Masquerade Act Two: When the Masks Fall
The Thirteenth Dance: The Other Side
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~ Maria Robinson
The war was brutal, simply put. And it took a lot out of everyone who was involved in it indirectly or directly, muggles and wizards alike. Even the earth felt the strain of the battle, a harsh winter falling over the world in retaliation of the damages that had been gouged into the flesh of the planet. Even with the death of Voldemort, the evillest wizard the wizarding world had the displeasure of coming across in a while, chaos still reigned supreme within the government and within the houses and families of those affected. It was easier to ruin something than it was to fix it and it would be months, years even, before everything would back to order. In many cases no amount of time would be enough to fix the damages that had occurred.
Harry knew this better than anyone else. He was the boy-who-lived, the boy-who-fought and the boy-who-won, but not without costly personal losses. He had had to die at the bald headed man's hand in order for the plan to succeed, for him to be able to untangle the web of Horcruxes that kept Voldemort alive. Dying hadn't been fun and the experience left him shaken for longer than he would have liked to admit. Even now he still had nightmares about it, nightmares on top of other nightmares about dying friends and failing to save them.
He knew he shouldn't feel bad about the people he couldn't save-he couldn't be everywhere at once after all- but that didn't make it any better. He was guilty of falling into the pitfall every hero had: loyal to a fault to his friends and family. He would rather get hurt himself than to have them suffer. And had he not fought hard to endure all their pain in their stead? But yet it wasn't enough. He felt like he was never enough. There was too much evil in this world, too much he could not reach and stop. Too much he failed to do. He never told his friends about his doubts, fearing they would leave him if he could not portray the aura of cocky assuredness that he always put on as a front.
The only person he could really tell was Dumbledore. And now the old man was dead. Had been dead long since before the battle of Hogwarts. The headmaster had left Harry by himself to figure out the mess the wizarding world had been driven to and the strain and stress of carrying all these issues had nearly broken the boy. But he couldn't allow to show the cracks in his composure that this brought him so he kept it all down. And would continue to keep it all down until who knows how long. Until he finally snapped and hurt someone's feelings. But he didn't have time to think about his own problems or feelings when there was a whole community to rebuild. And boy was there a lot to rebuild.
Often times he scratched his head helplessly, wondering if the job would ever get done. Luckily, he had good people from the Order of the Phoenix, or Kingsley Shacklebot, the new prime minister, to help him out. Without them things would have been chaotic. They often did the brunt of the legislative work for him, leaving him free to hunt down Death Eater stragglers. Ron too, stood by Harry's side, and the black haired boy couldn't be more happier for his friend's support. If not for him than Harry surely would have lost his mind. The ginger took to making jokes and cheering up Harry whenever he fell into a dark mood.
Ginny also helped greatly. She was the best girlfriend Harry could ask for. She was kind, patient, and caring but most importantly she was tough and knew what to say to make the situation better. To get Harry's head back into the game. Harry loved her a lot and couldn't imagine himself with any other girl. He owed a lot to her.
The only person he was missing was Hermione, the third part of the Golden Trio. Weeks after the downfall of Voldemort, he and Ron, along with other Hogwarts students, had been awarded medals of bravery at a special ceremony lead by Kingsley. Hermione had received one too, however, she was unable to accept it. She had been in a coma for a while now and no amount of magic had been able to wake her up from her slumber.
St. Mugo's healers had stated that she was under a highly complicated and never before seen in this past century type of magic. It was a soul spell, cast by none other than Bellatrix Lestrange. What this meant was that once Bella had been struck down by Ron's mother, Hermione had also shared that experience, and while her body hadn't been killed, her soul in essence, had.
Healers had been unable to say more about this as they didn't know much or had seen much of such magic. It was ancient, as ancient as the Black family's bloodlines. Their report on Hermione's condition had been grim. She would spend the rest of her life in this coma unless a cure could be found.
Harry was desperate to save his friend. Hermione was the brightest witch of her age. She still had so much of her life to live. So much information to impart, to learn. She didn't deserve to die because of Bellatrix!
