Well, nearly two months later, I finally get the motivation to write the
end of this story. I have been suffering from a prolonged bout of Digimon-
itis and anime watching in general and it is just now letting up. I have
quite a few HP ideas in the works so just bear with me. Oh, and thanks to
Dark Angemon for giving me the link to a pic of Colin. 10000 points for
you!!!! Anyway, I hope those of you who read this have some remembrance of
what happened a while ago. Just in case, here is a little summary of the
major events that have led us here.
Voldemort is on the move and Dumbledore has left Hogwarts to aid the battles. Draco has renounced his earlier ways and turned his back on his family. He and Harry have traveled to Malfoy Manor to get proof of Lucius' evil ways. Ron is being dominated by the spirit of an ancient Dark Wizard. Harry was nearly killed in the Manor and Draco used Dark Magic to save him, causing Draco much guilt. Everyone in Gryffindor is eagerly awaiting their return under a cloud of uncertainty. Ron's dominated body begins the final preparations for some gruesome ritual and Hermione learns the truth about who is doing it.
I know that isn't the greatest, but it will have to do. So, without further adieu, here we go..
Harry and Draco were flying low and fast over the countryside. The sun had long set and it was getting bitterly cold. Draco was worrying more and more about Harry the further they flew because he was slouching further and further over his broom in obvious exhaustion and pain. He watched as Harry shook his head to clear cobwebs and then wince at the exertion.
"Harry," Draco shouted over the wind, "can you make it the rest of the way? Honestly?"
"I have to, Draco. I don't think I have a choice. We have to get back as soon as possible." Harry was about to say more when his face went blank for a minute and then he yelled out.
"Harry, what was it?" Draco asked fearfully.
"Something just happened to Colin, just now. I don't know what, but it was bad. Very bad." Draco watched as Harry seemed to be reenergized and got back into a more aerodynamic position on his broom. Draco took little solace in that because he noticed that part of Harry's robe was sticking to his back, right about where he got slashed by the beast in the manor, indicating fresh blood leaking from the bandages.
"Hang in there Harry," he thought, "we're almost there. Another half hour at the most." He kept hoping that Harry wasn't poisoned by that creature.
Hermione raced at full speed to the Astronomy Tower, hoping against hope that she could get there before anything bad happened. She had never felt anything like she was feeling now, a deep foreboding that ate her to the core. "This must be what Colin was feeling earlier," she thought as she took the steps three at a time. "No wonder he was all weirded out."
She finally made it to the landing and was nearly out of breath. She paused only for a moment and tried to open the door but found it locked. "Alohamora," she chanted, but was disappointed when it wasn't opening. "Well, then I guess I'll have to use a more powerful unlocking spell," she said aloud and stepped back. She pointed her wand and let loose another string of syllables and grinned in satisfaction when the door exploded backwards with a boom and a gout of flame, blown completely off its hinges. Her grin quickly faded once she stepped in the room through the clearing smoke and dust. What she saw rocked her to say the least.
A gigantic, bubbling pot was in the center of the area, a raging fire stoking it hot. Something was floating directly over it, what was that? "Oh no!" she gasped as she recognized it as the sleeping form of Colin. He was floating on his back, spread-eagled with his limbs seemingly taut. She had barely formed the idea of getting him away from there when a voice called from the shadows.
"Ah, a visitor," it said and Hermione turned to face this new sound. She saw what appeared to be a nearly corporal creature hovering a few inches above the ground, dressed in ancient and tattered clothes. Beside it was Ron, eyes completely empty with a large knife in one hand, the blade of which glinted cruelly in the soft light.
"Ron, what are you doing here? With him?" Hermione screamed, her voice echoing.
"Don't waste your voice, girl, he can't even hear you right now. He is my puppet, my tool."
"What are you doing with Colin Creevey?" She said with as much bravery as she could muster, which wasn't all that much since she was scared out of her mind at the moment.
"It is simple, child, quite simple. I am going to kill the boy and live again." He looked at the horror on her face and smiled a viciously maniacal smile. "See, isn't that simple?"
"I, I won't let you do that, Surtain. Forget about it." Hermione pulled her wand from her robe pocket and pushed her sleeves up, ready for battle.
