Chapter 3-One Instant + One Mistake = Hundreds of Changes
"You know Ron you don't have to wait here with me," Harry said.
He and Ron were waiting for Hermione whose class (Study of Ancient Runes) was on the other side of the castle. Harry was pacing nervously, playing with a ring on his finger absentmindedly. It was the promise ring he had bought for Hermione. She always wore the other in the set.
"That's okay. I'm here for you," Ron said, following Harry's movements with his eyes. As an afterthought her added, "That and I'm meeting Lav here."
"Gee thanks," Harry said sarcastically.
"What do we have here? Ah yes, a Potty and a Weasel," Draco Malfoy sneered.
Harry and Ron turned to face the Slytherin boy.
"Ah, and on cue here's the Amazing Ferret Boy," Ron commented with absolute distaste.
"And what do we owe this not so pleasant visit?" Harry said in annoyance.
He had enough on his mind to deal with, the last thing he wanted was for Malfoy to screw everything up.
"What do I need a permission slip to come to the Great Hall for lunch? The entire world does not revolve around you Potter," Draco said sarcastically.
"Well since you're here for lunch then far be it from me to stop you, please go right ahead," Harry replied coldly gesturing to the door.
"Whatever you say orphan," Malfoy muttered under his breath as he shoved past them towards the door.
"What was that?" Harry asked, his anger rising.
As the argument between the three grew Voldemort had sneaked in using his Spirit Potion and was currently working on Harry.
~He just called you an orphan, are you going to stand that? Give Malfoy what he deserves. After all he's done to you wouldn't it be great to get revenge~ Voldemort hissed into Harry's ear.
Harry felt the anger rising in him, though he himself could not place why. Even though Malfoy had annoyed him before, he had never felt so enraged so…powerful.
"You're nothing but a pitiful…" Malfoy started.
~Do it~
"…Stupid, mudblood loving…"
~You know you want to~
"…Scar-faced, good for nothing…"
~Now's you chance~
"…Orphan!"
~Show him how powerful you really are! Hurt him! NOW!!!~
Several things happened all at once.
Harry, boiling with rage, drew back his hand as if to punch Malfoy but then threw a black fireball at him. At the exact moment Ron tripped on his shoelace and fell in between Harry and Draco. Behind him two younger students, a boy and girl, stopped because the girl's bag split open. The fire passed through Ron, then Draco, then hit the young girl. The boy who slid on spilt ink was unharmed. At the same time Hermione and Lavender came from different directions and screamed at the sight of the three bodies, black-burning infernos. Everything went black as Hermione fainted.
~~~~~~~~
On hour later the still unconscious Hermione lay in the hospital wing, Lavender lay shivering with shock on the bed next to her. Finally she started to stir and opened her eyes to see a sad looking Dumbledore in front of her.
"Are you alright?" he said gently.
"I'm fine. Where's Harry? What happened?" she said quickly.
"I think it's best if you come with me to my office to hear the explanation. That boy over there," he said gesturing to the younger boy from earlier, he sat rocking back and forth on his bed shaking his head with tears on his face, "…is a bit shaken. I don't think it wise to make him hear this."
"I want to come with you," Lavender whispered, not looking at them.
"Are you sure Miss Brown? You are in quite a fragile emotional state," Dumbledore said respectively.
"I'm coming," Lavender stated firmly.
Ten minutes later the three sat in Dumbledore's office.
"Professor what happened? What did I see in the hall?"
"That Miss Granger was Ronald Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and a Ravenclaw sixth year named April Evans being murdered by…Harry Potter," he said in obvious pain.
"What? How? Harry would never do that!"
"I'm afraid Miss Granger he did."
"I still…I don't understand." she whispered tears streaming down her face.
"Since the incident Ministry officials have been doing a search. Some of the castle charms were weakened just enough to let an unwanted visitor slip in unnoticed. It could have been an Invisibility Cloak or a Concealing Charm, I'm almost positive it was a Spirit Potion."
"I'm sorry you're not making sense Professor." Hermione said still confused about how Harry could have killed people like that. No, not her Harry. He would never.
"Voldemort." Lavender whispered. They looked at her in shock for she had not spoken since they left the hospital wing. "It was Voldemort, wasn't it." she whispered again.
Hermione looked at Dumbledore expectantly.
