Birthday Surprises Chapter 75
Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only… Lolly, xxx.
With one last glance at the shrivelled body of Voldemort, he fell to the ground.
***
Albus Dumbledore and the rest of the adults at Hogwarts were getting nervous - there had been no word from Harry for over two hours, and everyone was more than a little worried.
Dobby watched as his master fell - he had no idea what to do. He remembered how his master had talked to the Great Hall while he was in the crystal cage, and wondered if he could do the same.
"Dobby!" Hermione was the first to spot the house-elf in the crystal.
"Professor Dumbl-y-dore!" He house-elf said, on the verge of crying.
"What is it Dobby? What's happened?"
"Master is collapsed!" Dobby wept. "He is bleeding from where bad Dobby stabbed him." Now he was sobbing, looking incredibly guilty.
"Dobby, listen to me. What happened to Voldemort? Is he still there?"
"The bad man is dead - Master has killed him." Dobby said.
"Dead? Voldemort's dead? You're sure, Dobby."
"Yes, Dobby is sure! You must come and help Master! Dobby is not knowing what to do!"
The Great Hall was filled with murmurs - no one was sure how to react. Voldemort was dead at last, but no one knew what had happened to Harry - they wouldn't celebrate until they knew.
"I, Professor Albus Dumbledore, ask that the wards surrounding the castle are released." There was a grinding sound as some of the crystal melted away. Many began to fear the worst, remembering that Harry had said that the wards would only answer to Dumbledore if Harry had died. Albus Dumbledore looked older than anyone could remember as he spoke quietly to his staff.
"We're coming too." Ron and Hermione said, half-expecting the headmaster to disagree. As it was, he merely nodded.
"You are all to stay here and remain calm - you will be informed of the situation the moment we know what has happened."
***
"Albus," Minerva McGonagall said, somewhat nervously, "What happens if...the worst has happened?"
"I do not believe that my grandson is dead." Dumbledore replied firmly. Ron and Hermione brightened a little.
"I am, however, concerned that he may be if we do not find him soon." Almost unconsciously, the group sped up. They headed for the Room of Requirement, guessing that this would be the place that Harry would choose to battle Voldemort. At the door, the headmaster paused. He had never seen such an intricate and unyielding mix of wards.
"Open." He said softly, pushing lightly on the door.
The sight that met them was most unexpected - Voldemort lay crumpled and dead in a corner, while Harry lay a short distance away, his chest rising and falling shallowly, bleeding profusely from the back. Hermione gave a short scream, running to his side. Ron stood, shocked, at the door, his mouth hanging open in horror.
"Albus." Minerva breathed, a tear leaking from her eye.
"We'll need to stem the blood flow." Albus replied authoritively. He, Minerva and Hermione knelt beside the still body of Harry - the boy that had defeated Voldemort.
"Harry? C'mon Harry, wake up. Don't you dare die on us." Hermione said desperately.
"Wha - Who said anything about dying?" Harry groaned, his eyes opening a little.
"HARRY!" Hermione yelled, making Harry wince.
"Not so loud, Mione, please. And why is my back so sore?"
"That would be because Voldemort put Dobby under Imperius and made him stab you in the back."
"Please tell me that you mean figuratively?" Harry groaned.
"Sorry - I mean literally. You're bleeding quite heavily."
"Ah. Do me a favour, Mione, will you?"
"Uh...what kind of favour?"
"Help me sit up?" Albus immediately began to object, but Harry hushed him with a look.
"Grandad, I am losing more blood than I can afford to, the quickest way to stop that is for me to be able to heal myself - for which, I need to be sitting up." Harry explained patiently. He hated being weakened and vulnerable, but he knew that in the circumstances, it really couldn't be helped. As Hermione gently propped him up, Harry caught sight of Voldemort. Albus, seeing what Harry was looking at, smiled.
"You did it Harry - it's over." He said.
"Yeah - it's over." Harry murmured, looking relieved. He had succeeded.
