*~* Chapter Seventeen: Living Tolerantly Ever After *~*
"Remus! She's coming around!"
KayKay felt as if she was lifting out of a thick, pressing fog, getting her first taste of air. She breathed deeply, savoring the feeling, but stopped quickly as a spasm of pain shot through her abdomen.
"KayKay, can you hear me?"
It was Remus. She could feel his hand on her shoulder, feel his presence hovering over her. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking at the light.
"Yeah . . . what happened?"
His face relaxed and he grinned, bending to give KayKay an awkward hug.
"You passed out," Madison answered for him, sitting down at the foot of KayKay's bed. "You almost made it up here. Surprising how long you lasted, with all that blood . . ."
"Ugh," KayKay groaned, rubbing her face. Now she remembered . . . Voldemort, the snake, the sword . . .
"You had us worried," Remus said softly. "You even had your little visitor anxious."
"My little . . . who? Oh!" KayKay smiled as Madison picked up Casey (who wasn't quite as small as she had been at Christmas) and set her on the bed.
"Come here, Casey! Come here!" KayKay coaxed. The puppy sniffed around a bit near KayKay's feet, padded in a circle, and curled up sleepily.
"No, here Casey!" KayKay said, sitting up quickly with her arms outstretched, only to fall back with a cry of pain.
"Honestly!" Madame Pomfrey huffed, bustling over to KayKay's bedside. "A wound like that isn't about to heal instantly! You must not move!"
"But . . . magic!" KayKay protested as Madame Pomfrey began mixing bottles of liquids into a goblet.
"They'll make the process faster, yes, but a sword with that much magic in it is bound to create a wound that will take a long while to heal. And I'd prefer that you didn't have that dog in here." She added, looking reproachfully at Casey.
"Hey, the puppy stays!" KayKay insisted stubbornly.
"All right. Fine." Madame Pomfrey waved a hand dismissively as she turned back to her potion mixing. "It will only be you who suffers if she trips over that IV tubing."
"That what?" KayKay echoed weakly, hoping desperately that she'd misheard the nurse. She looked over at her arm and flinched. "Oh, God."
She and needles did not mix well. Yet here she was, a needle stuck in her arm, dripping medicine slowly into her bloodstream.
"Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick . . ."
"Then I think it's time for a distraction," Dumbledore announced. "Harry, Megan, I'll need you to join us over here if you're able. I do believe that some things need to be discussed."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"But Professor," Harry interjected, "Megan couldn't really be related to Voldemort, could she? I mean, wouldn't we have been able to tell before? Couldn't Voldemort just be playing games, like he was with Ginny?"
The group—or rather, Madison and Harry, since KayKay looked too tired and Megan looked too humiliated and pitiful—had finished relaying the events of the past twenty-four hours. The adults sat in quiet contemplation, and the teenagers sat in uncomfortable silence. Dumbledore spoke up now, though.
"Unfortunately, Harry, I do believe that Voldemort's story is correct. It would not seem his style to entrust a teenager with what he'd feel was such an honor unless it were."
"But—"
"It's true, Harry," Megan sighed, speaking for the first time since they'd gotten back to Hogwarts. "It's just something . . . something I was able to feel. I guess I sort of knew it all along."
"You knew you were the one doing all of this?" Madison gasped incredulously.
"I . . . I don't think I realized I knew." Megan choked on her words and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I think that I started to drive myself mad, trying to forget what I didn't even know I knew.
"And look at what happened! I killed all of those kids, I almost killed my best friend . . . what will the Johnstons think? They'll never want me now, I—I killed all those kids!" She broke down and started crying. "I killed them!" she whispered to herself, burying her face in her hands.
Everyone in the room looked uncomfortably at each other except for KayKay. Harry watched as she took a deep breath and pushed her blankets off of herself, placing her feet slowly on the floor and standing to cross the short distance to Megan's chair.
"Oh, Megan," KayKay sighed, pulling her friend into a hug. She latched on immediately, sobbing onto KayKay's shoulder.
As KayKay tried to say soothing things to Megan, Harry turned to Dumbledore.
"What's going to happen to her? Megan, I mean."
Dumbledore looked at him. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean, Harry."
"I mean . . . well, she can't really go among everyone else, can she? Now that we know she is the Heir—"
"Ah, I have a theory regarding that matter. You see, as her Grandfather, Voldemort has contributed to one-fourth of her genetic signature, has he not? However, my suspicions are that when she broke the control of dark magic he had exercised upon her even before birth, the portion of her DNA attributed to him was obliterated."
"But Professor—how can someone exist without all of their—"
"In due time, Harry, I'll explain it to all of you shortly." Dumbledore assured him, looking back at KayKay and Megan.
"It's all my fault." Megan was saying, her voice thick with tears.
