Chapter six
Platform 9 ¾ was packed with Hogwarts students bustling in and out of the scarlet engine. Harry and Hermione waved to there friends and were greeted by some they didn't know. Many and Many parents were seeing off or waving to there children.
Neville Longbottom was running from his Grandmother to the train and back again, carrying assorted wizard trinkets. The pudgy pale boy had changed a lot over the past two summers. After the fiasco at the Department of Mysteries the boys self confidence had doubled. People recognized him from the Daily Prophet in the first year after the DoM debacle as it was called. For awhile Neville didn't know what to do with all the new attention. Eventually he got used to telling the story of the smashed prophecy to whosoever asked. This had changed the boy greatly, he had gotten taller and leaner and talked to more people. And a great spectacle for the female population at Hogwarts school.
Harry and Hermione walked onto the train and into the compartment they had shared with Ron for seven years.
Ron and Ginny walked into the compartment at about five to eleven. It was amazing, even thought his father was the minister of magic he would always be late.
Harry said as much and Ron and Ginny just laughed hysterically. It was amazing that is such a time of danger and hopelessness the dream team could always find something to laugh about.
"So how was the trip to Romania guys?" Harry asked good-naturedly.
"It was bloody brilliant!" Ron said just like when he saw McGonagall transform for the first time in first year. Ron spent the next hour telling them about the amazing dragons.
"So how was your summer? Whatdicha guys do without me around." Ron questioned as if there wasn't anything that you could do without him around.
"Wwwwwweeeelll." Harry dragged out the word for dramatic effect. Harry was still unsure if he was going to like Ron's reaction to this bit of news.
Harry told him about the dream and St. Mungos. Then he had the pleasure of reciting the trip home, and Hermione's house. He finally got to the part which he didn't really want to tell. "Well Hermione and I have decided that...umm..." How was he going to say this?
"You and Hermione have finally realized your mutual feelings for each other and are going out now." Ron said grinning from ear to ear.
Harry stared at his best friend in absolute shock.
"Yeah..." was all Harry could manage.
"That sucks." Ron said.
Harry knew this was coming. But once again his assumption was absolutely wrong.
"Now I'm gonna lose the bet."
"WHAT?" Harry and Hermione yelled at the same time.
"Well the sixth years have a little bet going. How long it would take you two to realize what was under your nose. I bet around Christmas, so now I'm gonna lose. Its pretty obvious to every one in Gryffendor, except for you two, that you felt that way. It was quite funny actually." Ron said with that stupid grin on his face.
Harry and Hermione both looked at each other and nodded. Then they leapt at Ron and started to tickle him relentlessly. Ginny soon joined the fray and they spent the next twenty minutes oblivious to the world. And the danger that was awaiting them.
There weren't many times in Harry's life that he felt absolutely at peace. Actually there weren't any. But now was one of them. Harry felt that everything was right in the world. That he Hermione, Ron, and Ginny could just go on forever like this. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that he couldn't but that part of his brain wasn't working right now. Too bad for him it wasn't.
Right in the midst of the tickling war there was a resounding CRASH. Glass shattered, owls hooted and screeched. And the train was yanked to a complete stop. Throwing people, trunks, cats, animals of all kinds into disarray.
Then the screaming began.
Harry knew what was happing and dashed out into the glass strewn hall.
Harry pulled his wand out of his wand holster. He was going to need a new one soon this one was too small. He quickly looked around for the source of the problem. He didn't have to look long, because right then someone to appear in front of him. Appear wasn't the right word, it almost looked like someone was embroidering him into the air in front of Harry's face. As the face was slowly stitched into the proper place Harry knew who it was. Voldemort.
"Hello Tom." Harry said trying to sound as much like Dumbledore as he could muster. He had to control his emotions.
"Don't you call me that you filthy Half-blood." Voldemort spat.
"Don't talk about yourself like that Tom, low self esteem isn't good." Harry said twirling his wand in his hand.
Before Harry could even register that Voldemort moved, he was hit with the pain curse. Voldemort laughed while Harry writhed in pain on the floor. After the pain had passed Harry shakily stood up.
"Bemos Lazerous." Harry said to his wand. Immediately a four foot golden beam of pulsating magic power was standing out from the tip of the wand. Almost like a sword.
Voldemort looked at this in awe that was very advanced magic.
Harry charged forward and with a quick duck and spin-slash, Voldemort's wand fell into two pieces. Wandless Voldemort backhanded Harry's wand-sword out of his hand. It flew behind him and sunk blade down into the metal floor about halfway.
