Disclaimer: Simply borrowing these characters and not making a profit.
-- Chapter Twenty-Two --
- Yana5, Without permission, Bongo MonkeysXP, Shania Maxwell, moonlight- blossom, Isis-mystic, Elebereth, sak, and Autumn Sun - thank you for reviewing!
A/N: Wow, this chapter was difficult to write, for many different reasons which I will not bore you with. Right now, things might not add up exactly and you're probably going to be very confused, but I promise you that the next chapter is coming soon and everything will be explained. Let me just say that there are going to be 23 chapters total. This is the second to last chapter. Please, I really need your reviews for this chapter. If you have any questions at all, let me know! I will incorporate it into the last chapter. Happy reading!
- This is actually the second version of the chapter that I'm posting. The only difference is a bit at the ending.
--
After a week of sleepless nights, and empty days since Easter break had begun, Harry drifted off into a fairly tranquil slumber. His providential lack of dreams was interrupted by a cold voice. Harry turned in his bed.
"My dear Windsler, I know you have information that could prove useful in my dealings. Why don't you part with them, and we'll go our separate ways," a cold voice rang against the barren walls.
"I'm no fool. Part with the information, and you shall kill me. I will be of no more use to you and everybody knows you have no pity," a figure answered, much smaller in height than the other. His voice sounded timid in comparison, but nevertheless, could not be considered hesitant.
"Parting with the information is not a choice for you Windsler. I will have it, either compellingly or willingly. Keep in mind, it is in your better interest to employ the latter."
"No."
The tall, hooded figure raised his hand high above the other, revealing a wand.
"My proposition," the slouched man stopped the other, "Is this:"
"You are in no position to make arrangements."
"Ah, but this one is to your advantage."
The towering participant lowered his arm.
"I will divulge my knowledge if I am permitted to gain admission into your ranks, shall we put it that way? I have no desire to give up something so obviously valuable to you without having at least some level of guarantee that my life will be protected."
"Your request will be taken into consideration."
"Thank you, Dark Lord," the corpulent man lowered his body to a genuflect position.
Harry awoke covered in sweat.
The moment he opened his eyes, tears surged.
He was inches away from rising and going to Dumbledore when a realization hit him.
"What does it matter?" he murmured.
He knew he wouldn't be able to return to sleep so he took out his wand and a book Lupin had given him.
He pushed the dream out of his mind, forgetting it with time even.
Two days later, he passed Windsler in the hallways. No recollection of the dream came to Harry. Windsler, however, jerked his arm to his wrist as he walked by Harry.
Dumbledore should have been aware of the change in Windsler. However, with quite a distance separating them (as Dumbledore was in London and Windsler at Hogwarts), it was inevitable that he was not able to constitute the perception.
-
"Harry?" Ron attempted to catch his alienated friend's attention.
Harry looked up slowly.
"The wedding, it's, well, coming up, and I was wondering if you'd mind being best man?" Ron stumbled through his words.
"Wedding?" Harry asked, distantly.
"Yes, mine and Hermione's?" Ron's eyes welled up. He could hardly ever talk to Harry anymore without having to remind him what he was talking about. Harry was constantly too disoriented.
"Oh, sure," Harry answered, absentmindedly.
Hermione looked at Ron, pain in her eyes. Ron watched his friend turn back to his work and then rose from the chair, walking over to his fiancée. He and Hermione had decided against prolonging the pregnancy. Instead, Hermione used glamours to disguise her growing belly. She was now almost in her seventh month. They had discovered they were having twins, actually.
The following week was N.E.W.T.S. testing. Hermione had a bit of a difficult time with the practical, due to her condition, but she still did better than Harry. Harry knew he passed all his tests with flying colors, even Defense Against the Dark Arts.
And so, the remainder of the school year went by in a blur.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna shared a compartment, just as they had in their fifth year. Harry was silent, Ron and Hermione deep into their own conversation, and Neville, Ginny, and Luna chattered among themselves. A little over halfway to Kings Cross Railroad Station, the train stopped abruptly. Harry's stomach churned as he remembered the last time this had occurred.
The train flew off the tracks and landed on its side. The students were thrown sideways, but owing to the numerous spells that protected it, no one was hurt. The compartment window broke, however, and Harry reviled the site he saw.
Above his head, a rat scurried by. Harry's hand jerked up to grab it. When his attempt proved insufficient, he pulled himself out through the window and onto the side of the train. Although Wormtail was nowhere to be seen, Harry was greeted by a ring of Death Eaters. Windsler was among them. As Harry stood, moving his right arm slowly towards his wand, the circle divided and through the split walked the long, towering, hooded man Harry so often met with in his dreams.
To Harry, the entire duel was a long a distorted haze, an exchange of meaningless words.
Until the moment he heard his name called behind him.
He turned around to see Draco. His usually pallid face was tinted with blush from anger, embarrassment, fear, and pain.
Behind Harry, Voldemort raised his arm, as he had in the dream Harry had with Windsler. Draco's eyes darted from Harry to his father to Lord Voldemort.
Harry's emerald eyes saw a bright flash of green, he heard voices but couldn't understand what they meant and then the last thing he remembered was feeling his head connect with the grass beneath him.
