Chapter Twenty-Five

Nothing Personal

:.:.:

Two black shapes emerged out of thin air, blocking Finn and I in the row of shelves. They blocked our way left and right, eyes glinting through slits in hoods.

"I'm afraid I'll be needing that," Dolohov drawled, nodding toward the glass orb in my hand.

"Where's my grandad?" I demanded.

Even if Dolohov hadn't known before that what I said to Grandad that night in the graveyard was all an act, he certainly knew now, having undoubtedly heard what I said to Finn.

"You mean the traitor?" said Avery wickedly.

"Dear old Grandad . . ." said Dolohov, smirking. "I always suspected him — that father of yours, too — but I'll be damned if you Harrises don't put on a rather convincing show."

"Where is he?" I said again.

"You won't want to rush this story, Harris — it's got quite a good ending," he sneered. "You see, I always doubted Carlisle's allegiance, but never had any proof . . . but as luck would have it, the old man started unraveling, making mistakes — all on purpose, as it turns out. He wanted to be found out — found out and killed. His time was running out anyhow. I knew he was the one who tipped you off about the attack on that Muggle-loving Weasley . . ."

"And that was all the proof you needed?" I said mockingly.

"Oh no, y'see, I haven't gotten to my favorite part yet," he said fervently, wicked grin still in place. "It happened nearly a year ago but I just haven't had the chance to tell you, though I've certainly been meaning to — Nauchikh nov ezik." (I learned a new language)

My heart sunk. He knew the whole time.

"Where. Is. He."

"Well we couldn't very well just leave him here," Dolohov continued to speak as though this were a casual conversation, though his face was twisted up with so much pleasure, I could tell he was really enjoying this moment. "He would've ruined everything for you. But luckily for you, I am not unreasonable — unlike Bellatrix — Oh, I do not envy Potter right now . . ."

I turned to try and catch a glimpse of the others from down the row, but it was useless. Not only was row ninety-seven much too far away, but Finn and I were still being blocked.

"I can offer you a way out," Dolohov continued, silkily. "Give me the prophecy, and I will give you your grandfather, so that the two of you may enjoy his last — very few — days together."

"You'll just let me walk out of here, alive?" I asked in disbelief. "What about him?" I gestured to Finn who'd taken a protective stance beside me. "What about Harry and the others?"

"I will spare both you and your friend," said Dolohov. "Potter and the other children, however — that depends entirely on his cooperation."

"How do I even know you haven't killed Carlisle already?" I said severely.

"You don't trust me, Harris?" he said, feigning sadness, and then he gave a sinister laugh as I continued to glare silently at him. "Fair enough, I suppose. Carlisle is still alive, though just barely — Avery?"

Avery retrieved what appeared to be a small handheld mirror from his cloak and said to it, "Carlisle Harris." He then held it up to face me, but instead of my reflection, I saw Grandad. He was huddled up in the fetal position on the ground, looking even worse than when I'd seen him in the fire. But not only did he appear withered and pale, he was also bloody . . . bleeding . . . He clutched a wound on his chest.

"Where is he?" I choked out.

"Don't go all emotional on me, Harris — its quite unbecoming," Dolohov spat. He gestured for Avery to put away the mirror. "Now, hand over the prophecy and I will take you to him. You will need my help — it is a rather tough door to open."

A rather tough door to open? I mused. It can't be . . .

It was the door Harry couldn't open, the door Alohomora wouldn't work on — I knew it was. We'd been right there . . . I could've . . . But then I realized there wasn't anything I could've done, because I still would've had to find Dolohov.

"You know what?" I said. "I think I will hand over the prophecy . . . but I'd like to hand it over to my good friend, Finn, here."

And so very quickly and carefully, that was exactly what I did. I could tell by his expression that Finn wasn't sure why I'd given it to him, but he held it securely in his hand. Avery and Dolohov both retrieved their wands, as did Finn and I.

"I'd be careful if I were you," I said gravely. "One wrong hex and Finn might just drop your precious prophecy. Voldemort wouldn't be too pleased with that, would he?"

"You have no idea what that prophecy holds," said Avery tauntingly.

And the truth was that I didn't, but I had a fairly good idea.

"Just one question then," I said. "Why is it you two haven't attacked me?"

Dolohov and Avery were both silent and still for a moment, but the next, Dolohov tried to place me in the Full Body-Bind Curse.

