Chapter. The Survival
It was all over. Voldemort fled once again. And Harry was lying on the ground, his face looked as pale as a piece of parchment, with mud smeared around it. He looked as if he could stop breathing any time. Ron and Hermione hurried toward Harry. "Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Hermione said shakily. Harry didn't answer her. He whispered weakly: "Where's.where's Ron? Is.he okay?" "I'm here, Harry." Ron said hoarsely. He grasped Harry's hand. He felt Harry's fingertips getting colder by the seconds. "Where's.and where's Percy." Harry felt a great weight being taken off his shoulders to hear that Ron was okay. But then he remembered Percy. "He's.he's." Hermione whispered as tears rolled out of her eyes silently, "dead. You-Know-Who killed him." Harry, in sub consciousness now, felt his heart pounded as his scar pounded. He couldn't believe this shocking news. No, it can't be. Harry suddenly coughed as he felt something hot and wet coming out of his mouth. "BLOOD!!!" Hermione screamed. Harry knew what was happening. He was going to die. But instead of panicking, he told himself to face the music calmly. "HERMIONE! LET'S BRING HARRY BACK TO HOGWARTS!" Ron shouted as Harry felt Ron's hand on his hand shuddering. "No, it's no use," Harry gave Ron and Hermione a weak, encouraging smile and said serenely, "I'm not going to survive. Go back to Hogwarts and get Dumbledore. He'll sort everything out. Oh yeah, and tell Chelsea that I'll love her always." He said as tears rolled out of his eyes quietly. "No.it can't be.you are immortal." Ron whispered desperately. "Voldemort is powerful," Harry said, his breath labored, "he destroyed my immortality, but that doesn't mean he's not destructible. It depends on you to destroy him. Just remember me as his victim who had failed." "No.it can't be.we'll bring you back.Madam Pomfrey will cure you." Ron said and he couldn't hold it anymore, he cried. Really, he cried. Harry smiled as he fainted. He was losing blood fast. Ron and Hermione were in a total panic. They brought Harry up, shoulder by shoulder. They trudged toward the Portkey and they finally reached it. They felt Harry hanging on both of them motionlessly, he was still breathing was the only sign of him still being alive. Ron and Hermione grabbed the Portkey as they felt something jerking them behind their navels and they were being pulled back in a swirl of flash. Then they reached the Hogwarts ground in daylight. Nobody was there; everybody was in class. But they saw a giant thing casting a tremendous shadow ahead of them. It was Hagrid. "Thank God." Ron whispered; he was too exhausted to say anything. Hermione used her last bit of strength and shouted: "Hagrid! HAGRID!" The shadow showed that the person was standing up and moving toward them. Ron and Hermione limped toward the shadow too. The face of Hagrid appeared. His red face behind his beard turned pale immediately. "Ron! Hermione! Yeh'r all covered in mud and blood! And what's wron'?" "He's.he's going to." Hermione said, but she couldn't get the last word out. Hagrid gasped as he hurried toward them, then he cried out: "Good 'eavens! What happened to Harry?" "Harry.needs.cure." Ron stammered hoarsely. He hardly had any strength left. Hagrid started to shake. He took over Harry, turned over to Ron and Hermione and ordered: "I don' know what happen', but I'm goin' to 'end him to 'ospital win' right now. Can yeh guys just sit 'ere for a while, I'll com' back and sort yeh guy' out after I'm finished with Harry." Ron and Hermione nodded silently. Hagrid broke into a run, with Harry in his arms. He glanced at Harry as he ran. Harry looked incredibly pale, almost as pale as Voldemort. Hagrid whispered distressingly: "Poor kid." Hagrid ran into the Hogwarts castle and ran straight ahead to the hospital wing through the quiet hall. He finally reached the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was sitting there, reading a book called The Perfect Witch. She raised her head and gasped. She cried: "My God! What on earth happened to Potter?" " Never mind the detail', Madam," Hagrid said hastily, "He needs cure immediately." "I don't know," Pomfrey hesitated, "he looks.well, in a very bad shape." Hagrid said shakily: "Well, just.just do what yeh can do." Pomfrey nodded. Hagrid gently placed Harry on the white bed and covered him with blanket and said: "I'll go 'ack to get Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger now." Pomfrey nodded again and then took out her wand from her kit box. But Hagrid didn't have time to see the rest. He lowered his head as he rushed out of the door hurried to get Ron and Hermione. Hagrid found Ron and Hermione still sitting on the ground, waiting silently. They both had tear trails on their faces. When Hagrid approached, they both jerked around and said anxiously: "Hagrid! Is Harry okay? Is he still alive-" "Yes, he's still 'live," Hagrid said solemned, "But what happened, really?" Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then they took turns to tell Hagrid the story. Hagrid gasped and was shocked to hear about Ron being lured by Voldemort and he was most shocked to hear Percy dead. After they finished telling him the story, Hagrid gave a waver sigh. Ron said, his throat constricted: "Harry gave up his life to save me and Percy. What will I tell mom? I was such a fool! How could I have ever done this?" "Now, now, Ron, don' blame yehself," Hagrid said soothingly, "You-Know- Who's so powerful he could bewitch anybody easily. I'm just glad yeh all 'ame back in one piece." Both Ron and Hermione had tears rolled out of their eyes again as they all collapsed into Hagrid's arms. Hagrid hugged them firmly and they all gazed at the sun. Then Hermione suggested: "Is it okay if we go back and pay Harry a visit now?" Hagrid nodded as they all got back and started walking back toward the castle. They finally reached the castle. Students had just finished their classes and they all got out of their classrooms. They were all glancing at Ron and Hermione, who were covered in mud and blood. They started whispering to each other. But Ron and Hermione didn't care. They reached hospital wing. There was a curtain in the room. They could see a shadow of the person in there and working. Ron said cautiously: "Madam Pomfrey?" Pomfrey poked her head out of the curtain. She said: "Looking for Potter?" "Yeah.yeah." Ron said as he swallowed hard. "I'm still working on him with everything I can. I don't know if they will work at all. Who had done all this to him?" "You-Know-Who." Hagrid said; his throat tightened. Pomfrey gasped at the news. Then she said: "Well, I'll try my best." Then she pulled back the curtain. Hagrid nodded as he gently pushed Ron and Hermione to show them that it was time to go. Ron and Hermione nodded. Before they left they heard Madam Pomfrey saying: "Conmasia Healcura!" But there was no answer. They knew this didn't work either. Hermione let out a small pained cry. Hagrid sent Ron and Hermione up to the Gryffindor common house and said: "Yeh guys jus' go in and rest, 'kay? I'll let yeh know if there'r any further news." Ron and Hermione nodded again. The fat lady gawped at them. They muttered the password "Brightenia" and crawled into the hole. All the Gryffindors were at the common room. They stared at Ron and Hermione as they got in. Fred and George said in unison: "What happened to you guys? Where's Harry?" Ron collapsed into an armchair by the fire and stared at the fire hollowly. Tears burst out of Hermione's eyes. All of the Gryffindors were getting concerned, they hurried toward Ron and Hermione, tried to comfort them and asked anxiously: "What happened?" "Harry.Harry." Hermione whimpered. She couldn't hold the howl of misery that was gaining up on her throat anymore; she started howling with all her might. Lavender threw her arm around Hermione's shoulders and helped