"Angel of Death"
By Loki Palmer
Author's Note: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Now that I have the standard disclaimer out of the way, I would like to tell all my fans, past, present, and future that I will be re-working my fanfic "Malak Al-Mawt: Angel of Death," giving it a simpler title and re-working the timeline a fair bit. This is inspired by DZ2's fanfic "Chronicles of Camelot" (his works are amazing, really amazing), as well as Proud Mudblood's challenge in his story, "Harry Potter and the Betrayal" (though I am adding my own twists.)
Below are the challenge parameters:
The Challenge: Instead of being in the Great Hall, Harry is in the Hospital Wing waiting for Hermione to wake up from her petrification. Because of the solitude, she gathers the courage to kiss him and they become a couple.
The Guidelines with my own commentary:
~Ron becomes jealous. Of course he does … why wouldn't our favorite DEE DEE DEE be otherwise?
~Ginny is disheartened, but moves on. Good for her.
~Ron must refer to Hermione as a "practice girlfriend" and get pummelled by Harry. I accept this with glee!
~The story must go through at least third and fourth years. Ah, good, the timeline. Excellent …
~Hermione must find out that Harry can become emancipated before third year and gain his title of Lord Potter. General idea accepted.
~Using his status as Lord Potter, Harry must free Sirius at the end of third year, during the summer. Again, the general idea is accepted. I'm not certain about the timing, but we'll wait and see.
~Harry must live at the Dursleys, but Sirius joins him. I'm not so sure about accepting this. Given my hatred of the Dursleys, they would not last very long in my universe (see "Don't Anger Harry Potter" for an example.) We'll have to wait and see.
~Sirius becomes the new Defence Professor, but Harry's name is still entered and he's still portkeyed to the graveyard. Accepted.
~When Wormtail cuts Harry, Harry must say "I willingly give my blood." How this affects the ritual is up to you. Meh … I don't know ... IF Wormtail would even survive this long …
~Everything else is up to you! Thanks … I guess.
So, without further ado, I present to you …
Chapter 1
"Serpensortia!"
A snake flew out of Draco's wand, and it looked pissed.
§Who dares to awake me from my slumber?§
It glared at the Muggleborn Justin Finch-Fletchley. Before Harry knew what was happening, he started talking to the snake: §Hey! Leave him alone!§
The snake looked at him. §Who do you think you are?§
Harry glared at the snake, not noticing that his eyes were starting to glow. §I said leave him!§
"Vipera evanesca," said Snape, causing the snake to vanish to whatever region from where Malfoy had summoned it.
"What do you think you're playing at, Potter?" said Justin. Harry started to walk away, Ron and Hermione not far behind him. "OY, POTTER! I ASKED YOU A BLOODY QUESTION!"
"PUT A SOCK IN IT ALREADY!" Only Ron and Hermione heard his muttered statement of, "ya whiny little ingrate …"
~ANGEL OF DEATH~
"Can you guys believe it? Of all the rotten luck, I save somebody who doesn't have the common courtesy to say, 'Thank you, Harry, for saving my arse once again?' What is the matter with these people?"
"I can't believe it!" said Ron. "You can speak Parseltongue!"
Harry shook his head. "Parsel-what, Ron?"
"It's the name for the language of snakes, Harry. Since when could you do that?"
"Oh, I don't know. I once set a boa constrictor loose on my cousin Dudley at the zoo. I bet many people here can speak it."
"You would think so, Harry," said Hermione, "but no, it is rare. There was a reason why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent, Harry: Salazar Slytherin himself was a Parseltongue."
"Does this mean that I am Salazar Slytherin's descendant?"
"He lived about one thousand years ago, Harry. For all we know, you could be."
Ron shook his head in disbelief as he left them in the common room.
Hermione reached out to stroke Harry's cheek. He sighed in pleasure as he felt her hand's softness.
"Harry – do you remember how I told you last year that you are a great wizard?"
"How could I ever forget that day, Hermione? I said I wasn't as great as you."
"I meant it that day, Harry, and I mean it still – you ARE a great wizard, don't let anyone tell you any different. Even Professor Snape had a look of terror on his face at your display of power – everyone did! Everyone, that is, except for one …"
"Now, who might that be, Hermione?"
"Me."
Harry's eyebrows rose. "You? Hermione, if I am the Heir of Slytherin, which I doubt, you could be in great danger if you hang around me. You would have every reason to be scared of me."
"Even if you were the Heir of Slytherin – which I doubt until further evidence comes along – I would know that whatever danger tries to hurt me, there's an even bigger danger in you willing to fight for my safety, like you knocked out the troll to save me in our first year. Do you see, Harry? I'm not scared of you nor am I scared of anything this terrifying world can throw at me."
"I don't want to see you hurt."
"Of course you don't. If you did not care about my safety, you would not be the Harry Potter I know, nor the Harry Potter I'm falling in love with."
Harry could not believe his ears. "Love?"
"Yes, Harry – Love was that word I skipped over last year. I was so nervous, not knowing whether you would make it out okay. Close your eyes, now."
"Okay." He did, and felt a kiss to his forehead, then heard the peal of her musical laughter as she ran upstairs to her dorm. "HERMIONE!"
She reappeared above him. "Thou callest me, my brave sir knight?"
"Wilt thou leave me down here so unsatisfied, thou saucy minx?"
"Thou shalt not remain thus for long, Sir Potter. Alas, that Lady Aphrodite should bless me with hearing mine own name said on my brave Sir Potter's lips!"
"HERMIONE!"
"It's like music to my ears!" She blew him a kiss, and he fainted.
"Good night, good night, my brave Sir knight, now let thy dreams fly;
When the time comes, be prepared: Our enemies will die!"
She ran back into her dorm, laughing all the way.
Fred and George came out from their hiding place nearby.
"Aw, doesn't Harry look so cute, Georgie? Looks like he's fainted."
"He's fallen in love hard, hasn't he, Fred?"
"Do you think he knows?"
"Knows? About what?"
"His heritage, of course!"
"I don't think he does; do we tell him?"
"No; with this sign from that Duelling Club, Miss Granger will discover it before he does."
"Do you care to place a wager on it?"
"Nah, we've already placed wagers on when they will get together."
"True, O brother of mine."
They picked up Harry and put him to bed in his dorm room, then bowed to him as they left …
~ANGEL OF DEATH~
On their way to the Quidditch Pitch early one morning to prepare for a game, Hermione's face lit up like she had received a sudden idea.
"Harry, I have an idea, but I have to go back to the library to check!"
"Hermione, I know you love your books, but you might miss the game!"
"I know, but –" She hugged him. "– make me proud all the same."
~ANGEL OF DEATH~
Professor McGonagall came out to meet the teams. "I'm sorry, but this match has been cancelled."
"What?" said Gryffindor Team Captain Oliver Wood. "Cancel a Quidditch Match?"
"Silence, Wood. Potter, Weasley … I hate to be the bearer of bad news ..."
"What is it, Professor McGonagall?"
"Come with me to the Hospital Wing. There has been … another attack ..."
~ANGEL OF DEATH~
"This may come as a wee shock ..."
Ron could not believe his eyes upon seeing the sight of Hermione as stiff as a board. He looked over at Harry, and his mouth dropped.
Harry's eyes were glowing in his rage as he said in a bone-chilling voice: "Whoever did this … is going to pay!"
A loud thunderclap sounded at Harry's declaration ...
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Read and review!
Smiles and laughter,
Loki Palmer