The students of Hogwarts, as well as the remaining members of the faculty waited impatiently for news on Harry Potter - every house except Slytherin tended to think of Harry as someone to be respected and loved - he was their hero. Harry was the one everyone could count on to be there if they were in trouble - they would follow him wherever he went, would do whatever he asked of them. Many of the younger students had grown up within Hogwarts hearing of the great and friendly Harry Potter. Now, they were terrified that they may have lost their role model - it would be a very sad loss for the entire wizarding world if he was indeed dead.
"Professor Dumbledore! Look!" Several voices cried, with fingers pointing at the crystal formations that remained glittering around the hall. Everyone turned to see the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore.
"I am delighted to announce that Mr. Potter is indeed alive and - almost - well. I can also confirm the death of one Tom Marvollo Riddle, a.k.a Lord Voldemort." Loud shouts and cheers filled the room, with even most Slytherin's looking pleased with the news - predominantly the younger ones.
"What do you mean 'almost well'?" Hannah Abbot asked, looking worried still.
"Mr. Potter has received some rather extensive injuries, and is really rather exhausted. Other than that, he's just fine."
"OH DAMN!" Harry cried in the background, sounding utterly dismayed.
"Why do I get the feeling that Gin is going to hang, draw and quarter me?" He groaned. Those who were familiar with the Muggle saying chuckled, while those who didn't just looked lost. Some explained, while others decided not to.
"Where is Ginny? And the triplets?" Ron asked, coming out of his stupor.
"They took a Portkey out of here." Harry said, murmuring a spell under his breath and sealing the wound on his back - it would leave a scar, but that was a minor price to pay when it so easily could have been his life.
"You know how to make Portkey's, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said, looking disbelieving. Harry nodded, looking around the room.
"Hey Ron, can you pass me that piece of crystal, please?" Harry asked, pointing to a piece of crystal that had been broken from the cage during the ordeal.
"Here you go." Ron said, handing him the inch-long point of crystal and watching as he began the process to turn it into a Portkey.
"This will take you to them - tell Gin that you've all to stay where you are for now."
"Why?"
"Just trust me, please." Harry said. Ron nodded, taking the crystal from his friend. "It's a one-way Portkey, but you can use it to contact me if you need to." Ron nodded, disappearing moments later.
"Come on, let's get you fixed up, Harry." Albus said softly.
"Yeah - after all, I have rather a lot of things to do within the next few days."
"Oh? I can't see Madam Pomfrey letting you out of her sight for the best part of a week at least."
"Well then you'll have to wait for story-time then, won't you? I will not tell you what happened until I'm free of the hospital wing."
"Very well. I will inform Poppy that you are to be released from the Hospital Wing the moment you are well enough."
"Thank you. Shall we go then?"
"Splendid idea - I think you should reseal this room when we leave, though. Just as a precautionary measure, you understand."
"Of course." Harry agreed as the four of them began to make their way out of the room.
Harry grinned as the doors of the Great Hall swung open to admit them - it looked as if everyone was having a great time. Everyone stood as he walked in, clapping and cheering wildly, with the exception of four or five Slytherins and two Ravenclaws, who were in the confines of crystal cages - obviously they were Deatheaters. Harry felt the blood rush to his face as they gave him a standing ovation - he hated being in the limelight, but at least this time, he had done something to deserve it.
"Don't be so surprised, Harry. I believe you will get a lot of this from now on." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling madly.
"Fantastic. As if I wasn't famous enough already." Harry muttered. Madam Pomfrey hurried towards him, looking anxious and angry.
"Must you always put yourself in danger?" She clucked.
"It would certainly seem so." Harry laughed.
"Yes, well, off the hospital wing right now young man, and don't even think about asking to leave - you will spend at least a week resting, then we shall see about releasing you!" Harry raised an eyebrow - he was the worst patient in the world, and she was telling him that the minimum amount of time he would be spending in that god-awful Hospital Wing was a week?
"Poppy, I'm afraid that Harry cannot stay in the Hospital Wing for a week - he has told us that we will only be informed of what transpired tonight after he has been released from the Hospital Wing."
