A/n- I decided to get a jumpstart on the chapters because I am psyched about my next installment. If I make you wait (yes, I'm cruel) then I can be ahead chapters for my next story.
Chapter 30- The Penultimate Series of Events
"Professor, We can't even do a thing about it, it won't break, crack or even give way." Remus Lupin said as Severus Snape entered the room. The Order of Phoenix was meeting at Hogwarts and Severus had been lucky enough to run into Potter and secure the house cup for Slytherin.
"Remus, I understand, I didn't think there was anyway to do it, I guess we'll have to go about the long way." Dumbledore sighed, if only they could find a way.
"Excuse, what did I miss?" Severus said, walking in and finding, to his great displeasure the only available seat was next to Sirius. Severus sat down,
"Well Severus, Remus and Sirius had no luck finding a way of even phasing the Kryptonite stone, so now we have to undo the brainwashing of the children a different way." Arabella stated, but she paused, as if wondering whether or not to continue. After a nod from Dumbledore she seemed to feel it was necessary, "Well, that and the fact that we are afraid of the damage outside. Nobody has realized it yet, but we've been stopping all Daily Prophets, and we had owled all the parents to tell them not to alert their children of the bad things on the outside, the only problem is that I am not sure if those were the best measures. We sheltered the children, but the school year is almost over, and they're going to be shocked when they go back."
"So what are we going to do about it, not to mention the incompetence of these two?" Severus sneered, gesturing toward Remus and Sirius. Sirius made a dog like growling noise, but Remus slumped down in his chair,
"So Severus Banana, did you ever find out what kind of acid would disintegrate Kryptonite." Remus smiled, calling Severus a nickname he got when they were kids. The Marauders turned Malfoy and Snape into dancing bananas.
"No I did not Lupin." Severus said with a hint of threat in his voice, but the rest of the meeting went normally.
"I think we should send it to the sun." Sirius said in an offbeat manner. Dumbledore smiled,
"Mr. Black, we have tried that before, but the last Kryptonite stone sent to the sun came back, remember the great tsunami of 1875?" The whole room nodded, "Well that was the stone hitting the Pacific Ocean at a speed faster than light."
"So what can we do to destroy it, and if we can't, what is the alternative measure?" Arthur Weasley asked, Dumbledore pointed his head toward the ground for a moment,
"It's either destroy the Kryptonite . . . or destroy Voldemort." He ended. The room went silent.
"Dumbledore, you can do that though can't you, he can't be back to full power, and even at his maximum you were more than a match." Bill Weasley said hurriedly. Dumbledore laughed,
"Mr. Weasley, I thank you for your support, but whether or not I could defeat Voldemort's magic is the key. I am almost certain that he has a backup body in case anything like what happened fifteen years ago happens again."
"So, so he has a backup body?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her voice hinting fear.
"Sorry Molly, but I am sure of it. I believe he also has the Dark Mark on it too." Dumbledore said. Instinctively Remus and Sirius looked at Severus who, subconsciously, or purposely scratched his left forearm.
"What is the Mark for?" A voice from the door asked. The three Sara's entered the room, conjuring up chairs and sitting next to Molly Weasley.
'Why didn't I do that?' Snape thought, looking at his neighbors.
"Hello Sara, Sara and Sara." Remus smiled, Sara Tangen smiled back at him, she had a schoolgirl crush on the handsome teacher.
"Well, I think only one of us here deserves the right to that enchanting tale." Dumbledore said, smiling at Severus. Snape cleared his throat,
"Well, the Dark Mark isn't just a design. It not only calls his minions when he wants them, it protects us against something bigger. I am not sure, he never even told that rat Peter." Snapes', Siriuss', and Remuss' teeth clenched together at the sound of his name.
"Do you have any idea what it is protection against Albus?" Sara asked, Dumbledore shook his head, looking down. The room went silent, everyone thinking pensively,
"You know who has to do it don't you?" Bill said to no one, but everybody knew exactly who and what he was talking about.
Harry Potter was the only one who could defeat Lord Voldemort.
* * * * *
"Ah!" Harry sat up quickly in his four-poster bed. He had cold sweat beading and dripping down his moist skin, the bed was soaked in water.
"What is it Harry?" Ron asked, sitting up too. He seemed to have heard Harry.
