The Return of the Saviour.
Protector.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the world of Harry Potter in any form, as it belongs to J.K. Rowling.
SUMMARY: After Voldemort hits Harry with the killing curse in a battle at Hogwarts at the end of Harry's seventh year, Voldemort is forced to retreat, as his soul is once again ripped out of his body when the killing curse bounces of the boy-who-lived for a second time. However, life isn't all roses as Harry himself disappeared mysteriously when the curse hit. Three years later, Harry is back, but this time with a new identity and new powers. Voldemort has returned, and become stronger than ever in Harry's absence, and it is up to the boy-who-can't-seem-to-die to put a stop to the Dark Lord, once and for all.
PAIRINGS: Harry/Luna, Ron/Hermione, Remus/Tonks.
Chapter unbeated.
"No," Harry repeated grabbing Luna's wrist, desperately trying to find a pulse. Not her, he thought. Please, don't take her.
He realised, that while he had fallen sideways, Luna must have fallen straight ahead, getting stuck between the half open door and the wall – which was now the floor. And then, as the train spun, his trunk must have fallen on top of her, hitting her in the head…and hopefully, only knocked her out. He could have cried in relief as he found a pulse, albeit faint, and he quickly covered her head with his hands, closing his eyes…and concentrating.
A bright light was pulsing from his palms, covering Luna's head. After awhile, he heard her moan, and then she was moving. Harry let out a sigh of relief. It had worked.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Luna blinked, peering up at him, still slightly disoriented.
"James?"
Harry felt a dash of disappointment, but knew he shouldn't be surprised. She only knew him as James, not Harry. It was his own fault. He had chosen to be here undercover…
"What happened?" Luna slurred, groaning as she slowly sat up.
Harry gave her a quick once over. There was a lot of blood on her, but all wounds and broken bones seemed to have been healed…
"The train crashed. You hit your head, but I think you'll be fine. It was nothing serious," he lied, not telling her how close she'd been to dying… "I think the train is under attack," he continued, now extremely glad he'd decided to travel with the train, despite Dumbeldore's assurances. Someone had to be the protector of the students, and since no one else seemed to do it, he supposed it was up to him. Again. "Can you check the students, see how many are dead and wounded…?"
"Sure." Luna got to her feet, Harry grabbing her hand and pulling her up. She looked around. "Where's Hedwig?"
Harry winced, and Luna paled. "She's…gone," Harry said. "I'm sorry."
Luna just stared and Harry grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "You have to focus!" He hissed. "The students need you – there's nothing you can do for Hedwig now."
"But-but she was Harry's!" Luna moaned, the shock catching up with her. "She was all I had left of him!"
"And what would Harry have you do?" Harry said, trying not to yell. As much as he loved her, he couldn't allow her to freeze up right now. He had a bad feeling – there was a smell of death in the air – he knew there must have been many students that had been killed. "Stand here, frozen, or be out there, helping?"
That seemed to snap her out of it, and she looked up, taking a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry. I-I don't know what flew over me. I-I'm not normally this way. I don't normally panic like this during a crisis. You'd think I'd be used to this...people I love dying."
Harry smiled. "It doesn't make it any easier," he comforted, and gave her her wand. "Could you please go check on the students?"
"Right." She grabbed the door, which had fallen down closed as Harry dragged her out, and pulled upwards, doing a quick sticking charm on it, so it wouldn't fall down again as she crawled out under it. "What will you do?" She asked, as she crawled forwards, on her hands and knees, Harry right behind her.
Harry smiled grimly. "What I was born to do," he said. "Fight some Death Eaters."
"Hello?" Luna asked, as she and Harry parted ways, he going for the first exit in sight, and she continuing down the train corridor, in hint for survivors and wounded. She had already stumbled onto three dead students, all of which couldn't be older than second years, and the lady who sold candy, also dead. "Is anyone there?"
There was a slight scuffling sound, coming from a compartment on her right, and she quickly lifted her wand. "Move away from the wall," she ordered, and listened to more scuffling.
"Bombarda," she said quietly, and the wall exploded inwards. It wasn't a big hole, as she hadn't put much force behind the spell, since that would probably hurt those inside the compartment, but enough to reveal the face of a Ravenclaw she recognized from her years at Hogwarts. "Steven," she said, relieved. "Are you alone in there?"