"Really? I somehow doubt you can do anything about it, child."
"We'll see about that," Hermione said and started flicking her wand. Before she could as much utter a sound, a debilitating cold stole over her, wracking her in chills. She felt her consciousness quickly slipping away. "Ron, help me." she squeaked before passing out in a heap.
"Foolish child." Surtain looked over her body. "Bind her and put her in the corner. I might have use for her once I have a body again." Ron started walking to Hermione's limp form and drug her off to the corner and tied her to the wall.
Harry and Draco didn't bother with a door, instead they flew directly into one of the windows in the hallway outside the Gryffindor tower. They rushed through the doorway, pissing off the freshly awoken Fat Lady and rushed up the steps. Draco was right behind Harry as he stormed into Colin's room, waving all the lights on. Harry saw two beds filled, neither of them Colin's. He pulled a sheet off one of them and saw Dennis.
"Dennis, wake up. You have to wake up!!" Harry yelled as he shook the boy. "Get up!!" Dennis finally began to come around.
"Harry, you're back," Dennis started talking but was interrupted by Harry.
"Where's Colin, Dennis? Where is he?"
"Ron took him," Dennis said slowly.
"He's been cursed, Harry," Draco said, quite sure of it.
"Where to, Dennis?"
"He took him to the Astronomy Tower. You have to save him, Harry, you have to save my brother."
"I'm on it, Dennis," Harry said as he was already heading for the door. He turned quickly to face Draco.
"You're not coming with me, Draco." Draco started to protest but Harry never gave him the chance. "You've got to go find McGonagall." Draco looked rooted to the floor. "GO!!" Harry yelled and took off, Draco a few seconds behind him.
By the time Harry made it but halfway to the Astronomy Tower, it felt as if his whole body was on fire. Weakness was sapping his strength, and his wounds were bleeding freshly again. His head was pounding but he shunted the pain aside and stormed on.
"The time is at hand, my slave. Wake up the lamb," Surtain said to Ron. Ron nodded slightly and walked to the form hovering above the caldron. He slapped Colin's face quite hard and that did the charm. Colin awoke and was looking around, trying to figure out what was going on.
"What am I doing here?" he asked Ron but got no reply. He then saw the spirit in the shadows and asked the same to it.
"You are here, Colin Creevey, to die, so that I may live again." The spirit grinned again, scaring Colin terribly. Surtain looked at the sky and saw the conditions were perfect. "Now Ron, complete the task.
Colin tried to squirm but found he couldn't move an inch. He tried to yell but found no breath to do so. Ron walked close again and pulled the long bladed knife from his side and settled into position.
"Noooooo!!!!" Colin screamed as he finally found his voice. As the blade sunk into the soft skin of his neck, Colin made one last sound, a cry that shook the entire school. "Harry!!!!!" The words died on his lips as he felt himself slipping away. The last thing Colin did was turn his head to one side and saw his life blood flowing into the bubbling mixture below, making it steam up and throw off beams of soft red light. His last thought was "The sunset. How nice. Where's Harry?"
"Well done, my slave. Now take the body and set it aside. Your part is over. I know but have to wait for the spell to complete itself." Ron obeyed and took Colin's no longer suspended body and deposited it by the wall. The caldron's light continued to pulse and bubble all the while.
While running up the last flight of steps, Harry heard Colin's blood- chilling scream and then felt his passing. He sank to his knees as a pain so much worse than anything imaginable washed over him, dulling him, enraging him. After a minute, he climbed to his feet and ascended the last few steps, determined to kill someone. Harry found the door blown aside and stepped into the room. Amongst the smoke, he saw first Colin's body and then Ron holding the knife.
"Ron, why?" he asked while blinking back tears. Ron gave no answer, only standing in one spot, knife still in hand. Harry walked up to him in a blind rage.
"Why Ron? Why did you do it?" Ron still gave no answer. Harry pulled deep from within himself and swung at Ron, hitting him as hard as he possibly could. Ron's head flopped back and he went sprawling. Crying profusely now, he left Ron's unmoving body and slowly walked to Colin's.
