AN: Hi everyone -if you are still here that is!- I am not even try to excuse myself. Things got ugly, writing came second. But i finally got another chapter ready so here it is. Better late than never, right? Anyways i really hope you'll enjoy it. I know it's slightly smaller than previous ones but this was the only spot i could break it or it would get far too big for one chapter only. Please R & R. The story is closing as i've told you before, so writing chapters is kinda hrder now. Enjoy and please R&R!
PS. I have used a part from the book Harry Potter and the deathly hallows. Actually Voldemort's speech, when he calls everyone to hand him over Harry. I own nothing. That part is Rowling's writing and Rowling's only!
The three men looked at the young man in front of them silent. Dumbledore in his chair behind his desk was looking at Harry intently while his fingers did a circular complicated periodic movement with some weird object he possessed, while it made weird noises. Severus was leaning against the fireplace with crossed arms and a pained expression which did not give any hope for agreement to the boy's plan, while Sirius was already pacing around the office with jaw set and bewildered eyes.
"It's the only way!" Harry all but yelled after what seemed an eternity of silence.
"It is no such thing Harry! Absolutely no! I do not care what the headmaster or Severus think, you are my responsibility and I will not allow it!" Sirius said purposefully.
"Sirius, please consider what I am saying! Think about it logically! I will be in this castle! I will be fully prepared! Professor Snape will help me with what needs to be done to be sure that everything will go as planned! I will not occlude but instead I will enter his mind, I will seek for the other Hocrux, I might even get some information that could help us! I'll see what will be the snake's next mission and we'll send someone to kill it! We have no other choice! We need the snake dead, and know what the other Hocrux is!", Harry explained as patiently as he could now pacing himself unable to keep still from his racked nerves.
It was Snape who spoke next, "Harry I am afraid Sirius is right. It's far too risky. He will most likely sense you and might play you again like he did the last time… We cannot afford another minister of magic incident!"
"But I will be prepared this time! I will do it on purpose! I will not let him manipulate me!", Harry bellowed.
"I am sure that you will not intend to let him do any of these, to you my dear boy, but he will nevertheless try and probably succeed. He has gained immense power, Harry. You cannot risk putting down your mind walls.", Dumbledore tried to reason too.
"But it's the only way! I mean what's your plan then? Tell me another way of handling the situation that will put an end to all these and I will be the first to follow you through it!" Harry retorted exasperated.
"We have not thought of something yet Harry…" Dumbledore admitted with tired voice.
"See? But we have no more time!" Harry said again.
"Of course we have time! There is no indication whatsoever that he plans something immediate…" Sirius tried to persuade his godson, but was stopped by the teen's roar.
"Bloody bullshit!" Harry bellowed beyond himself losing the last self control he possessed. "He tried at the said minister incident, to murder me! And he'll come again! And I do not care about me, but as soon as that is done, then you will be next! All of you! We need to end this!"
"Enough!" His godfather's bellow thundered in the room shocking the boy to silence. "The case is closed! You will occlude! You will protect your mind and by no means try to intentionally communicate with him and that's the end of this!" Sirius was now looking the boy squarely in the eyes desperate to change his mind.
Harry looked with now moist eyes the other two in the room who looked at him nodding their agreement with his godfather. And then he snapped. All this time of silent distress, agony and anxiety, all the fear and the anger along with all the vain as they seemed battles they had all given all this time rushed to the surface and he could not control himself any more. With a release sweet and sour and bitter all at the same time he grabbed a small table that was in his path and lifting it he threw and smashed it to the opposite wall shuttering every object it held. Next was a chair that broke into tiny pieces on the corner of the fire place from which a not shocked Snape leapt the last minute.
It was a couple of objects later that Sirius snapped out of his shock and made it to Harry. He grabbed him wordlessly from both arms and fought their way out of the headmaster's office and on top of the spiral staircase. There with hot tears escaping his eyes at seeing his boy in such a state he turned him around and landed ten hard smacks to his bottom. And as he expected Harry was shocked back to control. He yelped at the first three and then broke into uncontrollable tears while the next ones landed on his bottom. Not from the pain, which was tolerable but from all the pressure he finally let go.
Sirius then pulled him in his arms, hugging him tightly trying desperately to sooth him. He would give everything he had if it meant he could spare the boy the suffering, if he could be in his place and Harry could live the happy life he deserved to have. It was not for another fifteen minutes before Harry finally made it to gain some of his composure back. He rested his head in his godfather's chest and felt the cold floor beneath them. They must have collapsed at some point to the floor he thought. He had not the strength to rise, so he just laid there.
"Please Sirius… I cannot bear this anymore… Let me do this… Give me the chance to end this…" he whispered once more.
Sirius kissed the top of his head before he answered for yet another time, "No, Harry. We'll find another way. We will."
