From the new material and information in the fifth Harry Potter book, I
have realized that there is no way my story could have taken place. So, I
will continue this story as if the fifth book never took place. Also,
please disregard what I wrote before about the Patronus Charm having to do
with "what kind of person you are". A good friend of mine has pointed out
that the word "Patronus" comes from the Latin root "Patr-" meaning father,
and since Harry's Patronus is a stag like his father, there is reason to
believe that the Patronus is based upon the person's father. Though this is
a convincing argument, it is still uncertain, so I guess it's another one
of Harry Potter's great mysteries . . . at least until J.K. Rowling
explains it. ((Thank you to Bakadesu for bringing this to my attention!))
That is all.
Oh yeah, and . . .
I APOLOGIZE!! I did take a long time doing this chapter, but I swear, I NEVER slacked off. I finished it and then my co-writer had to come back from vacation (do I sense a pattern?) so she could revise and approve it. This is my longest and (in my opinion) best chapter yet, and I am fully confident that I gave it all I had. I mean, just the length proves it! It's 40 pages on Microsoft Word! Compare that to my earlier chapters of 4 pages . . . :P Anyway, I also added a little play at the end, so get comfortable because you're gonna be sitting there for a while!
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Chapter 17: Death Replayed ((I know, I'm HORRIBLE at titles))
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENCE.
Harry suddenly opened his eyes and was met by darkness. As he inhaled he smelled damp dirt, as though the place he was in had not been cleaned for countless ages. Coldness surrounded his body, he crossed his arms, rubbing his sweater against his upper arms, and trying to generate some heat. He stared wide-eyed ahead while his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Confusion welled up inside as he asked himself where he was, what he was doing, and how did he get there. He couldn't find an answer. He listened, only to hear a high-pitched ring in his ear from the lack of noise. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the ringing, and started to make scuffling noises with his feet on the stone floor so he could listen to something. The longer he stood, the more fear replaced confusion. He looked around, but still, only darkness.
"Ah, we have a visitor."
Harry jumped at the high, almost hissing voice that broke the silence. He whipped his head around, but still could see nothing. His heart skipped a beat and his stomach twisted sharply. His scar prickled, and with a small gasp, he realized to whom the voice belonged.
"What do you want?" Harry asked as he let out the breath of his gasp.
"Don't you know?" The voice answered without hesitation.
There was a scraping sound of metal against rock and then an orange glow to his right and when Harry looked he discovered it was a torch embedded in the wall. The room was illuminated a little and Harry could finally see. But there wasn't much to see at all. It was a small room made completely of stone, with a hard stone floor and stone bricks that made up the walls. The room gave Harry a funny feeling, like he had seen it before. There was no furniture whatsoever, but there was a figure, standing about six feet away by the torch and illuminated by the flickering light.
It was an extremely skinny man with skin as white as freshly fallen snow, reminding Harry of a skeleton. He was watching Harry with blood red eyes, his thin lips curled into a cruel smile underneath his flat nose and snake- like slits for nostrils. He wore wrinkle-free black robes that looked new except for the dark stains which covered the sleeves and bottom. With a feeling of disgust, Harry recognized what the stains were. His arms were behind his back and Harry wondered for a moment what he was hiding.
"Welcome," Voldemort said, his bright eyes still fixed on Harry, "I've been expecting you."
Harry ignored the pain growing on his forehead and instead glared at the man. Fists clenched and focusing on Voldemort's eyes, he refused to show any fear toward him. Voldemort's smile widened to a grin and he laughed inwardly. The sound filled Harry's ears and his scar seared. Ignoring the burn, Harry continued to stare at Voldemort. Voldemort laughed again, higher, louder, and Harry's pain escalated. But still Harry denied Voldemort the pleasure of seeing him suffer.
Harry forced the pain back and kept glaring defiantly at the murderer. But for a moment his defiance faltered and his gaze shifted from Voldemort's eyes to the torch nearby.
"Tell me, Harry, does this room seem familiar to you? Do you recognize it?" Harry could tell Voldemort was amused by hiss reaction as Voldemort tilted his head slightly, pointing out their dim surroundings.
Harry didn't bother to look around. Something inside told him that he had been in this room before. But he didn't recall anything.
Voldemort made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. I should expect you to remember this place. Perhaps this will jog your memory." He started to raise his arm and Harry's hand immediately rushed inside his cloak and gripped his wand. Voldemort froze for a moment, grinning.