Then the fight ensued.
Harry had been taking a martial arts course at Hogwarts since sixth year and was quite good. Voldemort had obviously taken the same course. They were evenly matched, neither of them landed a blow.
Finally Harry managed to sweep Voldemort's legs out from under him, giving him enough time to use some wandless magic and retrieve his wand. It flew to his hand and he turned to the Dark Lord. But he wasn't there. He was standing ten feet away with a wand in his hand.
Voldemort cackled his evil laugh.
"Did you really think that this would be that easy Potter? Time for you to die like your parents."
Then Harry saw the last thing he wanted to see at that moment.
Hermione came dashing out of the cabin, wand raised.
"You silly girl ,Avada Kedavera" Voldemort's high pitched voice screamed.
The curse hit Hermione square on the forearm, but she stood strong. She stood there while the green light sunk into her arm. She grabbed her left arm then she passed out.
Harry grabbed her body and basically threw it into the open cabin door.
"You killed her, now I will kill you!" Harry said emotion choking his voice.
Voldemort just laughed. "Avada Kedavera" He screamed.
Harry did the only thing that he could think of; he brought up his hand to shield his face from the unavoidable curse.
The curse hit his left palm directly in the center. Right on a strange lightning shaped burn. Harry felt the curse enter his palm, he looked down and saw the burn glowing gold. Harry would never know why he did what he did but he would never regret it.
He pushed his palm out in front of him like a palm-strike to an invisible wall. All of a sudden a thick beam of golden light burst from his hand and flew straight at the Dark Lord. As the beam left his hand a strong wind began to blow in the small hallway, blowing straight at Harry, whipping his hair. Tiny flecks of gold flew past Harry and crossed his vision.
A look of pure terror crossed Voldemorts face, the Potter boy had survived it again and now he looked like he had found a way to harness it.
He fled. The Dark Lord apperated at the last second.
Harry was furious he had escaped his grasp again, now Hermione was dead all because Harry was to slow. Harry had never been more angry in his life. Fury seemed to flow through his veins pulsating in his heart. He was angry because someone else would get hurt.
Then it happened.
The eerie golden light started to seep from his body. Slowly the light fell on the ruined train; it creeps up the walls and onto the ceiling. But wherever the light touched things were repaired. Pieces of glass flew back to their window pains and were magically glued there. Not soon after it started, it was over. Every thing was fixed, people were coming out of there newly fixed doors.
As head Boy he told them to stay in there cabins and wait out the rest of the ride. Harry walked back into his cabin and saw Hermione motionless on the floor and Ron and Ginny trying to wake her up.
"What happened Harry?" Ginny asked a little panicky.
"She was hit by the killing curse." Harry said sinking to his knees in defeat. Lucky for him Ron didn't give up as easily as Harry did.
Ron grabbed her arm and pulled away her hand. The first thing he noticed was that there was a glowing green scar on her left arm, in the shape of two cris-crossed lightning bolts. Then he looked at her hand. And sure enough there was a burn on her hand, the perfect imprint of the scar on her arm.
She was alive. Harry knew that if she had the scars that she couldn't possibly be dead.
After a few minutes of trying they finally managed to revive her. She immediately wanted to know what exactly happened after she ran out into the hall.
"Yeah what did happen out there mate? I mean you were yelling and someone was screaming and laughing...it wasn't...was it?" Ron said getting wide eyes.
"Yes Voldemort did stop the train, we dueled. But Hermione saved me." Harry said simply.
Harry quickly retold the events of the battle. He didn't know how to explain the light and the beam attack, so he left them out.
"You dueled Voldemort? And your fine? We have to tell Dumbledore. We can tell him at the Head student meeting." Hermione said, taking control of the situation.
"Yeah but look," He picked up her arm and hand. "That's what happened to you, you were hit with the killing curse, yet you survived. And almost the same scar. And the burn. We can tell him that too." Harry said. And Hermione nodded.
"You did the 'Bemos Lazarious spell? That's advanced stuff man." Ron said clearly impressed.
They spent the remainder of the ride in uncomfortable silence.
Hogsmead station pulled into view and it never looked more desolate. Very few people were walking around, and the ones that were carried there wands in clear view. Harry was sick of people having to live their lives in complete fear. Even he had to carry his wand in its holster constantly.
He was sick of everything. And he knew that he could, and would change it.
