Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and neither all the other characters. Most of them are JK Rowling's property. I'm just using them in a plot using the figments of my imagination. So please don't sue me for using these characters.

A/N : Finally I got this chapter done. It took me sooooo long. I realized that as much as I love to read angst, writing angst is just not my bid. I had re-write several portions of this chapter a multiple number of times. So I wrote the largest chapter so far; 8700 words. Hope you enjoy it.I tried to take out the actual feeling, tried to make the conversations and the dialogues so that they appear life like. I hope I didn't overdo it as that might result in an extremely boring chapter.

Also I have been extremely busy lately. College is just about to start, and most o my friends from school are leaving the city to go o other colleges (India is a big country). It will be quite a long time since I see them again; so I have to hang out with them a lot nowadays. That's another reason why it took so long. Compounded by the fact that I lack a beta now, and also of the fact that I made a terrible mistake in the last chapter (confusing Henry with Harry) I looked through this chapter more carefully so that any other typos doesn't slip by.

I am extremely sorry for the typos in the last chapter. I changed it the moment I got wind of it. Also I can't believe that some of you guys believed that Harry is dead. A dead Harry would automatically mean that the story was over. I know it was a cool way to die; but still, come on people you can think better than that.

Also some of you have wrote that I got some of the ideas from Draco664's 'Betrayal of the Best Kind'. It's true though. The part when he's jumping off the cliff is from that fic. You can read it anytime ou like it. It is one of the coolest HP/CC fics around. Rest assured that I had his permission before I proceeded to write that particular event. So don't bother about that. Also that's the only part that I took from his fic and nothing else.

Lastly, a big hug to all my reviewers. You guys are the coolest man.

Kaiser Magnaman : Thanx for the review man.

HarryPotterFan17 : Did you actually think that I would kill Harry. Then the story would end prematurely. And I apologise again for not correcting that particular error. I changed it on the first opportunity.

doc : you are right. I borrowed his idea. I of course used his permission before using it. So don't fret on it.

SlytherinDamian : Thankx man, the reviews mean a lot to me. Glad you enjoyed it.

vanillacoke : no, that's not the end. Of course that's not the end. You would know when the end is near and it is no time is no time soon. And any chance that you are an Indian?

Conz : I'm getting tired of telling people that this is not the end. Anyways thanx for the review though. Glad you liked it.

gaul1 : you should find your answer in this chappie.

Angel3ve : Yeah, glad that I left you hanging for more. Hope you like this chapter though.

AutumnKate: Did you guess correctly? Tell me about it. I hope I didn't get predictable though. I am extremely sorry though as I missed that single point where I wrote 'Harry looked at Harry'. I changed it on the first opportunity that I got. I hope I don't make such mistakes in the future.

Ravenway : Thankx for the review though. Yeah, you were one of the clever guys, who happened to figure it out. Of course Harry wouldn't be dead. This is a Harry Potter fic right? You have spoken like a true Ravenclaw.

Aberforth Dumbledore : Thankx for the review. I know it was kinda boring from the kid's point of view so that's why I fast forwarded a bit. And changed gears to the story. Hope you like this chapter. It's definitely going to be a Harry/Cho fic but you will find your answer to the last part in this chapter.

SerpentClara : You guys are quite intelligent. I had a nice trick put up his sleeve. That's how he escaped. That's all I'm saying here. Read the chapter to find out the entire stuff.

Chaotic-Lord : Glad you liked that. Yeah I loved writing that a lot. I really liked writing that death as much as you loved to read it.

Zevrillion : Glad you liked it. Its gives me an enthusiasm to get going. To think of that a guy loved the story, keeps me going. Keep reading.

Stabler : Thankx for the review man. You are right though. I actually borrowed the last part from 'Betrayal of the best kind' by Draco664. read it if you like. It is an all time great HP/CC dark Harry story. It's damn cool.

Charisma : Thankx for the review man, hope u like this chapter though.

Remember R/R.

The One He Feared Most

Harry felt mixed and confused amongst in his emotions. He felt bitter. They didn't believe a single word he spoke. Everyone thought he was a raving lunatic. He felt devastated. His darling had abandoned him. Only his best mate, Ronald and his loyal friend Neville had been there to support him. But even then they only didn't want Dumbledore to curse him. They were no doubt convinced of his guilt. He couldn't believe that everybody he known had turned their backs to him. He had felt that once he showed himself to the world then realisation might just sink in the minds of Cho and his closest friends. But he was wrong. He was drastically wrong.

They had all betrayed him.

'Why? Why did they do this? He had been there looking after their welfare all the year and they repay in this fashion?' he thought.

Hermione.

'He had saved her children from those dangerous death eaters single handedly and what did he get as a reward? Oh yeah!!! She drinks some Polyjuice potion and takes the appearance of Cho and betrays him. She sells him off to Dumbledore. The nasty sneak. That bitch.' He thought.

He expected Dumbledore to be at least that much decent enough to respect his privacy but no, that stupid bastard had tricked him. He felt deceived, cheated. His thoughts about Dumbledore were of a despicable nature. He felt a strange surge of hatred for him.

He felt low now and violated.