Bellatrix! Again he cursed that witch's name to the deepest darkest parts of wizarding hell. Not only had she tortured Neville's parents to insanity, killed her own niece, killed Harry's uncle, killed Dobby, and tortured and killed countless others, now she had cursed Hermione to a vegetative state. Even in her death she had still managed to cause harm to others.
Perhaps if Harry could find Bellatrix's body he could find some way to undue the spell. But he had no idea where it could be. The battle of Hogwarts had been chaotic and many wizard and witch bodies had been left uncollected, lost forever to the dirt underneath the living's feet. Harry wanted to walk the grounds of Hogwarts once more but it was still under repairs and he would not be allowed back before the repairs finished. He had asked McGonagall to keep her eyes peeled for the dead body of a certain dark haired witch and the former professor had promised to do so. Yet, eight months later and still no sign of the body anywhere.
Harry wished he could do more for Hermione but with the constant influx of work awaiting him he was left time constrained and with limited resources to do much. He knew he owed her more than this slipshod effort to save her but research was never his forte. If only Hermione was awake-she could no doubt solve her own issue.
Ron too, was worried about the brunette's state of slumber. No doubt this was due to how just a week before the battle of Hogwarts they had confessed their love for each other. And to lose someone so soon after confessing to them was ripping a hole in Ron's heart that he would not admit to. Harry knew that after their work hours were done, Ron would go and spend some time in Hermione's special unit at St. Mugo's and talk to her. He would hold her hand and update her on certain events that were happening, on how much he missed her, and how he knew she was strong and could wake up from this.
Harry had come in on more than one occasion and seen this. He had never made his presence known then and left, deciding it would be best to leave the two alone at such a time.
The two boys weren't the only ones who visited. Luna, Neville, Ginny, some Gryffindor girls, Ron's family, McGonagall, and Kingsley also came occasionally when their work schedules would permit. They would check on Hermione's status, hoping it had changed only to see the same results as before. They were growing worried. Everyone was. They knew if Hermione was around she could have helped clean up this after war mess so much quicker.
"She was to be minister of magic one day, after me," Shacklebot stated sadly. "It is so sad to see that such a bright mind of our age may never achieve that." He was gathered in Hermione's room along with McGonagall, Luna, Ron, Ginny, Harry and the other surviving Weasley's, mainly Molly, Arthur and George. It was her birthday and they had come together to celebrate it with a warm cake and some flowers that they put by the bedside. There had been more flowers and gift baskets in the room, enough to call it a green house, but the healers had cleaned them out of the way, finding them distracting. No matter how many times they cleaned them up more arrived from grateful wizards and witches everywhere that wished Hermione, the brains of the trio, to get well. Many seemed to have forgotten about her muggleborn status, but the war had done many things to people's memories. Acts that had once been vile were now considered holy.
"We mustn't give up hope," McGonagall said, shaking off her thick winter robes and throwing them onto a coat hanger that held the others coats as well. The weather outside was simply horrid, snow and ice covering the city dangerously. "I'm currently looking up ancient spells in some of the restricted books in the remains of Hogwarts library. I am certain that there has to be an answer somewhere."
"Yes, and I've been badgering that awful Malfoy woman for any clues on ancient magic her family has dealt with but she refuses to answer me," Molly puffed indignantly. "But I will find the truth. Just you wait." She waggled her finger threateningly.
"And I've been doing some research too with the healers at Mugo's," Ginny added. "We're not going to give up Ron."
Ron merely nodded his head solemnly. He had heard the same things repeated over and over again and he was frankly growing sick of it. But he thanked them for their efforts like a good little boy would and then switched topics. "Let's throw Hermione a good 18th birthday."
"Maybe if we're loud enough she'll wake up and join!" George joked. "I even brought those little muggle contraptions called fireworks." He pulled out a red stick of dynamite.