"Nothing, sorry I woke you." Harry said, reaching out and grabbing his glasses. Potter rolled out of bed and walked downstairs, hearing the door open again after he was halfway there.
"Harry, Harry wait up!" He heard Ron's voice hiss. Harry stopped as Ron came beside him.
"Is this the order of Aura's colors?" Ron asked, holding a sheet of paper that was on Harry's beside table. Harry read it off,
"Yea." They walked across the room and sat on the couch in silence.
"How'd I know?" A voice coming from the girl's dormitory asked. Hermione came over to the couch in her nightdress, sitting on Harry's other side.
"Guys, how is it that we know when the other is in trouble?" Ron asked absently. Hermione didn't answer.
You're a friend to meI'm a friend to you
When we have each otherThere's nothing we can't do
"I don't know Ron, but I just want to thank you guys, both of you. Looking back to first year, Ron sacrificing your safety for the stone." Harry smiled, looking over at his tall red haired friend.
You were there for me
I was there for you
Whether good or bad times
We'll see them through
" When Hermione was petrified, trying to help us save the school, so I wouldn't have to go back to the Dursley's, Ron going into the Forbidden Forest to save her." He looked over at his bushy haired companion.
You're friend to meI'm a friend to you
You brighten up my day
When I'm feeling blue
"When you both stood up with me when we thought Sirius was trying to kill me, even with a broken leg and a cut up face." Harry started nodding up and down.
Years from now, wherever we'll beHold on to a dream, for you and for me
Whether we are near or apart
I'll always remember you'll be in my heart
" I don't know where I'd be without you guys." Harry said, a lump was starting to form in his throat. Harry slumped over in his seat, tears cascading down his face and dropping to the floor with a sparkle,
"I love you guys, Ron and Hermione I love you." Harry said. Ron and Hermione both bent over their friend, enclosing him in their arms,
"We know Harry, we know." Hermione mumbled, tearing up also.
* * * * *
Harry walked into the Great Hall with his Firebolt over his shoulder, there was o way they could win the house cup, but he was going to go out on his own terms. Hermione and Ron stood behind Harry, watching as the whole great Hall looked up at them, no doubt they all noticed the loss of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor points.
"Harry!" Cho Chang yelled, running to him from across the Great Hall. Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione frown. Cho stopped in front of the three,
"Hi Ron, Hermione." Cho said, looking down, probably disappointed of her behavior before.
"Harry, we gotta talk." Cho said, forcing him back out of the Great Hall. When she got out of the door she shut it and leaned against it.
"Harry, my whole house knows I lost those points, and no matter how well I do in today's match, I can't even get them back, I was just wondering how you deal with that?" She asked, probably referring to Harry's annual loss of points.
"I don't know, but I do know one thing." Harry said, smirking, a thought had just crossed his mind.
"What?" Cho asked, looking up expectantly.
"We're the seekers, the game doesn't end until we end it right?" Harry said. Cho looked at him strangely, but her face slowly began to rise as if it had dawned on her,
"Yeah, if we don't catch the Snitch the game can go on forever. Is that what you're suggesting?"
"Yea, let's wait until the game is at least 250 to 250, then we'll actually go after the Snitch."
"Okay!" Cho extended her hand; Harry shook it.
* * * * *
"Captains, shake hands!" Hooch ordered, Cho and Harry stepped up, shaking hands for the second time that day with a smile on their faces. Harry mounted his broom and as the whistle blew he kicked off into the air.
Harry loved the way the air rushed through his hair and face as he plowed through the barriers of gravity. He could feel the buoyant forces of the Earth expelling him form the ground, forcing him higher and higher into his own little paradise.
"GO HARRY!" He heard a bunch of Gryffindors yell. He looked into the stands, seeing Fleur sitting with Hermione. He watched as a green colored gem sparkled in the sunlight.
"Dumbledore must have given her the crystal back." Harry muttered to himself before being pulled back into the game by Lee's voice,
"And the score is 30-10, Gryffindor lead!" Harry looked back to Cho, who was pretending to be looking for the Snitch. Harry flew around looking too, not really, but at least pretending. Potter glanced back at Ron who had just made a spectacular save.
