~*~ sorry for the delayed update. seriously, after writing the previous chapter i seem to have a hard time thinking of how else to proceed with this story. i already have the ending envisioned in my head, but the only problem is HOW to put it to words. thank you all so much for sending in your reviews. i hope you like this chapter/fic. i have about 3 more ideas for an HP fanfic in mind and they are all currently in the works. it'll probably be a sequel to this one so you all just watch out ff.net for when i will post my next HP fanfic following this one. again i appreciate all your reviews and hopefully you like this chapter. i'll be looking forward to reading your reviews as always! ~*~
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CHAPTER TWENTY: Doomsday
Mystyk's senses were always on alert since the night she and Harry spent together. She never told him the truth about her father nor does she have the heart to share that news with him. Gertude remained at Hogwarts as a special gueast of Professor Dumbledore, she also sits in with Mystyk during her lessons--which are all fifth year levels now--and helped her understand more of her heritage.
"Will you just stop with this nonsense about my father?" Mystyk exclaimed irately after Gertude tried for the umpteenth time to explain to her daughter the circumstances she has put herself and Harry as well by becoming more than just good friends with him. "I will not be Voldemort's puppet!" she insisted.
"Mystyk, listen to me. Whether you deny it or not, you've seen it for yourself in your premonition. Your father's power is much stronger than yours--he can bend you to do his every bidding!" Gertude explained as best as she could without losing her patience.
"I don't care, Gertude!" Mystyk snapped, her violet eyes ablaze with anger and stark stubbornness. "I will not hurt Harry Potter, and no matter what this damn Voldemort does, there's no way he can bend me to do his every damn bidding!"
"But Mystyk--"
"I love Harry, Gertude." Mystyk confessed, her once angry violet eyes soon started to pool with unshed tears she has been keeping to herself since that night she found out the truth about her parents. "I love him so much and there's no way I will be used as pawn to kill the boy I love!"
~*~
Harry's scar starts burning his forehead once again. It has been doing that this past few days, but unlike the previous days, today it seem to burn his skin even more so. He tried to hide his discomfort from his friends, but he knows that Hermione would soon notice him always scratching his forehead or pressing against his scar.
"Harry, I think you should go see Dumbledore about your scar." she reminded him en route to their next class for the day.
"It's alright, Hermione. It's just hurting a bit, that's all." he shrugged.
"But remember the last time it hurt? Mystyk had a premonition." she reminded him.
"Yeah, so? This time it's nothing."
"Harry..." her best friend could be really stubborn most of the time, but she still love him anyway. She worries her pretty little head off over Harry and Ron that sometimes that's all she could think about.
"Relax, Hermione. I'm good." he assured her.
But she didn't take his words for it. "Just be extra more careful, Harry. Remember, your scar sometimes acts as your talisman or something. It warns you off great danger from You-Know-Who."
Don't he know it? Of course Harry's been thinking the exact same thing Hermione just pointed out. Deep in the pit of his stomach he has a feeling that his scar is warning him of impending danger. But how? Nobody has heard from Voldemort in almost a year since he has risen again.
Again his scar burned on his forehead. He decided to just skip this next class, but Potions is their next class. He couldn't possibly skip it or else Snape will skin him alive! But his scar is burning and it's not doing him any good at all. It's making it hard for him to concentrate--even the simple task of walking through the door into their classroom proved to be a tad bit too much for him to do.
Hermione gasped when Harry suddenly staggered backwards, his hand clutching his forehead.
He was in great pain.
"Ron, I'm taking Harry to the hospital wing." she grabbed her other best friend's arm and stopped him from going into their Potions class, "If Snape asks, tell him where Harry and I are. If he doesn't approve, well tough for him! Harry's in pain and he needs to see Madam Pomfrey if not Dumbledore."
"Alright. I'll make excuses for you--"
"Don't make excuses. Just tell Snape the truth. Besides, Harry's scar is giving him trouble as it is. It'll be easier if somebody help him get to the hospital wing."
"Why don't I take him there myself?" Ron offered, "You can't honestly tell me you can support his entire weight!"
"Ronald Weasley, please don't underestimate my tiny frame. Now do as I say and go in there before Snape decides to give you detention for being late."
"Alright." Ron agreed albeit reluctantly. "You hang in there, buddy." he patted Harry's shoulder before racing off inside the dungeon room of their Potions class.
~*~
Some unknown force engulfed Mystyk and suddenly she felt chilly all over. She was in the middle of her Arithmacy lesson with her mother when her attention was pulled from the lesson at hand to something else. She felt her whole body responding to some unseen and unheard calling, lulling her and urging her to leave the room at once and search for Harry who was currently somewhere amidst the large castle school.
