Hey readers,
I'm so sorry about the last chapter. I hope that this one will make up for it...maybe:) I hope you like it, please review and tell me what you think!
Thanks
'That's it' he thought as he was still holding the boys limp, no longer moving hand. 'The time is up and he will never wake up again.'
Remus could not believe it, he really thought that Harry was going to pull through and he was going to be just fine. For the first time in ages there had been hope. Not yet could he take into consideration what had exactly happened. He could not let the idea that Harry was dead register inside his tired brain.
Yet, without knowing it; there were tears falling from his eyes and he squeezed Harry's hand tighter than he had ever done before in his life. To him he was holding onto the final remains of his boy...his Harry Potter, the one that so very few had the pleasure of knowing.
Beyond everything, his grief of Harry and the loss that he was suffering there was another fact playing on his mind. He had always hoped that Harry would die being known to the wizarding world for someone other than 'the boy who lived'.
Behind the story from the night when his parents died, there was a boy so small, fragile and polite. He was, just like everyone else, trying to complete school and take his exams. He was the same as all the other kids in his classes, but, no one else was ever going to know that...now that he was dead.
Remus came out of his musings to see that he was shaking; his eyes were now a constant flow of tears and gripping Harry's hand so hard it was starting to turn a dark shade of red. He drew in some much needed breath and could no longer control himself, he started sobbing uncontrollably. The noise of his ragged breathing echoing off the Hospital Wing walls.
He could hear rushed footsteps approaching and knew that Poppy had heard him and must know what had happened.
She quietly slipped into the room so that he didn't startle Remus. Her eyes darted to the hour glass on the bedside table which was sitting next to the boxes of chocolates that would no longer be eaten; it was finished. The golden grains of sand were piled high at the bottom of the glass, forming a small mountain of golden sand.
She clapped a hand to her mouth and looked over at Harry. Even though he was dead she could not help thinking that he was still in a long sleep and he would wake up in due time.
"Remus," She whispered, "I am ever so sorry."
"N-n-o one w-will ever know him f-f-for who he w-was." He muttered through sobs.
"We will know him Remus; his friends will know him, and his classmates...we will know him."
Ron and Hermione were in the Gryffindor common room doing some of their charms homework. They had no idea what day it was, they had no idea that it was the day that would show if Harry lived or died.
Hermione, had been too worried about her friend to go and see him during the time he was sleeping as she fell to pieces every time she was him. Ron, was the same as Hermione and thought that the more they stayed away, the better it would be.
Of course, they didn't act as if they didn't care, in fact quite the opposite. Every time they saw Remus or Madame Pomfrey walking around the corridors they would stop and ask how Harry was doing. Nothing the teachers had said to them made them believe that Harry was in critical danger. Remus told them of the date for Harry's hopeful reawakening, but he didn't seem serious when he said it and they didn't take him for real.
"Mione, what is the answer to this question? How the bloody hell am I supposed to know what the counter jinx to the 'Aguamenti' is!" Ron cried flinging his parchment off the desk where it landed in a ripple of the floor.
"Honestly Ronald, Aguamenti is the water summoning charm and what do we do to counter charm that...?" She muttered, trying to help him she gestured towards the fireplace.
"Umm...you throw soot in it...a soot spell!?" Ron growled.
"No...fire...OUCH!" Hermione clasped her hand to her heart and closed her eyes in pain.
"What's wr- OUCH!" Ron also clasped a hand to his heart and squeezed his eyes shut in pain.
A couple of minutes passed before the two were able to open their eyes and breath normally again.
"Wh-what just happened?" Hermione asked worriedly looking over at Ron who looked as shocked as she was.
"Dunno...was it like there was a burning sensation on your heart?" Ron asked.
"Yes, exactly like that!" Hermione squeaked. "I feel as if there is something wrong Ron..."
Ron looked around the room as though he was expecting an explosion any second. "Yeah...same...but, what could..." Suddenly Ron looked at Hermione with his eye brows raised.