'Why did all this happen to him? Why him? Wasn't he entitled to a normal life like any other person? Why did everything happen to him?' he thought.

He cursed himself. He felt himself as a source of ill luck.

'Why did it have to happen to him?'

He felt depressed. Everybody felt that he was the death eater and the dark lord. No one bothered to hear his story. No one. He had hoped that at least Cho would listen to his tale, but she had refused. She probably thought he was the sick bastard too. But why? She was muttering my name that day at the bar. She had to have some feelings for him. He distinctly remembered her moaning with her eyes closed. She was probably going through the best moments of her miserable life.

He only felt enormous hatred for her.

'The slut, she sure had a nice time with me.'

He had trusted Cho and she had betrayed his trust. He had written her the letter hoping that she would believe in him. But the bottom line was that she had been knee deep in this. Probably attached with Dumbledore; right to the hips. He felt disgusted, as if he had been anticipated.

'I thought she loved me, but no, that was not to be, was it?'

She kissed my ass off.

'Darn the bitch will pay for everything she had done to me. I'm going to give her a piece of my mind. The whore, how dare she do this to me? And Granger, I'll give her a message personally that she won't forget.'

He closed his eyes and hot anguished drops of salt flowed through his eyes. He tried to control himself, but in vain. The more he tried to muffle his sobs the louder he cried. He finally gave up trying to stop to cry. Instead he burst out. His face became very moist with all the tears. He cried and cried until he felt his eyes couldn't produce tears anymore. He had out cried himself. He had no tears left to spare.

"So dies Harry Potter – the Boy – Who – Lived. From today onwards there is going to be only one Harry Potter, Harry Potter the Dark Lord."

Then oblivious to the fact that his face was still wet his tears he started laughing. An odd maniacal laughter that didn't suit his voice at all, escaped his throat.

Ron sat with his head rested in his knees. He sat there silently in his office. Tears were still streaming down his face. He didn't care for that. All those were oblivious to him at that moment. His mind was still on a wizard who had given up his life earlier that night. He felt bitter and his heart felt as though someone had steamrolled it. His mind was torn with the fact that his best friend had left the world forever.

Another rush of tears flowed through his eyes. His best friend, his best buddy was no more. He couldn't forgive himself. He was the reason that he was dead. His wife, his soul mate had betrayed him. Harry considered both of them to be his best friends. He had always confided all his secrets to them. He had trusted him all his life. Yet he was responsible for his misery. It was him and his family. He knew his dad could have arranged a trial for him when he was caught in the first place. Even if Dumbledore was against him, he had the authority to do it. But he didn't, because his youngest son hadn't recommended him. He recalled that he had believed the lying scumbag. Yet, tonight Dumbledore had intended to curse Harry to oblivion, and his wife knew it. She knew what she was doing and she had intended it. She wanted Harry to be cursed for all eternity.

'How could she? How could she even think about it? She was also deep into this along with him. How could she have the heart to do it?' he thought.

He felt bitter, betrayed. Harry was gone, and he felt as if a part of him had died with him as well. His eyes let down another stream of hot tears. Thinking about him made his heart weak. It was his entire fault. He did it all for them. He did it all for their peace. And what did they repay him with? A life sentence in Azkaban. That seemed fair to all the members of the Wizengamot.

'Yeah, save the day and get a life sentence as your reward.' he thought bitterly.

The green-eyed boy; who changed the whole world for them for the better. He recalled meeting up with his best mate the first time on board the Hogwarts Express. He had asked him about his scar. He had goggled at him just like people at the zoo. Another stream of tears rushed through his eyes. His brain went on rewind as all his days at Hogwarts came zooming back in his memories. All the time they had been together. He recalled the three of them trying to save the Philosopher's Stone. He remembered Harry saving his little sister, Ginny from the clutches of Tom Riddle. He recalled the three of them in the Shrieking Shack helping Sirius Black claim his innocence. He remembered all the time he had spent with them looking for spells that would've assisted Harry in the Triwizard Cup. His mind went back to the days at the secret DA sessions; the fateful night at the Department of Mysteries. All those memories started to haunt him about his beloved friend who was no more.

He thought that his family might have considered him as a threat but deep within he always believed Harry. He always thought that Harry hadn't committed those murders. He knew however he tried to scare the Weasleys, he would never harm them. Yet he didn't even had comprehended the loneliness that Harry must have felt without their company all these years. Rotting away in a cell in Azkaban, loosing his sane mind slowly. He couldn't bring himself up to think of the pain in Harry's mind as his best friends at Hogwarts had betrayed him. He felt sick at the thought that he had been enjoying his life as his best friend had pined away forgotten by all, forsaken by his friends, cursed by his enemies as his life had rotted away. He had been barely recognizable as the handsome boy who had been Head Boy at Hogwarts. They had betrayed him. He must have thought that they wanted to see him dead. He couldn't bear to think of the pain in Harry's heart as he had committed suicide.

He didn't look up when the doors of his office opened. He didn't notice that his wife had entered the office and placed a silencing charm on the room. He continued to dwell to his misery. Sobbing away in his grief. Mourning the death of his best friend.