her to sit on an armchair. Parvati's face started to get pale, she demanded: "Harry? What happened to Harry?" "He's.in the hospital wing right now.I don't know if he'll make it." Ron said hoarsely. A lot of girls gasped. Parvati started to sob. But suddenly she turned furious. She turned to Hermione and cried hysterically: "You, Hermione Granger! This is your entire fault! If you didn't lure Harry to come along with you to save your crummy Krum, none of this would have happened!" People backed away. Hermione didn't flinch. She whispered: "No.Krum was only a plot.a scheme.I can't believe that I believed him.that devil." "What's the use of regretting? That doesn't save Harry! If Harry hadn't made friends with a thug like you, he would be so happy now!" "Enough, Parvati!" Ron roared, "You don't know half of the story. Krum was You-Know-Who's servant, he lured Hermione into believing that he liked her and he was in danger so Hermione had to save her. Any decent person would do that. But who would have expected that it was all a scheme? Who would have expected that Viktor Krum, the world famous Quidditch player was a cheap, worthless and filthy traitor?" Ron got so agitated he started to cough. Hermione put a hand on Ron's shoulder and said, trying to suppress her urge to howl: "You're right, Parvati. Everything. It's my entire fault. I was too gullible." "Well, I'm going down to see Harry right now!" Parvati stomped and she burst out of the room. Everybody stared at Ron and Hermione for a long time; nobody spoke. Everybody was waiting, waiting for something to happen. You could hear the sound of a pin drop throughout the entire room. Then Fred broke the silence: "I'm going down to see Harry, too." Then he left before anybody could react without another word. George followed him. Both Ron and Hermione didn't go. They felt their hearts would break if they go down and hear the news of that Harry didn't make it. They couldn't face it. They didn't want to tell anybody about Percy. Not yet. What shall they tell Mrs. Weasley? *** Meanwhile down at hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey was trying to find a cure for Harry with all her might. Parvati, Fred and George waited outside the curtain patiently, watching the shadow of Madam Pomfrey moving on the curtain anxiously. They waited and waited and waited. Madam Pomfrey was muttering frustratingly all over: "Oh darn, this can't work either!" "Why didn't that work?" "Oh boy, I'm beginning to doubt if there is any chance for him." This made the atmosphere worse and made the three's nerves tickled. Then another "Oh man, he's almost in the utmost severe situation" pierced into their ears ruthlessly. Both Fred and George started to get sweaty by the seconds. Helpless tears dropped out of Parvati's eyes. She gave a little sob. Madam Hooch was surprised to hear the sound. She didn't hear anyone coming in. She stuck her head out of the curtain and raised an eyebrow at the three and demanded: "What are you doing here?" "We're.here to see Harry." Fred stammered. "Well, nothing much to see here. I've still a lot of things to work on him. So run along now." "But I won't!" Parvati suddenly cried furiously, "I won't just leave Harry!" "Well, I can't let you stay, young lady, because I've got to work on him and you'll distract me." "But." Parvati sobbed despairingly. "Well, I'm sorry, but any noise you make could easily distract me." Parvati sobbed and stood up tardily. She took a last look at the shadow of the bed and a shadow of a person lying on it motionlessly on the curtain and said: "Yes, I understand, Madam Pomfrey. I'll let you concentrate." Then without another word, she left. "So, what about you two?" Pomfrey said impatiently to Fred and George. "Yes, we're going." Fred and George muttered gloomily. Then they turned to look at the shadow just like the way Parvati did and said, almost whispered, "Best luck to you, matey." Then they trudged out of the door. *** Upstairs in the Gryffindor common room, people were still gathering together. Suddenly Hermione asked: "Where's Chelsea?" "I don't know," Lavender said quietly, "we haven't seen any trail of her for two days. But the last time I saw her, she was wearing a scarlet robe." "A scarlet robe?" Ron and Hermione gasped in unison. "Yeah, so?" Lavender raised an eyebrow, "It was just for the school dance." Ron and Hermione looked at each other and they suddenly understood. Hermione whispered: "Chelsea.I can't believe how I treated her before. I.I." Tears drowned her eyelids and she sounded as if she suddenly caught a cold. Lavender placed her arm around Hermione's shoulders and said soothingly: "Come on, Hermione. We all can be wrong about people sometimes. Chelsea.well, can't say I was fond of her either." Lavender said with a weak grin, thinking about the moment of Seamus drooling when he saw Chelsea, "I don't know what happened, but I just know that Chelsea did something great, and we'll never forget her." Hermione could no longer control her urge to howl out the misery that had been storing up on her. She hid her head into Lavender's warm hug and howled deliriously. Lavender patted her head and gave a little sob. Hermione was surprised at Lavender; she looked up. Tears stocked up apparently in her eyes. She managed to smile and said: "I.just hope Harry will be all right." *** Downstairs, Madam Pomfrey was still trying. She wanted to scream of frustration. Harry was lying there motionlessly. Pomfrey had never seen people got this pale before. "That's it," she finally said, "I need to contact Dumbledore." Then she brandished her wand and muttered: "Appefacia Dumbledore." Sparks sparkled out of the head of the wand. Suddenly a figure of a face appeared in the air. It was Dumbledore's face. He greeted: "Good afternoon, Poppy. What can I do for you today?" "Bad news, Dumbledore," Pomfrey said grimly, "You-Know-Who had done something terrible to Potter. I tried everything I can but they didn't worked a tiny bit. I thought of contacting you. Maybe you'll know something about this." Dumbledore's pleasant face turned solemn immediately. He said swiftly: "All right, hang on Poppy. I'll be there immediately." With a pop Dumbledore's face disappeared. A second later Dumbledore appeared right beside Madam Pomfrey. Pomfrey jumped, then she realized it was Dumbledore. She smoothed her chest and breathed: "Don't scare me like that!" "Sorry, Poppy," Dumbledore said, focused his stare on Harry. Pomfrey waited patiently. After a while Dumbledore said, he shook slightly: "He's losing blood fast, and from what I saw, I assume Voldemort used the deadly Evaporate Spell on him and made his blood evaporate out of his skin into the thin air without a single trace. The spell, it had been banned strictly from centuries ago. I can't believe even Voldemort was cruel enough to bring that spell back and use it on an child." Madam Pomfrey gasped and cried in a high-pitched voice: "That's gruesome!" "I don't know any cure to this. Wait, I'll contact Molly Weasley, maybe she knows something about this kind of dark art." Pomfrey nodded, she stared down at Harry and whispered: "I don't see any other way." Dumbledore said: "Well, we don't have any time for owl delivering, so I'll use the Focus Spell to contact her." Then he closed his eyes. Pomfrey was shocked to see the eyes behind the specs looking so strained and stressful. What seemed like three minutes Dumbledore finally opened his eyes. Pomfrey were a bit relieved. Dumbledore said: "Yup, contacted her all right. She'll Apparate here right about.now." Molly Weasley appeared right away right beside Madam Pomfrey. Dumbledore greeted her: "Hi Molly, how are you doing? Haven't seen you for quite a long time." Mrs. Weasley, however, did not reply. She stared at Harry and turned white. She placed her shaky fingers on Harry's cheeks to check his temperature. Then she gave an uncontrollable