17 year old Harry Potter stood by the fire, its heat warming the whole room but the chill in his bones. His journey was almost complete but in the meantime Tom went on mass killing sprees. Tonight was no different. Today had been a Hogsmead trip for Hogwarts students. His fiancé, well secret fiancé, Hermione had only gone to Madam Pomfrey to get some more supplies or torture medicine as Harry called it. That had been at noon. It was now midnight.
He jumped as small arms circled his waist. Kisses littered his back, a husky voice whispering in his ear 'I'm fine.'
Harry kissed her back with all the passion, worry, and relief he possessed. They just held each other close, thanking the heavens it was their time to be separated. A small cough caught their attention. Severus Snape stood in the door way covered in mud, cuts and blood, none his own. Hermione frowned and muttered into Harry's chest.
'What would your father do if he could see Snivellus in his home?'
Harry chuckled but didn't say anything. She didn't move.
'It's alright. I just need the report on what happened today. I wont be long.'
She reluctantly moved away and Harry could see she was scarred from today as well. She kissed him hard making her most hates ex professor wait, which he did patiently. She glared at him all the way out of the room and snapped the door shut behind him just catching his robes.
Pulling his robes from the door he looked round at the boy – very much now a man – who was destined to destroy the evil surrounding them. He saw him tidy up papers, his back straight, shoulders set. He looked up at Snape and the older man whished he could hate the person in front of him, but couldn't. He was too much like his mother for him to hate him. He looked awful though. This war was the heaviest on him. The fate depended on him and no amount of love from the soon to be Mrs Potter, he shouldn't know about was going to help. He had to do this alone. He knew the dead look in his eyes was only going to get worse after tonight.
'It's best if you see it for yourself.'
Not really, he just couldn't describe in enough detail in words. The attacks were getting worse; he felt he would throw up if he spoke.
His former student just nodded and apparated to the village.
The village was a mess. Bodies, shops, signs, cloths, cakes, to name just a few things that were scattered all over the place. Standing on the main road leading up to the school stood a group of not even 40 people out of just under 300 people who had lived there that morning. The bodies and blood were traumatizing the children; there was nothing the adults could do. Most had seen this last time.
'There are children sitting here
Arms outstretched into the sky
Tears drying on their face
He has been here
Brothers lie in shallow graves
Fathers lost without a trace
A nation blinded to their disgrace
Since he has been here.
His ears finally tuned into the sounds. Screams of pain in the distance, survivors trapped. Children's pleas for lost parents never to return; parents anguished cries for children never to grow up. Aurors' ordering temporary graves until light. His old classmates reporting missing people. Cloths picked up, their former owners disintegrated. Fireballs still ran wild as people tried to put them out.
And I see no bravery
No bravery in your eyes anymore
Only sadness
He looked to the older man, but his vision was obscured by tears. He took risks without caring now. Too many stupid mistakes had been made, not caring about himself. They had to be safe. He had failed. Again.
Houses burnt beyond repair
The smell of death is in the air
A woman weeping in despair says
He has been here
Tracer lighting up the sky
Its another families turn to die
A child afraid to cry out says
He has been here
Harry closed their glazed eyes. Others laugh and cry at imaginary beasts and old memories long forgotten. They're there in body; their minds lost in grief.
And I see no bravery
No bravery in your eyes anymore
Only sadness
Time slows down as they look. Only a few Hogwarts student will miss the Halloween feast tonight.
There are children standing here
Arms outstretched to the sky
But no one asks the question why
He has been here
Old men kneel and accept their fate
They live beyond their children and their children.
Wives and daughters cut and rapped.
Innocence lost.
A generation drenched in hate.
They'll blame me.
Yes he has been here.