"Protego!" I said in the nick of time, and then waited for one of them to make another move which didn't come.

"Oh come on, gents — you can do better than that," I said, Finn eyeing me as though I'd lost it. "But you'd best not do too much. After all, you need me alive — I'm the catalyst . . ." I repeated the word I'd heard whilst reading Snape's mind, something my father had called me, and judging by the looks on Avery and Dolohov's faces, I was right.

Voldemort was not after the Light of any Lumen, he wanted my Light, specifically. And although I was led to believe Finn's theory that it was simply based on revenge, I was starting to think otherwise. Between the control I possessed over my Light before Kleio even trained me in actually using it, and then my doing what she claimed was impossible, it was quite clear that my Light was rather powerful — I was rather powerful.

"REDUCTO!" I heard the others shout, followed by the crashing of shelves and glass orbs. I used the slight distraction to think Fos, and quickly placed my wand between my teeth so that both of my hands were free to send a blast of Light to both Dolohov and Avery.

Retrieving my wand from my mouth, I told Finn, "Run!" as the two Death Eaters flew backwards.

"I'm not leaving you!" he shouted, holding the prophecy close to him with one hand and keeping his wand directed at Avery with the other.

"Expelliarmus!" I said, sending Dolohov's wand flying out of his hand. "Finn, they'll kill you!"

"I've got the prophecy!" he countered. "Expelliarmus!" Avery was Disarmed as well.

We heard footsteps rushing toward us, but didn't have time to wonder who it was because they were suddenly rushing past us. It was Harry and Hermione, but when they noticed Finn and I, they turned back.

"Demetria, Finn, come on!" Harry urged.

"You go on, Harry!" I insisted, readying my wand as Dolohov retrieved his. "I'm not done here!"

"Stupe —"

"Protego!" I blocked another spell from Dolohov. "Go, I'll be fine!"

"Hermione, go!" Harry instructed.

"Are you — ?"

"Don't argue!" he said. "They'll kill you if they get the chance — go to the others!"

I groaned. Harry's hero complex was getting in the way of my agenda. And though reluctant, Hermione headed for the door through which we'd entered, but it wasn't long until we were joined by a few others.

"Well, well, well," drawled Lucius Malfoy. "Isn't this lovely? Just the two people I was looking for."

Harry, Finn, and I had huddled together, backs to one another and wands outstretched in front of us. Among Lucius, I also recognized Walden Macnair, Barton Crabbe, and Nigel Mulciber.

"Harry, I can't find the others!" shouted Hermione, running back into the room.

"Hermione, get ba —" I started, but Dolohov was quicker.

"Occidere Ferio!"

A streak of purple flame flew toward Hermione, and since she hadn't been expecting it, she couldn't protect herself in time. The flame passed right across her chest; she gave a tiny "oh!" as though of surprise and then crumpled onto the floor where she lay motionless.

"HERMIONE!" Harry cried, rushing over to her; the Death Eaters started to advance on him.

Fos!

My hands were outstretched once again, and I created a blast of Light large enough to knock every Death Eater on their backs, flying back a few feet.

"Is she — ?" Finn started.

"There's a pulse!"

"Harry, take her and go!" I ordered. "Find the others!"

I whipped around and saw Finn helping to hoist Hermione's limp form over Harry's shoulders, before readying my wand and turning back to give the two of them cover.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" I cried, Disarming three advancing Death Eaters with one hit.

"Gentle with those two!" Lucius ordered. "They have the prophecies!"

"And the Dark Lord needs the precious Lumen alive!" Avery shouted mockingly.

With Fos, I sent a bolt of Light from my left hand, directed only at Avery. But instead of sending him backwards, I started closing my fingers into a sort of almost-fist and dragged it across the air, sending him flying into shelves of prophecies.

"STUPEFY!"

Finn and Harry were now back on their feet, fighting Death Eaters with me.

"Occidere Ferio!" I shouted.

I was hoping to catch Dolohov off-guard, but he'd been watching me, waiting for me, and he blocked the curse.

"Oh come on, Harris — you can do better than that!" Dolohov mocked. "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Protego!"

His curse bounced off my shield, and when I tried to send the same curse back, he blocked it as well. For a second, I'd forgotten that Dolohov and I were not the only people in the room, but I was reminded of that fact when I heard someone shout from behind me: "Stupefy!"