KayKay hugged her tightly. "No it isn't Megan, no it isn't—because you aren't the Heir."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
KayKay heard all too clearly the gasp that circled to room at her statement. However, she continued as if she hadn't heard it.
"You're Megan. You're my best friend. The Heir of Voldemort is not. The Heir of Voldemort is a dark shadow possessing none of your morals, none of your hopes, none of your beliefs!"
"I don't understand you, KayKay. You know that I'm the Heir." Megan said simply, looking up.
"You see, Megan . . ." KayKay sat back a bit, wincing slightly at the pain of her wound. "You see, the Heir of Voldemort is a title you held. It puts you into a category by everyone else's eyes but it isn't who you are as a real person."
"But . . ."
"You showing remorse like this proves further that you aren't the Heir. True, while you reside in the same body and the Heir is a spin-off of you, you're two separate people. The Heir may have done bad things, but that doesn't make you a bad person."
"But we're one. We're two different people, but still one, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Worst of all is that I can't control it. I'll have to be like this forever and ever and—"
"If you'll pardon my saying so, Megan, I believe that you are wrong."
KayKay looked over her shoulder at Dumbledore, who smiled kindly at her.
"KayKay, I believe you should get back into bed before Madame Pomfrey spots you and throws all of us out." He said. KayKay nodded meekly and pulled her self up, sliding back in between the sheets.
"Now, as I was saying to Harry . . . it is common knowledge that a person's DNA carried their genetic signature, correct?" Receiving nods all around, Dumbledore nodded once. "Good. So then it goes without saying that any particular grandparent has passed along one fourth of their genes the their grandchild. However, I believe it is possible to isolate these genes that have made you the Heir, Megan, and abolish them.
"Harry asked a few moments ago how someone could live without a fourth of their DNA. The simple matter is that Tom Riddle was an ordinary boy. Voldemort was not. So, when you broke Voldemort's control, Megan, I believe that you destroyed his role in your lineage and that it was replaced by common wizard genes that Tom Riddle carried before he warped himself into the evil wizard we now know."
"But . . . how can you even be sure that that's the case? And how can you be certain that all of the genes from Voldemort are gone?" Megan asked, looking utterly bewildered. KayKay felt much the same. Biochemistry was, naturally, not something she spent much time thinking about.
"I'm not certain that they're all gone, Megan, which is why I'd need to examine the prospect and isolate any stray genes that remained. And, as to your question of how I can even know . . ." Dumbledore calmly flicked his wand to make a mirror appear in Megan's hand, "take a look for yourself."
Megan lifted the mirror with trembling hands and gasped in surprise.
"My . . . how . . . why—"
She let the mirror fall back to her lap and KayKay got a good glimpse of her face. KayKay blinked in shock, wondering how she could have not noticed it before.
Megan's eyes, normally an icy blue color had changed to a light aquamarine. Her hair was also different—a golden strawberry blonde rather than pale blonde.
"Some changes have evidently already taken place. Still, I would like to act now to be certain that none of Voldemort's influence remains within you." Dumbledore said. "Sirius, will you hand me that goblet?"
KayKay watched as Sirius took the goblet—which she had earlier assumed was some sort of medicine for her—and handed it to the headmaster, who in turn gave it to Megan.
"I'll need you to drink all of this," he told her, tapping it with his wand. "It will reverse the effects that Voldemort has had on you."
"Still, can I sleep alone tonight? I mean, somewhere where you can make sure I can't get out?" Megan asked.
"I don't think that it will be necessary, Megan." Dumbledore said.
"But still . . . for my own peace of mind? Please?"
Dumbledore sighed in contemplation, then nodded once.
Megan smiled, a refreshing change for KayKay, who had only seen her scowling or crying for what was almost two days by now. She tipped her head back and drained the goblet quickly, ending with a look of disgust on her face.
"Ugh, it felt all slimy, like . . . like . . ." KayKay laughed as Megan stumbled trying to describe the sensation.
"Like drinking jelly?" she supplied, remembering all too well some of the potions that she'd had to drink in the past.
"Yeah! Except grosser . . . potions shouldn't taste like rubber and onions."
"I quite agree, Megan—but again, who would ever think that spinach and earwax flavored jellybeans would be a popular sweet?" Dumbledore commented with a chuckle. "Well, I think it's time that all of you got some sleep. It's been a tiring few days, and all of you—especially you, KayKay—would do well with some rest."
He walked over to a different bedside table and handed each of the teenagers a goblet, each doubtlessly containing a dreamless sleep potion. KayKay couldn't have appreciated the concept more.
"Come with me, Megan, I have a place for you to sleep." Dumbledore said, indicating for her to follow. She obediently rose, looking over her shoulder at KayKay, who smiled.
