Chapter Seven:
The Oncoming Storm
Within a closed-off cubicle, in the Emergency Admissions ward of St Mungo's Hospital, Neville Longbottom hugged his close friend Charlotte Greenway to him as she sobbed. Both they and the other prisoners had managed to escape the Caves of the Dead, by either apparating or using the Persian carpet Portkey to return to the Death Eater safe house located in Wales.
But not all of the escapees had got out alive.
Ron Weasley stood close to the curtain, his head bowed. His right arm was in a shoulder sling, and he bore some bruising on his forehead – but he wasn't going to complain.
At least I'm on the mend. Some will take a little longer. And as for a few others… Ron sniffed back the onset of tears. He'd hardly known the Hufflepuff on the bed before them – only recognised the face in passing, during school terms. But it was a tragic death, nevertheless. Taken way before her time.
Ginny Weasley stood halfway between her brother and Neville and Charlotte – all four of them staring mutely at the pale, lifeless face of Laura Madden lying on the hospital bed. The fourth year Hufflepuff girl still had her eyes open – now seeing nothing.
"Charlotte… I'm sorry for your loss," Ginny muttered. "How…?"
"Voldie and some of his cronies – including Bellatrix Lestrange – appeared. Just as our party reached the entrance cave," Neville started to explain. "There was a battle between our wands. We all tried to get out – those who couldn't apparate fled for the Portkey outside, or were apparated away by those who could, as we were hoping to do. Laura was one of those, like me, who fought to…, to provide cover for the others. But…" Neville gulped, feeling the lump in his throat. "But she was hit by a Cutting spell – just not directly. I was about the last to leave… Just managed to concentrate enough to grab Laura and take her with me as I apparated." Ginny and Ron saw Neville clench one of his fists. "Brought her here straight away. I'm familiar enough with this building. My parents are patients here, as you all know… But the staff couldn't help Laura. She died straight after I'd arrived. I shouldn't have apparated with her! The pressure of the sudden journey…"
"Neville! Don't blame yourself!" Ginny admonished him. "You had to flee with Laura, by apparating – or stay as Tom Riddle Junior's prisoner…"
"Or worse – end up dead too, mate," Ron added, keeping his voice low.
Slowly recovering her composure, Charlotte blew her nose, and then looked up. "Th-That's what I told Neville too," she informed the Weasleys.
Neville took a deep breath, and slowly released it. "Oh… I sup-I suppose you're right, guys. But I don't want to face Laura's parents, when they get here! An Auror and one of the hospital heads went to tell them."
"For what it's worth, she helped to save the lives of others with her last actions," Ron declared, looking the dejected Neville in the eyes. He stepped forward and patted the shoulder of the other lad with his free hand. Then he repeated the gesture with Charlotte.
"Th-thanks, Ron," Charlotte dried her tears and gave Neville an intense look. "Do…? Do you know…who kil-killed her?"
"Bellatrix Lestrange," he replied, a grim expression on his face. "One day… One day, she's going to get what she deserves – and I hope I'll be there to see it happen!"
Ginny looked meaningfully at her Gryffindor friend. "Neville… Don't let your hatred of Bellatrix eat away at you! Don't throw yourself on a course of revenge against her!"
"I know… I know, Ginny…" Neville muttered - his hand rubbed against Charlotte's arm, as she leaned her head against him.
Silence fell. A nurse from outside pushed aside the curtains and addressed the teenagers. "Laura's parents are on their way," she told them.
Charlotte nodded and glanced at the others. Together, the four of them left the partitioned-off area. Once outside the ward, they stopped to exchange glances with the five seated Hufflepuffs there, who had already paid their own respects to Laura: Zacharias Smith, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, and Ernie Macmillan.
"Any… Any news on Harry, yet?" Ginny hesitantly asked.
"Nah… We're waiting to hear about him, too," Zacharias replied, shifting in his seat.
"What's-His-Name seemed to be in a rush when he apparated in that entrance cave," Ernie mused. "I suppose he was looking for Harry." He paused. "I hope Harry's okay."