Harry did not answer. He just nodded, mostly to himself rather than Sirius, before he tried to get up. He felt his godfather helping him. When they finally stood to their feet, he whispered to Sirius, "Let's go home…"
Sirius had asked for Remus to join him while the kids had already gone to bed. They sat in the living room one facing the other with a glass of fire whiskey in hand. Sirius was pale and tired. Remus thought he looked at least 10 years older than earlier in the day, but he doubted he was in any better state after his friend filled him in with everything that happened earlier.
"I always thought he was keeping a lot inside him, but never expected that much…" Sirius said guiltily.
"You couldn't know, Padfoot. Not even Severus had realized it and he was strolling in the boy's mind every other day…." Remus reasoned with him.
"What are we going to do, Remus?" asked Sirius and looked at his friend with eyes almost desperate.
"We'll find the seventh Hocrux…"
"We do not know, where it is… Or what…"
"Neither did we know anything for the other five and yet they are all destroyed…." Remus reasoned.
"Dumbledore had his bits and pieces about the previous ones… He has not the slightest idea of what we are looking for now…"
"We'll get through this, Sirius. we have our spies, we'll find a way to get access to the information we need one way or another."
"Let's just hope, he will not decide to make his move earlier than that…."
The quiet steps that sounded behind them made them both turn to find a pale looking Harry staring back at them.
"Harry….", Remus smiled, "Feeling better?"
"Yeah… Uh, may I go upstairs to see Gin? I'll only be a couple of minutes. I know it's past curfew, but she's awake and we'll be right on the stairs…"the boy said in a quiet voice.
Sirius contemplated that for a while, before nodding to Harry. It had been an exhausting night for him and he could more than understand the boy's need to see his girlfriend.
Harry sent the two men something that went close to a smile and then made his way out of their apartment and up the stairs to the Weaseleys front door where he knocked once and waited. After a few seconds Bill's voice asked for the password which would deactivate the protecting charms. Harry mumbled "Buckbeak" and the long haired red head opened the door somewhat worried.
"Everything alright Harry?" he asked concerned noticing his pale face.
"Yeah… I uh… Can I see Ginny for just a few minutes? Sirius said it was ok you can ask him, if you want…" Harry asked in a low voice but looked Ginny's brother straight in the eyes.
"Sure, come in!" Bill smiled sensing something was off.
"Would you mind if she came out? I need some privacy. We will not leave the floor or the tower." Harry said.
Billy frowned but nodded and disappeared to call his sister, who mere seconds later run to the door with a big smile that vanished as soon as she saw Harry's face.
"Merlin, Harry! You look awfully pale! What's wrong?" She asked worried caressing his cheek with her soft hand.
"I just needed to see you." Harry smiled and closed her in his arms breathing in her comforting smell and feeling the warmth of her body on his numb limbs.
"Harry, what's wrong?" She asked as she slowly broke the hug and dragged him to sit on the first step beside her.
"I am going to do something very risky tonight.", Harry whispered. "Which might or not work, but will certainly give us valuable information about Voldemort and the last Hocrux's whereabouts."
Ginny looked at him stunned and after a brief silence, she whispered, "What on earth are you talking about?"
"I've discussed it with Sirius and Dumbledore and Snape. They do not agree but right now it's our best chance."
"You won't be going somewhere he is again, right?" she asked now trembling slightly.
"No. Nothing like that. I'll attempt to enter his mind through our connection, like he did in the past."
"Ok… So you are doing this, against Dumbledore's, Snape's and Sirius' orders?", she easily assumed.
"Yes. They think it's too risky. But I've given it a lot of thought and cannot wait any longer. We do not have time although they don't want to admit it. The thing is, that in case Voldy realizes I'm in his head, he'll know what I am looking for. So he'll know that we know about Hocruxes. And in that case we might come to a confrontation sooner rather than later." he said and looked at her intently. "So I came to tell you that I love you. I love you so much. And no matter what happens from now on, I want you to always remember that, Ginny."
"Don't talk like that!" she said with moist eyes. She knew the time was close, but not that close. She shook her head as tears slowly made their way down her cheeks, "Harry, please… I love you…"
Harry hugged her hard and kissed her soft hair again and again, "I love you too, Ginny. Everything will be fine, you'll see, my love." He let her cry for a while in his arms before gently lifting her head to look at him. "I need to go back downstairs now, 'k? I want you to stop crying and make sure you do not speak of all these to anyone for now. And get some rest!" he said kissing her in between his words.
" 'K", Ginny whispered and slowly got up. Kissing her boyfriend once more, she wiped her eyes and went back inside closing the door quietly.