"'Night, KayKay, 'night Harry." Madison yawned. "In my state, I don't need a potion to fall asleep!"
"Yeah, but it's nice. Keeps you from having dreams. I wish I had an endless supply of this stuff sometimes." KayKay commented, fully prepared to drift away to dreamland.
"Goodnight KayKay. I love you."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Harry watched as KayKay said goodnight to Remus. ("I love you too, Uncle Remmy.") Things seemed to finally be settling down—assuming Dumbledore was right about all of Voldemort's influence being purged from Megan.
If only there was some way all those students could be brought back or healed or something . . . but this isn't something as simple as being petrified, like it was four years ago. They're really gone . . .
"G'night, Harry." Sirius said, pulling him out of his thoughts. Sirius seemed to hesitate a moment before pulling Harry into a tight hug.
"You've got to stop doing this," he whispered. "I'm going to get old and gray from all the stress you put me through."
"Goodnight, Sirius. And trust me," he laughed dryly, "if I had it my way, this wouldn't happen."
"I know." Sirius clapped Harry on the back and left with Remus. Harry yawned, suddenly realizing just how tired he was.
"Hey, Madison," he asked as he crawled into his bed, "did Megan ever say why she went to your Dormitory and brought you with?"
"No . . . maybe Dumbledore would know. I'll ask them tomorrow." Madison replied. Harry noted that she sounded very tired as well. "Anyhow, I'm going to sleep. Goodnight guys."
"Goodnight" they both replied as Madison quickly drank all of the potion in her goblet and fell back onto her pillows, a sleepy smile forming on her face.
Harry expected that KayKay, especially considering the pain she must have been experiencing, would be out next. So, he was surprised when he heard her tentative voice ask, "Harry?"
"Yeah?" he replied, looking over at her.
"Well . . . thanks for getting rid of that snake earlier." She said.
"Oh . . . yeah, no problem. Literally. And, uh . . ."
"Yes?" KayKay prompted.
"And . . . thanks for getting through to Megan. We would've died if you hadn't." Harry said quickly. Swallowing his pride tasted bittersweet, but he had to admit that he had given her a hard time about her plan earlier.
"Trust me." KayKay laughed to herself, "It was my pleasure." She then sighed and rested her head against the wall behind her bed. "I hate needles." She muttered. "I just want to grab this thing and tear it out of my arm!"
Harry laughed outright at this statement.
"What?" KayKay asked, sounding scandalized.
"Nothing, nothing, it's just . . . that was so random!" he laughed harder.
"No, you want to hear random? When that snake was coming at me, I actually looked around for a shovel to kill it with!" KayKay laughed.
"Yeah, one time during the night I had to duck, and the first thing that came to my mind when I hit the ground was, 'Wow, this floor is really dirty. Someone should really clean it up!' "
When their laughter had died, KayKay commented, "It was like living out the worst nightmare you could possibly have . . ." her smile diminished. "When I was facing Megan, I had no idea what to do. I couldn't hurt her, obviously . . . I mean, she's my best friend!"
KayKay faltered, but continued. "But when I looked into her eyes, I could tell that she wouldn't hesitate to kill me. I . . . I was so confused, and everything seemed far away and hazy, like a dream, like I was watching myself fight, not actually being part of the action. At one point she . . . she actually had the sword up to my neck. If I hadn't gotten away . . ."
She stopped, rubbing her face with a sigh.
"And so many kids . . . so many kids died . . . it doesn't feel right, that I survived and they didn't. I mean our chances weren't too different . . . why them but not me? It just makes me feel . . . guilty."
Harry frowned. "Stop being stupid. It isn't your fault."
KayKay looked over at him again with a curious and pensive expression.
"Harry, I've been wondering . . . why do you hate me so much?"
This question was the last one Harry had expected.
"What do you mean? I told you why we broke up—"
"Oh, I know that . . . I mean, why are you still treating me worse than you treat Malfoy?"
Harry looked up at the ceiling in concentration, as if it would give him the answers. He knew why . . . just not how to say why.
"I guess," he said slowly, still trying to string the words together in his mind, "that it's because I am—or was—or whatever— worried that you still liked me . . . that way. I just wanted to avoid the thought, I suppose."
He looked back down in surprise when he heard KayKay laughing.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, it's just—I haven't had those sorts of thoughts or feelings about you for a long time." She chuckled. "You know, I almost even think that I agree with the incentive that you took."
"You are? I always thought you considered me a crazy, egotistical jerk that was full of himself and lower than the scum at the bottom of your dog's water bowl for breaking up with you and then asking Madison on a date a few days later."
"Well, yes," KayKay agreed seriously. "You were and still are and probably always will be. But that's not my point."
"Then what, pray tell, is?" Harry asked.