"Now, now, that's not what I meant. You see . . ." Voldemort opened his clenched, white hand and spread out his long, bony fingers. "No wand."
Harry's eyes darted from Voldemort's hand to his face.
"Why should I trust you?" Harry replied, anger rising inside of him.
Voldemort laughed again and Harry was hit with another round of sharp pain.
"I'm a man of my word, Harry," Voldemort informed him, his arm at his side.
"Your word means less than dirt," Harry said, his rage intensifying.
Voldemort smiled. "Then you'll just have to trust me."
Before Harry could say that trusting him would be the last thing he would do in the world, Voldemort started to raise his long arm again. Harry's fingers tightened their grip on his wand as Voldemort ever so slowly lifted his arm and pointed to the wall. "Look over there," he said with his index finger extended toward a point beneath the torch.
His instinct told him not to look, that it was probably a trap. But as Harry stood there, a soft throbbing on his forehead, something told him that Voldemort was serious.
*Why should I trust that bastard?* Harry asked himself, staring at Voldemort whose smile had disappeared. *He said at the very beginning that he wanted me dead. Why should I make it easy for him?*
And yet he felt a nagging urge to take a quick glimpse. Harry took out his wand, held it ready, and glanced.
There seemed to be nothing unusual at the spot Voldemort was pointing at. No Basilisk, no mark, nothing. Just a wall and a torch right above it. Convinced that a glance wasn't enough, he kept Voldemort in the corner of his eye as he looked closer. Then he saw something, a dark stain on the wall. Still watching Voldemort, he edged toward it. Then he looked back at the wall and was shocked.
He recognized it. He recognized the pool at the top and the streak going downward. He recognized the trail of dripping that led down to the stone floor that, below his feet, was stained with a dark pool. Looking back up at the wall, he hesitantly reached out and touched the surface of a stain with his fingertips.
He touched the dried blood.
Hermione's blood.
Hermione, who died in that same room, at exactly the same spot Harry was standing in.
Harry remembered.
Flooded with the memories, Harry clenched his hand into a fist. Fury, guilt, sadness . . . all the feelings he had felt then came back to him at that moment, and the wound that had started to heal in his heart was wrenched open again.
Harry turned to face Voldemort, newfound fury grasping him. He shook with rage as he glared at the man, who was smiling, and pointed his wand at him.
"You – "
"Don't you think it's a bit rude for the guest to threaten the host?" Voldemort asked, his red eyes on Harry's wand.
"I – Don't – Bloody – Care!" Harry spat, as if every word were dripping with poison.
"You're disturbing your friend," Voldemort tilted his head toward a dark corner, and then said to it, "Come on out, say hello to Harry!"
It was then that Harry noticed a soft sobbing in the background. He looked over to the corner. There was definitely something hiding.
"My patience is wearing thin," Voldemort warned the creature. It still didn't move, but kept crying. Voldemort reached inside his cloak, turned toward the corner, raised his wand, and shouted, "/Crucio/!" Harry suddenly felt as if his skull had been smashed open. He winced and clapped his hand over his forehead, but still watched Voldemort's hand like a hawk.
The creature let out a high-pitched scream. Harry jumped. It, too, sounded familiar. His eyes focused on Voldemort's wand as if it might turn toward him, Harry wondered what the hell the creature was.
"Come!" Voldemort said in a commanding voice.
There was movement, and the creature slowly stepped into the dim light. Harry could now tell it was a human . . . a girl . . . and then he gasped.
The girl was coated in dried blood and tears were running down her caked cheeks. There were rips in her cloak, and her hair was a mess. She only looked at Harry for a fleeting moment, and then looked away, crying even harder. Harry's mouth hung open and his hand fell from his head.
"Aurora?"
When he spoke, she fell to her knees, smacked her hand over her mouth and coughed. Blood seeped through her fingers and down her arm.
Harry tried to take deep breaths to calm himself, but still found that he was drawing short, ragged gasps. He stared at Aurora, and then looked back at Voldemort, who was watching her with his head down.
"What – what did you do to her?" His voice was becoming shaky to his annoyance.
Voldemort smiled corruptly but didn't look up.
"Remember what I said the night your female Mudblood friend died?"
Harry's eyes widened and his wand nearly fell out of his hand. "No . . ."
Voldemort's smile turned into a wide grin.
He quickly looked back at Aurora, still coughing and robes covered with a new coat of blood. "Aurora? AURORA!"
He ran over and went down on his knees. He was already responsible for one death . . .