Harry took in a deep breath and with purposeful steps he headed back. Sirius looked at him slightly worried when he entered and Remus smiled again. He told them both goodnight and headed for his room, but before he entered he turned back and looked at his godfather. He racked his brains to find a way that would not reveal his plans to ask the question that burned him.
"Sirius?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"The castle is safe, right?", he asked anxiously. "I mean if he decides to attack us before we find the Hocrux, are we safe here?"
Sirius looked at him with sincere eyes and answered, "It's the safest place we can be Harry. But if he openly attacks, Hogwarts will not keep us safe for too long."
"But we are all one hundred percent ready for that scenario. Even if he attacked in ten minutes, we are all prepared and know exactly what to do to ensure first of all the safety of the students that live here and then to fight.", Remus answered.
Harry nodded. That was all he needed to hear. If he managed to know where the Hocrux was they'd have a member of the order to destroy it even if –in the worst case scenario- Voldemort was right outside the gate. Then they'd make sure to get the snake, and then Voldemort…. Piece of cake…
He entered his room and closed the lights. Then he sat on his bed in the meditation pose. Most nights that routine would help him close his mind and rise his walls. Tonight it would help him take them down. Tonight instead of trying to cut the connection in his head he tried his best to follow it with his thought.
He had no idea for how long he was like that, time did not matter at the moment, the only thing that mattered was the mind he tried to intrude. And then it struck him. The familiar burning pain that made him feel his head was being split in half and the fragments of pictures at the beginning. A starry sky, the moon, a cave… Harry tried harder. He disclosed the pain and concentrated on the images, then whispers were heard, angry whispers. He was angry. And worried. He was flying full speed towards a cave. He had to see… It couldn't be true! It couldn't! None could ever go through his obstacles, not to get access to one, let alone all five of them… The sixth would never leave his side again… He had to check all five of them tonight. And then Nagini would never leave his sight… And then he stopped. Midair. His face twisted in a mask of fury. And Harry knew he felt him.
He cut the connection instantly. And he knew. The headmaster was wrong, there was never a seventh Hocrux. And Voldemort within a few hours would know that all his Hocruxes but the snake were dead. In a few hours he would be outside the castle. He hopped up from his bed and burst out of his room shouting his godfather's name. To his surprise he and Remus were still talking in the living room though he had left them more than two hours ago. The two men shot up from their sits and looked at him worried wands in hands.
"What is going on? Are you ok?", Sirius asked worried as he strode to his godson.
"He knows! He knows we've killed his Hocruxes! He's on the way to some cave! And then he'll check the rest of them. He kept saying that his sixth and last was safe, so Dumbledore was wrong! It's only Nagini left. And he'll come Sirius, as soon as he finds out they're all gone, he'll come!", Harry all but yelled.
The two men paled at his words but they knew that right now there was no time for questions.
"Go and inform Dora and the kids, I'll get the Weaseleys. Harry wake up your siblings and go downstairs to Remus and wait for us. We'll then floo straight to Dumbledore's office. We need to evacuate the castle of all the kids that live here immediately.", Sirius said and he and Remus ran to the arranged destinations with Harry already outside Sesylia's room.
In a matter of less than two minutes all of them were gathered at Remus' and got in line to floo to the headmaster's office who was already alerted by Remus' patronum. When they stepped to the circular office the headmaster ordered them all to the great hall where as he said were currently headed all the Order's members along with the professors of the castle. Pale faced kids and grim looking adults headed to the assigned destination in silence. A terrible silence that almost screamed. Harry's heart was pounding and he was fighting with all his strength to keep his head occluded. He could actually feel Voldemort's constant attempts to force himself inside.
The great hall was different than usual. The tables had disappeared and people were running everywhere. The students who lived in Hogwarts this year were not many and Professor McGonagall had already started their transfer to their homes. But even without them Harry was surprised to see how many witches and wizards were actually in the order of the Phoenix and wand in hand were arriving through the great entrance in couples. When the evacuation was complete and the children along with the house elves were safely transferred away Dumbledore was heard beyond the voices demanding silence.
All eyes turned to him and they all waited for the next orders. The old wizard's eyes had lost their twinkle but they were purposeful and he was radiating a powerful aura that made Harry shiver. "Our school is threatened. Our lives themselves are in great risk. Voldemort is heading as we speak towards us and he is not alone. But we were prepared for this! It's a battle we both expected and trained for. Show your courage and fight for this school. Fight for yourselves, for your families, fight for the person that stands beside you, fight for the freedom that we'll lose if we let the darkness conquer. This is our chance! Our biggest shot! Let's bring the darkness down!"
The words gave them courage. Harry glanced at Ron, Hermione and his siblings who stood beside him and recalled all their adventures till this point. They returned the look and they slightly smiled. Sirius walked beside them and spread his arms to hug from behind all three of his children.
"Now,", Dumbledore continued, "I want everyone who is underage to follow professor Sprout to a secure room where you will always be guarded!"