"Well they say—"
"Who's 'They'?" Harry interrupted.
"I don't know, just 'they'. The people you refer to when you're using a common quote or cliché. But anyhow, they say that whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And I've sort of noticed that. I mean, besides being happier, we're stronger, better people for taking the risk of being alone."
"Never mind that it was my brilliant idea!"
"Yeah, but it only worked because I let it work." KayKay scoffed.
"Oh yeah? This is a dictatorship, not a democracy! It worked because I'm a guy, I'm smarter, men are always right, and because I said so!"
"You, smarter? That's a laugh and a half!"
"Laugh if you want, but you know that it's true. Women would still be non-voting housewives if we hadn't let them have rights." Harry stated calmly.
"Go to Hell, Potter!" KayKay said with disgust before flopping onto her side and reaching for her goblet of dreamless sleep potion.
"You know what? I was wrong before. I hate you because you're bratty, provocative, and sarcastic!"
"Ah, but I thought that as a man you couldn't be wrong. But then, I always questioned your maturity." KayKay quipped before flopping back onto her pillows, asleep with a triumphant grin.
"Women." Harry muttered before drinking his own potion and falling into a blissfully dreamless sleep.
* * * * *
"Well, one of you must know!"
Thus was Harry's wakeup call, courtesy of Madison. Blinking his eyes as he sat up, he surveyed the situation.
It seemed that he was the last to wake. Madison and Megan were both settled near KayKay's bed, and the three were chattering.
"Excuse me, but some people are actually attempting to sleep here," he said, throwing an irritable glare at KayKay.
"It's past noon for your information, Potter, and it was a sleeping potion. You would've woken up right now anyhow," she said, returning the scowl.
"So," she continued, looking back at Megan as if she'd never been interrupted, "you have no idea why you brought Madison?"
"No, I told you. I don't know why."
"But I believe that I do." A new voice entered the conversation. All four teenagers looked in surprise at the headmaster, whom they hadn't even seen enter.
Madison spoke up first. "So, you know? Care to share?"
"I will, of course. I did some research last night, and I believe I've discovered the Heir's reason for capturing you, Madison. It seems to be the only plausible explanation."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"KayKay," Dumbledore said, turning to look at her, "meet your cousin."
He indicated Madison, and KayKay's jaw dropped.
"Cousin?!" she gasped incredulously. "What do you mean, 'cousin'? All of my cousins are dead!"
"I'm dead?" Madison asked, seeming unfazed. Then the statement Dumbledore made seemed to sink in, and Madison gasped belatedly.
"If she's my cousin, why haven't I ever seen her before?" KayKay and Madison both asked at the same time, pointing at each other. KayKay glanced at Madison, not sure whether to laugh or cry.
"Well, my family gets bigger every time I have a run-in with Voldemort, huh? An uncle last year, a cousin this year—hey, maybe next time I'll get one of my parents!"
"Please KayKay, this is no time for joking around." Dumbledore said. "As you know, this means that more security plans must be made for Madison's safety."
"But I'm not joking . . ." KayKay swallowed hard, blinking away a tear. "I'm not joking!" she persisted, her voice quavering. Madison got up from her chair and sat on the edge of KayKay's bed, pulling her into a much-needed hug. She buried her face into Madison's shoulder, trying her hardest to not cry.
"It doesn't matter, see?" KayKay said, looking up again as the tears she'd tried to restrain trickled out. "See? Because all the relatives in the world—I can discover all the long lost aunts and uncles and cousins and nieces and nephews and . . . and . . . and whatever else . . . but I won't ever find them, you see? You see? Mom and Dad and Celia and Jack and Bill . . . they're gone forever.
"And I have so many people I don't remember that are coming back into my life but I'll never have them, I—I saw them die, I watched them! And . . . and now I have a cousin," KayKay smiled through her tears at Madison, "a new cousin and friend—but I can't remember her, and I couldn't remember Remus, so maybe, just maybe if I hadn't been able to remember my parents or my brothers and sister . . ."
"KayKay, the reason that you don't remember me is because I'm adopted." Madison said softly. "It was icy out, and my parents were going to visit my mom's sister—"
"Your mother, KayKay." Dumbledore supplied quietly.
"Really? I didn't know it was—" Madison caught herself and continued with her story. "We were just kids. Not even three at the time. I was an only child at the time—home with the babysitter. I don't remember it. My new parents told me about it when I turned sixteen. I knew I was adopted before then, when I turned thirteen, but . . . it never occurred to me that I had any blood family left."
This time KayKay was the one who took the initiative to give her cousin a hug.
"Now there's no way I can go back to Salem Academy." Madison said with a light laugh as they parted. KayKay laughed too, wiping away a stray tear and smiling again at Madison.