"We all do…" Susan added. She trailed off, as somebody ran along the corridor to them. They all looked up, to see an excited-looking Hermione pull up from her dash.
"Hermione…?" Ginny began to say.
"It's Harry! The Order of the Phoenix have found him – at the entrance to those caves… He's alive! And…" Hermione stopped, to recover her breath.
"And!" Ron pressed her.
"Snape's dead! Harry brought his body out of the caves. Oh – and there's this…!"
Hermione reached inside her jacket pocket, and handed Ron his wand back.
He whistled. "How…?"
"Harry got it back for you! Tonks passed it onto me, from him," she explained.
There was a stunned silence all round. Hermione broke it.
"Ginny… Harry was in a bad state. Emotionally, I mean… The Order saw to his wounds, and then questioned him – before bringing him here. Tonks told me."
Ginny grabbed the other girl's shoulders. "Where…? Where is he?"
"I'll take you to him now," Hermione replied. She looked at the other Weasley present. "Ron – are you…?"
Ron managed a smile. "Of course I'm tagging along! Let's get going!"
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
A few minutes later, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were allowed by the doctor in charge to go into the private room where Harry was resting. Outside, looking through the solitary window, the Gryffindors could see the lit street lights, and the backdrop of London in the late spring evening.
With a pensive-looking Nymphadora Tonks keeping guard outside, Harry perked up somewhat upon seeing his friends.
At their insistence, Harry told the trio what had unfolded in the further reaches of the caves. When he finished his somewhat-fractured account, Harry laid his tired body back onto the bed. He felt himself to be on the verge of tears again – but this time there seemed to be a barrier within him, holding him back.
"Oh…" Hermione responded first. "Poor Professor Snape. We've all misread him – haven't we? And now he's died for us…"
"Crikey…" Ron rubbed his brow with his free hand. "I wish we had been there to help you, mate… As for Snape… wow! He could've been your father – if your mother had chosen him…"
"There were eight people in that final cavern…" Harry muttered darkly, speaking as though he hadn't heard Ron's words. "And I'm the only one to get out alive! But Voldemort and Bellatrix will live again – because of their Horcruxes." He trailed off and looked intently at his friends. "Anyone else who I know, who didn't make it? Besides Peakes…"
"Laura Madden of Hufflepuff," Ginny informed Harry and Hermione. "She got hit by a Sectumsempra spell from Mrs Lestrange."
"What about Malfoy Manor?" Hermione pointed out. "Whether or not Vol…Vol…Voldemort is there, shouldn't the Order of the Phoenix be making an attack or something…?"
"Snape told me the Manor was well warded against an assault…" Harry pointed out.
"Remus and Kingsley Shacklebolt have already gone to scout out the area," Tonks announced from the doorway, making the others look over to her. "But we've heard from the Hufflepuffs that as soon as the first of their group started apparating from the caves, You-Know-Who was overheard yelling at Fenrir and a Death Eater – Rowle - to apparate over to Malfoy Manor. Then they vanished together from the scene. I think the alarm to flee the Manor has been given."
"Good. If nothing else, the Malfoys will have lost their home, as well as their son," Harry remarked tersely.
"Hold on – from what you've told us, there's just one more Horcrux left, Harry," Ron's lips fluttered into a weak grin. "That's something to be grateful for. Even if it is Nagini."
Harry considered this, and managed to smile back. "Yes – it is, Ron. Voldemort's on his last legs, at last. But when he gets his wits back, after being reborn from the trophy-Horcrux, both he and Lestrange are going to be as mad as hell. A storm is coming. I can feel it!"
"I wonder which trophies were stolen by Draco's friends?" Ginny mused.
"No trophies were missing, to Remus's knowledge, when he was at Hogwarts yesterday," Tonks pointed out. "But we've alerted the school – and they're now checking to see if anything in the Trophy Room is a duplicated fake…"
"Get them to look over the trophy my dad won as Quidditch Seeker. And any that Gryffindor house won for Quidditch or as House of the Year," Harry suggested.
Ginny gave a gasp. "Why them?"
