Disclaimer: The characters (well, most of them…I might have a couple oc's here and there) in the story do not belong to me. All credit goes to the all powerful and talented J.K. Rowling.
Summary: Why is it that tragedy is the one thing that can pull people together? What is there when tragedy strikes that no one can see any other time?
A/N: I am in the process of updating this story, along with editing the previous chapters to make it a little more concrete than before. Please bear with me while I do this. Thank you.
These are for the previous three chapters:
Kim13: Sorry…I couldn't resist!
SweetPnut731: Who said you could use my computer? This is a warning little sister!
Esperanza1: Thanks…I haven't seen to many first person stories, so I decided to try out something new.
Katie: Thanks…more to come soon!
Ameyer: If you have even bothered to read the fifth book, you'll see that Harry is in fact a little more on the touchy side now…Better watch out Meyer, school's starting in a couple of weeks…more chances for me to bug you…hehe!!
MelloJen85: Hey Jenny!!! Again, Harry's changed quite a bit since the fourth book…
AngelDusterBuster: I'm very sorry you didn't get to see this sooner, like I said you would. My AOL was acting funny Sunday night and I wanted to post the chapter as soon as I could because I don't know when I would have the next chance to. Sorry again.
Wandering Shadow: Thanks for reviewing…enjoy this next chapter.
Another thing before you go on to the story. I am starting up an e-mail notification system. If you would like to be e-mailed when I post again, review and leave your e-mail message for me. Thanks!
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~Crooked Hearts~
*by: Eowyn Black*
Chapter Four
The next thing I know is I'm lying down on the sofa in the front room, sporting a large bump on the side of my head. I looked around at my surroundings but found no one else in the room.
I heard a couple of voices from inside the kitchen. I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position, rubbed the side of my head gently as though not to put myself into anymore pain than I was already in, and stood up.
I started to make my way to the kitchen when a hoot distracted me. I glanced over to where the hoot came from and it gave me a start. There was Hedwig, perched on the windowsill.
The people in the kitchen must have known that I was up and moving around, as they came into the front room to find me staring at Hedwig.
"Harry? Are you okay?" asked one voice.
I turned around to see who the person was. It was Sirius. Hermione was right next to him.
"Do you remember what happened?" Sirius asked when he didn't get an answer to the first question.
"I was talking to you, and I heard a crash coming from in here."
"That was me. I was looking at the movies you brought in and when I looked up, Hedwig was outside on the windowsill. I guess I dropped the movies when I saw her," Hermione explained.
"Then," I thought back. I reached up to the large bump on the side of my head.
"That was me, too," Hermione stated. "Oh, Harry! I'm sorry! When I saw Hedwig there, I ran into the kitchen to tell you that she was back and I accidentally ran into one of the kitchen chairs and knocked it over."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Sirius asked again.
I nodded before walking over to where Hedwig was perched. I stuck out my hand to stroke her and she gave me a peck on the finger.
"She looks like she's hurt," Hermione pointed out.
I glanced down and saw that some of her down feathers were sticking out at an odd angle.
"What happened, girl?" I asked her softly.
"I'll take her to Magical Menagerie if you want me to. I have to go to Diagon Alley to pick up some things later anyways," Sirius mentioned.
"No, that's okay. I'll take her myself," I said, still stunned about Hedwig. I walked off in the direction of the kitchen and felt myself stagger.
"Harry, you're still hurt. Go lie down. I'll take Hedwig to Diagon Alley," I heard Hermione say as the room started to sway.
"Harry?" Sirius said, rushing forward to help.
I grabbed the arm of the sofa to keep steady. All of a sudden, my scar seared in pain. I slapped my hand to my forehead and sank back into the sofa.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked, her voice full of concern.
"Scar…" was the only word I could manage to get out through the pain. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes as though to block out the pain. It had to have been the worst my scar had hurt in over three years.
~*~
As Dumbledore had told me a couple days after that fateful night, Voldemort had been defeated. The last year at Hogwarts had probably been the quietest year for me. Somehow, I had met up with Voldemort the second week of the term and we had dueled for what seemed like forever. Voldemort shot the killing curse at me, but something weird happened. It was almost as if there was some kind of force field around me because when the curse was inches away from me, it deflected back towards Voldemort, who was hit and started to scream in agony. Then, there was a powerful black that knocked me unconscious, but not before I saw Voldemort's image flicker, and then disappear. When I woke up, I was in the Hospital Wing and it was two days later when Dumbledore came in to tell me that Voldemort was destroyed. He was gone forever.
I had even received an Order of Merlin, First Class, for it.
However, I had been experiencing a tingling pain in my scar for a few seconds every now and then. I had always thought it was some kind of after effects because it was a cursed scar, but I hadn't really thought about it really all that much until this time.
~*~
As the pain subsided, I opened my eyes to see both Hermione and Sirius looking very worried.
"Harry, I think you should really tell Dumbledore about this," Hermione said, almost ecstatic with worry.
"No. I'm not a child anymore. I DON'T have to go crying to Dumbledore every time I get a bump or bruise!" I yelled. "I'm an adult. I can take care of myself."
Hermione looked as though she was about to cry.
"Harry, I'm sure Hermione just wants to make sure you were going to be okay," Sirius said.
"I'm sorry for blowing up at you like that, Hermione."
"I just don't want anything to happen to you, too!" Hermione cried as she practically ran over to me and crushed me in a hug.
I looked over at Sirius over her shoulder and he gave me a look that said, "I told you so."
~*~
That night, Sirius stayed over at my flat "just to make sure you're okay," even though I told him that I was perfectly fine.
Hermione had just turned in for the night and Sirius and I were seated at the kitchen table.
"That had to have been the scariest moment in my life, apart from the time after the Third Task in your fourth year at Hogwarts. I remember seeing you lying on the grass, not moving at all. The only way I knew you were alive was when Dumbledore turned you over. You don't know how happy I was when I saw you move by yourself," Sirius explained. "Back there with the fireplace, well, let's just say I never want to go through that again, even though nothing really bad actually happened."
I just looked around, avoiding Sirius's gaze.
"And then the whole deal with your scar. Which reminds me, how long has it been bothering you?"
"It's not," I lied.
Sirius just gave me the eye.
"Alright, alright. It's been bothering me every now and then but not nearly as bad as it did today."
Sirius looked slightly concerned when I mentioned that.
"What? You think he's back?" I asked.
"There is really no way to know unless you see him with your own eyes. But, if he is, the Ministry will no doubt take away your Order of Merlin," Sirius stated, trying to get a little humor into the serious matter.
Being my daft self, I didn't catch the small bit of humor. "I don't care about the stupid Order of Merlin!!"
"It was a joke, Harry."
I gave a huff of disproval and said, "There you go again. Whenever I'm trying to discuss something serious with you, you always have to go and make a joke out of it!"
"Harry…"
"No! No, I'm not putting up with this anymore!"
"Harry!"
I got out of my chair roughly, sending it falling back onto the floor as I walk out of the room and down to my bedroom.
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