Hulllo!
Well...I was gonna have this one wait a bit before I bestowed it upon you, but since I found out I got no school today, therefore giving me a whole weekend to study for my exam, I'm in generous spirits. Lucky you. ::grins:: LOTS happens in this chapter. Like the title says, "Closure of the Prophecy". Will Harry fulfill the prophecy? Will Harry subcumb to Moldymort's evil whims? Will Skye betray them all? Will Jimmy finally die because of skittles-07's negative vibes? Will Emerin ever shut up and get on with the chapter?....
skittles-07: ::arches brow:: train tracks, huh? Hmm. I'm happy you liked that chapter. I put alot into it. Well...the whole story, really, but the entire battle scene in particular. I must've spent WEEKS preparing and plotting it out properly. I have to say, of all the things I've written, the cave scene with Harry, Jimmy and Ol' Voldy was my FAVORITE. I dunno why. I guess its cause its so epic. But enjoy all the Jimmy torturing you morbid synicist. Jimmy SUUUURE does get his arse whomped in this one.
HoofsTails Gal: I'm hurrying I'm hurrying! Don't die! I don't have the money for the law suit!
Shinji-Higurashi: You were gonna hunt me down?...Whew...Glad I convinced you not to. I have alot of tests coming up and I can't miss class to get pummeled. So, glad you liked Path of Destiny, glad you like Closure of the Prophecy and glad you're intelligent enough to realize there's a trequel. =) As for "one of the worst cliffhanger i have seen ", allow me to respond in the following manner...Ahem.....MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!
pirate grlEe: Allow me to repeat my response for leaving a cliffie in the following manner..... Ahem.....MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!
A/N:Incase you haven't caught on , dialogue in italics are Parseltongue.
Jimmy slumped into a heap of robes, struggling to keep his head clear through all the pounding. Muffled voices broke through the fog he had found himself in, bringing him back to the situation with a violent jolt.
"EXPELLIARMUS!"
"STUPEFY!"
Harry scrambled aside, narrowly missing the jet of light threatening to deem him immobile. He jerked his head up, his hair flying into his eyes as he scanned the room for his attacker.
"Crucio!"
Jimmy felt his back arch past its bending point as his body struggled to escape the pain burning from inside him. Every molecule was grappling to break free from his skin as he writhed around the cold stone floor.
"Don't you dare move, Potter!" Voldemort spat between breaths.
Harry froze mid stance, his wand poised at his side. His brother's scream ringed in his ears, making his skin crawl and a growl escape his throat. He chanced a look away from the cat-eyed sorcerer to see his twin crumpled motionless on the ground. Harry's stomach gave an almighty lurch as he mentally willed Jimmy to move, stir, anything that would let him know he was alright. As if the boy heard him, Jimmy rolled over with a heart-wrenching groan, Harry unmistakably hearing how much of pain was contained in that basic motion.
"My my, sssuch a ssstrong will." The dark man said with a smirk, circling the fallen Potter like a predator about to devour its prey.
"Let him alone!"
Voldemort cackled," The fun has only just begun my dear boy." He peered down with utter distain at the struggling teenager at his feet. So alike and so familiar. Unable to control his disgust, the man jerked out his foot colliding it with Jimmy's ribs. The grunt was most satisfying."Poor Potter. What a life you have led."
Harry could feel his blood boiling, making his entire body one giant livewire. He was just standing here, watching his brother take that abuse. But if he tried to move, Voldemort would just kill him and then what good would he be to Jimmy? When an oppurtunity arose, he'd take it, no hesitation.
"Jamesss, Jamesss," Voldemort clucked his tongue as he traced invisible circles above Jimmy's body with the tip of his wand." I can feel your anger..But itsss not asss interesssting asss what elssse I sssee..."
Jimmy coughed, feeling blood trickle over his lips. He jerked his chin savagely away as Voldemort gingerly turned it upwards. Though the simple movement caused so much pain, he couldn't stand being touched by those icy cold fingers a second longer.
"I know your passst, Jamesss. I know it ssso well, for it would've been my own had I not taken mattersss into my own handsss... The orphanage," Jimmy kept his eyes glued on the cobblestone ground, using all of his strength to get to all fours." The lonelinessss. The pain...Oh, Jamesss, sssuch a pitiful childhood, indeed."
"Shut up!" Harry bellowed, his hands vibrating into fists.