"Oh, and one more thing, something far less shocking—Hermione And Ron have been constantly asking me when they can visit you. I'm sure they're pacing out in the hall as we speak. Shall I send them in?"
KayKay didn't have to look around to know that Harry and Megan were nodding just as enthusiastically as she was. Dumbledore smiled knowingly and left. A few moments later, there came the sound of hurried footsteps and Hermione's squeal.
"Oh Harry, KayKay, Megan . . . thank God you're all right!" she exclaimed, rushing to give KayKay a hug.
"Choking! Not breathing!" KayKay gasped.
"Oh, sorry!" Hermione apologized, letting go immediately.
"No problemo." KayKay replied, massaging her throat as Hermione went on to strangle Harry and Megan.
"Hey, KayKay." Ron said, not quite as energetically as Hermione, but just as happily, "Don't scare us like that again, eh mate?"
He'd obviously learned from Hermione's mistake, because he simply clapped her on the shoulder and smiled instead of giving her a hug. Of course, that may also have been because he was . . . well . . . Ron.
"What happened?" Hermione asked, seating herself in a chair, suddenly far more relaxed. The four whom this question had been directed to looked at each other quickly—well, not so much at each other as at Megan, silently asking if she felt comfortable sharing.
She must have, for she began. "Well, you see, KTRT radio . . . that is, my ramblings . . . weren't really for fun . . ."
* * * * *
"You want us to what?" KayKay demanded incredulously.
A week had passed, and a very boring one at that for KayKay, who'd been restrained to her bed due to her condition. However, thanks to some fine healing magic, she hadn't taken nearly as long to recover as a muggle with the same wound would have.
(Plus, she was left with a very cool scar as a relic, which KayKay—being her odd self— thought was a major plus.)
Having finally escaped Madame Pomfrey, KayKay felt more than ready to do something outside. The blue sky and fresh breeze had been calling her name all week. Unfortunately, she was told to first go see Dumbledore in his office.
KayKay felt somewhat surprised to see Harry and Megan already occupying two of the chairs facing the headmaster's desk, but not asking any questions, she entered the room.
"KayKay, it's good to see that you're back on your feet again. Forgive me for being terse, but I have a serious matter to discuss with the three of you . . . a request if you will. Please, be seated."
KayKay was a bit unnerved by Dumbledore's words, but she sat down obediently, wondering what the situation could be.
Dumbledore wasted no time getting to the point, and that was why she could now be heard questioning the headmaster in disbelief.
"You want us to what?!" she asked again, surprised she hadn't yet passed out from shock. It was a good thing she'd been sitting down.
"But that's impossible!" Harry protested.
"You've told us so yourself!" KayKay added. Megan remained silent, her expression unreadable.
"Yeah, no spell can awaken the dead!" Judging by Harry's tone, he was as disturbed at the thought as KayKay was.
"Indeed, I have said that Harry," Dumbledore replied calmly. "I am quite aware of how far the capabilities of death reach, having studied the concept for many years."
"Then I don't understand your point." Harry said. A thought suddenly occurred to KayKay, like a light bulb flicking on above her head.
"Unless . . ." she started slowly.
" . . . The victims are not truly dead." Dumbledore finished. "Very astute, KayKay."
"But what are we supposed to do about it?" Megan asked. "I mean, yes, you've already said that you want us to revive them, but . . . how?"
KayKay noted that Megan didn't question why they weren't really dead, even though it seemed like such.
I'll bet that the little part of her fighting for control is responsible for that. KayKay thought with a smile.
"Well, I am about to tell you how. This is very delicate, but very undefined. You'll have to use the utmost caution."
All three of the teenagers nodded solemnly, but inside, KayKay was quivering in excitement. If they could really bring the victims back! Oh, it would be a perfect ending!
* * * * *
"Okay, so let's get this ready. KayKay, you're job is to destroy the part of the curse that still inhabits them. That's the part you'll need to concentrate on doing. Harry, you work on healing them, and since it was me who made the curse, I'll concentrate on reversing it and lifting it, and . . . so on and so forth."
KayKay was pleased to see Megan taking charge of the situation. She seemed to be recovering from the trauma of realizing she'd been the Heir surprisingly well, although KayKay suspected that much of it was due to the discovery that the students weren't dead and that together they had a chance to revive them.
"Where should we start?" Harry asked.
"Dumbledore said to start with the Head Boy. So let's get a move on. He'll only be able to keep Madame Pomfrey away for so long." Megan answered. "Come on. It's through here." She said, leading the way into a special part of the Hospital Wing.
"Creepy," was the only comment KayKay made as they traveled between the beds, looking for the right one. Finding Brian's bed, they arranged themselves around it and held hands.
