Hero's Sacrifice
Chapter One
Scarlet Blood
Hills of Scotland
Hogwart's Express
Harry lazily opened his eyes as he awoke from his nap. "How long was I asleep?"
"About an hour." Hermione replied as she watched him worriedly. "Are you okay you look exhausted?"
Harry smiled kindly. "Yes I'm fine. I just haven't been sleeping well lately." Hermione nodded and smiled before turning back to her book.
Harry scanned the compartment before his eyes settled on Ron. Who was quite happily devouring a chocolate frog, and reading the latest Quidditch Weekly. Harry turned his gaze out the large plate glass window and on to the passing fields and forest. Moments later as he gazed out the window he absentmindedly began polishing his prefect badge. He stopped once he realized what he was doing, but it was too late.
"Oh no Harry's turning into Percy" Ron shouted in horror.
Hermione smiled before turning deadly serious. "Is that way you've been exhausted Harry? All those reports on cauldron thickness must be draining!"
Harry turned to Hermione and burst into laughter. Hermione lost what little control she had left and joined him.
Hills of Scotland
"Is it set Wormtail?" Voldemort asked impatiently.
Wormtail bowed and replied "Yes master the spell is set, the power word is revenge as you commanded."
"The boy which carriage is he in?" Voldemort asked the cloaked man beside him.
"The third from the engine my lord." The man answered bowing his head towards his master.
"Your son is to be rewarded for this Lucius." Voldemort replied with a sickening smile on his pale face.
The three men watched as the scarlet train made its way down the track. Voldemort's eyes locked on to the third carriage and he waited until it was directly beside the delayed spell.
"Revenge!" He roared instantly the spell activated and exploded with tremendous force. The third carriage was thrown clear of the tracks dragging along the rest of the train with it. Voldemort laughed gleefully as the wreckage of the third carriage and the rest of the train rolled down the embankment.
St. Mungo's Hospital
Harry awoke in intense pain. He opened his mouth to scream but nothing but air came out. Tears stained his face as wave after wave of intense sharp pain washed from one part of his body to another.
Remus woke in a jolt as Harry withered on the bed across from him. In an instant he was up and across the short distance. "I know it hurts Harry, but the skele-grow potion has nearly ran its course." Remus said warmly as he placed his hand on his shoulder. Harry didn't respond as his eyes drifted closed once more.
Harry slowly woke the next morning. His body ached horribly, but not nearly as intense as the pains from the night before.
"How do you feel Mr. Potter?" asked a plump motherly woman as she neared him.
"I'm very sore and I can't move." he answered in a hoarse whisper.
"Your in a body bind Mr. Potter thats why you can't move. However the soreness is something we can get rid of." She replied kindly.
Harry watched the nurse as she opened the potions cabinet. "What happened to me?" he asked as she came near.
She didn't reply instead she cradled his head in one hand and helped him drink the potion. "That will take care of that ache. Headmaster Dumbledore is here to see you and he can explain it to you."
Harry listened as the nurse left and the headmaster entered. Dumbledore walked up to his bed and laid his hand on the boys shoulder.
"What happened?" Harry asked again his voice cracked. Dumbledore looked totally defeated.
"The Hogwart's Express was attacked it derailed and you where badly injured." he answered weakly.
"My friends are they okay?" he asked
"I'm sorry Harry. Ronald and Ginevra Weasley died." Dumbledore replied as Harry burst into tears.
Dumbledore patted the boys shaking shoulder before taking a seat in the plush chair beside the bed.
"Is Hermione alive?" Harry asked moments later.
"She's not well Harry. By the time we found the both of you she was in hemorrhagic shock. She would have died if Filius hadn't been with me. He cast a very dangerous and powerful stasis charm on her." Dumbledore replied tiredly.
"How many died?" Harry asked dreading the answer.
"Forty-five students most of them from your carriage. The hospital wing is crowded with minor injuries and twenty students are in St. Mungo's." Dumbledore stood up and began to pace. "We need to talk about your injuries Harry." Harry nodded slightly. " You arrived here with over a forth the bones in your body broken in one form or another. You had mild internal bleeding, a mild traumatic brain injury, and a incomplete spinal cord injury."
Harry felt like he couldn't breath. "Is that why I'm in a body bind?"
Dumbledore sighed "Yes you've been in a body bind since you've been here. There is a experimental potion made by some of the best potion masters in Europe. They have been working on a way to regenerate damaged matter in the spinal cord. Its in its final stages in testing and when they heard of your injuries they sent a vial with their best wishes."
Harry turned his head towards the door as it opened.
"Hello Mr. Potter my name is Healer Greene" said the rather portly looking man as he neared the bed. "Lets see I'm gonna do a quick scan over your injuries." the healer pulled out his wand and began his work. "How does your head feel Harry?"
"It hurts some like a dull headache." Harry replied with a sigh.
Healer Greene nodded " Okay your brain looks fine no bleeding no bruising that I can see. I see the skele-grow has done its job." he stated as his wand slowly moved down the length of Harry's body. "The bones have grown in perfectly thats good. Well I can't tell if there has been any improvement to the spinal injury, but this is a standard scan not a detailed one. Okay lets remove the body bind and test your motor and sensory functions."
With a wave of his arm the healer released the body bind, and helped Harry into a sitting position.
Healer Greene crouched down and placed the tip of his wand along the side of Harry's leg."Do you feel this?" Harry nodded. "Okay I'm gonna run this down your leg tell me if you stop feeling it." he moved his wand down to the bottom of his foot. "Good now the other leg." He placed his wand on the other leg. "Do you feel this?" Harry nodded again. Healer Greene slowly moved his wand lower.
"I... I don't feel it." Harry stated worriedly
"Its alright Harry it just a little lost feeling nothing to get worried about. Okay I'm going to keep moving down if you start to feel it again tell me." Healer Greene moved his wand all the way down to the bottom of his foot. "Nothing?"
"Nothing." Harry replied
"Okay Albus could you help me?" Greene asked looking over to the silent man.
"Of course what can I do to help?" Dumbledore asked as he stood.
Healer Greene placed his hand on Harry's shoulder."We are gonna see if Mr. Potter here can walk unassisted."
Dumbledore and Healer Greene helped Harry to his feet. "We are not gonna let you fall Harry try and take a few steps."
Harry nodded and took a step forward then another, and on the third step his right leg gave out and the two older men caught him. "Good you seem to have good motor function. You may have to use a cane, but you will be able you walk."
"Can I see Hermione please?" Harry asked as he was helped back into bed.
Healer Greene smiled sadly. "I'm afraid I can't allow that. Your in no condition to walk and she is still under constant care. However if she is doing better tomorrow and you gain some more strength I'll consider releasing you for a few hours during the day. Now I'll be attending some other patients, but if you need anything the nurse is right outside."
Harry watched as the man left before laying down on the bed. "What is wrong with Hermione. I know she was in bad shape, but what type of injuries?"
Dumbledore sighed heavily. "She had a subdural hematoma, punctured lung, and massive internal bleeding. Like I said Filius saved her life. They where able to fix the blood loss and internal damage while she was in stasis. However her head injury was not treatable under the stasis charm."
"If she dies I don't know what I'll do Professor." Harry stated before drifting off to sleep.
A/N!!! Hmm a start to a rather dark story i think.
Be kind and review and please hold your grammar reviews i know it sucks just enjoy the story.