"Preposterous!" Madam Pomfrey cried. "Albus, this boy needs his rest! Merlin only knows what he's been through in the past few hours!"
"Please, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked, pouting slightly. His fan club sighed - if he had fixed them with such a look, they would have given him anything he asked of them, and it seemed that the Nurse wasn't entirely immune to his charm either.
"Oh very well!" She cried - she had a soft spot for Harry, and he had just defeated one of the most notorious Dark Lords of all time, at age seventeen after all. Harry shot her a grin and walked out, heading straight for the Hospital Wing.
Ginny paced the floor as she waited for news on Harry. The triplets had long grown silent, though they didn't sleep.
"How are you doing up here?" Molly asked kindly, watching her daughter pace restlessly.
"What's taking so long?" Ginny demanded, on the verge of tears. "Surely something must have happened by now!"
"I..." Molly trailed off as something thumped downstairs. "Wait here." She said, looking worried.
"Mum..."
"Wait here - don't move." Molly repeated. Ginny nodded nervously, not particularly wanting her mother to go anywhere either.
"MUM!" Ron called, recognising the kitchen of the Burrow immediately. He had landed rather hard, and knew that his mother might hex him if she didn't know that it was him.
"Ron!" Molly gasped as she reached the door. Ginny went tearing past her, desperate to hear news of Harry.
"Ron! What's happened? Is Harry ok?" She asked, skidding into the kitchen and narrowly missing Ron.
"He's fine! It's over!" Ron grinned. Ginny gave a short squeal of relief as she threw her arms around Ron, sobbing with relief.
"How is he? Is he really ok?"
"Well...he got a little banged up, but he's alive and joking about - he reckons that you're going to hang draw and quarter him." Ron said, looking mildly confused. Ginny, having taken Muggle Studies, and having listened to Hermione talk about Muggle history, giggled.
"That's not a bad idea." She murmured, grinning through her tears.
"Ron? What's happened?" Molly asked, entering the kitchen to see her daughter sobbing in her youngest son's arms. She felt tears of her own threatening.
"He's fine, mum. He's done it. Voldemort's gone." Ginny said, turning her tear-stained and smiling face to her mother.
"Oh! When are we going to see him?"
"Well...he said that we had to wait here." Ron said, watching his sister nervously - she didn't like being told what to do.
"Oh." Molly said. Ginny said nothing, too happy to mind very much - at least at the moment, anyway.
"So, you said that he was injured a little?" She asked.
"Yeah - Dobby stabbed him while Voldemort had him under Imperious. I think he had just healed that when I left. He gave us all a right scare though - collapsed as soon as Voldemort died. Totally exhausted. No wonder, really, but there you go." Ron shrugged.
"I can't believe it - everything's really going to be ok. Maybe I can talk Harry out of being an Auror." Ginny murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "He's paid his debt." She smiled.
Harry had only been in the Hospital Wing for an hour and a half - an hour and a quarter of that had been spent sleeping, while the other fifteen minutes had consisted of a thorough medical examination. Madam Pomfrey's eyes had almost popped out when she found traces of the killing curse in his blood - he had apparently lived through yet another attempt with the unblockable Avada Kedavra. Other than that, she had found little else wrong with him, with the exception of his exhaustion and the large scar running along the base of his back. So he had slept, as ordered. Now he was wide-awake and feeling perfectly fine. He was more energetic than he had been in months, and just wanted to be up and about - he wanted to go and see his children and his girlfriend. He toyed with the crystal around his neck, debating whether or not to contact Ron. Eventually his boredom won, and he brought the crystal to his lips.
"Ron? You there, mate?" He asked, keeping his voice quiet so that the Nurse didn't overhear and force a sleeping potion down his throat.
Ron almost dropped the crystal when he heard Harry's voice coming from it. Then he remembered that Harry had told him that it could be used to contact him.
"I'm here, mate, what's up?" Ron yelled into the crystal.