"Ron, I'm so sorry. I never intended to end it this way."

"No, you didn't. You knew all along what was going to be Harry's fate. You agreed to take the Polyjuice potion. I don't think anybody would have agreed to take it, either. You sealed his fate. You effectively killed him Hermione. YOU KILLED HIM. YOU KILLED HIM. Because of Dumbledore's fucking plan my best mate is dead. His body lying deep in the ocean beds, I hope you are happy Hermione, because I don't think Harry will ever be able to Rest In Peace."

"I didn't Ron. I didn't know he was going to be so harsh. I don't think anybody deserves that curse, least of all Harry."

Ron shrugged nonchalantly.

"Why 'Mione? Why did you do it? He didn't deserve to die like this. He was our friend. He was our best friend, our common friend. Why? Why did you do it? I feel like a murderer you know that. I feel that I'm responsible. You agreed with Dumbledore and you sealed the fate of my mate." His eyes glistened with tears. He couldn't look up to his wife's face as he spoke to her. He was so grief struck.

"Ron I swear I didn't know anything about it. I wouldn't have agreed upon any such circumstance. You know that. Ron, look at me."

She touched his chin and brought his face up to her face and saw that his face was patched up severely. His cheeks were shrivelled up with dry tears. His eyes were still wet, and were overflowing with the same salty liquid. She couldn't bear that look on his eyes. She flung her arms around him and hid her face in his shoulders. That was the last straw for her. His face told the entire story. She had been desperately trying to hide her tears. But that sight changed everything. She broke down completely. She started to howl with grief. Ron also broke down. The couple hugged each other tightly and embraced each other in the moment of grief. Hermione soaked Ron's robes with her tears and Ron returned the favour.

They continued to weep and clutched to each other in an attempt to relieve each other from the pain. For a long time neither of them spoke as they continued to deal with their grief mutually. Finally Ron broke the silence.

"I think it's time Dumbledore gave us some answers. Let's go 'Mione."

Hermione got up and wiped out the tears from his eyes and nodded. They held their hands together as they slowly led out from Ron's office.

Cho looked out through the window. Her eyes focussed on the faraway cliffs of Hogsmeade. In the dark shadows of the night, she couldn't make out anything. Let alone recognising anyone. Was he there? Had he arrived? Was he waiting for her? Did he know the trap that had been set up for him? The deadly trap which threatened to destroy him completely. He didn't!!! How could he know? But he was skilled at Occlumency. He could read minds. Surely he'll be able to see through the trick of Dumbledore. He'll won't he? She felt he would. He knew more magic than anyone, maybe even You-Know-Who. But a small voice at the back of her mind kept nagging her. It told her that somehow things were not going to work out for him.

'Stop it!!! Don't think like that. He'll pull through this. He has pulled past you-know-who before. He had defeated him. This won't be any matter to him.' she scolded herself for thinking pessimistically.

She continued to look through the window hoping against hope that she'd get a glimpse of something that was going on in the cliff. But to her vain she saw nothing. She tried to keep her eyes open but somehow the dulcet atmospheric conditions brought about a 'wondrous heavy' situation. She struggled to keep her eyes open as she felt the drowsy conditions getting to him.

'Stop it!!! Don't fall asleep. Harry is counting on you.' She scolded herself again for feeling sleepy.

But try as she might she couldn't stop from falling asleep. As she fell asleep lots of questions popped up inside her brain. She thought about what Dumbledore had told her yesterday. The fact that a certain Cho Chang would be there even if it wasn't her. She wondered who the decoy was. Also who was going to perform the deadly curse on Harry? All these questions filled her head as she drifted to her dreamland filled with questions. She didn't see the few sparks at the cliff around midnight. She didn't notice a certain person who ran towards the steep cliff and jumped off to a watery grave. She didn't hear the scream of a certain Ronald Weasley as his best friend jumped off the cliff. She remained there on the windowsill her eyes closed oblivious to the surroundings. She didn't wake when several figures started to trudge along towards Hogwarts. She didn't listen the soft sobbing of a certain group of people.

She didn't hear anything at all until there was a creak on the door of her quarters. She was woken from her stupor by the noise. She awoke with a jerk and gripped her wand tightly. She raised her wand and cautiously crept forward until her eyes fell upon the supposed intruder.

"Pro – Prof – Professor Dumbledore!!! Wha – Wha - What ha – ha – happened? Wh – Wh – Where is Ha – Ha – Harry?"

Dumbledore sighed and shrugged. His shoulders dropped.

'If only she knew. If only he knew what happened to Harry!!!' he thought.

"Cho, it didn't turn out as we expected. Harry had one last trick up his sleeve tat baffled us all."

"So, he escaped?" Cho said expectantly.

Her face had lit up for just a moment at the mention of the 'trick'. But it fell immediately on seeing the grave face of Dumbledore. He looked tired and worn out; as if a steamroller had crushed him under it.

"I'm afraid Miss Chang that it is not that simple. It has been a most eventful night. Harry did something, which has destroyed the hearts of many. He might have broken a lot of hearts in the process."

"He didn't kill anyone tonight, did he?" Cho asked fearfully.