"You put that away this instant George! That's dangerous!" Molly snatched it away from him. "How many times did I tell you not to go digging around in your father's things?" Turning to her husband she scolded him too. "I told you to keep these things out of the house." Arthur flashed her an apologetic smile while George ducked his head in mock apology but it wasn't long before his mischievous smile returned. "I guess I'll just have to do it the good old-fashioned way- with my wand."
"George Weasley no! You stop that right now! I swear if you fire that spell I will jinx your mouth shut for a whole month!"
"Okay, okay!" George put away his wand at that threat. Molly's mouth shutting jinx was no joke. Only she could take it off and until then he hadn't been able to talk or even eat for a whole week. He had to rely on supplemental potions through intravenous means in order to not starve. There was no way in Merlin's right nutsack he would endure that again, and certainly not for a whole month this time.
Glad her son was now no longer up to hi-jinks, she turned to the cake on the small table that was set up in the middle of the room. Kingsley had conjured up a nice red clothed table with enough seats for all of them so that they could eat some cake and drink some champagne for Hermione's sake. With a swish of her wand she lit the candles.
"Happy birthday Hermione," she smiled down sadly at the candles that spelled out the brunette's age. All the guests sat down at the table, silently gazing at the cake as they all made birthday wishes on the brunette's behalf because she was unable to.
I hope you do get to achieve your dream of prime minister, was the current minister's wish. You would make an excellent one. One better than me.
I wish that you would wake up and come annoy me and Ron with your know-it-all ways, Harry said.
I wish you would wake up and just come back to us 'Mione. I need you, Harry needs you, the world needs you. That was Ron's wish.
May you beat the nargles hovering over you, Luna wished.
The other guests wishes were along the same vein and when they were all done, the candles by now having melted halfway, they blew them out in one huge collective breath.
"Let's bring out the champagne!" George cheered, not one for gloomy moods for long. He popped the cork and began to pour liquor in everyone's cups as Molly took to cutting generous amounts of cake for distribution.
They settled down and began to tell stories over their cake and drink of things Hermione had done. Some were funny stories, some were more serious, and some told of her amazing achievements.
"How did you even meet Hermione?" Kingsley aimed a question at Ron and Harry. The two boys were feeling a bit happier thanks to the effects of the liquor and exchanged goofy grins with one another before Harry spoke up first.
"It was on the train I believe. She had come into our compartment, looking for Neville's toad."
"Ay, she did," Neville chimed in, recollecting the event.
"We exchanged names, and she knew who I was. But then again a lot of people knew who I was. I can't quite recall what we talked about but she didn't stay for long and left to a different compartment."
"That was the first time we met her, but it wasn't the time that we became friends. That was the night a troll escaped from the dungeons." Ron added.
"A troll. In the dungeons? How dreadful. Where had it even come from?" the prime minister asked. "Isn't Hogwarts supposed to be safe?"
"It is safe," McGonagall interjected. "At that time the troll had been part of one of Voldemort's nefarious plans to get to Harry."
"I see," Kingsley hummed over his drink, indicating for the two boys to continue with a wave of his hand.
"You don't believe me?" McGonagall accused the prime minister. The adults too had had quite a bit to drink, more than the young adults, and it showed in their rosy cheeks.
"I do!" Kingsley said at all not convincingly.
"Well Hogwarts is safe! It just happened to have issues thanks to Voldemort interfering with it!"
"It had a lot more than that! No offense to Dumbledore but my seven years there were full of danger. I fought a teacher who wanted to terminate me, slayed a giant basilisk in the inner chambers of the school, evaded a tree that wanted to kill me, had detention in a forest that was forbidden to students. I was subjected to dementors, was put into the Triwizard tournament against my will, punished cruelly by the likes of Dolores Umbridge, had to feed Dumbledore poison, and let's not forget the final battle of good versus evil took place in Hogwarts." Harry pushed up his glasses at the end of his rant, surprising himself with how much emotion had burst from him. He could feel anger swirling under his skin and cleared his throat awkwardly when he realized he had gotten up from his seat. It wasn't his intention to let his bitterness spill out. Everyone was watching him, the good mood having gone up in smoke.