"Oh Colin, I'm so sorry I didn't get here in time. I'll never forgive myself for this. My angel is gone. My angel is gone." Harry picked Colin's body off the cold stone and held it close to his own. "Colin!!!!!" he screamed.
"Ah, the mighty Harry Potter, reduced to a bawling child," a voice called from the other side of the room. "A pity you weren't here to see it, it was grand."
"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked in rage. "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything directly. Your best friend Ron did it all for me, not exactly willingly, but I'll not argue semantics all evening."
"Why?" was all Harry could muster.
"So I can live again, why else? With his essence, I again have a body after so many long, cold years."
"I'm going to kill you a second time, you know," Harry said as he rose to his feet. He set Colin's body gently to the side and saw the stone glow softly. "Colin," he whispered as he broke the stone from the clasp. Why he did this, he didn't know, he just did it.
"Harry, run for it! He's dangerous!!" Hermione called from the other side of the room. She had just awoken and heard the last few snippets of conversation.
"Hermione?" Harry called and saw her laying by the wall.
"Run Harry, run."
"Somehow I doubt that the brave Harry Potter will run," the spirit said, gaining positive form by the second. It was now almost opaque. "Please, stay. Stay and die along with your love."
"No!!" Harry yelled and pulled the stone in front of him. It glowed a fierce orange-yellow and a bolt of flame rushed from it and struck Surtain, taking him by complete surprise.
"I don't know where you got that ancient relic, but I do know that you don't have the foggiest idea of its true power. Now I will show you the error of your ways. A jet of blue-white flame struck Harry seemingly from nowhere, but instead of burning, it was so very cold.
"Did you like that Harry Potter? Well how about this?" Surtain asked as he waved a hand and sent Harry flying into the wall near Ron.
Harry lifted his head, taking every ounce of strength he had and looked directly at Surtain. Surtain was grinning at him. "If it is any consolation, you will help me rise in infamy. I will have killed Harry Potter, something that Voldemort has been trying for years. First you, then the world." Surtain was laughing.
Harry pulled himself to his feet and started walking toward him. He no longer had the stone in his hand, he had dropped it when he was tossed across the room. Harry pulled his wand and pointed it. Hermione screamed. Surtain grinned. Ron came to, himself again.
"Go ahead, Harry, do whatever you can."
Harry gritted his teeth and found himself repeating the words that Draco had uttered a day or so before. The green-black lightning launched from his wand and hit Surtain squarely in the chest. Hermione screamed again. Surtain looked momentarily hurt and then laughed. "You know Harry, I could use you as an apprentice. I know for a fact that you've never used that before and you have great potential. I could use you, but I won't." Surtain pointed his finger and a small glowing blue orb made its way slowly to Harry. It stopped a few feet away and hovered a second before exploding in icy shards. Harry was thrown backwards and cut everywhere.
Ron shook his cobwebs away. He looked up and saw Harry fly backwards and get up and get knocked back again. He felt something warm in his hand and looked down to find the stone that Harry had received so long ago. A voice spoke in his head, a voice he'd heard in a dream even longer ago. "Now Ron, now is the time. A wrong may be righted, as long as the soul is willing. Are you willing?" Ron searched his heart for a scant few seconds before finding the answer. He knew what all he'd done. "Yes," Ron said strongly, causing the attention of Surtain and Hermione to shift his way.
"You know the cost, are you ready?" the voice asked and Ron knew. He knew too well.
"Yes."
"Then it is done." Ron felt the stone start to hum lightly and he was suddenly flooded with the knowledge of the ages. He felt warm, he felt light. He felt himself begin to lift from the ground.
Hermione watched as Ron talked to himself and then began to glow. He levitated off the ground and became wreathed in flame. Hermione's jaw dropped as she saw a form emerge around him, slowly coalesce into a flaming bird. A phoenix. "Ron, no," she yelled as she suddenly had an idea of what was going to happen. Be it insight, a good guess, or dumb luck, she knew. Ron's glowing form glided in between Surtain and Harry's body.
"No you don't," Surtain yelled and threw another icy ball at Ron. Ron raised a hand/wing and the sphere melted in mid-flight.
