Most of the students were out meeting their parents. Bill strode into the Hospital Wing, looking fit and tanned and was swept up into a huge hug from Mrs Weasley. Harry couldn't help but catch her glance around, thinking 'one more and everyone will be here.' She gave a little shake of her head, admonishing herself for having forgotten that Percy was gone, probably for good.
There were hugs all around, and as Bill surveyed Harry, he said, "You look loads better, mate." Mrs Weasley had sent him letters detailing all she knew of Harry and Ginny's budding relationship. "I suppose she's got you doing ten laps a day?" he said, looking at his sister with a huge smile. "Right Tyrant that one! Small, but nasty...ouch! See?" he laughed, rubbing his arm, where Ginny had punched him. Maybe this week wouldn't be so bad after all.
As they made their way to the Great Hall, a sight met Harry's eyes that he could not believe. There, sobbing into her parents arms, was Cho Chang. Harry took a deep breath and before he could become indignant, Ginny burst out loud, "What in Merlin's name is she doing here?"
Mr Weasley reluctantly informed them that Cho had won a retrial and as such was free during family week. Harry mastered himself, after all, she hadn't been proven guilty, but either way, guilty or not, he would have nothing to do with her. Her past associations with the convicted kidnapper, Marietta Edgecomebe, was enough to taint her in Harry's eyes.
Ginny did not store her anger toward Cho as well as Harry had. She would have felt better if Harry had one of his famous outburst against her. When he didn't, she wondered with some trepidation, why not. The fact that Harry had just let it go, bothered the fiery Ginny. She flaunted the fact that she was Harry's girlfriend, until one thing occurred to her, she hadn't been officially asked! One date to the dance, and a few kisses, did not a relationship make.
Harry noticed Ginny looking pouty, when only minutes before she had been so happy. "What's wrong?" he asked. He was just no good at guessing girl's moods.
"Her," Ginny replied, jerking her finger toward Cho Chang. "The nerve!" Harry was touched by her protectiveness of him, and Ginny was horrified that she had just admitted jealousy. She didn't even know if they were an official couple.
For once, (it must have been a blue moon) Harry finally did something right to mend the matter. He slipped his arm around Ginny's shoulders. The first really public display of affection he had done, especially in front of Mr and Mrs Weasley and Ginny's older brothers, all of whom were very tall and very protective of their little sister.
Ginny felt Cho's eyes burn into her back as she had glared at them before leading her parents into the Great Hall, but she didn't care. Harry was holding her, and for that moment, everything was perfect. In the back of his mind, Harry had congratulated himself. He had wanted to say some very rude things to Cho, but had restrained himself for the Weasleys.
When Hermione's parents arrived, Harry thought Ron was going to faint. Hermione had written to her parents that she and Ron were a steady couple now. It was Ron's first meeting with them as being more than just a friend to their daughter. Ron had rehearsed many things he should say to them, now that he and Hermione were going out, but the easy manner in which they greeted him, took a boat load of worry away.
"Er, hello Mr and Mrs Granger," he said stiffly, as Mrs Granger took him into a big embrace.
Harry saw Neville leading his Gran to the great hall. Luna Lovegood approached Neville and his Gran on the arm of a very distinguished man in his early fifties. "Neville I'd like you to meet my father." Ron could relate fully, watching them, as Neville reverted back into his old stuttering awkward self upon meeting his girlfriend's father. Luna was rather perplexed at this. He had always been so calm before.
"I'm Ms Longbottom, pleased to make your acquaintance. Neville show some manners," Gran snapped as Neville shrugged off his introductory duties.
"And you," said Luna's father, asking Luna, "Who's your friend?" Mr Lovegood was beginning to wonder if poor Neville was under a Confundus Curse of some sort.
"Neville, my love, you've nothing to worry about," Luna told him sweetly. "Dad's known we're in love for a long time." Neville's Gran would normally have lost her marbles over a statement like this. She hadn't really cared for Luna on the few occasions they'd met, but than no one would ever be good enough for her grandson. Now, however, staring at Luna's handsome father, Gran mumbled something like, "that's nice." Neville came out of his stupor at hearing this.
