Harry Potter and the Test
Chapter 9
'Adam.....'
'Adam.....'
The whispered voice called to me over and over, undulating through my ears. I was walking down the street, passing by parked cars, their wiper blades pinning down piles of parking tickets. The meters blinked the red of violation, but no one came to free their vehicle from the bonds of paper. They merely sat, hands on the wheel, staring ahead, as if waiting to leave.
People passed me on the sidewalk, though, a comforting fact. However, they didn't actually walk; rather, they were frozen, and merely floated past. Their facial expressions shifted every now and then, but their appendages never did. Everything else remained motionless.
I managed to function normally, luckily. My eyes tried to catch every face, and I attempted to make some gesture each time, to get their attention. I would flail my arms, shout at them, even push them, but they never responded. Somehow, I knew they saw me, but never let me know.
'Adam.....'
I kept hearing my name. My head swiveled about madly, trying to pinpoint the source of the eerie call. Even my environment was a puzzle in itself. The buildings were all different but generic nevertheless. One moment it looked as if I was in Portland, while the next, Spokane. Around another corner, I turned: Cleveland, perhaps. Every where I went, I was going someplace, but no place all the same.
The grey of the sidewalk mixed with the grey of the sky, making every object a muted shade of it. My eyes starved for color, I walked on, still trying to find the voice. Walking in a lunging fashion, I held my hands out, almost as if I was expecting the sound to fall from the sky and into my palms.
'Adam...'
Louder this time, I looked to the right. Behind the store window, in the display area, I saw three figures. I couldn't make out who they were; for some reason, I couldn't even see whether they were male or female. Feebly, I tried to crane my neck at different angles, to try and get a read on their faces, but this didn't prove fruitful either.
All three of them then pressed their hands against the glass, revealing to me outstretched fingers, digits which called out to me, as if begging me to reach in and pull them out, away from the display. Only able to mimic, I flattened my palm against the outside of the window. I could almost feel the warmth being emitted from one of the three hands.
Then, suddenly, the glass went icy cold. I pulled back my hand abruptly, from the initial shock. Nearly frostbitten, I shook it profusely to try and regain blood flow in it. While I did this, I noticed the hands, which once clung to the glass, now were sliding down, towards the base of the window.
'Adam...' I heard again, louder than ever, and yet still a whisper.
'Adam...' A wind suddenly materialized, causing my tattered jacket to flail about, tossing around like an untrained whip. It chilled me immediately, but I stood, mesmerized by the hands, still 'falling' to the bottom of the glass.
'Adam!' The voice this time boomed at me. My ears began to ring, but I managed to keep my ocular sensory in use. Moments after the voice, a massive black cloud surrounded me, but left as quickly as it had come. Whooshing off, it took with it the icy breeze and the hands as well. Before me was an empty display, nothing in it whatsoever.
Madly, I squinted trying to peer inside, but I still saw not a soul within the enclosure. Becoming frantic, I picked up a trash can standing next to me. Gripping it tightly, in one massive sweep, I snatched it up and hurled it at the window.
Then.
"Oh God." I said, breathing heavily. Bolting upwards in bed, I sat, trying to collect myself. I could feel a drip of sweat trickle down the inside of my neck. Moisture also collected on my back, drawing my blue pajamas tight against my skin. Desiring cooler conditions, I reached back with my right arm and snatched a piece of the fabric. Fanning in air, I tried to look about the wing, but could see little. The moon already set, I knew it had to be no earlier than two, but it couldn't have been too much later; not a single ray of sunlight lit the sky outside the tall windows.
I could faintly see the light of a small candle burning off in the distance, most likely from the nurses' station. Although they were most likely snoring, I couldn't hear a sound. Even the normal clicks and creaks we all here from time to time, were absent, causing a slight knot to form in my throat.
Then, just as in the dream, a cool wind ran through the hall I was in. Running over my sheets, they somehow managed to find a way through the tightly-woven fabric and reached my perspirating skin. The sudden chill sent a shiver down my spine, but I half expected it. I almost seemed to know the wind by name.
Off the bat, I knew it wasn't a natural wind. It was created by someone, someone who wanted my attention badly and would get it at any cost.
The time had come.
"Voldemort." I said with determination. At the name, the breeze blew harder than before. I could see that it wasn't affecting any of the objects around me; the other sheets remained at rest, motionless.
Stronger and stronger it blew, compelling me to get out off bed. Nearly throwing me from the mattress, I managed to swing my legs over the edge and carefully slide off, making sure to not shift my aching left shoulder too much. Barefoot, I stood, wondering what the gusts would direct me to do next.
Pausing, I reached out for my wand, which was laying on the nightstand. Before I could touch my fingertips to it, though, the wind directed its efforts towards the stick and knocked it off the stand, and onto the stony floor. Touching down, it made no noise, but merely began to roll away, under the other beds. Rather than reach out, I saw the game for what it was and merely walked with the wind, as it led me out of the nurses' wing and into the darkened halls of Hogwarts', my wand tumbling along about ten feet ahead of my steps.
I could feel the air grow colder the further I walked. The wind still guided my every move and took on a howling sound, almost as if to let me know that it was still there.
Suddenly, I heard a blast off in the distance. It was strong and deep, its sound waves running down the same halls I paced along, reaching my ears. I listened carefully for any possible aftermath, the sound of shattering glass, crumbling stone.anything that would give me a clue as to where the explosion occurred. Nothing.
I quickened my steps, to match the increasing wind speed. With little to go on, I simply went to the end of the hall and turned left, a choice based simply on instincts. Soon, I could small an unusual aroma, almost one of burning cloth or hair. At such a thought, my heart rate increased rapidly.
Now running, I turned another corner. There, at my feet were the bodies of Ron, Hermione and Harry.
Immediately, I could feel my legs buckle under a weight they had carried for years with great ease. My internal organs turned to mush and the urge to vomit became very strong. The brains I had now in shock, all my eyes could do was look over the three bodies before me.