"They abandoned you, Jamesss. They left you for dead." Voldemort pressed on, his gaze focused solely on the trembling boy slowly working his way to his feet."Do you think they actually wanted you? You appeared, ssso of courssse they took you in. What elssse could thossse do-goodersss do? Turn you away? But I know you saw the situation for what it wasss..You're a sssmart lad. You knew what really happened; They took you in becaussse they were obligated to do it. No one goes against the wishes of Harry Potter. Do they? Harry Potter wantsss a brother, he getsss a brother. You sssaw that and you ssstill sssee it."
Harry flicked his eyes to Jimmy. He was still on all fours, panting hard, tears splattering on the filthy stone floor. Harry didn't dare believe..." No..No, that can't be."
"Itsss true, isssn't it? You never belonged here, with THEM," Voldemort jerked his chin at a dismayed Harry." You know itsss true. You know it, Jamesss."
"Stop it!" Jimmy cried through clenched teeth,squeezing his eyes shut.
"You don't belong to thisss life. You're jussst extra baggage and they all know it. But no one defiesss the great Harry Potter."
"Shut up! You're wrong! You're wrong!"
The old man's eyes flashed," Ssso you sssay thatsss not how you felt all thossse monthsss? All thossse argumentsss were for fun? All thossse long nightsss, crying? All that resssentment? It wasssn't to ssspite thisss life they forced upon you? "
"Its not like that! H-harry gave me a life! He's my family!" Jimmy croaked, trying desperately to control the horrible convulsions quaking his body.
"What family tearsss you away from all you've known jussst to ssstick you in sssomebody elsssse'sss ssshadow?"
"He didn't mean it! He meant all for the best!" Jimmy groaned miserably.
"YOU'RE SSSECOND BESSST TO HIM! AND YOU KNOW ITSSS TRUE!"
"I'm not second best!"
Voldemort rounded on him, glaring down with red hot fury.His patience was defintely running thin,"You're sssecond best, thatsss why they ssshipped you off to the Americasss without another thought. Thatsss why you lived alone and never once trusssted anyone.Thatsss why you're willing to die for your brother. You think by dying a heroic death, atleassst you would get some recognition outssside the Potter fame."
"Stop it! STOP IT!"
"Itsss the truth!"
"FINE! FINE! ITS TRUE! ITS TRUE!" Jimmy wailed, his hands embedded in his thoroughly mussed hair." I hated moving away! I hated proving to everyone that I was something big and grand, JUST because I was a fucking Potter! I hated living everyday in Harry's shadow, knowing I'd never be anything greater than what he is! Knowing I'd never get a chance for myself because he was my brother! Knowing that he'd always be better than me!..I hate my life! I HATE MY LIFE!"
Harry stumbled back, releasing a breath he didnt know he was holding. Jimmy's words echoed off the dense stone walls, drumming their way deep into his mind.
Voldemort merely smiled icily," My dear dear Jamesss...Honesssty doesssn't become you. But sssince you were ssso cooperative in admiting that horrible disssplay of emotion, I'll give you a gift. A very ssspecial gift, mind you.One of which I wasss adamantly pursssuing thessse passst monthsss, JUSSST for you."
Harry had made to move foward, but suddenly found his feet firmly planted to the ground.
"Stay put, Mr. Potter. I have a feeling you will mossst enjoy thisss," The dark lord snickered at him. Then he turned to Jimmy, not noticing the boy's shoulders heaving up and down." I will make you equal, Jamesss. All that once made your cherissshed brother particular, will be no more. For what ssstood him out from any other boy, will sssoon be yoursss."
Jimmy's face was again yanked viciously up, his tears on full display. Despite the flush that arose from being caught crying, Jimmy summoned up his hate and spat violently into the man's face.
Voldemort flinched, throwing the boy aside," H-how..DARE you!" He sputtered."I will make sssure you are twinsss, in EVERY assspect. You will die with the very mark that gave your dear brother his fame!" Muttering a spell, Voldemort winced as a fresh cut slashed across his palm. Before he knew it, Jimmy had the dark wizard's hand pressed to his forehead.