"Yes," Ron said in an old voice. "Your time is over." A small ball formed in front of Ron and grew in intensity and size, quickly gaining the size of a softball. "Farewell, Surtain. You used me and now you must be destroyed. Prepare for hell." Ron spoke again in that ancient voice. The ball of light exploded into a white beam and raced through the room and hit Surtain. It engulfed him and he began to dissolve into nothingness while emitting a horrible scream.
Once Surtain was gone, for good, the phoenix turned to Hermione and her bindings dissolved. "Ron, don't do it, please."
"I have to, Hermione," he said, his voice resonating deeply in the room. "I have no choice. I have to fix what I've done." Hermione was crying profusely.
"No Ron, don't!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I must. Please, please tell Harry I never meant to hurt him or Colin ever. Please, make him understand, Hermione."
"You can tell him yourself, just don't, Ron."
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I've made my choice and I must go through with it. Farewell, I must finish what I've started. Make him understand, please."
Hermione raised her hand to block the blinding light that was coming from Ron. She then felt and heard a shriek that defies description shake the room and then there was silence. All the golden light, the phoenix, and Ron collapsed into a small sphere and settled over Colin's body. The light poured into the corpse, healing the wounds, bringing color back to the skin. The ball settled into the body and within seconds was gone.
"Ron!!!" Hermione cried and she felt him disappear. She watched in amazement as Colin stirred and soon sat up.
"Hermione, what just happened?" Colin asked in wonderment. Hermione could find no words to describe the events so she said nothing at all and cried.
Draco and Professor McGonagall stormed into the room at that moment to find a hysterical Hermione, a bewildered Colin, and a badly injured Harry.
Man, I wish I'd have written that long ago now. It just flowed onto the screen unlike anything I've written before. It was like it was alive and trying to get out. I hope that anyone who's made it through the whole story isn't too disappointed in the ending. I don't know if I dropped enough hints about the power of the stone before, but it will have to do. Just don't be like, 'well, that was sort of cheesy'.
Now that I'm back to writing HP again, look for more of this soon. It will be a sequel to the story; I won't say too much right now, just be ready for Harry having problems with Ron's gift, a quest, ancient places far away, high magic, and Draco's atonement. I won't give you the title now because it will give away too much too early. Just keep checking back, k?
energy
Voldemort is on the move and Dumbledore has left Hogwarts to aid the battles. Draco has renounced his earlier ways and turned his back on his family. He and Harry have traveled to Malfoy Manor to get proof of Lucius' evil ways. Ron is being dominated by the spirit of an ancient Dark Wizard. Harry was nearly killed in the Manor and Draco used Dark Magic to save him, causing Draco much guilt. Everyone in Gryffindor is eagerly awaiting their return under a cloud of uncertainty. Ron's dominated body begins the final preparations for some gruesome ritual and Hermione learns the truth about who is doing it.
I know that isn't the greatest, but it will have to do. So, without further adieu, here we go..
Harry and Draco were flying low and fast over the countryside. The sun had long set and it was getting bitterly cold. Draco was worrying more and more about Harry the further they flew because he was slouching further and further over his broom in obvious exhaustion and pain. He watched as Harry shook his head to clear cobwebs and then wince at the exertion.
"Harry," Draco shouted over the wind, "can you make it the rest of the way? Honestly?"
"I have to, Draco. I don't think I have a choice. We have to get back as soon as possible." Harry was about to say more when his face went blank for a minute and then he yelled out.
"Harry, what was it?" Draco asked fearfully.
"Something just happened to Colin, just now. I don't know what, but it was bad. Very bad." Draco watched as Harry seemed to be reenergized and got back into a more aerodynamic position on his broom. Draco took little solace in that because he noticed that part of Harry's robe was sticking to his back, right about where he got slashed by the beast in the manor, indicating fresh blood leaking from the bandages.
"Hang in there Harry," he thought, "we're almost there. Another half hour at the most." He kept hoping that Harry wasn't poisoned by that creature.