The Ravenclaw, Steven, shook his head. "No. I've got a couple of terrified first years, and…" he gulped. "…And Dan. I think he's dead."
Luna closed her eyes. Damnit. "Are the first years alright? Are you alright?"
"The first years are fine," Steven said. "But I think my arm's broken."
"Can you stick it out through the opening?"
Dan nodded, wincing, as he carefully stuck his arm through the hole, and Luna did a 'ferula' spell, binding it. "All of you, stay put in there," she told him. "Don't make a sound. There are Death Eaters outside. Try to avoid being directly under the windows. Stay in a shaded corner. I doubt you are in any way able to fight."
Steven nodded. "Will do."
"And Steven?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
Harry peered around the corner of the Hogwarts Express, eyes narrowing as he got sight of a group of laughing Death Eaters.
"Let's go inside and party," someone said. "I'm itching for some killing."
"Why not set the entire train ablaze instead?" Another suggested. "Saves us some trouble."
Harry grew cold.
"Nah. Too easy. Where's the fun in that?" A third one said, and Harry let out a silent sigh of relief. He lifted his wand, and took aim…There was a knock on his shoulders, and he spun around, a silent curse on his lips…He relaxed as he recognized Luna, with several students behind her.
"What are you doing?"
"I've checked the train," she mumbled. "There are so many dead students, James. And many wounded I can't help. They must get to St Mungos immediately. And, there are lots of students that are stuck…"
"We can do nothing until the threat has been removed," Harry answered her silently, his ears focused on the Death Eaters' conversation…so far, they hadn't been noticed. "What about the students behind you?"
"They're all able and willing to fight," she said. "I figured you could use some help."
Harry nodded. "Alright." Inwardly, he knew he could take a dozen Death Eaters on with no problem, but he was grateful. Harry only hoped the students who had volunteered were truly able to fight, and weren't simply suffering from a hero-complex. Because then he would have to defend them as well… "This is how it's going to be. I need you," he pointed to the students. "To protect the train, at all costs. We can't have the Death Eaters blow it up or start burning it, not with all the students inside. "You," he pointed at Luna, giving her grave look. "Are you up to covering my back?"
Luna had fought with him in the past, but that was when he was Harry. His fighting technique had changed since then, and Luna had been hurt, even though he'd healed her. And, even though she seemed calm on the outside, she might still be panicking over the loss of Hedwig and so many students on the inside – Luna had always felt more than most. Compassion was one of her greatest strengths, but, in battle, it could become a weakness. He didn't want to risk her being killed…
"Sure," Luna assured him, gripping her wand tighter, face pale and eyes bright in determination.
"Good. Luna and I will rush forwards first, and when I yell, you all run out and do what you're supposed to, alright?"
The students nodded in understanding, nervously gripping their wands, but determination visible in their expressions. Harry and Luna nodded to each other, both unconsciously gripping each other's hands, once, in silent support…the same gesture they'd used to do, before a battle, when Harry had been Harry and didn't need to hide under a disguise…
"One…two…three."
They rushed forwards, taking the Death Eaters by surprise. Soon, curses were flying back and forth, and Harry yelled "NOW!" As he saw three Death Eaters break free and run towards the train. The students immediately rushed forwards, to intercept them. But what Harry had feared happened. The students were no match for the Death Eaters, and they were all soon laying on the ground, wounded, but not dead.
"NO!" Harry yelled, his attention being dragged away from the Death Eater he was fighting, as he saw the others raise their wands and set the train ablaze.
He paid the prize, as his wand was suddenly ripped away from his hands, and he felt a curse slam into his chest, sending him flying several feet.
"JAMES!" Luna yelled.
Harry dizzily coughed, sitting up. There's no such thing as pain, he thought, trying to keep calm enough to concentrate on healing himself. It was easier said than done, though, as blood was sipping out freely from a large wound in his gut. And the fact that he had a burning train in front of him didn't help his panic any, nor did the smell of fire, ash, and blood, along with all the screaming…
I have to focus. FOCUS!
