Chapter 23:

The light faded and Harry let blackness fall over him. Even as he lost consciousness entirely, he could still hear Kilmorie groan, hear Ginny scream and the Cambirer roar before all sounds were abruptly cut off.

In the blackness, he felt like the world was spinning around him, as if the fight between Kilmorie and the Cambirer had been only a dream. It seemed as if time had ceased to exist after the world had exploded into light, only to be replaced by darkness.

The world returned suddenly in a blaze of light and heat, sitting bolt upright, Harry found arms holding him back, pushing him down onto the soft mattress beneath him. Blurring faces peered back at Harry as he tried to sit up again, only to be firmly held in place, then his glasses were put on for him. Looking back down were Ron and Hermione, and holding him in place were Fred and George.

'Ginny?' he blurted out, passing his eyes over everyone in turn.

'She's fine,' Hermione said quickly, relief evident in her eyes. 'She woke up a few minutes ago; she's not hurt at all.'

'We were more worried about you, mate,' Ron said as Fred and George stopped holding Harry down. But Harry saw in their eyes that they had been equally worried for their sister. 'You did have half a sword through you after all.'

Harry's eyes widened, 'Kilmorie.where's Kilmorie?'

'He's.' Hermione began, but stopped as a voice spoke out over hers.

'He's resting,' Madam Pomfrey replied, looking past Ron and Hermione, Harry was in time to her pull shut some curtains that surrounded the bed Kilmorie was lying in. 'You can't see him just yet,' she said to Harry as he opened his mouth to say something. 'You need a few hours sleep to get yourself back to normal again.'

Walking to the door, she brandished a key at the group of them. 'I'm going to get the Headmaster, he requested that he be told when you were all awake. I'm locking the door so please don't try to break them out, you two.' She added the last part with a pointed stare at Fred and George.

Shifting his pillows, Harry sat up awkwardly. Looking down he saw the edge of a vivid red scar on his shoulder where the Cambirer's blade had pierced it. 'What happened?' Ron asked suddenly, asking the question no one else had dared.

'You don't have to tell us,' Hermione said quickly, shooting a small glare at Ron.

'Didn't Ginny tell you?' Harry asked, glancing over at the bed beside him where she lay sleeping.

'What she said.' Fred began, pausing uncertainly, 'it didn't make much sense. She remembers running for help but your gem flared or something, so she went back. When she arrived Professor Kilmorie was.'

'Kilmorie was lying beside you,' George continued, 'and the demon was going after you but turned when it heard her. Then all she remembers is the world blowing up.' He added the last part with clear doubt in his voice. 'I sure as hell didn't notice anything like that earlier.'

Harry nodded in agreement before speaking, 'That's more or less what I remember - Kilmorie threw me his wand as he fell and I tried to stun the Cambirer, nothing happened - and then there was just light.'

'Well something must have happened,' Ron persisted.

'Why?' Harry asked, seeing Hermione bite her lip as Ron had told him. 'What did happen afterwards?'

'Well, I remember seeing Hagrid and Dumbledore run into the forest with Fang, then Dumbledore came out with everyone on stretchers and the other teachers helped get you up to the school.' Pausing for a second, Ron continued as Harry kept staring at him, as if knowing there was more to come. 'Anyway, Hagrid came out a second later with the Cambirer.well, bits of the Cambirer.'

'Bits?' Harry asked, a queasy feeling arising in his stomach.

'Sword, cloak, couple of daggers and.um.the body,' Fred offered.

'Parts of the body,' George added.

'Just tell me now,' Harry said pleadingly. 'I don't think the feeling in my stomach can get worse.'

'Honestly,' Hermione said, her no-nonsense manner making Ron pull a face, 'Hagrid said something powerful had blown the Cambirer apart, and the rest of you were stunned by whatever had been cast.'

'It could have been Dumbledore,' Ron offered, remembering what Harry had told him about the previous year.

'No, Hagrid and Dumbledore left at the same time,' George cut in, 'after Fang got to Hagrid he shouted for Dumbledore straight away.'