"Voldemort had items from the other houses made into his Horcruxes," Harry spat, in disgust. "The Slytherin locket, the Hufflepuff cup, and the Ravenclaw diadem. He wanted something from Gryffindor to complete 'his' set. Dumbledore told me Voldemort failed to get hold of the sword of Gryffindor – so I'm betting he improvised!"
The room became quiet. Ginny edged closer to Harry, and looked him directly in the eyes. She was biting her lip.
Harry sighed. "Come here, Ginny."
She rushed straight into his open arms, and began to sob against him. "I didn't think I would see you again!"
Ron and Hermione gave each other a meaningful glance – then they nodded and left the room together, to give Harry and Ginny their privacy…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
Within the cellar of another safe house – this time somewhere in the Scottish Highlands - Peter Pettigrew was helping Narcissa Malfoy in bringing down the chemical apparatus hurriedly brought over from the just-abandoned Malfoy Manor.
Then they saw the blazing glow of light underneath the door to the makeshift storage room. Quickly, they unlocked the password-protected door and saw the trophies within emanating the harsh radiance.
It was the same two trophies the pair had recently put away, after their transportation from the manor.
"Wh-what is the meaning of this?" Pettigrew rasped, not understanding why the silverware was there – except that the Dark Lord had ordered them to be moved here, and kept safe. At all costs.
Narcissa, however, had an inkling – and she drew in a startled breath. "Something has gone wrong! Remain here, Wormtail – I'll alert Lucius…!"
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
Night had fallen. Ginny Weasley finished off her late canteen meal, and looked at the others at the table who were still eating their desserts. Molly Weasley was in animated conversation with Hermione, giving her the finer details of Ron's history, so that Hermione would have an even-better knowledge base of how to live with Ron. Initially, Ginny had found it rather funny that her mum was so readily prepared to accept Hermione as a future daughter-in-law.
That she realised that Harry would be put through the same process, as soon as the two of them became a serious item again. If they both survived the ongoing war, that was…
"Um, if you don't mind…," Ginny started to speak. "I want to stretch my legs. Hermione, are you…?"
Hermione shook her head, smiling. "I'm learning some…interesting…things about your brother here. I'm glad that your dad has taken him home – so that we can have this conversation!"
"Oh, you'll want to check on Harry again – wouldn't you, Ginny?" Molly spoke up, with a smile on her round face. "Well, run along, dear. See if you can get that nice male nurse to allow you to sneak in. Twist his arm or something – not literally, of course. You shouldn't have been taught that spell. It's been banned. Use your charm, instead."
"Er… I'll do that." Ginny blushed - then left Mrs Weasley, and the being-groomed future Mrs Weasley at the canteen table.
The hospital staff who were present took no notice of Ginny as she entered the ward, after first washing her hands. Approaching the room where Harry was being kept, she saw that Professor Lupin was now on watch-duty. He smiled at her.
"Hello, Remus. You've taken over from Tonks, then?"
"Yes, she's gone to check on Dedalus Diggle…"
"Ahh… What's the latest on him, Remus? He had a concussion – didn't he?"
"That's right. Well, Diggle's gradually recovering. He'll be out, in due course – and not before. At least he's safe."
Ginny nodded; relieved that another death had been prevented in time. "That's good! Anyway, I've come to see Harry again. Is he awake?"
"He is, Ginny. He's talking with a friend right now! Go on in – but please excuse me. I need to go to the toilet…"
Another friend? Ginny allowed the departing Professor Lupin to leave her. Turning to the window of the door before her, she could see Harry apparently crying. A girl, whose face couldn't be seen from Ginny's position, was rubbing her hands over his face…
Ginny sucked in her breath. She stood, frozen, on the spot, as her mind went numb. Then, finally, she felt able to push the door open. Now she could hear what was being said. It was a familiar, lilting, female voice that spoke.
"It's all right, Harry. You did your best – and you got out alive. We're proud of you. I'm proud of you… Rest now. You'll need to regain your strength…"
The visitor gently placed Harry's head against the pillow, then pulled out her wand and cast a spell upon the young wizard. There was a momentary glow around his head, which then disappeared.
Finally, the young witch hesitated - then bent forward and kissed Harry on his forehead.