"Well, since we've such a small group, perhaps we can sit together at the feast?" Gran suggested, never having been this friendly with anyone in all the time Neville had lived with her.
"Delighted," replied Luna's father, extending his arm to Neville's Gran, who actually looked delighted.
"See? I told you, silly," Luna ribbed Neville. As they passed the Weasleys and the Grangers, Mrs Weasley invited them to sit at their very large table.
Ron and Harry couldn't look at each other for fear of bursting out laughing at the thought of Luna's father and Neville's Gran getting together. The stiff old lady had melted right in front of them and it would be a long meal for Neville.
Harry saw Hagrid away in the distance, appearing to be working still. He hadn't considered that staff were having family members in as well, and that Hagrid was in Harry's boat, he had no real famiy. Hagrid was with someone, but Harry could not distinguish whom.
Harry was about to turn his back on the scene, when he felt a certain pang to turn around and invite Hagrid to join them. After all, Hagrid had always been like a favourite uncle to him. He looked more closely when he heard someone say, 'half a minute then," Harry turned and saw the most unlikely thing he'd ever seen at Hogwarts, Dudley Dursley.
Feeling all was ruined, despite having let go of Cho's presence at the feast, Harry could not let this go like he had everything else that was plaguing him. Dudley was going to ruin everything. Brushing past Dudley, who had expected this kind of welcome, Harry said, "can I have a word Hagrid?" but it was more of an order than a request.
The two of them found a private place to talk while Hermione made small talk with Dudley, and Ron glared dangerously at him. When the twins stopped short of saying something with a look from Mr and Mrs Weasley, that would have no doubt offended the newcomer, Dudley pretended that he was merely putting his hands behind his back, when really he was covering his backside, something he'd done in the presence of wizards ever since Hagrid had sprouted him a pig's tail. He also clamped his jaw tightly, remembering the ton tongue toffee that had caused his tongue to swell out of his mouth hideously.
The Weasley boys found it amusing to watch Dudley squirm. Harry had never been a complainer, but they knew of the torments inflicted upon him from Dudley, when he should have been like a brother to him. Mr and Mrs led the way in to the Great Hall, pleasantly surprised to find their table just below the Headmaster's.
Outside, the cold air was making Harry's breath visisble, as he stormed at Hagrid. "Hagrid? What's he doing here! This is my world, my home...what've you done?" Harry had relished leaving Privet Drive with all it torments, to come home to Hogwarts . These two worlds should not collide.
"If ye'll be calm, I'll tell yeh," Hagrid implored, holding up one of his enormous hands. Harry was about to stock back to the Hospital Wing and forget family week altogether, but he couldn't resist hearing why someone had been so abysmally inconsiderate to invite the boy that had made his young life a living hell, to the one sanctuary he had in the entire world.
"Firs' of all, it wasn't my idea. I told Dumbledore ye'd never go fer it, and that's when he tells me that's why we couldn't tell you about it. Yed've never agreed it."
"Well, he's right. I don't agree. Get him out of here."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Harry. He's here as Dumbledore's guest," Hagrid regretfully informed him, sounding genuinely sorry.
"Great than, problem solved. He can eat with Dumbledore, stay with Dumbledore and even run a three legged race with Dumbledore, than he'll see the fun I've had with the bloody git all my life! One nice gesture, probably fake, doesn't make up for a lifetime of being the dirt under his shoes."
"Harry, wait please," Hagrid called as Harry turned to take another route to the Hospital Wing.
"I've got no family either, Harry. I've tried with Grawpy, and sure, he's made progress."
"It's not Grawpy's fault that he was raised by giants, Hagrid. Dudley and I were raised together. When kids would pick on me, they were inevitably led by Dudley. When I came here, I found out what a friend was for the first time. I don't need him, I've got the Weasleys." Harry would have said, 'and you too Hagrid,' had he not been so angry at him at the moment for keeping Dumbledore's secret.
"Why don' yeh jus' give it a week's time, Harry. Remember, yer not allowed to do magic outside of school, but as yer in school..." Hagrid winked, remembering a similar conversation he'd had with Harry as he dreaded returning to Privet Drive.
