Hello all. I hope everyone is doing alright now that we're in the thick of winter. This is kind of an abrupt chapter but it was necessary. A big thanks to my reviewers 93 and LolaCherryColaGirl.
Ch 15:A Culmination, a Commencement
"I put money down you know," Natalie announced from behind the reception desk two weeks later.
It was a fairly relaxed day at Pet Precautions, giving all of the employees the opportunity to catch up on the more menial but necessary tasks that went with the job. Cages were scrubbed, the reception area given a good once over to remove cobwebs and grime from the storefront windows. The animal healers went through their records and sent out owls to those who hadn't brought their familiars in for their recommended annual checkups.
At the soonest possible time lunch was sent for from the Leaky Cauldron and the Animal Healers relaxed tucking into crisps and sandwiches.
"Put money down on what?" Meredith murmured lazily as she relaxed and put her feet up.
"On the last task of course," Natalie responded as Meredith cracked her neck and rubbed her short black tresses.
"And who did you wager on?"
"Considering that he's just fourteen and he didn't die I put money on Harry Potter," Natalie said wisely. "Although I hope that Diggory boy makes out alright. Beautiful example of the male species that one…"
Embre locked eyes with Adam from their seats opposite one another and fought to keep from laughing. Honestly there were times when their eccentric secretary was worse than a giggling fifth year girl.
"I'd wager on Krum. You know he's tough and has endurance playing Quidditch," Meredith remarked.
"I suppose you're galleons are on Harry Potter?" Adam said pointedly to Embre.
"My galleons…my heart palpitations," Embre laughed with a note of hysteria in her voice.
Her coworkers all exchanged looks and moved on to a new topic of conversation.
--
"Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast," Professor McGonagall informed Harry.
"But the task's not till tonight!" Harry said in panic.
"I'm aware of that Potter," she said. "The champion's families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them."
As what she said sunk in Harry turned back to his breakfast and began attacking it in a way that gave Ron pause.
"What the bloody hell's gotten into you!" Ron blurted as Harry jumped up from the Gryffindor table.
He nearly tripped over his robe on the way out, but righted himself. He ignored all of the stares as he darted out of the Hall. He opened the door and looked around the room.
Amos Diggory and his wife stood to the side talking quietly. He caught sight of Fleur's little sister Gabrielle standing with her family, and another couple he assumed were Viktor's parents.
Mrs. Weasley was near the fireplace while her son Bill stood with his back to the doorway. It was nice to have them turn out, but he had been hoping that maybe his godmother had come as well. He'd been receiving a steady stream of owls from Embre full of concern and encouragement.
Mrs. Weasley always did her best to include him at family functions, but with such a big family Harry still felt like an outsider sometimes.
During the time he'd spent with Embre in the summer and the few times during the school term she was focused on him. She'd planned a birthday for him, always made sure that he was spending enough time on his classes. There had been times when she would pointedly ask him if he'd been doing anything risky in her owls and he'd reluctantly owned up to his behavior and promptly been reprimanded for it. For the first time in his life it had felt like having a mum.
Mrs. Weasley caught sight of him and his mouth turned up at the corners. Bill turned his head and gave him a grin. He walked towards them just as Embre stepped out from in front of Bill and waved at him.
She walked towards Harry grinning excitedly while he closed the distance. When her arms came around him tightly he wasn't embarrassed and hugged back.
"Are you taller?" Embre laughed incredulously when she pulled away. "I think you are."
She took a step back and beamed up at him.
"Did you cut your hair?" Harry inquired smiling from ear to ear.
"Yes and there is a rather long story that goes along with that," she confessed with a tired smile.
She and Harry turned back towards the two Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley stepped forward to give him a hug although her smile was a little strained.
--
At the end of the day after being led around by Harry, his three visitors convened to the Great Hall for dinner. The day's main event was coming up soon and the hall seemed filled with a subdued excitement. Throughout the day Harry had seemed relaxed as he'd shown Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Embre the grounds and castle. When they'd sat down to dinner Harry had become more quiet and subdued so his godmother had taken it upon herself to share a few things at the dinner table hoping that like his godfather, his mood would lighten if he were distracted.
"Harry what would you think of taking a trip this summer?" Embre said as they ate pudding.
"Where to?" Harry said with interest.
"I thought maybe some place hot with a beach. Have you ever been to a sandy beach for a day?" she inquired.
"No. It sounds fun."
"Good, I'd like us to do more of those kind of things," Embre said with a small smile.
"Harry certainly deserves some amusement after what he's been through," Molly commented looking directly at Embre. "So good of you trying to make up for everything this dear boy's been through with such lighthearted fun."
"I am trying," Embre said in astonishment while the children looked between the two women curiously.
"Of course," Molly said primly. "It's the least you can do as a parent."