He sat down, trying to smile in hopes he could regain the good mood back and pushed away his deep seated resentment. No child should have undergone what he and his friends did all so that the deceased headmaster could make him into the tool the prophecy foretold of. "Again, no offense to the teachers or staff there. I do love the school dearly, except it wasn't exactly the safest for me because of who I was. But I'm sure other students had a marvelous time there."
Still the guests were quiet and McGonagall exchanged a hurt look with Potter. "Bloody hell mate!" Ron burst out, sensing his humor was needed to even the sour mood out. "You forgot the spiders! Don't you remember how we had to follow a trail of them into the woods and then escape from them when they tried to eat us? How could you forget that?" Ron punched him gently on the arm and Harry took the opening gratefully.
"Yea, how could I when you were screaming your head off like a little wimp!"
"Hey, I wasn't that bad!"
And with that the good mood returned. The guests spent an hour more together before the prime minister stood up. "I'm sorry I must leave so early, however, work awaits me and I fear I cannot put it off any longer. The cake was marvelous, compliments to the chef." He winked at Molly here who was thrilled by the attention. "And the party was delightful." This he told to Hermione who lay still in her bed, her eyes closed against her sea of white pillows and white blankets. Her face was very pale and matched them. Even her brown hair seemed drained of color. "Until then, good day." Then he disapparated away after picking up his coat and work briefcase.
"I have to head back too," Arthur stood up, waiting on his wife. "Things to do at the ministry.
"If you are heading away then I suppose I shall to. No use for an old lady like me trying to keep you youngsters entertained." With a curt nod McGonagall left first.
"Ron and Ginny, will you two be staying here?"
"Yes." Ron answered simply.
"So will I mum," Ginny responded. "I promise to be home before dark." The streets still weren't safe and it was best not to wander after dark hours.
"Alright then. I will see home by supper. That goes for you too Ronald."
"Yes, I know mum." Ron had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Then she too left, leaving with Arthur and George who had to go back to his shop, and it was only the five former Hogwarts students in the room now.
They were silent a moment, staring at one another. Ron was busy staring at Hermione's form on the bed, his gaze sullen. "I suppose we should clean this up," Neville said, feeling a bit awkward now that the party was over. He thought about if he should leave and let the golden trio have a moment.
"Are you going to leave Neville?" Luna asked him, ever astute and scarily on point for someone who seemed so oblivious.
"Uh, no, I mean if you want me too," he stammered.
"No, I think you should stay. It's a shame the others left when they had to." Luna hummed softly and walked over to Hermione's bedside, leaning over to stare intently at her face.
"What are you doing Luna?" Ron asked, uncomfortable with the girl's actions. She was their friend but there was no denying that she was pretty odd at times.
"I'm checking up on the nargles around her. There's not a lot of them today. How strange," she commented, surprised.
No, you're the one whose strange, Ron wanted to point out but kept his mouth shut. Sometimes he could say really insensitive things and he really didn't feel like having to apologize for what came out his mouth today. Instead he pulled up a chair and sat next to Hermione, clasping her hand in his. It was cold like always and he hoped some of his body heat would transfer to her. That the power of his love would bring her back.
"Let's clean up the dishes," Ginny suggested to Neville and Harry, who got to work, eager to get their mind off of the sad state their friends were in. With magic the mess was cleaned up quickly and soon they had nothing to do again.
"I suppose the party is over," Ginny commented. "You and Luna are welcome to just sit and chat with me, Ron, and Harry if you'd like," Ginny offered to Neville who shook his head.
"I wouldn't want to bother your time together." Despite all they had been through he still felt like this was something they should only do. He had spent time by Hermione's side but with Ron around the atmosphere became more private and lovey-dovy. He didn't want to ruin that. "I'll be on my way. Thanks for everything." He gave a little wave and then disapparated.
"Luna?" Ginny raised a brow at the blonde haired girl who was still leaning intently over Hermione.