-- End of Chapter Twenty-Two --
-- Chapter Twenty-Two --
- Yana5, Without permission, Bongo MonkeysXP, Shania Maxwell, moonlight- blossom, Isis-mystic, Elebereth, sak, and Autumn Sun - thank you for reviewing!
A/N: Wow, this chapter was difficult to write, for many different reasons which I will not bore you with. Right now, things might not add up exactly and you're probably going to be very confused, but I promise you that the next chapter is coming soon and everything will be explained. Let me just say that there are going to be 23 chapters total. This is the second to last chapter. Please, I really need your reviews for this chapter. If you have any questions at all, let me know! I will incorporate it into the last chapter. Happy reading!
- This is actually the second version of the chapter that I'm posting. The only difference is a bit at the ending.
--
After a week of sleepless nights, and empty days since Easter break had begun, Harry drifted off into a fairly tranquil slumber. His providential lack of dreams was interrupted by a cold voice. Harry turned in his bed.
"My dear Windsler, I know you have information that could prove useful in my dealings. Why don't you part with them, and we'll go our separate ways," a cold voice rang against the barren walls.
"I'm no fool. Part with the information, and you shall kill me. I will be of no more use to you and everybody knows you have no pity," a figure answered, much smaller in height than the other. His voice sounded timid in comparison, but nevertheless, could not be considered hesitant.
"Parting with the information is not a choice for you Windsler. I will have it, either compellingly or willingly. Keep in mind, it is in your better interest to employ the latter."
"No."
The tall, hooded figure raised his hand high above the other, revealing a wand.
"My proposition," the slouched man stopped the other, "Is this:"
"You are in no position to make arrangements."
"Ah, but this one is to your advantage."
The towering participant lowered his arm.
"I will divulge my knowledge if I am permitted to gain admission into your ranks, shall we put it that way? I have no desire to give up something so obviously valuable to you without having at least some level of guarantee that my life will be protected."
"Your request will be taken into consideration."
"Thank you, Dark Lord," the corpulent man lowered his body to a genuflect position.
Harry awoke covered in sweat.
The moment he opened his eyes, tears surged.
He was inches away from rising and going to Dumbledore when a realization hit him.
"What does it matter?" he murmured.
He knew he wouldn't be able to return to sleep so he took out his wand and a book Lupin had given him.
He pushed the dream out of his mind, forgetting it with time even.
Two days later, he passed Windsler in the hallways. No recollection of the dream came to Harry. Windsler, however, jerked his arm to his wrist as he walked by Harry.
Dumbledore should have been aware of the change in Windsler. However, with quite a distance separating them (as Dumbledore was in London and Windsler at Hogwarts), it was inevitable that he was not able to constitute the perception.
-
"Harry?" Ron attempted to catch his alienated friend's attention.
Harry looked up slowly.
"The wedding, it's, well, coming up, and I was wondering if you'd mind being best man?" Ron stumbled through his words.
"Wedding?" Harry asked, distantly.
"Yes, mine and Hermione's?" Ron's eyes welled up. He could hardly ever talk to Harry anymore without having to remind him what he was talking about. Harry was constantly too disoriented.
"Oh, sure," Harry answered, absentmindedly.
Hermione looked at Ron, pain in her eyes. Ron watched his friend turn back to his work and then rose from the chair, walking over to his fiancée. He and Hermione had decided against prolonging the pregnancy. Instead, Hermione used glamours to disguise her growing belly. She was now almost in her seventh month. They had discovered they were having twins, actually.
The following week was N.E.W.T.S. testing. Hermione had a bit of a difficult time with the practical, due to her condition, but she still did better than Harry. Harry knew he passed all his tests with flying colors, even Defense Against the Dark Arts.
And so, the remainder of the school year went by in a blur.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna shared a compartment, just as they had in their fifth year. Harry was silent, Ron and Hermione deep into their own conversation, and Neville, Ginny, and Luna chattered among themselves. A little over halfway to Kings Cross Railroad Station, the train stopped abruptly. Harry's stomach churned as he remembered the last time this had occurred.
The train flew off the tracks and landed on its side. The students were thrown sideways, but owing to the numerous spells that protected it, no one was hurt. The compartment window broke, however, and Harry reviled the site he saw.
Above his head, a rat scurried by. Harry's hand jerked up to grab it. When his attempt proved insufficient, he pulled himself out through the window and onto the side of the train. Although Wormtail was nowhere to be seen, Harry was greeted by a ring of Death Eaters. Windsler was among them. As Harry stood, moving his right arm slowly towards his wand, the circle divided and through the split walked the long, towering, hooded man Harry so often met with in his dreams.
To Harry, the entire duel was a long a distorted haze, an exchange of meaningless words.
Until the moment he heard his name called behind him.
He turned around to see Draco. His usually pallid face was tinted with blush from anger, embarrassment, fear, and pain.
Behind Harry, Voldemort raised his arm, as he had in the dream Harry had with Windsler. Draco's eyes darted from Harry to his father to Lord Voldemort.
Harry's emerald eyes saw a bright flash of green, he heard voices but couldn't understand what they meant and then the last thing he remembered was feeling his head connect with the grass beneath him.
-- End of Chapter Twenty-Two --