Platform 9 ¾ was packed with Hogwarts students bustling in and out of the scarlet engine. Harry and Hermione waved to there friends and were greeted by some they didn't know. Many and Many parents were seeing off or waving to there children.
Neville Longbottom was running from his Grandmother to the train and back again, carrying assorted wizard trinkets. The pudgy pale boy had changed a lot over the past two summers. After the fiasco at the Department of Mysteries the boys self confidence had doubled. People recognized him from the Daily Prophet in the first year after the DoM debacle as it was called. For awhile Neville didn't know what to do with all the new attention. Eventually he got used to telling the story of the smashed prophecy to whosoever asked. This had changed the boy greatly, he had gotten taller and leaner and talked to more people. And a great spectacle for the female population at Hogwarts school.
Harry and Hermione walked onto the train and into the compartment they had shared with Ron for seven years.
Ron and Ginny walked into the compartment at about five to eleven. It was amazing, even thought his father was the minister of magic he would always be late.
Harry said as much and Ron and Ginny just laughed hysterically. It was amazing that is such a time of danger and hopelessness the dream team could always find something to laugh about.
"So how was the trip to Romania guys?" Harry asked good-naturedly.
"It was bloody brilliant!" Ron said just like when he saw McGonagall transform for the first time in first year. Ron spent the next hour telling them about the amazing dragons.
"So how was your summer? Whatdicha guys do without me around." Ron questioned as if there wasn't anything that you could do without him around.
"Wwwwwweeeelll." Harry dragged out the word for dramatic effect. Harry was still unsure if he was going to like Ron's reaction to this bit of news.
Harry told him about the dream and St. Mungos. Then he had the pleasure of reciting the trip home, and Hermione's house. He finally got to the part which he didn't really want to tell. "Well Hermione and I have decided that...umm..." How was he going to say this?
"You and Hermione have finally realized your mutual feelings for each other and are going out now." Ron said grinning from ear to ear.
Harry stared at his best friend in absolute shock.
"Yeah..." was all Harry could manage.
"That sucks." Ron said.
Harry knew this was coming. But once again his assumption was absolutely wrong.
"Now I'm gonna lose the bet."
"WHAT?" Harry and Hermione yelled at the same time.
"Well the sixth years have a little bet going. How long it would take you two to realize what was under your nose. I bet around Christmas, so now I'm gonna lose. Its pretty obvious to every one in Gryffendor, except for you two, that you felt that way. It was quite funny actually." Ron said with that stupid grin on his face.
Harry and Hermione both looked at each other and nodded. Then they leapt at Ron and started to tickle him relentlessly. Ginny soon joined the fray and they spent the next twenty minutes oblivious to the world. And the danger that was awaiting them.
There weren't many times in Harry's life that he felt absolutely at peace. Actually there weren't any. But now was one of them. Harry felt that everything was right in the world. That he Hermione, Ron, and Ginny could just go on forever like this. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that he couldn't but that part of his brain wasn't working right now. Too bad for him it wasn't.
Right in the midst of the tickling war there was a resounding CRASH. Glass shattered, owls hooted and screeched. And the train was yanked to a complete stop. Throwing people, trunks, cats, animals of all kinds into disarray.
Then the screaming began.
Harry knew what was happing and dashed out into the glass strewn hall.
Harry pulled his wand out of his wand holster. He was going to need a new one soon this one was too small. He quickly looked around for the source of the problem. He didn't have to look long, because right then someone to appear in front of him. Appear wasn't the right word, it almost looked like someone was embroidering him into the air in front of Harry's face. As the face was slowly stitched into the proper place Harry knew who it was. Voldemort.
"Hello Tom." Harry said trying to sound as much like Dumbledore as he could muster. He had to control his emotions.
"Don't you call me that you filthy Half-blood." Voldemort spat.
"Don't talk about yourself like that Tom, low self esteem isn't good." Harry said twirling his wand in his hand.
Before Harry could even register that Voldemort moved, he was hit with the pain curse. Voldemort laughed while Harry writhed in pain on the floor. After the pain had passed Harry shakily stood up.
"Bemos Lazerous." Harry said to his wand. Immediately a four foot golden beam of pulsating magic power was standing out from the tip of the wand. Almost like a sword.
Voldemort looked at this in awe that was very advanced magic.
Harry charged forward and with a quick duck and spin-slash, Voldemort's wand fell into two pieces. Wandless Voldemort backhanded Harry's wand-sword out of his hand. It flew behind him and sunk blade down into the metal floor about halfway.