"Ron! Don't shout - I'm stuck in the hospital wing going crazy - if you start screaming into the crystal, you're sure to bring her running."
"Sorry. How's your back?"
"Perfectly fine - I have a nice new scar right along the base of my back - it's a good job that Dobby couldn't wield my sword very well, otherwise he might have damaged my spinal cord."
"Oh. Do you want to speak to Ginny?"
"Is she there?"
"Yeah - I'll just get her."
"Thanks Ron."
Harry glanced around the Hospital Wing, checking that Madam Pomfrey hadn't heard Ron yell.
"Harry?" Ginny's voice was quiet and uncertain.
"Hey Gin." Harry said, smiling happily.
"How are you? Ron said that you were injured?"
"Yeah - I'm fine."
"Is he really gone?"
"Yeah - he's gone." Harry replied. "So how are the kids?"
"Remarkably well behaved - mum's busy spoiling them. They miss you though."
"I miss them too - and you."
"Yeah, when can we come back?"
"Just as soon as I get out of here."
"Let me guess, the nightmare Hospital Wing?" Ginny giggled. Harry smiled, feeling incredibly satisfied with his life.
"Got it in one. Madam Pomfrey was going to keep me in here for a week..."
"WHAT?" Ginny asked loudly.
"She WAS going to - but Grandad and I changed her mind. She's agreed to let me out tonight."
"What time?"
"As soon as she thinks I've had enough rest."
"And when will that be?"
"No idea - she doesn't know that I'm awake now and if she did, she'd likely force a potion down my throat to put me back to sleep."
"Sounds like fun."
"Hmm only for those with a very warped sense of fun." Harry replied dryly, knowing that if Ginny were in his place, she'd be clawing at the doors to get out too.
"Oh - sorry Gin, I have to go. Madam Pomfrey is coming. I'll contact you as soon as I get the chance. Love you." Harry froze as he said the words that both of them had skirted for months. He could just imagine the look of disbelief on Ginny's face at that moment.
"Love you too." Ginny replied without hesitation. "Hurry up and get out of there so that we can come and see you."
"I will do everything in my power to get out of here quickly - I assure you of that. Speak to you later."
"You'd better, Mr. Potter." Ginny said.
Madam Pomfrey fussed over her patient, making sure that he was warm enough and that he wasn't thirsty. Of course, the effect of this was somewhat diminished by her sharp orders that he was going nowhere for at least another hour or two. Harry smiled, knowing that this was the matron's way of showing affection - he was best qualified to know, he thought as he lay in the bed that had been reserved for him in second year, when it appeared that he was going to be a regular visitor. Before he went back to sleep, however, he was allowed one small concession. He whistled quietly for his Aunt's messenger, and within moments, the small creature had appeared from nowhere. Smiling slightly, Harry wrote just seven words on the piece of parchment:
It's over, see you later.
Love, Harry.
The small bird chirped happily as it flew away immediately.
"Sleep for another two hours and then you can go. You are extremely lucky, young man. Only you could have gotten out of an encounter with the Dark Lord with just another scar to add to the collection."
"I know." Harry said, trying to keep the exasperation from his voice.
"Very well - now get to sleep!"
"Yes ma'am." Harry muttered, feeling a strong urge to salute the nurse. He settled for grinning as he closed his eyes once again and fell asleep.
"Harry? Harry? Are you awake?" Harry heard the voice, but his eyes refused to open. Everything was fuzzy and out-of-focus.
"'Mione?" He asked.
"You are awake. Madam Pomfrey says that you are free to leave as soon as you want to."
"Ugh - give me a second, 'Mione." Harry groaned, feeling as if his body were made of lead.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, her voice betraying her worry.
"Just a little...sore." Harry groaned, opening his eyes a little. Behind Hermione stood Professors Dumbledore and Lupin.
"Here, drink this, it'll help." Professor Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling madly as he held a goblet of acid green coloured substance that could only be described as sludge.
"Er...great. Now you're trying to feed me radioactive waste. Charming." Harry said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Hermione giggled while the older wizards looked rather lost.