Laid out almost in a triangular pattern, their heads pointed outward, away from the center; their feet nearly meeting in the middle. The air above them was cloudy, the obvious source of the odor I had picked up earlier. Still in their uniforms, all three had visible wounds, as if they had just been on some battlefront. Blood oozed from a wound on Ron's forehead, while Hermione upper lip was blue, a shade nearly matching her blackened right eye. Harry's arm was close to being severed; one of his bones poked out from a rolled-up sleeve of his cloak.
Besides the physical ailments, their expressions were ones of pain and hatred: mouths upturned in disgust, brows furrowed, teeth clenched. Their hands were tightened into fists, still clutching wands whose tips were blackened and smoldering.
However, the one difference between the three applied to this very attribute. Harry's hand didn't grip a wand. In fact, looking around, I didn't see any remains of his weapon, as if it had disintegrated. Trying to get a closer look at the wands grasped by Ron and Hermione, I could see the red liquid crusting around cut knuckles.
It was all too much.
The blood.
The bodies.
The faces.
Bending over without any grace or refinement, I threw up on the floor, right next to Hermione. The remains of my last super now spilled across the stone, rolling along it like a flood, untamable by any means known to man.
Even after throwing up, I didn't feel like I had let it all out. My heart ached, an ailment no expulsion could mend.
My mind raced.
'How?'
'Why?'
Like a cued actor, the wind again picked up, this time blowing against me. Standing, tears forming along the rims of my eyes, I walked backwards, away from the grotesque scene, determined to fix it, to make everything 'okay' once more.
'It just can't end this way,' I though, repeatedly.
Backtracking, I walked straight where I had turned left, now stepping into new territory. However, a few halls later, the area became all too familiar. Quickly, minutes later, I found myself standing in front of two decorated doors, inlayed with jewels and colored glass. Panels bordered it, helping the whole ensemble fill up a massive hole in the stone wall. Known to all who ever ventured into Hogwarts', these were the doors guarding the Great Hall.
I remained motionless, not knowing what to do next. The wind no longer present, I knew this was my final destination. Without any question, I knew my fate and the fate of every other student in the school lied on the other side of the wooden portal. On the other side, I would have a chance to save Harry and Ron and Hermione.
'But why?'
'Would they care?'
Without any good response, I simply wiped my nose and pushed forward one of the doors. Peering in, I could see nothing. Every corner of the hall was wiped clean of any distinguishable shapes. A black so indescribably dark covered every molecule within the room, a color I expected to find in a black hole, not Hogwarts'. Hardly able to take in a breath, I stepped into the abyss and shut the door behind me.
Walking towards what I guessed to be front table, usually occupied by important school personnel, I wasn't able to find any of the long tables which had filled the hall just that morning. The benches were gone as well, giving me the feeling that I was a single being, lost in a endless ocean of nothingness.
My ears picked up a sharp 'click'.
Spinning to try and get an idea of what was going on, I was hit square in the eyes by a bright spotlight. Without time to brace myself for such a shock, I staggered backwards a tad, throwing up my arms to shield my eyes. Blinking a few times, I tried to look ahead.
Even with the light, nothing in the room lit up except for me. Somehow, every photon was bouncing off of my frame, leaving the other objects in the dark.
A menacing chill took hold of me, and I shivered. More sweat was collecting just below my nose and I was heaving, rather than breathing.
Something on the ground appeared. Staring though the dark which managed to separate me and the newly revealed entity, I saw my wand on the ground, inches away from my feet. Fearing some sort of awful effect, I remained standing, not bothering to stoop down, and grab my weapon.
"You can grab it, Adam."
The voice rang through the hall, leaping from wall to wall, using them almost like mirrors. Its tone was intense, but calm. Soothing as it was, I became even more suspicious, knowing full well this wasn't the calling of something who wished to please me. Perhaps a more fitting word might have been 'murder'.
It was him.
He-who-must-not-be-named.
Voldemort.
"I'm guessing you know who I am, Adam; I've never though of you as ignorant. After all, it was more than just an evening stroll which brought you here, no?"
The friendliness which filled his voice made my eyes burn with fury. Digging my fingernails into my palm, I knew that if I squeezed any harder, I would surely bleed as a result. My ears were becoming hot, as were my cheeks. To cope, adrenaline began to flow through my veins, delivering an added boost I knew I would be needing.
"What do you want of me, Voldemort?" I shouted to the dark.
"No chit-chat? No greeting?"
His voice stopped, and was followed by the some sort of shifting. Footsteps soon became audible; he was on the move, but I stood still, not budging an inch. This is ground I would not give up.
"Mister Barrowton, you have always possessed two very fascinating gifts. Do you know of them?" he philosophized, almost mocking me. I tried to follow the sound marking his travel the best I could.
"I'm sure you do," he continued. "Come now, we both know what they are."
His movement stopped. My lips were crushed together.
"The first is the most obvious. It had been under the radar screen for sometime, mind you. I had nearly forgotten about you, Adam. Even you had no idea what had happened, an advantage for me. However, upon your arrival at this school, the memories came flooding back. That ever happen to you, Adam?"
Not bothering for me to respond, Voldemort began walking again, still hiding in the darkness. I had no idea where he was exactly; he could have been at the other end of the hall or even right in front of me. I swallowed again, but remained prepared for action. I eyed the wand carefully.
"Ahhhh, it was magnificent. Lily and James.so young, so innocent. You were their first child, I'm sure you know by now. While normally, I don't see any point in bothering the common wizard or witch, I saw the power your parents possessed and knew that if they should bare offspring, it could lead to me having a problem on my hands."
"So I became your problem, huh?" I asked, smirking at the words.
"Quite. Once you arrived, I knew I had to act fast. Visiting them night after night, I haunted their dreams, made it impossible to carry on a normal life. I put curses on everything they possessed: their furniture, their pets, their shrubbery..even the very walls that made up their house. However, aside form the extensive skill they held in the way of magic, I soon found they possessed one equally annoying feature: their stubbornness. They refused to give into my will."
