A/N: Here is the conclusion of the second series of the Renee Chronicles! Chapters 9-11. I hope you enjoy, and beware of typos.
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill.
Chapter Nine: Hatred Faces Destiny
"What?!" Harry gasped, standing up straight and looking into her worried eyes.
Hannah sighed, twisting her fingers nervously.
"I felt... I knew the Dementors were comming. We were investigating the town, for rumors had it that it was surrounded by Dementors. Yet, when we got here, I did not feel any and we saw none. So, we split up. Then suddenly, I felt them. It must of been hundreds... they surrounded us. Mr. Springs... James... told me to run. I said no, I was tired of being treated like the child of the group. I could handle it... but with my telepathic abilities, what I felt was indescribable, I knew it had to be bad... for I felt your encounters through you the last time we met. But... but it was too much, and I past out. James must of hid me before he was taken." She took a deep breath and looked seriously at Harry.
"I can feel every one of them, my whole team. But... but Renee is much worse, deathly ill. She is your top priority... get to her and get her out. Only... only see if you can save my team. As soon as I feel the spells surrounding the house weaken, I will come in and do it myself. Don't go out of your way though, my team is my responsibility... not yours."
Harry had already began to run towards the direction Hannah had said the house was in. Lightning flashed the sky and he could see an outline of an old house, at the top of a hill. With each stride, the pain in his scar intensified... and Renee's deep suffering pulsed through him like waves. Hannah ran to keep up with him. Before he knew it, he was standing at the gate leading to the garden of the old house.
"Only I can pass the gate..." Harry muttered.
Hannah caught up, standing by his side, panting. She nodded grimly.
"This is where you go alone,"
Harry gripped his wand tighter and moved the gate open. His scar seared with blinding agony, but his will to get Renee kept his mind in focus.
Hannah touched his shoulder as he began to walk through.
"Hope hangs about your neck, Harry. Remember that. Courage cannot survive without hope."
Harry looked back at her and smiled, then turned and entered the dead garden. The gate swung loudly back into it's lock, and Hannah watched him go. Rain continued to pour onto Harry, seeming to want to keep him back. But he did'nt care. All that mattered was Renee.
I'm here, Renee! Harry thought out loud. It won't be much longer, hang on!
The old, dismantled house was now as clear into view as it could get with the pouring rain. Thunder echoed off it's paneled walls, almost warning him not to enter. Yet, he fought the tangled vines that streched across the long unmowed grass and stumbled onto the doorstep. As he streched out his left hand to open the door, the door opened for him.
"Come, Harry Potter. I've been waiting..."
Harry heard this voice as if the wind was speaking. The evil that washed over him as he stepped inside told him that it was Voldemort. Once clear of the doorway, the door slammed shut behind him, making him jump slightly.
A cold laugh echoed off the empty hallways, which led from left to right. In front of him was the foyer, a large staircase running up the middle. Harry slowly made his way into the foyer, a dim firelight illuminating the dusty walls.
He pressed the Golden Chain of Hope close to his skin, by his heart, feeling the warmth spread through him and fighting the evil. Standing taller, courage building even more, Harry held his wand in a dueling position.
"Where is Renee?" He called out, confidently. His voice echoed off the muddy, tiled floor.
"Renee is no more," Echoed the malicious voice, seeming to pour from every crevice of the house, as if it were speaking itself and not Voldemort.
Harry's heart leapt, but the chain on his neck kept his cool.
"I don't believe you!" He yelled out.
The laughter continued, quaking Harry's insides like Jello.
"Find her, if you're so sure."
Harry felt eyes peering at him from every nook and cranny of the house, but searching around him, he saw no one. He was determined not to let it frighten him, he had to find Renee.
"Renee!" Harry called out, not expecting an answer. "Renee, I'm here... tell me where you are!" He began to run. He ran up hallways, tore apart rooms, searched everywhere on the house's two floors, but he found nothing. Not a single thing, not even a Death Eater or Dementor or even Voldemort himself.
Panting and out of breath, panic comming to him as time drew on, Harry made way to start back where he began... thinking he missed something. As he sped-walked down a hallway that he knew led back into the foyer, he past something that made him stop dead. Backtracking, he tried to focus his eyes to see what appeared to be a blue mist, hovering by the wall. The firelight that came from a nearby torch did nothing to help his view, so Harry lit his wand. The mist began to sway in response and he could just make out the outline of a door behind the sea of blue.
This is it! Harry thought.
He reached out his hand to turn the nob, but as he touched the blue mist an electric shock went through his hand and surged through his body.
"Ahhh!" He yelled.
Instantly, the blue mist began to take a form. Cradling his arm, Harry watched in amazment as two black eyes appeared and a broad mouth streched in front of him. The mist formed what appeared to be a head around the features and it began to sway like a pendulum, back and forth.
"What... who... are you?" Harry whispered, astonished.
The mouth streched into an amused and cocky smile.
"I am the Vexlor, guardian of spells." It's voice hummed like a muggle vacuum cleaner.
Harry was silent a momment, watching the Vexlor sway back and forth in a trance-like way. He shook his head violently, his eyes narrowing as he remembered Renee waiting beyond the door.
"Let me pass." Harry commanded, although his voice wavered with a slight squeak.
The Vexlor's eyes became inquisitive, squinting at him as if he lied.
"You are Harry James Potter. Son of James Scott Potter."
Harry stared hard at the mist, startled at not the fact that it knew who he was, but knew his father's full name.
"Yes..." Harry said slowly. "Let me pass."
A crack of a laugh shot out from the Vexlor.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple. To break the spell, you must solve a riddle."
Harry simply stared.
"Is that it?"
The Vexlor continued it's cocky attitude, a mock expression in it's eyes.
"Think you can solve it, son of James Scott Potter?"
Harry began to grow angry.
"Give me your best shot,"
The swaying motion of the Vexlor picked up pace, it's expression emotionless.
"Solve the riddle, the spell will be lifted and entry will be granted. Fail to answer, the door will be forever sealed and you shall die."
They way it said it, there was no doubt that it told the truth. Harry took a deep breath, swallowing hard. If he could solve the riddle of the Sphinx, he could solve whatever this thing threw at him. He was too determined and anxious to get Renee to doubt himself, and he nodded.
The Vexlor's swing picked up another pace, it's mouth in a sly grin.
"What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs at night?"
Harry groaned.
"You have five minutes to reply." It added suddenly.
"WHAT?!" Harry shouted.
Putting on a mock look of pity and continuing it's quick swaying motion, the Vexlor repeated.
"Fail to answer, the door will be forever sealed and you shall die."
Harry began to panic. He paced back and forth, trying hard to think.
"What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night? What has... morning... two... then three..."
The Vexlor continued to sway, watching him amusedly.
"Four minutes." It said.
Harry shook his head, his body shaking all over. Not being able to help it, Harry's eyes began to tear.
I was so close! Oh, Renee... I keep failing you.
With an intent look in it's dark features, the blue mist swirling around it's "head", the Vexlor spoke in a business-like tone.
"I offer you this. You may request one clue. As payment, you must grant me a single deed."
Harry stopped and looked at it severly.
"You serve Voldemort,"
"I serve no one but myself." It answered simply.
"Then why are you here?" Harry asked, suspicion in his voice.
"When a wizard requests me, I come if the payment is equal to the deed."
"What is Voldemort paying you?" Harry pressed.
"Three minutes." The Vexlor stated.
Harry shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"What deed would you require me to do?"
The Vexlor did'nt answer.
Suddenly, pain shot through Harry as if he had been pierced by a sword in the gut. Renee's moans echoed in his mind.
"Fine! Give me the clue!" Harry screamed.
It smiled at him evily.
"Life."
"What? That's IT?!" Harry bellowed at him.
No answer, just a casual stare.
Resuming his pace, Harry ran the riddle through his mind again... trying desperately to ignore the pain.
"What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night? Life. Life." He pulled at his hair with his left hand.
"Two minutes."
"Oh, Renee!" Harry moaned. He leaned against the opposite wall, the Vexlor watching him, keeping his quick and swaying motion. The Golden Chain of Hope clunked against Harry's chest, and warmth continued to radiate.
I don't know. I don't know what it means. Harry said in his head, defeated. I've really failed Renee this time, she's going to die... because of my stupidity.
No, Harry. Came another thought in his head. No. Remember, love can sometimes blind logic. Think now, think carefully.
Harry sighed heavily.
"One minute." The Vexlor said, dully.
Staring at the blue, swaying mist, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated.
Life. Morning, noon, and night. Four legs, two legs, three legs. A begining, a middle, and an end. Life has a begining, a middle, and an end. You're a baby, then an adult, then you grow old and die. The end.
Harry stood up suddenly, making his head swim but his sudden realization countered it. The Vexlor stared at him considering.
"You crawl as a baby, walk as an adult, then you need help as you age. Four legs, two legs, then three legs... with a cane. Life. Man's life! The answer is man! Birth is morning! Life is afternoon! Death is evening!" Harry shouted confidently at him.
The Vexlor stopped swaying slowly, a grin of satisfaction in the mist. Dry laughter crackled from the mouth and it made Harry feel like he just sold his soul.
"You are indeed, the son of James Scott Potter. Harry James Potter, you are now in my debt. I will come when I have need of your payment." The Vexlor dispirsed, the blue mist revealing the large oak door behind it. "You may now pass."
With a momment's hesitation, Harry grabbed at the doorknob and twisted it open. A mildew smell hit him like a brick and the air was heavy with moisture. Holding his lit wand high, Harry could see a stairway leading down in front of him. As he made his way down, the door behind him slammed shut.
Laughter filled his ears, triumphant laughter.
A chill ran down Harry's spine and his scar blazed with a blinding pain. Dispite it, Harry could feel his heart tugging him down. Renee was there.
He continued down the stairway, light begining to become a tad brighter as torches blazed by him. When his foot reached the bottom step, the sight he saw made his held-back tears come out with full force.
Laying in the middle of what appeared to be the basement, was Renee. Her back was to him, she was on her side. He could hear her jagged and irregular breathing, heavily congested and filled with fluid. Her clothes were wet, for she was surrounded by puddles. Renee was simply there, apparently unrestrained by nothing.
"Renee!" He breathed out loud.
She did not respond.
Harry ran to her, falling to his knees and splashing ice-cold water over himself and on Renee. He pulled her gently to face him, supporting her head gently. Her face was pale, severly hot with fever. Harry brushed her tangled and wet bangs aside and felt her forehead. Her eyes were closed and her limbs limp, the rest of her body was a deathly cold.
"Renee," He whispered in her ear, kissing her forehead softly. "It's Harry... please wake up, please."
Renee showed no sign of recognition.
"Renee, wake up... please wake up." Harry begged, rocking her in his arms, trying to warm her with his body by holding her close.
"Please... please, Renee." Tears were splashing on her, and he tried to wipe them away. Her damp hair tangled around his arms.
"She won't answer," Came a quiet voice.
Startled, Harry twisted around, supporting Renee, to see who spoke. Squinting at the dim corner of the basement, he could make out a figure on the ground. He tried to whip out his wand, but he was afraid to let go of Renee.
"Don't worry, it's only me. James Springs." He sighed.
With a closer look, Harry could just make out his muscular outline. But the strength that Harry felt radiate off him every time he saw him was gone. What was there now was defeat and hoplessness.
Harry gently layed Renee on a drier piece of ground, and walked slowly towards James. His legs and arms were bound together by magic, his hair plastered to his face with sweat. He looked at Harry with desperation.
"Voldemort is here, he's going to kill you both at any momment. Go! Take my sister and get away now! Untie me and I'll hold Voldemort off!"
Grabbing and ripping off the magical bounds that held James's hands and feet together, Harry helped him to his feet. He ran to the other side of the basement where his wand lay and began to go up the stairs. James looked back at Harry with urgency.
"Go, now! Take Renee and go! Don't worry 'bout me, I can handle it."
Harry, shaking his head from his gaze, ran back to Renee. She was having trouble breathing and her body was shaking due to her fever. He bent down and tried to pick her up, but she was too heavy and he almost dropped her on his knees.
"Feathricus!" Harry said, waving his wand over Renee. Nothing visible happened, but when he lifted her again, she was as light as air. Her head rested against his chest and he held her close.
"Let's go home, you'll be alright, Renee, I've got you." He whispered.
Turning to go up the stairs, Harry made way to leave with Renee cradled in his arms.
"I've been waiting for this momment, a long... long time."
Harry stopped dead, Renee's jagged breathing becoming audible with her fluid-filled lungs.
Almost appearing out of thin air in front of him, was Voldemort. His snake-like face seething with hatred and triumph.
"Fulicious!" Voldemort bellowed.
Instantly, Harry was slammed back a full fifteen feet into the basement wall. Renee fell to the floor with a loud thud. Harry collapsed to the ground, doubled over and clutching his stomach where the curse hit him straight on. The wind was knocked out of him and he gasped for air, blood dripping from his nose.
"I won't waste time anymore, Harry Potter. I've learned my lesson." Voldemort stepped over Renee as if she were a stone in a garden, a malicious smile across his face and wand raised at Harry.
"You can kill me, but please let Renee go!" Harry gasped.
Voldemort cocked his head at him.
"I promised your Etam Luos here that I would finish you both off, together. I don't brake my promises. Crucio!"
The Cruciatus curse hit Harry all over. It was beyond pain. Every nerve cell in his body seemed to explode and his scar felt as if it had exploded itself. He screamed until he could no longer hear himself, his ears going numb. Finally, after what seemed like forever, it stopped... and his body echoed off every detail of the pain that had just occured. His scar throbbed and clouded his vision. All he could tell was that he had been grabbed by the collar of his shirt and was being dragged across the wet stone floor.
Harry was a heap next to Renee, who was sprawled out on the ground next to him. He looked at her, his eyes tearing away tears and blood. Suddenly, Renee's eyes opened slowly. Harry's heart lept.
At least we get to say goodbye. He thought.