"Harry..."Hermione whispered.
Ron nodded and watched as Hermione jumped up off her armchair and ran over to the table near the staircase.
"Oh my gosh Ronald! What is the date!? Remus said something about a...reawakening date for Harry...I wrote it down just..." Hermione bent down and became nose height with the table and grabbed a small book that was sitting on the top. She opened it and started flicking through the pages until she got to one near the middle of the book, she took one look at the page and gasped dropping the book to the floor in the process.
'What is it?" Ron asked walking over to Hermione cautiously and picked up the book, he too flicked to the page Hermione had just seen and his mouth gaped open wide. For on the middle of the page there were the words 'Harry's awakening date' in Hermione's neat cursive writing.
"We need to get to the Hospital...NOW!" Hermione said when she came out of her shocked state. Ron didn't object he nodded consent and the two of them hurtled off towards the clock tower where their friend was, or hopefully 'is'.
Down in the dungeons of the castle Snape was working hard in his potions lab. His hair was a matted clump of black and he was muttering to himself as he cleaned out his fourth potion.
'I am doing worse than a first year tonight!' He said to himself as he scrubbed the cauldron clean with a wave of his wand. 'What is wrong with me!?'
He grunted as he put the cauldron back on the fire and added the first ingredient, starting his potion from scratch again. He added the second ingredient, which was some unicorn blood. His potion turned a pale yellow colour and shone as bright as the sun, almost blinding him.
Just as he was adding the third ingredient which smelt exactly like an old sock he felt a sharp jab in his heart. He dropped his wand as pain engulfed him and he squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the pain to subside.
When the pain was gone Severus found himself pressed against his potions cupboard taking sharp, deep breaths. 'What had just happened? Is there something wrong with me?'
Snape was starting to stand up again when he realised something that made his legs go as wobbly as jelly. He had experienced this kind of pain before, but only once. He had felt it thirteen years ago, and it was the sign the Lily had died. There could only be one reason that he was feeling this pain at that moment...Harry had died...
His heart was jumping out of his chest and he stormed out of the room, heading for the Hospital Wing, readying himself for what he was about to see.
Ron and Hermione made it to the Hospital Wing, they were out of breath and sweaty, but all they could think about was their friend, Harry. They heard rushing footsteps behind them and turned sharp to see who or what it was. The gaunt figure of their potions teacher came into view. He was pale and looked as though he was crying. He glared at the two as he rushed to the Hospital door and just as he was about to push it open he turned to them and said.
"Did you two feel it too?"
Hermione didn't know what he was talking about but guessed that he was referring to the pain they had experienced in their heart and nodded her head.
Snape stood there for a second as he considered something, "I'll come back for you two." He said.
Ron opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything Snape slammed the door in their faces.
Once he was inside the Hospital Wing he had some time to think. If Ron and Hermione had felt the same thing as him there was no doubt that it was because Harry had died. He knew that there was a form of magic that let loved ones know when someone close to them had died. He did not want to believe this was true, even though magic was never wrong.
He crossed the room and came face to face with the white curtain that he had been dreading the day he would have to cross. He took a deep breath and pulled back the side of the curtain.
When he got into the room he could not see anything as it was really dark. Obviously, someone had cast a darkness charm to make the room private. There was a figure sitting on a chair next to the bed and with the absence of deep breathing he knew that whoever it was, was awake.
He cleared his throat to let the person know that he was there and started talking. "Is it true?" Instantly Snape wanted to kick himself 'is it true!?' What kind of a question was that!
Even though it was dark he could see the figure nod its head.
Snape felt as though he had been hit with a tonne of bricks...Harry was dead, and there was nothing they could do about it, there was no form of magic, or anything that could bring him back. He was gone...forever.
He could now make out a small unmoving figure on the bed in front of him. He knew this to be Harry.
"Remus?" Snape asked, as he finally realised who the other person was.