'What the hell happened out there?' Harry muttered, asking the question of himself more than anyone else.

Ron opened his mouth to say something but the door swung open quickly and Madam Pomfrey bustled back inside. 'The Headmaster would like you to get some more rest, Harry, the rest of you need to leave him now.'

'Isn't Dumbledore coming?' Harry asked, sitting up even straighter.

'Not at the minute,' Madam Pomfrey replied, walking over and softly pushing Harry back down again.

'We'll be in the common room,' Ron said. 'So is everyone else, come to think of it.'

'Get some rest,' Hermione added. 'We'll see you later, and Ginny too, if she wakes up.' Standing up, she walked out, grasping Ron's hand as he joined her. With a last look back, they walked off.

'Can I have a word quickly, Madam Pomfrey?' Fred asked suddenly, walking off towards her office in the corner of the wing. Following him, she turned around to see George still standing by Harry's bed, a picture of innocence, shaking her head she went into the office to talk to Fred.

'Well that's got rid of her,' George said, his mood light but his face still serious. Sitting down on the edge of Harry's bed he looked him in the eye before speaking again. 'As oldest Weasley present, by a matter of two seconds or so,' he began, but then a grin broke out over his face and he stopped. 'I'm beginning to sound like Percy,' he chortled.

'In all seriousness though, me and Fred just want to say thanks Harry. We didn't really get a chance after the whole Chamber of Secrets thing. Of course that was our fault, you can't blame us for going after Percy though, can you?'

'Not really,' said Harry, biting back a chuckle as he remembered Fred dropping his books on George's head when Ginny had let them know about Percy and Penelope.

'You didn't have to go after Ginny either of those times, but you did, while we just sat around or were too busy not noticing,' George continued, only for Harry to interrupt him.

'That's not true, George,' he said. 'If me and Ron had told you two, you would have been down in the chamber before us. In fact, you'd have probably turned that snake into a belt before we'd got to you, and who knows what you would have done to the Basilisk.' George grinned at the joke and Harry continued, a smile on his face as well. 'And I did have to go after Ginny, I'd go after any of you - you're the closest thing I've got to a real family, you know.'

'Well, we didn't want to brag,' George replied, the grin spreading back over his face. Before he could say anything else Fred and Madam Pomfrey emerged from the office once more, Fred winking obviously at George who nodded back at him. 'See you later,' he said to Harry, then rose and walked out with his twin, the two of them bending their heads in conference the second they were out of the nurse's earshot.

'I recommend you grab some sleep now Harry,' Madam Pomfrey said, 'I hear they're waiting for your return to celebrate winning the Quidditch Cup again.' Nodding to her and himself Harry let himself fall back on the pillows again, he was quite drained of energy after talking so much. Twisting his head on the pillows, the last thing he saw before sleep overtook him was Ginny's slumbering form, sleeping peacefully on the bed beside his.

* * *

Harry stirred as he felt a soft light fall onto his face, opening his eyes sleepily he made out a long silver beard and blurred golden glasses. 'I did not mean to wake you, Harry,' Dumbledore spoke quietly, 'I only wished to see if your wound was tended to.'

'I feel better,' Harry said quietly in the soft light of Dumbledore's wand, 'my shoulder still aches.'

'I can imagine it would,' Dumbledore replied, the wand light twinkling softly in his eyes, 'wounds take time to mend. It may appear healed on the surface, but it's what lies beneath that can often be the true wound.'

Harry nodded to himself, but before he could say anything else to the headmaster Dumbledore's hand passed over his face, 'Sleep.'

Yawning uncontrollably, Harry felt his eyelids drop shut, and within a few seconds he was sleeping again. Standing there, Dumbledore could feel a part of himself in an outcry at sending Harry back to sleep unwillingly, but like so many other things, it needed to be done.

'That was unfair, Albus,' a voice croaked in the darkness.

'I won't deny that, Julian,' Dumbledore replied, drawing back the curtain softly as he walked to the side of the man's bed. 'Are you still in pain?'