"Protego!" I cried, whipping around and stopping Mulciber. And I knew Dolohov would take advantage of my back being turned, but I couldn't turn mine on Mulciber, so I attempted something . . .

Aspída!

My free hand was outstretched in Dolohov's direction, and my wand-wielding hand in Mulciber's. "Petrificus Totalus!"

And perhaps it was "another" fluke, as Kleio would've said, but it seemed more like the translation: unexpected success. I'd blocked myself from whatever hex or curse Dolohov tried to toss my way, and rendered Mulciber immobile as he fell to the ground. That was when I noticed that Dolohov and I were the only two left in the room . . . or at least we would be once Finn and Harry had completely left the room, the other four Death Eaters pursuing them.

"Alone at last," said Dolohov wickedly.

Our wands were outstretched as we moved around one another carefully. He continued to try and subdue me, and I continued to hit him with his own curse and kill him. Neither one of us had succeeded so far. Finally, Dolohov stopped.

"Y'know, Harris, as fun as this has been, I'm afraid I've grown tired of trying to reason with you. I reckon it might just be best to put Carlisle out of his miser —" "OCCIDERE FERIO!"

The purple flame from my wand finally hit Dolohov, though just barely, as he was rather quick. He only faltered for a moment, but I went to hit him again immediately after.

"Occidere Ferio!"

"Protego!"

He blocked the curse and then ran off into the room with the bell jar; I followed right at his heels.

FOS!

But I realized that was a mistake, as I'd knocked him off his feet, but sent him flying through the room with all of the clocks. He was one step closer to Grandad now, as he slid straight into a grandfather clock. My Light had also knocked over the contents of a glass cabinet; variously shaped hourglasses were now falling to the ground and shattering, but then springing back up, fully mended, only to do it all over again.

I followed Dolohov as he got to his feet and hurried behind the door of the Time Room, shutting it behind him. By the time I'd reached it and opened it, the wall was in the middle of its rotation, a blur of Dolohov standing still in the middle. I didn't wait for the spinning to stop, simply jumped out of the door and rolled, but when I went to get up, someone else was already helping me do so. I twisted my head around to find Avery, who I assumed must've followed me. His face was rather cut up and bloody from crashing into the glass orbs, and he was looking at me with the most sinister of expressions, madness in his eyes.

I struggled to break free of his hold as he forced my hands behind my back, but it was no use. He bounded my wrists together with an enchanted rope of some kind, and I knew this because not even my Light could break free of it.

"Impressive, isn't it?" he said darkly. "A little something they use to keep dragons under control."

It was undoubtedly Dragonclaw, and I was trapped. Avery continued to keep a tight grip on my wrists even though my hands were tied behind me, and Dolohov was tinkering with one of the black doors. It swung open, the room radiating with a pink glow which appeared to be coming from a large and elaborate fountain flowing with pink liquid, steam spiraling from it. But what was most strange was the scent wafting from this fountain. Somehow it reminded me simultaneously of the woody smell of a broomstick handle, freshly-brewed coffee, and something ambery . . . like . . .

"George?!" I called out in a panic. Avery laughed wickedly behind me.

But when Dolohov returned into the circular hallway with someone in his grasp, it wasn't George.

"Grandad!"

I didn't think it would've been possible, but he looked even worse than when I'd seen him in the mirror not long ago. Dolohov pushed him to the ground and shut the door behind him, the wall rotating again. I wriggled free of Avery's grasp and rushed to Grandad, though my hands were still bound, and dropped to my knees beside him.

"Grandad!" I said.

Slowly, he pushed himself up and looked up to meet my eyes.

"Demetria," he said softly, his hand rushing to clutch his wound. "I am . . . so sorry . . . for everything . . ."

"That's enough, old man," hissed Avery, forcing Grandad to his feet. "We should join the others," he then said to Dolohov. "Give this traitor a death like Turner."

"Turner?" I parroted, my heart dropping. Benjamin was a good man . . . but I suppose that was why they killed him.

Dolohov laughed and pulled me off the ground, forcing me forward with him as he opened a black door, revealing the Brain Room.

"Turner was a thorn in our side since he joined," he said. "His death was long overdue."

"And when Bellatrix rejoined us, she saw through him straightaway," said Avery wickedly, practically dragging Grandad behind us. "She didn't waste any time getting rid of him."

I couldn't believe Benjamin was gone . . .