sob. "What do you think, Molly?" Dumbledore asked anxiously. Mrs. Weasley started to shake. Finally she managed to pull her words together. She whispered, almost whimpered: "I.I don't know. What.happened to him?" "I don't know, but Voldemort used the Evaporate Spell on his." Dumbledore said gravely. "The Eva-Evaporate Spell?" Mrs. Weasley gasped in disbelief. Dumbledore nodded grimly and said: "I think Ron and Hermione might know something about this. I'm going to see them for a while." Pomfrey nodded. Mrs. Weasley, however, didn't react. She looked at Harry tearfully and whispered coarsely: "Poor boy. He bore more pain than all of us could ever endure." "Now, now, Molly," Dumbledore said soothingly, "I'm sure Harry will be all right. Poppy, can you keep an eye on-" "Actually I think I'll go down the library to the Restricted Section for a book on cure for the Evaporate Spell. I don't think I have any-" "Okay, Poppy, go down and find one as fast as you can. I don't think we have much time. I'll go see Ron and Hermione now. Molly, will you be able to keep an eye on Harry for a sec?" Mrs. Weasley nodded slightly as she tucked the blanket firmly around Harry. Both Dumbledore and Pomfrey Disapparated. Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry mournfully and helplessly. She didn't know what to do to help Harry, who was almost like her son. She finally couldn't hold it anymore; she started bawling. Tears streamed down her cheeks and fell onto Harry's hand. She quivered, bent down and gave Harry a kiss on his cheek. Suddenly she felt a slight move from Harry. She stopped crying and looked at Harry intensely. She knew he was going to be okay. He had to be. Please, let him be. Pomfrey came back with a thick, dusty book in her hand. She saw Mrs. Weasley and asked, looking almost unnerved: "Is everything okay?" "Yes," Mrs. Weasley whispered. "Good thing I found this book on how to cure all kinds of dark magic, including severe ones like Evaporate. Now, we need a cauldron to fire up this Potion." She muttered as she opened the book, "For this, we'll need a tear from a phoenix; a drop of nectar; a full-bloomed flower; a honeysuckle; grass wet by rain and two cups and boiling water. Hmm." "How are this," Mrs. Weasley ordered swiftly, "We'll both Disapparate. I'll go to Dumbledore's office and get a drop of tear from Fawkes; you can go to the storing room to get the rest of the ingredient." Pomfrey was a bit startled at first at the stony sight of Mrs. Weasley, but quickly she nodded. After what like twenty minutes they finally all got the ingredients. Pomfrey conjured up a cauldron and fire beneath it. The fire hissed and fizzled. She dumped part of the ingredients into the cauldron full of boiling water and rapidly mixing it with a stick, making the water looked like whirlwind. The potion was green at first, but the color changed from time to time. Green, deeper green, gray, black, deep blue, purplish red, reddish pink, vivid yellow, baby blue, and finally, the color turned pure white, like milk. Pomfrey declared: "It's ready." With a rather shaky hand she got a scoop into her ladle and poured the potion into a glass. Mrs. Weasley nodded and helped Harry sat up. Pomfrey forced Harry's mouth to open and gingerly she poured the potion down Harry's throat. Harry drank it unconsciously. Then he started to cough. Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry hopefully.they knew it was going to work. Suddenly white potion streamed out of Harry's mouth as he coughed severely. It was pretty gross. Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley both gasped. Harry was rejecting the potion. The potion was all coughed onto the blanket and mattress. Mrs. Weasley gave a desperate cry. "Don't worry," Pomfrey said soothingly to Mrs. Weasley, "We've still got some of the each material we need. We could make another potion." "But what good will it do?" Mrs. Weasley wailed, "He's rejecting it! The last hope!" Tears streamed out of her swollen eyes. "Maybe I'm missing something here," Pomfrey said, attempting to act in faith. She flipped open the book. "Hmm.nectar.honeysuckle.seems to be all here.Wait!" "What?" Mrs. Weasley asked anxiously, her voice sounded constricted. "A tear.from a phoenix.Fawkes." Pomfrey muttered, her words didn't quite make sense, "A.something. reflection of.tear.love.phoenix.Lily and James Potter.they were Harry's parents.they." Then she gasped and shouted excitedly: "I get it!" "What?" Mrs. Weasley bit her lower lip. "Remember when Dumbledore told us about the relationship between phoenixes and healing love? Phoenix Tear won't work without a reflection of love! What Harry needs is a reflection of love! And.oh no!" she cried suddenly. "What?" Mrs. Weasley's swollen eyes grew wider. "He was supposed to get the love before he took the potion!" "What form of love?" Mrs. Weasley asked, bewildered. "Tears! He's got a tear from a phoenix and he needs to mix another motherly tear! But it is too late!" "Wait," Mrs. Weasley said, "I.remember that I cried and my tears fell onto his hand. Does that c-" "Seriously?" Pomfrey's face glowed, "That does! And all we need is a reflection of that!" "But what?" Mrs. Weasley wondered out loud. "Wait." Pomfrey suddenly realized something. "Lily Potter.Harry's mother.right. Molly, I need you to do something." She said solemnly. Mrs. Weasley nodded feverishly. "I'll use a spell to conjure up the spirit of Lily Potter. If you two gave Harry the same form of the spirit of love, Harry will be saved." "What spirit of love?" Mrs. Weasley asked uneasily. "That, I'm afraid is something we won't understand, it's the deepest, purest wandless magic in the wizard world. That was the thing that saved Harry from the first attack of You-Know-Who. It's better than immortality; it's purer than any relationship. It's the love from a mother." Mrs. Weasley nodded silently. She was deeply affected. "Right." Pomfrey nodded back. Before she used the spell she said: "I believe this will be the last time you'll see Lily. Her spirit could only be conjured up once." Mrs. Weasley nodded. Pomfrey took over Mrs. Weasley's wand and raised it up. She muttered, almost stammered: "With the.the purest spirit of water, golden strength of.of dew, bring back the spirit of Lily Potter! Spawilo!" With a blinding flash of light a humongous, vivid shadow of a phoenix flew of the wand and screeched fiercely and disappeared. Another shadowy figure started to form itself, from the top of hair to the tip of toes. It was Lily Potter. "Lily." Mrs. Weasley took a step forward and stared at the shadowy, beautiful figure of Lily Potter. Tears streamed down again on her tear- trailed cheeks. "Molly, " Lily said in a sweet, graceful voice, "I missed you so much." They both put out their arms, stepped forward, and attempted to hugged each other like a couple of long lost friends. But Mrs. Weasley got nothing in her arms but a trail of empty air. Then she realized Lily wasn't alive. Lily, beside her, hugged her and rested her head on Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. Mrs. Weasley felt comforted, thought she couldn't feel anything. "What-" Pomfrey looked nonplussed. Lily Potter turned to her and said: "Hi, Madam Pomfrey, it's been long since the last time I'd seen you. You still look so young to me." "Oh.thanks." Pomfrey blushed. Lily stepped forward and peered at Harry. She stroke Harry's cheeks. Tears dropped from her eyes silently as she looked at her long lost son. "You're growing up to be like James." She whispered. Suddenly. *** Meanwhile upstairs in the Gryffindor common room, Dumbledore told the Gryffindors to go up to their dormitories so he could talk to Ron and Hermione alone. Both Ron and Hermione stared at Dumbledore uneasily. "Ron, Hermione," Dumbledore said gently, "I know you have been in through a terrible ordeal. Harry is being cured right now. You do not need to worry about him." Then he started to look serious, "But I need to know what happened." Hermione started to sob hysterically. The prospect of remembering and telling the tormenting experience was too much for her. "Now, now, Hermione," Dumbledore said he stood up and wrapped his thin, but strong arm around Hermione, "It's okay. Sharing your pain will be much better than bearing the pain all to yourself. Maybe I can do something." Then he took out his wand, swished and two glasses that contained red juice appeared on the desk. Dumbledore said to Ron and Hermione: "Drink this, it would help you guys." Both Ron and Hermione took their glasses and drank the potion in one swallow. It tasted like a mixture of strawberries and peaches. It was quite yummy. Hermione began to calm down immediately; she started to breathe slower. "Now, what happened?" Dumbledore said as he made the glasses vanish. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Then- "Professor Dumbledore! You-Know-Who." "You-Know-Who did something to." "One at a time." Dumbledore said with a smile. Ron and Hermione looked as if they were going to explode if they don't get the story out of themselves quickly. Then they calmed down and smiled at each other weakly. Ron nodded to Hermione and whispered: "After you." Hermione smiled palely. She started to tell Dumbledore about how Voldemort had bewitched and lured Ron by offering him power and fame; how they found out about Percy behind all this; how did Chelsea act before she disappeared; how did Harry and her find Ron lifeless. Then Ron told the rest of the story about how did Harry duel with Voldemort; how did Voldemort flee, and finally how they got back. Dumbledore fell into a deep thought. Finally he said: "I'm amazed by you three. You know what happened when you duel Voldemort?" Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and shook their heads. "It's the binding of friendship, courage and love. There's no telling how powerful you could get when you bind with someone. There're no spells you can use to bind. The spell of binding has to come from the deep inside of your heart. Like when someone you love is in danger, you could even sacrifice yourself to save that person, that's when your courage and love shines and creates power to save you. But no one had ever been able to do that for centuries. It has to come from something very, very pure. You three must love each other very much. " Then he sighed deeply and emotionally and stared up into the sky outside the window. Hermione started to sob again. She whispered: "Yes. I don't know what will I do if Harry dies. I love him." Dumbledore said: "I'm sure we all do." *** Meanwhile, in the hospital wing, something incredible happened. After Lily's tears dropped onto Harry's hand, the hand began to budge. Pomfrey gasped. "Were.were your tears real?" she stammered to Lily. "Well, I'm only a spirit, so are my tears. But my love for Harry is true and it will never perish. Molly shared her love for Harry and I believe our forms of love for Harry are the same. Thanks, Molly." She said gently as she hugged Mrs. Weasley tightly, "I'll miss you, best friend." "Me.me too." Mrs. Weasley's throat was constricted. Lily gave both Mrs. Weasley and Pomfrey a tearful smile. Then she flew away and vanished into the thin air. Mrs. Weasley stared at the smoky air Lily left blankly. Then Pomfrey pulled her back to her senses: "Now we need to give Harry the potion again." "Right." Mrs. Weasley said, her voice sounded hollow. They made the potion again and fed it to Harry. Harry gave a small groan as his fingertips started to get warmer and some blood came back to his cheeks. Mrs. Weasley gave a small squeal of joy. Harry's eyelids started to move. Then they could see Harry's eyes vaguely behind his eyelids. He was awakening. Finally he opened his eyes fully. He rubbed his scar as if it was still hurting. Then he lisped out: "Where 'm I?" Mrs. Weasley started to shake. She burst into a cry. A joyful, thrilled cry. Harry stared at her, bewildered. Pomfrey decided to take over the chance to explain. She said: "You're in the hospital wing, Potter. You survived from the Evaporate Spell from You-Know-Who." Harry stared at Pomfrey for a moment, and then he moved his eyes onto Mrs. Weasley. Suddenly something hit him: "Ron! Hermione! Where are they? Are they okay? What happened to them? What-" "Wow, wow, chill, Potter," Pomfrey said with a smile, "Weasley and Granger are both upstairs. I assume they are talking to Dumbledore right now." Harry nodded, relieved. Then Pomfrey said: "Molly, do you want some alone time with Harry?" Mrs. Weasley nodded. Pomfrey got to her feet, stretched and walked out of the door, saying: "Just ring me by your wand if you need me." Mrs. Weasley nodded again. Harry stared at Mrs. Weasley, so did Mrs. Weasley who stared back at Harry. They were both silent for a while. Then Mrs. Weasley said: "Harry, how are you feeling?" "Good," Harry said vaguely. Then he asked: "How.how was I saved?" "Oh," Mrs. Weasley was a bit surprised at Harry's question. Then she replied: "Lily saved you." "Mom saved me?" Harry asked, not understanding. "Yes, she did." Mrs. Weasley said serenely. "But.I thought." "Yes, she died." Mrs. Weasley seemed to read Harry's mind. "But her love for you will never perish. She loved you so dearly she even looks after you in heaven. Her love had created a form of spell for you and it saved you. You-Know-Who might possess a little of your blood and some of her love, but if there's one thing he doesn't understand, it's the true feelings you have for each other. You must love your mother dearly and you miss her." "Yes, I do." Harry said, he sounded choked. He attempted to refrain himself from bawling the misery out of him, but he couldn't. He buried his fore body into Mrs. Weasley's soft arms. He felt miserable and cold. He wanted to be comforted, to get warm. Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around Harry and patted him on the back, whispered: "It's okay, Harry, it's okay, everything's okay now." Harry kept crying. He wanted to howl out the misery that had been storing up in him for a long, long time. He wanted to stay there in Mrs. Weasley's warm hug forever. He looked like a wounded baby who needed to be protected. Mrs. Weasley hugged him even more tightly. After a while Harry stopped crying and fell asleep in Mrs. Weasley's arms. He was too exhausted. *** "Now what I want you guys to do is to go back to bed and have a good night sleep. I'm sure we'll sort out everything tomorrow." Dumbledore said to Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione nodded. They felt really exhausted. Dumbledore patted both of them on their shoulders and said: "Good night." Then he went to the portrait hole, crawled out of it and departed. Ron and Hermione climbed upstairs to their dormitories silently. Before they separated Hermione suddenly asked: "Ron, is Harry going to be alright?" "Yes, I'm sure." Ron smiled weakly. Hermione stared at Ron. Suddenly she spurted toward Ron and wrapped her arms around him. Ron was really startled. Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder and whispered: "Ron, I have never told you how much I love you and Harry. You're too precious to me. I can't lose you both." Then she started to sob. Ron was a bit relieved. He hugged Hermione and said: "No, we won't lose anyone." Suddenly they heard footsteps from upstairs. They separated immediately. Seamus was coming down to go to the washroom. He saw Ron and Hermione in the stairwell. "What's wrong? You both look terrible." Seamus asked concernedly, reading Ron and Hermione's faces anxiously. Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Then Ron turned around and shook his head and said: "Nothing. We were just about to go to sleep." Then they said good night to each other and went into their own dormitory. Seamus shrugged. "Goodnight, Hermione." "Goodnight, Ron."