As if she had heard him, Renee shook her head. He eyes looked down at her right hand and in it, was her wand. Harry looked at her with a "that's impossible!" look, and her mouth began to curve into a mischievous grin.
"Now, stand and face your death."
Harry felt himself pulled to his feet like a puppet. Voldemort had the most horrible look of triumph in his evil face as he slowly raised his wand.
"Harry...." He heard Renee whisper hoarsely below him. "Help... help me up."
His eyes still locked on Voldemort, he bent down and lifted Renee up by her arm. Voldemort watched with mild surprise.
"Is'nt this sweet? The soul mates go out together as one."
"Hold.. hold my hand... Harry." Renee managed to say.
He did so, squeezing her right hand tightly and supporting her arm in arm. Her wand was moved to her left hand, and Harry held his with his right.
"Goodbye, Potter."
Voldemort lifted his wand straight at them.
"Harry, quick... cross your wand with mine!" Renee forced her voice suddenly.
She brought her wand to his and they crossed them against each other. Instantly, an intense power seemed to well up and surge through them both. A golden light glowed from their crossed wands and it grew with every second, making Voldemort faulter.
"Now, Renee!" Shouted Harry.
They both took a deep breath in union as Voldemort's face tightened with fear and fury.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry and Renee bellowed, their faces scrounged with intensity as a huge power shot out from them and through their wands.
It hit Voldemort violently, tossing his wand from his hand aside and he was knocked a full ten feet across the floor. His face was a mixture of horror and disbelief, which suddenly turned to outrage.
"Harry, we... we..." Renee collapsed to the floor, exhausted. Harry caught her head and made a quick look at Voldemort before he picked her up in his arms again.
He realized he could'nt possibly kill Voldemort that night. Not alone. Renee was too ill, and she was the only one who could help defeat Voldemort. Harry backed to the stairs, his wand sticking out from his hand as he held Renee close.
"Next time, will be the last..." He said, defiantly to the huddled figure of Voldemort on the floor. "I will kill you for all that you've done!"
"Noooo... NOOOOOOOO!" Voldemort screamed.
Harry flew up the stairs, Renee in his arms. Her breathing was shallow.
"Hold on, Renee. Please hold on," Harry begged to her, running out of the basement door and up the hall to the foyer.
She was out cold, her fever more intense and her skin was cold and clammy.
Harry stumbled into the foyer, running for the front door. He was almost there, when he saw a fallen figure in the shadows off in the right hallway.
Cautiously, fighting his urge to leave and get Renee to safety, he approached the figure. The closer he got, the more he could make out that it was James, Renee's brother.
He was not moving.
Harry gently placed Renee on the dusty floor and leaned over James, checking for a pulse. Suddenly, James's hand shot up and grabbed Harry's arm, making him yelp.
"Where's Renee?" He whispered, urgentlly.
"Right here," Harry answered, pointing to her.
James look off at her, tears comming freely from his eyes. He tore his gaze away and looked straight at Harry, a demanding look on his face.
"Harry, I... I don't think anyone else on this earth is more deserving of my little sister than you. You are truely the bravest young man I can ever imagine knowing. Take care of her, be good to her... protect her. You are meant to be together, and the world depends on it... but most of all, she depends on you. Love conquers all. Good luck, to both of you... tell Renee I love her..."
"Noo..." Harry whispered, as James's eyes drooped and his hand fell from Harry's arm. "You're gonna make it, just hold on."
Harry pointed his wand at him and said the banishing charm. Instantly, James was lifted off the floor and he flew through the front door and out of sight. Harry quickly gathered up Renee, whom he could hardly hear her breath anymore, and ran out of the house.
As he fought his way through tangled vines and bush, he shielded Renee's face from low-lying branches off the trees. Suddenly, the rise and fall of Renee's chest stopped. Shocked and horrified, Harry froze, looking down at her.
"Nooo... RENEE! Renee, wake up!"
He nudged her head with his, but she was not breathing.
Paniced and crying, Harry bolted through the garden, the gate becoming visible in the distance.
"Renee, stay with me now! We're almost there! C'mon!"
The gate became clearer in view, and Harry could make out Hannah just beyond it. She was knelt over a figure on the ground. James.
He ran faster.
"Help!" He cried. "Help, she's not breathing!"
Hannah looked up at him, her eyes filling at first with relief and then concern. Harry got closer to the gate and he suddenly heard a large roar.
Flying at top speed, straight at them, was Sirius Black on his motorcycle.
"HARRY!" He heard him yell.
"SIRIUS! Sirius, help... Renee's not breathing!"
Harry got to the gate, slamming it open with his hip and bolting out. He practically fell to the grass, laying Renee down gently. Sirius landed his bike, running briefly over to Hannah and James, where she shook him off and pointed to Harry. He then bolted over to Harry, hugging him first. Harry roughly shook him free.
"Sirius, Renee is not breathing... she's not... help her!"
Sirius looked down on Renee, frowning deeply. He gently lifted her wrist and checked for a pulse. Hours seemed to pass in seconds, each one torturing Harry as he looked back and forth from Sirius to Renee.
"Harry..." Sirius whispered, putting Renee's hand down.
Harry shook his head severely.
"Noo... NO! No, no no..."
He took Renee's head and placed her in his lap, rocking her gently back and forth and stroking her damp hair.
"Noo... Renee, please come back to me..." He whispered in her ear. "Please... please, Renee..."
Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder, then got up from the ground and walked away. Harry hardly noticed.
"Renee, I love you. I love you with all my heart. From the momment I first saw you I knew it, you are someone special. My Etam Luos. I want to spend the rest of my life with you... have a family with you... grow old with you. Never do I ever want to be away from your side, so you see... you can't die... you just can't! His tears washed over her face as he kissed her. "I love you Renee, please don't leave me... I don't want to be alone any longer."
Time seemed to stop all around him. The air became still. There was no sound but the sobs of Harry. The world went out of focus around him and all he could see was Renee's pale face, pressed gently against his. Suddenly, Harry felt a presence around him. An unearthly warmth surrounded him and he felt two hands place themselves lightly on each of his shoulders. Heat went through Harry, which startled him, but he did'nt lift his head from Renee, tears still streaming from his eyes and onto her's. The glowing warmth around him picked up, and the heat growing from Harry's shoulders traveled through his body and his face to Renee.
As quickly as it all started, the warmth and glow around him was gone. The presence let him go and Harry felt his shoulders go limp. He kissed Renee again.
Just when he thought that she was truely gone, and his sobs became louder, Harry's right hand that was resting on her chest rose.
She was breathing.
Harry quickly lifted his head and placed it on top of her now-moving chest. He could hear all the liquid bubbling inside her lungs, but she was breathing. Her face began to radiate instantly with a severe fever.
He kissed her joyfully.
"Renee! Oh, Renee... Renee, hold on!"
Sirius was walking back over, a solumn look on his face.
"Harry... Harry she's-"
"She's ALIVE! Sirius, she's breathing again!" Harry shouted, estatic, pulling Renee close to him, for she was shivering with fever once more.
Sirius looked at him with disbelief.
"Harry... are you sure?"
Harry held her out and Sirius bent down to feel her head. His mouth dropped and he looked at Harry quickly.
"How... however...? Nevermind that now, she's still real sick. We need to get her to the hospital." Sirius picked Renee up from Harry, he being a little hesitant to let her go. Sirius then turned to Hannah, who was elevating James's head.
"You have him, alright?" He asked her.
Hannah nodded.
"We're going to Oakdust Hospital. Take James into the town there and find a fireplace. He'll be alright for the time being. When I drop Renee off, I'll come for you and James." He looked to Harry. "C'mon, Harry. She does'nt have much time."
Harry ran to Sirius's bike, jumping on. Sirius placed Renee gently into his arms and swung his leg over, starting the engine. As they rose into the air, Harry watched as Hannah conjured up a strecher for James and led him down the path towards the town. She looked up at them as Sirius sped away, hope in her eyes.
They arrived at a secluded little hospital, in the middle of nowhere, obviously to keep wizard and witch patients away from Muggle eyes. Harry held Renee tightly to him, as Sirius landed in front of the huge double doors. When they touched down, the double doors swung open and two wizards ran out, wearing white wizard robes.
"How long has she been like this?" The senior doctor wizard asked, taking Renee from Harry without hesitation.
"At least a month," Harry said, worried and anxious to have her away from his grip.
The doctor holding Renee, ran into the hospital. Harry started to follow. Sirius revved up his bike.
"Harry, I'll be back! Stay with Renee!" He took off.
Harry did not look back, but tried to catch up to the doctor who was speeding away with Renee. The remaining doctor held him back.
"Wait a minute there, son. You're in bad shape too." He held Harry's shoulder with a surprising amount of strength.
"I want to stay with her, I got to. I'm not letting her out of my sight," Harry struggled to free himself.
The doctor peered at him closely.
"You're Harry Potter..." He whispered. Harry grew angry.
"Please, I want to stay with Renee!"
Shaking his head, the doctor tightened his grip on Harry.
"You need medical attention, Renee is in good hands. Don't worry, but you need to come with me." He started to walk Harry in. Harry continued to free himself, but the doctor would not let go.
"I promised I would never leave her side, she's better off with me with her!"
The doctor sighed.
"You need treatment, you've been through a horrible ordeal. Calm down or you'll hurt yourself more."
Harry's anger grew, using his free hand to search his robes for his wand. It was with this sudden surge of anger and desperation that the pain that he'd endured that evening came back, and he stumbled suddenly. But that did'nt stop him from struggling. He was going to be with Renee no matter what.
"Nurse!" The doctor called. He quickly grabbed what looked like his own wand sticking out from his robe pocket and held it tightly. Harry, still pulling away, suddenly felt all his energy slipping from him and through the doctor's hand, which held him tightly.
"What... are you... doing?" Harry felt drowsy.
"It'll be alright, Harry. We'll take care of you and Renee."
The scene around Harry went out of focus, and the last thing he knew before he lost consciousness was that he was being lifted off the ground.
Chapter Ten: Recovery
Harry woke up feeling like he had slept for years. His head was heavy and he could hear people talking around him, but he could'nt make out what they were saying or who they were. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt like lead.
".... comming around." Harry heard someone speak.
"How... gone?"
"... saved her?"
"Unnh..." Harry groaned.
"Harry?" He recognized this voice as Sirius.
Harry slowly managed to open his eyes. He saw the shapes of four people standing over him, but they were all fuzzy, like everything else. Someone had taken his glasses off. He forced his hand to search blindly for them, but Sirius went ahead and placed his glasses on his head.
Everything came into focus. Sirius was sitting next to the bed, worry and relief in his eyes. Professor Dumbledore was smiling kindly at the foot of the bed. Mrs. Weasley was sitting on the other side of Sirius, patting his hand maternally. The fourth person Harry did'nt recognize. She was a tall woman with short brown hair and bronze colored glasses. The clothes she wore were business-like and her face showed stress. However, she was looking at him hopefully with a small smile.
"Where am I?" Harry asked.
"In the hospital. You were taken in right after Renee." Sirius said.
Harry's eyes widened with realization and he tried to move to sit up, but both Sirius and Mrs. Weasley held him back.
"Renee!" Harry cried. "How is she? Where is she? I want to go to her!"
"Careful, sweetheart." Mrs. Weasley soothed. "Renee is a few doors down."
Harry felt energy flow back into him and he tried desperately to get up, but he was pushed back strongly by Sirius.
"Hold it. Don't push it yet, you've been through a lot. Don't make yourself worse."
"I've been through worse! Please, I want to be with her. I feel fine!" Harry pressed.
"Harry, listen to your Godfather. You'll be with Renee soon." Professor Dumbledore spoke, and his words told Harry to stop resisting.
Harry fell back on his pillow, his heart pounding.
"How long have I been here?"
"You've been asleep for two days!" Mrs. Weasley said. "We've all kept watch the whole time,"
"The doctors say you'll be fine. You just needed rest, however, you gave that doctor down there such a hard time that he had to put you out!" Sirius said, chuckling a little.
Dumbledore walked over to Harry, smiling his kind smile.
"I'm going to check on Renee, then I must get back to Hogwarts. You stay here and rest, the doctors will let you know when you can see her. When they deem alright, you can return to Hogwarts where you're Prefect status still stands."
Harry nodded.
"Thank you, Professor."
"Get well, Harry." He left the room.
The brown-haired woman, who had been silent the whole time, walked closer. Mrs. Weasley smiled at her kindly, then looked at Sirius.
"Er... let's go see if we can get Harry a bit to eat, shall we Sirius?"
Sirius looked at her strangely, glanced at the woman, then nodded and got up. Mrs. Weasley turned to Harry.
"We won't be far," She kissed him on his forehead, making him smile. As they left the room, the woman watched them leave, then turned to Harry. She walked closer, her smile warming her face, and looked at Harry with curiosity.
"So," She said quietly. "You are the famous Harry Potter that my daughter talks so fondly of."
Harry, hiding his shock, looked at her with wide eyes.
"You are Mrs. Springs?"
She nodded.
"It's nice to meet you," He said politely.
"An honor to meet you, Harry." She glanced around, looking like she did'nt know what to say next. "I... I would like to thank you, from the bottom of my heart and my husband's, for saving our little girl."
Harry blushed slightly.
"I would do anything for Renee." He whispered.
Mrs. Springs studied him, a faint smile on her face.
"I knew there was something about you, the momment I read in her letters that she saw you at school. Said she was sorted in the same house. Renee did'nt write about you as if you were just another celebrity, there was a sort of tone she gave that told me something. And she wrote about you, a lot. In almost every letter."
"When I heard about... well, about how she ended up battling with You-Know-Who, I was all set to bring her home. But she insisted she wanted to stay, her place was at Hogwarts and with her friends. Then, we got a letter from the Headmaster, telling us about who Renee was. That she was an Etam Luos, and you are her match."
She stared hard at Harry, as if inspecting him. This made him feel nervous. There was silence for a long time, the only sounds comming from the commute of the doctors and nurses in the hallway outside. Finally, after what seemed to Harry as forever, she broke the silence.
"Do you love her?"
Harry looked at her, then blushed.
