the entire area and seemed to resonate with the Earth itself, and seemed to speak of comfort and hope.

Ginny cradled Harry’s lifeless body to her, unable to accept hope, unwilling to be comforted. Ron was staring in stunned disbelief and Hermione was sobbing into his shoulder. Remus was on his knees with his head clutched in his hands, while Tonks had a disbelieving arm around him. Even the Aurors, who were no more than acquaintances and training partners with Harry, were weeping. Still, the song was different from the way it had been after Dumbledore’s death. Ginny was sure she was mistaken at first, but she kept getting the impression that it was the phoenix that was saying goodbye, not a song of farewell to Harry.

Fawkes flew down and walked along the ground until he was standing near Harry’s head, and looked up into Ginny’s eyes. Though she had never conversed with him herself, Ginny knew that Fawkes was incredibly intelligent, and she suddenly got the very distinct impression that he wanted her to back away. Those intelligently bright eyes were welling with tears, and she well knew of their powers. What can phoenix tears do against death? she wondered, but found herself obeying anyway.

When she was a few feet away from Harry, the singing reached an incredible climax, soaring beautifully and gaining in volume while Fawkes’ tears were falling freely to the ground. Then the phoenix burst into flames. The flames were brighter than they had ever been, a bright yellow flame that burned hot enough that everyone present was putting up an arm to protect their faces from the heat. As the flames spread to encompass Harry, Ginny started forward, thinking that the phoenix was taking him away, but Ron caught her and held her back.

Fawkes was slowly being consumed by the flames, and the ground around them was turning black against the heat, the grass already burned away. And yet Harry himself did not burn. The ashes from the phoenix’s body were drifting down over Harry’s still form and there was a tiny flash of white light as each seemed to be absorbed by his flesh. And then Fawkes was gone, and the fire began to die. The song continued as well, seeming to come as if from everywhere and nowhere at once, both heard and remembered as if from a dream. There were no ashes from which the phoenix could be reborn, and Ginny knew that this goodbye would be for good.

And then as the last flicker of flame died and the last echo of song faded, Harry breathed again. His chest began to rise and fall rhythmically, and Ginny was at his side again in seconds, conjuring a blanket to cover him, since his clothes had fared no better than the grass. As she grabbed his hand she was relieved to feel warm flesh, and at his wrist a healthy heartbeat. She whispered a few words of gratitude to the departed phoenix as she once again felt Harry alive in her arms.

Ron and Hermione were laughing and crying at once, and Remus was howling into the air with joy. The Aurors burst into applause while Tonks Apparated away to share the good news.

Harry’s eyes flickered open, and centered on Ginny.

“Ginny?� he asked in wonder, “Am I dead?�

“No,� she said thickly, almost unable to speak for the tears that refused to stop falling. “You’re alive!�

Harry’s eyes were still old, but the pain was gone; they shifted to see Ron and Hermione standing over him as well, and his confusion deepened. “If I’m not dead, why are all of you here? I saw you die that day when we all fought Voldemort together.� His voice cracked when he spoke of them dying but he kept going. “Everybody died that day…�

The pain in his voice caused Ginny’s throat to tighten further, and she just shook her head. Ron answered him instead.

“Harry, that was only three days ago, and after your wand connected to Voldemort’s we won in no time.�

Harry shook his head in confusion, and looked around at them all, squinting.

“This can’t be heaven, or you wouldn’t all be so blurry. Maybe it’s a dream…� and the disappointment in his voice was deep.

“Blurry? Harry, you can see again!� Hermione exclaimed. “Fawkes must have done something to your eyes!�

Harry shook his head. “I’ve been able to see since… since Ginny died, and I haven’t seen Fawkes since then either.�

Carefully, Ron and Hermione began explaining everything that had happened, and everything they had found out about the Mind’ Eye.

“It wasn’t real?� Harry asked hopefully, “None of it was real?�

Hermione answered by summoning his glasses from where they had sat on his desk awaiting the potions for his eyes to work. She handed them to him and he put them on slowly, and blinked as the world came into focus again. He looked around him and saw everyone waiting and watching. Tonks had brought back the entire Order of the Phoenix, and the entire Weasley family was standing there, watching him with tears in their eyes. Harry saw Remus and Tonks, and McGonagall, and Hagrid and Grawp, and everyone else that he had been sure were dead.