"Mmm..."
"I always loved Harry." Snape said as he walked to the opposite side of the bed and took a seat. He reached across the covers until he found Harry's hand and grasped it in his own, it was freezing cold and lifeless, but Snape felt a warmth in holding it.
"I know," Remus whispered, "So did I."
Snape smiled to himself, he was glad that someone knew how much he loved the boy. "His friends are outside, and they want to see him."
"How do they know?" Asked Remus in the same tone he had used before, Snape knew that he was only half listening to the conversation they were having.
"They felt it, like I did," As if to confirm what he was saying he pointed to his heart. Remus nodded and smiled.
"At least there were some people around that loved him enough to feel it." Remus said. There was a long pause before he said, "Poppy felt it as well..."
Snape was taken aback for a second then said, "Well, she did always have a soft spot for him. Should I let his friends in?"
"I don't see why not." Remus muttered and sunk back into his chair.
Snape nodded and got up from his chair. He walked across the room and opened the big Hospital door to let Harry's friends in.
Hermione almost jumped into the room and cried, "Where is he!? Is he- is he...alive?"
Snape did not know how to tell the poor children that stood before him that their best friend was dead. He didn't want to admit it himself, but knew he had to tell them something. "Miss Granger, Mr Weasly... I am afraid that your friend...Harry...has just...just..." He could not finish the sentence.
"No..." whispered Hermione.
"He isn't..."moaned Ron.
"I am afraid so..."Snape muttered, "He is just behind that curtain...I suggest you grow accustomed to this idea before you go and see him."
Hermione nodded and sat down on the closest bed, Ron went over to comfort her.
"So...he-he's really gone?" She whispered to Ron.
"Yeah, Hermione...he's gone." A tear fell down Ron's cheek.
Hermione followed suit and soon they were hugging each other and crying. An hour passed and the decided that they could go and see their friend. They were as ready as they could ever be.
Slowly they walked over to the white curtain that Snape had told them about and pushed it open. They squinted into the sudden darkness and saw three different figures standing over the bed. They walked inside and found some room on Harry's left to stand.
Hermione gasped and started crying quietly again.
"I'm so sorry dears." Madame Pomfrey said as she walked to the other side of the room to greet them. "I'll let you say your goodbyes then I will have to give him a potion that stops everything else in the body from working."
Hermione and Ron nodded and walked closer towards their friend. In the darkness he looked as though he was asleep and if they made too loud of a noise he would wake up and wack them for doing so.
Hermione reached over and grasped Harry's hand in her own; she leant down and kissed it. While she was down she whispered something that she had wanted to tell Harry for ages, she made sure no one else could hear her, "Harry, you were the only person I could trust with this secret and I know that I want to tell you... I...I love Ron. I don't know why, but I just do...and-and I know how much you loved Ginny...I could see the way you look at her...I'm your best friend, I know..." She pulled back crying silent tears.
Ron gave Hermione a hug before he walked towards his friend and also, took his hand in his own. "Mate, you were the best friend I have ever had...remember when we defeated that giant chess board in our first year? And when we saved Ginny from the chamber of secrets last year? There is so much that we had done together, and I know that it was only a couple of years, but I am so glad that I have been your friend...my life would have been a big bore without you in it...I-I-I love you..."
Then he lent in a little further and whispered something that no one else in the room hear.
Ron too pulled back and walked towards Hermione giving her a huge hug as Madame Pomfrey moved forward to give Harry his final potion. She pulled out her wand and as she was about to cast the spell there was a loud bang coming from out in the main area of the Hospital Wing.
Snape poked his head out of the curtains to see who it was and everyone was shocked to hear when he said, "What are you doing here Miss. Weasly?"
"Ginny..."Hermione whispered smiling to herself.
Ginny answered her voice echoing off the empty room. "I...I...It sounds silly but...I know that Harry has been sick lately and- and I f-felt s-something...I just wondered if...if..."