He paused, thoughtfully recalling his treachery.
"I became exasperated. So, finally, pushed beyond my limit of tolerance, I presented to them an ultimatum: either part with your child or die."
Infuriated, I spit, trying to counteract the boiling rage that was building within my soul.
"Needless to say, they accepted. Naïve as they were, they understood that I, Lord Voldemort, was not someone to bargain with; to this end, I will grant them my appreciation. Within hours, you were out of their lives and my mind."
"But then they had Harry," I stated.
"Much to my chagrin, they did. An unwise decision it was, Adam. You see, they thought that since they had managed to survive one of my visits, who's to say they couldn't survive another?" he questioned.
"However, they were gravely mistaken; no pun intended, of course," he guffawed.
Not able to contain myself anymore, I snatched the wand off the floor and cradled it in my hand, preparing to unleash the deadliest spell I could concoct. Wanting to wait for a moment in which I knew he would be close, I stayed balanced on the balls of my feet, almost in a crouching position. Now the hunter was about to become the hunted.
"As I mentioned before, there are two very intriguing characteristics you have, Adam. Now, as for the second one, let's simply take a look at you right now."
The light expanded out a tad, forming a yellow circle, the middle of which I occupied, making it look like I was on stage, playing the lead role.
"In your eyes, I see fury. Your hands, your stance, your face.they all show how angry and bitter you are. This is what puzzles me, Adam. While you and Harry are brothers, you two are completely different. He is somewhat mellow, you are high-strung, one could say; he is a pacifist most of the time, you rarely let an opportunity to speak out pass you by; whenever he says black, you say white, so on, so on, so on," he explained.
"What's your point, Voldemort?" I was growing impatient at his meandering dialogue.
"You and Harry, two utterly different people, see everything thing in opposing fashions. My question to you is, if he can defend himself against me, through divine intervention keep in mind, will you, Adam, be able to do the same? Will you break the destiny that has become you, or will you fail, and become another notch in my wand?"
I didn't respond to the question. Rather, I posed another to him.
"Why is Harry lying in the hall, and not here?" I inquired.
"Always thinking, aren't you? Well, here is where my genius came into play, my friend. I had always taken him or his pathetic friends head-on, you see. Yet, somehow, every time, they had managed to push me back, destroying my plans and displeasing me greatly. So, I figured that I had to reassess how to go about wiping the rest of you vile Potters' of the face of the Earth. Adam, here I must thank you because it was upon your arrival that I managed to work out a scheme and sleep peacefully for the first time in months."
"Why's that?" I hissed.
"Once I saw the tension between you and Harry, along with Ron and Hermione, I realized how very simple it would be to end Hogwarts' and your pitiable lives in one fell swoop, all without me having to fight a single battle. I merely had to make you all hate each other."
"Sounds difficult." I was being honest, but in reality was buying time.
"Not really. When dealing with heart, things are easy to warp and bend. Such minor adjustments can quickly change an entire social environment from peaceful to unhealthy, the very atmosphere I was hoping for."
Smugly, he continued.
"As you picked up on, friendships began to dissolve. Students who were once pals now bickered endlessly, and roommates fought, knocking each other down with spell after spell..ahhh..it was beautiful, really. Hate occupied every moment of the day, and each day that passed brought a more convincing assurance that Hogwarts' would soon be no more."
For effect, he loudly drew in a breath.
"It even reached your wretched friends, Adam."
"No." I whispered.
"Did you not see their bodies? And no, I had no hand in it; it was all their doing. Amazing how quickly friends can turn to enemies, isn't it, Adam?"
As he spoke, I could sense him circling me, closing in on where I stood. Refusing to give into his taunts, I only allowed my eyes to trace his path of movement, or what I at least believed to be his path; he remained shrouded in darkness.
"You're the only one left, Adam. You are in one heck of a spot. You have no friends, your temper is flaring, and you are holding a wand."
"I have friends," I muttered,
"You do? Who? Because from what I recall, they all gave up on you. One by one, they left you to yourself. There is no Ron or Hermione or Harry on your side any longer. Just like the rest, you fell apart and are now lone soldiers, standing high on a bluff, aching to be picked off, one by one."
"You've never been one to have friends of any worth, Adam; you and I both know this. Now, it's time you admitted it to yourself."
'He was right.'
"You know I'm right."
'God, I can't believe it.'
"It's just you and me, Adam. The great Voldemort versus the last of the great Potters'." I could feel how close he was; I was now able to smell the awful stench of his breath, wreaking of death.
"It's your move." That said, light began to reveal his figure, starting at the bottom and working up his torso and beyond. Inch by inch, his identity was revealed, a sight which sent me reeling in shock. I couldn't believe it.
"Malfoy?" I gasped. Before me stood the blond-haired teenager: my rival, my enemy.
"Like it?" he asked, modeling the form he had taken on.
"Unlike you, Adam, he was quite easy to control. Once his state of mind was ripe for the picking, I just decided to take his entire physical form while I was at it. Looking back, I can see what a smart choice I made." Smiling coolly, he snapped and the whole hall became full of cool, unwelcoming light. Blinking again, I watched as Malfoy walked a distance away from me and then turned to face me once more.
"I hope you enjoy the wand, Adam. Perhaps, it might even the odds between us," he said. Not understanding, I stared at the stick that I held. Seeing that it wasn't my own, I inspected it further. I had seen it before, many times, in the Gryffindor Tower, in spells class, in my room.
"This isn't." I became chocked up, not believing what I held in my hand.
"It is. The wands we now hold are the only two of such caliber in existence. Harry once had a use for it, but now.well." he snickered, "he doesn't have much of a use for it." Pointing the tip towards me, he spoke:
"En garde."