He quickly dropped his wand into a shallow puddle of blood forming around her and planted one hand on each of her shoulders. "Aurora, what happened? Are you okay?"
She shifted, trying to get away from his grip and shaking her head. Her eyes were shut tightly.
"Must be something in the gene pool . . ." Harry heard Voldemort mutter audibly.
Harry's head quickly whipped around. "What do you mean?" he demanded.
Voldemort's grin widened. "You mean she never told you?"
"Never told me what?" Harry asked, his impatience growing. Aurora was shaking her head more furiously, and he received a light shower of blood. Mastering the impulse to wince as the stench reached his nostrils and liquid slid down his arms, Harry glared at Voldemort, who was clearly pleased with himself, but said nothing.
"Never . . . told . . . me . . . what?" Harry repeated slowly, turning away from Aurora who was still coughing up blood.
"I think your friend should do the honors," He said. "Aurora?"
Harry looked back at Aurora, who flinched when Voldemort had said her name and shook her head even more rapidly. Her head was hung and eyes were shut, blood now covering the floor beneath Harry and Aurora. Harry tried his best to ignore the sickening, metallic smell and the fact that the blood was now seeping into his robes. His knees were already soaked.
"Don't keep him in suspense," Voldemort said with an evil smile.
Aurora started rocking herself back and forth.
"No . . ." Harry heard her whisper between gasps.
Before Harry knew it, Voldemort appeared behind her. His protective instincts flaring, Harry got to his feet with soft splashes, but before he could do anything Voldemort took out his wand just as rapidly and shouted, "/Petrify/!"
Harry froze, unable to move except for the blinking of his eyes. Voldemort was leaning toward Aurora's shuddering body. Harry fought with everything he had, but could not budge. His heart raced as the possibilities of what Voldemort would do flashed through his mind.
Voldemort had grabbed a handful of Aurora's black hair, making her scream and Harry's head split, both from his flaring scar and from fear of what Voldemort was planning. Voldemort wrenched his hand back up, making Aurora's head snap backward and droplets of blood fly everywhere.
"Go ahead, tell him. Tell him what you've been hiding all this time. Open your eyes and tell him."
Voldemort watched Aurora closely, who was gripping his hand and struggling to get it off.
"No," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
"I SAID TELL HIM!" Voldemort screamed at her while shaking her hair, making Harry's heart jump and Aurora let out another short scream.
She opened her puffy eyes and looked at Harry. She winced, as though seeing him was hurting her.
"I – I – I'm sorry, Harry," she whispered, her tears becoming wide rivers flowing down her pale face. She looked away and sobbed.
"If you won't tell him now – " Voldemort warned, hissing at her and tightening his grip on her long hair. Her eyes immediately widened and it was then that Harry saw a shining knife in his other white hand.
"TELL ME WHAT?!" Harry screamed in unmistakable fear as the long knife approached Aurora's exposed neck. "NOOOO!"
Then it was pitch black and all he could hear was a high-pitched scream and laughter ringing in his ears along with the agonizing feeling that his head had been split open.
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Harry sat bolt upright in bed, panting heavily with eyes wide open and sweat making his pajamas cling uncomfortably to his already stiff body.
He looked around hurriedly and realized that he was in his dormitory, on his bed. He tried to take deep breaths to calm himself.
He didn't even remember what his dream was. All he remembered was that it was frightening, he remembered being angry and sad at the same time, and one other thing that had stuck out in his mind.
He remembered reaching out and touching Hermione's blood.
Noticing that the sun was just starting to rise and that no one else was up, Harry decided to lay back down.
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*He's still not here.*
Aurora looked up and down the faces of the bright, energetic students at the Gryfindor table in the Great Hall that morning and noticed again that Harry had still not shown up.
Beginning to worry, she turned toward Ron, who was sitting at her side and hastily eating his eggs and bacon with less than perfect manners.
"Hey Ron, do you know where Harry is?"
Ron looked up from his food and raised one finger as if telling her to wait. He chewed and gulped down most of his mouthful, and with a bit of toast lodged between his teeth and his cheek, he spoke.
"He said he wasn't feeling well. Didn't say much else. He's probably still in bed."
Something about the way he said that made Aurora think there was more, as if a flash of understanding passed over his eyes and a bit of . . . guilt? Sympathy?
But no sooner than she tried to figure out anything, Fred and George appeared behind Ron.
"Come on little bro, we wanna get good seats," one of the twins said.