"Mystyk?" Gertude looked up from the book she was reading to her daughter, "Where are you going?" she called out after her, but Mystyk was deaf to the rest of the world except for that nagging calling propelling her to search the school grounds for Harry Potter.
"Mystyk!" Gertude called out once more, but to no avail. "Oh my God..." she gasped and hastily got up from her seat and searched for Professor Dumbledore.
The time has come and both Mystyk and Harry are in grave danger once her daughter finds the boy who lived.
~*~
"C'mon Harry, only a few more steps and we're nearing the hospital wing." Hermione urged, holding her best friend against her side. Somehow Harry managed to lean his entire weight against her as they hurried towards the hospital wing. "Harry, you're too heavy you know that right?"
"Hermione, my scar hurts like hell." he hissed, pressing harder on his thunderbolt scar.
"I know, but you're not making matters..." Hermione's voice dropped when she saw Mystyk standing before them, blocking their way to the hospital wing. "Oh, hello there Mystyk. Good thing you're here. Harry's starting to become very difficult and I don't think I'll be able to support his weight anymore." she explained, wrapping both her arms around her best friend's waist, "Would you mind helping me carry him to the hospital wing?"
Mystyk's smile slowly curled on the corners of her lips. Hermione felt a cold chill over her. Something is oddly different with Mystyk today. She never curled her lips like that when she smiles. In fact whenever she smiles she brings sunshine to those who receives it but today it's different. Hermione didn't see sunshine radiate from her. In fact all she saw was complete utter darkness.
"Sure Hermione. I'll help you with Harry." Mystyk offered and crossed the space between them. She took hold of Harry's other arm and looped it over her shoulders, letting him lean his entire weight against him and completely relieving Hermione off her burden.
Hermione gasped. Mystyk isn't this strong. Surely Harry is heavy enough--no matter how think he looked--for her to have a hard time carrying him.
"Hospital wing you said?" Mystyk questioned, peering at Hermione.
"Yes." she nodded and led the way to the hospital wing.
"I'll take care of it from here, Hermione. I think you better get back to your class right now before your professor gives you detention." Mystyk announced when they were a mere few feet away from the hospital wing doors.
"No, I'll make sure Harry gets settled. Besides, I'm already excused from Potions." she lied. Somehow she gave a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't trust Mystyk just right now.
"Even so. I have a free afternoon today. I can watch over Harry for you." Mystyk insisted.
"No, that's alright. I'm more concerned about Harry right now to leave him like this." Hermione insisted back. There's no way she's going to leave her best friend in the hands of a completely different Mystyk! No matter how close Harry and Mystyk has become, still, Hermione knew that this Mystyk helping her isn't the same Mystyk whom she first met after the Halloween fiasco.
"But I insist, Hermione. C'mon, the hospital wing isn't too far now. Run along back to Potions. I'll take care of Harry."
Hermione wanted to protest that she's Harry's best friend and her friend's health comes first above everything else. Her mark in Potions could suffer for all she care. She can always make up for it later, but for now she wants to know that Harry's safe. But the look Mystyk gave her told Hermione otherwise. She would lose this battle and so against her will she let go of Harry's waist, whispering to her best friend that she will see him later and walked away from them.
She was almost near her Potions class when from the corner of her eye she noticed a figure running at break-neck speed. She stopped and followed the running student and gasped when she saw Mystyk running towards the hospital wing. She blinked back a couple of times to be certain her eyes weren't playing tricks on her and focused it once more on the running back of Mystyk Rydel.
Oh no! she groaned and ran back to the hospital wing. She should've trusted her gut-feeling and stayed with Harry.
~*~
Harry? Harry?! Mystyk called out as she ran as fast as she could towards the hospital wing where her gut-instinct told her Harry was at. Harry please answer me! Harry, where are you?!
Mystyk? Harry's thought sounded confused, What do you mean where am I? You're right here with me.
What?! Mystyk's alarm was evident. It showed on her face as she ran faster still. Harry, whomever that Mystyk is that is with you, she is not me! she insisted.
What? Don't be ridiculous, Mystyk. You're standing here with me taking me to the hospital wing. Now let's quit conversing telepathically and just talk--
I'm telling you Harry, that is not me! I'm just heading towards where you are. she warned him, Oh God, Harry! Get away from whomever you're with! You're in danger! she warned.
What nonsense are you...oh shit! then Harry's thoughts went blank.
"Oh God!" Mystyk gasped, "Harry!"
~*~
Harry staggered backwards from Mystyk--or the person who looked like Mystyk--as soon as she started changing.
"Who-who are..." Harry didn't finish his question for the face of the imposter was soon revealed. "You!" he gasped accusingly.