Then the fight ensued.
Harry had been taking a martial arts course at Hogwarts since sixth year and was quite good. Voldemort had obviously taken the same course. They were evenly matched, neither of them landed a blow.
Finally Harry managed to sweep Voldemort's legs out from under him, giving him enough time to use some wandless magic and retrieve his wand. It flew to his hand and he turned to the Dark Lord. But he wasn't there. He was standing ten feet away with a wand in his hand.
Voldemort cackled his evil laugh.
"Did you really think that this would be that easy Potter? Time for you to die like your parents."
Then Harry saw the last thing he wanted to see at that moment.
Hermione came dashing out of the cabin, wand raised.
"You silly girl ,Avada Kedavera" Voldemort's high pitched voice screamed.
The curse hit Hermione square on the forearm, but she stood strong. She stood there while the green light sunk into her arm. She grabbed her left arm then she passed out.
Harry grabbed her body and basically threw it into the open cabin door.
"You killed her, now I will kill you!" Harry said emotion choking his voice.
Voldemort just laughed. "Avada Kedavera" He screamed.
Harry did the only thing that he could think of; he brought up his hand to shield his face from the unavoidable curse.
The curse hit his left palm directly in the center. Right on a strange lightning shaped burn. Harry felt the curse enter his palm, he looked down and saw the burn glowing gold. Harry would never know why he did what he did but he would never regret it.
He pushed his palm out in front of him like a palm-strike to an invisible wall. All of a sudden a thick beam of golden light burst from his hand and flew straight at the Dark Lord. As the beam left his hand a strong wind began to blow in the small hallway, blowing straight at Harry, whipping his hair. Tiny flecks of gold flew past Harry and crossed his vision.
A look of pure terror crossed Voldemorts face, the Potter boy had survived it again and now he looked like he had found a way to harness it.
He fled. The Dark Lord apperated at the last second.
Harry was furious he had escaped his grasp again, now Hermione was dead all because Harry was to slow. Harry had never been more angry in his life. Fury seemed to flow through his veins pulsating in his heart. He was angry because someone else would get hurt.
Then it happened.
The eerie golden light started to seep from his body. Slowly the light fell on the ruined train; it creeps up the walls and onto the ceiling. But wherever the light touched things were repaired. Pieces of glass flew back to their window pains and were magically glued there. Not soon after it started, it was over. Every thing was fixed, people were coming out of there newly fixed doors.
As head Boy he told them to stay in there cabins and wait out the rest of the ride. Harry walked back into his cabin and saw Hermione motionless on the floor and Ron and Ginny trying to wake her up.
"What happened Harry?" Ginny asked a little panicky.
"She was hit by the killing curse." Harry said sinking to his knees in defeat. Lucky for him Ron didn't give up as easily as Harry did.
Ron grabbed her arm and pulled away her hand. The first thing he noticed was that there was a glowing green scar on her left arm, in the shape of two cris-crossed lightning bolts. Then he looked at her hand. And sure enough there was a burn on her hand, the perfect imprint of the scar on her arm.
She was alive. Harry knew that if she had the scars that she couldn't possibly be dead.
After a few minutes of trying they finally managed to revive her. She immediately wanted to know what exactly happened after she ran out into the hall.
"Yeah what did happen out there mate? I mean you were yelling and someone was screaming and laughing...it wasn't...was it?" Ron said getting wide eyes.
"Yes Voldemort did stop the train, we dueled. But Hermione saved me." Harry said simply.
Harry quickly retold the events of the battle. He didn't know how to explain the light and the beam attack, so he left them out.
"You dueled Voldemort? And your fine? We have to tell Dumbledore. We can tell him at the Head student meeting." Hermione said, taking control of the situation.
"Yeah but look," He picked up her arm and hand. "That's what happened to you, you were hit with the killing curse, yet you survived. And almost the same scar. And the burn. We can tell him that too." Harry said. And Hermione nodded.
"You did the 'Bemos Lazarious spell? That's advanced stuff man." Ron said clearly impressed.
They spent the remainder of the ride in uncomfortable silence.
Hogsmead station pulled into view and it never looked more desolate. Very few people were walking around, and the ones that were carried there wands in clear view. Harry was sick of people having to live their lives in complete fear. Even he had to carry his wand in its holster constantly.
He was sick of everything. And he knew that he could, and would change it.