It was all over. Voldemort fled once again. And Harry was lying on the ground, his face looked as pale as a piece of parchment, with mud smeared around it. He looked as if he could stop breathing any time. Ron and Hermione hurried toward Harry. "Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Hermione said shakily. Harry didn't answer her. He whispered weakly: "Where's.where's Ron? Is.he okay?" "I'm here, Harry." Ron said hoarsely. He grasped Harry's hand. He felt Harry's fingertips getting colder by the seconds. "Where's.and where's Percy." Harry felt a great weight being taken off his shoulders to hear that Ron was okay. But then he remembered Percy. "He's.he's." Hermione whispered as tears rolled out of her eyes silently, "dead. You-Know-Who killed him." Harry, in sub consciousness now, felt his heart pounded as his scar pounded. He couldn't believe this shocking news. No, it can't be. Harry suddenly coughed as he felt something hot and wet coming out of his mouth. "BLOOD!!!" Hermione screamed. Harry knew what was happening. He was going to die. But instead of panicking, he told himself to face the music calmly. "HERMIONE! LET'S BRING HARRY BACK TO HOGWARTS!" Ron shouted as Harry felt Ron's hand on his hand shuddering. "No, it's no use," Harry gave Ron and Hermione a weak, encouraging smile and said serenely, "I'm not going to survive. Go back to Hogwarts and get Dumbledore. He'll sort everything out. Oh yeah, and tell Chelsea that I'll love her always." He said as tears rolled out of his eyes quietly. "No.it can't be.you are immortal." Ron whispered desperately. "Voldemort is powerful," Harry said, his breath labored, "he destroyed my immortality, but that doesn't mean he's not destructible. It depends on you to destroy him. Just remember me as his victim who had failed." "No.it can't be.we'll bring you back.Madam Pomfrey will cure you." Ron said and he couldn't hold it anymore, he cried. Really, he cried. Harry smiled as he fainted. He was losing blood fast. Ron and Hermione were in a total panic. They brought Harry up, shoulder by shoulder. They trudged toward the Portkey and they finally reached it. They felt Harry hanging on both of them motionlessly, he was still breathing was the only sign of him still being alive. Ron and Hermione grabbed the Portkey as they felt something jerking them behind their navels and they were being pulled back in a swirl of flash. Then they reached the Hogwarts ground in daylight. Nobody was there; everybody was in class. But they saw a giant thing casting a tremendous shadow ahead of them. It was Hagrid. "Thank God." Ron whispered; he was too exhausted to say anything. Hermione used her last bit of strength and shouted: "Hagrid! HAGRID!" The shadow showed that the person was standing up and moving toward them. Ron and Hermione limped toward the shadow too. The face of Hagrid appeared. His red face behind his beard turned pale immediately. "Ron! Hermione! Yeh'r all covered in mud and blood! And what's wron'?" "He's.he's going to." Hermione said, but she couldn't get the last word out. Hagrid gasped as he hurried toward them, then he cried out: "Good 'eavens! What happened to Harry?" "Harry.needs.cure." Ron stammered hoarsely. He hardly had any strength left. Hagrid started to shake. He took over Harry, turned over to Ron and Hermione and ordered: "I don' know what happen', but I'm goin' to 'end him to 'ospital win' right now. Can yeh guys just sit 'ere for a while, I'll com' back and sort yeh guy' out after I'm finished with Harry." Ron and Hermione nodded silently. Hagrid broke into a run, with Harry in his arms. He glanced at Harry as he ran. Harry looked incredibly pale, almost as pale as Voldemort. Hagrid whispered distressingly: "Poor kid." Hagrid ran into the Hogwarts castle and ran straight ahead to the hospital wing through the quiet hall. He finally reached the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was sitting there, reading a book called The Perfect Witch. She raised her head and gasped. She cried: "My God! What on earth happened to Potter?" " Never mind the detail', Madam," Hagrid said hastily, "He needs cure immediately." "I don't know," Pomfrey hesitated, "he looks.well, in a very bad shape." Hagrid said shakily: "Well, just.just do what yeh can do." Pomfrey nodded. Hagrid gently placed Harry on the white bed and covered him with blanket and said: "I'll go 'ack to get Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger now." Pomfrey nodded again and then took out her wand from her kit box. But Hagrid didn't have time to see the rest. He lowered his head as he rushed out of the door hurried to get Ron and Hermione. Hagrid found Ron and Hermione still sitting on the ground, waiting silently. They both had tear trails on their faces. When Hagrid approached, they both jerked around and said anxiously: "Hagrid! Is Harry okay? Is he still alive-" "Yes, he's still 'live," Hagrid said solemned, "But what happened, really?" Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then they took turns to tell Hagrid the story. Hagrid gasped and was shocked to hear about Ron being lured by Voldemort and he was most shocked to hear Percy dead. After they finished telling him the story, Hagrid gave a waver sigh. Ron said, his throat constricted: "Harry gave up his life to save me and Percy. What will I tell mom? I was such a fool! How could I have ever done this?" "Now, now, Ron, don' blame yehself," Hagrid said soothingly, "You-Know- Who's so powerful he could bewitch anybody easily. I'm just glad yeh all 'ame back in one piece." Both Ron and Hermione had tears rolled out of their eyes again as they all collapsed into Hagrid's arms. Hagrid hugged them firmly and they all gazed at the sun. Then Hermione suggested: "Is it okay if we go back and pay Harry a visit now?" Hagrid nodded as they all got back and started walking back toward the castle. They finally reached the castle. Students had just finished their classes and they all got out of their classrooms. They were all glancing at Ron and Hermione, who were covered in mud and blood. They started whispering to each other. But Ron and Hermione didn't care. They reached hospital wing. There was a curtain in the room. They could see a shadow of the person in there and working. Ron said cautiously: "Madam Pomfrey?" Pomfrey poked her head out of the curtain. She said: "Looking for Potter?" "Yeah.yeah." Ron said as he swallowed hard. "I'm still working on him with everything I can. I don't know if they will work at all. Who had done all this to him?" "You-Know-Who." Hagrid said; his throat tightened. Pomfrey gasped at the news. Then she said: "Well, I'll try my best." Then she pulled back the curtain. Hagrid nodded as he gently pushed Ron and Hermione to show them that it was time to go. Ron and Hermione nodded. Before they left they heard Madam Pomfrey saying: "Conmasia Healcura!" But there was no answer. They knew this didn't work either. Hermione let out a small pained cry. Hagrid sent Ron and Hermione up to the Gryffindor common house and said: "Yeh guys jus' go in and rest, 'kay? I'll let yeh know if there'r any further news." Ron and Hermione nodded again. The fat lady gawped at them. They muttered the password "Brightenia" and crawled into the hole. All the Gryffindors were at the common room. They stared at Ron and Hermione as they got in. Fred and George said in unison: "What happened to you guys? Where's Harry?" Ron collapsed into an armchair by the fire and stared at the fire hollowly. Tears burst out of Hermione's eyes. All of the Gryffindors were getting concerned, they hurried toward Ron and Hermione, tried to comfort them and asked anxiously: "What happened?" "Harry.Harry." Hermione whimpered. She couldn't hold the howl of misery that was gaining up on her throat anymore; she started howling with all her might. Lavender threw her arm around Hermione's shoulders and helped her to