Chapter eleven

Charlie, Hermione, Ron, Minerva and everyone else watched as Poppy Pomfrey performed her diagnostic spells over Harry's unconscious body. She took two vials of potions out of her bag, pouring each of them into his mouth, then did some more charms over Harry.

'He will be fine, he's just drained all his magic. However he did that, used every bit he had and it will take a while before his magic returns. The potions I just gave him will help, he will feel weak for a while though, probably through tomorrow.'

'So there's nothing wrong?' Charlie asked in a shaky voice as he ran his hands over Harry's face.

'No, there is nothing wrong Charlie. But I would like an answer as to what is going on?'

'We're sorry Poppy, we could not tell anyone what our plans were. Everyone had to believe it was Voldemort so they wouldn't get suspicious. We were not sure if it was just Umbridge here or if there was more. I studied Harry's map a lot but with so many here names get missed.'

'We did the same Professor, we kept checking the map. So who are these Slytherin's then if they aren't Malfoy and the others?' Hermione asked.

'I'm sure we're about to find out, it seems the polyjuice potion is slowly wearing off.'

Kingsley, one woman and four men walked into the great hall, 'So it was Arnold Preston, and Brian Steel, the two that pushed for Harry to return to Hogwarts,' Kingsley said.

'Were you suspicious Kingsley because to us they just seemed to be sucking up to Harry?' Charlie asked.

'No, we weren't Charlie. We thought they really wanted Harry on their side so they were going to do anything they could to make him happy. I give Voldemort his due, he trained his people well. We're aurors, we spoke with them quite a lot, none of us picked up on the fact they were actually death eaters. They also got passed our tests, even veritaserum which can't be beaten, but the one test which normally would show was the dark marks and they didn't show up. Anyway, we should get these taken to Azkaban.'

'Wait,' Harry said softly as his eyes flickered slowly open.

'No more Harry, you're weak,' Charlie said sounding concerned.

'Rest soon,' Harry panted, 'Kingsley,' Harry panted again but moved his hand to gesture for Kingsley to come closer, which he did, 'They used a combination of magic and muggle makeup to conceal their dark marks. They used the imperius curse on each other before taking the veritaserum. It would make them say whatever they had been instructed,' Harry panted, 'To act like they were innocent, like who they were pretending to be.'

'Damn, how did they know that would work?' one of the men with Kingsley asked.

'Who knows Gawain, it seems they had a lot of plans worked out.'

'What about Mr. Malfoy and the others Kingsley?' Hestia asked.

'Three aurors and five members from the hit wizards are all at Little Hangleton now. It's only thanks to Harry that we know where that blasted house is.'

'Okay, now how did Potter know this?' Gawain asked as he stared down at Harry Potter who was unconscious again.

'Harry's very powerful Gawain, he didn't tell anyone apart from Minerva, Charlie, Hermione and Ron. Minerva told me when they discovered Umbridge was here at Hogwarts and thought it would be best to let it play out to see what plans she had and who else might be involved. If we took her into custody straight away we would not have gotten anything out of her. We all thought they would try something, so Harry figured keeping his true power hidden would be the surprise he needed, especially to protect Charlie and his friends.'

'He's hardly slept over the last week, waking up to nightmares of seeing me die. It took me a long time to get him to settle down, all he kept doing was clutching me until he fell asleep again.'

'So this power, he was able to get this information from them, how?'

'He could go into their minds and find every little secret they had. He can transform himself or others into other people without the use of polyjuice potion. The students didn't know this but all of them were shielded even shielded from spells such as the killing curse. He knew this plan had to play out but he wasn't going to take the risk that anyone could get hurt.'

'Does he still want to be an auror?' the woman who was beside Gawain asked.

'No, he said he'll help with anything but he didn't want to fight anymore, we all think he's right, he shouldn't fight. Harry might be very powerful but his an emotionally wreck. All this started for him from a young age, he can't keep doing this all the time,' Charlie said still touching Harry's face, 'We talked and decided to take a very long holiday as soon as this year was over. Harry needs time away from here, away from everything that reminded him of Voldemort, his parents, Sirius, everyone. Today would have made that worse, having to pretend to be Voldemort, the man that murdered his parents, that tortured him many times, that tried to kill him and almost succeeded. He can't do this anymore, it's time for Harry to rest.'