The matriarch turned her attention to the children. Embre kept quiet mostly because Dumbledore took the opportunity to stand and announce that it was time for the champions to leave for the Quidditch pitch.
"I'll see all of you afterwards," Harry said rising from his seat.
"You'll do fine, dragon slayer," Embre said smiling confidently at him.
He flashed them all a brief smile and then walked off stiffly towards the doors, applause following him out.
--
"He faced a dragon, he faced a dragon."
Embre had told Harry that to instill him with confidence, and she was forced to repeat it to herself to keep calm.
She sat among the crowd and watched Harry from the distance as he stepped within the maze. Craning her neck, she'd followed his movement until he had finally disappeared deep into the hedges.
Now the stands that had been roaring with applause and shouts only a few minutes ago were almost completely silent. Everyone was holding their breath for any sign of action from inside the maze.
The silence felt oppressive and constricting as Embre waited. She'd almost risen from her seat when red sparks flashed in the air. One of the champions was in trouble.
Her palms began sweating and her already testy stomach clenched as she and the crowd waited. Sick with worry for Harry she waited until Ludo Bagman addressed the crowd.
"Viktor Krum has been removed from the maze. Only three champions remain!"
She sagged in relief as whispers broke out among the seated spectators. Within a few minutes all talking had died and the returning silence felt even more oppressive. Time was moving so slowly that she had no idea how long it had actually been since the champions had gone into the hedges.
Ludo Bagman stood before the crowd once more to declare that Fleur Delacour was out of the maze leaving only the Hogwarts champions. There was no murmuring from the stands this time as the spectators held their breaths while the seconds ticked on in an unbearable crawl.
Night had fully set in by this time and torches were burning brightly to provide some illumination in the darkness. The flickering lights did little to alleviate the tension in the stadium. A conversation struck up between Dumbledore and Bagman in the distance did provide some distraction in the otherwise stagnant quiet until with a loud crack two bodies appeared at the entrance to the hedge. The silence stretched over the audience as Harry and Cedric lay against the grass with the Cup gripped by the younger boy.
Then the slow crawl of time sped to a frenzy as the crowd surged forward. Embre gulped in air and sagged in her seat as everyone else spilled forward to congratulate the champions. She knew there was no way she would get very far with all the people pushing so she hung back and swallowed air as her body shook from all of the adrenaline.
It was over finally. Harry was safe. They would go home soon and spend the summer quietly together.
"Oh thank gods!" she panted.
She became aware of a buzzing in the crowd that was building. The crowd was chanting something but she couldn't make it out from her position.
"He's dead! Cedric's dead!" an anguished voice shouted.
Everything became loud and frenzied down on the ground as the chants continued and the impossible words rang through the air.
"Dead! Diggory's dead!"
She jumped to her feet but couldn't see a thing with the crowd swarming around the officials and the two boys.
A boy was dead. A grown boy had gone into the hedge to fight for the chance to have glory and returned dead. And Harry had brought him out.
"Dammit!" Embre yelled as she hurried down the stands. She pushed against the crowd, fighting desperately against a sea of bodies, and found it was impossible to get through as everyone else tried to do the exact same thing.
She had to get to him. She turned her head frantically searching for a way to make it to the front, but there was none. Then the crowd was moving back as someone forced the students to make room. It was like being engulfed with a panicked herd of animals as all of them spoke; some crying, others shouting amid the chaos that had erupted.
--
The black dog ran as he never had before. Sirius had been anxious enough when the patronus had arrived out of nowhere from Dumbledore and the message sent him running as if his life depended on it, or more importantly, his godson's.
"There's been a terrible accident. Go to my office, the password is sugar quills…"
His pulse raged in his ears as he tore through Hogsmeade like a demon. All he could think of was how damn long it was taking him to get to the castle but it was his only choice. He couldn't apparate because of the tournament security so he was stuck sprinting like a demon through the night.
--
When she had finally fought her way to the front of the crowd she cried out in frustration when she saw that Harry had already been taken away. Cedric's body was gone as well, leaving only the Cup on the grass.
Gritting her teeth, Embre returned to her animagus form and allowed her to move around the crowd and on towards the castle.
--
There were barely any people inside the castle leaving the large black dog an easy time darting through the ancient halls. He navigated his way to the Griffin guarding the Headmaster's office. His ears pricked up at the sudden sound of raised voices carrying through the halls and he tilted his black head for just a moment. Recognition dawned on him and he didn't hesitate in chasing after the noise.
--
"I just want to know if Harry Potter was brought back here!" Embre snapped at the uncooperative poltergeist floating above her.
"Ooh wookin for ickle stinky Potter!" Peeves cakled obscenely. He threw another water balloon to add to the damp spots surrounding his target, but her was wand was whipped out and sent the balloon into one of the walls.