"With all my heart."
Mrs. Springs looked at him intently, seeming to fight tears.
"My daughter is not one to take advantage of, she's an independent young woman. I trust that she's mature enough to know... to know... well, to know the difference between puppy love and true love. You, on the other hand, I have only just met. Fame tells me nothing about you. But... you did save my daughter the other night, putting yourself in mortal danger. Facing the greatest known madman in the world, who... who killed your parents. You are an extraordinary brave young man."
She broke her gaze from him and took a deep breath.
"Well, Etam Luos or no Etam Luos, it's Renee's decision as to what she wants to do with her life. I'm going to go check on her, you rest up."
Mrs. Springs turned to leave, but Harry called out to her.
"How is she? Will she be alright?"
Mrs. Springs looked back, uncertainty in her eyes.
"She's fine right now, her fever broke this morning, but she has yet to wake up. She has a severe case of pneumonia and it has put her in a coma-like state. The doctors say she could wake up any minute... or take another week or so." She fought to put a smile on her face, but it wavered into a grimace, and she left the room.
The doctors, Sirius, and Mrs. Weasley agreed to let Harry visit Renee as soon as he took a nap later that afternoon. Harry tried hard to fall asleep again, but the urge to see and be with Renee kept him wide awake, and he had to pretend to be sleeping while Sirius and Mrs. Weasley watched over him.
Finnally, after Mrs. Weasley had forced dinner down Harry's throat, Sirius took him a few doors down to Renee's bedroom. Mrs. Springs, and apparently Mr. Springs, were sitting arm in arm together on a sofa facing the foot of Renee's bed. Harry entered the room slowly, with Sirius right behind him. Mrs. Springs smiled at him weakly and Mr. Springs looked at him with curiosity. Harry smiled back then looked quickly to Renee. She was sleeping, seemingly peacefully, covered in several blankets. Her breathing was not as congested and color was faint on her cheeks. Harry walked to her side, feeling himself become whole again as he drew near. As he streched out his hand and placed it gently on top of hers, the world seemed to dissapeer, and the only thing he saw was Renee in front of him.
Harry did'nt know how long he was there for. All he knew was that he was with Renee, and he did not want to seperate from her again. When a nurse tried to take him back to his room, he argued until Sirius insisted to the nurse that he stay by Renee's side. Harry was eternally grateful, and he layed his head next to Renee, still holding her hand gently.
He fell asleep almost instantly, but instead of the same dream he got where he could speak with Renee surrounded by a silver mist, he drempt that he was back at Hogwarts. Only, it seemed different somehow. He seemed to drift down familiar hallways, past students, but he did'nt recognize any of them. They stopped as he went past, looking at him with respect, up at him. Suddenly, he was in the Great Hall, where there was an assembly. He drifted past the house tables, that hushed as he went by. The professor's table came into view, and standing up was Dumbledore, a proud smile on his face. However, he seemed twice as old. Professor McGonagall was close by his side, seemingly assisting in helping Dumbledore up. Not all of the proffessors he knew where there, but instead he saw Neville, Seamus, and Lee Jordan. All grown up and looking at him with admiration.
"There you are, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said, his voice tired but full of life. "You had your wife worried."
Harry felt someone stride next to him and slip an arm through his. He looked over to face a beautiful woman, with brilliant blue eyes and brown hair.
"We've been waiting, honey." She said to him, kissing his cheek.
"Renee?" Harry whispered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we would not be here today if it were'nt for this brave couple. We may finally rest in peace, for the danger in the magical world is now gone. Harry Potter has saved us too many times, and we are forever in his debt. However, if it were'nt for Renee Potter here, Hogwarts would surely have been destroyed, as well as each and every one of us." Dumbledore announced.
"Today, we honor both of them. To thank them for facing the ultimate evil and risking death. From this day forth, with the permission of the Ministry of Magic, today will be the day that we honor the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Potter."
Cheers errupted from every corner of the Great Hall. Renee, who's height reached Harry's nose, kissed him. He kissed her back, and the world seemed to swirl around them.
Suddenly, Harry felt someone grab his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see that he was still by Renee, laying in bed in the hospital. Sirius was standing over him, a small smile on his face.
"A minute longer and I think your neck would have a nasty ache," He whispered.
Sunlight streamed into the nearby window, lighting Renee's face. Harry squeezed her hand gently and streched his neck.
"You need to eat something," Sirius told him.
"I'm not hungry," Harry said bluntly.
"Well, you can't keep watch over her forever."
"I can, and I will... for as long as I live."
Sirius sighed and left the room. Harry watched him go until he was alone again with Renee. He looked down at her and stroked her hair. Her face was cool, fever gone, and her breathing was clear and regular.
"Oh, Renee," Harry whispered to her. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I would have traded places with you in a heartbeat. Never do I ever want to see you in pain. I feel like it's all my fault."
His head fell on her chest gently, and the rise and fall of her breathing comforted him.
"Don't be silly, you're so stubborn."
Harry's head snapped up, and he looked straight into Renee's blue eyes. She was awake, and she had tired smile.
"Renee!"
They kissed and Renee reached up and played with his hair.
"Oh, Renee. I thought I lost you..." He whispered, leaning back to look at her.
"I did'nt think I would see you again," She said, her voice hoarse
Harry let his head drop on her chest again, and she stroked his hair.
"Did you mean it?" Renee whispered suddenly.
Harry looked up.
"Mean what?"
"When we got out of the house, I assume I went out cold. But I could hear everything, seemingly far away. I felt as if someone was pushing me back, back through darkness. Everything was dark, but I heard you, and your words pulled me back. Did you mean what you said?"
Harry looked at her, tears stinging to come out, and he took her face in his hands and leaned close.
"Every word."
Renee blinked and tears streamed out, she smiled broadly.
"I love you, Harry."
"I love you too, Renee."
"Renee... !"
They looked up to see Mrs. Springs, standing stunned in the doorway. Mr. Springs, Sirius, and Timothy were fighting to look behind her.
"Hey mom," Renee said, grabbing Harry's hand to reassure him.
Mrs. Springs ran over and embraced Renee in a tight hug. Mr. Springs came over and put his arm around his wife. Timothy came to stand behind them, a relieved smile on his face, and Sirius stood by Harry.
"Come, Harry. Let's give them some time alone."
Harry squeezed Renee's hand, then let go. She watched him as Sirius took his shoulder and led him out of the room. Their eyes locked on each other until Harry was outside the door.
"I'm proud of you, Harry." Sirius told him.
"Sirius, when did my dad propose to my mum?"
Sirius looked at him, shocked.
"You're too young to worry 'bout that now,"
Harry laughed.
"I'm not going to pop the question now. I just want to know!"
Sirius still looked reluctant, staring at him suspiciously. He sighed then leaned close to him.
"You don't know how many times James tried to propose to Lily. He finally did it after we graduated from Hogwarts, on the train home."
He shook Harry's shoulders warningly.
"Now don't you go about making plans now, enjoy being a kid while you still can. There's plenty of time to settle down afterwards!"
Harry laughed again and Sirius led him back to his room.
Renee had to stay in the hospital for nearly two weeks, to clear up the pneumonia and heal some bruises. Harry stayed by her side as long as he could, until he was practically chased out by a nurse or a doctor. He had been discharged the day after Renee woke up, but he refused to leave. He slept on a chair by her bed and Sirius brought him food.
James Springs, who had been recovering in the adult wizard ward, came to visit Renee a few times. She was surprised to see him, and horrified that he got real hurt. Renee's family stayed close by, and James was soon released.
Finally, Renee was well enough to leave, and Harry helped her out of the hospital and back to Hogwarts. They had plenty of stares for a long time, but that did'nt phase them.
When things were seemingly back to normal, as normal as it could be with the castle filled with little kids, Harry continued to be at Renee's side almost all the time. Hermione and Ron thought it wonderful, and took advantage of their absence to be alone together themselves.
Harry and Renee spent most of their free time by the lake, on the same log that they shared that night they went flying together. Arm in arm, they stared at the water together in mutual silence.
As they sat together by the lake watching the sun set one day, Renee broke the usual silence.
"My brother's whole team was killed,"
Harry looked at her, shocked.
"I did'nt know,"
She smiled weakly, sighing.
"My cousin Hannah and my brother went back to the U.S. today. James is going to assemble another team and come back. My parents are trying to see if they can get their jobs to let them stay here in England, but my dad is very patriotic and is'nt really up to moving out of the country... even though he was'nt in the country much to begin with! Timothy said he fixed up the house, there was no real damage."
Harry hugged her close, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Harry, how on earth do you handle meeting Voldemort as many times as do?" She asked, shuddering.
He was silent for a long while, taking deep breaths.
"I really don't know,"
"We're going to have to face him again," Renee whispered.
"I know,"
"Can we really stop him?"
"Together, we just might be able to."
They were silent a momment.
"Harry, I'm scared."
"So am I,"
"What are we going to do?"
"Let destiny show us the way," Harry stoked her hair.
The sun was completely gone, and they walked back to the castle. Renee helped him gather his group of children and take them to bed. As they walked to the hallway to let them settle in, little Mary Peacecraft tugged at Harry and Renee's robes.
"Are you two in love?"
Harry and Renee stopped, exchanging embarrassed glances.
"Are you guys goning to get married?" Cried one boy from the back.
"Er..." Harry started.
"Are you going to have kids?" Cried another.
"Uhh..." Renee blushed.
"Have you kissed each other?"
"Eeeewwww!" Moaned half the group.
"What's all the noise about? Ah, no wonder... it's Prefect Potter and his group of infants."
Draco Malfoy was sliding down the hall, followed closely by his group of ten year olds who had expressions identical to Draco's.
"Go back to the hole you crawled out from, Malfoy." Renee sneered.
Draco looked her over with disgust.
"Ah, if it is'nt the American who got herself lost and had to have the famous Harry Potter come and rescue her. Helping the looser shepherd his flock are we?"
Renee grabbed hold of Harry's robes to keep him from throwing himself on top of Draco. She raised her wand and uttered a spell. Instantly, Draco's nose swelled to the size of a golf ball and it turned a glowing red.
"You won't need help finding your way, Malfoy, as long as you got your nose to guide you." Renee giggled.
"Look, it's Rudolph!" Shouted one little girl.
Both Harry and Draco's groups broke out into laughter and sang "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". Draco's cheeks turned the same color of his nose and he stomped off, his group singing and laughing behind him.
After Harry and Renee settled the children in and went up to Gryffindor tower, they sat alone together in the common room a while.
"Renee?" He asked her, staring into the fire.
"Emm?"
"How are you?"
"Fine Harry, as long as I'm with you."
He smiled, taking her hand into his.
"What do you want to do... after you graduate?" He asked her.
She stared at him a while.
"I'm not sure, I still have a year and a half before that happens."
"Will you stay here, in England?"
"I can't imagine moving back to Florida, not now."
He smiled happily. They were silent a long time, before Harry led her to the girl's dorm stairs and kissed her goodnight.
The next morning at breakfast, all the Prefects were called into Professor McGonagall's office. She waisted no time getting to the subject.
"The children will be going soon, out of the country."
"What?" Hermione exclaimed.
"The parents are helping us locate all the Death Eaters and the Dementors, but they are wide spread, and rumor has it that they are centralizing around Hogwarts. Soon, it will be too dangerous to have so many children to look after her. Portkeys and fireplaces are being hooked up to locations around North America. Schools in those areas will share accommodations for the children. Students remaining here will continue school, but Hogwarts will be on alert. If things continue to get out of hand, school will be canceled and the rest of the school will join those in America."
Harry and the other Prefects were shocked beyond words. It was all so sudden.
"If we manage to continue the school year," McGonagall continued. "All of us will remain here at Hogwarts for the summer, for safety reasons. No new students will be admitted. Quidditch is canceled until further notice and no one is permitted outside without permission. Outdoor classes will be brought inside. I expect each of you to enforce these new perimeters."
Silence filled the room, McGonagall sighing heavily. She looked at all of them in turn, her face full of stress.
"Stay calm, for all our sakes. Inform your groups, they will be leaving by the end of the day."
Chapter Eleven: Dawn of Change
"Keep close together now, you don't want to get lost."
Harry was drawing his group closer to him, as the hallway his group was assigned to was called to leave. All Hogwarts students were kept in class, and all the Prefects were taking their groups to assigned areas where they will be sent overseas.
"Why do we have to go, Harry?" Asked Mary Peacecraft.
"It will be safer where you are going," He answered, absentmindedly following the groups ahead of him.
"I want to stay with you," She said, whining.
Harry smiled, taking her hand.
"It will be alright, you'll be back home in no time."
Mary stared at him, her mysterious glare comming back that he saw the night he left to find Renee. She shook her head.
"Things will get much worse before it becomes alright, we won't be home for a long time, won't we?"
Harry stopped, staring down at her with wonder.
"I really don't know, Mary." He whispered sadly.
Mary's unusual expression changed back to that of a frightened little girl, and Harry continued to lead her and the rest of the group into the Great Hall.
A quarter of all the groups were there. Ron's group was already in line for the fireplace. He waved to Harry and Harry waved back as Professor McGonagall walked over to him. She handed him a slip of parchment and headed behind him to the other groups without a word.
"It says here that all of you will be going to Greenriver Academy, a school in Montana." Harry began to read the note out loud.
"Where's Montana?" Asked Will Taft, one of the triplets.
"In America," Answered his big sister, Ashlie, with an annoyed tone.
"Professor Lock will meet you when you get there, you will be told what goes on from there." Harry finished.
"Are you comming with us?" Asked the boy named Andrew.
Before Harry could answer, he felt a tug at his robes.
"No, he's not. He has to make things better here." Said Mary.
The group was silent, making Harry uncomfortable. The line was moving awfully fast, and before he knew it, it was his group's turn to jump into the green flames.
"Don't worry, guys," Harry said, pulling them closer. "Everything will be fine."
One by one, the sixteen children in his group jumped into the fire yelling out "Greenriver Academy!". After a few minutes, all who was left was Mary Peacecraft. She stared up at him with her mystical look, backing slowly into the flames.