In a brilliant flash of light, Jimmy could hear nothing but a faint jumble of words uttered from the wizard's mouth. His forehead suddenly burst into fire, a slicing pain driving its way all the way to the grey matter inside.He didn't remember if he screamed or not, he supposed it didn't really matter. All that was important were the flames on his skin and the fact that Voldemort was producing them. Just as he thought he could take no more, the burning stopped, letting him sag back to the floor. His mind was swimming as he slowly felt nerves returning to his limbs. Everything tingled and throbbed and he was vaguely aware of someone yelling. Something warm trickled it way down the side of his face, dripping across his lips. Pressing his mouth together, the metallic taste that hit his senses was unmistakble: blood. Reaching up in a daze, his fingertips brushed across a fresh wound that hadn't been caused by the stone floor or falling. He traced the deep incision, despite the awful stinging, and felt as if he were slapped. His lips parted as he took in heavier breaths. No..God, no, please...
"JIMMY! What did you do, you bastard! What did you do!?"
Voldemort observed the teen with amusement as he swayed from side to side, obviously aware of precisely what was on his forehead, but unable to voice it. He almost felt regret for having to destroy such an intelligent creature." Happy now, Jamesss? You are now the exact equal of your brother."
Harry didn't want to believe. If he could get closer, he could see. As if his thoughts were answered, his feet gave way and he was instantly scrambling to Jimmy's side. He gathered his brother up, guiding the boy's hand away from the cut on his skin. Harry's heart couldn't help but leap into his throat, or his stomach clenching in disgust. For there, deeply sliced into Jimmy's delicate flesh, was an exact replica of his own lightning bolt scar. This one bled profusely and was off to the right , but it was still the same. No, not for the same reasons, but it was still there, taunting Harry into a silent rage.
"Quaint, isssn't it? I had been sssearching for the perfect ssspell that would both sssuit my needs and replicate the affectsss of our sssecond encounter. Naturally, I found it and reformed it for thisss exact purpossse. He isss binded to me now, blood and sssoul. Hisss life isss mine, and mine isss hisss. And I assssure you, Harry, it will be painful for the ressst of hisss life."
Harry felt himself shaking as he continued to stare at the terrible atrocesity that stood out like a beacon on his brother's forehead. How dare he be this damn casual. How DARE he! But Harry knew he was at a stalemate. The Dark Lord knew him, inside and out. He knew Harry's weaknesses and exploited them for all they were worth...Like this. By binding himself to Jimmy, Voldemort knew he was safe from Harry's wrath, for no way would the great and noble Harry Potter ever DREAM of sacrificing his beloved brother... Even if it meant allowing pure evil to live as well.
"Now that I have you both, I will rid myself of your exissstence once and for all!" The man exclaimed, and from a corner of the room Harry hadn't noticed before, came a rustle of fabric.
What was left in Harry's lungs left him as he seemed to be taken right back to his fifth year.The scene flashed before his eyes like a broken home projector. A memory of the Ministry...
- - - -
The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.
The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.
Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore turned to the dais too.
It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch...
"SIRIUS!" Harry yelled. "SIRIUS!"
- - - -
"Sirius!"
Voldemort chuckled throatily," Ah, ssso I sssee you remember it. Good. How perfect a fate you have, Harry, that now the thing that killed your Godfather, will now ssseal your own doom."
Harry couldn't breath, and he didn't know if he wanted to at the moment. For there it was, like a charred remnant of waring days.He wasn't even aware of the strangled words he whispered out, "The veil."
"Yesss.Look upon your dessstiny. For thisss time will live in infamy; The day I killed Harry Potter."
He could only shake his head. Somewhere in his thoughts, he knew. He knew it was coming, but he didn't realize just how hard it would be. To see the thing that stripped him of the only family he had ever known.
"I will give you thisss, and only thisss. If you give up now and walk through that archway, I will ssspare your brother'sss life and allow him to exissst under my daughter'sss care." Voldemort said." But I warn you, I only offer thisss once. Passss it up, and you will regret it. One way or another, Potter, you're going through that veil. Whether your brother'sss life asss well asss thossse of your friend'sss are ssspared isss completely up to you."
"Your offer is no good to me," Harry hissed." How do I know you won't very well kill Jimmy as soon as I'm gone?"
Voldemort smirked slowly," You don't, do you?"
Harry held his twin closer against him, almost making Jimmy's tremblings his own.
"Your brother isss an assssest I dare not passss up. For if you continue to resssissst me, I will make sssure he isss under the Imperiousss for the ressst of hisss life, my daughter'sss love or not. He WILL be the heir to my glorious reign. Jamesss Potter will be no more, and only hisss ssscar will be whatsss left of a once naive passst...Do not leave your brother to sssuch a fate. He needsss not have to suffer. Nor you." Voldemort dropped his voice to a chilling hum," Sssubcumb to the inevitable. We're all sssurprisssed that you've come thisss far, but give up now.You can not win."