"Alright, I'm coming . . ." Ron said as he stuffed his leftover eggs in his mouth and grabbed another piece of toast. Then he got up and followed his brothers out, waving goodbye to Aurora as he did, who smiled back.
The smile immediately disappeared as she watched the Great Hall doors for Harry.
Even after Dumbledore had risen and announced that the Quidditch game would begin soon and the room started to empty, Aurora saw no sign of him.
She got up and exited the Great Hall with the crowd, but she didn't go outside. Instead, she turned and started toward the Gryfindor common room.
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Deciding that sleep was now impossible, Harry got up and glanced outside the window. He could already see people gathering for the Quidditch game. Just last night he would have been extremely excited. But after that . . .
Besides, Harry had promised Hermione he wouldn't forget her ever again.
He kicked the covers off of himself, knowing that he needed time to think about everything. *I'll do it in the common room. No one's going to be there, they're all at the game.*
After he had changed (he didn't even glance at what clothes he had chosen before putting them on), he started down the stairway and down to the Gryfindor common room.
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Aurora stood in the common room debating in her head whether or not she should go up into the boy's dormitory. Of course it was wrong, and she felt extremely nervous at the thought, but somehow she knew that whatever happened to Harry must've been serious. She had felt it when Ron told her Harry wasn't feeling well.
Looking up the stairs that lead to both the girl's and boy's dormitories, she settled upon waiting at that landing. Maybe he would come down later. If he didn't come down . . . well, that was a bridge she'd cross when she got to it.
Aurora walked up the long staircase, her shoes making quiet knocking noises on the stone that echoed through the empty place. Every slow step she made was done so with much hesitation, as if her will was dragging her barely conscious body toward an unknown, secret area that she shouldn't be in. Very unlike Harry and Ron, she minded getting into trouble.
Reaching the landing, she stood between the two separate staircases, facing toward the one leading to the boy's dormitory and waited again.
A long period of time passed and she was about to gather up her courage and go upstairs herself when she heard another set of footsteps echoing from above.
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Harry climbed down the stairs slowly, not feeling enough energy to exert himself. He felt as though he was in a daze, not completely aware of what was going on around him, as if in a dream, only barely able to control what he's doing. In this state he was not able to notice how quiet it was, nor did he hear when someone called out his name beside him. He just kept walking, a zombie focused only on getting to the common room.
Finally reaching there and vaguely aware that no one was present, he went over to a chair and sat down. He stared at the fire with wide unblinking eyes, then suddenly jumped out of the chair which Hermione used to sit in and started pacing nervously.
"Harry?"
He jumped when his peaceful stupor was sharply interrupted. He spun around, saw Aurora, but did not relax.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Something stirred in his mind . . . something that told him Aurora had something to do with . . .
Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts, thinking there was no way Aurora could have been involved, but Aurora took it as an answer that said 'no, I'm not okay.'
"Harry, what is it?" Her voice showed deep concern, but Harry really didn't care.
"Nothing," he told her as if it settled the matter. He relaxed his muscles and went to sit back down in the nearest chair. Realizing that he was once again sitting in Hermione's chair, he jumped up, walked over to his favorite armchair, and sat down again. Resting each of his arms on the arms of the chair, he sat upright, staring at the fire, his back toward Aurora.
"I know something's bothering you." He could hear her approaching the chair, and mentally wished that she would leave him alone. He didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the fire, red flickers that licked the wood hungrily, yet not eating up the wood from which they sprouted. The deep red reminded him of Voldemort, and for one second he thought he saw a pair of blood red eyes staring back at him. His hands clutched the chair as a wave of anger and guilt lit his insides like the fire before him, licking and burning and never satisfied. He felt like a dam, holding its bottled up burden of gallons of guilt and sadness inside in the form of a salty, red liquid, and the dam never opened its doors but was slowly being filled to the rim.
"You can't keep living like this," a soft voice whispered.
His annoyance toward her grew rapidly. A part of him wanted to vent his rage out on her, ask her what the bloody hell she knew about him and tell her straight out to leave him in peace. He took a broken breath, trying to control the fire within.
"You don't know me," he said in a tone as calm as he could keep it.
There was a silence for a moment, broken only by the crackle and snap of the fire. A roar of a crowd could be heard for a moment in the distance, then faded away.
"True," the quiet voice said, "but I know what you're going through."
His irritation roared, fueled by her words.
"Quit talking as if you know everything. You know nothing. You don't have a clue as to what I'm going through," he spat, a frown growing and teeth starting to clench.