"Come inside," Madame Pomfrey called.
There was a shuffling of footsteps and they all looked in shock as Ginny entered the room, her hair was in neat plats and she was still wearing her school uniform.
"Is Harry alright?" She asked as she looked onto the bed in front of her where Harry lay.
"Did you feel it too?" Hermione asked.
"The burning on the heart?" Ginny asked, "Yeah, I did. What does it mean? Is Harry alright?"
Ron stepped forwards and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Gins... what are you doing here?"
"I...felt as though there was something wrong, I felt like there was a reason that I had to be here...I Harry alright?" She was starting to grow impatient asking the same question over and over again.
"Ginny...Harry had just...well...died..."Hermione whispered.
"What!? Don't pull my leg, what is wrong with him?" Ginny asked in a high squeaky voice.
"No, gins...it's true." Ron said wiping his face free from tears.
"Bu- I- wha-"Ginny burst into tears.
Hermione walked over to Ginny and whispered something in her ear that no one else could hear, whatever it was; it made Ginny cry even harder.
She looked at Hermione and Hermione nodded. Ginny, quietly crept across the room to the side of the bed where Ron and Hermione had also talked to Harry and put her mouth to his ear and whispered, "I love you too Harry..."
She pulled back tears in her eyes and went to join Ron and Hermione in the corner.
"Alright," Madame Pomfrey said sadly. "Here we go."
Remus, who was the other man in the room walked over to where Harry's friends stood and gripped them all into a tight embrace, whispering into the group, "He's going to a better place now..."
They all heard a slight whoosh as Madame Pomfrey cast her spell and then there was a deadly silence in the room...their friend had left them forever.
"It's done now..."Madame Pomfrey whispered as she walked over towards the group that was huddled together. "I suggest we all go and get some sleep...then we will be able to face things in the morning."
"I'm not going to be able to get to sleep." Ginny whispered, "I don't think any of us will be able to."
Madame Pomfrey smiled sadly, "Then would you like me to give you a dreamless sleep potion?"
"No!" Ron cried, "I don't want to forget..."
He turned to Hermione and whispered, "Is there something we can do for him? A memorial to remember us by? I want it done tonight...so that the meaning of it will stay with us forever."
Hermione nodded and drew out her wand from her pocket, she cast a small spell and a photo appeared in front of them. It was a picture of Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry smiling. They were all standing in the Gryffindor common room, it was one of the magical moving pictures and they kept pulling funny faces. Ron smiled at the picture as Hermione flourished her wand a bit more and writing appeared on the photo that read.
'Although much time has passed,
I still remember our wonderful time together.'
She finished the spell by framing the photo and it landed with a slight bump on Harry's bedside table.
"Thanks," Ron whispered, in tears again. "I wanted that done tonight...it was beautiful."
Hermione smiled sadly and muttered, "We should go back to the common room...at least just to sit, and we don't have to sleep."
The other two nodded and turned to have one last look at their friend.
It made Hermione smile when she was that his face was unmistakably smiling back at them as though he could hear everything that they were saying.
"Look..." she whispered, "He's smiling."
Ron, Ginny, Remus, Snape and Madame Pomfrey looked over in Harry's direction.
Harry's face looked completely normal again. "No he's not." Ron said.
"Well...he was...maybe I'm imagining things..."Hermione said defensively.
Everyone started to leave to room, but Hermione was curious, she started to walk towards Harry again and saw the same face smiling back at her, his eyes closed but he was smiling.
"No! Look, he IS smiling again!" Hermione cried. "He just smiled at me!"
Everyone rushed back into the room and sure enough this time he was smiling. "But...he wasn't smiling before..." Said Remus.
"Unless..."Madame Pomfrey whispered.
"Unless what!" Snape cried joining the group.
"Well...maybe there was something in the..." She said.
"In the what!" Remus cried.
Madame Pomfrey rushed forwards and pulled Harry's hand towards her own; he started feeling around his wrist, as if looking for something. Everyone watched as her face grew alarmed.