"Good luck, Harry Potter!" She said, then turning around and yelling out the name of the school. In a flash, she was gone.
Harry, bewildered, was pushed roughly aside by a Ravenclaw Prefect to let their own group go through. Still staring off into nothing, he felt Ron grab his shoulder.
"We better go, Harry." He said to him gently.
Harry nodded and followed him out of the Great Hall.
****
The rest of the school year was a blur for Renee. It seemed time had sped up and she had a hard time keeping up with it. The Christmas holidays came and went, each and every student staying at Hogwarts for the first time. Since Hogsmeade visits were cancelled for the rest of the year, it was hard to get presents for everyone. Renee, unable to do much of anything, did not have enough time to even draw pictures to give as gifts. Instead, Harry and Renee spent the entire day together, alone. He showed her secret passageways and told stories about how he almost got caught each time. She was more quiet than usual, yet listened to every word with curiosity and amusement. Renee was'nt sure if Harry could tell how much she hurt on the inside, she tried hard to hide it.
The nightmares plauged her almost every night. This is what gave her away to Harry, since they were so tuned in to each other. He tried his best to comfort her, and she admired him for his effort. Harry often lent her his happiball, and it never failed to cheer her up. Yet, deep down inside, she knew how serious the situation was outside the castle walls... and she was mortally afraid for Harry. She did not want to loose him, and if something happened again, she was afraid that he would not walk away alive.
When she finally did start to draw again, her artwork changed dramatically. She rarely drew in colored pencil anymore, keeping her work in graphite most of the time. Normally one particular to draw realistically, Renee began to draw more abstract. Her artwork began to bring her deep feelings into a visual sense, and once she was done with a piece, she was so afraid of it that she burned it in the common room fire.
Hermione was a great girl friend to talk to, Renee often let loose her feelings to her, and she was very understanding. They would talk for hours in the girl's dorms, exchanging their feelings. Hermione was still deeply hurt from her own expreience with Voldemort the year before, and they confided in one another.
"So," Hermione said causually one night to Renee, fiddling with her fingernails. "When do you think you'll get married?"
Renee dropped the sketch she was playing with and stared at Hermione with a shocked expression.
"What ever do you mean?" She whispered, sheepishly.
Hermione put on a sly smile, a friendly one, and rolled onto her stomach on Renee's bed, kicking her legs playfully in the air.
"You know what I mean,"
Renee blushed deeply and looked away, pretending to be interested in her box of graphites.
"Don't be silly," She muttered.
"Oh come on, Renee! It's only a matter of time! When do you think he'll ask you?" Hermione sighed deeply with a dreamy look on her face.
Renee stared at her, giving Hermione a reproving look.
"We're only sixth years, Hermione. It's a little too early to talk about this sort of thing."
"You know as well as I do that he's eventually going to ask," Hermione shrugged, sitting back up and fixing her hair.
Renee looked at her mischievous grin.
"So when's Ron going to ask you?"
Hermione turned to her with a "deer-caught-in-the-headlights" expression, it was her turn to blush.
"Well, er..."
"Uh-huh..." Renee giggled.
They both began to laugh and Renee got up from where she was sitting and landed next to Hermione on the bed. They quieted and the room was soon silent, the only sounds comming from some loud third years in the common room downstairs.
"Hermione?" Renee whispered, a serious tone overcomming her.
"Emm?"
"Things are bad, and it's only going to get much worse."
Hermione stiffened, a solemn expression on her face.
"I know,"
"Are we going to get though this?" Renee turned to Hermione. Hermione looked at her with a blank expression.
"I'm not sure, Renee. I'm not sure."
Time continued to wizz by, past Renee's 17th birthday. Spring came, but the school was unable to enjoy it for the students were hardly allowed outside. Renee, Harry, Ron, and Hermione became an inseparable group once more to cope with the cabin fever. The teachers were not much of a joy to be around, Snape was often absent from class, most likely to deal with Death Eater spying. Hagrid was gone a lot too, to help with the giants.
When the end of the school year came, much to fast for Renee, the school was informed that no student was going home. The whole school was in a nervous and frightened uproar. To help the students deal with it, Dumbledore ordered the construction of a rec hall, to be built next to the castle. There, indoor Quidditch and other sports could be played. This announcement seemed to please some, but fear was still there.
And so, for the rest of the summer and into the fall, the situation drew worse. It was spreading into the muggle world as mysterious fires, disappearances, and even murders were reported. Not a single person, witch, wizard, or muggle was safe. The magical world became a very dangerous place to live in. Hogwarts soon began to drain of students, as their parents refused to fight any longer and took them out of the country. Dumbledore insisted that it was no use, for Voldemort's power was spreading, but it did not stop them.
When Harry and the gang entered their seventh and final year, there were no new first years. The Slytherin house population dwindled mysteriously to consist of only twenty students. Harry and Renee, to everyone's fake surprise, were made Head Boy and Girl. Dumbledore was often absent, rumors had it that his old age was catching up with him and the stress made him sick. Classes became surpisingly easy, as the professors were so stressed out and distracted that they no longer challenged the students. There was no house championship, no Halloween feast, Hogsmeade visits were not even brought up, and when the holidays finally drew near, there was little cheer to go around.
A dark pall seemed to cover the castle, and the entire country for that matter. Renee sensed that it was only the begining, and light won't come for a long, long time. Harry could tell what Renee was feeling, and often had his arm around her waist, both of them staring silently out windows into the gloom that had come over their world. The only thing that kept the situation bearable, was being together.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and dispite all the bad things that suffocated the happiness out of everyone... graduation time finally came.
"Girls on the left, boys on the right!" Professor McGonagall barked durring rehearsal the day before the graduation ceremony. "Head Boy and Girl out in front, please!"
All the seventh years groaned, what was left of them anyway, as they tried to arrange themselves to McGonagall's standards. Her normally neat hair was all frazzled and dark circles were around her eyes.
Ron and Hermione slid behind Renee and Harry.
"Nervous?" Ron whispered to them.
They both shook their heads a little too fast, obviously nervous.
"Is your family comming, Renee?" Hermione whispered behind Renee's back.
"My parents are, but my brothers are too busy with... well, too busy." She said.
"Sirius gonna be here, Harry?" Ron asked him.
Harry nodded.
"Lupin too, he wrote to tell me he's got some time to come see."
"Cool," Ron said.
For the rest of the day, Renee noticed that Harry was staring at her very unusally. Whenever she asked him what was up, he just shrugged and smiled.
"I wonder," She muttered to herself.
****
"Welcome to Hogwarts!"
The Great Hall was filled with adults, the house colors flooding the room. All the professors were wearing their formal uniforms, including Professor Dumbledore. He was standing before a great podium, his eyes tired looking yet with their characteristic twinkle.
"The graduation ceremony will now begin,"
The giant doors opened, and in the doorway, side by side, was Harry and Renee. Their Head Boy and Head Girl badges displayed on their graduation robes reflected the candle light. They walked slowly into the hall, all eyes upon them. Two by two, the rest of the seventh years followed them, Ron and Hermione second in line.
Harry walked real close to Renee, keeping his eyes looking straight in front of him. He reached out his hand and took Renee's and out of the corner of his eye he could see her smile. Off to his right he could see Sirius and Lupin, looking real proud and nodding. Harry grinned as they reached the end of the pathway, where they had to seperate into two seperate lines. He squeezed Renee's hand affectionately and she did the same as they drifted apart, girls going to the left and boys to the right. When everyone was in place, Dumbledore spoke again.
"I have had the greatest pleasure of seeing these talented young adults grow for seven years. They have come from knowing little or no magic at all, to becoming mature wizards and witches. Today, they leave Hogwarts behind, and go to make a difference in the magical world." His tone became dark.
"These wizards and witches are our future. Hopefully they can right what the past generations have done, and bring peace to our lives once more. We have entered a dark and dangerous time, and we hope that as our children go out into the world, they can bring us out of it... safely." Dumbledore shook his head, bringing a smile back on his face.
"But enough of this, we are all here to celebrate our children's comming of age as wizards and witches. It is my greatest pleasure, to present these young adults with their diploma."
The lines of students turned to face him, preparing to climb the stage.
"To begin, will the Head Boy and Girl please come forth?"
Harry swallowed hard, as the hall silenced to whispers. He could see Renee approaching from the other side, a nervous but encouraging smile on her face. They came side by side of Dumbledore, and he smiled at them. Harry had grown to match Dumbledore's height and Renee came up to their noses. Dumbledore then took his wand and turned to Harry.
"Harry James Potter, you have successfully completed seven years of schooling here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You have lived up to the standards of your house, Gryffindor, with honors. You have shown unending courage and have saved the school in many situations that we are forever in your debt for. May you use your talents only for good, preserving the values and beliefs that have come down through the ages in the magical world." He placed his wand on Harry's shoulder, and a golden tassel appeared next to his Head Boy badge. "Congratuatlions, and good luck."
Harry beamed at Dumbledore, who exchanged the look equally. The hall errupted into applause, and Harry could make out Sirius and Lupin clapping loudly among the crowd.
Dumbledore then turned to Renee.
"Renee Anne Springs, you have also completed seven years of schooling, three of which being here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With an admirable amount of courage, you left your home in the United States to learn here. You have also lived up to the standards of your house, Gryffindor, showing unwavering bravery in the face of many obstacles. May you use your talents only for good, preserving the values and beliefs that have come down through the ages in the magical world." He placed his wand on her shoulder, and an identical golden tassel appeared on her robes like Harry's. "Gongratualtions, and good luck."
She smiled, blushing, and Dumbledore took her arm gently as well as Harry's. He drew them together, and pointed to Professor McGonagall, who was holding their diplomas. They walked together, taking their diplomas and exchanging hand shakes. With a deafening applause, they both walked off the stage to join their lines.
Dumbledore then presented the rest of the seventh years with their diplomas, giving the ceremonial speech to each of them. When he had given out the last diploma, he swept his arms wide to indicate all the students.
"I present before you, the latest graduated class from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
The hall again errupted into cheers.
As the hall emptied, students joining their parents to leave Hogwarts for the last time, Dumbledore suddenly appeared by Harry and Renee, who were talking together with Ron and Hermione.
"May I have a minute with Harry?" He asked them politely.
Renee, Ron, and Hermione nodded, leaving them be.
"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Harry, I'm very proud of you."
Harry blushed slightly.
"I know for a fact that your parents would be immensely proud as well." He looked over his shoulder, then back at Harry seriously.
"You know what you must do,"
Harry looked at him.
"Yes," He whispered.
"Your father was an auror, Harry. That's partly the reason why Voldemort wanted to kill him. The reason why he wants you dead, however, is that it was predicted that a Potter was going to be his downfall. Your family bloodline goes way back, Harry. All of them powerful wizards. Unfortunately, Voldemort is so powerful now that you alone cannot stop him. But you and Renee can, that was predicted as well. Take care, both of you, and keep in touch."
Without another word, and before Harry could say anything, Dumbledore simply dissapeered.
"What was that all about?" Renee asked gently, comming to his side.
Harry looked at her, his expression turning confident. Renee looked at him puzzled.
"What is it, Harry?" She asked him.
He quickly took her hand and led her out of the Great Hall. People stopped to look as they walked by, Renee too confused to ask.
"Where are we going?"
"Some place where we can talk,"
Not asking any further, Renee allowed Harry to gently lead her up the stairwells, finally comming out to the top of a tower. It was night, and the dark gloom that had become common place over the land seemed to be less threatening than usual.
Harry led her over to the edge, and they looked over the castle grounds quietly. After a momment, Renee asked again.
"Harry, what is it?"
He sighed deeply, his hands shaking just a little.
"Renee..." His throat clogged up.
She turned to look straight into his green eyes, and he melted at the sight of her own blue eyes, reflecting the firelight that drifted up to them from below.
"What's wrong?" She pressed, her voice concerned.
Harry took a deep breath.
"Remember, last year, when I asked you if you were going to stay here in England after we graduated?"
"Yes..." She answered, slowly.
"Do you still want to?"
"Of course."
Harry swallowed hard, taking her hands in his and staring down at them.
"Where will you stay?"
Renee was quiet a momment.
"I'm not sure," She whispered.
He looked up into her eyes.
"Could you... would you, stay with me?" He whispered, nervously.
Renee stared at him, disbelief in her eyes.
"I never want to leave you." Her voice was barely audible. Harry let out a deep breath, relieved.
"And..." Harry trailed off, too afraid to ask.
Renee continued to stare at him, silent.
"And... and..."
She took her hand and held his cheek, he leaned into it, closing his eyes.
"And what?" She whispered.
After a momment, Harry took her hand into his once more, suddenly kneeling to one knee. He looked up at her, his green eyes pleading.
"And when your ready.... would you marry me?"
Renee's eyes went wide with shock as Harry quickly started to babble.
"You don't have to answer... I just wanted... it's alright if you... er.. what I mean is..."
She took her index finger and placed it gently over his mouth, silencing him. Her eyes were glossy with tears and it was her turn to shake nervously.
"Do you mean it?" She breathed.
Harry nodded.
"With my entire heart and soul,"
The tears trickled down her cheek, and she nodded as well.
"Oh, Harry..."
She fell into his arms, and they kissed. When they parted, Harry held Renee by her waist and they looked out into the darkness together. After what seemed like forever, Harry broke the silence, stroking Renee's hair.
"Life will be difficult, now." He said.
Renee nodded.
"Yes, but not as much, as long as we're together."
Harry agreed.
"I promise to never let anything bad happen to you,"
She looked deep into his eyes. He smiled, kissing her forehead, then turned back to the darkness with a dangerous expression.
"Just wait, you'll see. Voldemort will curse the day he first heard our names... and in time, we'll make him pay. He'll learn never to mess with the Potters again."
~Through the darkness, dawns light. Destiny has yet to be fulfilled.~
A/N: Ahh! I so love the last part! ::wipes eyes:: Yes, the next series is "Break In the Darkness". You may go read that now! But, please review if you haven't done so already.. please? Thanks!