sit on an armchair. Parvati's face started to get pale, she demanded: "Harry? What happened to Harry?" "He's.in the hospital wing right now.I don't know if he'll make it." Ron said hoarsely. A lot of girls gasped. Parvati started to sob. But suddenly she turned furious. She turned to Hermione and cried hysterically: "You, Hermione Granger! This is your entire fault! If you didn't lure Harry to come along with you to save your crummy Krum, none of this would have happened!" People backed away. Hermione didn't flinch. She whispered: "No.Krum was only a plot.a scheme.I can't believe that I believed him.that devil." "What's the use of regretting? That doesn't save Harry! If Harry hadn't made friends with a thug like you, he would be so happy now!" "Enough, Parvati!" Ron roared, "You don't know half of the story. Krum was You-Know-Who's servant, he lured Hermione into believing that he liked her and he was in danger so Hermione had to save her. Any decent person would do that. But who would have expected that it was all a scheme? Who would have expected that Viktor Krum, the world famous Quidditch player was a cheap, worthless and filthy traitor?" Ron got so agitated he started to cough. Hermione put a hand on Ron's shoulder and said, trying to suppress her urge to howl: "You're right, Parvati. Everything. It's my entire fault. I was too gullible." "Well, I'm going down to see Harry right now!" Parvati stomped and she burst out of the room. Everybody stared at Ron and Hermione for a long time; nobody spoke. Everybody was waiting, waiting for something to happen. You could hear the sound of a pin drop throughout the entire room. Then Fred broke the silence: "I'm going down to see Harry, too." Then he left before anybody could react without another word. George followed him. Both Ron and Hermione didn't go. They felt their hearts would break if they go down and hear the news of that Harry didn't make it. They couldn't face it. They didn't want to tell anybody about Percy. Not yet. What shall they tell Mrs. Weasley? *** Meanwhile down at hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey was trying to find a cure for Harry with all her might. Parvati, Fred and George waited outside the curtain patiently, watching the shadow of Madam Pomfrey moving on the curtain anxiously. They waited and waited and waited. Madam Pomfrey was muttering frustratingly all over: "Oh darn, this can't work either!" "Why didn't that work?" "Oh boy, I'm beginning to doubt if there is any chance for him." This made the atmosphere worse and made the three's nerves tickled. Then another "Oh man, he's almost in the utmost severe situation" pierced into their ears ruthlessly. Both Fred and George started to get sweaty by the seconds. Helpless tears dropped out of Parvati's eyes. She gave a little sob. Madam Hooch was surprised to hear the sound. She didn't hear anyone coming in. She stuck her head out of the curtain and raised an eyebrow at the three and demanded: "What are you doing here?" "We're.here to see Harry." Fred stammered. "Well, nothing much to see here. I've still a lot of things to work on him. So run along now." "But I won't!" Parvati suddenly cried furiously, "I won't just leave Harry!" "Well, I can't let you stay, young lady, because I've got to work on him and you'll distract me." "But." Parvati sobbed despairingly. "Well, I'm sorry, but any noise you make could easily distract me." Parvati sobbed and stood up tardily. She took a last look at the shadow of the bed and a shadow of a person lying on it motionlessly on the curtain and said: "Yes, I understand, Madam Pomfrey. I'll let you concentrate." Then without another word, she left. "So, what about you two?" Pomfrey said impatiently to Fred and George. "Yes, we're going." Fred and George muttered gloomily. Then they turned to look at the shadow just like the way Parvati did and said, almost whispered, "Best luck to you, matey." Then they trudged out of the door. *** Upstairs in the Gryffindor common room, people were still gathering together. Suddenly Hermione asked: "Where's Chelsea?" "I don't know," Lavender said quietly, "we haven't seen any trail of her for two days. But the last time I saw her, she was wearing a scarlet robe." "A scarlet robe?" Ron and Hermione gasped in unison. "Yeah, so?" Lavender raised an eyebrow, "It was just for the school dance." Ron and Hermione looked at each other and they suddenly understood. Hermione whispered: "Chelsea.I can't believe how I treated her before. I.I." Tears drowned her eyelids and she sounded as if she suddenly caught a cold. Lavender placed her arm around Hermione's shoulders and said soothingly: "Come on, Hermione. We all can be wrong about people sometimes. Chelsea.well, can't say I was fond of her either." Lavender said with a weak grin, thinking about the moment of Seamus drooling when he saw Chelsea, "I don't know what happened, but I just know that Chelsea did something great, and we'll never forget her." Hermione could no longer control her urge to howl out the misery that had been storing up on her. She hid her head into Lavender's warm hug and howled deliriously. Lavender patted her head and gave a little sob. Hermione was surprised at Lavender; she looked up. Tears stocked up apparently in her eyes. She managed to smile and said: "I.just hope Harry will be all right." *** Downstairs, Madam Pomfrey was still trying. She wanted to scream of frustration. Harry was lying there motionlessly. Pomfrey had never seen people got this pale before. "That's it," she finally said, "I need to contact Dumbledore." Then she brandished her wand and muttered: "Appefacia Dumbledore." Sparks sparkled out of the head of the wand. Suddenly a figure of a face appeared in the air. It was Dumbledore's face. He greeted: "Good afternoon, Poppy. What can I do for you today?" "Bad news, Dumbledore," Pomfrey said grimly, "You-Know-Who had done something terrible to Potter. I tried everything I can but they didn't worked a tiny bit. I thought of contacting you. Maybe you'll know something about this." Dumbledore's pleasant face turned solemn immediately. He said swiftly: "All right, hang on Poppy. I'll be there immediately." With a pop Dumbledore's face disappeared. A second later Dumbledore appeared right beside Madam Pomfrey. Pomfrey jumped, then she realized it was Dumbledore. She smoothed her chest and breathed: "Don't scare me like that!" "Sorry, Poppy," Dumbledore said, focused his stare on Harry. Pomfrey waited patiently. After a while Dumbledore said, he shook slightly: "He's losing blood fast, and from what I saw, I assume Voldemort used the deadly Evaporate Spell on him and made his blood evaporate out of his skin into the thin air without a single trace. The spell, it had been banned strictly from centuries ago. I can't believe even Voldemort was cruel enough to bring that spell back and use it on an child." Madam Pomfrey gasped and cried in a high-pitched voice: "That's gruesome!" "I don't know any cure to this. Wait, I'll contact Molly Weasley, maybe she knows something about this kind of dark art." Pomfrey nodded, she stared down at Harry and whispered: "I don't see any other way." Dumbledore said: "Well, we don't have any time for owl delivering, so I'll use the Focus Spell to contact her." Then he closed his eyes. Pomfrey was shocked to see the eyes behind the specs looking so strained and stressful. What seemed like three minutes Dumbledore finally opened his eyes. Pomfrey were a bit relieved. Dumbledore said: "Yup, contacted her all right. She'll Apparate here right about.now." Molly Weasley appeared right away right beside Madam Pomfrey. Dumbledore greeted her: "Hi Molly, how are you doing? Haven't seen you for quite a long time." Mrs. Weasley, however, did not reply. She stared at Harry and turned white. She placed her shaky fingers on Harry's cheeks to check his temperature. Then she gave an uncontrollable sob. "What do