'Charlie, Charlie,' Harry shouted as he bolted upright.

'I'm here Harry, it's all good.'

Harry flung his arms around Charlie, 'Charlie, oh god, you're alive.'

'I'm fine, now relax babe,' Charlie felt Harry tightening his hold then he heard a sob, 'Hey, it's fine love, please calm down.'

'Oh my,' Hermione knelt down, 'he's crying, he never cries.'

'All the stress he's been under, that would make anyone cry,' Ron said as he knelt down next to his friend.

'What do you mean he never cries, surely he cried after Sirius died?' Kingsley asked.

'No, he didn't, not when Dumbledore died, his body shook but he didn't cry, he didn't even cry when Remus died. He just seemed to look upon that as part of his life, death surrounded him, that's what Harry always said.' Hermione said sadly.

'Then he needs to get away, exactly like Charlie said. If Harry keeps going on like this he could end up in the mind damage ward at St Mungo's. Anyway, good work you lot, we'll get these out of here so you can all finally relax,' Kingsley turned to face the students, 'Sorry we could not tell you, but it was to keep you all safe, which now you are. Everyone here is trustworthy so you have nothing to worry about,' Kingsley nodded to Gawain, the aurors all bound the death eaters, then levitated them out of the great hall with Kingsley following.

'Charlie, take Harry to your room, let him rest,' Minerva said kindly.

'Come on love,' Charlie slowly stood with Harry in his arms, still with his arms tight around him. He carried him from the hall with all eyes watching. But the talk had started, how they really believed it was Voldemort, how they had no idea Umbridge had been amongst the staff. One thing all the students seemed to say, they hoped it really was over this time.

'Everyone,' Minerva called loudly and waited until all the students fell silent, 'I've worked it out so all of you can eat dinner in your common rooms. I think we can skip a meal in the great hall. So off you go, just remember none of you were in any danger.' Minerva waited until the students left before turning to speak with her staff, to discuss an idea she had.

After all the students left the great hall, still discussing what they had witnessed. Hermione and Ron had been yelled at by their friends before they spoke quietly for a few minutes then they approached Professor McGonagall and Bill who had been talking to Hestia.

'You all seemed worried, I admit I am as well.'

'We had an idea Professor but we're not sure if you could find someone else.'

'To replace Charlie so he can take Harry away now, yes, I have already thought the same thing.'

'I'm going to replace Charlie, just for the year,' Bill said.

'What about Harry's newt's though? He really only returned to get those in case he needs them,' Ron stared around, 'when he could pass them right now.'

'Yes, something else we've been discussing. That first night I spoke with Kingsley about Umbridge, he suggested Harry take his test if he didn't want to stay, but with Charlie here Harry wouldn't leave. The only thing that concerned us was you lot. Harry might believe you could be upset that he is being offered something that you aren't, we knew he wouldn't like that. So what we decided was that if anyone wants to sit their newt's right now they can, if you wish to stay and do the whole year than you can. I will be sending letters to all of the eighth year students about this tomorrow.'

'We want to stay, but Harry shouldn't. When we arrived we thought Harry would be excited to see Charlie, but he looked anxious then stared over at the forbidden forest. I thought then that it might be too soon for Harry to return. I think he only did to make sure all of us were okay and that no one here was up to something that could hurt any of us. He just gets to protective sometimes, but every year since we started something has been happening and that was one of Harry's biggest concerns,' Hermione said sighing heavily.

'You said sometimes Harry is protective, try all the time,' Neville said, 'But I'm like Hermione and Ron, I want to stay and finish this year out. I think after everything that happened here last time, I'm like Harry, I want to see that this year goes how it's supposed to go. No death eaters, no Voldemort, no dementors, no inept teachers, just students being told off by the teachers for not doing their homework.