"Yes, it was he. He did something to Harry. Made him angry, angry enough to kill. We think he was just aiming at Mr. Malfoy, some third years passing by saw them arguing a bit on their way to lunch. Somehow Mr. Weasley must have gotten in the way. From what we know from Devin Park, the boy in the hospital wing, he and Miss Evans were stopped when her bag split open. He slipped on some ink at the exact moment Harry shot the fireball so he wasn't hit. Unfortunately she was." he finished with a strange look on his face.
"Professor there's something you're not telling us. I can see it on your face." Hermione said through her tears.
"Yes there is, the fire was black."
Hermione hated it when Dumbledore gave such cryptic answers.
"I don't understand. What do you mean the fire was black?"
"A fireball made by a witch or wizard filled with light magic should be white or even red. But Harry's was black."
"I still don't understand! Where's Harry?"
"He ran. When you fainted he ran away, we don't know where he is, he just disappeared. We think the Death Eaters have got him but you don't understand. The Harry Potter you know is no more."
"We've got to get him back. I'm sure he didn't mean to. You said it yourself Voldemort did this. He's good at heart I know he is." Hermione said practically pleading still not seeing what was right in front of her.
"No, he isn't good at heart. Maybe he was, but not anymore. Miss Granger don't you see. Only a Dark wizard or witch can conjure up a black fireball, especially one that can go through three people. Anger got the better of him Hermione, when you're angry, you're weak, weak enough to let in the dark side. He let the dark in Hermione. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, and Miss Evans are now dead because Voldemort tricked Harry into letting in the dark side. Once you're down that road it is very hard, almost impossible to come back."
"But there's still hope right? I know Harry, he would never surrender to Voldemort, never," she said pleading with herself to believe she was right.
"When you've lived a life as Harry has, there's no turning back once on that road to darkness."
The three sat there crushed for all had suffered losses.
~~~~~~~~~
"April, the most beautiful month of the year, April the most beautiful person in the world, April my favorite time of the year, anything April is beautiful." Devin Park whispered mindlessly while rocking back and forth on his bed.
~So strong you are, boy. You survived Potter's blast~
"Who are you?" Devin whispered.
~They thought I left, but no I stayed behind to watch you. Potter isn't enough I want another to continue~
"Who are you?!" Devin screamed.
~I'm you worst nightmare~
With that Voldemort swept Devin up, making him silent and invisible in the process, and fled the castle with him. The world was in real danger now.
"You know Ron you don't have to wait here with me," Harry said.
He and Ron were waiting for Hermione whose class (Study of Ancient Runes) was on the other side of the castle. Harry was pacing nervously, playing with a ring on his finger absentmindedly. It was the promise ring he had bought for Hermione. She always wore the other in the set.
"That's okay. I'm here for you," Ron said, following Harry's movements with his eyes. As an afterthought her added, "That and I'm meeting Lav here."
"Gee thanks," Harry said sarcastically.
"What do we have here? Ah yes, a Potty and a Weasel," Draco Malfoy sneered.
Harry and Ron turned to face the Slytherin boy.
"Ah, and on cue here's the Amazing Ferret Boy," Ron commented with absolute distaste.
"And what do we owe this not so pleasant visit?" Harry said in annoyance.
He had enough on his mind to deal with, the last thing he wanted was for Malfoy to screw everything up.
"What do I need a permission slip to come to the Great Hall for lunch? The entire world does not revolve around you Potter," Draco said sarcastically.
"Well since you're here for lunch then far be it from me to stop you, please go right ahead," Harry replied coldly gesturing to the door.
"Whatever you say orphan," Malfoy muttered under his breath as he shoved past them towards the door.
"What was that?" Harry asked, his anger rising.
As the argument between the three grew Voldemort had sneaked in using his Spirit Potion and was currently working on Harry.
~He just called you an orphan, are you going to stand that? Give Malfoy what he deserves. After all he's done to you wouldn't it be great to get revenge~ Voldemort hissed into Harry's ear.
Harry felt the anger rising in him, though he himself could not place why. Even though Malfoy had annoyed him before, he had never felt so enraged so…powerful.
"You're nothing but a pitiful…" Malfoy started.
~Do it~
"…Stupid, mudblood loving…"
~You know you want to~
"…Scar-faced, good for nothing…"
~Now's you chance~
"…Orphan!"
~Show him how powerful you really are! Hurt him! NOW!!!~
Several things happened all at once.