Hagrid was right. Here, he could use magic, and as long as he wasn't caught by a teacher, the Ministry did not monitor magic at the school. Harry grinned wickedly, picturing 'Professor Moody' turning Malfoy into a ferret in the halls, and replacing Malfoy with Dudley as the ferret. This could be fun.
"You're right Hagrid," said Harry, feeling no welcoming thoughts toward Dudley, but rather, 'he's on my turf now, let's see how he likes a little turnabout.' Hemione had always said what goes around comes around, and now Dudley would be the tormented one. He could not let on to Hagrid the depth of his desire to see Dudley suffer, so he said slyly, "I wonder if Dudley likes ferrets."
Hagrid asked Harry if he was able to see himself back up to the school himself. Harry was confused as to why Hagrid was not attending the welcoming feast, so he asked about it.
"Nah, yeh know me, don' like big crowds an all..." True, Hagrid usually enjoyed the quiet of his grounds keeping duties, but now that Harry's anger over Dudley had been ebbed somewhat, he suddenly felt sorry for the half giant.
"You've got to come to the welcome feast, Hagrid," Harry said suddenly. "And you've got to sit next to me. You've always been like family to me, even before the Weasleys..." Harry recalled and it suddenly struck him that Hagrid must have been in considerable danger the night he had rescued Harry from his ruined home. There had been Death Eaters everywhere that night and Harry had really thought only of Sirius' role in all of this, not of Hagrid's actually risking his life for him as well.
He'd never thanked Hagrid, as he'd never fully appreciated it, and now when Hagrid spoke to him, it was as if he'd been reading Harry's mind.
"Yeh should be able to depend on someone without bein' beholdin' to 'em. Honestly Harry, watching you grow up has been the highlight of me life," Hagrid told him proudly.
Harry felt just too old to say 'I love you,' so swallowing his pride that had just welled up inside of him, he formally invited Hagrid to join them, telling him that it would mean a lot to him if he would accept.
"Oh, thas' alright Harry, I'm not dressed fet it. Jus' been out checkin' on me pumpkin patch for the Halloween feast."
"It doesn't matter how you're dressed Hagrid, you're my..." he didn't know whether to say friend or family, so feeling that friend wasn't enough, but family might be too assuming, he merely said. "It would mean a lot to me," once again.
Hagrid would do anything for his beloved boy, and vice versa, so they made their way to the feast with Hagrid's massive hand on Harry's shoulder, almost knocking him down, cane and all.
Tonks had apparently been talked out of resigning from the Order, but she was looking worried and weary. This, Harry knew, would not be a holiday for her. Harry's eyes roved around the Great Hall as all eyes turned on him, suddenly very glad that Hagrid was beside him. At least he could blame the sudden cessation of conversation and the stares on Hagrid's very ugly yellow suit that he had insisted upon changing into. The hundred of whispers around him feel very aware of himself and very clumsy. He tried to look straight ahead. He knew this moment would be difficult, but it felt like too much.
Harry fixed his eyes across the room toward Ginny, telling himself that he'd be okay when he reached her, but he was going too fast. As he passed a table full of mainly Ravenclaws, his cane fetched up on something solid and he fell to the ground. If Harry thought this was bad enough, he was quickly surrounded by about six impressive individuals, one of whom was Kingsley Shacklebolt. Tonks had cleared the astounded Ravenclaws and their guests from the area, rather heavy handedly.
As they hauled him to his feet, amidst gasps of dismay from the assembled guests, Harry saw Professor Snape standing up at the teacher's table, wand at the ready. Many of the students and guests had scrambled under tables to take cover, from what, they did not know, but this was Harry Potter.
From four points in the room, the all clear was given. Harry was escorted by the Aurors to his table, very embarrassed and wanting very much to leave and never come back. Ginny always knew when not to say anything, and now was it, so she just put her hand on his shoulder and rubbed gently, as Mrs Weaslely asked him if he was alright. Harry wouldn't have admitted to having hurt himself right now, and he was grateful that the twins tried to make light of things.