Harry could feel tears welling in his eyes, obscuring his vision. If he gave in, walked through that veil, it'd be over. Voldemort would win. But Jimmy would be promised survival, and surely Skye would see to it that he was safe. Skye would do all in her power to keep Jimmy away from the bleak destruction the world now faced. But..Harry's friends would fall... Ron... Hagrid... Draco... The Weasleys... Hermione... They'd all die.
If Harry gave up willingly, there'd be no chance for them, for the words of the Prophecy clearly stated HE was the only one who could defeat the Dark Lord. Surely he wasn't considering this?...Was he? Jimmy or a risk?
Family or everyone else?
The Prophecy or chance?
"D-don't..."
Harry looked down quickly, seeing shimmering emerald eyes staring back into his. A hand laced its way into his and held on incredibly weakly.
"Don't give up, Harry," Jimmy mumbled through bloodied lips."You're the savior...You're the only hope."
"I can't, Jim...I can't let you die..." Harry replied sadly.
Jimmy shook his head, obviously taking more energy than he had to spare, "I wasn't lying when I said I'd die for you... I have faith in you, Harry. Don't give up."
"Ssso what will it be?"
Harry held his brother's aggressive gaze a moment longer, summoning from it all the resolve and determination he would ever need. Sharply, he turned to the Dark Lord, " Never."
He sneered," You disssappoint me, boy....AVADA-"
Harry suddenly threw himself over his brother, shielding him from the oncoming words. All he could think was ' Not like this, not so soon.'
A flash of green light did indeed burn through the black of his eye lids, and he felt the icy chill of death sweep over him. He cringed. Wait...I...CRINGED?
Harry popped open his eyes, utterly shocked he was able to do so. Surely he should be dead by now. Looking up, he could see the same look of bewilderment on Voldemort's own palid features.
Now was it. Leaping to his feet, taking advantage of the Dark Lord's lowered wand and glazed expression, Harry lunged forward plowing straight into the older man's gangly body. It didn't take much to shove him backwards, the fact that his limbs were like willow branches making Harry's thrust launch him further back than any normal human being. But Harry knew that wouldn't immobilize him for long. He closed the distance between him and the quickly recovering conjurer, his teeth grinding against eachother painfully with his rapidly surfacing rage.
Voldemort was on his feet in no time, his wand already whipping to chest height. Harry had little time to react as he rose his own hand and was appaled to realize nothing was in it. He spun around, seeing his wand lying uselessly where he had dropped it after shoving the Dark Lord. Harry exhaled shakily turning to face the evil wizard, resenting the glint of triumph in his crimson gaze. He felt the cool tip of wood touch his throat, could see words leaving the man's lips. He was vaguely aware of a small voice whispering through his thoughts' Use it. Its right there. Use it'.
Before he realized what he was doing, Harry's hand plunged into his pocket and wrapped around cool metal. The next moment, Harry was glaring into thoroughly horrified red eyes. Warm liquid gushed over his fist as he pushed in deeper, ripping a strangled gasp from the aghast wizard. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was aware of another strangled scream. Of someone else suffering. But it was too late to go back now.
He gave his hand one last twist, Voldemort crying out as his hands flailed about, trying to grasp onto something. Suddenly, Harry felt himself lurching forward, a panoramic view of tattered fabric fluttering around himself and the dying Dark Lord's body.
Harry wildly reached out, his hand barely grasping hold before he surely would've fallen. Head peeking out, Harry finally came to his senses and realized what was happening. Somehow, some way, Harry and Voldemort had walked backwards and stumbled through The Veil. Harry could distinctly feel the man's hands clutching the front of his shirt for dear life, Harry's other hand continuously being drenched in thick blood.
Something cool suddenly touched the edges of Harry's mind, and it was slowly working its way deeper. Soon, Harry could feel the iciness creeping its way down his spine and throughout his body, saturating his every cell with..with...Nothing.