"Now relax . . . find your center, your concentration of power . . ." Megan murmured as the small group stood in the semidarkness. KayKay found it easiest to keep her eyes open during this process, focusing on Brian as she willed the curse inhabiting him to burn itself out, to dissipate.
The others had their eyes closed. Harry seemed to be talking to himself, moving his mouth as if he were physically telling Brain's body to heal. KayKay concentrated harder on her job, pouring all of her frustrations with Voldemort and his horrible followers into her thoughts while making sure she concentrated only on destroying the curse. It would have been bad if she'd gotten off track and hurt Brian in the process.
She then noticed something odd. Light seemed to be collecting above Brian, a mix of red, emerald, and icy blue, all of it coming from them, from Megan, Harry, and herself. As time passed, the light became less wispy and more concentrated.
KayKay was getting that feeling again, the sensation of something building momentum inside of her, rushing forward, filling her ears with a howling sound until she was afraid she'd go deaf.
The light stemming from each of them suddenly twisted into one, erupting into a dazzling white column as wind swept the room. On either side of her, Megan and Harry seemed oblivious to what was happening around them. Was she the only one who could tell?
There was a final flash of light, followed by what KayKay could later only describe as a sonic boom or clash of thunder that shook the room and pitched them all off of their feet. The wind died and papers that had been swept around the room slowly settled to the floor.
"Whoa." KayKay said breathlessly, propping herself up on one elbow and looking around. She tried to find another word, but the only thing her mouth was able to emit was another "Whoa."
"What happened? What—did it work?" Megan asked, looking over at Brian's bed. KayKay looked too, holding her breath with an intense hope that they'd succeeded.
Brian looked as still as ever. The radical magic that had just occurred right around him didn't seem to have altered his state in the slightest.
"I—I don't think it did." Harry said slowly.
"But . . . how could it not have? We certainly did something." Megan said.
"Ugh . . ."
"What now, Harry?" Megan asked, turning to look at him. "Did you hurt yourself or something?"
"That wasn't me." Harry said, bewildered.
KayKay turned to look at Brian so quickly that her neck cracked. He still appeared motionless . . . but then again . . .
"Oy . . . my head . . ." he sat up suddenly, rubbing his forehead. KayKay let out a shriek of excitement and scrambled to her feet, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug that he instinctively returned.
"This is an interesting wakeup call," he commented, sounding a little confused.
"Well, it's been an interesting few months for you, Brian. You were dead, but then not really dead, and now you're alive again. Besides all of the other victims, who else has that interesting claim to fame?" Megan said.
"I'd have to guess not many." Brian answered.
"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! KayKay, tell him what he's won!"
"A 'Get out of finals free' card, an up-and-coming summer holiday, and a complimentary disco dance, complete with Coca-Cola!" KayKay declared, laughing along with Brian and leaving Harry and Megan to wonder what the heck was so funny.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Harry watched, puzzled, as KayKay helped Brian out of bed and began singing a song by the BeeGees, doing some sort of funny disco dance.
"Uh . . . KayKay? Brain needs to see Dumbledore, remember?" Megan asked cautiously.
"I know," she responded, laughing in surprise as Brian dipped her. Harry looked over at Megan, silently asking, "What the heck is she doing?" The bewildered shrug she gave him in return clearly stated that she hadn't a clue.
"Then why are you dancing?" Megan asked with a sigh.
"Ummm . . . blood circulation?" KayKay's response sounded more like a question. Harry gave her an "Oh, really now?" look, which she evidently spotted while spinning.
"Okay, then music therapy? Cure for a sleeping foot? Inside joke?!"
"That last one must be it," Harry said, looking over at Megan, who nodded.
"Okay, song over, time to send Brian to Mister Headmaster." Megan said, placing her hands on Brian's shoulders and marching him out of the room.
"Bye, Brian! Remind me later that I still owe you a Coke!" KayKay called after him. She smiled to herself, and Megan and Harry exchanged another look.
"Isn't it great?" KayKay said suddenly, startling Harry. "Everything is coming together, like the end of a story or something. All of our friends will be back, and so many kids will be happy . . ."
"Especially Sabrina!" Megan commented. "Didn't she like that one boy, ummm . . . what was his name? Wasn't it Innes?"
"Yeah . . ." KayKay said. "And soon it'll be summertime and we can see some of our friends from America . . ."
We're wasting time here! Harry thought as Megan and KayKay chattered.
"Sorry to interrupt this happy moment," he said suddenly, "but there's a lot of students left to cure and not much time left in the day if we still want to play Quidditch later on."
The girls nodded and migrated towards the next bed.
"See, Megan?" KayKay said, "No lasting harm done. Pretty soon everything will be back to normal—well, as normal as you can get at Hogwarts, that is."
"That's normal enough for me," Harry commented.