Tears sprang to his eyes unbidden, though his gaze remained fixed and unblinking, as though he was afraid that if he closed his eyes it would all be gone. Finally he looked at Ginny, and a slow smile came to his face, though the tears remained.

“This had better not be a dream,� he said finally, his voice breaking. “This reality is a lot better than the last one.�

His statement made no sense to her, but the hug he gave her made perfect sense. She laughed as she cried, hugging him back.

Cheering erupted all around them as they all celebrated the victory of good over evil, and the survival of their friend. There were no dry eyes; even Fred and George brushed at their eyes suspiciously, though they denied it whenever anyone tried to mention it to them.

Harry closed his eyes finally, and gave a grateful sigh as he tightened his grip on Ginny. She’s still here, he thought. This is real!

***

Harry sat back in his chair, reveling in reality. His memories of his other life still haunted his dreams, and he was still amazed to see himself so young whenever he looked in the mirror. He had grown used to a tired-looking old man with gray hair and a lined face. Now he felt like he looked even younger than he was; everyone else said he looked a good five years older than he had, though Ginny insisted it was just a look in his eyes. Either way, he didn’t care. That other life hadn’t happened.

The last week had gone by in a blur; he had been asked to speak to reporters, and had done so grudgingly. Then he had been asked to speak at the memorial service for those who had died at the battle, and he had done that with trepidation. The thought of speaking in front of so many people still terrified him even now that it was over, but he had felt that he owed it to all of those who had given their lives in the fight against evil. Afterwards, Luna’s father had come up to him to shake his hand and thank him for his words. Harry treasured that memory; the guilt he had felt for her death had begun seeping away, then, and he had found peace.

He had spent a good deal of time mourning for Fawkes. The phoenix had given up immortality for him, and he was intensely grateful, but he almost felt like it wasn’t worth it. Perhaps if the phoenix had given him life before Voldemort was destroyed…

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had taken up the majority of his time, though Fred and George were constantly trying to get him involved with some new project or prank. He was ideally placed, they argued, for a grand exhibition of a Weasley product in the middle of something like a press conference or Ministry meeting. Harry hadn’t decided whether or not to go along with them, but the ideas were certainly worth listening to. Mostly he just wanted to watch the people around him, mostly to remind himself that they were alive and real.

Still, even with all of his friends back and alive, and everything resolved he felt a tension growing within him. He didn’t want to tell any of his friends about it; he was afraid they wouldn’t understand, and he wasn’t sure he understood it himself. But the need to talk to someone finally drove him from his chair.

He found himself wandering through the halls around the headmaster’s office, and decided to go in. McGonagall had already moved her things out while everyone awaited the selection of the new headmaster, and everything left in the office belonged to him. Besides, none of the security in Hogwarts could stop him; he still had all the knowledge of the greatest wizard of the age.

As he entered the office, he stopped to look at his reflection in one of glass cabinets, and fingered the spot on his forehead where the scar used to be. It had taken a while for anyone to notice that it was gone; it was as if people just assumed it to be there. Harry had known the second he first looked into the mirror, and had waited to see when anyone would say anything. Ginny noticed first, and claimed that the only reason she didn’t notice faster was because she was too busy staring into his eyes. He was sure that was merely flattery to cover up for her not noticing. It was strange not to have the scar. He had been defined by it for so long that he almost felt like he had begun to define himself by it as well.

“Back again, Harry?� came the happy voice of Dumbledore’s portrait.

“Yes, sir,� Harry mumbled, walking slowly over to the painting.

“McGonagall told me about your great victory, though she says you won’t talk about what went on for the three days you were behind the shield. All she knew was that you couldn’t believe that anyone was alive at first.�

“For a lifetime, though it was said for only three days, I was bound in the Mind’s Eye,� Harry said with a smile that didn’t touch his eyes.

Dumbledore’s portrait laughed. “I suppose that might be all anyone ever knows about the Mind’s Eye, then. So what is bothering you now? Obviously whatever you saw wasn’t real, at least not to anyone but you and Voldemort. You’ve won! You have brought peace to the Wizarding world, and I couldn’t be happier for you, or more proud. Why aren’t you happy?� There was a shrewd look on Dumbledore’s face, and Harry knew he had gotten straight to the problem.