'I'm beyond that now, Albus, it's just a matter of time.everything is a matter of time.' Drawing a deep breath, Kilmorie smiled in the light, the new scar on his face twisting into an ugly pattern.

'We could -' Dumbledore began.

'No, Albus, I will not take the coward's way out.'

'You yourself said retreating was not the coward's option,' Dumbledore replied, his eyes holding with Kilmorie's.

'The time for retreating is over, my friend,' Kilmorie said, his voice strengthening suddenly, 'I will not hide from death, for I could never defeat that.'

'Minerva.she will want to speak with you.'

'I have to speak with her as well, it has been too long - but that can wait until morning.Albus, I.this is my time, Poppy should not have to concern herself so...' Dumbledore nodded, and with a gesture of patience to Kilmorie he left, heading to the office in the corner.

Walking into the office, Dumbledore found Madam Pomfrey still awake, reading through a book of incantations and medicines. She looked up and offered him a forlorn smile as he extinguished his wand and sat down at her desk. 'I would stop looking, Poppy,' he said sadly, the candlelight casting delicate shadows over his face, 'Julian does not wish us to worry any more.'

Sending a piercing gaze that rivalled Dumbledore's own, the nurse then continued reading into the book, 'I wouldn't call myself a nurse if I gave up on my patients.'

Nodding to himself, Dumbledore rose, intending to go and speak with Kilmorie once more. At the door to the office he paused and turned to face the nurse once more. 'Poppy, I do not wish for you to aid Julian beyond his wishes.'

'And I will not, Albus, I cannot hope to repair the damage that demon did - but if I can ease Julian's pain then I must.'

* * *

Harry awoke as the sun broke through the windows of the hospital wing, its rays bathing his face in warmth and light. Sitting upright he was aware only of the slow breathing of the others in the wing. Reaching for his glasses he pulled them on. Directly opposite him he saw that the curtains around Kilmorie's bed were still open, and glancing to his right he saw Madam Pomfrey leaning over her desk, sleeping quietly.

Moving as quietly as possible, Harry climbed out of bed and stepped silently over to Kilmorie's bed, slowly pulling the curtains back after he arrived. Turning back, he almost yelled in fright when he found Kilmorie's eyes open and staring at him. 'Morning, Harry,' he whispered, his face creasing in pain as he took in a quiet breath.

Harry tried to reply but found his voice trapped in his throat, his eyes blinked as he unwittingly thought back to Kilmorie's meeting with Snape. 'Not a pretty sight I should imagine?' Kilmorie croaked, then let a little laugh out. 'I'm glad you're here, I need to talk with you about a few things, before anyone else can try.'

Opening his mouth to reply, Harry saw a glint in Kilmorie's eye, the orange fire that burned there provoking him into silence once more. 'I'm not entirely sure what happened out there,' Kilmorie began, 'but I think I can figure out some of it. But that's for Dumbledore to know about, not you. Don't take it as an insult, Harry,' he said quickly, 'I just don't think now is the time for you to hear such things. Albus will know when, he always knows when,' Kilmorie added the last part with a smile.

'I've been watching you for most of the year,' he continued, 'under instructions from.higher powers, let me call them. I have some things I would like you to consider - your friends for one. This year, I watched as you grew apart at times, but to my relief you came together once more quickly enough. But, Harry, just for such a short time could leave you alone - never let it happen again. To be alone in this world can be a hard journey.'

Harry nodded absently, his ears listening but his eyes focused on Kilmorie's, even as the wizard spoke Harry was sure the fire was fading. 'I'm not going yet, Harry, not without saying goodbye to those I have hurt.' Harry blinked at Kilmorie's reading of his thoughts. 'And while I can appreciate that I'm dying, Harry, I don't expect you to do so. I am dying happy, and it's largely down to you.

'And before you say anything, I don't want you to feel responsible - no matter the outcome, my time was running out.' Kilmorie held Harry's gaze before nodding, certain that the boy had taken everything in. 'Two more things,' he said, quickly compared to before, 'first is in the drawer of the cabinet - look inside.'