"I think I'll stay. I don't want to miss her waking up."
"A nice sentiment, but...highly impossible," Harry said, wondering why the blonde was so certain Hermione was going to wake up. Luna had never said this before, was she hoping the birthday wishes would come true and in some way awaken Hermione? Real life, sadly, did not work like that.
Luna looked up at this and smiled dreamily at Harry. "Impossible on any other day than this one. She beat the nargles. She's coming back." With that she took the chair in the corner of the room and pulled a newspaper out of her tacky pink bag. It had been folded into a small square and she took to unfolding it, until it was bigger than her torso. She began to read it, completely ignoring the others in the room.
Harry and Ginny merely shrugged at each other. They had forgotten how odd Luna could be at times. With that they took to chatting softly with each other and Ron about occurrences in their daily life, goals for the future, things that needed to be done at work, etc. Idle chatter really. Dusk fell outside the windows and Harry took that as his cue that it was time to go.
"It was nice seeing everyone again," he stated, gathering his briefcase where he had set it down by the door. "But it's time for auror work again. It never ends."
"I'll be going with Harry too, Ron. Will you be okay?"
"Yes, I'll be fine."
"Be back in time for supper, like mum said."
"I know Ginny. You don't have to remind me."
Ginny shook her head, a brief smile on her lips. "It's just that you'll get wrapped up with your time here, lost in your little world lover boy."
"Shut up. I do not," he argued, pulling a face at his sister.
"Real mature, pulling faces." Ginny stuck out her tongue at him.
"Says the girl whose sticking out her tongue at me!" Ron protested.
"Just be home in time," Ginny added, linking her arm with Harry's and ready to depart when Luna jumped out of her seat so suddenly that everyone in the room startled. The blonde let out a deep gasp and rushed over to Hermione's bedside. "It's starting," she whispered roughly. "Everyone give her space. Give her space!" she shouted now, an usual amount of urgency in her normally patient and calm voice. "Ron let go of her hand now!" Luna pulled at Ron's hands, the boy letting go easily in his shock.
"Luna what are you going on about?" He questioned, a tad annoyed as the girl half dragged half pulled him out of the chair and away from Hermione til they stood by the windows.
"Luna-" Harry started and was going to go around the bed to their side, but she shushed him by putting a finger up to her thin pink lips, her other hand wrapped in the front of Ron's pressed white shirt. "Look." She used that same finger to point shakily at Hermione. Everyone's gaze followed her finger.
A beat of silence. "I don't see anything," Ron said, his collar feeling a bit tight with Luna still gripping him. He wanted her to let go. It was really uncomfortable.
"Look harder," she urged and they all looked again and then-
"Bloody hell! Her brows moved. I know they moved! Tell me they moved!" Ron yelled in excitement.
Harry sighed. "Ron, it could have been a trick of light-"
"Bloody hell, it's not a trick! Look, bloody look!" Ron's voice was hoarse from how loudly he was speaking, excitement leaking into it. He pointed incessantly at his girlfriend, trying to push past Luna who was now holding him back using all of her body.
"You can't go near her. You need to relax. You could disturb the process," Luna explained and the words managed to sink in after several repeats of them. But he was still barely restrained energy, shaking fingers and tapping feet.
"Harry, I think Ron is right. Hermione's moving." It was Ginny's turn to be shocked and she tugged on her boyfriend's arm to get him to look more carefully. Now Hermione's fingers were twitching and she was pulling faces of disgust, of anger, of deep concentration. Harry couldn't disagree with that but he still tried his best not to let hope overcome him so that it wouldn't come crushing down and beat him into the ground later. "It could just be muscle spasms. Late brain functions. After all her brain is fine. It's just her soul..." He trailed off when he realized no one was listening to him.
The four friends waited around her bed with baited breath and fearing and wishing for the outcome to arrive already. Luna was the calmest of them all, having had prior belief that the brunette would awaken. Ron looked the most impatient, ready to jump into Hermione's arms the instant she awoke. Then after what seemed like hours Hermione's eyes finally opened up slowly.