"What on earth are you doing!.?"
Luna Lovegood turned her wide eyes round to face Ginny, who had barged into the private room – her own wand at the ready.
"Oh, hello! I just gave Harry a little charm to help him rest. You shouldn't make any noise now, Ginny. He's just fallen asleep…"
"…in your arms!" Ginny snapped at her Ravenclaw friend.
"Yes. Harry was very upset when he told me what had happened in those caves. I told him he didn't have to say anything if the pain was too raw – but he ploughed on, anyway. He felt that he needed to get it out of his system," Luna explained in her soft Irish brogue. "But I suppose you already know that, since you've been here for some hours. I've just got here, after being patched up elsewhere…"
"Yes, I do know! But right now, I want to know why you just kissed Harry on the head!"
"Oh…" Luna now looked sad. "I don't want to hurt you, Ginny. You're a good friend to me…"
"But…?" Ginny pressed her.
"Harry saved my life in the caves. And only now do I know just how…gruelling…the remainder of his time in the caves was, after he left us. He was trapped in a corridor at one stage, Ginny. And he had to face his worst nightmares. Losing us. Losing everyone and everything dear to him." Luna turned to regard Harry in his bed. He was still wearing his spectacles. But he seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
"I seemed to have calmed him down. But we really should remove his glasses, don't you think? In case he turns over and damages them…"
"Luna…?"
"Yes, Ginny?" The blonde-haired girl faced her once more.
"You…you care about Harry, don't you? Not just as a friend…"
Luna did not look down. Instead, she maintained eye-contact with Ginny – and nodded.
"There is far more to him, than I had expected. All the things I heard about Harry when I grew up, when I was in the first three years at school… None of them were that true. Harry has been a gentleman to me – and a good friend. But he has had to face far more in his life than anyone of our age should! He desperately needs someone, Ginny – someone who will understand him perfectly. Someone who will stop him from tearing himself apart, like now. Somebody who will give him all the reasons in the world to fight on and live beyond this war."
The silver-grey eyes looked calmly – but resolutely - at Ginny, as if expecting to be challenged.
Ginny lowered her wand, but did not put it away. "I agree with you, Luna. And I will be that somebody."
"But Harry broke up with you, so you would not be an obvious target for You-Know-Who."
"Yes… But when this war's over, Harry's mine!"
Luna nodded. "And do you understand Harry that well, yet, Ginny?"
"Well, not yet – but I will…!"
"I hope so. Just as I hope St Mungo's will give Harry some therapy soon. He's got survivor's guilt. And what Professor Snape has told him, has rather shattered Harry's preconceptions. My spell should help to clear some of the Wrackspurts from his head, and allow Harry to handle his trauma somewhat better. So I hope. But he will need to pull himself together soon – if You-Know-Who is really still alive! If I was…" Luna managed a small smile. "…Snakeface, I would be rather mad for revenge! Are you going to fire that wand at me, Ginny? I really mean no harm or offence," she continued, nonchalantly changing the subject.
"I…" Ginny looked down at her wand - then put it away. "Does – does Harry know…how you feel about him?"
Luna sadly looked again at the subject of their conversation. "I suppose not. He is a boy, after all. But it is just as well, I suppose." She re-directed her gaze upon Ginny. "I won't take Harry away from you – I promise! Are…? Are we still friends, Ginny?"
The young Miss Weasley took in Luna's expression for a long moment. Her previous anger and jealously faded away. Try as she might, Ginny found it hard to be angry with Luna. They had already shared too many moments where they had stood firmly together as school mates, especially when Professor Umbridge had done her best to rule the school with a perverted rod of iron...
Luna had effectively been a loner, before the DA had come together. It was because of Harry's cause, that the willow-like Ravenclaw girl had managed to prove her worth and become part of the special group that Ginny was in. Herself, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville - and the eccentric, but clever and loyal Luna.
Was it really any wonder that Luna – with her perceptive ways, felt sorry for Harry? And cared about him? Had feelings for Harry – like she did, herself?