“What do I do now?� Harry said in a rush. “Ever since the first day I learned about the Wizarding world, I knew that Voldemort was out there, somewhere, and stopping him from coming back, and then defeating him after he did, is all that I’ve ever known. I thought for a while that I wanted to be an Auror, but I’ve had enough of violence and Dark Wizards. I just don’t know what to do. It’s like I’ve accomplished everything fate wanted me to do and now there isn’t anything left.�

His voice grew quieter as he spoke, until it was finally a whisper. He had been afraid to say that to anyone else, sure that they would interpret it as Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, wanting some new grand task that would keep him in the lime light, give him more glory and fame, and let him continue to play the hero. He had never wanted the fame. He just truthfully didn’t know what to do next.

Dumbledore smiled like he understood, and said, “I know exactly what you can do.� And he motioned for Harry to come forward, as if for a secret.

Harry hadn’t expected that answer and leaned forward, expecting to hear of some task or quest, or almost anything but what he was told.

“Live your life,� the portrait said in a whisper, and smiling at his confusion.

“Live my life?� Harry asked.

“Yes, Harry. For years now, you have let yourself become so focused on fulfilling your destiny that you haven’t let yourself even think about what to do afterwards. And now, after having been given as great a gift as could exist, the chance to live, you still think you have some obligation to the rest of the world. It’s that selflessness that allowed you to defeat Voldemort in the end, I’d wager, or least partly that. The willingness to give yourself up for the good of those you love, and even those you’ve never met. Now that you’ve defeated him, I think you wonder why Fawkes made the sacrifice that he did for you. He wanted you to live, Harry, in a way that you haven’t been able to experience yet. You do not owe anything to anyone. You are free to do whatever you want to do! Have fun, do whatever makes you happy. I’m sure you’ll still be giving of yourself to everyone around you because it makes you happy to do it, but now make that the reason for doing it. Instead of being the Boy Who Lived, be the boy who lived!�

Harry sat back, thinking. A slow smile that filled his eyes came across his face.

“Live my life?� he asked, the smile getting wider.

“Live your life,� the portrait answered. “And do try and visit every once in a while, too.�

Harry laughed as he said goodbye and went to find Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. It was time to start living.


A/N: Okay, that's almost it. Stay tuned for the epilogue! I really hope you are all satisfied with the ending. I'm sorry that Fawkes is gone forever, but that's just the way it is. No cliffhanger this time, but I hope you'll all read to the end.

Chapter Thirty: Epilogue








Harry ran a grizzled hand through gray hair that still refused to stay flat, and checked his watch before examining himself in the mirror. Ginny would be back soon, and he wanted to be ready.





The last fifty years had been kind to him as far as he was concerned. He was sure he didn’t look a day over sixty, despite heavy wrinkles around his eyes; they spoke of constant laughter and a lot of time spent outside in the sun. His eyes were bright, and as he had aged, they seemed to grow younger in appearance, as if the older he grew the more youthfully exuberant he had become, instead of the other way around as was the case for almost everyone else. That drove Ginny insane sometimes, but he could tell she loved it. He was wearing an old Weasley Christmas sweater; Molly Weasley had kept making them right down to the day she had passed away at the age of ninety four, a year after her husband had died in a plane crash. He had insisted that if he could fly a broom he could fly an airplane, and Harry still chuckled at the memory. It had been a surprise, and they had all grieved for him, but Fred and George had made so many jokes about it then and since that no one could remember Arthur’s death without a smile.





The Weasleys had become a very well-known and respected family in the years since the final battle. Fred and George had made a fortune with their joke stores all around the world, and they kept insisting that Harry should receive a third of the profits. Harry had taken the money and saved it for charitable purposes. He had had more than he needed before he began his own professions. Both of the twins had married Muggles, much to everyone’s surprise, but the two women had adjusted well to being part of a magical world and raising magically gifted children whose fathers encouraged them to mischief. At least George still did; Fred had had quadruplets on the first try, and they were more of a handful than he and George had ever been. He had since decided that children needed little encouragement for such things.