Hermione raced at full speed to the Astronomy Tower, hoping against hope that she could get there before anything bad happened. She had never felt anything like she was feeling now, a deep foreboding that ate her to the core. "This must be what Colin was feeling earlier," she thought as she took the steps three at a time. "No wonder he was all weirded out."
She finally made it to the landing and was nearly out of breath. She paused only for a moment and tried to open the door but found it locked. "Alohamora," she chanted, but was disappointed when it wasn't opening. "Well, then I guess I'll have to use a more powerful unlocking spell," she said aloud and stepped back. She pointed her wand and let loose another string of syllables and grinned in satisfaction when the door exploded backwards with a boom and a gout of flame, blown completely off its hinges. Her grin quickly faded once she stepped in the room through the clearing smoke and dust. What she saw rocked her to say the least.
A gigantic, bubbling pot was in the center of the area, a raging fire stoking it hot. Something was floating directly over it, what was that? "Oh no!" she gasped as she recognized it as the sleeping form of Colin. He was floating on his back, spread-eagled with his limbs seemingly taut. She had barely formed the idea of getting him away from there when a voice called from the shadows.
"Ah, a visitor," it said and Hermione turned to face this new sound. She saw what appeared to be a nearly corporal creature hovering a few inches above the ground, dressed in ancient and tattered clothes. Beside it was Ron, eyes completely empty with a large knife in one hand, the blade of which glinted cruelly in the soft light.
"Ron, what are you doing here? With him?" Hermione screamed, her voice echoing.
"Don't waste your voice, girl, he can't even hear you right now. He is my puppet, my tool."
"What are you doing with Colin Creevey?" She said with as much bravery as she could muster, which wasn't all that much since she was scared out of her mind at the moment.
"It is simple, child, quite simple. I am going to kill the boy and live again." He looked at the horror on her face and smiled a viciously maniacal smile. "See, isn't that simple?"
"I, I won't let you do that, Surtain. Forget about it." Hermione pulled her wand from her robe pocket and pushed her sleeves up, ready for battle.
"Really? I somehow doubt you can do anything about it, child."
"We'll see about that," Hermione said and started flicking her wand. Before she could as much utter a sound, a debilitating cold stole over her, wracking her in chills. She felt her consciousness quickly slipping away. "Ron, help me." she squeaked before passing out in a heap.
"Foolish child." Surtain looked over her body. "Bind her and put her in the corner. I might have use for her once I have a body again." Ron started walking to Hermione's limp form and drug her off to the corner and tied her to the wall.
Harry and Draco didn't bother with a door, instead they flew directly into one of the windows in the hallway outside the Gryffindor tower. They rushed through the doorway, pissing off the freshly awoken Fat Lady and rushed up the steps. Draco was right behind Harry as he stormed into Colin's room, waving all the lights on. Harry saw two beds filled, neither of them Colin's. He pulled a sheet off one of them and saw Dennis.
"Dennis, wake up. You have to wake up!!" Harry yelled as he shook the boy. "Get up!!" Dennis finally began to come around.
"Harry, you're back," Dennis started talking but was interrupted by Harry.
"Where's Colin, Dennis? Where is he?"
"Ron took him," Dennis said slowly.
"He's been cursed, Harry," Draco said, quite sure of it.
"Where to, Dennis?"
"He took him to the Astronomy Tower. You have to save him, Harry, you have to save my brother."
"I'm on it, Dennis," Harry said as he was already heading for the door. He turned quickly to face Draco.
"You're not coming with me, Draco." Draco started to protest but Harry never gave him the chance. "You've got to go find McGonagall." Draco looked rooted to the floor. "GO!!" Harry yelled and took off, Draco a few seconds behind him.
By the time Harry made it but halfway to the Astronomy Tower, it felt as if his whole body was on fire. Weakness was sapping his strength, and his wounds were bleeding freshly again. His head was pounding but he shunted the pain aside and stormed on.
"The time is at hand, my slave. Wake up the lamb," Surtain said to Ron. Ron nodded slightly and walked to the form hovering above the caldron. He slapped Colin's face quite hard and that did the charm. Colin awoke and was looking around, trying to figure out what was going on.
"What am I doing here?" he asked Ron but got no reply. He then saw the spirit in the shadows and asked the same to it.