"No, he didn't but he did something much different. Something, which we didn't comprehend."

"Well, he didn't get cursed. You said so. So, why are you making a long story out of it? Just tell me that he's safe."

"I can't tell you that, Cho."

"Why can't you?"

"It's because – it's because – um – "

He couldn't say it aloud. He just couldn't. She'd be devastated. She'd be destroyed.

"What are you not telling me?"

Dumbledore shrugged and his shoulders drooped in shame. He gave a loud audible sigh before voicing those dreaded words.

"Cho, when Harry was cornered tonight, Harry realised that being outnumbered by so many, he had no choice. A huge number already outnumbered him. O he decided to end everything on his own terms. He ran to the edge of the cliff and then before we could do anything he jumped off the cliff. I'm very sorry."

Cho stood there rooted on that spot. She couldn't believe her ears. She thought that she must have heard wrong. It couldn't be, not Harry; not her Harry. It was not possible. It didn't sound like Harry at all. She stood there dumbfounded lost for words. Her worst fears were confirmed. Harry was gone. She had the nagging thought that something untoward would be happening that night. But this was not untoward; to her this was catastrophic. She felt her legs grow weak. Suddenly she seemed to be very heavy for her legs to support her. Her legs gave way and she collapsed on the floor.

"Is – is he; is – is it there?"

"Alas, Cho. Harry didn't even leave his body. His body was washed away by the waves before we could recover it. He now lies in a watery grave. Somewhere in the dark abyss of the ocean lies the body of the finally defeated boy – who - lived."

"My God; how – how was this possible? Wh – Wha- What happened? Who went there in place of me?"

"Calm down, Cho. You cannot do anything that has changed. You have to stay strong and learn to live with it. It will be hard but you must stay strong. It is imperative that you stay strong. You understand?"

"What do you think that you are talking about? Do you have any idea how I'm feeling like now? Can you even comprehend the pain I'm in now? Do not speak about things that you don't know about. You don't know about love, so this doesn't allow you speaking about it. Please leave and leave me be." Cho fumed and glared at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore nodded and parted. But as soon as he parted all of Cho's anger and the cold glare melted. She sat there on the floor and felt her heart tear apart. The man that she loved; the only man that she loved is gone. He is gone forever. He had left her to pine away. He had take with him a long suffering with him. The more she thought about him, the more she cried. Her mind flew back at everything Harry had told her about him. He had never had true love. All his childhood he had been abused by his uncle and his cousin. At Hogwarts he had to go through so much. He had all the weight of the world on his shoulders. All the hopes of the world were pinned on his shoulders. He had then been sent off to Azkaban. A place where most people die of grief. He had survived and spent ten long years there, whereas the entire wizard in the world had led a normal life, their saviour had been left to rot in a solitary confinement cell in one of the most horrible places of the world.

'Poor Harry!!! He must have been in so much pain when he jumped off the cliff.' Cho thought.

No one had cared for him in all of those ten years. He had been living in his own forgotten and shunned by all. Marked as a death eater, he had living all those years in pain. Cho could only imagine the pain Harry was in. She closed her eyes and tried to put herself in Harry's footsteps and another drop of tear left her eyes. The pain, the pressure, and the expectations of millions looking up to you as their saviour were enormous; tears started to flow through her eyes now.

'I am so sorry, Harry. I let you own. I let you down. I betrayed your trust. It's all of my fault. I shouldn't have given Dumbledore the letter. Oh God what I've down!!! Harry, please forgive me. Please forgive me.' She spoke to herself.

Tears streaming down her cheeks. She stared at the window and gazed at the cliff located far away where her Harry breathed his last breaths. She stared out as more tears streamed out of her eyes. Her thoughts ran back on all that they had experienced together. How – how could this happen? She just sat there crying silently to herself oblivious to everything. All her thoughts focussed on a certain raven haired, green-eyed man with spectacles. She was lost in his thoughts. She was oblivious to everything except his thoughts on Harry. She didn't realize when she fell asleep in her exhaustion.

Ron and Hermione walked hand in hand towards Dumbledore's office. Ron looked furious. There were no signs on his face suggesting the fact that he had been sobbing uncontrollably a few minutes earlier. His face bore a sign of severe determination. Hermione was still sniffing. They walked briskly. Ron practically dragging her along the way. They reached the stone gargoyles and Ron didn't even bother saying the password. He flicked his wand at the gargoyles and blasted them out of the path. He was furious with Dumbledore. Maddened with grief his mind was on fire. He climbed the stairs three at a time even though the revolving staircase was going to lead him to the office eventually. He blasted the door of Dumbledore's office.

"DUMBLEDORE!!!! Show yourself you mother fucking bastard."

"Show your arse so I can blast you off to smithereens."

Ron continued to bellow.

"A remarkable entry Mr. Weasley, I must say. It's been a long time since there has been such a dramatic entry in my office."

"Shut the crap Dumbledore, you bastard and speak up."

He had raised his wand at one of the greatest wizards of all time. The wizard which was once his childhood hero; he had raised his wand against Albus Dumbledore.