~OrcaPotter
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill.
Chapter Nine: Hatred Faces Destiny
"What?!" Harry gasped, standing up straight and looking into her worried eyes.
Hannah sighed, twisting her fingers nervously.
"I felt... I knew the Dementors were comming. We were investigating the town, for rumors had it that it was surrounded by Dementors. Yet, when we got here, I did not feel any and we saw none. So, we split up. Then suddenly, I felt them. It must of been hundreds... they surrounded us. Mr. Springs... James... told me to run. I said no, I was tired of being treated like the child of the group. I could handle it... but with my telepathic abilities, what I felt was indescribable, I knew it had to be bad... for I felt your encounters through you the last time we met. But... but it was too much, and I past out. James must of hid me before he was taken." She took a deep breath and looked seriously at Harry.
"I can feel every one of them, my whole team. But... but Renee is much worse, deathly ill. She is your top priority... get to her and get her out. Only... only see if you can save my team. As soon as I feel the spells surrounding the house weaken, I will come in and do it myself. Don't go out of your way though, my team is my responsibility... not yours."
Harry had already began to run towards the direction Hannah had said the house was in. Lightning flashed the sky and he could see an outline of an old house, at the top of a hill. With each stride, the pain in his scar intensified... and Renee's deep suffering pulsed through him like waves. Hannah ran to keep up with him. Before he knew it, he was standing at the gate leading to the garden of the old house.
"Only I can pass the gate..." Harry muttered.
Hannah caught up, standing by his side, panting. She nodded grimly.
"This is where you go alone,"
Harry gripped his wand tighter and moved the gate open. His scar seared with blinding agony, but his will to get Renee kept his mind in focus.
Hannah touched his shoulder as he began to walk through.
"Hope hangs about your neck, Harry. Remember that. Courage cannot survive without hope."
Harry looked back at her and smiled, then turned and entered the dead garden. The gate swung loudly back into it's lock, and Hannah watched him go. Rain continued to pour onto Harry, seeming to want to keep him back. But he did'nt care. All that mattered was Renee.
I'm here, Renee! Harry thought out loud. It won't be much longer, hang on!
The old, dismantled house was now as clear into view as it could get with the pouring rain. Thunder echoed off it's paneled walls, almost warning him not to enter. Yet, he fought the tangled vines that streched across the long unmowed grass and stumbled onto the doorstep. As he streched out his left hand to open the door, the door opened for him.
"Come, Harry Potter. I've been waiting..."
Harry heard this voice as if the wind was speaking. The evil that washed over him as he stepped inside told him that it was Voldemort. Once clear of the doorway, the door slammed shut behind him, making him jump slightly.
A cold laugh echoed off the empty hallways, which led from left to right. In front of him was the foyer, a large staircase running up the middle. Harry slowly made his way into the foyer, a dim firelight illuminating the dusty walls.
He pressed the Golden Chain of Hope close to his skin, by his heart, feeling the warmth spread through him and fighting the evil. Standing taller, courage building even more, Harry held his wand in a dueling position.
"Where is Renee?" He called out, confidently. His voice echoed off the muddy, tiled floor.
"Renee is no more," Echoed the malicious voice, seeming to pour from every crevice of the house, as if it were speaking itself and not Voldemort.
Harry's heart leapt, but the chain on his neck kept his cool.
"I don't believe you!" He yelled out.
The laughter continued, quaking Harry's insides like Jello.
"Find her, if you're so sure."
Harry felt eyes peering at him from every nook and cranny of the house, but searching around him, he saw no one. He was determined not to let it frighten him, he had to find Renee.
"Renee!" Harry called out, not expecting an answer. "Renee, I'm here... tell me where you are!" He began to run. He ran up hallways, tore apart rooms, searched everywhere on the house's two floors, but he found nothing. Not a single thing, not even a Death Eater or Dementor or even Voldemort himself.
Panting and out of breath, panic comming to him as time drew on, Harry made way to start back where he began... thinking he missed something. As he sped-walked down a hallway that he knew led back into the foyer, he past something that made him stop dead. Backtracking, he tried to focus his eyes to see what appeared to be a blue mist, hovering by the wall. The firelight that came from a nearby torch did nothing to help his view, so Harry lit his wand. The mist began to sway in response and he could just make out the outline of a door behind the sea of blue.
This is it! Harry thought.
He reached out his hand to turn the nob, but as he touched the blue mist an electric shock went through his hand and surged through his body.
"Ahhh!" He yelled.
Instantly, the blue mist began to take a form. Cradling his arm, Harry watched in amazment as two black eyes appeared and a broad mouth streched in front of him. The mist formed what appeared to be a head around the features and it began to sway like a pendulum, back and forth.
"What... who... are you?" Harry whispered, astonished.
The mouth streched into an amused and cocky smile.
"I am the Vexlor, guardian of spells." It's voice hummed like a muggle vacuum cleaner.
Harry was silent a momment, watching the Vexlor sway back and forth in a trance-like way. He shook his head violently, his eyes narrowing as he remembered Renee waiting beyond the door.
"Let me pass." Harry commanded, although his voice wavered with a slight squeak.
The Vexlor's eyes became inquisitive, squinting at him as if he lied.
"You are Harry James Potter. Son of James Scott Potter."
Harry stared hard at the mist, startled at not the fact that it knew who he was, but knew his father's full name.
"Yes..." Harry said slowly. "Let me pass."
A crack of a laugh shot out from the Vexlor.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple. To break the spell, you must solve a riddle."
Harry simply stared.
"Is that it?"
The Vexlor continued it's cocky attitude, a mock expression in it's eyes.
"Think you can solve it, son of James Scott Potter?"
Harry began to grow angry.
"Give me your best shot,"
The swaying motion of the Vexlor picked up pace, it's expression emotionless.
"Solve the riddle, the spell will be lifted and entry will be granted. Fail to answer, the door will be forever sealed and you shall die."
They way it said it, there was no doubt that it told the truth. Harry took a deep breath, swallowing hard. If he could solve the riddle of the Sphinx, he could solve whatever this thing threw at him. He was too determined and anxious to get Renee to doubt himself, and he nodded.
The Vexlor's swing picked up another pace, it's mouth in a sly grin.
"What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs at night?"
Harry groaned.
"You have five minutes to reply." It added suddenly.
"WHAT?!" Harry shouted.
Putting on a mock look of pity and continuing it's quick swaying motion, the Vexlor repeated.
"Fail to answer, the door will be forever sealed and you shall die."
Harry began to panic. He paced back and forth, trying hard to think.
"What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night? What has... morning... two... then three..."
The Vexlor continued to sway, watching him amusedly.
"Four minutes." It said.
Harry shook his head, his body shaking all over. Not being able to help it, Harry's eyes began to tear.
I was so close! Oh, Renee... I keep failing you.
With an intent look in it's dark features, the blue mist swirling around it's "head", the Vexlor spoke in a business-like tone.
"I offer you this. You may request one clue. As payment, you must grant me a single deed."
Harry stopped and looked at it severly.
"You serve Voldemort,"
"I serve no one but myself." It answered simply.
"Then why are you here?" Harry asked, suspicion in his voice.
"When a wizard requests me, I come if the payment is equal to the deed."
"What is Voldemort paying you?" Harry pressed.
"Three minutes." The Vexlor stated.
Harry shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"What deed would you require me to do?"
The Vexlor did'nt answer.
Suddenly, pain shot through Harry as if he had been pierced by a sword in the gut. Renee's moans echoed in his mind.
"Fine! Give me the clue!" Harry screamed.
It smiled at him evily.
"Life."
"What? That's IT?!" Harry bellowed at him.
No answer, just a casual stare.
Resuming his pace, Harry ran the riddle through his mind again... trying desperately to ignore the pain.
"What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night? Life. Life." He pulled at his hair with his left hand.
"Two minutes."
"Oh, Renee!" Harry moaned. He leaned against the opposite wall, the Vexlor watching him, keeping his quick and swaying motion. The Golden Chain of Hope clunked against Harry's chest, and warmth continued to radiate.
I don't know. I don't know what it means. Harry said in his head, defeated. I've really failed Renee this time, she's going to die... because of my stupidity.
No, Harry. Came another thought in his head. No. Remember, love can sometimes blind logic. Think now, think carefully.
Harry sighed heavily.
"One minute." The Vexlor said, dully.
Staring at the blue, swaying mist, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated.
Life. Morning, noon, and night. Four legs, two legs, three legs. A begining, a middle, and an end. Life has a begining, a middle, and an end. You're a baby, then an adult, then you grow old and die. The end.
Harry stood up suddenly, making his head swim but his sudden realization countered it. The Vexlor stared at him considering.
"You crawl as a baby, walk as an adult, then you need help as you age. Four legs, two legs, then three legs... with a cane. Life. Man's life! The answer is man! Birth is morning! Life is afternoon! Death is evening!" Harry shouted confidently at him.
The Vexlor stopped swaying slowly, a grin of satisfaction in the mist. Dry laughter crackled from the mouth and it made Harry feel like he just sold his soul.
"You are indeed, the son of James Scott Potter. Harry James Potter, you are now in my debt. I will come when I have need of your payment." The Vexlor dispirsed, the blue mist revealing the large oak door behind it. "You may now pass."
With a momment's hesitation, Harry grabbed at the doorknob and twisted it open. A mildew smell hit him like a brick and the air was heavy with moisture. Holding his lit wand high, Harry could see a stairway leading down in front of him. As he made his way down, the door behind him slammed shut.
Laughter filled his ears, triumphant laughter.
A chill ran down Harry's spine and his scar blazed with a blinding pain. Dispite it, Harry could feel his heart tugging him down. Renee was there.
He continued down the stairway, light begining to become a tad brighter as torches blazed by him. When his foot reached the bottom step, the sight he saw made his held-back tears come out with full force.
Laying in the middle of what appeared to be the basement, was Renee. Her back was to him, she was on her side. He could hear her jagged and irregular breathing, heavily congested and filled with fluid. Her clothes were wet, for she was surrounded by puddles. Renee was simply there, apparently unrestrained by nothing.
"Renee!" He breathed out loud.
She did not respond.
Harry ran to her, falling to his knees and splashing ice-cold water over himself and on Renee. He pulled her gently to face him, supporting her head gently. Her face was pale, severly hot with fever. Harry brushed her tangled and wet bangs aside and felt her forehead. Her eyes were closed and her limbs limp, the rest of her body was a deathly cold.
"Renee," He whispered in her ear, kissing her forehead softly. "It's Harry... please wake up, please."
Renee showed no sign of recognition.
"Renee, wake up... please wake up." Harry begged, rocking her in his arms, trying to warm her with his body by holding her close.
"Please... please, Renee." Tears were splashing on her, and he tried to wipe them away. Her damp hair tangled around his arms.
"She won't answer," Came a quiet voice.
Startled, Harry twisted around, supporting Renee, to see who spoke. Squinting at the dim corner of the basement, he could make out a figure on the ground. He tried to whip out his wand, but he was afraid to let go of Renee.
"Don't worry, it's only me. James Springs." He sighed.
With a closer look, Harry could just make out his muscular outline. But the strength that Harry felt radiate off him every time he saw him was gone. What was there now was defeat and hoplessness.
Harry gently layed Renee on a drier piece of ground, and walked slowly towards James. His legs and arms were bound together by magic, his hair plastered to his face with sweat. He looked at Harry with desperation.
"Voldemort is here, he's going to kill you both at any momment. Go! Take my sister and get away now! Untie me and I'll hold Voldemort off!"
Grabbing and ripping off the magical bounds that held James's hands and feet together, Harry helped him to his feet. He ran to the other side of the basement where his wand lay and began to go up the stairs. James looked back at Harry with urgency.
"Go, now! Take Renee and go! Don't worry 'bout me, I can handle it."
Harry, shaking his head from his gaze, ran back to Renee. She was having trouble breathing and her body was shaking due to her fever. He bent down and tried to pick her up, but she was too heavy and he almost dropped her on his knees.
"Feathricus!" Harry said, waving his wand over Renee. Nothing visible happened, but when he lifted her again, she was as light as air. Her head rested against his chest and he held her close.
"Let's go home, you'll be alright, Renee, I've got you." He whispered.
Turning to go up the stairs, Harry made way to leave with Renee cradled in his arms.
"I've been waiting for this momment, a long... long time."
Harry stopped dead, Renee's jagged breathing becoming audible with her fluid-filled lungs.
Almost appearing out of thin air in front of him, was Voldemort. His snake-like face seething with hatred and triumph.
"Fulicious!" Voldemort bellowed.
Instantly, Harry was slammed back a full fifteen feet into the basement wall. Renee fell to the floor with a loud thud. Harry collapsed to the ground, doubled over and clutching his stomach where the curse hit him straight on. The wind was knocked out of him and he gasped for air, blood dripping from his nose.
"I won't waste time anymore, Harry Potter. I've learned my lesson." Voldemort stepped over Renee as if she were a stone in a garden, a malicious smile across his face and wand raised at Harry.
"You can kill me, but please let Renee go!" Harry gasped.
Voldemort cocked his head at him.
"I promised your Etam Luos here that I would finish you both off, together. I don't brake my promises. Crucio!"
The Cruciatus curse hit Harry all over. It was beyond pain. Every nerve cell in his body seemed to explode and his scar felt as if it had exploded itself. He screamed until he could no longer hear himself, his ears going numb. Finally, after what seemed like forever, it stopped... and his body echoed off every detail of the pain that had just occured. His scar throbbed and clouded his vision. All he could tell was that he had been grabbed by the collar of his shirt and was being dragged across the wet stone floor.
Harry was a heap next to Renee, who was sprawled out on the ground next to him. He looked at her, his eyes tearing away tears and blood. Suddenly, Renee's eyes opened slowly. Harry's heart lept.
At least we get to say goodbye. He thought.
As if she had heard him, Renee shook her head. He eyes looked down at her right hand and in it, was her wand. Harry looked at her with a "that's impossible!" look, and her mouth began to curve into a mischievous grin.