Harry could have cried in relief as his wound healed up, a bright light pulsing out in waves from his body. It was one thing to use his powers and do anything when he had been out of existence. This was something else. This was the real thing, and Harry couldn't help but wonder – perhaps he hadn't been ready after all?
He took a deep breath, pushing himself to his feet, blue eyes burning in determination.
No. He couldn't afford to doubt. He closed his eyes, holding his hands out in front of him, and concentrated.
Luna, who had been caught in the arms of a Death Eater when trying to get to the wounded students - and was now trying to wiggle free, froze, and could only stare in amazement at James. There was a bright, flowing light coming out from his hands, covering the entire area, lightning up the sky.
Her head snapped around, and her jaw dropped, as the fire – which was now surrounding the entire train – fizzled – and just died out, turning into a white boiling mist, and then evaporated in the air. James didn't stop there, however.
The bright light kept pulsing over the area, and Luna's eyes widened as the train – which had been blackened with soot and dirt and completely destroyed – was healed – she couldn't find a better word for it – it just seemed to fix itself, and soon, it was back in its original, red, vibrant colour.
The Death Eater that was holding her, swore, and pushed her to the ground, rushing towards James, and Luna opened her mouth to shout out a warning – the moment the Death Eater came within ten feet of the new DADA teacher, the bright light he was shooting out seemed to turn into blue lightning, hitting the Death Eater and send him flying, until he landed on the ground, right beside Luna. Who could do nothing but stare at the body, which was nothing more than a smoking skeleton. There was nothing left.
In shock, she could only turn her eyes back to James, who, it seemed, hadn't lost focus for even a second. The bright light was still coming from his hands, and body, in smooth, pulsing, comforting waves. The students on the ground sat up, healed.
The rest of the Death Eaters, who had seen what had happened to their colleague, turned their tails and ran – only to be pulled back by an invisible force, and Luna stared, as lightning – silver this time – wrapped itself around them, catching them, and, sting them, if they tried to move.
James, Luna saw, finally lowered his hands, his forehead covered in sweat, and made his way over to her. The bright light disappeared, but the silver lightning that was holding the Death Eaters stayed, pulsing even brighter than ever before.
"Are you alright?" He asked, and Luna's head snapped up in shock.
"Y.yes," she got out. James nodded, and then turned to look at the corpse beside her. He grimaced.
"I didn't want him to die," he said. "I wanted them all to be captured and questioned. With my luck, that was probably the leader who knew everything, while the rest just came along for the ride."
Luna blinked, not really knowing what to make of that statement. With his luck? What was that supposed to mean?
"Approaching me when I was shooting out power like that – it was suicide. My magic saw him as a threat, and dealt with it, accordingly. I couldn't have done anything," Harry continued. He sighed, and then turned to look at the train, still lying sideways, but now back in its old, beautiful shape.
The windows – who were all pointing towards the sky – suddenly were pushed open – and students climbed out. Most looking disoriented, but completely unharmed, chattering with each other, voices shocked.
"I swear, I couldn't move at all! And I felt so sleepy, and everything hurt, so much!" A girl, who couldn't have been more than twelve said. "And then, this bright light was pulsing through the walls and the windows, and just surrounded me – and poof! All the pain was gone, and I didn't have a scratch on me!"
"I know! A boy said. "I had hit my head, and was caught in a corner, and there was fire coming against me – I could feel the heat on my face! And I think my clothes had just started to catch fire! And then it just died out, and my head wound disappeared!"
Luna stared at James, who must have heard the conversation also, and was now scratching his neck in embarrassment.
"Uh…" he muttered, glancing sheepishly at Luna, who was still just staring. "I might have lost control a little," he said. "I swear I was only trying to put out the fire and heal the dying. But…my power got a bit carried away. But, it's all good right?"
"Y-you…do you have any idea what you have done, James?" She asked.
"Uh…"
"You just healed an entire train of students, on your own, catching all those Death Eaters, on your own, and everything at once! You just performed a miracle," Luna breathed out.
"A miracle, huh?" James muttered, blushing deeply.
Suddenly, masses of wizards and witches popped out of nowhere, and James sighed.
"And here comes the cavalry," he muttered. "Too late as usual…"