Tears flowing profusely, I admired the wand. It had been through so many battles, won so many fights, saved so many people, it would most likely do it again.but only in the right hands. I wasn't Harry, so the wand was useless.
This was a fight I couldn't win.
I had met my match.
Slowly, I let the stick slip between my fingers and fall to the floor. Hitting sharply against the stone, its echo resonated in my ears, a sound I will always remember. It marked the end of the person I had always been. No longer was I Adam Barrowton, but merely a lonely soldier, waiting to be shot down.
"Very well," Voldemort said, triumphantly. "I guess I have the first strike."
'No.'
"My first spell shall be."
'I'm not alone.' My eyes remained focused on the wand resting at my feet.
"CRUCIO!"
'I will save them.'
I felt a beam hit me. Pain was not what I felt; the agony which engulfed every part of my body was beyond belief. I cried out, screaming, moaning nothings. On my hands and knees, I wasn't able to control any of my movements. Held up only by torturous pain, and nothing else, I rocked back and forth on my elbows, screeching at the top of my lungs.
My mind, though, was weathering the storm.
'Adam.stay with me.'
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I bellowed, expelling blood from my mouth onto the ground. I wasn't able to see straight, so I closed my eyes and clamped my mouth shut.
"You've never had friends. They hurt you and you, them. It's over, Adam," Malfoy heckled, his spell finished. Relishing in my state, he stood, arms crossed, wand held loosely between his fingers.
"Now, pick up your wand and fight me!" he yelled.
Shaking, growing weaker by the second, reaching for the wand, I took the handle into my grip and squeezed it. Even such a task seemed to wear me out, expending non-existent energy. Without resistance, my elbows bent and I fell into a pool of my own fluids.
"This is really sad, Adam. Here you will die, alone, without friends, without family, without hope. You were nothing but a long-lost failure." He seemed to chew on the words, savoring their viciousness.
Slowly, my thoughts rewound themselves, running through all that had happened. The only memories I could picture were the mistakes I had made, how I had hurt my friends, and turned them into my adversaries. Scene after scene repeated itself, throwing me further into a pit of despair.
Somehow, though, I knew I was wrong.
'They are here with me, in spirit.'
The thought sinking in, my body began to swell, not with pain, or anger, but with pride and strength. Warmth flowed to the tips of my fingers, and chilled blood started to make its way to my limbs once again.
Studying the wand, I knew they were here, watching over me. They always had been; I just never realized it.
'Now, it's my turn to watch over them.'
Opening my eyes, I looked up and stared at Malfoy, our eyes locking on each other. Wearing a face of vengeance, I hoisted myself up onto one knee and began to stand up.
"Oh, so you're not down yet, are you? Well, I await your move."
A slight wobble later, I was now on my feet again. My jaw hung slightly slack, while my injured shoulder still throbbed. Harry's wand safely in my grip, I was prepared.
"Make your move, Mister Potter. Come now, show me the Adam I know, the one who won't put up with being pushed around."
"No," I said with gusto, no longer afraid.
I knew what I had to do.
He had lost.
"CAST A SPELL YOU IMPUTENT PUSTULE!"
"No. I won't." I simply remained motionless, a slight smile creeping to my lips.
"FINE THEN! IMPERIO!" he shouted. A light burst out from the tip of his wand, streaming towards me. Holding up Harry's wand, like a shield, I somehow managed to block its path. As if it were a sponge, it absorbed the spell in its entirety. Uninjured, I lowered the weapon to my side again, a new power growing inside of me.
I had the advantage.
Malofy, paced backwards a tad, in disbelief.
"How." was all he managed to whisper.
"You are the one who's alone, Voldemort." I kept my gaze fastened on him. Aggressively, I began to walk closer to him, as calmly as I could.
"Hahaha.very clever, Adam, but you are no match for me," he said, in an almost sheepish fashion.
"You think friendship is just a bond that materializes in times of plenty and then dissipates once more solemn ones arrive?" I kept moving towards him.
"Your mind games won't work!"
"This is just the truth, Voldemort. The mistake you made was in underestimating the power of friendship." I bellowed, lunging forward, ".brotherhood." I said, in much the same fashion, ".and love!"
Only a few feet separated the two of us. In desperation, he pointed at me, armed, prepared for a final assault.
"YOU ARE FINISHED POTTER! AVADA KEDAVRA"
Green light filled the Great Hall and the core of it flew at me. Without any vacillation, I held the wand tight with both hands, and pointed straight at the light, prepared f or it to hit.
Crashing into the tip of it, the wand acted as a wall. The light, confused, began letting off gusts of winds, causing my robe to toss about and my hair to be blown back. Squinting through the storm, I watched at the light began to die out, the wind becoming stronger as it did. Moments passed, until finally, with little fanfare, the glowing spell dissipated, and vanished altogether.
I heard a sharp gasp and Voldemort dropped his wand.
Wanting it all to end, I made my move.
"Friendship is about watching out for each other," I explained, closing the distance between up. "Sticking together, through thick and thin."
My piece finished, I reached out and grabbed Malfoy's hand, taking it in mine. Instantaneously, Voldemort's screams filled the hall. Smoke materialized, emanating from his hand. Try as he might, I kept a firm grip on him, not allowing him to pull away.
"Malfoy, I know you're there. Don't give in."
Shrieking, his entire body began to shake violently.
"We all have to watch out for each other, Malfoy."
His voice reached a pitch which made my ears throb, and shivers ran down my spine in a rapid waves. My body began to quiver as well, sweat coating every inch of it.
"Like it or not, we are friends!" I shouted the final word. With that, everything fell silent. In Malfoy's face, I saw the evilness of Voldemort vanish, and, for a split moment, say a true companion, an ally. Sparkling tears formed in his eyes, matching the ones in mine.
This was short-lived, however. Before I could speak, or even sever contact with him, I felt a massive blast toss my body into the air. Instantly, everything went black.
I fell unconscious, my body in shock, exiting the play I had been a part of for far too long.