The poltergeist blew raspberries at her as she angrily turned her back and stormed away. All she'd tried to do was look for Harry and that incorporeal menace had declared the direction she was heading in off limits just to irritate her; it had worked too.
A short bark brought her back to herself and her eyes landed on the furry head poking out from around a corner. No sooner had she seen him, then he disappeared and she tore after him. Her feet pounded into the ground as she followed fast behind the canine until it paused in front of the stone griffin.
It shifted into a man and announced the password. The statue rose and he leapt on the rising stairs, still mindful of exposure in the vacant school. She jumped up after him and through the door flung open in her path.
"What happened here tonight?" he bit out as she closed the door behind her.
"H-Harry's alright," Embre began anxiously. "Oh gods I don't know how he is. I don't know what happened the only thing I know is that he's alive and the other boy Cedric Diggory…."
Her voice broke off and her hand covered her mouth as she struggled to deal with everything. She finally met his eyes and he saw hers swimming with panic and fear.
"Cedric Diggory was dead. He was dead when Harry came back with him," she whispered still incredulous after everything that she'd heard that night.
Sirius' face contorted in muted horror as he gripped the arm rest of one of the chairs. He stared into space helplessly as she sank gracelessly into one of the chairs in front of the desk. They waited quietly lost in their own thoughts Sirius pacing occasionally and Embre sitting still with her hand extended over her eyes. When the oak door slide open they both stood to face Dumbledore and Harry.
The young boy was covered in sweat, grass, and blood. His face was so white he looked as if he might fall over at any moment. The very worst thing was the expression on Harry's face. He looked very much like a boy, and a very frightened lost one.
"My god," Embre broke off, her face screwed up in anguish at the sight of him.
"Harry are you alright? I knew it. I knew something like this…what happened?" Sirius murmured as he crossed the room to his godson.
The boy was so quiet that Sirius helped him over to the chairs to take a seat. Embre knelt beside the chair on her knees and laid her hands on his forearms for a few brief moments as she stared worriedly at his unfocused green eyes.
"I have much to tell you both," Dumbledore said gravely as he slowly crossed the room.
They both listened with growing horror as the Headmaster loosely recounted everything that had happened that night. They were forced to listen to Harry tell his story of the night's events and imagine the ordeal that he had faced alone. It was clear that just talking was taking its toll on the boy.
By the end Harry Potter's godparents were aware that Lord Voldemort had returned; how Harry had unwillingly played on hand in the resurrection, and the conspiracy that had been going on throughout the year in Hogwarts castle.
It was also explained how Harry had miraculously escaped through Priori Incantatem and how the specters of James and Lily Potter had appeared in the graveyard. By the time Harry finished talking, he was exhausted. Sirius had buried his face in his hands, and Embre's head was bowed.
Dumbledore finally decided that Harry should be taken to the hospital to have a few peaceful hours of dreamless sleep.
"Sirius would you like to stay with him?" Dumbledore asked the still man at the back of Harry's chair.
He nodded and turned back into a dog. Dumbledore swept out of the office first, followed by Harry and Embre who followed beside him with her hand lightly on his shoulder while Sirius followed at their heels.
When the four of them walked into the hospital wing they found themselves faced with Harry's friends who had been waiting. Molly Weasley started towards them.
"Harry! Oh Harry!"
Embre was glad that Dumbledore had stepped in front of them and calmly explained things to the woman; Embre's emotions were so turbulent she would have probably snapped at the woman.
Behind Molly the other Weasleys and Hermione all looked on solemnly and jumped when Molly turned on them.
"Do you hear? He needs quiet!" Molly warned them.
"I think they all heard it the first time, Molly," Embre couldn't help retorting to the other witch.
She squeezed Harry's shoulder before letting go of him so that Madam Pomfrey could care for him. Her eyes flashed to Molly who regarded her with her mouth screwed up as though she badly wanted to say something. After the night she'd had, the Animal Healer took a perverse bit of pleasure walking right past the older witch dismissively.
Sirius padded beside her into the screened off area where Harry was lying in bed. He watched as Embre looked down at him with a sad smile. She waited until he'd settled down and slowly reached out to take his glasses. She couldn't resist ruffling his hair just once before she backed off and sat down.
The boy's head sank heavily into his pillow and within a minute his breathing was even the potion he'd been given putting him to sleep not a moment too soon. Embre stayed seated next to the others for several minutes with her arms tense against the arm rests, to be sure Harry was really sleeping soundly, and then she rose from her chair.
Sirius cocked his head and rose on all fours to follow. The door to the infirmary was cracked open, allowing him to nudge it open wide enough with his face so he could squeeze through.