"Tell me why did you put us against Harry? Speak up you bloody asshole. Speak up."

Ron was positively furious. He was burning with rage, grief and hatred. He wanted to hurt Dumbledore so bad. He didn't care how much hurt he got in return. All he knew that he wanted to inflict pain on Dumbledore right now.

"Ronald, you must understand the situation we are in now. It is a most precarious condition. I think you should listen first before you react."

"I bloody hell think not. He was my friend, the best among all. And you fucking asshole sold us off. His last thoughts about us were god dam pricks, and I don't blame him for that. Because if I was in his shoes; I would've thought the same."

"Ronald, listen to me. I had no choice. I was forced to do so by the Ministry. I was forced to do that because they ordered me too. I was very reluctant to do it, but I was forced."

"Then, you should've fucking refused them instead of obeying their fucking request like the fucking shit of garbage you are. You had no right to associate ourselves in this fucking mess. YOU HAD NO GOD DAM FUCKING RIGHT YOU FUCKING BASTARD."

"Yeah, you had no right."

A new voice spoke up. Neville Longbottom entered the room with a similar look of despair and determination on his face.

"That's right; now that we know that you were the miserable wimp behind this whole scheme, I feel that you at least deserve to tell us how you planned this fucking shit?"

"Yeah, we deserve a right to know!!!"

"Very, well!!!" Dumbledore sighed.

He started to tell them the entire scheme. How he had received a letter stating that the Proceaurian Charm on Harry as a last effort measure to stop him. How he had reluctantly agreed to it. He told them all about the letter Cho received that day at breakfast and his plan to get Cho up there so that Harry would be distracted enough not to put up any defences. He told them about contacting Hermione when Cho refused to cooperate with him. After he had told them all he paused.

"You mean to say that you would have done that curse in front of Cho, if you could?"

Dumbledore looked up at Hermione and nodded sadly.

"You bloody murderous bastard, how could you even think of it? How could you be so heartless? How could you be so ignorant of love? How could you do it? How could you even say it to her?"

"Love is not always strength. It is the strength to some and a weakness to others. We are in the midst of a war. And to win a war you need to use all your resources. You have to use your opponent's weaknesses. You have to strike them when they are least expecting you to attack. You have to strike where they are vulnerable. You have to put aside your emotions and use your mind. You must access through your brains and not your heart. As far as I'm concerned; I did a great sin on planning to use it on one of my past students but as far as using it against Harry Potter; I think I made the right choice…"

That was it. That was the last straw for Ron. Hermione had been straining to keep a hold on him throughout Dumbledore's speech but that was it. Neville too looked infuriated. He had a mad gleam in his eyes. His body felt on fire. His ears pounded the last few words that Dumbledore had just spoken of the only true friend that he had. To hell if he was his ex – Headmaster, all he wanted was to curse him to oblivion.

"AAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

Ron had thrown himself upon Dumbledore. The old man was taken by surprise. The younger red head had flung on top of him and was throwing whatever he could. Punches, kicks, scratches. Everything in his power, he felt the blood boil in his head. His heart pounded like it would burst out. His skin burned as if he would catch fire.

Neville had also joined the fray. He leapt in and assisted Ron in his mission. Dumbledore was too shocked to respond. He couldn't react to the strength of the two younger men. He got hit by them. There was a loud shriek from McGonagall and Hermione. But like Dumbledore they also were too shocked to respond. They kept shouting to stop the two men fighting, but remained oblivious to using their wands.

It took some while for Dumbledore to react to the situation, and finally he managed to take out his thick wand and managed to stun his two younger opponents. He got out from their grasp and then as Hermione and McGonagall managed to grab Ron and Neville he muttered the counter curse. The immediate reaction was too obvious for the two young wizards.

Ron growled and tried desperately to free himself from Hermione's grasp.

"Leave me Hermione. I wanna get him. He is the reason Harry is no more. Let me at him; I don't need a wand to kill him I can rip him apart with my own hands."

Neville was growling similarly. McGonagall had to use all her strength to refrain him from attacking Dumbledore. She panted from the effort and finally got the upper hand when she shouted at him.

"Mr. Longbottom, control yourself; analyse the situation. You must judge the situation with your mind and for once don't follow your heart. You have to learn that he didn't have any other choice. YOU – MUST –UNDERSTAND – THAT. You need to have full knowledge of the situation, before you react."

Neville immediately silenced from the lecture from his ex-Transfiguration professor.

Ron continued to growl but he too was silenced by a Hermione lecture.

"McGonagall is right Ron. Think with your brain, why would he do something like that?"

"Ask him that; the foul bastard."

SLAP!!!

"Ronald Weasley, control your tongue. You have spoken with a foul tongue for most of the evening. Now it must stop. Apologise now."

"Like hell I would. You may slap me but it doesn't change anything. He killed Harry and he knows that."

"Ron, please; think about it. Why would he do something about that? He must have a good reason for doing something like that."

Hermione was sounding hysterical right now. Tears were streaming from her eyes.

"I don't know? Ask him; he knows it all. Maybe he let you in that little secret of his. That's why you played the crucial part in that murder. Yes, Hermione I regard it as a murder. You helped him kill Harry, and that's all what I think about you now."