There were a number of other doors behind the green tank which held the brains, and almost all of them were still open. I also saw Hermione's body left carelessly on the floor, along with Luna's across the room. Ginny was clearly injured but was trying to pull the tentacles of one of the brains off of Ron. I moved to help them, but Dolohov pulled me closer to him.

"If you cooperate, I'll leave them be," he whispered to me.

"Why should I believe that?" I said scathingly.

But Dolohov didn't answer me. Instead, he stood in the middle of all of the doors and shouted, "OY! WE'VE GOT HARRIS!"

"IN HERE, DOLOHOV!" shouted a voice I recognized belonged to Chadwick Jugson.

Dolohov followed Jugson's voice to one of the doors and then pushed me through it. And though I'd been expecting to roll on the ground, I quickly discovered that there was no ground — I was falling until I suddenly collided with something hard.

I could hear the Death Eaters laughing as I continued fall down stone step after stone step, bouncing on every tier until at last, I landed on my side in the sunken pit, my shoulder taking the blow. Near me, in front of the dais, stood Harry and Finn, back-to-back, in front of the Veil, and as I sat up, I saw the Death Eaters surrounding the room, including three I hadn't seen before: Augustus Rookwood and the Lestranges — Rodolphus and Bellatrix. I couldn't suppress a shudder as it rolled through my body.

"Perfect timing," said Lucius smoothly. "Potter and your friend here were just about to hand over the prophecies."

But it didn't look as though either one was going to be doing anything of the sort.

"What is he doing here?" shrieked Bellatrix, as she gestured to Grandad, Avery dropping him on the ground in front of me. But her expression switched to that of sinister pleasure when Avery raised his eyebrows to her and smirked. She understood what was about to happen, as did I.

"If you spare him, I'll give you the prophecy!" I shouted.

"Why should I believe that?" Dolohov quoted me mockingly, before giving a dark chortle. "You had your chance to negotiate, Harris, and I'm afraid that time has passed. But don't worry, I will make this quick . . . just as I always have . . . which reminds me, I reckon there's something you should know — something you both should know."

He looked between Grandad and I with a grin so wide and so evil, I knew I didn't want to hear whatever he was about to say.

"But before I tell you, I want you to understand . . . it was nothing personal . . ."

My eyes widened as I saw the end of a dream I once had play out in my head. I relived the death of my mother — a hooded figure had cooed, "It's nothing personal" to me when I was a baby, and then turned to my mother, lying helpless on the floor, and killed her.

"I was the one who killed Lucy and Aiden Harris!" declared Dolohov triumphantly. Death Eaters around the room gave cheers.

"You — You —" Grandad murmured, but he wasn't looking at Dolohov, he was looking at Lucius. "You never . . . told me . . . He killed my son! You bastard — !"

Avery slapped Grandad across the face and he shrunk back to the ground. I didn't say a word . . . I simply sat there silently on my knees, glaring at Dolohov, wanting more than ever to end his life.

"It feels great to finally get that off my chest!" he said fervently. "Now, where were we . . . ?"

I got to my feet as he took his time walking over to Grandad, wand pointed right at him.

"Avada —"

I charged at him and knocked my body into his, pushing us both to the ground. And at the very same moment, high above us, two doors burst open, six people sprinting into the room: Remus, Kleio, Sirius, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley.

All of the Death Eaters were now distracted by the Order members (which I hadn't realized Kleio was a part of), who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step toward the sunken floor. Harry and Finn both dove to the ground as well, crawling over to me.

"Are you okay?" Harry yelled, freeing me from my binds.

"Yeah, fine," I insisted. "What about you two?"

"Few cuts and bruises, but otherwise fine," Finn assured me.

My hands were freed just as a spell came hurtling toward us. We all leapt out of the way as it hit the stone floor between us, leaving a crater which separated me from Harry, Finn, and Grandad, who remained crumpled on the ground, writhing in pain.

Avery was making his way toward them. I reached for my wand in my back pocket but didn't find it, realizing I must've dropped it when jumping through the door as the wall was rotating. But there wasn't any time to summon it, so I sent a bolt of Light from my palm, pushing Avery into one of the tiers just as he was about to grab for Harry.

Harry, having just turned and realized what happened, shouted "Thanks!" to me.

I gave him a nod and said, "Accio Wand!"