Embre paced in erratic circles outside of the hospital wing. Pivoting on her heel sharply she walked as her trainers shuffling against the stone floor. Her wand was out, gripped convulsively in her hand as she struggled against the urge to let loose with a spell.
Embre felt like she would rip apart from the inside. As Harry's guardian it was her responsibility to see to his care, to keep him safe. She knew that not only could Harry have been spared the ordeal he'd gone through, but he would have, if the Ministry had respected her right to withdraw him from the tournament. All of the little pieces had fallen into place so easily for the Death Eaters and their Master because of the Ministry and its ability to totally disregard important matters without a second thought.
Her grief for Harry was being swallowed by the hatred bubbling up within her. Hot, thick and suffocating it welled up inside until she couldn't think.
Her wand clattered to the floor and her curled fist hit the wall with a sickening crunch. A hiss of pain came from her closed mouth and she cradled her hand.
"You should go back in and fix that up," Sirius remarked disillusioned beside her.
Breathing deeply, she turned her face and saw no one standing with her. Her knuckles were bleeding and throbbed hotly, but her head was somewhat clear.
"I set broken wings instead of broken arms, but I'm still a Healer," Embre said exhaling sharply. "If I wanted to mend this I would."
The tap of his shoes on the stone moved from the middle of the foyer and over to the wall. Unseen he slid down the wall and settled on the floor.
"We fought so hard," he stated, invisible where he sat. "It feels like we'll never be done fighting to make things better for Harry."
He rested his head back on the wall as Embre remained upright.
"When he was a baby it was exciting at first, the war," Sirius sighed. "It became too exciting quickly. After doing my part for the cause and I would remember the people who we were fighting for that needed a good world to grow up in."
He wondered if she'd even been listening until she came over to sit down against the wall beside him.
"Harry didn't grow up with the love he should've had, but at least after everything that was sacrificed he grew up without feeling afraid," Sirius mused. "I'll remember that in the days to come."
Everything was quiet except for the faint murmurs coming from within the infirmary.
Sirius had never felt more like an adult in his life and never more uncertain. Not for the first time he wished James was alive. He lifted his head when he heard Embre sniffle and stood up.
"Embre don't cry," Sirius said quietly watching her back. "I can't take it."
"Then go back inside," she told him.
She wiped the back of her hand against her face not making any sound, but unable to stop the tears from pouring out.
"What's going to happen to you after tonight?" she said.
"I don't know exactly, but I have the feeling I'll be needed," Sirius admitted.
"You'll have a job to do and I have one too," Embre said turning to face him. "When Harry wakes up I need to be strong. I have to fall apart now while he's still asleep. More than ever it's up to me to take care of him."
She dabbed at her eyes as he got up from the floor. Her wand floated in the air seemingly on its own as Sirius held it out for her. She took it in her uninjured hand and felt his hand close over hers.
"We have a few hours before he wakes up," he said. "If you need to you can let go. Just stay with me."
"I'll probably cry again," she warned him.
"I'll manage. I need you, and you need me," he said resuming his seat against the wall.
"Come on down," he insisted.
Embre gingerly sat down and scooted into his lap. His arms came around her waist, while he pressed his nose to the curve of her shoulder. Her hands rested on his arms and she leaned her head back against the invisible man beneath her. In spite of the horrors that they were coming to terms with there were no more tears as they sat together.
--
Late in the dark of night the black dog was running across Scotland. The hospital wing had erupted in chaos when the Minister had shown up. Dumbledore had tried to show the old fool reason and in the end Fudge had been concerned solely with himself. The Minister had left still clinging to his denial about You Know Who and with the comfort that the lie afforded him.
In his animagus form Sirius could only wait until all of the commotion in the hospital wing had died down. Only after Dumbledore had begun to instruct the witches and wizards at his disposal was his presence acknowledged. After the Headmaster had forced him to endure a rather revolting handshake with Snivellous, he was given the job of alerting all the old Order members.
Harry had wanted him to stay he knew, but it couldn't be helped. Embre would be there for the boy and she would do a fantastic job. She had her job and he had his.
When Sirius reached Buckbeak it would be goodbye Scotland and 'ello life on the road.
--
Okay so shorter, but I felt like I had to talk about where the two of them were at this point in the story. So GoP officially over and on to OotP!!! I have so been looking forward to writing this next leg of the story with so many things planned out! At the end when I had Embre punch the wall I was a little worried I was writing her out of character and I asked my beta and awesome sister about it. She told me that it seemed to her that it was the result of character development and that she could see something changing in Embre but that it fit, and I realize I agreed with her. My fave OC isn't going to go through a complete 180 or anything but there will be subtle tweeks, just wanted to let everybody know that. I will probably be posting for That Black Magick in a little while with a chapter that is pre-Committed to Memory. Please review even if they are anonymous and ta!