Minerva, Bill and Hestia all chuckled, 'Then expect to be told off, at least once. It's late and you're all probably hungry, we'll meet with Harry and Charlie in the morning, let him know that he can sit his newt's and leave with Charlie, get right away from everything that has caused his suffering.'

Everyone nodded, 'Goodnight,' Hermione said but watched as Ron and Ginny hugged their older brother before they all walked off.

Charlie kept holding Harry, kept kissing him all over the face to get him to calm down. Harry's whole body was shaking with his loud sobs which had made Charlie choke up himself but kept himself together so he could help Harry through this.

'It's all over Harry, please calm down.'

It took another ten minutes before Harry's cries eased, he sniffed a few times, wiped his face on his sleeve before his eyes found Charlie's.

'Sorry.'

'You don't need to be, everyone needs to cry sometimes, you more than most because you refused to let yourself cry.'

'I couldn't let anyone see me weak. But it started in that house, if I cried I got punished more. Is it over Charlie, really over this time?'

'Yes, it's over, Malfoy and the others are safe, they've taken that lot away and the students are okay if not a little shaken up. But you scared the life out of me when you collapsed.'

'I was just so weak, like I had nothing left inside me, not even any strength in my legs.'

'Poppy examined you, she said you used all your magic which drained you. She also said you'll feel weak for a while but the potions she gave you will help. Tell me though, did you suspect those Slytherin's were really death eaters?'

'I thought maybe one or two might be, but not the seven of them. They wanted me to see you die, they thought it would weaken me, which it would have until…' Harry stopped and put his head back on Charlie's chest, 'Sometimes this power scares me, sometimes I think I'll use it the wrong way, dark. Thinking about how much danger you were in, I fought with everything inside me to stop the anger taking over. I've heard the stories, how some death eaters were emotionally hurt and their anger at being hurt is what they used to be able to use dark magic.'

'I know Harry, it's not unexpected to hear you say that. You're whole life has basically been surrounded by death and dark magic, not including that piece inside of you. But look what you did tonight, look how you made sure everyone, including the Slytherin's were safe. If you were going to use dark magic or influenced by it in any way, you would not have done that.'

'If I lost you I'm not so sure, that's what scares me most. That first night, after you thought I was asleep.'

Charlie put his finger to Harry's lips, 'I know you left, you went to speak with Dumbledore's portrait which I knew you would, so I let you think I was asleep. Did you know that Minerva was listening, she only did that as she was worried what you might do. But when Dumbledore told you his idea and how you seemed to sag and relax even slightly, she went back to her room. She knew Dumbledore would talk some sense into you.'

'I'm sorry Charlie, for ever thinking of leaving you. I really thought it would be safer for you if I did. Then I realised it would actually put you in more danger. First is you'd be upset so you wouldn't be worrying about anything else, second you could have gotten so angry at me for leaving that you would stop being cautious. I didn't want to do it, I hated even thinking about leaving. When I first realised I loved you, I was scared, I thought it might not be worth it, worth us staying together. I didn't want anything to happened to you and if it did it would have been because of me, I know that, everyone knows that. He might be dead, but I am the one that killed him so I'm the one that will be looked at differently. Some might want to try me to see if I'm any good, some just don't like me, not because they're his supporters, just normal people, we all have someone like that. Oh Charlie, seeing them, how easily they got in here, all I kept seeing was them killing you and I couldn't stop it. It was like Sirius all over again. Will you forgive me for ever thinking of leaving?'

'Yes, because I know in your heart that you would do that for me, not for you or anyone else. But it's over now love, we're together, safe, like everyone else so now we can finally have that calm relaxing life we've all wanted for so long.'

Harry nodded, 'Relaxing, with our sex life, you're kidding right?'

Charlie laughed loudly then kissed Harry putting every bit of love he had for his man into it. They both knew there was always danger, but now it didn't mean it was directed at them. So it was time to finally have a life together, a safe life but with a lot of exciting and intense sex.