Chapter 9
'Adam.....'
'Adam.....'
The whispered voice called to me over and over, undulating through my ears. I was walking down the street, passing by parked cars, their wiper blades pinning down piles of parking tickets. The meters blinked the red of violation, but no one came to free their vehicle from the bonds of paper. They merely sat, hands on the wheel, staring ahead, as if waiting to leave.
People passed me on the sidewalk, though, a comforting fact. However, they didn't actually walk; rather, they were frozen, and merely floated past. Their facial expressions shifted every now and then, but their appendages never did. Everything else remained motionless.
I managed to function normally, luckily. My eyes tried to catch every face, and I attempted to make some gesture each time, to get their attention. I would flail my arms, shout at them, even push them, but they never responded. Somehow, I knew they saw me, but never let me know.
'Adam.....'
I kept hearing my name. My head swiveled about madly, trying to pinpoint the source of the eerie call. Even my environment was a puzzle in itself. The buildings were all different but generic nevertheless. One moment it looked as if I was in Portland, while the next, Spokane. Around another corner, I turned: Cleveland, perhaps. Every where I went, I was going someplace, but no place all the same.
The grey of the sidewalk mixed with the grey of the sky, making every object a muted shade of it. My eyes starved for color, I walked on, still trying to find the voice. Walking in a lunging fashion, I held my hands out, almost as if I was expecting the sound to fall from the sky and into my palms.
'Adam...'
Louder this time, I looked to the right. Behind the store window, in the display area, I saw three figures. I couldn't make out who they were; for some reason, I couldn't even see whether they were male or female. Feebly, I tried to crane my neck at different angles, to try and get a read on their faces, but this didn't prove fruitful either.
All three of them then pressed their hands against the glass, revealing to me outstretched fingers, digits which called out to me, as if begging me to reach in and pull them out, away from the display. Only able to mimic, I flattened my palm against the outside of the window. I could almost feel the warmth being emitted from one of the three hands.
Then, suddenly, the glass went icy cold. I pulled back my hand abruptly, from the initial shock. Nearly frostbitten, I shook it profusely to try and regain blood flow in it. While I did this, I noticed the hands, which once clung to the glass, now were sliding down, towards the base of the window.
'Adam...' I heard again, louder than ever, and yet still a whisper.
'Adam...' A wind suddenly materialized, causing my tattered jacket to flail about, tossing around like an untrained whip. It chilled me immediately, but I stood, mesmerized by the hands, still 'falling' to the bottom of the glass.
'Adam!' The voice this time boomed at me. My ears began to ring, but I managed to keep my ocular sensory in use. Moments after the voice, a massive black cloud surrounded me, but left as quickly as it had come. Whooshing off, it took with it the icy breeze and the hands as well. Before me was an empty display, nothing in it whatsoever.
Madly, I squinted trying to peer inside, but I still saw not a soul within the enclosure. Becoming frantic, I picked up a trash can standing next to me. Gripping it tightly, in one massive sweep, I snatched it up and hurled it at the window.
Then.
"Oh God." I said, breathing heavily. Bolting upwards in bed, I sat, trying to collect myself. I could feel a drip of sweat trickle down the inside of my neck. Moisture also collected on my back, drawing my blue pajamas tight against my skin. Desiring cooler conditions, I reached back with my right arm and snatched a piece of the fabric. Fanning in air, I tried to look about the wing, but could see little. The moon already set, I knew it had to be no earlier than two, but it couldn't have been too much later; not a single ray of sunlight lit the sky outside the tall windows.
I could faintly see the light of a small candle burning off in the distance, most likely from the nurses' station. Although they were most likely snoring, I couldn't hear a sound. Even the normal clicks and creaks we all here from time to time, were absent, causing a slight knot to form in my throat.
Then, just as in the dream, a cool wind ran through the hall I was in. Running over my sheets, they somehow managed to find a way through the tightly-woven fabric and reached my perspirating skin. The sudden chill sent a shiver down my spine, but I half expected it. I almost seemed to know the wind by name.
Off the bat, I knew it wasn't a natural wind. It was created by someone, someone who wanted my attention badly and would get it at any cost.
The time had come.
"Voldemort." I said with determination. At the name, the breeze blew harder than before. I could see that it wasn't affecting any of the objects around me; the other sheets remained at rest, motionless.
Stronger and stronger it blew, compelling me to get out off bed. Nearly throwing me from the mattress, I managed to swing my legs over the edge and carefully slide off, making sure to not shift my aching left shoulder too much. Barefoot, I stood, wondering what the gusts would direct me to do next.
Pausing, I reached out for my wand, which was laying on the nightstand. Before I could touch my fingertips to it, though, the wind directed its efforts towards the stick and knocked it off the stand, and onto the stony floor. Touching down, it made no noise, but merely began to roll away, under the other beds. Rather than reach out, I saw the game for what it was and merely walked with the wind, as it led me out of the nurses' wing and into the darkened halls of Hogwarts', my wand tumbling along about ten feet ahead of my steps.
I could feel the air grow colder the further I walked. The wind still guided my every move and took on a howling sound, almost as if to let me know that it was still there.
Suddenly, I heard a blast off in the distance. It was strong and deep, its sound waves running down the same halls I paced along, reaching my ears. I listened carefully for any possible aftermath, the sound of shattering glass, crumbling stone.anything that would give me a clue as to where the explosion occurred. Nothing.
I quickened my steps, to match the increasing wind speed. With little to go on, I simply went to the end of the hall and turned left, a choice based simply on instincts. Soon, I could small an unusual aroma, almost one of burning cloth or hair. At such a thought, my heart rate increased rapidly.
Now running, I turned another corner. There, at my feet were the bodies of Ron, Hermione and Harry.
Immediately, I could feel my legs buckle under a weight they had carried for years with great ease. My internal organs turned to mush and the urge to vomit became very strong. The brains I had now in shock, all my eyes could do was look over the three bodies before me.