Ginny hesitated. She drew in her breath, then allowed her jealousy and anger to disperse – before they could get the better of her. She reached out and squeezed the blond girl's shoulder. "Yes, we are still friends, Luna. Now run along. If you break your promise to me, I'll give you a Bat-Bogey Hex!" she half-jested.
"Oh, I've heard about those! Thank you, Ginny. Good luck with Harry! Remember his glasses." Giving a small smile, Luna walked out of the room. At the doorway, her steps seemed to change into a skip…
Ginny sighed with relief. She sat down in the chair next to Harry's bed, and thought carefully over what Luna had said. Meanwhile, Harry stirred and shifted in his bed to tilt his face towards the ceiling. He muttered something incoherent. The tracks of his dried tears were still visible on his face. Luna had tried to wipe them away.
Stroking Harry's untidy hair, Ginny then carefully moved in to take off Harry's spectacles - before giving him a kiss of her own on his forehead…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
Over the next couple of days, several things happened at the Scottish safe house.
Firstly, within minutes of being informed by his wife, Lucius Malfoy placed the Quidditch trophy that was won by James Potter in a cell occupied by a male Muggle prisoner. The man's girlfriend, in the adjacent cell, found herself with a new addition, too – the original House cup won by Gryffindor house in 1992, at the end of Harry's first year at Hogwarts.
Hours later, both Muggles were found dead, slumped besides the smoking remains of the shattered trophies – the energies of the prisoners drained by the emerging spirits of Voldemort and Bellatrix. After a donation of clothes, the Dark Lord and his favourite calmly walked out of the cells, to the relief of the Malfoys and the astonishment of Peter Pettigrew.
However, although physically restored, both Voldemort and Lestrange secretly felt weakened – unable to commit themselves to the creation of more Horcruxes.
Soon after his latest restoration, a troubled-looking Voldemort ordered the Malfoys to place Nagini in a huge chemical tank that had been set up in the laboratory. There, thanks to Lucius working from the gathered notes of the deceased Dr Darnell, Nagini was doused with various chemicals that made her slowly grow and gradually transform. She acquired four new limbs, two expanding, leathery wings, and a thicker, powerful-looking reptilian body.
Five days on from his ignoble defeat at the Caves of the Dead, the Dark Lord entered the lab again, and gazed with appreciation at his tank-bound pet. His last remaining Horcrux.
"Soon, Nagini… Soon, you will be taken to the forest outside this house – so that you can grow into the adult dragon you are becoming…," Voldemort whispered, in Parseltongue. He placed his palm on the glass – and Nagini responded by pulling on the tubes that both bound and fed her, just enough to rub her now-larger snort against the inside glass surface, in line with her master's hand.
Smiling, Voldemort turned and left the lab. He headed for the lounge. Once inside, Bellatrix Lestrange, the Malfoy family, and the others present stopped talking between themselves and stood up to attention.
"Sit down." The Dark Lord raised his hand. Once his supporters had resumed their positions, he slowly walked over to a high-backed chair that had been positioned near the fireplace for him. Somewhat stiffly, he sat in it.
He appraised the grim-looking faces that were all directed on him. Then he broke the silence.
"Let me begin by thanking Augustus Rockwood for securing this property for us, some time ago." He looked towards the man with the stooped back.
"A pleasure, my Lord. And, of course, the Ministry I…worked…for do not know of this place. It was…carefully…acquired from Muggles," Rookwood announced, with a little snigger escaping his lips.
"Good. And now I wish to get straight to the point. The pads of Voldemort's fingers slowly ran back and forth on the wooden arms of this chair. "Severus Snape has…betrayed…us! And our energies spent in locating the Caves of the Dead have turned out to be an…unfortunate…waste of our time."
There was instantly an uproar from the Death Eaters present to whom this was news.
"Silence!" Voldemort raised his pale hand once more – and the collected assembly instantly stopped talking. "I realise now that Snape has done his best to delay our war plans. As of this moment, I now say to you that we wait no longer! I will want a progress report from each of you as to the forces that already fall under your responsibility! Fenrir – you will gather your kindred werewolves, and ready them for imminent combat! Yaxley and Rockwood – gather the Dementors. And the giants and trolls, too, if you can! Draco – you will send a message, discreetly, to your friends in Slytherin house, via our new ally here. The first target is Hogwarts! We will launch our attack there by this time next week…. Yes, Bellatrix?"