"And me." Megan smiled, holding her hands out for both of theirs. Again they joined the circle to reverse the evil of Voldemort with trust, care, and the determination inhabiting "good guys" that kept evil from winning in the end. A determination so vital that, if lost, could mean the end to the light side. Forever.
Harry closed his eyes. Heal, he thought. Heal.
Heal and keep faith.
* * * * *
"Aw come on, it's not like it's an actual game or nothin'!" KayKay protested yet again. "Besides, doesn't it get boring to you guys playing the same position day after day? Come on, let's mix it up!"
"Okay, I agree with KayKay. I want to be Keeper!" Hermione said with a laugh.
"Fine, fine . . . I call Chaser!" Ron said quickly.
"Seeker!" This claim came from KayKay.
"Hey what makes you so sure I want to give up my position to you?" Harry asked. He watched in amusement as KayKay flew over to him, a scowl on her face. It was so fun to make her mad.
"What makes you so sure I'll give you any choice?"
Obviously a threat.
Harry didn't answer, not coming up with a good enough comeback. He merely grabbed her bat and dropped it off in the stands before flying down to where Ron was hovering.
"Ready?" Ron called. Receiving nods, her kicked the Quidditch chest open and blew hard on his silver whistle before kicking off the ground to join the game.
To Harry, it was a wonderful feeling. After the stress of the attacks, then fighting Voldemort, then healing the victims, it was nice to not have a single worry or care, even if it was only for a bit.
He looked around at his friends, laughing as they made fools of themselves at unfamiliar positions. Megan was trying to swipe a fly away from her face. Hermione was weaving in and out of the goal hoops. Ron was seeing how long he could keep the Quaffle in the air without using his hands. KayKay, rather than searching for the Snitch, was flying in lazy circles and doing loop-de-loops, glancing around only once or twice.
And Harry was feeling so at peace that he didn't even bother to make fun of her for it.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ *
KayKay laid on her back on the floor of the Hogwarts Express as it rumbled down the tracks towards Kings Cross Station. Around her, her friends chattering . . . Megan and Hermione about keeping in touch over the summer, and Madison and Ron about professional Quidditch teams.
Only she and Harry were quiet, having reached a sort of silent truce. She could only wonder about what Harry was thinking, but she personally was staring at the ceiling, her head spinning with random thoughts.
What will it be like to spend the summer with Remus? Wait, wasn't he an Auror at one point? Would it be legal for him to teach me?
Speaking of legal, why didn't anyone in our family adopt Madison when my aunt and uncle died? Did they not care enough? That would have been so much fun, growing up with someone almost exactly my age . . . but then, would she have died too, that Christmas?
Wait, if she's related to me through my mom, that means that she's a descendant of Godric Gryffindor as well! How could she have been placed in Slytherin?
She stretched her arms up to the ceiling, suppressing a yawn. As she lowered her arms, she suddenly noticed her bare arm and sat up with a loud gasp, causing everyone to look at her.
"My arm!" She exclaimed, examining it in wonder. "I didn't notice before . . . the tattoo is gone!"
She couldn't for the life of her figure out how it took her this long to take not of the absence of the green letters.
"Megan, did you get rid of it?" she asked, looking up at her friend, who looked just as bewildered.
"No, I didn't. I have no idea how—"
"I did it." Harry said quietly, as if embarrassed to be admitting it.
"You . . . when?" KayKay asked, thoroughly surprised.
"Back when we were helping Brian. I mean, I just thought—you know, who wants that on their arm all summer? It's not like it's something you'd want to show the whole world, and wearing long shirts all summer . . . besides, who needs a reminder like that about something so bad? I dunno . . ."
"Thank you." KayKay said, smiling and meaning it. Even if they'd stopped hating each other, it was still a really nice thing to do . . .
"Anytime" he responded, appearing relieved that she wasn't going to question his motives.
"Anything off the trolley?"
Perfect timing! KayKay mentally congratulated the witch pushing the cart of food and sweets. She stood, digging in the back pocket of her jeans for some money and finding nine sickles and two dollars.
Well, those are pretty useless to me now. KayKay thought, stuffing the American currency back into her pocket and proceeding to purchase a bottle of Butterbeer and as many Chocolate Frogs as her sickles would allow.
"Wow, that looks healthy." Madison said sarcastically as KayKay sat back down with her sweet feast.
"I know, doesn't it?" KayKay replied seriously, unwrapping a frog and eating it hungrily.
"Hey Harry," Madison asked, taking the Famous Wizard card and studying it, "if you're so famous for getting rid of Voldemort the first time around, why aren't you on one of these?"
"Dunno." Harry yawned. "Does it really matter?"
"I suppose not, if you don't care." Madison replied simply.