Laid out almost in a triangular pattern, their heads pointed outward, away from the center; their feet nearly meeting in the middle. The air above them was cloudy, the obvious source of the odor I had picked up earlier. Still in their uniforms, all three had visible wounds, as if they had just been on some battlefront. Blood oozed from a wound on Ron's forehead, while Hermione upper lip was blue, a shade nearly matching her blackened right eye. Harry's arm was close to being severed; one of his bones poked out from a rolled-up sleeve of his cloak.
Besides the physical ailments, their expressions were ones of pain and hatred: mouths upturned in disgust, brows furrowed, teeth clenched. Their hands were tightened into fists, still clutching wands whose tips were blackened and smoldering.
However, the one difference between the three applied to this very attribute. Harry's hand didn't grip a wand. In fact, looking around, I didn't see any remains of his weapon, as if it had disintegrated. Trying to get a closer look at the wands grasped by Ron and Hermione, I could see the red liquid crusting around cut knuckles.
It was all too much.
The blood.
The bodies.
The faces.
Bending over without any grace or refinement, I threw up on the floor, right next to Hermione. The remains of my last super now spilled across the stone, rolling along it like a flood, untamable by any means known to man.
Even after throwing up, I didn't feel like I had let it all out. My heart ached, an ailment no expulsion could mend.
My mind raced.
'How?'
'Why?'
Like a cued actor, the wind again picked up, this time blowing against me. Standing, tears forming along the rims of my eyes, I walked backwards, away from the grotesque scene, determined to fix it, to make everything 'okay' once more.
'It just can't end this way,' I though, repeatedly.
Backtracking, I walked straight where I had turned left, now stepping into new territory. However, a few halls later, the area became all too familiar. Quickly, minutes later, I found myself standing in front of two decorated doors, inlayed with jewels and colored glass. Panels bordered it, helping the whole ensemble fill up a massive hole in the stone wall. Known to all who ever ventured into Hogwarts', these were the doors guarding the Great Hall.
I remained motionless, not knowing what to do next. The wind no longer present, I knew this was my final destination. Without any question, I knew my fate and the fate of every other student in the school lied on the other side of the wooden portal. On the other side, I would have a chance to save Harry and Ron and Hermione.
'But why?'
'Would they care?'
Without any good response, I simply wiped my nose and pushed forward one of the doors. Peering in, I could see nothing. Every corner of the hall was wiped clean of any distinguishable shapes. A black so indescribably dark covered every molecule within the room, a color I expected to find in a black hole, not Hogwarts'. Hardly able to take in a breath, I stepped into the abyss and shut the door behind me.
Walking towards what I guessed to be front table, usually occupied by important school personnel, I wasn't able to find any of the long tables which had filled the hall just that morning. The benches were gone as well, giving me the feeling that I was a single being, lost in a endless ocean of nothingness.
My ears picked up a sharp 'click'.
Spinning to try and get an idea of what was going on, I was hit square in the eyes by a bright spotlight. Without time to brace myself for such a shock, I staggered backwards a tad, throwing up my arms to shield my eyes. Blinking a few times, I tried to look ahead.
Even with the light, nothing in the room lit up except for me. Somehow, every photon was bouncing off of my frame, leaving the other objects in the dark.
A menacing chill took hold of me, and I shivered. More sweat was collecting just below my nose and I was heaving, rather than breathing.
Something on the ground appeared. Staring though the dark which managed to separate me and the newly revealed entity, I saw my wand on the ground, inches away from my feet. Fearing some sort of awful effect, I remained standing, not bothering to stoop down, and grab my weapon.
"You can grab it, Adam."
The voice rang through the hall, leaping from wall to wall, using them almost like mirrors. Its tone was intense, but calm. Soothing as it was, I became even more suspicious, knowing full well this wasn't the calling of something who wished to please me. Perhaps a more fitting word might have been 'murder'.
It was him.
He-who-must-not-be-named.
Voldemort.
"I'm guessing you know who I am, Adam; I've never though of you as ignorant. After all, it was more than just an evening stroll which brought you here, no?"
The friendliness which filled his voice made my eyes burn with fury. Digging my fingernails into my palm, I knew that if I squeezed any harder, I would surely bleed as a result. My ears were becoming hot, as were my cheeks. To cope, adrenaline began to flow through my veins, delivering an added boost I knew I would be needing.
"What do you want of me, Voldemort?" I shouted to the dark.
"No chit-chat? No greeting?"
His voice stopped, and was followed by the some sort of shifting. Footsteps soon became audible; he was on the move, but I stood still, not budging an inch. This is ground I would not give up.
"Mister Barrowton, you have always possessed two very fascinating gifts. Do you know of them?" he philosophized, almost mocking me. I tried to follow the sound marking his travel the best I could.
"I'm sure you do," he continued. "Come now, we both know what they are."
His movement stopped. My lips were crushed together.
"The first is the most obvious. It had been under the radar screen for sometime, mind you. I had nearly forgotten about you, Adam. Even you had no idea what had happened, an advantage for me. However, upon your arrival at this school, the memories came flooding back. That ever happen to you, Adam?"
Not bothering for me to respond, Voldemort began walking again, still hiding in the darkness. I had no idea where he was exactly; he could have been at the other end of the hall or even right in front of me. I swallowed again, but remained prepared for action. I eyed the wand carefully.
"Ahhhh, it was magnificent. Lily and James.so young, so innocent. You were their first child, I'm sure you know by now. While normally, I don't see any point in bothering the common wizard or witch, I saw the power your parents possessed and knew that if they should bare offspring, it could lead to me having a problem on my hands."
"So I became your problem, huh?" I asked, smirking at the words.
"Quite. Once you arrived, I knew I had to act fast. Visiting them night after night, I haunted their dreams, made it impossible to carry on a normal life. I put curses on everything they possessed: their furniture, their pets, their shrubbery..even the very walls that made up their house. However, aside form the extensive skill they held in the way of magic, I soon found they possessed one equally annoying feature: their stubbornness. They refused to give into my will."