"Now, stand and face your death."
Harry felt himself pulled to his feet like a puppet. Voldemort had the most horrible look of triumph in his evil face as he slowly raised his wand.
"Harry...." He heard Renee whisper hoarsely below him. "Help... help me up."
His eyes still locked on Voldemort, he bent down and lifted Renee up by her arm. Voldemort watched with mild surprise.
"Is'nt this sweet? The soul mates go out together as one."
"Hold.. hold my hand... Harry." Renee managed to say.
He did so, squeezing her right hand tightly and supporting her arm in arm. Her wand was moved to her left hand, and Harry held his with his right.
"Goodbye, Potter."
Voldemort lifted his wand straight at them.
"Harry, quick... cross your wand with mine!" Renee forced her voice suddenly.
She brought her wand to his and they crossed them against each other. Instantly, an intense power seemed to well up and surge through them both. A golden light glowed from their crossed wands and it grew with every second, making Voldemort faulter.
"Now, Renee!" Shouted Harry.
They both took a deep breath in union as Voldemort's face tightened with fear and fury.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry and Renee bellowed, their faces scrounged with intensity as a huge power shot out from them and through their wands.
It hit Voldemort violently, tossing his wand from his hand aside and he was knocked a full ten feet across the floor. His face was a mixture of horror and disbelief, which suddenly turned to outrage.
"Harry, we... we..." Renee collapsed to the floor, exhausted. Harry caught her head and made a quick look at Voldemort before he picked her up in his arms again.
He realized he could'nt possibly kill Voldemort that night. Not alone. Renee was too ill, and she was the only one who could help defeat Voldemort. Harry backed to the stairs, his wand sticking out from his hand as he held Renee close.
"Next time, will be the last..." He said, defiantly to the huddled figure of Voldemort on the floor. "I will kill you for all that you've done!"
"Noooo... NOOOOOOOO!" Voldemort screamed.
Harry flew up the stairs, Renee in his arms. Her breathing was shallow.
"Hold on, Renee. Please hold on," Harry begged to her, running out of the basement door and up the hall to the foyer.
She was out cold, her fever more intense and her skin was cold and clammy.
Harry stumbled into the foyer, running for the front door. He was almost there, when he saw a fallen figure in the shadows off in the right hallway.
Cautiously, fighting his urge to leave and get Renee to safety, he approached the figure. The closer he got, the more he could make out that it was James, Renee's brother.
He was not moving.
Harry gently placed Renee on the dusty floor and leaned over James, checking for a pulse. Suddenly, James's hand shot up and grabbed Harry's arm, making him yelp.
"Where's Renee?" He whispered, urgentlly.
"Right here," Harry answered, pointing to her.
James look off at her, tears comming freely from his eyes. He tore his gaze away and looked straight at Harry, a demanding look on his face.
"Harry, I... I don't think anyone else on this earth is more deserving of my little sister than you. You are truely the bravest young man I can ever imagine knowing. Take care of her, be good to her... protect her. You are meant to be together, and the world depends on it... but most of all, she depends on you. Love conquers all. Good luck, to both of you... tell Renee I love her..."
"Noo..." Harry whispered, as James's eyes drooped and his hand fell from Harry's arm. "You're gonna make it, just hold on."
Harry pointed his wand at him and said the banishing charm. Instantly, James was lifted off the floor and he flew through the front door and out of sight. Harry quickly gathered up Renee, whom he could hardly hear her breath anymore, and ran out of the house.
As he fought his way through tangled vines and bush, he shielded Renee's face from low-lying branches off the trees. Suddenly, the rise and fall of Renee's chest stopped. Shocked and horrified, Harry froze, looking down at her.
"Nooo... RENEE! Renee, wake up!"
He nudged her head with his, but she was not breathing.
Paniced and crying, Harry bolted through the garden, the gate becoming visible in the distance.
"Renee, stay with me now! We're almost there! C'mon!"
The gate became clearer in view, and Harry could make out Hannah just beyond it. She was knelt over a figure on the ground. James.
He ran faster.
"Help!" He cried. "Help, she's not breathing!"
Hannah looked up at him, her eyes filling at first with relief and then concern. Harry got closer to the gate and he suddenly heard a large roar.
Flying at top speed, straight at them, was Sirius Black on his motorcycle.
"HARRY!" He heard him yell.
"SIRIUS! Sirius, help... Renee's not breathing!"
Harry got to the gate, slamming it open with his hip and bolting out. He practically fell to the grass, laying Renee down gently. Sirius landed his bike, running briefly over to Hannah and James, where she shook him off and pointed to Harry. He then bolted over to Harry, hugging him first. Harry roughly shook him free.
"Sirius, Renee is not breathing... she's not... help her!"
Sirius looked down on Renee, frowning deeply. He gently lifted her wrist and checked for a pulse. Hours seemed to pass in seconds, each one torturing Harry as he looked back and forth from Sirius to Renee.
"Harry..." Sirius whispered, putting Renee's hand down.
Harry shook his head severely.
"Noo... NO! No, no no..."
He took Renee's head and placed her in his lap, rocking her gently back and forth and stroking her damp hair.
"Noo... Renee, please come back to me..." He whispered in her ear. "Please... please, Renee..."
Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder, then got up from the ground and walked away. Harry hardly noticed.
"Renee, I love you. I love you with all my heart. From the momment I first saw you I knew it, you are someone special. My Etam Luos. I want to spend the rest of my life with you... have a family with you... grow old with you. Never do I ever want to be away from your side, so you see... you can't die... you just can't! His tears washed over her face as he kissed her. "I love you Renee, please don't leave me... I don't want to be alone any longer."
Time seemed to stop all around him. The air became still. There was no sound but the sobs of Harry. The world went out of focus around him and all he could see was Renee's pale face, pressed gently against his. Suddenly, Harry felt a presence around him. An unearthly warmth surrounded him and he felt two hands place themselves lightly on each of his shoulders. Heat went through Harry, which startled him, but he did'nt lift his head from Renee, tears still streaming from his eyes and onto her's. The glowing warmth around him picked up, and the heat growing from Harry's shoulders traveled through his body and his face to Renee.
As quickly as it all started, the warmth and glow around him was gone. The presence let him go and Harry felt his shoulders go limp. He kissed Renee again.
Just when he thought that she was truely gone, and his sobs became louder, Harry's right hand that was resting on her chest rose.
She was breathing.
Harry quickly lifted his head and placed it on top of her now-moving chest. He could hear all the liquid bubbling inside her lungs, but she was breathing. Her face began to radiate instantly with a severe fever.
He kissed her joyfully.
"Renee! Oh, Renee... Renee, hold on!"
Sirius was walking back over, a solumn look on his face.
"Harry... Harry she's-"
"She's ALIVE! Sirius, she's breathing again!" Harry shouted, estatic, pulling Renee close to him, for she was shivering with fever once more.
Sirius looked at him with disbelief.
"Harry... are you sure?"
Harry held her out and Sirius bent down to feel her head. His mouth dropped and he looked at Harry quickly.
"How... however...? Nevermind that now, she's still real sick. We need to get her to the hospital." Sirius picked Renee up from Harry, he being a little hesitant to let her go. Sirius then turned to Hannah, who was elevating James's head.
"You have him, alright?" He asked her.
Hannah nodded.
"We're going to Oakdust Hospital. Take James into the town there and find a fireplace. He'll be alright for the time being. When I drop Renee off, I'll come for you and James." He looked to Harry. "C'mon, Harry. She does'nt have much time."
Harry ran to Sirius's bike, jumping on. Sirius placed Renee gently into his arms and swung his leg over, starting the engine. As they rose into the air, Harry watched as Hannah conjured up a strecher for James and led him down the path towards the town. She looked up at them as Sirius sped away, hope in her eyes.
They arrived at a secluded little hospital, in the middle of nowhere, obviously to keep wizard and witch patients away from Muggle eyes. Harry held Renee tightly to him, as Sirius landed in front of the huge double doors. When they touched down, the double doors swung open and two wizards ran out, wearing white wizard robes.
"How long has she been like this?" The senior doctor wizard asked, taking Renee from Harry without hesitation.
"At least a month," Harry said, worried and anxious to have her away from his grip.
The doctor holding Renee, ran into the hospital. Harry started to follow. Sirius revved up his bike.
"Harry, I'll be back! Stay with Renee!" He took off.
Harry did not look back, but tried to catch up to the doctor who was speeding away with Renee. The remaining doctor held him back.
"Wait a minute there, son. You're in bad shape too." He held Harry's shoulder with a surprising amount of strength.
"I want to stay with her, I got to. I'm not letting her out of my sight," Harry struggled to free himself.
The doctor peered at him closely.
"You're Harry Potter..." He whispered. Harry grew angry.
"Please, I want to stay with Renee!"
Shaking his head, the doctor tightened his grip on Harry.
"You need medical attention, Renee is in good hands. Don't worry, but you need to come with me." He started to walk Harry in. Harry continued to free himself, but the doctor would not let go.
"I promised I would never leave her side, she's better off with me with her!"
The doctor sighed.
"You need treatment, you've been through a horrible ordeal. Calm down or you'll hurt yourself more."
Harry's anger grew, using his free hand to search his robes for his wand. It was with this sudden surge of anger and desperation that the pain that he'd endured that evening came back, and he stumbled suddenly. But that did'nt stop him from struggling. He was going to be with Renee no matter what.
"Nurse!" The doctor called. He quickly grabbed what looked like his own wand sticking out from his robe pocket and held it tightly. Harry, still pulling away, suddenly felt all his energy slipping from him and through the doctor's hand, which held him tightly.
"What... are you... doing?" Harry felt drowsy.
"It'll be alright, Harry. We'll take care of you and Renee."
The scene around Harry went out of focus, and the last thing he knew before he lost consciousness was that he was being lifted off the ground.
Chapter Ten: Recovery
Harry woke up feeling like he had slept for years. His head was heavy and he could hear people talking around him, but he could'nt make out what they were saying or who they were. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt like lead.
".... comming around." Harry heard someone speak.
"How... gone?"
"... saved her?"
"Unnh..." Harry groaned.
"Harry?" He recognized this voice as Sirius.
Harry slowly managed to open his eyes. He saw the shapes of four people standing over him, but they were all fuzzy, like everything else. Someone had taken his glasses off. He forced his hand to search blindly for them, but Sirius went ahead and placed his glasses on his head.
Everything came into focus. Sirius was sitting next to the bed, worry and relief in his eyes. Professor Dumbledore was smiling kindly at the foot of the bed. Mrs. Weasley was sitting on the other side of Sirius, patting his hand maternally. The fourth person Harry did'nt recognize. She was a tall woman with short brown hair and bronze colored glasses. The clothes she wore were business-like and her face showed stress. However, she was looking at him hopefully with a small smile.
"Where am I?" Harry asked.
"In the hospital. You were taken in right after Renee." Sirius said.
Harry's eyes widened with realization and he tried to move to sit up, but both Sirius and Mrs. Weasley held him back.
"Renee!" Harry cried. "How is she? Where is she? I want to go to her!"
"Careful, sweetheart." Mrs. Weasley soothed. "Renee is a few doors down."
Harry felt energy flow back into him and he tried desperately to get up, but he was pushed back strongly by Sirius.
"Hold it. Don't push it yet, you've been through a lot. Don't make yourself worse."
"I've been through worse! Please, I want to be with her. I feel fine!" Harry pressed.
"Harry, listen to your Godfather. You'll be with Renee soon." Professor Dumbledore spoke, and his words told Harry to stop resisting.
Harry fell back on his pillow, his heart pounding.
"How long have I been here?"
"You've been asleep for two days!" Mrs. Weasley said. "We've all kept watch the whole time,"
"The doctors say you'll be fine. You just needed rest, however, you gave that doctor down there such a hard time that he had to put you out!" Sirius said, chuckling a little.
Dumbledore walked over to Harry, smiling his kind smile.
"I'm going to check on Renee, then I must get back to Hogwarts. You stay here and rest, the doctors will let you know when you can see her. When they deem alright, you can return to Hogwarts where you're Prefect status still stands."
Harry nodded.
"Thank you, Professor."
"Get well, Harry." He left the room.
The brown-haired woman, who had been silent the whole time, walked closer. Mrs. Weasley smiled at her kindly, then looked at Sirius.
"Er... let's go see if we can get Harry a bit to eat, shall we Sirius?"
Sirius looked at her strangely, glanced at the woman, then nodded and got up. Mrs. Weasley turned to Harry.
"We won't be far," She kissed him on his forehead, making him smile. As they left the room, the woman watched them leave, then turned to Harry. She walked closer, her smile warming her face, and looked at Harry with curiosity.
"So," She said quietly. "You are the famous Harry Potter that my daughter talks so fondly of."
Harry, hiding his shock, looked at her with wide eyes.
"You are Mrs. Springs?"
She nodded.
"It's nice to meet you," He said politely.
"An honor to meet you, Harry." She glanced around, looking like she did'nt know what to say next. "I... I would like to thank you, from the bottom of my heart and my husband's, for saving our little girl."
Harry blushed slightly.
"I would do anything for Renee." He whispered.
Mrs. Springs studied him, a faint smile on her face.
"I knew there was something about you, the momment I read in her letters that she saw you at school. Said she was sorted in the same house. Renee did'nt write about you as if you were just another celebrity, there was a sort of tone she gave that told me something. And she wrote about you, a lot. In almost every letter."
"When I heard about... well, about how she ended up battling with You-Know-Who, I was all set to bring her home. But she insisted she wanted to stay, her place was at Hogwarts and with her friends. Then, we got a letter from the Headmaster, telling us about who Renee was. That she was an Etam Luos, and you are her match."
She stared hard at Harry, as if inspecting him. This made him feel nervous. There was silence for a long time, the only sounds comming from the commute of the doctors and nurses in the hallway outside. Finally, after what seemed to Harry as forever, she broke the silence.
"Do you love her?"
Harry looked at her, then blushed.
"With all my heart."