Opening the drawer Harry found some of Kilmorie's possessions, 'The knife, Harry, get me the knife.' Taking it out of the drawer, Harry handed it to the wizard, noticing that holding the weapon seemed to calm the man slightly. 'This is the one that I'd like to think saved you,' Kilmorie said, an almost wistful smile on his face, 'and I'm trusting it to do so again - take it. The rest must go to Jenks.'

'But Jenks - we saw him.' Harry began, but Kilmorie interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

'Unless that's Ginny or Poppy snoring, you're very much mistaken about Jenks dying, I wouldn't trust him to anyway, he always has ways of annoying me.' Listening Harry could hear a soft snoring that didn't sound like Ginny or Madam Pomfrey. 'Tell him they're to be put in Arthur's Island, he'll know where I mean.' Shifting suddenly Kilmorie sat up, pressing the knife and its sheath into Harry's hand as he did so.

'The last thing I wish to talk to you about is Ginny.' Seeing Harry's face redden slightly Kilmorie smiled warmly, and Harry was put in mind of Sirius for a minute. 'And that,' Kilmorie continued with a nod at Harry's reddening face, 'is why I want to talk to you about Ginny. I heard your little talk with the Weasley twin, can't for the life of me work out which is which, you know.'

'You both missed one point - which is that Ginny came back after you. If she hadn't returned then that Cambirer would have killed us both, disappeared, and Voldemort would have won. Now I've heard about your adventures from Minerva, Hagrid - any teacher.except for Snape,' he added the last part with an amused twitch of his eyebrows, followed by a sharp exhalation of breath.

Coughing harshly, he did not notice the trickle of blood that crept out around his mouth until he found Harry staring at him again. Wiping it away, Kilmorie continued, his voice firm, but trembling slightly in pauses, 'Every time you've confronted someone, or something, you've been alone, or you've sent your friends away. Don't do that again, unless there's no other choice, retreat to draw your enemies away from your friends - but never separate yourself from them.'

'I.I don't try to separate myself,' Harry replied, 'something always gets in the way.'

'Then retreat - it's not the coward's option, draw the enemy away from them and you. You care for all your friends, Ginny especially, I don't want you to lose them the way I've lost some of my own friends. Only a fool would think that retreating is the coward's option - remember that for me.' Coughing once more, he grabbed hold of Harry as he made to leave to get Madam Pomfrey.

'Just a minute - you remember what I said, about Ginny coming after you, as you went after her? - show me your Liefgema.' Using his other hand, Harry tried to ignore Kilmorie's painful grip as he fished out the gem, then passed it to the professor. 'Ginny worked this out, she told you it was all about emotions - but she was only half right.'

Taking a deep breath, Kilmorie continued, holding the gem and Harry's eyes in his own. 'For a Liefgema to work you must have a deep emotional bond with the person you share it with, if you ever do. Ginny can read your emotions, and you hers - through each others Liefgema.'

'But - why Ginny? And why me?' Harry asked, his voice wavering.

'I think you know,' Kilmorie replied. 'When she came back it was because of her feelings for you, and also because of your feelings for her. There's something between the two of you, something that you don't share with Hermione, Ron, or any of the others.'

'What do you mean?' Harry muttered, looking away from Kilmorie.

'She loves you, Harry, and don't tell me you don't feel the same for her.' Grasping Harry's wrist again Kilmorie put the gem back into his hand. 'Don't turn away from your heart, Harry, just give it time.' Before Harry could say anything Kilmorie spoke again. 'Harry, please get Madam Pomfrey, tell her I need to see Minerva - quickly.'

Ignoring the sudden feelings that had arisen inside him, Harry ran to Madam Pomfrey's office as he heard Kilmorie let out a gasp of pain. Waking her quickly he didn't even need to say anything before she was up and running to the wizard's side. 'Harry, go and get Professor McGonagall - she'll be in the staff room - quickly!'