He paused, thoughtfully recalling his treachery.
"I became exasperated. So, finally, pushed beyond my limit of tolerance, I presented to them an ultimatum: either part with your child or die."
Infuriated, I spit, trying to counteract the boiling rage that was building within my soul.
"Needless to say, they accepted. Naïve as they were, they understood that I, Lord Voldemort, was not someone to bargain with; to this end, I will grant them my appreciation. Within hours, you were out of their lives and my mind."
"But then they had Harry," I stated.
"Much to my chagrin, they did. An unwise decision it was, Adam. You see, they thought that since they had managed to survive one of my visits, who's to say they couldn't survive another?" he questioned.
"However, they were gravely mistaken; no pun intended, of course," he guffawed.
Not able to contain myself anymore, I snatched the wand off the floor and cradled it in my hand, preparing to unleash the deadliest spell I could concoct. Wanting to wait for a moment in which I knew he would be close, I stayed balanced on the balls of my feet, almost in a crouching position. Now the hunter was about to become the hunted.
"As I mentioned before, there are two very intriguing characteristics you have, Adam. Now, as for the second one, let's simply take a look at you right now."
The light expanded out a tad, forming a yellow circle, the middle of which I occupied, making it look like I was on stage, playing the lead role.
"In your eyes, I see fury. Your hands, your stance, your face.they all show how angry and bitter you are. This is what puzzles me, Adam. While you and Harry are brothers, you two are completely different. He is somewhat mellow, you are high-strung, one could say; he is a pacifist most of the time, you rarely let an opportunity to speak out pass you by; whenever he says black, you say white, so on, so on, so on," he explained.
"What's your point, Voldemort?" I was growing impatient at his meandering dialogue.
"You and Harry, two utterly different people, see everything thing in opposing fashions. My question to you is, if he can defend himself against me, through divine intervention keep in mind, will you, Adam, be able to do the same? Will you break the destiny that has become you, or will you fail, and become another notch in my wand?"
I didn't respond to the question. Rather, I posed another to him.
"Why is Harry lying in the hall, and not here?" I inquired.
"Always thinking, aren't you? Well, here is where my genius came into play, my friend. I had always taken him or his pathetic friends head-on, you see. Yet, somehow, every time, they had managed to push me back, destroying my plans and displeasing me greatly. So, I figured that I had to reassess how to go about wiping the rest of you vile Potters' of the face of the Earth. Adam, here I must thank you because it was upon your arrival that I managed to work out a scheme and sleep peacefully for the first time in months."
"Why's that?" I hissed.
"Once I saw the tension between you and Harry, along with Ron and Hermione, I realized how very simple it would be to end Hogwarts' and your pitiable lives in one fell swoop, all without me having to fight a single battle. I merely had to make you all hate each other."
"Sounds difficult." I was being honest, but in reality was buying time.
"Not really. When dealing with heart, things are easy to warp and bend. Such minor adjustments can quickly change an entire social environment from peaceful to unhealthy, the very atmosphere I was hoping for."
Smugly, he continued.
"As you picked up on, friendships began to dissolve. Students who were once pals now bickered endlessly, and roommates fought, knocking each other down with spell after spell..ahhh..it was beautiful, really. Hate occupied every moment of the day, and each day that passed brought a more convincing assurance that Hogwarts' would soon be no more."
For effect, he loudly drew in a breath.
"It even reached your wretched friends, Adam."
"No." I whispered.
"Did you not see their bodies? And no, I had no hand in it; it was all their doing. Amazing how quickly friends can turn to enemies, isn't it, Adam?"
As he spoke, I could sense him circling me, closing in on where I stood. Refusing to give into his taunts, I only allowed my eyes to trace his path of movement, or what I at least believed to be his path; he remained shrouded in darkness.
"You're the only one left, Adam. You are in one heck of a spot. You have no friends, your temper is flaring, and you are holding a wand."
"I have friends," I muttered,
"You do? Who? Because from what I recall, they all gave up on you. One by one, they left you to yourself. There is no Ron or Hermione or Harry on your side any longer. Just like the rest, you fell apart and are now lone soldiers, standing high on a bluff, aching to be picked off, one by one."
"You've never been one to have friends of any worth, Adam; you and I both know this. Now, it's time you admitted it to yourself."
'He was right.'
"You know I'm right."
'God, I can't believe it.'
"It's just you and me, Adam. The great Voldemort versus the last of the great Potters'." I could feel how close he was; I was now able to smell the awful stench of his breath, wreaking of death.
"It's your move." That said, light began to reveal his figure, starting at the bottom and working up his torso and beyond. Inch by inch, his identity was revealed, a sight which sent me reeling in shock. I couldn't believe it.
"Malfoy?" I gasped. Before me stood the blond-haired teenager: my rival, my enemy.
"Like it?" he asked, modeling the form he had taken on.
"Unlike you, Adam, he was quite easy to control. Once his state of mind was ripe for the picking, I just decided to take his entire physical form while I was at it. Looking back, I can see what a smart choice I made." Smiling coolly, he snapped and the whole hall became full of cool, unwelcoming light. Blinking again, I watched as Malfoy walked a distance away from me and then turned to face me once more.
"I hope you enjoy the wand, Adam. Perhaps, it might even the odds between us," he said. Not understanding, I stared at the stick that I held. Seeing that it wasn't my own, I inspected it further. I had seen it before, many times, in the Gryffindor Tower, in spells class, in my room.
"This isn't." I became chocked up, not believing what I held in my hand.
"It is. The wands we now hold are the only two of such caliber in existence. Harry once had a use for it, but now.well." he snickered, "he doesn't have much of a use for it." Pointing the tip towards me, he spoke:
"En garde."