All heads in the large room turned to Lestrange, as she raised her hand. "My Lord – what about the Potter boy? Will he be back at the school by then? And…Snape! You told me you last saw him alive…"
"Ahh, yes…" Voldemort turned his gaze to one of the youngest of the black-robed wizards in the room. "Tell everyone here what you have told me! Come, stand up, Zacharias!"
Zacharias Smith nervously did so, and he flinched under the gazes of all the Death Eaters in the room.
"I've heard the news. Har-Harry Potter is due to go back to Hogwarts, tomorrow – Monday. Like me. As far as the school know, I'm on compassionate leave, after attending Laura Madden's funeral yesterday with…with her family and some of the other Hufflepuffs."
Draco gave the other boy a scrutinising look. "What about the other Hufflepuffs you hang out with…?"
"They don't know about me being here. Nor do my parents!" Zacharias gave a cocky smile.
"And…Snape?" Draco's eyes narrowed with hate for a man he had trusted.
"Oh, yeah. Definitely dead. And what's more, no one amongst the Phoenix Order - or Potter's stupid friends - has worked out how come you Death Eaters were able to abduct me and my birthday party 'friends' in the first place!"
"Very good, young Zacharias… When you return to Hogwarts tomorrow, you will help our young supporters within Slytherin house to seize the school from the inside, as we attack. And, as I understand from a report submitted by Draco, Miss Parkinson has learnt of the presence of two stones of power now being held at Hogwarts." Voldemort faced Draco. "The Slytherins pupils would do well to acquire them, whilst also securing the school's key locations. Our invading forces will provide the distraction…"
"I will pass on your instructions to Pansy and the others, Master," Draco Malfoy assured him. He looked across to Zacharias. "They already know about Smith's offer of help."
"Excellent…" Voldemort's eyes took in another raised hand. This one belonged to a squat, toad-like woman who 'stood' out from the seated company, in that she was not dressed in black robes but in a business-like, two piece, pink dress.
"Speak, Dolores…"
"M-my Lord?" Dolores Umbridge fought to control her wavering voice. "When will the revolution strike at the heart of the Ministry itself? Rockwood and I have done what we can to pave the way…"
"Send me your report, Dolores. In the meantime, keep your true allegiance as secret as possible from your Ministry colleagues," Voldemort calmly replied. "Your day to act openly will come soon enough!"
"I will… Th-thank you…," she blustered.
He suddenly stood up. "This meeting has now ended! Make the necessary preparations. I want to hear of your readiness for battle, by tomorrow evening!"
The assembled Death Eaters quickly rose to their feet, also. One by one, they left the room.
The man who had been born Tom Marvolo Riddle exited via a separate door, half-hidden amongst the wooden panels of the house. Ascending the stairs beyond, he entered the study on the first floor and sat himself on the plush, swivel chair set behind the heavy desk.
In one corner of the room were a set of displayed enlarged, magically-enhanced photos, set within wooden frames and resting on stands. The pictures had been copied from issues of the Daily Prophet. The one portraying Albus Dumbledore had a scorched hole in the centre of his forehead. The Professor was not moving – instead, the lower half of his face, and his neck, were burnt through.
The photo of Professor Severus Snape, set upright next to the one with the former Headmaster of Hogwarts, was similarly disfigured.
Voldemort had recently been using the pictures for target practice.
As he sat down, the Dark Lord pulled out his wand. It had been retrieved by Draco, after the battle, from the cavern where they had fought with Potter and Snape.
He smiled. He was grateful to the son of Lucius and Narcissa. Despite the incident with Dr Darnell – the boy had first got the Death Eaters to enter Hogwarts, and now he had been good enough to fetch his wand, knowing that death could not hold Him.
Yes, Draco was showing promise, after all...
As for wands, generally… Well, his Death Eaters had taken many from the shop, when they had kidnapped Mr Ollivander – about a year and a half ago.