Mrs. Springs looked at him intently, seeming to fight tears.
"My daughter is not one to take advantage of, she's an independent young woman. I trust that she's mature enough to know... to know... well, to know the difference between puppy love and true love. You, on the other hand, I have only just met. Fame tells me nothing about you. But... you did save my daughter the other night, putting yourself in mortal danger. Facing the greatest known madman in the world, who... who killed your parents. You are an extraordinary brave young man."
She broke her gaze from him and took a deep breath.
"Well, Etam Luos or no Etam Luos, it's Renee's decision as to what she wants to do with her life. I'm going to go check on her, you rest up."
Mrs. Springs turned to leave, but Harry called out to her.
"How is she? Will she be alright?"
Mrs. Springs looked back, uncertainty in her eyes.
"She's fine right now, her fever broke this morning, but she has yet to wake up. She has a severe case of pneumonia and it has put her in a coma-like state. The doctors say she could wake up any minute... or take another week or so." She fought to put a smile on her face, but it wavered into a grimace, and she left the room.
The doctors, Sirius, and Mrs. Weasley agreed to let Harry visit Renee as soon as he took a nap later that afternoon. Harry tried hard to fall asleep again, but the urge to see and be with Renee kept him wide awake, and he had to pretend to be sleeping while Sirius and Mrs. Weasley watched over him.
Finnally, after Mrs. Weasley had forced dinner down Harry's throat, Sirius took him a few doors down to Renee's bedroom. Mrs. Springs, and apparently Mr. Springs, were sitting arm in arm together on a sofa facing the foot of Renee's bed. Harry entered the room slowly, with Sirius right behind him. Mrs. Springs smiled at him weakly and Mr. Springs looked at him with curiosity. Harry smiled back then looked quickly to Renee. She was sleeping, seemingly peacefully, covered in several blankets. Her breathing was not as congested and color was faint on her cheeks. Harry walked to her side, feeling himself become whole again as he drew near. As he streched out his hand and placed it gently on top of hers, the world seemed to dissapeer, and the only thing he saw was Renee in front of him.
Harry did'nt know how long he was there for. All he knew was that he was with Renee, and he did not want to seperate from her again. When a nurse tried to take him back to his room, he argued until Sirius insisted to the nurse that he stay by Renee's side. Harry was eternally grateful, and he layed his head next to Renee, still holding her hand gently.
He fell asleep almost instantly, but instead of the same dream he got where he could speak with Renee surrounded by a silver mist, he drempt that he was back at Hogwarts. Only, it seemed different somehow. He seemed to drift down familiar hallways, past students, but he did'nt recognize any of them. They stopped as he went past, looking at him with respect, up at him. Suddenly, he was in the Great Hall, where there was an assembly. He drifted past the house tables, that hushed as he went by. The professor's table came into view, and standing up was Dumbledore, a proud smile on his face. However, he seemed twice as old. Professor McGonagall was close by his side, seemingly assisting in helping Dumbledore up. Not all of the proffessors he knew where there, but instead he saw Neville, Seamus, and Lee Jordan. All grown up and looking at him with admiration.
"There you are, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said, his voice tired but full of life. "You had your wife worried."
Harry felt someone stride next to him and slip an arm through his. He looked over to face a beautiful woman, with brilliant blue eyes and brown hair.
"We've been waiting, honey." She said to him, kissing his cheek.
"Renee?" Harry whispered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we would not be here today if it were'nt for this brave couple. We may finally rest in peace, for the danger in the magical world is now gone. Harry Potter has saved us too many times, and we are forever in his debt. However, if it were'nt for Renee Potter here, Hogwarts would surely have been destroyed, as well as each and every one of us." Dumbledore announced.
"Today, we honor both of them. To thank them for facing the ultimate evil and risking death. From this day forth, with the permission of the Ministry of Magic, today will be the day that we honor the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Potter."
Cheers errupted from every corner of the Great Hall. Renee, who's height reached Harry's nose, kissed him. He kissed her back, and the world seemed to swirl around them.
Suddenly, Harry felt someone grab his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see that he was still by Renee, laying in bed in the hospital. Sirius was standing over him, a small smile on his face.
"A minute longer and I think your neck would have a nasty ache," He whispered.
Sunlight streamed into the nearby window, lighting Renee's face. Harry squeezed her hand gently and streched his neck.
"You need to eat something," Sirius told him.
"I'm not hungry," Harry said bluntly.
"Well, you can't keep watch over her forever."
"I can, and I will... for as long as I live."
Sirius sighed and left the room. Harry watched him go until he was alone again with Renee. He looked down at her and stroked her hair. Her face was cool, fever gone, and her breathing was clear and regular.
"Oh, Renee," Harry whispered to her. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I would have traded places with you in a heartbeat. Never do I ever want to see you in pain. I feel like it's all my fault."
His head fell on her chest gently, and the rise and fall of her breathing comforted him.
"Don't be silly, you're so stubborn."
Harry's head snapped up, and he looked straight into Renee's blue eyes. She was awake, and she had tired smile.
"Renee!"
They kissed and Renee reached up and played with his hair.
"Oh, Renee. I thought I lost you..." He whispered, leaning back to look at her.
"I did'nt think I would see you again," She said, her voice hoarse
Harry let his head drop on her chest again, and she stroked his hair.
"Did you mean it?" Renee whispered suddenly.
Harry looked up.
"Mean what?"
"When we got out of the house, I assume I went out cold. But I could hear everything, seemingly far away. I felt as if someone was pushing me back, back through darkness. Everything was dark, but I heard you, and your words pulled me back. Did you mean what you said?"
Harry looked at her, tears stinging to come out, and he took her face in his hands and leaned close.
"Every word."
Renee blinked and tears streamed out, she smiled broadly.
"I love you, Harry."
"I love you too, Renee."
"Renee... !"
They looked up to see Mrs. Springs, standing stunned in the doorway. Mr. Springs, Sirius, and Timothy were fighting to look behind her.
"Hey mom," Renee said, grabbing Harry's hand to reassure him.
Mrs. Springs ran over and embraced Renee in a tight hug. Mr. Springs came over and put his arm around his wife. Timothy came to stand behind them, a relieved smile on his face, and Sirius stood by Harry.
"Come, Harry. Let's give them some time alone."
Harry squeezed Renee's hand, then let go. She watched him as Sirius took his shoulder and led him out of the room. Their eyes locked on each other until Harry was outside the door.
"I'm proud of you, Harry." Sirius told him.
"Sirius, when did my dad propose to my mum?"
Sirius looked at him, shocked.
"You're too young to worry 'bout that now,"
Harry laughed.
"I'm not going to pop the question now. I just want to know!"
Sirius still looked reluctant, staring at him suspiciously. He sighed then leaned close to him.
"You don't know how many times James tried to propose to Lily. He finally did it after we graduated from Hogwarts, on the train home."
He shook Harry's shoulders warningly.
"Now don't you go about making plans now, enjoy being a kid while you still can. There's plenty of time to settle down afterwards!"
Harry laughed again and Sirius led him back to his room.
Renee had to stay in the hospital for nearly two weeks, to clear up the pneumonia and heal some bruises. Harry stayed by her side as long as he could, until he was practically chased out by a nurse or a doctor. He had been discharged the day after Renee woke up, but he refused to leave. He slept on a chair by her bed and Sirius brought him food.
James Springs, who had been recovering in the adult wizard ward, came to visit Renee a few times. She was surprised to see him, and horrified that he got real hurt. Renee's family stayed close by, and James was soon released.
Finally, Renee was well enough to leave, and Harry helped her out of the hospital and back to Hogwarts. They had plenty of stares for a long time, but that did'nt phase them.
When things were seemingly back to normal, as normal as it could be with the castle filled with little kids, Harry continued to be at Renee's side almost all the time. Hermione and Ron thought it wonderful, and took advantage of their absence to be alone together themselves.
Harry and Renee spent most of their free time by the lake, on the same log that they shared that night they went flying together. Arm in arm, they stared at the water together in mutual silence.
As they sat together by the lake watching the sun set one day, Renee broke the usual silence.
"My brother's whole team was killed,"
Harry looked at her, shocked.
"I did'nt know,"
She smiled weakly, sighing.
"My cousin Hannah and my brother went back to the U.S. today. James is going to assemble another team and come back. My parents are trying to see if they can get their jobs to let them stay here in England, but my dad is very patriotic and is'nt really up to moving out of the country... even though he was'nt in the country much to begin with! Timothy said he fixed up the house, there was no real damage."
Harry hugged her close, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Harry, how on earth do you handle meeting Voldemort as many times as do?" She asked, shuddering.
He was silent for a long while, taking deep breaths.
"I really don't know,"
"We're going to have to face him again," Renee whispered.
"I know,"
"Can we really stop him?"
"Together, we just might be able to."
They were silent a momment.
"Harry, I'm scared."
"So am I,"
"What are we going to do?"
"Let destiny show us the way," Harry stoked her hair.
The sun was completely gone, and they walked back to the castle. Renee helped him gather his group of children and take them to bed. As they walked to the hallway to let them settle in, little Mary Peacecraft tugged at Harry and Renee's robes.
"Are you two in love?"
Harry and Renee stopped, exchanging embarrassed glances.
"Are you guys goning to get married?" Cried one boy from the back.
"Er..." Harry started.
"Are you going to have kids?" Cried another.
"Uhh..." Renee blushed.
"Have you kissed each other?"
"Eeeewwww!" Moaned half the group.
"What's all the noise about? Ah, no wonder... it's Prefect Potter and his group of infants."
Draco Malfoy was sliding down the hall, followed closely by his group of ten year olds who had expressions identical to Draco's.
"Go back to the hole you crawled out from, Malfoy." Renee sneered.
Draco looked her over with disgust.
"Ah, if it is'nt the American who got herself lost and had to have the famous Harry Potter come and rescue her. Helping the looser shepherd his flock are we?"
Renee grabbed hold of Harry's robes to keep him from throwing himself on top of Draco. She raised her wand and uttered a spell. Instantly, Draco's nose swelled to the size of a golf ball and it turned a glowing red.
"You won't need help finding your way, Malfoy, as long as you got your nose to guide you." Renee giggled.
"Look, it's Rudolph!" Shouted one little girl.
Both Harry and Draco's groups broke out into laughter and sang "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". Draco's cheeks turned the same color of his nose and he stomped off, his group singing and laughing behind him.
After Harry and Renee settled the children in and went up to Gryffindor tower, they sat alone together in the common room a while.
"Renee?" He asked her, staring into the fire.
"Emm?"
"How are you?"
"Fine Harry, as long as I'm with you."
He smiled, taking her hand into his.
"What do you want to do... after you graduate?" He asked her.
She stared at him a while.
"I'm not sure, I still have a year and a half before that happens."
"Will you stay here, in England?"
"I can't imagine moving back to Florida, not now."
He smiled happily. They were silent a long time, before Harry led her to the girl's dorm stairs and kissed her goodnight.
The next morning at breakfast, all the Prefects were called into Professor McGonagall's office. She waisted no time getting to the subject.
"The children will be going soon, out of the country."
"What?" Hermione exclaimed.
"The parents are helping us locate all the Death Eaters and the Dementors, but they are wide spread, and rumor has it that they are centralizing around Hogwarts. Soon, it will be too dangerous to have so many children to look after her. Portkeys and fireplaces are being hooked up to locations around North America. Schools in those areas will share accommodations for the children. Students remaining here will continue school, but Hogwarts will be on alert. If things continue to get out of hand, school will be canceled and the rest of the school will join those in America."
Harry and the other Prefects were shocked beyond words. It was all so sudden.
"If we manage to continue the school year," McGonagall continued. "All of us will remain here at Hogwarts for the summer, for safety reasons. No new students will be admitted. Quidditch is canceled until further notice and no one is permitted outside without permission. Outdoor classes will be brought inside. I expect each of you to enforce these new perimeters."
Silence filled the room, McGonagall sighing heavily. She looked at all of them in turn, her face full of stress.
"Stay calm, for all our sakes. Inform your groups, they will be leaving by the end of the day."
Chapter Eleven: Dawn of Change
"Keep close together now, you don't want to get lost."
Harry was drawing his group closer to him, as the hallway his group was assigned to was called to leave. All Hogwarts students were kept in class, and all the Prefects were taking their groups to assigned areas where they will be sent overseas.
"Why do we have to go, Harry?" Asked Mary Peacecraft.
"It will be safer where you are going," He answered, absentmindedly following the groups ahead of him.
"I want to stay with you," She said, whining.
Harry smiled, taking her hand.
"It will be alright, you'll be back home in no time."
Mary stared at him, her mysterious glare comming back that he saw the night he left to find Renee. She shook her head.
"Things will get much worse before it becomes alright, we won't be home for a long time, won't we?"
Harry stopped, staring down at her with wonder.
"I really don't know, Mary." He whispered sadly.
Mary's unusual expression changed back to that of a frightened little girl, and Harry continued to lead her and the rest of the group into the Great Hall.
A quarter of all the groups were there. Ron's group was already in line for the fireplace. He waved to Harry and Harry waved back as Professor McGonagall walked over to him. She handed him a slip of parchment and headed behind him to the other groups without a word.
"It says here that all of you will be going to Greenriver Academy, a school in Montana." Harry began to read the note out loud.
"Where's Montana?" Asked Will Taft, one of the triplets.
"In America," Answered his big sister, Ashlie, with an annoyed tone.
"Professor Lock will meet you when you get there, you will be told what goes on from there." Harry finished.
"Are you comming with us?" Asked the boy named Andrew.
Before Harry could answer, he felt a tug at his robes.
"No, he's not. He has to make things better here." Said Mary.
The group was silent, making Harry uncomfortable. The line was moving awfully fast, and before he knew it, it was his group's turn to jump into the green flames.
"Don't worry, guys," Harry said, pulling them closer. "Everything will be fine."
One by one, the sixteen children in his group jumped into the fire yelling out "Greenriver Academy!". After a few minutes, all who was left was Mary Peacecraft. She stared up at him with her mystical look, backing slowly into the flames.