Tears flowing profusely, I admired the wand. It had been through so many battles, won so many fights, saved so many people, it would most likely do it again.but only in the right hands. I wasn't Harry, so the wand was useless.
This was a fight I couldn't win.
I had met my match.
Slowly, I let the stick slip between my fingers and fall to the floor. Hitting sharply against the stone, its echo resonated in my ears, a sound I will always remember. It marked the end of the person I had always been. No longer was I Adam Barrowton, but merely a lonely soldier, waiting to be shot down.
"Very well," Voldemort said, triumphantly. "I guess I have the first strike."
'No.'
"My first spell shall be."
'I'm not alone.' My eyes remained focused on the wand resting at my feet.
"CRUCIO!"
'I will save them.'
I felt a beam hit me. Pain was not what I felt; the agony which engulfed every part of my body was beyond belief. I cried out, screaming, moaning nothings. On my hands and knees, I wasn't able to control any of my movements. Held up only by torturous pain, and nothing else, I rocked back and forth on my elbows, screeching at the top of my lungs.
My mind, though, was weathering the storm.
'Adam.stay with me.'
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I bellowed, expelling blood from my mouth onto the ground. I wasn't able to see straight, so I closed my eyes and clamped my mouth shut.
"You've never had friends. They hurt you and you, them. It's over, Adam," Malfoy heckled, his spell finished. Relishing in my state, he stood, arms crossed, wand held loosely between his fingers.
"Now, pick up your wand and fight me!" he yelled.
Shaking, growing weaker by the second, reaching for the wand, I took the handle into my grip and squeezed it. Even such a task seemed to wear me out, expending non-existent energy. Without resistance, my elbows bent and I fell into a pool of my own fluids.
"This is really sad, Adam. Here you will die, alone, without friends, without family, without hope. You were nothing but a long-lost failure." He seemed to chew on the words, savoring their viciousness.
Slowly, my thoughts rewound themselves, running through all that had happened. The only memories I could picture were the mistakes I had made, how I had hurt my friends, and turned them into my adversaries. Scene after scene repeated itself, throwing me further into a pit of despair.
Somehow, though, I knew I was wrong.
'They are here with me, in spirit.'
The thought sinking in, my body began to swell, not with pain, or anger, but with pride and strength. Warmth flowed to the tips of my fingers, and chilled blood started to make its way to my limbs once again.
Studying the wand, I knew they were here, watching over me. They always had been; I just never realized it.
'Now, it's my turn to watch over them.'
Opening my eyes, I looked up and stared at Malfoy, our eyes locking on each other. Wearing a face of vengeance, I hoisted myself up onto one knee and began to stand up.
"Oh, so you're not down yet, are you? Well, I await your move."
A slight wobble later, I was now on my feet again. My jaw hung slightly slack, while my injured shoulder still throbbed. Harry's wand safely in my grip, I was prepared.
"Make your move, Mister Potter. Come now, show me the Adam I know, the one who won't put up with being pushed around."
"No," I said with gusto, no longer afraid.
I knew what I had to do.
He had lost.
"CAST A SPELL YOU IMPUTENT PUSTULE!"
"No. I won't." I simply remained motionless, a slight smile creeping to my lips.
"FINE THEN! IMPERIO!" he shouted. A light burst out from the tip of his wand, streaming towards me. Holding up Harry's wand, like a shield, I somehow managed to block its path. As if it were a sponge, it absorbed the spell in its entirety. Uninjured, I lowered the weapon to my side again, a new power growing inside of me.
I had the advantage.
Malofy, paced backwards a tad, in disbelief.
"How." was all he managed to whisper.
"You are the one who's alone, Voldemort." I kept my gaze fastened on him. Aggressively, I began to walk closer to him, as calmly as I could.
"Hahaha.very clever, Adam, but you are no match for me," he said, in an almost sheepish fashion.
"You think friendship is just a bond that materializes in times of plenty and then dissipates once more solemn ones arrive?" I kept moving towards him.
"Your mind games won't work!"
"This is just the truth, Voldemort. The mistake you made was in underestimating the power of friendship." I bellowed, lunging forward, ".brotherhood." I said, in much the same fashion, ".and love!"
Only a few feet separated the two of us. In desperation, he pointed at me, armed, prepared for a final assault.
"YOU ARE FINISHED POTTER! AVADA KEDAVRA"
Green light filled the Great Hall and the core of it flew at me. Without any vacillation, I held the wand tight with both hands, and pointed straight at the light, prepared f or it to hit.
Crashing into the tip of it, the wand acted as a wall. The light, confused, began letting off gusts of winds, causing my robe to toss about and my hair to be blown back. Squinting through the storm, I watched at the light began to die out, the wind becoming stronger as it did. Moments passed, until finally, with little fanfare, the glowing spell dissipated, and vanished altogether.
I heard a sharp gasp and Voldemort dropped his wand.
Wanting it all to end, I made my move.
"Friendship is about watching out for each other," I explained, closing the distance between up. "Sticking together, through thick and thin."
My piece finished, I reached out and grabbed Malfoy's hand, taking it in mine. Instantaneously, Voldemort's screams filled the hall. Smoke materialized, emanating from his hand. Try as he might, I kept a firm grip on him, not allowing him to pull away.
"Malfoy, I know you're there. Don't give in."
Shrieking, his entire body began to shake violently.
"We all have to watch out for each other, Malfoy."
His voice reached a pitch which made my ears throb, and shivers ran down my spine in a rapid waves. My body began to quiver as well, sweat coating every inch of it.
"Like it or not, we are friends!" I shouted the final word. With that, everything fell silent. In Malfoy's face, I saw the evilness of Voldemort vanish, and, for a split moment, say a true companion, an ally. Sparkling tears formed in his eyes, matching the ones in mine.
This was short-lived, however. Before I could speak, or even sever contact with him, I felt a massive blast toss my body into the air. Instantly, everything went black.
I fell unconscious, my body in shock, exiting the play I had been a part of for far too long.