'No need, Poppy,' McGonagall replied as she came walking into the ward swiftly, 'Can we have some time, please?' Nodding respectfully, Madam Pomfrey walked away from the bed, letting McGonagall sit down on a stool beside Kilmorie. With a flick of her wand she closed the curtains around the bed once more, leaving Harry watching the rippled material before Madam Pomfrey slowly ushered him back to his bed.

* * *

Sitting opposite the curtained bed, Harry could hear muffled words, a couple higher then others, but couldn't make out anything in particular. After what seemed like hours, there was a gentle clink of metal sliding along metal as the curtains drew back and Professor McGonagall stepped out. In her hand she clutched two objects hanging from chains, from a distance Harry could just make out two tear-shaped gems.

Sensing his gaze, she opened her mouth to say something, but instead stopped and walked silently from the ward, leaving Harry to stare back at Kilmorie. Lying in his bed, the old wizard was staring up at the ceiling, his face relaxed, and the orange fire in his eyes had finally dimmed. Hearing McGonagall's footsteps, Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office, seeing Kilmorie she walked over quickly, drawing the curtains closed again.

Walking back over to Harry, she took a few deep breaths before speaking. 'You can leave when you want to, Harry, and Ginny can go with you as well - wake her or wait for her, take as much time as you need.' Harry nodded silently in reply, determined not to let the sadness he felt in his heart show in his face.

As Madam Pomfrey walked back into her office, Ginny suddenly stirred, clutching her neck where the Liefgema she wore leant against it. 'Harry?' she whispered urgently, then sat up and turned to see him still staring at Kilmorie's curtained bed. Slowly falling down his cheek was a single tear leaving a glistening path that sparkled in the early morning light. Hearing her voice he turned and a small smile appeared on his face as he wiped the tear away quickly.

'You ready to go?' he asked hurriedly, startling Ginny into nodding. Getting out of bed once more, he took her hand, leading her past Kilmorie's bed, and the other bed whose sheets covered a slumbering and snoring form.

Arriving in the hallway Ginny pulled her hand loose, 'What are you doing, Harry? What's going on?' she asked, her voice not snappy, but not friendly either.

'I just didn't want to stay,' Harry replied quietly, 'sorry - I.I just wanted to get out.'

'Don't be,' she whispered softly, then put a hand up to wipe away the rest of the tearstain, 'I know you're trying to protect me - you always are.' Smiling up at him she took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. 'You saved my life again, thank you.' Then she stood on her toes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek and turned to walk away.

'You saved mine too,' Harry blurted suddenly, then flushed red as Ginny turned back. Grinning nervously he continued as she looked into his eyes. 'Back in the forest - if you hadn't come back, I'd be dead as well.as well as Kilmorie.'

Nodding sadly Ginny took a second before replying, 'I came back because you needed me.'

Stepping forward suddenly, Harry took a hold of his Liefgema where it hung around her neck, holding it gently against her skin so she feel the warmth from within it. 'I still need you,' he whispered softly to her, leaning forward so she could hear the quiet murmur. Pulling back she looked up at him, deep into his eyes, then with a trembling hand Ginny reached up and pushed the gem that hung around Harry's neck into him, infusing his soul with the same warmth.

Ginny didn't even need to ask Harry if he'd meant the words, just as he didn't need to hear her say the same thing. Leaning in slowly, Harry felt Ginny slip her arms around his neck as their lips met, brushing softly together as he closed his eyes.

When they slowly pulled apart it felt to Harry as if no time and yet an age had passed in just those few seconds. Standing there, entwined gently in each others arms, Harry felt as if his whole world had been destroyed and created. Everything he'd known was now in the past, and in the future there was no longer cold uncertainty.

In the silence, Ginny saw something flicker into Harry's eyes suddenly causing him to blink rapidly, 'What's wrong?' she asked, a smile spreading over her face. Harry looked back down, his eyes showing worry temporarily, only for it to be washed aside as he caught her smile.

'I just realised that Ron's going to kill me,' he said, leaning forward with another smile, 'and that I don't care a bit.'