you think, Molly?" Dumbledore asked anxiously. Mrs. Weasley started to shake. Finally she managed to pull her words together. She whispered, almost whimpered: "I.I don't know. What.happened to him?" "I don't know, but Voldemort used the Evaporate Spell on his." Dumbledore said gravely. "The Eva-Evaporate Spell?" Mrs. Weasley gasped in disbelief. Dumbledore nodded grimly and said: "I think Ron and Hermione might know something about this. I'm going to see them for a while." Pomfrey nodded. Mrs. Weasley, however, didn't react. She looked at Harry tearfully and whispered coarsely: "Poor boy. He bore more pain than all of us could ever endure." "Now, now, Molly," Dumbledore said soothingly, "I'm sure Harry will be all right. Poppy, can you keep an eye on-" "Actually I think I'll go down the library to the Restricted Section for a book on cure for the Evaporate Spell. I don't think I have any-" "Okay, Poppy, go down and find one as fast as you can. I don't think we have much time. I'll go see Ron and Hermione now. Molly, will you be able to keep an eye on Harry for a sec?" Mrs. Weasley nodded slightly as she tucked the blanket firmly around Harry. Both Dumbledore and Pomfrey Disapparated. Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry mournfully and helplessly. She didn't know what to do to help Harry, who was almost like her son. She finally couldn't hold it anymore; she started bawling. Tears streamed down her cheeks and fell onto Harry's hand. She quivered, bent down and gave Harry a kiss on his cheek. Suddenly she felt a slight move from Harry. She stopped crying and looked at Harry intensely. She knew he was going to be okay. He had to be. Please, let him be. Pomfrey came back with a thick, dusty book in her hand. She saw Mrs. Weasley and asked, looking almost unnerved: "Is everything okay?" "Yes," Mrs. Weasley whispered. "Good thing I found this book on how to cure all kinds of dark magic, including severe ones like Evaporate. Now, we need a cauldron to fire up this Potion." She muttered as she opened the book, "For this, we'll need a tear from a phoenix; a drop of nectar; a full-bloomed flower; a honeysuckle; grass wet by rain and two cups and boiling water. Hmm." "How are this," Mrs. Weasley ordered swiftly, "We'll both Disapparate. I'll go to Dumbledore's office and get a drop of tear from Fawkes; you can go to the storing room to get the rest of the ingredient." Pomfrey was a bit startled at first at the stony sight of Mrs. Weasley, but quickly she nodded. After what like twenty minutes they finally all got the ingredients. Pomfrey conjured up a cauldron and fire beneath it. The fire hissed and fizzled. She dumped part of the ingredients into the cauldron full of boiling water and rapidly mixing it with a stick, making the water looked like whirlwind. The potion was green at first, but the color changed from time to time. Green, deeper green, gray, black, deep blue, purplish red, reddish pink, vivid yellow, baby blue, and finally, the color turned pure white, like milk. Pomfrey declared: "It's ready." With a rather shaky hand she got a scoop into her ladle and poured the potion into a glass. Mrs. Weasley nodded and helped Harry sat up. Pomfrey forced Harry's mouth to open and gingerly she poured the potion down Harry's throat. Harry drank it unconsciously. Then he started to cough. Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry hopefully.they knew it was going to work. Suddenly white potion streamed out of Harry's mouth as he coughed severely. It was pretty gross. Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley both gasped. Harry was rejecting the potion. The potion was all coughed onto the blanket and mattress. Mrs. Weasley gave a desperate cry. "Don't worry," Pomfrey said soothingly to Mrs. Weasley, "We've still got some of the each material we need. We could make another potion." "But what good will it do?" Mrs. Weasley wailed, "He's rejecting it! The last hope!" Tears streamed out of her swollen eyes. "Maybe I'm missing something here," Pomfrey said, attempting to act in faith. She flipped open the book. "Hmm.nectar.honeysuckle.seems to be all here.Wait!" "What?" Mrs. Weasley asked anxiously, her voice sounded constricted. "A tear.from a phoenix.Fawkes." Pomfrey muttered, her words didn't quite make sense, "A.something. reflection of.tear.love.phoenix.Lily and James Potter.they were Harry's parents.they." Then she gasped and shouted excitedly: "I get it!" "What?" Mrs. Weasley bit her lower lip. "Remember when Dumbledore told us about the relationship between phoenixes and healing love? Phoenix Tear won't work without a reflection of love! What Harry needs is a reflection of love! And.oh no!" she cried suddenly. "What?" Mrs. Weasley's swollen eyes grew wider. "He was supposed to get the love before he took the potion!" "What form of love?" Mrs. Weasley asked, bewildered. "Tears! He's got a tear from a phoenix and he needs to mix another motherly tear! But it is too late!" "Wait," Mrs. Weasley said, "I.remember that I cried and my tears fell onto his hand. Does that c-" "Seriously?" Pomfrey's face glowed, "That does! And all we need is a reflection of that!" "But what?" Mrs. Weasley wondered out loud. "Wait." Pomfrey suddenly realized something. "Lily Potter.Harry's mother.right. Molly, I need you to do something." She said solemnly. Mrs. Weasley nodded feverishly. "I'll use a spell to conjure up the spirit of Lily Potter. If you two gave Harry the same form of the spirit of love, Harry will be saved." "What spirit of love?" Mrs. Weasley asked uneasily. "That, I'm afraid is something we won't understand, it's the deepest, purest wandless magic in the wizard world. That was the thing that saved Harry from the first attack of You-Know-Who. It's better than immortality; it's purer than any relationship. It's the love from a mother." Mrs. Weasley nodded silently. She was deeply affected. "Right." Pomfrey nodded back. Before she used the spell she said: "I believe this will be the last time you'll see Lily. Her spirit could only be conjured up once." Mrs. Weasley nodded. Pomfrey took over Mrs. Weasley's wand and raised it up. She muttered, almost stammered: "With the.the purest spirit of water, golden strength of.of dew, bring back the spirit of Lily Potter! Spawilo!" With a blinding flash of light a humongous, vivid shadow of a phoenix flew of the wand and screeched fiercely and disappeared. Another shadowy figure started to form itself, from the top of hair to the tip of toes. It was Lily Potter. "Lily." Mrs. Weasley took a step forward and stared at the shadowy, beautiful figure of Lily Potter. Tears streamed down again on her tear- trailed cheeks. "Molly, " Lily said in a sweet, graceful voice, "I missed you so much." They both put out their arms, stepped forward, and attempted to hugged each other like a couple of long lost friends. But Mrs. Weasley got nothing in her arms but a trail of empty air. Then she realized Lily wasn't alive. Lily, beside her, hugged her and rested her head on Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. Mrs. Weasley felt comforted, thought she couldn't feel anything. "What-" Pomfrey looked nonplussed. Lily Potter turned to her and said: "Hi, Madam Pomfrey, it's been long since the last time I'd seen you. You still look so young to me." "Oh.thanks." Pomfrey blushed. Lily stepped forward and peered at Harry. She stroke Harry's cheeks. Tears dropped from her eyes silently as she looked at her long lost son. "You're growing up to be like James." She whispered. Suddenly. *** Meanwhile upstairs in the Gryffindor common room, Dumbledore told the Gryffindors to go up to their dormitories so he could talk to Ron and Hermione alone. Both Ron and Hermione stared at Dumbledore uneasily. "Ron, Hermione," Dumbledore said gently, "I know you have been in through a terrible ordeal. Harry is being cured right now. You do not need to worry about him." Then he started to look serious, "But I need to know what happened." Hermione started to sob hysterically. The prospect of remembering and telling the tormenting experience was too much for her. "Now, now, Hermione," Dumbledore said he stood up and wrapped his thin, but strong arm around Hermione, "It's okay. Sharing your pain will be much better than bearing the pain all to yourself. Maybe I can do something." Then he took out his wand, swished and two glasses that contained red juice appeared on the desk. Dumbledore said to Ron and Hermione: "Drink this, it would help you guys." Both Ron and Hermione took their glasses and drank the potion in one swallow. It tasted like a mixture of strawberries and peaches. It was quite yummy. Hermione began to calm down immediately; she started to breathe slower. "Now, what happened?" Dumbledore said as he made the glasses vanish. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Then- "Professor Dumbledore! You-Know-Who." "You-Know-Who did something to." "One at a time." Dumbledore said with a smile. Ron and Hermione looked as if they were going to explode if they don't get the story out of themselves quickly. Then they calmed down and smiled at each other weakly. Ron nodded to Hermione and whispered: "After you." Hermione smiled palely. She started to tell Dumbledore about how Voldemort had bewitched and lured Ron by offering him power and fame; how they found out about Percy behind all this; how did Chelsea act before she disappeared; how did Harry and her find Ron lifeless. Then Ron told the rest of the story about how did Harry duel with Voldemort; how did Voldemort flee, and finally how they got back. Dumbledore fell into a deep thought. Finally he said: "I'm amazed by you three. You know what happened when you duel Voldemort?" Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and shook their heads. "It's the binding of friendship, courage and love. There's no telling how powerful you could get when you bind with someone. There're no spells you can use to bind. The spell of binding has to come from the deep inside of your heart. Like when someone you love is in danger, you could even sacrifice yourself to save that person, that's when your courage and love shines and creates power to save you. But no one had ever been able to do that for centuries. It has to come from something very, very pure. You three must love each other very much. " Then he sighed deeply and emotionally and stared up into the sky outside the window. Hermione started to sob again. She whispered: "Yes. I don't know what will I do if Harry dies. I love him." Dumbledore said: "I'm sure we all do." *** Meanwhile, in the hospital wing, something incredible happened. After Lily's tears dropped onto Harry's hand, the hand began to budge. Pomfrey gasped. "Were.were your tears real?" she stammered to Lily. "Well, I'm only a spirit, so are my tears. But my love for Harry is true and it will never perish. Molly shared her love for Harry and I believe our forms of love for Harry are the same. Thanks, Molly." She said gently as she hugged Mrs. Weasley tightly, "I'll miss you, best friend." "Me.me too." Mrs. Weasley's throat was constricted. Lily gave both Mrs. Weasley and Pomfrey a tearful smile. Then she flew away and vanished into the thin air. Mrs. Weasley stared at the smoky air Lily left blankly. Then Pomfrey pulled her back to her senses: "Now we need to give Harry the potion again." "Right." Mrs. Weasley said, her voice sounded hollow. They made the potion again and fed it to Harry. Harry gave a small groan as his fingertips started to get warmer and some blood came back to his cheeks. Mrs. Weasley gave a small squeal of joy. Harry's eyelids started to move. Then they could see Harry's eyes vaguely behind his eyelids. He was awakening. Finally he opened his eyes fully. He rubbed his scar as if it was still hurting. Then he lisped out: "Where 'm I?" Mrs. Weasley started to shake. She burst into a cry. A joyful, thrilled cry. Harry stared at her, bewildered. Pomfrey decided to take over the chance to explain. She said: "You're in the hospital wing, Potter. You survived from the Evaporate Spell from You-Know-Who." Harry stared at Pomfrey for a moment, and then he moved his eyes onto Mrs. Weasley. Suddenly something hit him: "Ron! Hermione! Where are they? Are they okay? What happened to them? What-" "Wow, wow, chill, Potter," Pomfrey said with a smile, "Weasley and Granger are both upstairs. I assume they are talking to Dumbledore right now." Harry nodded, relieved. Then Pomfrey said: "Molly, do you want some alone time with Harry?" Mrs. Weasley nodded. Pomfrey got to her feet, stretched and walked out of the door, saying: "Just ring me by your wand if you need me." Mrs. Weasley nodded again. Harry stared at Mrs. Weasley, so did Mrs. Weasley who stared back at Harry. They were both silent for a while. Then Mrs. Weasley said: "Harry, how are you feeling?" "Good," Harry said vaguely. Then he asked: "How.how was I saved?" "Oh," Mrs. Weasley was a bit surprised at Harry's question. Then she replied: "Lily saved you." "Mom saved me?" Harry asked, not understanding. "Yes, she did." Mrs. Weasley said serenely. "But.I thought." "Yes, she died." Mrs. Weasley seemed to read Harry's mind. "But her love for you will never perish. She loved you so dearly she even looks after you in heaven. Her love had created a form of spell for you and it saved you. You-Know-Who might possess a little of your blood and some of her love, but if there's one thing he doesn't understand, it's the true feelings you have for each other. You must love your mother dearly and you miss her." "Yes, I do." Harry said, he sounded choked. He attempted to refrain himself from bawling the misery out of him, but he couldn't. He buried his fore body into Mrs. Weasley's soft arms. He felt miserable and cold. He wanted to be comforted, to get warm. Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around Harry and patted him on the back, whispered: "It's okay, Harry, it's okay, everything's okay now." Harry kept crying. He wanted to howl out the misery that had been storing up in him for a long, long time. He wanted to stay there in Mrs. Weasley's warm hug forever. He looked like a wounded baby who needed to be protected. Mrs. Weasley hugged him even more tightly. After a while Harry stopped crying and fell asleep in Mrs. Weasley's arms. He was too exhausted. *** "Now what I want you guys to do is to go back to bed and have a good night sleep. I'm sure we'll sort out everything tomorrow." Dumbledore said to Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione nodded. They felt really exhausted. Dumbledore patted both of them on their shoulders and said: "Good night." Then he went to the portrait hole, crawled out of it and departed. Ron and Hermione climbed upstairs to their dormitories silently. Before they separated Hermione suddenly asked: "Ron, is Harry going to be alright?" "Yes, I'm sure." Ron smiled weakly. Hermione stared at Ron. Suddenly she spurted toward Ron and wrapped her arms around him. Ron was really startled. Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder and whispered: "Ron, I have never told you how much I love you and Harry. You're too precious to me. I can't lose you both." Then she started to sob. Ron was a bit relieved. He hugged Hermione and said: "No, we won't lose anyone." Suddenly they heard footsteps from upstairs. They separated immediately. Seamus was coming down to go to the washroom. He saw Ron and Hermione in the stairwell. "What's wrong? You both look terrible." Seamus asked concernedly, reading Ron and Hermione's faces anxiously. Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Then Ron turned around and shook his head and said: "Nothing. We were just about to go to sleep." Then they said good night to each other and went into their own dormitory. Seamus shrugged. "Goodnight, Hermione." "Goodnight, Ron."