The Crowds began to arrive early, filling the seats of the open air meeting place just off of Diagon Alley. From all over the United Kingdom the people poured in; chatting excitedly. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived himself would be giving a press conference. The article in the Prophet in late May about the prophecy weighed in on everyone's mind. What would their almost sixteen year old savior do to protect them?
The crowd noticed the infamous Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley how could they not after what the duo had done. They sat on opposite sides of the crowd and did not look anywhere but directly ahead. How dare they come here; a few people murmured ominously to each other. How could they show their face in front of their ex best friend?
No one really knew what happened except that sometime over the Christmas Holidays of that year the Golden Trio simply…broke. They never acknowledged each other, never looked at each other. It was if the trio simply ceased to exist for the others. A few people, some in the know but also a few shrewd souls, noticed how Hermione grew thin and pale. Realized that the bags underneath Ron's eyes grew and darkened. A few even cottoned on to the fact that Harry was frighteningly unchanged, unaltered in any way since the Holidays.
The murmurings quieted as Harry walked onto the stage. His hands touched either side of the podium, activating the built in wards to keep anyone from interrupting his speech.
"Good afternoon" the teen spoke and though his voice was pitched at a normal tone it carried over the crowd. So intent on the savior that no one in the crowd noticed as Luna Lovegood leaned over to Hermione Granger speaking quietly to her for a moment. They didn't notice that Neville Longbottom did the same for Ron Weasely. Had anyone paid attention then they would have heard the same thing came from both. A simple 'it's starting'.
"Thank you all for coming here today. As you know from the articles that have run recently I am prophesied to defeat Voldemort. According to this prophecy I am the only one that can. I will get to what I intend to do about that but first I hope you will indulge me…I want you to know just what I feel about the wizarding world." A few people cooed and some were a bit suspicious about his phrasing but no one would stop this speech.
"I rejoined the world at eleven. I didn't know anything about magic, my parents, or what I had done as an infant. It was actually the first time I even dreamed of having friends. And I found them; two best friends that stuck with me through thick and thin. Yes there were some bumps along the road that year but the novelty of being liked is a powerful thing. My second year I found out I had a talent and then was condemned for it. But it was fine, my two best friends stood by me and I was still liked. Then I defeated the monster and everything was alright again." A wistful smile curled his lips and a few more glares were shot at the two 'best friends' by members of the crowd. Now a thoughtful frown tugged across Harry's young face, "third year changed some things. I found family and was denied them, not because of their actions but because of the government. It was the first time this world had truly failed me. But my friends were still there."
A white spell splashed accords the shield drawing the attention to the panicked, angry Minister Fudge. "How dare you" he shouted in loud voice, "spread such lies."
A sly smirk twitched at Harry's mouth, "Now, now Minister you agreed that I would get my time for my speech. You can't take it back now. Now where was I…Oh yes. My friends were still with me, and now I knew that Sirius Black, my godfather was innocent. No matter what anyone said that was important. And then my fourth year back in the wizarding world." Several people shifted, slightly uncomfortable with the memories of that year. "I was used to being hated for things I didn't do, of course. But losing one of my friends that was what hurt the most. I got him back; I forgave him his jealousy as they would both later forgive my moodiness. It may have had its high points but any year that ends with the murder of a classmate cannot be considered good. Again my faith died a little that day as my claims were refuted. But I carried on for those I loved. My fifth year held torture, did you know. It held death and it was the first time I questioned why I was giving so much for people who cared so little. But my friends looked to me and allowed me to draw strength from them. The breaking point, I think, was this Christmas."
Now it was the Headmasters turn to try and silence Harry. Most were much more surprised when he failed. A strange bitter smile crossed a young face.
"Tch, tch Headmaster, it's almost like you realize what you've done. I found happiness before Christmas, true happiness. My best friends, the ones who knew me…the one who loved me, became more. We knew it wasn't quite accepted; that most would be uncomfortable with what we were doing. It didn't matter we were in love; I was in love. The bitch who now calls herself my girlfriend couldn't have that. She was sure I was her happily ever after and she wouldn't lose that to anyone, not even her brother or her friend. She went to the Headmaster who agreed I could not remain with them, it was unacceptable. For the 'greater good' he helped her. First they tried compulsions and love potions. None of it worked. Finally on Christmas day they…he did something drastic. A horrific spell that would repel you from someone you loved based on the strength of that love. From that day forward my two loves and I have been rendered blind, deaf, and dumb to each other. I lost weight, became depressed…and was glamored for my troubles. The Savior couldn't look too sickly after all"
Now members of the Order, some of the teachers, and parts of the ministry (which considering the overlap between those three bodies actually amounted to about four people) were working together to try and silence Harry. They also failed.