"Radioactive waste?" His grandfather queried.
"Never mind." Harry replied, shaking his head ruefully. Hermione grinned.
"So, I can leave here, then? Now?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Yes, of course you may, Harry. As soon as you feel well enough - and as soon as you drink this." He offered the goblet once more, and Harry took it, albeit reluctantly.
"What's it for?"
"It will ease your pain and will show any...lasting curses."
"You mean that it will check the amount of damage done by the killing curse." Harry smirked, inspecting the green monstrosity. It smelt awful.
"Something along those lines."
"Do I want to know what's in it?"
"No. Definitely not." Dumbledore said, grimacing slightly.
"Right." Harry closed his eyes and downed the concoction in one gulp, gagging at the awful taste.
"Argh. That. Is. Disgusting." He said, trying desperately not to throw the potion back up - it was a very close-run thing.
"Good. That means it's working. I'm afraid that there's nothing we can do about the taste." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling madly.
"Torturer." Harry muttered jokingly under his breath.
"Ah. Harry, whose was the killing curse?"
"Oh that. I had forgotten about that. Seems as if I've built up quite some resistance against it. It was Voldemort's." Harry said, as if it were a perfectly normal thing to say. Hermione paled, while Albus put a hand to his temple and rubbed it slowly. Remus' shoulders were shaking with laughter both due to the relief of Harry being alive and well, and the priceless expression on Harry's face.
"Shall we take this discussion elsewhere? The hospital wing's probably not the best place to talk." Remus suggested after he had recovered.
"Yeah - but I suggest that everyone who needs informed of the events be gathered just now - I'd really rather not have to repeat it several hundred times, if it's all the same to you."
"You want me to inform Fudge?"
Yeah - I believe that the Minister and I have some rather important matters to discuss." Harry said coldly.
"Indeed. In the mean time, will you be retrieving Miss Weasley and the others?"
"Yeah - I guess that every Weasley will be wanting to come too. Is that all right?"
"Of course! The more the merrier! For tonight we will celebrate!"
"Right - by the way, what time is it?"
"Eight a.m." Remus chipped in.
"Right - I'll be back in a couple of hours. As there isn't any rush..."
"Very well, Harry. We will begin gathering people - there will also be a press conference later on today."
"Better change before I go anywhere." Harry muttered. Hermione handed him a set of robes.
"Thanks."
***
Harry took a Portkey to the Burrow first, landing silently. He saw that everyone was still asleep, except for Ginny, who was cradling Sam, whispering something to him. Leah and Andy were in a cot beside her, both fast asleep and content.
"Gin?" Harry whispered, touching her shoulder gently.
"Harry!" Ginny said, immediately turning to kiss him. "I missed you so much." She said, resting her head against his shoulder. Sam was quite content to lie where he was, being cuddled by both Harry and Ginny.
"I missed you too." Harry said honestly, sitting down on the sofa. Ginny sat next to him after putting Sam back in his cradle, putting her arms around him and hugging him.
Molly smiled as she walked into the living room - Harry and Ginny were curled up together on the sofa, both sleeping soundly. The triplets were fast asleep too. Ron walked in as well, smiling and shaking his head at his best friend and his little sister. It seemed all too soon before Harry stirred, waking Ginny along with him.
"Good morning, you two. Sleep well?" Molly said, a little teasing in her voice. Harry just smiled as he replied.
"Perfectly, thank you."
"What's for breakfast mum? I'm starving." Ginny yawned.
"It'll be ready in a few minutes - would you like some breakfast, Harry dear?"
"Yes please, Molly." Harry said. The peace was broken by Leah's piercing wails as she woke up.
"Hey baby girl." Harry crooned as he picked her up. Her cries lessened as Harry spoke softly to her, hugging her to him. He had missed them all so much. As she drifted back to sleep, he placed her back in her crib and soothed the other two, who had taken their cue to wake up and start wailing, though nowhere near as loudly as their sister.
Everything was back to normal - at least for the moment.