"Have a nice trip, Harry?" they chorused, and he was grateful for the distraction, which was actually Mrs Weasley telling them off for being insensitive. Hagrid had stopped to talk to the Aurors as Harry was just beginning to think that the amount of security was a little overdone. That was until he chanced a glance at the table where Malfoy sat, his stuck up looking mother, Narcissa, sitting beside him. He withdrew his gaze.
Hermione was delighted that though the food appeared magically on the plates, the house-elves came out timidly and sat among them at their own table which resembled a child's table at a party. Everyone, especially the Muggles applauded, and the house- elves smiled shyly in appreciation for the compliment.
Ginny waited until all eyes were on the elves, to ask Harry in private if he was alright. He craved her attention but not this kind right now. He'd hoped to just have a normal evening, and he refused to mention the fact that he'd smacked his already damaged jaw again on a chair back. "Really, I'm okay, can we just leave it at that?" he smiled, not too convincingly.
"Harry mate, why aren't you eating? It's the best feast ever!" Ron had actually emptied his mouth before speaking as his parents were sitting at the table.
"Not hungry," Harry lied, hoping his fall wouldn't cause his aching jaw to swell as he sat there.
"Madam Pomfrey told us that if anything happens, we're to send you straight back to the Hospital Wing, mate. If you don't eat, mom'll..." Ron tried to whisper in warning to Harry.
Harry drew his wand silently under the table, and words shot out the end of it to Ron silently in a vapour under the table. 'Ron, Madam Pomfry gave me pain tablets. They're beside my bed. Can you get them for me?' The words vanished in a vapour mist. Ron looked worried until Harry reassured him with a nod that it was nothing major, but Ron still felt weird about going against Madam Pomfrey's orders.
Ron returned moments later and handed Harry the tablets under the table. Harry snuck them and felt almost instantly better, until he realized, much too late, that they were also relaxation tablets and he had not noticed this because he had always taken them just before sleep anyway. He felt his nervous tension vanish. Suddenly, nothing seemed to be too much for him, in fact this was fun, too much fun.
Harry enjoyed just sitting there watching Tyler talk to his parents. Mr Golden, being unused to the magic as yet, was still excited at anything he saw, while Tyler and Stephanie had become quite accustomed to it. Helen, Tyler's Grandmother, was highly impressed.
"See dad?" said Ron. "That's the look you get every time you see a Muggle contraption," he pointed to Howard and Helen and the fascinated looks they got every time something would appear on a plate. Mr Weasley chuckled appreciatively. It looked like his first good laugh in a long while.
Hermione kept shooting worried looks at her parents, who hadn't gotten over the spectacle of security that happened when Harry had fallen. They were now well aware of the risks to Harry's life, and in turn, to Hermione, and they wished that this could all be magically over, but magic doesn't work that way.
Hermione hoped someone would make small talk with her parents to make them feel more comfortable, but the phrase, 'be careful what you wish for,' should have been blaring in her ears when she wished this, because Mr Granger finally spoke up and said, "So, Ronald, What is it you said you wanted to be when you leave school?"
"Oh, an Au...oh!" he groaned, as Hermione kicked him hard in the shin. Auror was the last profession they would want to hear their daughter's boyfriend had chosen. Too risky.
"Er..." Ron hesitated, and Mrs Granger saved him.
"Oh don't worry dear, plenty of time. You're young yet, you don't need to know now," she assured him, not knowing how wizarding schools quite worked yet. But Ron did have to know and pick appropriate choices now.
"...Er, yeah," he just said again. Mrs Weasley, who Ron had thought would be mad at him for not giving a direct answer, mistook Ron's sudden hesitance to talk, as a sign, that maybe, finally, he'd given up on this most dangerous of professions. She smiled at Ron appreciatively as they all, except for Ron enjoyed their meal.
Harry finished everything on his plate, not stopping to listen to the conversation at hand, until he had heard Ron's hesitation at what he wanted to be. A few moments after Ron thought he was off the hook for the time being, Harry's slowed mind caught up to the conversation.
"Ron, you've always wanted to be an Auror, you know that!" Harry said carelessly. Hermione almost kicked Harry too, although it would have been quite a stretch for her to reach him, and she could hurt his legs.