But my wand hadn't yet reached my hand when Dolohov came up from behind me and cried, "Petrificus Tot —"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

My wand flew into my hand just as Finn had Disarmed Dolohov for me.

"Thanks, but you two've got to get out of here," I told him urgently.

Dolohov had just retrieved his wand when Sirius hurtled out of nowhere, ramming Dolohov with his shoulder, sending him flying out of the way.

"Demetria, you're going with them!" he ordered.

"I'm not leaving yet!" I said, wand on Dolohov. "Occidere Ferio!"

But much like every other time, Dolohov was too slippery, my purple flame just barely grazing him.

"We'll protect your grandad!" Sirius assured me.

"You don't understand!" I insisted, dodging a curse from Dolohov. "There's something I have to do!"

From behind me, I heard someone shout, "Avada —"

In an instant — Fos! — I'd turned around and saved Grandad just in time. My Light hit Bellatrix, and as my eyes followed where she landed, I saw Tonks falling from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat. I didn't have time to look around and find the others though, because I knew Dolohov would be sending something my way. Sure enough, I felt something streak across my face like a blunt knife, but knew I'd just barely avoided Dolohov's purple flame.

"Demetria, GO!" cried Remus, intervening. He was now duelling Dolohov as Sirius dashed to meet Bellatrix across the room.

I looked to the tiers of stone steps and saw Finn had been injured and Harry was trying to help him up toward the door, but Lucius was rushing toward them.

"HARRY!" I warned.

He whipped around, wand outstretched and shouted, "Impedimenta!"

Lucius was blasted away from the two of them and smashed into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix were now dueling. I saw Lucius aim his wand at Finn and Harry again, but I stopped him before he could even draw breath to strike.

"Levicorpus!"

A flash of green light and Lucius was dangling upside down in midair, and I quickly flicked my wand to the side, tossing him along with it, right into a stone tier. When I looked back to check on Grandad, something else caught my eye. Directly above all of us, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Some Death Eaters began scrambling, but I noticed one in particular was not as she continued to duel Sirius — Bellatrix.

I saw Sirius duck a jet of red light she'd sent his way: He was laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

But the second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock as he lost his balance. I watched as Sirius's body curved in a graceful arc, sinking backward through the ragged black curtain of the Veil. I stood motionless . . . Sirius Black was dead . . .

Bellatrix gave a joyous scream, and that was when I turned back, remembering I was supposed to be preventing the same thing from happening to —

"NO!" I cried out.

I was too late.

There was a flash of green light and then Grandad was absolutely still on the ground, the caster standing directly over him, grinning triumphantly and looking me right in the eye. And I knew there was commotion going on around me, I could hear Harry screaming for Sirius and Bellatrix cackling, but I continued to glare at Dolohov, the man who killed the only three Harrises I'd ever had in my life.

"I'd best be off, then," he said, catching sight of Dumbledore, his smirk faltering as he started backing away.

All I could think was that I still wanted him dead . . . and that was all I cared about at the moment . . .

"AVADA KED —"

"Demetria!"

Remus had grabbed me around the chest as Dolohov headed for one of the doors.

"Get off me!" I cried. "Remus, let me GO!"

"So you can run off after him and land yourself in Azkaban?" said Remus, keeping his hold around me tight.

"I'LL KILL YOU, DOLOHOV!" I roared as he rushed to climb the stone steps, avoiding other people's spells. "YOU HEAR ME? I SWEAR TO MERLIN, I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL — I'LL —"

My throat was closing, rendering me speechless. Tears spilled over as I started to sink, but Remus kept me up, as he always had, as he always would . . . he was the closest thing to actual family I had left.

I was no longer struggling against Remus's hold, but rather accepting it as he kept his arms around me. I looked to find Harry had been held back by Moody, and Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilized by invisible ropes. Kleio was attempting to revive Tonks, and Kingsley was behind the dais continuing Sirius's duel with Bellatrix. Finn was approaching slowly, limping.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly before turning to Harry. "Both of you . . ."

Harry and I didn't say anything, merely nodding our thanks. And when we looked to one another, it was almost as though our eyes did the talking for us as they spilled out sorrow and condolences.

"Let's — let's find the others," said Remus quietly. "Where are they all, Finn?" He turned away from the archway, and it sounded as though every word was causing him pain. He'd just lost one of his best friends . . . the only best friend he had left.