Harry, boiling with rage, drew back his hand as if to punch Malfoy but then threw a black fireball at him. At the exact moment Ron tripped on his shoelace and fell in between Harry and Draco. Behind him two younger students, a boy and girl, stopped because the girl's bag split open. The fire passed through Ron, then Draco, then hit the young girl. The boy who slid on spilt ink was unharmed. At the same time Hermione and Lavender came from different directions and screamed at the sight of the three bodies, black-burning infernos. Everything went black as Hermione fainted.
~~~~~~~~
On hour later the still unconscious Hermione lay in the hospital wing, Lavender lay shivering with shock on the bed next to her. Finally she started to stir and opened her eyes to see a sad looking Dumbledore in front of her.
"Are you alright?" he said gently.
"I'm fine. Where's Harry? What happened?" she said quickly.
"I think it's best if you come with me to my office to hear the explanation. That boy over there," he said gesturing to the younger boy from earlier, he sat rocking back and forth on his bed shaking his head with tears on his face, "…is a bit shaken. I don't think it wise to make him hear this."
"I want to come with you," Lavender whispered, not looking at them.
"Are you sure Miss Brown? You are in quite a fragile emotional state," Dumbledore said respectively.
"I'm coming," Lavender stated firmly.
Ten minutes later the three sat in Dumbledore's office.
"Professor what happened? What did I see in the hall?"
"That Miss Granger was Ronald Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and a Ravenclaw sixth year named April Evans being murdered by…Harry Potter," he said in obvious pain.
"What? How? Harry would never do that!"
"I'm afraid Miss Granger he did."
"I still…I don't understand." she whispered tears streaming down her face.
"Since the incident Ministry officials have been doing a search. Some of the castle charms were weakened just enough to let an unwanted visitor slip in unnoticed. It could have been an Invisibility Cloak or a Concealing Charm, I'm almost positive it was a Spirit Potion."
"I'm sorry you're not making sense Professor." Hermione said still confused about how Harry could have killed people like that. No, not her Harry. He would never.
"Voldemort." Lavender whispered. They looked at her in shock for she had not spoken since they left the hospital wing. "It was Voldemort, wasn't it." she whispered again.
Hermione looked at Dumbledore expectantly.
"Yes, it was he. He did something to Harry. Made him angry, angry enough to kill. We think he was just aiming at Mr. Malfoy, some third years passing by saw them arguing a bit on their way to lunch. Somehow Mr. Weasley must have gotten in the way. From what we know from Devin Park, the boy in the hospital wing, he and Miss Evans were stopped when her bag split open. He slipped on some ink at the exact moment Harry shot the fireball so he wasn't hit. Unfortunately she was." he finished with a strange look on his face.
"Professor there's something you're not telling us. I can see it on your face." Hermione said through her tears.
"Yes there is, the fire was black."
Hermione hated it when Dumbledore gave such cryptic answers.
"I don't understand. What do you mean the fire was black?"
"A fireball made by a witch or wizard filled with light magic should be white or even red. But Harry's was black."
"I still don't understand! Where's Harry?"
"He ran. When you fainted he ran away, we don't know where he is, he just disappeared. We think the Death Eaters have got him but you don't understand. The Harry Potter you know is no more."
"We've got to get him back. I'm sure he didn't mean to. You said it yourself Voldemort did this. He's good at heart I know he is." Hermione said practically pleading still not seeing what was right in front of her.
"No, he isn't good at heart. Maybe he was, but not anymore. Miss Granger don't you see. Only a Dark wizard or witch can conjure up a black fireball, especially one that can go through three people. Anger got the better of him Hermione, when you're angry, you're weak, weak enough to let in the dark side. He let the dark in Hermione. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, and Miss Evans are now dead because Voldemort tricked Harry into letting in the dark side. Once you're down that road it is very hard, almost impossible to come back."
"But there's still hope right? I know Harry, he would never surrender to Voldemort, never," she said pleading with herself to believe she was right.
"When you've lived a life as Harry has, there's no turning back once on that road to darkness."
The three sat there crushed for all had suffered losses.
~~~~~~~~~
"April, the most beautiful month of the year, April the most beautiful person in the world, April my favorite time of the year, anything April is beautiful." Devin Park whispered mindlessly while rocking back and forth on his bed.
~So strong you are, boy. You survived Potter's blast~
"Who are you?" Devin whispered.
~They thought I left, but no I stayed behind to watch you. Potter isn't enough I want another to continue~
"Who are you?!" Devin screamed.
~I'm you worst nightmare~
With that Voldemort swept Devin up, making him silent and invisible in the process, and fled the castle with him. The world was in real danger now.