Ron looked furious. He stormed out of the room. His ears very red and his face crimson from his rage.

Hermione looked shocked and her eyes scanned the room. Then she broke down. She had enough of all this.

"Oh my God!!! Ron is correct. That was all he said before jumping off. He must have been so upset because of my reaction. He jumped because of me. I – I am to blame for it all. Oh what have I done!!!"

Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, it's my entire fault. I should have never asked you in this mission. It was too personal and painful for you. I am very sorry. I am truly extremely sorry. I – I just didn't have any other choice."

Hermione looked up at her headmaster and saw his eyes shimmer with a familiar salty fluid.

Ron sat near the Astronomy Tower. He kept to himself sobbing away all his pain and anguish at his recent loss. He felt dirty, contaminated by a old man. He felt like a murderer who had had betrayed and killed his best friend. He felt like the dirty man, Peter Pettigrew. He felt filthy. He looked up to see Neville Longbottom standing at the entrance.

"Ron, I am so sorry for you. I know how close you two were together. I know about your relationship. I know it must be hard for you, but remember what he told to us before he jumped away.

"He told us not to worry about him. And I think you should make it up with everyone to respect his memory. It was his will Ron. Respect his last wishes. He deserves at least that from us."

"But Neville, how can I sleep at night thinking that I was manipulated by a man for whom my best buddy committed suicide."

"I know its hard Ron, but you must do it. It's your only choice. I can feel the pain inside me, but you have to respect his wishes. That's the least we can do for him. He chose his own path. We have to follow him. Don't let his memory fade away Ron. All his life he had been subjugated to injustice. Don't let this happen to him again in his after life. Make up with Hermione. She loves you greatly. And remember what the Fat Friar always says, 'Forgive and forget'. Think about it Ron. Don't betray Harry's memory. Don't."

Neville embraced Ron and Ron finally broke down. All his pent up emotions and anguish dissolved. All his frustration changed to tears as he collapsed on Neville.

"Oh, Neville, we killed him. We killed him Neville. I killed him. I had the chance and the power to give him a trial but I was blind. I didn't do it. I was too blatant to believe anything that he told us. I didn't do anything as he was carted off to – to -. Oh, Neville…"

"I know Ron, I know how you feel. You can't change anything. What's done is done. Just try to remember him as a friend and what he did to save us. He did everything that he needed to do. He gave us his love, his respect, his care and eventually his life. He gave everything to us; try to remember him as a friend, a hero, a boy who gave everything to save us all."

It was too much for Neville. He also broke down. Hot tears started to stream through his eyes. He buried his face in his robes. The two friends remained in that position comforting the other in their moment of tragedy.

Harry closed his eyes as he tried to recall the event. He tried to recreate the situation in his mind.

"Pro-professor what are you going to do with him?" Ron spoke up frighteningly.

"Yeah, you told us that you were going to bring him back to Azkaban quietly." Neville voiced out.

"He's going to perform the Proceaurian Curse on me. In other words he's going to curse me for all eternity. It's going to destroy my soul, and let me live for an infinite period. Isn't that what you had in mind?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"No!!!" two pair of voices screamed across the room.

"We won't let you do that. He may be a criminal, but he's still our friend. And I'll stand by him and you'll have to get through my dead body if you're going to do that to him." Ron spoke and walked over to stand in front of Harry.

"I'm with Ron." Neville said and proceeded to do the same.

"Ron, Neville don't make this unnecessarily hard on yourself." Dumbledore spoke.

"Don't fret over a death eater, guys. Let the old crackpot do his pathetic job. Come to think of it I don't think that he'll be able to do it."

"No, Harry we'll fight for you. No one is going to put something like that on you as long as there is a single breath in my body."

"Ron I said to leave me alone. This is my fight. You don't have to risk your neck to save a death eater."

He stared at Ron sternly and Ron moved away. Neville followed suit.

"Dumbledore, can I speak some last words before you put that on me?

"Well, I have only one thing to speak about. Hermione why did you do this? I thought you were my friend but instead you turned out to be a backstabbing betrayer. You knew about my fate didn't you? Yet you agreed upon this. I'm really surprised at you. You sure have changed a lot. If you wanted me out of my way you could have told me that I was a pain in your arse. I would have left you alone. But it is too late or anything now. I have only one way open. Goodbye Neville, Ron; you have been great friends, the best a man can have. Adieu. Sorry Dumbledore but I prefer to end this in my terms."

Then he had nodded to his friends as a reassurance and had ran towards the cliff and he had jumped.

He had jumped.

He slowly remembered that particular event. What had been on his mind? He could've easily destroyed all of them, but somehow he had not done it. His rational thoughts had interrupted him from doing that.

'Why? Why had he not done it? What had stopped him from doing it? What? Did he still have feelings for them? Did he still care for them after everything that they had done to him?'

'But wait Ron and Neville had come to his aid. Yes, they had probably understood their mistakes. But Hermione, she had actually wanted him dead, destroyed, cursed for eternity.'

'She had said those words, didn't she?