Voldemort's smile faded. Damn the Order of the Phoenix… When they had invaded the safe house in Wales, Ollivander had been one of the prisoners rescued. The old man had heard rumours of the Master Wand. And yet, under torture, he too apparently had not known of what the Master Ward could and could not do…
All that effort and time spent to find the Caves of the Dead. The Master Wand. The necessary alliance with the rebel vampire coven – now all dead. Only their Dr Darnell and Severus Snape had the combined skills and knowledge to construct the Juggernaut. Now they – and it – were lost to him, as was the hope for an army of golems. Several of his supporters – even the unremarkable Crabbe and Goyle – were now lost to him, thanks to Snape's betrayal.
Hopefully, the sons of Crabbe and Goyle, currently at Hogwarts, would take the news of their fathers' deaths as an incentive to prove their worth to The Cause…
Then there was his own inability to kill Harry Potter when he had held the Master Wand at the boy himself. A wand that he thought would make him supreme amongst wizards.
Instead, he had been made to look like an idiot…
"Soon, Harry," Voldemort whispered to himself. "Soon, you and your friends will be dead – crushed by the oncoming storm. And so too will anyone – anyone – who dares to stand in…my…way!"
The suppressed anger within him suddenly erupted, with the force of a volcano.
With a deafening roar of fury, the Dark Lord spun round in his chair. A lime-green beam of light shot from his wand and struck the animated portrait of Harry Potter on display next to the two Professors. The glass cover shattered into a rain of falling shards, and the face of the hated boy was blotted out with a smoking hole.
There would be no escape for Harry the next time they met - Voldemort vowed, his temper abating a little. The youngster would die, the school captured, the ministry falling to him. The Mudbloods could then be purged. And the purebloods would be re-educated as to their need, and right, to assume total control over the human race. The last goal would take years – but once the process was started, progress would be inevitable.
And, of course, He would be the secret ruler behind the new regime.
"Incendrio!"
Voldemort gave a hard smile as he destroyed the remains of Harry's picture with flames fired from his wand – the peeling paper turning into ashes which fell to the floor.
The Day of Reckoning was about to arrive…
THE END
(The story continues in 'Harry Potter And The Lycanthrope Legacy, Part 1')
Author's note:
Well, there you go. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please remember to leave detailed, useful and well-balanced feedback! Let me know if the story got you thinking. Let me know what the story made you feel!
This tale was on my mental, 'to do' list for some time, since reading 'The Deathly Hallows'. I was very disappointed with the way JK Rowling ended Professor Snape's story arc (there's not even any proper, biting confrontation between Harry and Snape in the book, for heaven's sake – though, thankfully, the film rectified this). I felt that the favourite character in the Bloomsbury poll deserved better – and I wanted to 'see' Harry's jaw drop when he realised the truth behind Snape's allegiance and motives, learning from Snape himself, not a Pensieve. I also was eager to read about Snape turning on Voldemort, with a direct means of betrayal that would shock both Harry and his adversary. The book did not do that for me.
Another theme I wanted to address was the Hufflepuffs – in particular Ernie – proving their heroic worth. Although Dumbledore's Army was made up of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaw pupils – none of the Hufflepuffs, in canon, were seen to have any real action until the Final Battle at Hogwarts! And the film makers seemed to forget about the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws (apart from Luna) in the last three films. So I wanted to provide some balance. It also made a nice change for Harry to be stripped of his usual comfort zone of Ron & Hermione, and fight alongside the other DA members, instead.
Having written this challenging, intricate story, I realise that it does not fit perfectly with Chapters 2-3 of my pre-written sequel 'Harry Potter And The Lycanthrope Legacy, Part 1'. I might one day re-write that saga, to eliminate a few errors (e.g. I wrote 'Delores Umbridge', and stated that the Carrows were a married couple. Agghh!). So please ignore the references in '…Legacy' to 'a host of Dementors were wiped out in the battle that claimed Professor Snape' and 'the (Master) wand had been destroyed in the backlash'. Bellatrix saying her husband was captured by the Aurors should now also be taken with a large pinch of salt.
RMB