"What's an Auror?" Mr Granger asked.
"Oh...um, like...those pleasemen you have. A lot of them you call Bobby, why's that?" Ron asked, trying to change the subject, but getting laughed at by the Muggles at the table, which still worked in his favour. "What?" he asked quite seriously in response to the laughter.
"They're not Bobby as in Robert, Ron. That's just a title, and it's Pol- ice-men, Hermione corrected, shaking her head. She really did have to get Ron and the Weasleys to her house one of these days for an extensive visit. She invited all of them to come for visit one day soon.
"Oh yes, what a wonderful idea..." Mrs Granger agreed with Mrs Weasley that now that Hermione and Ron were dating, they should get to know each other better. Mr Weasley was of course, very eager. 'Imagine staying in a Muggle house,' he thought to himself. 'It would be like living off the land. Draw your own bath, cut up your own vegetables, do your own dishes, vacuum,' now that sounded like fun.
"Whew!" Ron sighed, now that the topic had turned. "Harry what did you tell them for?"
Harry looked very dopey, and Ron knew instantly that he'd grabbed the wrong tablets. He'd seen Harry under the influence of these tablets before, ones that Harry had thought were just for pain and were strictly for bedtime. Madam Pomfrey knew that if Harry found out that they had a calming draught in them, he would never have taken them. Harry had always been brutally honest and forthcoming when under their influence, and he usually fell asleep soon after taking them. Hermione and Ron had learned a lot about Harry when he took these pills, but as they helped him rest, they would keep Madame Pomfrey's secret from him. As far as Ron knew, Harry hadn't had any of these tablets since he'd been with Ginny more and more, and regretted having made this huge mistake.
Ron whispered to the twins about the situation with the medicine mixup and they agreed to help get Harry out into the fresh air before he could make an ass of himself. They convinced Mrs Weasley that they needed Harry to pose for an outline of his body for a fireworks display. Ron knew they had to act fast when Harry calmly stood to leave with them, when normally he'd have been mortified at such a request. Dumbledore had commissioned the twins to put on a huge fireworks display for the guests as this was their specialty.
Ron got Hermione's attention and managed to convey that Harry was on the wrong medication tonight. It would be okay if they could just get him out of there before he started blabbing. No one wanted Ginny to find out about the mistake Ron had made, and she had been heavily engaged in conversation with Bill, whom she hadn't seen in a long while. Ginny knew something was wrong when Harry stood happily to go pose for them as eagerly as Gilderoy Lockehart would have done. Dudley said nothing during the meal and no one encouraged him.
"We'll walk him back. Fred and George will be busy," Ron stated as he and Hermione stood to leave.
"Me too!" Ginny said, knowing that something was definitely up, but before they could even reach the huge oak doors, Tonks was on them like white on rice.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked. Her manner had changed dramatically since the earlier security breach on her watch at St Mungo's.
"If you don't let us out, Harry'll get killed. He'll die of embarassment," Ron whispered into her ear. Ron explained the medicine mixup, and feeling sorry for Harry's earlier mishap, she relented, but not without insisting on going with them.
Tonks had no self confidence anymore as she summoned Kingsley Shaklebolt to accompany them to 'get the fireworks ready.' They had managed to get Harry out of the Great Hall before he'd done anything stupid. No one had noticed the few Slytherins who had left about the same time.
As Harry splashed cold lake water on his face, his senses came back to him, but without the sleep that always followed taking this medication, he had a feeling much like a hangover. He would not be returning to the feast, but not for this reason.
From a distance in the direction of Sashu's enclosure, there was a massive premature explosion of fireworks, and Fred and George took off in the direction of their display, which was clearly being tampered with.
The twins were met with a scene of complete disaster. Charlie was sprawled on the ground unconscious, and they saw Sashu ushering her young out of their enclosure where a huge hole had been ripped. As near as Fred could tell in the frantic moments that ensued, the babies were unhurt, but Sashu herself had blood trickling from her nostrils, and they knew that whomever committed this terrible deed had used powerful magic, for dragons are not easily injured.