Harry looked over at Cho; she had her face contorted in concentration. Slowly, as if it was a horror movie Harry watched as she pulled down into a dive.
"She wouldn't double cross me would she?" Harry asked to himself. He only half trusted her, so in a split second he was flying down racing after her. If she caught the Snitch before him then Ravenclaw would win and Gryffindor would be in third place. Harry squinted down in front of Cho; maybe he could reach past her.
There's no Snitch! He thought, wondering what she was doing, but then it hit him, she was faking for show. Harry curled his face up and pretended to be on Cho's trail. Cho pulled out of her dive early, but Harry lingered, wanting to pull out at the last second.
"He's going to crash!" Fleur shrieked out, but Hermione knew a little better,
"No he's not!" And she was right, Harry pulled out of his dive at the last second. Harry flew back up into the air, doing a loop or two in the process. The game pursued as such, each team scoring occasionally. Lee's commentary for the game went as followed,
"It seems like Potter and Chang are having a midair talent show, each rider seems exceptionally well on their brooms, and OH MY GOD! Potter and Chang are racing upside down!"
Harry and Cho were flying around doing random things in wait for the score; then the game would be easy to finish. Harry himself had seen the Snitch a few times, and he was sure Cho had too.
"They're cheating, don't you get it, Potter's not catching the Snitch on purpose." Malfoy was yelling at McGonagall.
"And Ravenclaw scores, making the game 320 to 250, Gryffindor lead." Lee exclaimed. Cho nodded at him, and suddenly they both took off. Harry flew around searching for the Snitch, as was Cho,
"And it seems that our two seekers are back to business, this game will be the deciding factor in the house cup." Lee shouted. Harry rose above the rest of the crowd, searching around for the Snitch.
Harry watched as little gleams of various colors sparkled around, but he looked down. The Snitch glared on the Gryffindor side of the field, but Cho was already headed for it,
"Shit!" Harry muttered and flew off toward the Snitch. Even though he was on a Firebolt, she was too far ahead of him. The Snitch flew around Ron's head as Cho and Harry raced at him, Ron on the other hand didn't even notice it.
"Ron, the Snitch is above you!" Harry screamed. Ron looked up and dropped a few feet so as not to be plowed by Cho and Harry. Harry was even with Cho by now, but still about twenty feet above her.
"I can't lose." Harry muttered to himself, his face contorted, he didn't know why he would do something as horribly dangerous, but he jumped off of his broomstick. Harry fell toward the Snitch, and Cho veered toward it faster.
It happened in a split second. Harry fell past the Snitch and Cho raced past it, both of them missing it. Now Harry was free falling hundreds of feet toward the ground without a broomstick or a Snitch. His body went rigid, his legs snapping together and his knees locking.
"Harry!" Ron yelled, pulling in under him. Harry reached out and grabbed the broomstick, swinging around like a gymnast.
"The game is over!" Lee Jordan yelled, Harry heart sunk. Cho must have come back around and grabbed the Snitch. It was a horrible feeling he felt in his stomach, like he had just been stabbed.
"Way to go Harry!" Ron cheered as he pulled him up over the broom. Harry still hadn't unlocked his legs; he glanced down and noticed a gleam of gold . . .
"I have the Snitch!" Harry said exasperated, he reached down and grabbed the Snitch from between his locked feet. Relaxing his muscles Harry unlocked his knees and climbed over Ron's broomstick, lucky his friend had saved his life. Harry and Ron landed on the ground where he was rushed by the whole of Gryffindor. Somehow they got Harry up on they're shoulders and marched him all the way back to the dorm's but not before he could throw a smile at Cho.
* * * * *
"Harry, that was a great match!" Fleur said when he turned up at her door an hour later. Harry walked in as she left the door open.
"I know, thanks, honestly though Fleur, I have something I need to tell you." He said, his fingers twiddling again. Harry looked up at her beautiful features, her award winning smile that could give Lockhart a run for his money, and her personality, which was sweet, especially her jealousy that was a little subtle.
"Huh?" She asked, but this was all too late, several small explosions erupted and suddenly the wall of Fleur's room blew up, revealing the grounds of Hogwarts. Lord Voldemort had come for the Crystal.
A/n- OMG I hate this, I am close to the end and I have an urge not to finish, not to worry though, I will! I hope you like it, or love it!