"You are here, Colin Creevey, to die, so that I may live again." The spirit grinned again, scaring Colin terribly. Surtain looked at the sky and saw the conditions were perfect. "Now Ron, complete the task.
Colin tried to squirm but found he couldn't move an inch. He tried to yell but found no breath to do so. Ron walked close again and pulled the long bladed knife from his side and settled into position.
"Noooooo!!!!" Colin screamed as he finally found his voice. As the blade sunk into the soft skin of his neck, Colin made one last sound, a cry that shook the entire school. "Harry!!!!!" The words died on his lips as he felt himself slipping away. The last thing Colin did was turn his head to one side and saw his life blood flowing into the bubbling mixture below, making it steam up and throw off beams of soft red light. His last thought was "The sunset. How nice. Where's Harry?"
"Well done, my slave. Now take the body and set it aside. Your part is over. I know but have to wait for the spell to complete itself." Ron obeyed and took Colin's no longer suspended body and deposited it by the wall. The caldron's light continued to pulse and bubble all the while.
While running up the last flight of steps, Harry heard Colin's blood- chilling scream and then felt his passing. He sank to his knees as a pain so much worse than anything imaginable washed over him, dulling him, enraging him. After a minute, he climbed to his feet and ascended the last few steps, determined to kill someone. Harry found the door blown aside and stepped into the room. Amongst the smoke, he saw first Colin's body and then Ron holding the knife.
"Ron, why?" he asked while blinking back tears. Ron gave no answer, only standing in one spot, knife still in hand. Harry walked up to him in a blind rage.
"Why Ron? Why did you do it?" Ron still gave no answer. Harry pulled deep from within himself and swung at Ron, hitting him as hard as he possibly could. Ron's head flopped back and he went sprawling. Crying profusely now, he left Ron's unmoving body and slowly walked to Colin's.
"Oh Colin, I'm so sorry I didn't get here in time. I'll never forgive myself for this. My angel is gone. My angel is gone." Harry picked Colin's body off the cold stone and held it close to his own. "Colin!!!!!" he screamed.
"Ah, the mighty Harry Potter, reduced to a bawling child," a voice called from the other side of the room. "A pity you weren't here to see it, it was grand."
"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked in rage. "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything directly. Your best friend Ron did it all for me, not exactly willingly, but I'll not argue semantics all evening."
"Why?" was all Harry could muster.
"So I can live again, why else? With his essence, I again have a body after so many long, cold years."
"I'm going to kill you a second time, you know," Harry said as he rose to his feet. He set Colin's body gently to the side and saw the stone glow softly. "Colin," he whispered as he broke the stone from the clasp. Why he did this, he didn't know, he just did it.
"Harry, run for it! He's dangerous!!" Hermione called from the other side of the room. She had just awoken and heard the last few snippets of conversation.
"Hermione?" Harry called and saw her laying by the wall.
"Run Harry, run."
"Somehow I doubt that the brave Harry Potter will run," the spirit said, gaining positive form by the second. It was now almost opaque. "Please, stay. Stay and die along with your love."
"No!!" Harry yelled and pulled the stone in front of him. It glowed a fierce orange-yellow and a bolt of flame rushed from it and struck Surtain, taking him by complete surprise.
"I don't know where you got that ancient relic, but I do know that you don't have the foggiest idea of its true power. Now I will show you the error of your ways. A jet of blue-white flame struck Harry seemingly from nowhere, but instead of burning, it was so very cold.
"Did you like that Harry Potter? Well how about this?" Surtain asked as he waved a hand and sent Harry flying into the wall near Ron.
Harry lifted his head, taking every ounce of strength he had and looked directly at Surtain. Surtain was grinning at him. "If it is any consolation, you will help me rise in infamy. I will have killed Harry Potter, something that Voldemort has been trying for years. First you, then the world." Surtain was laughing.
Harry pulled himself to his feet and started walking toward him. He no longer had the stone in his hand, he had dropped it when he was tossed across the room. Harry pulled his wand and pointed it. Hermione screamed. Surtain grinned. Ron came to, himself again.
"Go ahead, Harry, do whatever you can."