A gasp left Ginny's mouth and she covered it with her hand. Ron, who had wanted to go to Hermione, balked to do so now. His face paled with shock and disbelief. "Bloody hell she did it. Luna was right." His voice could barely be heard, more of a moving of lips than actually sound coming out. He looked like he was going to pass out.
Harry was the first to recover. "Hermione." Her name fell from his lips and her head turned to look at him, her eyes taking a second to focus on him. She seemed a bit confused, disoriented as to who he was but when his face registered to her, her eyes flew open in deep shock and she quickly turned her head to gaze upon Ginny's face, Luna's and Ron's, with jerky and sharp motions. She sat up at the end, her eyes swirling darkly and ragged breaths making her chest rise up and down quickly.
"Hermione." Harry's voice was soft and her eyes snapped to him once more. "It's us. Your friends."
"No."
Harry was taken aback by the amount of certainty contained in this single word falling from Hermione's lips. Her voice was harsh after so many months of disuse. "What do you mean no?" Harry's brows furrowed in confusion.
"She must be baffled," Ginny supplied. "She was in a coma for so long."
"Hermione. Hermione." Ron said her name, smiling at her, pure unadulterated joy on his face. He took an eager step to her and she full body flinched back, shouting out a sharp "no!"
"No?" He was hurt by that. Did she not recognize him?
He shot a concerned look with Harry who shrugged. Had Hermione forgotten everything? Forgotten her memories?
"No." She repeated once more even though no one had said anything. But this time the word wasn't addressed to them but to herself. She was looking at her arms in disbelief. With hurried motions she tossed back her covers and when she saw her legs she let out another "no", this one louder in volume.
"Mione, are you okay?" Ron wanted to approach his girlfriend. He wanted to hug her, to soothe her fears away, but a iron grip on his forearm from Luna warned him to stay back.
Hermione didn't appear to hear him. Her breaths were getting shallower in preparation for her outburst. "No, no, no no! NO! NO!" She screamed out, her impossibly high pitched cries catching everyone off guard. She got out of bed, making for the exit, but her legs were weak from months of disuse and she stumbled to the floor, hitting it hard with her knees. That didn't stop her. She tried to crawl to the exit. "This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to!"
"Harry grab her!" Ron shouted as he lept over the bed to the aid of Hermione. Harry was quicker and grabbed the girl by her thin upper arms.
"Let me go!" she raged, tossing in his grip. Her hair whipped back and forth from her face as she gnashed her teeth. "I'm not supposed to be here!"
"Hermione stop this! Stop this!" Harry tried to pull her up from the floor. "Ginny get the healers. She's bugging out!" With a nod the redhead was out the door.
"Hermione, love, stop this!" Ron insisted, grabbing the girl by her thin legs. If she could use them to kick she would but as it was they were pretty much useless for now.
"Let me free!" She begged as the two struggling boys got her back unto her bed. As soon as they put her down she sat up and tried to move again. Harry pushed her down by the shoulders, trying to get her calm. She scratched at any bit of exposed flesh on his hands, on his face, knocking his glasses askew, desperate to get free.
"Ron, cast a body bind spell on her. Now!" Harry ordered as she tugged painfully on his lips.
"Okay," Ron let go of her feet and pulled out his wand, casting the spell. Immediately Hermione stilled, unable to move. Her breathing began to calm down but she glared evilly at them from behind the mess her hair had become. It partially obscured her face and small strands lifted up as the air moved past her lips.
Harry and Ron both were huffing from exertion and looking at each other uncertainly, the unspoken question hovering in the space between them. What had just happened?
"That did not go as it was supposed to," Luna commented quietly. The boys had entirely forgotten that she was here, as she had done nothing to help subdue the brunette.
"You don't say," Ron said bitterly. "Got anymore brilliant predictions about what's going to happen?"
Luna was quiet a moment before she simply shrugged. "Now we just have to find the other."