"I hate you, Harry. I hate you for all the people that you killed. I hate you everything. I curse the day I met with you. I hope you would walk right out of my life. I hate you, I hate you."

'Yes, she had probably meant each and every one of those words. Yes, she was the reason he had jumped; definitely not Dumbledore. His hatred towards him had been at its peak at that moment. How he had wanted to kill him then right away! But he hadn't done it. Because of his friends attitude towards him; he had refrained from actually killing him. They didn't believe him, even after he had told the truth about everything that happened that night.'

His thoughts continued.

'What had happened after that? Oh yeah, I jumped off to cause more panic and pain in their lives. I had wanted to teach them a lesson.' He spoke to himself.

'He knew he had to time the stunt carefully. As the wind rushed through his hair, he looked at the fast approaching ground. The sharp rocks were closing in on him fast. He knew what he had to do. But he had to time him to perfection. In case someone was watching him pull off the stunt he had to do bluff them.

Ten feet… five feet… four… three… two… now, it was now or never. He waved his hand over the rocks and the rocks changed to a body; a body of a green-eyed wizard. He was about to hit the ground when he transformed to a golden phoenix. As he disappeared his tail feathers brushed the transfigured body, leaving a little magic on it; so that it reacted a little realistic like a corpse.'

'Yes, that's about what happened; he had arrived at the Riddle House next.'

'But nothing added up; why did Ron and Neville stand by him whereas his other best friend had been the prime reason why he had pulled off the sensational stunt. And what about Cho? He thought that she would believe him, had he been wrong to trust her? Why should she turn her back to him? She had been the sole reason why he risked so much. She had been dreaming about him all along. She still loved him didn't she? But why did she turn against him.'

"Oh, Cho!!! Why did you do it Cho? Why did you go against me?" he moaned softly.

His eyes filled with bitter tears. The tears streamed down his face.

'There can be only one explanation, Cho didn't believe me. But why, Cho?'

'Cho didn't come to meet him. Instead it was Hermione disguised as Cho. Why did that happen? If Cho didn't believe me, she could have personally have given him her message. She loved him. That's why she wasn't there.'

"Only one way to find…."

He froze. He had just experienced something that he hadn't experienced since his breakout. His stomach gave a lurch. He knew that feeling all too well. Voldemort was coming back. He transferred all his concentration to stop him but his mind was weak. He had been in tremendous mental pain and he couldn't stop him. He couldn't concentrate. He watched in dismay as the dark lord slowly gained control over his limbs.

"Finally, I'm out. You can't stop me now Potter. I'm now free. It's time to create some real mayhem, maybe kill that pathetic girl friend of yours."

The words escaped from Harry's mouth without his knowing it.

"Like hell you would. You won't lay a finger on her while I'm alive."

"You can't fight me this time Potter. No, I've waited for this moment for so long. Free at last from your shackles."

"AAAHHHHHHH"

"Stay away…"

"Get lost from me…."

"AAARRGGHHH"

"Go to hell…"

"It's very amusing you know; when a certain person keeps talking to himself."

"Draco, get away from here."

"Why Potter, afraid that the dark lord will return? Yes, Potter, I have figured everything out. You trapped the dark lord in your body, but tonight he'll rise and he'll destroy you once and forever."

"Draco, get away while the goings good. Go, before you are destroyed."

"Tsk, tsk Potter, you don't understand do you? I am here to watch the play. Guess what's my favourite scene? Watching you getting blasted off to smithereens by the dark lord. HA HA HA"

"AAAARRGGHHHH"

"Go, away…."

"Leave me you…."

"No, you are not going…."

"I said leave me…."

Harry was bent over on all fours. His head bent down.

His internal conflict continued a while after that. Draco watched with amusement as if it was a movie he was enjoying very much. But suddenly everything stopped. The wind stopped blowing. The candle burned slowly in the room, its flame standing steady. Draco stopped. He remained seated his breath hanging on. The only sound was coming from Harry; the sound being his ragged breathing as if he had ran a long race.

"Draco… Draco… are you my loyal…"

Harry didn't recognise his voice. It was cold and high pitched. His voice still faltered from his tiredness, from his internal dilemma.

'Had he taken over?' he thought to himself.

"Ma-Master is that you? Have you conquered Potter?"

"Draco, I need a new body. I cannot keep myself in Potter's body. I detest him. I am in great pain in him. I have kept him at bay for a few precious moments, but in his body I'm weak. I need to free myself, and I need to get myself a new body. Would you…?"

"My lord, I chose your loyalty. I chose to serve you till death. I am ready to serve you in any matter my lord."

Harry sat up and turned to face his arch rival Draco Malfoy. He tried to speak to him. He wanted to tell him to run. He could feel what was coming up.

But the words that came out of his mouth were not one of his own.

"I knew you will be faithful. You will have served your lord well. You will be remembered for your sacrifice to your lord Draco."

Malfoy looked at the face of his arch rival at school but it seemed so different from him. The eyes were red. His face was elongated and his eyes had narrowed. He bent down on his knees and bowed to his lord.

"My lord, I'm ready to do whatever you ask me to do."