"Yes, me." Lord Voldemort chuckled. "Really, Harry Potter, you and your Mudblood fried are very trusting people." he mocked, advancing towards Harry.
"Too trusting? Ha! Hermione's not too trusting of a person. I know she sensed something isn't right."
"Oh really? The pray tell, why did she leave you with me if she is not a gullible, trusting Mudblood?" Lord Voldemort challenged.
"You're wrong, you spineless piece of a shit!" came Hermione's angry voice from behind the dark lord.
"Hermione, watch out!" Harry called out in alarm when he saw Voldemort turned to face his best friend with his wand ready to fire.
Hermione's reflexes were quick and she ducked away before the blast from the tip of the dark lord's wand hit her. She rolled to her side near where Harry was and scampered towards his side, panting as she said, "I knew something fishy was going on when Mystyk kept on insisting she take you alone to the hospital wing. But she proved to be too stubborn like you so I gave in and left you with her." she explained, "But on my way back to Potions I saw another Mystyk running towards here."
"She's the real Mystyk." Harry nodded.
"Bingo." Hermione caught Voldemort's movement from the corner of her eye and yanked Harry away from Voldemort's aim, blasting the wall behind them with his wand.
"Blasted brats!" Lord Voldemort yelled, "You two won't get away from me that easily. Soon I'll have my revenge, Potter, and that Mudblood friend of yours will be history once I'm done with you!" he threatened.
"Think again, Voldemort." the real Mystyk's voice boomed over the secluded area near the hospital wing where Harry and Hermione were cornered by the dark lord.
Voldemort slowly turned to face the newcomer, his face breaking into a proud paternal smile as he looked at the daughter he hadn't seen in almost fifteen years.
"I'm glad you can join us, Mystyk." he said proudly, "Come and help me rid this world of the likes of Potter and his Mudblood friend. And we shall rue the day Harry Potter is gone, daughter."
"Daughter?" Harry and Hermione echoed, looking at each other in stunned disbelief before their gazes returned back to the raven haired girl whose violet green eyes stormy at best with unbridled anger towards the man who just addressed her as his daughter.
"I am not your daughter, Voldemort." Mystyk hissed through gritted teeth, "You relinquished that right the night you murdered my mother's best friend."
"I see Gertude told you everything you needed to know. How is our dear old Gertude by the way?" he asked mockingly.
"She's still alive, but striving too hard to convince me of what is to come." Mystyk gave a careless shrug.
"Ah, I see..." Lord Voldemort mused, "You have foreseen the future, have you not?" he prodded.
"I have seen enough to know that I will not fall prey to my premonition."
"A tough witch." Lord Voldemort spat in disgust, "You are so much like your mother. Very stubborn. But you will follow my every bidding."
"Never!" Mystyk cried in outrage and whipped out her wand from her robe, aiming it at the man who has sired her and yet never really loved her. Remembering a spell she never learned before, she chanted it out and watched as a blinding white light surged from the tip of her wand and aimed straight towards the man she loathed with a passion.
"No!" Lord Voldemort's cry echoed throughout the entire school, sending students and teachers alike to scramble out of their classrooms and checked out the cause of the sudden interruption.
Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Gertude Wiles skidded to a full stop behind Mystyk when she saw the young witch cast an age-old spell of death to her father.
Voldemort exploded like fine wisps of dusts right before their very eyes, calling out the name of the daughter who has betrayed him.
Mystyk collapsed on her knees as soon as she performed the spell, her wand falling limply from her hand.
"Mystyk!" Gertude called out in alarm and ran towards her daughter, grasping Mystyk's shoulder and letting the girl lean against her. "Oh my dear, dear child." she cooed, rubbing her arms up and down Mystyk's arm.
Professor Dumbledore knelt down beside Mystyk and touched the girl's forehead. He met Gertude's gaze and nodded to her. Silently he conveyed her daughter will be alright, just a tad bit exhausted after having performed such powerful curse on a such powerful wizard. He then joined Professor McGonagall who was tending Harry and Hermione.
Professor Snape, on the other hand, remained rooted where he stood. The mark on his arm still shining brightly. Mystyk didn't kill him. The dark lord merely faked his own death to escape--or attack again when least expected? He kept his eyes opened and stared at the ashes that belonged to the dark lord. It started swirling about, a sign that he was going to attack.
Snape's gaze moved from the exhausted Mystyk cradled in her mother's arms to Harry who was being helped on his feet by Professor McGonagall. Voldemort's ash was quickly transforming back to his human form. He has found a way to cheat the spell Mystyk cast on him.
"He's still alive!" Professor Snape called out in alarm as soon as Voldemort's body starts to appear.
~*~
TO BE CONTINUED