"No!", shouted Sesylia before anybody else. "You trained us! We are going to fight!"
"This is no negotiation!", answered the headmaster.
"But, Sir, I am underage too! But you surely do not expect me to not be in this battle!", Harry spoke next.
"I am afraid, Harry, that is true. Although I'd like nothing more than secure you somewhere, you have to be present. Nevertheless you will be covered by all sides the whole time by Order members. And the same goes for Hermione and Ron. But Sesylia and Ginny, you will follow Professor Sprout right away. This is war. If you want to help, follow the orders that you are given."
Before either Sesylia or Ginny managed to express any more objections Mr. Weasely was quick to grab both of their arms and unceremoniously drug them to the closest empty classroom he could find, with the two aurors who would guard them right behind him.
Just as he led the girls inside a voice was heard calling Sesylia's name. The girl turned and saw Evan running to them. Turning her gaze to her best friend's father, she lowly asked, "Mr. Weaseley, please! Just give me a minute, to talk to him! I swear I will go in the classroom right after that, please!"
The man seemed to consider it for a while, before nodding.
Nodding gratefully Sesylia took the few strides to her boyfriend and hugged him tightly.
"I need to tell you something," Evan said seriously.
"Evan…"
"No! I need you to listen to me, let me finish and then say whatever you want, if you still want to talk to me. I am not Evan. There is no Evan. I am Draco Malfoy. I was endangered by Voldemort and Snape helped me to fake my death and then changed my appearance to be safe. Tonight it ends though, Ses. My name was a lie. But everything else is true. I love you. I love you more than words can say. I will understand if you don't want to see me ever again after this, but I need you to know, no matter what happens to me this night, I love you." When he ended his small speech, he regarded her intently trying hard to keep his composure.
Sesylia was stunned beyond words. In her eyes flashed one after the other disbelief, fury, love, distress… Evan couldn't tell what she was thinking. A few silent seconds later he was shocked out of his trance by a solid slap she landed to his face.
Her eyes shooting flames she grabbed his face right after that and kissed him deeply. "We are so not done with this conversation!" She told him dangerously when their kiss stopped. "You'd better not die on me out there, do you hear me? Cause I need to bite your ears off for having me in the dark all this time. I love you. I am furious, but I love you. Be careful out there!"
Smiling relieved the boy nodded and then seriously added, "I will. As you will stay in there and not try to get out and fight. Do you hear me? I will not be able to concentrate to anything, unless I know you are SAFE! Promise me!"
Flushing slightly the girl nodded. "I promise I will be safe," she said choosing her words carefully.
Before the boy managed to answer to that, Mr Weaseley called her name.
"I gotta go. I love you. Be safe!" she told him eagerly and couldn't help the tears escaping her eyes as she started walking back to the classroom, where Mr. Weaseley and the aurors were waiting. As she stepped inside, the door that closed blocked her view of Evan and she quickly collapsed on the floor crying hard. As Ginny run to her worried Sesylia could only lean on her friend and cry desperately, as all her loved ones, were about to risk their lives. As all those she cared for, were about to face the worst.
"All the professors! I will need your help to reinforce the protective charms over the castle. I want six members guarding the girls and four covering Harry. The rest of you in battle order." and with those words he and the rest of the professors made their way out of the castle.
"Dora, I want you with the girls in the room!" Remus said at the other side of the room as he closed the distance to his wife.
"You mean guarding them? But I am at Harry's cover!" she retorted.
"You are nowhere! You are pregnant! You are to go inside the room and stay with the girls. Make sure the three of you remain safe!"
"Remus there is no way that I will not stay to fight!" Dora yelled her cheeks flushing angrily.
"You will not endanger your life or the baby's, Dora! You will do as I say or, Merlin help me, I will cast the imperio on you if I have to!", was Remus angry answer and without letting her utter another word grabbed her arm and half dragged her to the classroom, where Ginny and Ses were in, and promptly locked it and made sure the guards would not allow anyone out.
He then spotted Sirius and started walking towards him. It was then that a blood-curdling voice boomed throughout the castle freezing everyone on the spot. "I know you are preparing to fight! Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of this school. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."
The silence that followed Voldemort's voice was brief. A couple of seconds later every member of the order got in battle order and Harry snapping out of his trance followed suit to take his spot like he had so many times during training. He glanced at his right and a few feet back where Hermione stood and a few feet on his left Ron. Allan was in front of his front guard wand in hand his eyes glinting threateningly. Harry's eyes moved then to the big clock of the Great Hall. Fifteen minutes. And it would start. He turned his eyes to the closest window and saw the dark mark glowering in the darkness. And in the moonlit sky the figures of deatheaters, hovering around it. The battle of Hogwarts was about to begin.