Acrid smoke filled the twins lungs and their eyes burned, as the smoke found its way toward their friends by the lake.
Harry could sense his presence. He could feel Voldemort's excited anticipation was not his own and he wanted to bolt, to run away from this nightmare. It had to be a nightmare, even if it was the worst he'd ever had, for never before had the Dark Lord breached Hogwarts grounds in his bodily form. The pain flaming across his forehead made him long for the sickness from the potion again. He didn't even think of magic. He didn't even know where anyone was as the smoke enveloped them, making them individuals, alone to fight for themselves. Even Hermione and Tonk's simultaneous cry of 'Lumos,' did nothing to penetrate the billowing dark clouds of choking smoke. Everyone was coughing, but they could each hear that Harry was coughing and choking more violently than anyone else.
"Harry!" Ginny screamed, as she felt his cold flesh, though he was sweating. "Come on, I'll help you!" If Harry had been well and calm, he would have remembered his direction charm he'd used in the Triwizard tournament, where all he had to say was, 'point me,' and the wand would direct him in a Northerly direction.
In his frantic pacing to get to the school for help, Harry had lost his cane, but now he felt he wouldn't need it anymore as he slumped to the ground, feeling Volemort's presence growing nearer with every searing flash of blinding colour before his eyes from the pain in his scar. He was getting closer. Voldemort was getting closer.
"Ginny! Get away from me! Now!" Harry bellowed forcefully. Ginny had no idea that what was happening, was so serious. She felt her brothers had mistimed their display and nothing more. No one knew what lie ahead, but Harry.
Although nothing else in all of the encompassing gloom at what would surely be the end of his life, could be illuminated, there, in the distance, Harry could make out the hated red slit pupils of Voldemort's eyes, staring boldly out of the nothingness of inky black smoke. He had brought his entourage, or had they been sitting comfortably at the Slytherin tables only moments before, breaking bread with those they intended to murder? And the Dementors, Harry could feel them, only this time, it wasn't a dream. Harry was so frightened and weak already that any amount of Occlumency or Patronus Charms would never save him now.
Harry was surprised at himself. In so many of his dreams, he'd wanted to give up and die, but as he felt his beloved Ginny fall limply at his side, victim of the Dementor's influence, he fought as hard as he could. He could feel the ground rumble under his body. There was no way he had the strength to summon a Patronus now and for the first time in years, he could hear his mother's screams, but this time, there was a new horror to haunt him. Sirius's body fell into a slow graceful arc into the veil of darkness, the look of fear and surprise on his face that Harry would never forget, but something else, regret. Harry could almost read Sirius's last thoughts as he fell in his mind over and over again, as Voldemort approached, apparently enjoying watching the Dementors do their work.
Harry could vaguely hear his friends crying out curses in all directions, and through dimmed eyes, he saw a beaver, Hermione's patronus...no,it was a badger, his foggy brain corrected. The horrible creature scattered as Voldemort screamed in angry retort, his sport having been interrupted. Soon, the air was filled with corporeal Patronus's from many different sources, everyone but Harry and Ginny. The two slit like pupils trained on where Harry and Ginny had been, unable to see any better in the dark than they were. They heard Voldemort cry, 'Lumos,' but it only served to make a vague outline of himself, and with the tell tale red eyes, Voldemort was now more visible than anyone else.
Harry knew that the battle he faced now would be his last. He wanted to aim the fatal curse at Voldemort and be done with it, but the eyes had vanished. Harry had no strength left in his legs, and what he could muster out of wanting to get away from Ginny before Voldemort found them again, was almost cancelled out by the fear he was quaking with. His legs shook and his heart thumped wildly as he kissed a barely conscious Ginny goodbye and made off in the dark alone. Running footsteps could be heard leaving the castle...lots of them. When Harry turned to see if it was friend or foe, he fell, his cane once again leaving his grip and rolling toward the lake's sloping hill.
Harry could hear anguished yells all around him, but could not put faces to the voices. Harry needed to get as far away from his friends as possible lest the killing curse go astray, or they have to witness him die what would surely be an agonizing death.