"Hi everyone, and welcome to the KTRT Lunch Crunch! I'm your host, Megan, soon to be Megan Johnston! That just rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it? Yes, well, everything is new now . . . new music, new morning, show, and new prizes to win here on your station of choice!"
Everyone looked nervously at Megan, who simply winked in response and said, "I'm fine guys, don't worry. This time it is for fun . . . so, we're here with a myriad of interviews, the first from a young Miss KayKay Determan. KayKay, how are you on this beautiful day? Enjoying your train ride home?"
"Oh yes, immensely," KayKay said dramatically, deciding that she might as well play along.
"Nice, nice, and I'm sorry this is such a short chat, but do you have any profound statements for everyone listening out there?"
"Yes, inhale once for every time you exhale."
"Very wise. Thank you for chatting with us today, KayKay."
"Any time, Megan." KayKay laughed. "Can I request that you play a song before I go?"
"Surely." Megan responded, pitching her radio voice perfectly.
"I'd like to hear 'The Dance' by Garth Brooks"
"No problemo! Goodbye, KayKay."
With this, Megan twirled her wand and made the song fill the room.
Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above.
For a moment all the world was right.
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye?
"Wow, I haven't listened to this song since . . ." KayKay thought for a moment. It was this song, but it hadn't sounded the same . . .
. . . Because Matt was the one who sang it! That's right, I remember now . . .
" . . . Since Halloween" she finished.
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain,
But I'd have had to miss the dance.
She smiled as she remembered the situation . . . it was all so funny now that she thought back on it.
"An excellent song! Never gets old . . . now, earlier today we had a very special guest in the studio. Unfortunately, she was unable to come during the Lunch Crunch, seeing how she had prior engagements, some gibberish about school and homework. Still, she requested that I now share with you all what she had to say."
Megan cleared her throat, as if ready to launch into a speech.
"The young lady Callista MacLeod, more commonly known as Calli, wished that her statement be shared.
" 'Well, here we are, at the end of another story already! It's astounding, I think, that such an amazing thing can happen as people from all parts of the country, even all parts of the world gathering at a website to laugh and share a story.'
" 'I say share, because when it's all said and done, this story isn't just mine. It's ours. Every one of you readers adds a unique flavor to the story, whether intentionally or not. So even though I may get on my computer nearly every evening and faithfully type, weaving a story, if it weren't for all of you, it would have entirely different situations.' "
Madison, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and KayKay all exchanged odd glances before turning back to listen to Megan.
"I spoke with Calli at great length about this, wondering how it was that something so simple as having one more person or one more response to a story could alter it so radically, to which she responded,
" " Without people, I wouldn't even do this. Without those things so simple as Kayla foaming at the mouth, Icy insisting, yet again, that Harry and KayKay are meant for each other—' "
Harry and KayKay shared a horrified glance before scooting even further away from each other.
" '—Hannah arguing Harry was a jerk and that he should have been clobbered with Matt's hobbyhorse in KayKay's dream, and all the other thousands of little things they do, the story would never have been quite the same. It seems to always have a mind of it's own, which in truth scares me sometimes, because I may introduce a random idea meant to simply add color to the plot, and it becomes the plot.' "
"Hey, how did she know about that dream?" KayKay wondered out loud, causing the others to stare at her. She then decided to be quiet.
"Calli continued to say, 'At this point, I want to truly thank every single person who reads this story, from the very bottom of my heart. The support you give, the involvement you show, the opinions you voice, and the sincere curiosity you express is overwhelming and more deeply appreciated than you'll ever know. You make the magic, and without you, I wouldn't even be doing this, I wouldn't have even considered it.'
"She claimed that it was just her contacts, but at this point in time I saw tears come into the young author's eyes. She finished by saying, 'So thank you all, whether you're my oldest most faithful reader or my newest. You are all so very appreciated . . . you'll never realize just how much you all mean to me.' "
Megan closed her eyes and smiled, obviously finished. Everyone was silent for a moment, until Ron voiced a random thought.
"Wouldn't that be funny, if we were all just characters in a book, and there was some greater force dictating everything we did and then publishing or posting it somewhere for other people to read?"
"You know," Hermione said, "I think that life is a book, at least philosophically. We all hold the pen to write the chapter that's our life, but if it weren't for everyone else around us, it wouldn't turn out the same way. Even the slightest comment affects our lives, our story, like the comments a reader makes could affect a real story."
"Yeah, let's slap on a little end page that says, 'And they all lived happily ever after. The end." Madison said.
"Happily ever after?" Harry said. "Come on, that's a Cinderella thing. Life is never perfect, which is okay because it doesn't have to be. It would be pretty boring actually."
"Yes. It should be something realistic. And they all lived tolerantly ever after!" KayKay exclaimed.
Everyone laughed and chorused together, "The end!"