"Harry..."She whispered, "Can you hear me?"
Everyone was deadly silent, listening with all their might to hear if he was going to respond. There was silence then a soft whisper..."I love you too..."
There was a scream from behind everyone and they turned to look at Ginny who was white in the face.
Hermione laughed, cried and smiled. "I think he heard you Gin..." She said.
"Wait...is he...?" Remus started.
"Alive? Yes." Madame Pomfrey said, "Though I have no idea why...so, be careful around him."
There was another whisper coming from Harry that said, "And Ron...just ask Hermione out already."
Hermione giggled and Ron when bright red. "What about the words 'don't tell anyone' don't you understand Harry!"
There was no answer, but Ron understood, Harry was trying to help him and he was just glad that his best friend was alive.
Remus was beside himself jumping from foot to foot, dancing around the room, big shiny tears leaking down his face.
Suddenly, wordlessly, everyone watched in delight as Harry's eyes opened, shining in their bright green colour and he said the words, "I'll always love you too, Remus."
So...I decided to keep Harry alive. He's better that way, isn't he really!
Thanks to all of my lovely readers who are reading, following, favourite-ing and reviewing this story you all mean heaps to me. Please tell me how you liked this chapter! I hope it was a good one! Please review about this chapter, did you like it? Is there something you want to have happen? Have your say!
Thanks J! :D
Review Replies:
Luna Nayeli Clearwater: Thanks for the review! It's great that you loved the chapter, thank you so much for the suggestion it was really fun writing that chapter, and I was able to come up with heaps of ideas for it, it was a lot better than the other plans that I had for him anyway! I hope you liked this chapter! Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks
Sherry97: Thank you so much for the review! As I will tell anyone who likes my stories they mean a lot to me! I hope that you like this chapter, took me a while to think it through. Please tell me what you think about it and review! Thanks
Beccax95: Thanks for the review. I am sorry to 'temporarily' killing Harry. I decided that I liked him better alive, haha. It's great that you like my story thank you so much, how you like this next chapter! Please review! Thanks
Rea559750: Aww, I made you cry!? Sorry! Well, thank you (yay my story was emotional!) I hope you like this chapter! Review!
Totally Kowalski: Thanks for the review. You will be happy to know that when you said that thing about Sirius you got me thinking...and I have come up with an idea for future chapters which I think will be pretty riveting! So, thank YOU, for the review! I hope you like this chapter, tell me what you think in a review!
Padfootette: I'm sorry for making you cry! But, it is great to hear when something I have written is emotional enough to drive someone to tears. I hope you like this new chapter, please tell me what you think!
SSS-love2read: Thanks for the review. I guess you will be happy to know that he is indeed not dead. I must say, I am quite happy about it myself. I love him too much! Please tell me what you think about the chapter. Thanks!
Allietheepic7: Thanks for the review. Sorry for being cruel to Harry...has this chapter made up for it? I think saving someone from a death would be a pretty good pay back, what do you think!? haha. I must say I wasn't prepared to let this story go...so it's going to be around for a little longer. I hope you like this chapter, review!
Tmnt 2012 rocks: HHHHHHHEEEEEEEESSSSSS BBBBBBAAAAACCCCCKKKKKK! Isn't that good news!? I hope you think so! Please tell me how you like this new chapter, review! Thanks for all of your reviews, they mean a lot.
DracoLover14: Thank you thank you thank you for the lovely and long review, it means a lot! I hope you liked the waking in this chapter, I tried to make it a little dramatic, but my heart was beating really fast at the time as idea after idea came into my head and I think I only got a couple of the ones I wanted down... Thanks about the hour glass "It was one of my more brilliant ideas and between you and me that is saying something..." (Haha Dumbledore quote couldn't help myself!) I knew that I wanted to use the word always in the story because it really defines Harry Potter. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, please review and tell me what you think!