"Since then the closest thing I felt to happiness was when a few of our friends guided the three of us into the same room. The spells on all of us make it so we cannot get within four feet of each other but if you stand just close enough you can feel the wards repelling each other. I cannot even think their names. We could not communicate in any way, such it the horror of this curse."
The people in the audience were now looking at the best friends with horrified pity. Very few knew of the spells Harry was talking about but most could envision what he was talking about. It was only then that a few realized that Granger and Weasley were staring straight at the podium, not at the figure behind it. They knew their lover was there speaking but could not see or hear him.
Harry continued talking over the whispers, "I realized though that while we could not find anything on these spells in the library I had a resource that I had not thought of. I had a direct connection with the Dark Lord" murmurs of unease skittered across the crowd, "And I was cut off from the only people who made this world worth saving. I made a deal" he spoke louder over sudden burst of frightened noise, "did I not, Lord Voldemort?"
"You did" a tall pale figure stepped out of the shadows, flanked by two Death Eaters. Fear silenced the audience. "Escort Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley to the stage" he spoke to the Death Eaters at his sides. "They are to remain unharmed." During the vital moments of pure frozen terror the two masked terrorists moved silently through the crowd to arrive at the sides of the named children.
Luna Lovegood, one of the few who had stayed by Hermione's side looked at the masked man. She turned to Hermione who was gaunt and hurting and efficiently helped her stand. The crowds had burst into a frightened clucking which nearly drowned out her words. "Thank you, Draco" Then leaned over and kissed Hermione quietly on the cheek. Without another care she vanished right through the wards knowing that she was one of two who would be allowed to leave before the finish. At the spot where her father's house once stood she waited.
Moments later Neville appeared, "Are you ready to go, Love?" He asked. She thought for a moment then nodded with smile. Another moment and the field was deserted. It was as if no one had ever been there.
Back at Diagon Hermione was looking vaguely surprised at her new escort. "Malfoy?" She asked in a scratchy voice.
The figure in black robes shrugged, "I certainly wasn't going to escort Weasley, now was I?" He grinned through the mask. "Plus there's a great deal of honor escorting a pureblood such as you."
Even through the haze that had slowed her thoughts, the weight of the spells keeping her from her beloveds, knew something was wrong with that sentence. "I'm not…"
Through the mask Malfoy shot her an amused look, "Most figure that you are the result of a line of squibs. Powerful lines to be able to produce such a powerful witch despite the muggle taint. Six families are fighting as to whom you must be related to. Your parents will be treated as saviors for their part in brining you into the world."
They were almost to the stage, most people were panicking but a few tried to shoot spells at her, warded off by Malfoy, or at the empty space that must hold one of her beloveds.
Finally all three were standing on the stage in a line, four feet between them. The audience had been silenced and the fighters subdued. Even Dumbledore was bound. He had put his all into breaking the protections surrounding the stage and had been caught unawares. Now they were waiting. Ginny Weasley, tears streaming down her face, was held in a cruelly tight grip.
"Would you care to tell them about our deal" Voldemort asked, almost kindly.
A gaunt smile, the face of true happiness, crossed Harry's face for the first time. "Of course Lord Voldemort; I agreed to death for myself and my loves. In return Lord Voldemort would break the spell upon us and give us a few precious minutes together. He would also allow my precious few friends time to leave on the condition that they would not fight against him unless provoked. Remus even traded his life for the pleasure of killing Wormtail. It was decided that we would hold this press conference to let you all know what was going on and why. Nor we're ready"
The dark lord nodded and he and two of his Death Eaters began to chant. There was first a white glow surrounding each of the trio that slowly grew more opaque until it obscured them completely. Finally after fifteen minutes of chanting the solid light shattered and dissipated. The three stood still for only a moment before they crashed into each other tears from all three mixing indiscriminately.
"Harry, my boy" Dumbledore began from where he was being held. "The Prophecy…would you really condemn all these peo…" Air rushed out of ancient lungs as one of the Death Eaters struck the old man.
Harry who had Hermione and Ron wrapped around him, turned to glare at the old man. "You took away the only reason why I would care about this world, Headmaster. Perhaps you should have considered that point before blaming me for condemning people." He took a breath and looked at Ron and Hermione, they nodded. "We're ready Lord Voldemort."
"Very Well, rather than risk magic which could backfire. You will each take this" they were given three vials. "An extremely potent poison. Death is within moments. Know that you three will be honored above all others. You are all honored opponents."
In unison the trio downed their vials, sinking to the ground still entangled. Their remains would be interred in a specialized vault, together forever.