"Good luck, Harry Potter!" She said, then turning around and yelling out the name of the school. In a flash, she was gone.
Harry, bewildered, was pushed roughly aside by a Ravenclaw Prefect to let their own group go through. Still staring off into nothing, he felt Ron grab his shoulder.
"We better go, Harry." He said to him gently.
Harry nodded and followed him out of the Great Hall.
****
The rest of the school year was a blur for Renee. It seemed time had sped up and she had a hard time keeping up with it. The Christmas holidays came and went, each and every student staying at Hogwarts for the first time. Since Hogsmeade visits were cancelled for the rest of the year, it was hard to get presents for everyone. Renee, unable to do much of anything, did not have enough time to even draw pictures to give as gifts. Instead, Harry and Renee spent the entire day together, alone. He showed her secret passageways and told stories about how he almost got caught each time. She was more quiet than usual, yet listened to every word with curiosity and amusement. Renee was'nt sure if Harry could tell how much she hurt on the inside, she tried hard to hide it.
The nightmares plauged her almost every night. This is what gave her away to Harry, since they were so tuned in to each other. He tried his best to comfort her, and she admired him for his effort. Harry often lent her his happiball, and it never failed to cheer her up. Yet, deep down inside, she knew how serious the situation was outside the castle walls... and she was mortally afraid for Harry. She did not want to loose him, and if something happened again, she was afraid that he would not walk away alive.
When she finally did start to draw again, her artwork changed dramatically. She rarely drew in colored pencil anymore, keeping her work in graphite most of the time. Normally one particular to draw realistically, Renee began to draw more abstract. Her artwork began to bring her deep feelings into a visual sense, and once she was done with a piece, she was so afraid of it that she burned it in the common room fire.
Hermione was a great girl friend to talk to, Renee often let loose her feelings to her, and she was very understanding. They would talk for hours in the girl's dorms, exchanging their feelings. Hermione was still deeply hurt from her own expreience with Voldemort the year before, and they confided in one another.
"So," Hermione said causually one night to Renee, fiddling with her fingernails. "When do you think you'll get married?"
Renee dropped the sketch she was playing with and stared at Hermione with a shocked expression.
"What ever do you mean?" She whispered, sheepishly.
Hermione put on a sly smile, a friendly one, and rolled onto her stomach on Renee's bed, kicking her legs playfully in the air.
"You know what I mean,"
Renee blushed deeply and looked away, pretending to be interested in her box of graphites.
"Don't be silly," She muttered.
"Oh come on, Renee! It's only a matter of time! When do you think he'll ask you?" Hermione sighed deeply with a dreamy look on her face.
Renee stared at her, giving Hermione a reproving look.
"We're only sixth years, Hermione. It's a little too early to talk about this sort of thing."
"You know as well as I do that he's eventually going to ask," Hermione shrugged, sitting back up and fixing her hair.
Renee looked at her mischievous grin.
"So when's Ron going to ask you?"
Hermione turned to her with a "deer-caught-in-the-headlights" expression, it was her turn to blush.
"Well, er..."
"Uh-huh..." Renee giggled.
They both began to laugh and Renee got up from where she was sitting and landed next to Hermione on the bed. They quieted and the room was soon silent, the only sounds comming from some loud third years in the common room downstairs.
"Hermione?" Renee whispered, a serious tone overcomming her.
"Emm?"
"Things are bad, and it's only going to get much worse."
Hermione stiffened, a solemn expression on her face.
"I know,"
"Are we going to get though this?" Renee turned to Hermione. Hermione looked at her with a blank expression.
"I'm not sure, Renee. I'm not sure."
Time continued to wizz by, past Renee's 17th birthday. Spring came, but the school was unable to enjoy it for the students were hardly allowed outside. Renee, Harry, Ron, and Hermione became an inseparable group once more to cope with the cabin fever. The teachers were not much of a joy to be around, Snape was often absent from class, most likely to deal with Death Eater spying. Hagrid was gone a lot too, to help with the giants.
When the end of the school year came, much to fast for Renee, the school was informed that no student was going home. The whole school was in a nervous and frightened uproar. To help the students deal with it, Dumbledore ordered the construction of a rec hall, to be built next to the castle. There, indoor Quidditch and other sports could be played. This announcement seemed to please some, but fear was still there.
And so, for the rest of the summer and into the fall, the situation drew worse. It was spreading into the muggle world as mysterious fires, disappearances, and even murders were reported. Not a single person, witch, wizard, or muggle was safe. The magical world became a very dangerous place to live in. Hogwarts soon began to drain of students, as their parents refused to fight any longer and took them out of the country. Dumbledore insisted that it was no use, for Voldemort's power was spreading, but it did not stop them.
When Harry and the gang entered their seventh and final year, there were no new first years. The Slytherin house population dwindled mysteriously to consist of only twenty students. Harry and Renee, to everyone's fake surprise, were made Head Boy and Girl. Dumbledore was often absent, rumors had it that his old age was catching up with him and the stress made him sick. Classes became surpisingly easy, as the professors were so stressed out and distracted that they no longer challenged the students. There was no house championship, no Halloween feast, Hogsmeade visits were not even brought up, and when the holidays finally drew near, there was little cheer to go around.
A dark pall seemed to cover the castle, and the entire country for that matter. Renee sensed that it was only the begining, and light won't come for a long, long time. Harry could tell what Renee was feeling, and often had his arm around her waist, both of them staring silently out windows into the gloom that had come over their world. The only thing that kept the situation bearable, was being together.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and dispite all the bad things that suffocated the happiness out of everyone... graduation time finally came.
"Girls on the left, boys on the right!" Professor McGonagall barked durring rehearsal the day before the graduation ceremony. "Head Boy and Girl out in front, please!"
All the seventh years groaned, what was left of them anyway, as they tried to arrange themselves to McGonagall's standards. Her normally neat hair was all frazzled and dark circles were around her eyes.
Ron and Hermione slid behind Renee and Harry.
"Nervous?" Ron whispered to them.
They both shook their heads a little too fast, obviously nervous.
"Is your family comming, Renee?" Hermione whispered behind Renee's back.
"My parents are, but my brothers are too busy with... well, too busy." She said.
"Sirius gonna be here, Harry?" Ron asked him.
Harry nodded.
"Lupin too, he wrote to tell me he's got some time to come see."
"Cool," Ron said.
For the rest of the day, Renee noticed that Harry was staring at her very unusally. Whenever she asked him what was up, he just shrugged and smiled.
"I wonder," She muttered to herself.
****
"Welcome to Hogwarts!"
The Great Hall was filled with adults, the house colors flooding the room. All the professors were wearing their formal uniforms, including Professor Dumbledore. He was standing before a great podium, his eyes tired looking yet with their characteristic twinkle.
"The graduation ceremony will now begin,"
The giant doors opened, and in the doorway, side by side, was Harry and Renee. Their Head Boy and Head Girl badges displayed on their graduation robes reflected the candle light. They walked slowly into the hall, all eyes upon them. Two by two, the rest of the seventh years followed them, Ron and Hermione second in line.
Harry walked real close to Renee, keeping his eyes looking straight in front of him. He reached out his hand and took Renee's and out of the corner of his eye he could see her smile. Off to his right he could see Sirius and Lupin, looking real proud and nodding. Harry grinned as they reached the end of the pathway, where they had to seperate into two seperate lines. He squeezed Renee's hand affectionately and she did the same as they drifted apart, girls going to the left and boys to the right. When everyone was in place, Dumbledore spoke again.
"I have had the greatest pleasure of seeing these talented young adults grow for seven years. They have come from knowing little or no magic at all, to becoming mature wizards and witches. Today, they leave Hogwarts behind, and go to make a difference in the magical world." His tone became dark.
"These wizards and witches are our future. Hopefully they can right what the past generations have done, and bring peace to our lives once more. We have entered a dark and dangerous time, and we hope that as our children go out into the world, they can bring us out of it... safely." Dumbledore shook his head, bringing a smile back on his face.
"But enough of this, we are all here to celebrate our children's comming of age as wizards and witches. It is my greatest pleasure, to present these young adults with their diploma."
The lines of students turned to face him, preparing to climb the stage.
"To begin, will the Head Boy and Girl please come forth?"
Harry swallowed hard, as the hall silenced to whispers. He could see Renee approaching from the other side, a nervous but encouraging smile on her face. They came side by side of Dumbledore, and he smiled at them. Harry had grown to match Dumbledore's height and Renee came up to their noses. Dumbledore then took his wand and turned to Harry.
"Harry James Potter, you have successfully completed seven years of schooling here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You have lived up to the standards of your house, Gryffindor, with honors. You have shown unending courage and have saved the school in many situations that we are forever in your debt for. May you use your talents only for good, preserving the values and beliefs that have come down through the ages in the magical world." He placed his wand on Harry's shoulder, and a golden tassel appeared next to his Head Boy badge. "Congratuatlions, and good luck."
Harry beamed at Dumbledore, who exchanged the look equally. The hall errupted into applause, and Harry could make out Sirius and Lupin clapping loudly among the crowd.
Dumbledore then turned to Renee.
"Renee Anne Springs, you have also completed seven years of schooling, three of which being here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With an admirable amount of courage, you left your home in the United States to learn here. You have also lived up to the standards of your house, Gryffindor, showing unwavering bravery in the face of many obstacles. May you use your talents only for good, preserving the values and beliefs that have come down through the ages in the magical world." He placed his wand on her shoulder, and an identical golden tassel appeared on her robes like Harry's. "Gongratualtions, and good luck."
She smiled, blushing, and Dumbledore took her arm gently as well as Harry's. He drew them together, and pointed to Professor McGonagall, who was holding their diplomas. They walked together, taking their diplomas and exchanging hand shakes. With a deafening applause, they both walked off the stage to join their lines.
Dumbledore then presented the rest of the seventh years with their diplomas, giving the ceremonial speech to each of them. When he had given out the last diploma, he swept his arms wide to indicate all the students.
"I present before you, the latest graduated class from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
The hall again errupted into cheers.
As the hall emptied, students joining their parents to leave Hogwarts for the last time, Dumbledore suddenly appeared by Harry and Renee, who were talking together with Ron and Hermione.
"May I have a minute with Harry?" He asked them politely.
Renee, Ron, and Hermione nodded, leaving them be.
"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Harry, I'm very proud of you."
Harry blushed slightly.
"I know for a fact that your parents would be immensely proud as well." He looked over his shoulder, then back at Harry seriously.
"You know what you must do,"
Harry looked at him.
"Yes," He whispered.
"Your father was an auror, Harry. That's partly the reason why Voldemort wanted to kill him. The reason why he wants you dead, however, is that it was predicted that a Potter was going to be his downfall. Your family bloodline goes way back, Harry. All of them powerful wizards. Unfortunately, Voldemort is so powerful now that you alone cannot stop him. But you and Renee can, that was predicted as well. Take care, both of you, and keep in touch."
Without another word, and before Harry could say anything, Dumbledore simply dissapeered.
"What was that all about?" Renee asked gently, comming to his side.
Harry looked at her, his expression turning confident. Renee looked at him puzzled.
"What is it, Harry?" She asked him.
He quickly took her hand and led her out of the Great Hall. People stopped to look as they walked by, Renee too confused to ask.
"Where are we going?"
"Some place where we can talk,"
Not asking any further, Renee allowed Harry to gently lead her up the stairwells, finally comming out to the top of a tower. It was night, and the dark gloom that had become common place over the land seemed to be less threatening than usual.
Harry led her over to the edge, and they looked over the castle grounds quietly. After a momment, Renee asked again.
"Harry, what is it?"
He sighed deeply, his hands shaking just a little.
"Renee..." His throat clogged up.
She turned to look straight into his green eyes, and he melted at the sight of her own blue eyes, reflecting the firelight that drifted up to them from below.
"What's wrong?" She pressed, her voice concerned.
Harry took a deep breath.
"Remember, last year, when I asked you if you were going to stay here in England after we graduated?"
"Yes..." She answered, slowly.
"Do you still want to?"
"Of course."
Harry swallowed hard, taking her hands in his and staring down at them.
"Where will you stay?"
Renee was quiet a momment.
"I'm not sure," She whispered.
He looked up into her eyes.
"Could you... would you, stay with me?" He whispered, nervously.
Renee stared at him, disbelief in her eyes.
"I never want to leave you." Her voice was barely audible. Harry let out a deep breath, relieved.
"And..." Harry trailed off, too afraid to ask.
Renee continued to stare at him, silent.
"And... and..."
She took her hand and held his cheek, he leaned into it, closing his eyes.
"And what?" She whispered.
After a momment, Harry took her hand into his once more, suddenly kneeling to one knee. He looked up at her, his green eyes pleading.
"And when your ready.... would you marry me?"
Renee's eyes went wide with shock as Harry quickly started to babble.
"You don't have to answer... I just wanted... it's alright if you... er.. what I mean is..."
She took her index finger and placed it gently over his mouth, silencing him. Her eyes were glossy with tears and it was her turn to shake nervously.
"Do you mean it?" She breathed.
Harry nodded.
"With my entire heart and soul,"
The tears trickled down her cheek, and she nodded as well.
"Oh, Harry..."
She fell into his arms, and they kissed. When they parted, Harry held Renee by her waist and they looked out into the darkness together. After what seemed like forever, Harry broke the silence, stroking Renee's hair.
"Life will be difficult, now." He said.
Renee nodded.
"Yes, but not as much, as long as we're together."
Harry agreed.
"I promise to never let anything bad happen to you,"
She looked deep into his eyes. He smiled, kissing her forehead, then turned back to the darkness with a dangerous expression.
"Just wait, you'll see. Voldemort will curse the day he first heard our names... and in time, we'll make him pay. He'll learn never to mess with the Potters again."
~Through the darkness, dawns light. Destiny has yet to be fulfilled.~
A/N: Ahh! I so love the last part! ::wipes eyes:: Yes, the next series is "Break In the Darkness". You may go read that now! But, please review if you haven't done so already.. please? Thanks!
~OrcaPotter