"They're all back there," said Finn, indicating toward the Brain Room. "They're okay — Hermione's unconscious, but we felt a pulse —"

There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. I saw Kingsley, yelling in pain, hit the ground. Dumbledore aimed a spell at Bellatrix as she hurried up the steps, but she deflected it.

"Potter — don't!" cried Moody, for Harry had just ripped his arm from Moody's grip.

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" Harry bellowed. "SHE KILLED HIM — I'LL KILL HER!"

Everyone was shouting their disapproval, yelling for him to stop, but I said nothing. After all, I'd just done the very same thing, and Remus clearly hadn't forgotten because he tightened his grip around me once Harry ran off. But I knew there wasn't any point in trying to catch Dolohov, for he was probably long gone by now. Instead, I turned to look at Grandad, his lifeless body still sprawled out on the ground. Remus, seeing this, let me go.

I walked over to Grandad and sunk to my knees beside him. I knew this day would be coming, and I'd done as Snape said and tried to prepare myself for it, but I don't reckon anything can truly prepare you for the loss of someone you love. And what made things worse, was that I'd gotten my hopes up. Back at the castle, when Harry said we had to come and rescue Sirius and Grandad, I knew Grandad couldn't be saved . . . but then I had that plan . . . . that stupid fucking plan. I had a glimmer of hope spark inside me and it wouldn't fade away, no matter what. Even when I saw Grandad in the mirror, when it was clear he wouldn't make it, I kept that damn hope alive. I should've known better . . . I should've known . . .

I closed Grandad's eyes.

This was not the Carlisle Harris I wanted to remember, but I knew it was the one I'd see whenever I thought of him. Sure, I'd think back to all the fun we had in Diagon Alley, or when he'd read me stories or was teaching me piano and violin . . . but I would never be able to rid myself of this sight — his face pale and withered, his chest covered in blood . . .

"Demetria, I am terribly sorry for both your loss and the fact that I must ask you to leave," came Dumbledore's calm voice. I looked up and saw him peering down at me, sorrow in his light, spectacled eyes. "Voldemort will be coming here, and it would be best if you returned to Hogwarts, where you will be safe and out of his reach."

"Er, Professor," said Finn. "Harry and I — we sort of dropped the prophecies. It was my fault — Harry had to help me because of my leg and —"

"That is quite all right, Finnick," Dumbledore assured him. "It's far better than having them fall into the wrong hands."

"D'you know what they said?" My words came out in a whisper.

Dumbledore offered a small smile and said, "There will be plenty of time to discuss that later, if you would please wait for me in my office."

I nodded and then looked down at Grandad once again, remembering something he told me when I was younger:

"Tria, when my time comes, don't give me a funeral," he said airily.

"But, Grandad —" I protested.

"I'm serious — no one'll come," he said with a laugh. "It'll just be you and Tinker, maybe a nice sŭprug if you've found one" — I chuckled then too (husband) — "but honestly, I don't need one. All I want is for you to remember me. Besides, I certainly don't need this body on display."

I laughed again.

"Demetria?" said Dumbledore gently.

"There's just" — I gave a small cough, trying to clear the lump in my throat — "something he would've wanted me to do."

Dumbledore gave me a nod, and as calmly as I could, I thought Fos. My palms began to glow with the usual white Light, but it didn't jet out. I got to my feet and let my hands hover over Grandad until the Light had lifted him gingerly off the ground.

"Nadyavam se da se sreshtnat otnovo," I repeated the words I'd said that night in the graveyard (I hope to meet again) "Obicham te."

I moved my hands slowly in the direction of the ancient archway until Grandad had passed through the curtain of the Veil, where he could rest safely on the other side.

"Kleio?" said Dumbledore.

"Yes?" said Kleio, stepping forward.

"If you would be so kind as to conjure a Portkey and bring Demetria, Finnick, and the others back to Hogwarts?"

"Right away," she said solemnly.

I started to follow Kleio and Finn to the stone tiers, but stopped and turned back to Dumbledore. "Professor? Would it . . . be all right if Remus came too?"

"I think it might be best if you were all to go," said Dumbledore, looking to the Order members. "Poppy can see to any injuries."

No one objected to that, as they all joined Kleio, Finn, and I in climbing the steps.

"How did you know to come?" I asked Remus.

"Kleio overheard you in the classroom," he explained.

"She never mentioned she was in the Order," I said, mostly to myself.

But that wasn't the only thing Kleio never mentioned to me.