Bill had continued working for Gringotts until he retired, and he and Fleur had had seven daughters, all of whom were as beautiful as their mother. It was said among the family that he had retired only because he needed more time to intimidate any potential suitors who came by with his scarred features. Bill admitted to it readily himself.





Charlie had worked with his dragons for years before finally filling Hagrid’s shoes as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts. Hagrid’s pets and projects filling the forest had finally begun to demand almost all of his time, though he still filled the position of Keeper of the Keys and Grounds. He probably would forever, as far as Harry could tell. Charlie had been an instant favorite with the students; there were far fewer class injuries, but the animals he chose were still interesting.





Percy had become the Minister of Magic, after his father stepped down from the office to pursue his Muggle hobby. Percy had changed a great deal over the years, and he was a good Minister. Of course, no one had expected he would change completely, and he did talk often about how important this law or that case was, and how big his role in it was, but Fred and George were always willing to take him down a step or two if he needed it. Whether it was because he was married to his career or that his ego was too much to compete with, he had never married, though he spoiled his nieces and nephews mercilessly, much to their parents annoyance.





Ron and Hermione had bickered their way into marriage, divorced, stayed apart for two months, got married again, and then lived happily ever since. Both made different claims of what and whose faults had led to the divorce, but never where the other could hear. Harry and Ginny had spent those two months convincing them how miserable they were without the other to argue with, and apparently it had worked. Hermione had gone on in healing for a while; she had worked at St. Mungo’s for a while, and had become famous for her work with Neville when they managed to develop a potion that cured his parents of their dementia. After that, she had replaced Madame Pomfrey at Hogwarts, until she became the Transfiguration teacher and then finally Headmistress, where she remained still. Ron had gone on to be an Auror, probably taking advantage of the connections his father had provided as the head of Magical Law Enforcement, but he had made his own name at the Ministry and loved what he did.





Harry and Ginny had gotten married the day she turned eighteen, in a huge ceremony at Hogwarts. Since then they had had eight children, three boys and five girls, and had lived all over the world. Harry hadn’t known exactly how comfortable he could live on the interest from his Gringotts accounts until he finally went into the bank to see how much he had. Since he didn’t need money, Harry worked for experiences, and had done everything he had ever wanted to do, taking his wife and children with him whenever they wanted to. He had worked as a cabdriver, a waiter, a mechanic, and several other Muggle jobs, all just to see what they were like. In the magical world, he had taught almost every subject at Hogwarts at one time or another, both as the Professor and as a substitute. He had driven the Knight Bus for several years, claiming he met more interesting people that way than at any of his other jobs. He had worked the counters and in testing at Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, and had invented a fair number of the more popular products. He had worked for a short time as an Auror because Ron asked him to, and he had been arrested twice by Ron at different times when he was pursuing business ventures with Mundungus Fletcher. Harry chuckled at the idea even to this day. Ron had been flummoxed with how to deal with the situation; all of the Aurors knew that no one could bring Harry in unless he let them, and Ron had sheepishly asked Harry if he wouldn’t mind. Harry hadn’t committing any serious crimes, more or less, and he had paid the fines happily, matching them with charitable contributions of his own. He donated all of his wages and earnings to charity; he didn’t need the money, and he had fun helping other people. Finally he had settled down as the flying instructor at Hogwarts, like his father before him, working for free. He had a lot more fun doing that, he claimed, than playing professional Quidditch, though he was always ready to join in whenever the family played; The Noble and New House of Potter had had a Quidditch Pitch installed fairly early on, and it was well used.





Harry still suffered from dreams of the other life he had lived in the Mind’s Eye, but they grew more infrequent as time passed, and Ginny was always there to support him when he needed her. She had never settled on a specific career any more than Harry had. At first, going along with all of his adventures took all of his time, and then as the kids kept coming, she devoted all of her time to being a mother, though she claimed Harry took more time and looking after than any three of the other children put together.