Harry could feel Voldemort following his slow pathetic limping strides. Every step Voldemort got closer, felt like an axe chop to the head, as near as Harry could describe. The green light that Harry could now see, was like night vision goggles.
Wand out, Harry decided to try the Cruciatis Curse, in case he hit anyone else by accident, at least they wouldn't die, and he could stop if he'd made a mistake. He aimed where he had seen the slit red eyes last, mustering his last remaining strength. "Crucio!" he rasped. Voldemort laughed that insane laugh he'd done the night he'd killed Harry's parents. Harry had missed and realized with horror, that he'd just given up his last position. Harry tried desperately to move from his point of attack as the blackness filled back in.
'You've been lucky so far, Potter, but no more. I do not need an audience to watch you die as I once did. My followers are faithful to me. Drop something did you Potter?" Harry felt his cane hit him in the chest and clatter to the ground. He moved as quickly and quietly as he could, not having uttered a single cry of pain, when he felt a sharp intake of breath, which he had to hold as the cane had hit his already tender rib area.
Harry tried not to breathe too loudly, but he was losing his will. The smoke was burning his lungs and his eyes and he swayed on his feet. This was it, he could go no further. He was already far from the original place of attack, and he hallucinated that the voices that had sounded so anguished were suddenly triumphant. He hadn't even been able to conjure a Patronus, but he felt out of sheer hatred, he would be able to perform an unforgivable curse. If he was dead, he wouldn't need forgiveness. He drew several small quiet breaths, like a hunted animal that was being dug out of it's tunnel. Harry straightened his body and squared his shoulders, wand out, with every last ounce of energy left in him.
"Avada...ahhhhh!" Harry had started the Avada Kedavara Killing Curse, but he'd heard no cry of defeat, instead he heard the exact words he'd been about to complete from the voice that that struck him cold. Voldemort had been quicker and had struck the dirt at Harry's feet, sending him sprawling to the ground in sheer agony, covered in mud. He lay there panting, counting the seconds until Voldemort would re aim and hit his now prone target. Harry did not have the strength for a re try.
Harry could have sworn he'd heard a gunshot in the direction of the battle, but it seemed muffled. It was so dark and smoky and the ground was so unstable under his body that he barely got to his feet, wondering why he wasn't dead. There was water up to his ankles, and he was lucky to have held onto his wand. He wondered where Voldemort was, and feeling around in the dark to get away from this spot before Voldemort could finish him off. He put his hands out in front of him completely blind. He cried out involuntarily when his hand touched something cold and damp that he felt sure would be Voldemort, but turned out to be a mud hill. He turned to go in the opposite direction and realized with a thrill of horror, that he was met with the same resistance on all four sides. Hearing the rippling of the lake and the squelch of his shoes, he knew that he was surely standing in his own grave. Mr Filch had never covered it over like he'd been instructed to. He had fallen out of Voldemort's curse range, into his own grave!
Now, Harry couldn't have fought if he'd wanted to. He was paralysed with fear. Almost more afraid of being in this hole in the ground than of fighting Voldemort. He fought not to hyperventilate as a sudden onset of claustrophobia gripped him. He couldn't reach the top of the grave to get a grip to climb out. His magical reserves were spent. He groped at the mud walls until his fingernails were nearly shorn off and bloody.
As soon as Voldemort had heard Dumbledore's voice, he had fled in search of reinforcements, taking comfort in the fact that Harry would not get far with his injuries and was too noble to cry out for help to his rescuers when they called out his name. Harry crouched in the cold hole, with his arms over his head, praying for a burst of courage that never came. The task that was his destiny was too big for him and he felt it.
Harry heard hurried footsteps and it was all he could do not to cry out in agony as his scar exploded anew. Harry took a deep breath, hearing Dumbledore's voice approaching ever closer as well, as Voldemort's red eyes looked down upon him. He did not have the strength to kill and he did not how close in proximately the headmaster was in relation to the target at hand. Voldemort laughed softly and raised his wand, but Harry shouted, "Riktusempra!" and Voldemort was knocked away from the grave, his death curse toward Albus's voice, failed, Harry told himself. At least he'd done one brave thing, but now Voldemort was certain of his location.