Harry was being sucked up into nothingness. No pain. No worry. No happiness. Just..nothing. Voldemort's hand clutched harder, bringing Harry further into the veil. His head was inches from being consumed behind that musty smelling fabric, and he was scared to find that he didn't very much care. What was nothing but a nice vacation? No being hassled for a feat he didn't remember. No living in fear. No loneliness, no emptiness. Everyone would be alright, for he did what he was destined to do. What would anyone know if he just let go? Give into this defeaning nothing? He would be able to exist forevermore without another care in the world. He wouldn't have to even worry about the world. He did what he set out to do, right? Why not let go?
As if his very destiny was suddenly graced with a voice, it trickled into his conscious. He knew its sound, though it never spoke before. A beautiful rich melody that thawed the frozen corners of his being. It leaked words of hope, of faith, of family, straight into his blood, making his thoughts come alive again.
He didn't want this...He didn't want to live in nothing. He wanted to be beaten at chess again by Ron. He wanted to be nagged into studying by Hermione. He wanted to see the look of both resentment and satisfaction on Draco's face when Harry clobbered him at Quidditch. He wanted to apologize to Jimmy for never knowing about him. He wanted to grow up.He wanted to live out his dreams and watch himself grow alongside his friends.
But most of all, he wanted to prove that he wasn't weak. He wanted to live. For all of those who died in this war, he wanted to live. For them. For his mother, Lily. For his father, James. For Cienna...For Sirius...Sirius.
A burst of heat instantly raged inside Harry's gut. He didn't want to die. He wanted to laugh and fly and cry and love. He wanted Sirius and his parents to be proud of him.
"No...Sirius..Sirius, help me!"
Harry screwed up his eyes, using all his strength to struggle backwards. A light breeze feathered over his hand still embedded in Voldemort's gut, easing it to let go.
"Sirius..Sirius, help..."
The only father he ever knew.
"Sirius..."
The sound of cloth ripping reached Harry's ears and before he knew it, the hands that were once wrapped around his shirt were now gone, but so was the dagger in his fist. Harry faltered from the lack of anchorage briefly, and bit down hard as a sharp pain lashed up his side. His hand reclosed on fabric as he used all his weight to lean backwards.Harry came tumbling out, his senses in a state of disarray. Hands quickly grasped underneath his arms and drug him back a foot or two as he watched the ancient archway slowly plummet backwards, scattering jagged pieces everywhere as it contacted with the hard floor.
Harry allowed his lungs to get reaquinted with breath before his wits returned to him. Like a lightswitch flicked on he spun around to see Jimmy passed out beneath him, pools of blood drenching his robes, apparently spent from his very last ounce of energy. But there was pressure on his legs that Harry barely now noticed. An unnerving dread shot up his back as he quickly looked down to see a body lying lifeless over his knees. Robes that covered it, though battered, hid the figure of what it was. With a trembling hand, Harry reached forward and gingerly pushed aside the folds of black cloth.
A head full of perfect silkly coal hair spilled from the cloak. Harry's heart stopped as breath caught in his throat. It couldn't be...
The head slowly lifted revealing a worn but vaguely handsome face that peered up at Harry with clouded black eyes. "H-harry...?"
Chills spread over his body at the familiar husky voice. Tears immediately sprung to his eyes as he couldn't help the sobs that overtook him then. "Sirius."
The man managed an obscure smile before falling into unconsciousness. Harry looked around him, registering that he was the only moving being in the room now. Through a reeling head, Harry rose to his feet and recovered his wand. Conjuring three stretchers, Harry led Jimmy, Skye and Sirius out of the room and through the cave, a hazy sense of closure seeping into his thoughts. Though body beat and battered, he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he met with a chorus of screams and shouts of joy as he exited the front entrance of the caverns. Through the tight embraces and joyful thuds on the back from his friends, Harry exhaled to himself, letting his mind let go and finally mutter the words he'd been longing to say for years.
'Its over ...and I won.'
WEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Don't worry folks. Another chapter is on its way!
A/N: For those of you wondering "What the FUCK happened to Jimmy?" (Since I know just SO many of you worry for his well being), I'm just gonna briefly sum up what Moldymort did to him. Voldy performed a Blood Bond Ritual. Its a spell that binds you magically to another person. Its kinda like what Harry and Voldy have, but not for the same reasons. Harry's bond was made from a blood sacrifice created out of love, whereas Moldy just wanted to cover his bases.Anyways, Voldy and Jimmy now share eachother's life-force. Don't worry, I'll go over it in the next chapter. Yanno how Dumbledore just seems to have ALL the friggin answers to everything...The old geezer...
-Emerin