Harry gritted his teeth and found himself repeating the words that Draco had uttered a day or so before. The green-black lightning launched from his wand and hit Surtain squarely in the chest. Hermione screamed again. Surtain looked momentarily hurt and then laughed. "You know Harry, I could use you as an apprentice. I know for a fact that you've never used that before and you have great potential. I could use you, but I won't." Surtain pointed his finger and a small glowing blue orb made its way slowly to Harry. It stopped a few feet away and hovered a second before exploding in icy shards. Harry was thrown backwards and cut everywhere.
Ron shook his cobwebs away. He looked up and saw Harry fly backwards and get up and get knocked back again. He felt something warm in his hand and looked down to find the stone that Harry had received so long ago. A voice spoke in his head, a voice he'd heard in a dream even longer ago. "Now Ron, now is the time. A wrong may be righted, as long as the soul is willing. Are you willing?" Ron searched his heart for a scant few seconds before finding the answer. He knew what all he'd done. "Yes," Ron said strongly, causing the attention of Surtain and Hermione to shift his way.
"You know the cost, are you ready?" the voice asked and Ron knew. He knew too well.
"Yes."
"Then it is done." Ron felt the stone start to hum lightly and he was suddenly flooded with the knowledge of the ages. He felt warm, he felt light. He felt himself begin to lift from the ground.
Hermione watched as Ron talked to himself and then began to glow. He levitated off the ground and became wreathed in flame. Hermione's jaw dropped as she saw a form emerge around him, slowly coalesce into a flaming bird. A phoenix. "Ron, no," she yelled as she suddenly had an idea of what was going to happen. Be it insight, a good guess, or dumb luck, she knew. Ron's glowing form glided in between Surtain and Harry's body.
"No you don't," Surtain yelled and threw another icy ball at Ron. Ron raised a hand/wing and the sphere melted in mid-flight.
"Yes," Ron said in an old voice. "Your time is over." A small ball formed in front of Ron and grew in intensity and size, quickly gaining the size of a softball. "Farewell, Surtain. You used me and now you must be destroyed. Prepare for hell." Ron spoke again in that ancient voice. The ball of light exploded into a white beam and raced through the room and hit Surtain. It engulfed him and he began to dissolve into nothingness while emitting a horrible scream.
Once Surtain was gone, for good, the phoenix turned to Hermione and her bindings dissolved. "Ron, don't do it, please."
"I have to, Hermione," he said, his voice resonating deeply in the room. "I have no choice. I have to fix what I've done." Hermione was crying profusely.
"No Ron, don't!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I must. Please, please tell Harry I never meant to hurt him or Colin ever. Please, make him understand, Hermione."
"You can tell him yourself, just don't, Ron."
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I've made my choice and I must go through with it. Farewell, I must finish what I've started. Make him understand, please."
Hermione raised her hand to block the blinding light that was coming from Ron. She then felt and heard a shriek that defies description shake the room and then there was silence. All the golden light, the phoenix, and Ron collapsed into a small sphere and settled over Colin's body. The light poured into the corpse, healing the wounds, bringing color back to the skin. The ball settled into the body and within seconds was gone.
"Ron!!!" Hermione cried and she felt him disappear. She watched in amazement as Colin stirred and soon sat up.
"Hermione, what just happened?" Colin asked in wonderment. Hermione could find no words to describe the events so she said nothing at all and cried.
Draco and Professor McGonagall stormed into the room at that moment to find a hysterical Hermione, a bewildered Colin, and a badly injured Harry.
Man, I wish I'd have written that long ago now. It just flowed onto the screen unlike anything I've written before. It was like it was alive and trying to get out. I hope that anyone who's made it through the whole story isn't too disappointed in the ending. I don't know if I dropped enough hints about the power of the stone before, but it will have to do. Just don't be like, 'well, that was sort of cheesy'.
Now that I'm back to writing HP again, look for more of this soon. It will be a sequel to the story; I won't say too much right now, just be ready for Harry having problems with Ron's gift, a quest, ancient places far away, high magic, and Draco's atonement. I won't give you the title now because it will give away too much too early. Just keep checking back, k?
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