Harry made his way downstairs and into the living room, where the festivities would take place. He paused at the mantle of the huge fireplace, which was huge because the mantle hadn’t had space enough after a while, and had to be magically enlarged. Pictures from his adventures and of his friends and family covered the mantle and the walls on both sides for several feet, and there were hundreds more in photo albums throughout the house; Ginny had taken a liking to photography. The picture of Remus caught his eye, and he paused, thinking of his old friend. He had married Tonks, and they had raised a wonderful bunch of children together. He had gotten the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher back once McGonagall was in office as the Minister, and had worked there for the rest of his life. He had been incredibly grateful when Harry, working with Neville, Hermione, and ancient Professor Slughorn, had finally perfected the Wolfsbane Potion; it suppressed every symptom of being a Werewolf, including the transformation itself, and though it had to be taken three times during the month, and nightly during a full moon, they had managed to make it tasteless. Remus had always been an activist for Werewolves and others who were persecuted in the Magical world.





Harry finally came to his senses and, after a quick glance at his watch, dashed over to a cabinet and removed his Invisibility Cloak. He donned the cloak and moved into a far corner, thinking he was lucky he didn’t live completely in the past. Sure enough, moments after he was settled into hiding, the front door was unlatched quietly, and the tiny footsteps of over a dozen children could be heard entering the room, all trying very hard to be quiet. He heard Ginny’s voice in a whisper.





“Alright, everyone, get into your hiding places, and I’ll call Grandpa.�





Children laughed quietly in anticipation of the coming surprise for Grandpa’s seventieth birthday. Harry really didn’t mean to spoil surprises, truthfully, but having all of the knowledge of the smartest wizard of the age made it hard for people to keep anything. Harry tried not to use Legilimency on family, but sometimes he just couldn’t help it.





He watched as the children moved about the room. Almost all of them had his green eyes, though a few had brown or hazel eyes from his children’s spouses. Many of them also had unruly black hair, for which his daughters had always cursed him, though in this generation Ginny’s redheaded genes were showing through, and many of them had the fair skin and freckles to go with it.





One of his younger grandsons, Arthur James Potter, backed up until he was almost touching Harry, and Harry had to suck in his stomach to keep him from doing so. Sometimes he really regretted the fact that Ginny had learned the culinary arts from her mother so well.





Finally, Ginny called up the stairs.





“Harry, come on down, we’re going to be late for the party!�





He always took a long time getting ready for a party; he liked to fill his pockets with toys and trinkets from Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes for the grandkids, and money for the kids, whether they needed it or not.





Just as she began to look suspicious, Harry leaped from his hiding place with a roar, picking up little Arthur as he did and tickling the child mercilessly. Arthur giggled as he called for help against the invisible monster, and soon Harry was wrestled to the ground as the children attacked him. He gave up a good defense, throwing tickling charms with his hand left and right. He rarely used his wand for anything anymore, since he hardly needed the extra power or control.





Finally, Ginny hit him with a freezing charm and he was unable to move as the children tickled him until tears were running down his face from laughter.





“Okay, that’s enough everyone,� Ginny finally said, when Harry was starting to think that the tickling was almost as bad as a Cruciatus Curse. The children stopped immediately; no one ever disobeyed Grandma. Grandpa saw to that.





Harry sighed with relief as the children got off of him; he could have fought off the charm, but where was the fun in that? Ginny grinned at him as she helped him to his feet. His left hip bothered him from time to time, despite Hermione’s efforts at healing it. Harry had tried bull-riding on a trip to the United States three years back, and had broken it in four places.





“Are you ready for the party, Harry?� she asked, and Harry kissed her to a chorus of “ewwws� from the children.





“I’m ready,� he said finally, and they linked arms as they led the children out the door.











The End





Now check out the exciting sequel, Legacy of Sacrifice in the Post-Hogwarts category!




A/N: Well, that’s it. I honestly don’t think that J.K. Rowling will put in an Epilogue like this, where everything was tied up nicely and everyone lived happily ever after… Honestly, I did it for me, because I really want to know that they all do. I’m really grateful to everyone that has read from the beginning or close to the beginning and have left reviews. I’ve gotten some really helpful advice that helped me make the story a lot better. I hope all of you who read will spread the word and let other people know about it… maybe it’s hubris, but I think it all turned out pretty good, and I want lots of people to read it. =)


I have to thank my wife for sticking with me while I wrote this. She was incredibly supportive, and has been incredibly helpful with the proof-reading.


Of course I have to say thank you to J. K. Rowling, because without her the whole world wouldn’t exist, and that would be a shame of a travesty.


Well, I think that about takes care of the ‘thank-yous.’ I hope everyone enjoyed the ride!





-GhostCoon