"Draco, I need you. But do not worry, your sacrifice would be remembered by all. Lord Voldemort assures you that."

Malfoy didn't have even time to register what happened next.

Harry felt someone touch his scar and another of his hands touched the dark mark in his left hand. He felt long thin fingers on his scar and his head burst open with pain.

It was pain like he had never felt before. It was far more powerful than the Cruciatus Curse. Although he had never felt the Ripperaus Curse, he had a feeling this was even more painful. His entire body felt like it was being cut to pieces. His muscles seemed to be ripped apart from his body. His head felt like someone was clobbering it with a golf club. His skin felt like he was being pinched with millions of needles. He felt he was set on fire. It was pain beyond pain.

He felt his teeth clatter. He felt like he was set on an electric chair and was being electrocuted. His nose burst into blood. His lips started to bleed. His ears started to bleed. His skin started to chaff into burns. His teeth were soon stained in blood. He fell down on his knees and a mad howl escaped his throat.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" he cried out.

And immediately all the pain stopped; he waited and suddenly he felt something heavy pass away from him. He felt his heart getting light. He felt a great weight had passed away from him. He opened his eyes and saw a silver vapour emanating from him. He watched in amazement as the silver vapour started to gather around and soon it started to form a shape. Harry was dazed as he continued to look through his drooping eyelids. The shape the vapour was forming; it looked so familiar; but he just couldn't place it correctly. He watched with awe as the vapour continued to form the shape. Then suddenly he felt that someone had lighted a bulb in his brain.

"YOU?" he spoke in a raspy whisper.

Then he knew no more.

"My – my lord you're back? I knew you would be ba – back."

Draco spoke in awed tone as he watched a shadowy figure of Lord Voldemort form shape.

"Its time Draco" it spoke in a hollowed faraway voice.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH"

The silvery shadowy figure made a sudden movement and entered the body Draco Malfoy.

"My lord, my lord. AAAAAAHHHH"

"I told you Draco, you'd be remembered for your sacrifice." Voldemort spoke again, but his voice seemed stronger.

"AAAAAARRGGGHHHH"

"My lord, you – you promised…."

"AAAAAAHHHHHH"

Draco's body became surrounded by a whit halo. It was very bright.

"AAAAAHHHH"

"My lord you promised…."

Draco's voice soon started to fade. His voice started to sound weak.

"I told you your sacrifice wouldn't go in vain, Draco. You will have served your lord well." Voldemort's voice sounded strong and powerful.

Harry slowly opened his eyes and had a glimpse of Draco crying aloud in pain as his body was suspended in air surrounded by a very bright light. He saw him thrashing in agony. The pain started again in his scar.

"Oh, Draco what have you done?"

He spoke in a low whisper. Before the brightness proved too much for him and he blacked out.

Just as suddenly the bright halo had appeared, it disappeared. Malfoy's body fell down from the air. He was breathing heavily. For sometime everything was quiet in the room apart from the heavy raspy breathing. No sound from the wind or the fire crackling. It was as if everyone was waiting for something to happen. Then suddenly Draco gave a loud shriek and his body was engulfed in a bright light for the last time as he beat his chest and a silver shadow escaped his body and it disappeared as soon as the light disappeared.

Everything became quiet once more. The only sound came from the rustling of the wind and the candle flickering in the wind. The transformation had begun!!!

There was another wild scream and Malfoy started to tear his robes apart and began to shout hysterically. His hands found his hair and he started to tear his hair apart. He rolled on the ground; his tattered torn robes became filled with the dust and the residual mud on the floor.

He continued to twitch horribly on the ground and stated to roll on the ground till he reached the fountain in the centre of the hall. He paused and gave a blood curdling scream and then slumped over the stagnant water of the fountain.

Harry opened his eyes and looked around. He screened his eyes and looked for Malfoy. His eyes found him kneeling down, slumped over the fountain. He tried to get up but his legs failed him. He crawled to the walls and groped for a stick on the wall. Having found one he gripped the wall and the stick and slowly got to his feet.

"Malfoy? Where is he?"

His eyes were fixed at the slumped body of his arch rival at school.

"Malfoy? Where is he?" he repeated.

Somehow it didn't feel right. Why was he not answering him? Something was wrong, drastically wrong.

"He's not currently available."

A loud cold high pitched voice answered his query. The voice came from the slumped body. It started to move. It got to his feet. It started to turn around.

'No, please don't turn around. Please stay there. Don't turn. Please don't turn around.' He pleaded in his mind.

The figure turned around and Harry screamed. But the sound didn't escape from his throat. The shock had bee too much to scream. A long snake-like face gleamed at him. It had narrow sits for eyes and a snake-like flattened nose. His eyes were red. It had thin lips that curled at the sight of him.

The transformation was complete!!!

Lord Voldemort had risen again. And this time he was more fearful than ever. Harry watched in fear as the advancing figure, his worst nightmare approached him with a mad gleam in his eyes. All rational thoughts escaped him. He was afraid. For the first time in his life he was afraid from Voldemort. He was afraid for his life. He looked at the red eyes and seemed to be lost in that piercing glare as Voldemort's hand reached forward and advanced towards his throat………….