"But I do know what it's like to lose a close friend," Aurora said in a loud voice.
Harry said nothing, glancing at his knees. Part of him was fighting to keep control, while another part was thinking about what she said.
"But you don't know what it's like to have been there," he said.
Silence.
"You didn't do it. You weren't the one with blood staining your hands, the deep stain that will never come out, no matter how many times you wash it. I'm stained for life." Harry lifted his hand and stared at the thin cracks and pale color, remembering the time it had been covered with Hermione's blood.
"You're not a murderer!" Aurora suddenly exclaimed.
Harry was taken by surprise, not expecting Aurora to suddenly become angry.
"You didn't kill Hermione! I know that! And at least you have the satisfaction of knowing what happened to her!"
Harry's eyes widened and he turned in his chair, peering over the side to where Aurora was standing. She stared back, as though surprised herself at her own outburst. She looked down.
"I'm sor – "
"What do you mean?" Harry interrupted, eager to know how Aurora knew Hermione.
She looked up again, meeting his gaze, and sighed. She walked over to the Hermione's chair and sat down, not escaping the scrutiny of Harry's eyes. He had flinched when she had sat down, feeling like she was invading.
"I was a close friend too," Aurora said, now her turn to stare at the fire. "All that I knew was one day she stopped answering my letters. I got worried and asked my parents, and my mom started crying," she sighed again, pausing. "My father told me that she was dead. I couldn't believe it. I kept asking how, but he refused to tell me anything else. Right now I don't even know if it was a brutal murder or if a wild animal trampled her. But I know that you two were best friends and you /couldn't/ kill her."
Harry's eyes went from Aurora to his hand, his body still twisted toward where she was sitting. There was another cheer of a crowd that quickly died down into another awkward silence as both of them thought.
"Was it . . . murder?" Aurora asked nervously, looking at Harry.
He raised his eyes to hers and nodded.
She looked away and gazed into the fire. He heard her take a deep breath and close her eyes. Harry tried to imagine how she felt at this moment . . . how it would feel if he knew Hermione was murdered but no one would tell him more. He looked away too.
"Who would do such a thing?" Aurora whispered to herself.
Harry looked at her face, noticing that she was on the verge of tears.
He didn't expect it. He couldn't control it. But somehow, the dam suddenly burst.
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Harry opened his eyes and was greeted by the vision of a gray, stone ceiling, looming over threateningly. He blinked, staring stupidly at it, and then raised his hand to his scar, which had suddenly started to throb. He could feel the dull pulse pushing in a rhythmic, almost musical pattern as he pressed his middle and index fingers upon it, trying to soothe the pain. He expanded his senses, and noticed that he was lying on a cold, hard floor, legs and arms sprawled out as if he had been dropped there. In the silent dark, his eyes widened, and he quickly pulled himself to a sitting position and looked around. It was very dark, lit only by a torch on his right, its orange glow reflecting upon the blank walls that were made up of stone bricks piled on top of each other.
*Where am I? How did I get here?*
He hastily got to his feet, quickly brushing off the dark layer of dust that clung to his clothes, and when he finished he looked up again and nearly jumped.
The walls weren't the only things that the small, wavering light was illuminating.
He saw a man, a tall one that was pale and thin, his arms crossed over his flat chest and leaning slightly against the wall. Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to the blood-red eyes of the man that watched him closely above the flat nose and slit-like nostrils. Looking like a cross between a human skeleton and a snake, the man smiled at Harry, an evil glint in his bright eyes. Harry furrowed his eyebrows as his hand fell from his head.
*What is HE doing here?* Harry asked himself silently as he surveyed Voldemort, fists starting to clench as the memory of his dead parents came back to him.
His scar suddenly pounded for a few seconds, but just as suddenly as it came, it left.
"I'm here to pay you a little visit," Voldemort answered in his high- pitched voice as if he had heard Harry's thoughts.
Sudden fear grasped Harry like a cold hand around his heart. Could Voldemort read his mind?
Voldemort grinned, delighted by Harry's fright.
"How did you - "
He heard a quiet laugh as Voldemort's shape shifted, lifting his weight off the wall and cutting off Harry's demand. Voldemort's right arm rose toward his own face, one long, bony finger outstretched, and Harry's hand sneaked inside his robes as he grasped his wand. Voldemort paused for a moment and his eyes narrowed, as if calculating whether Harry's move was a threat. Apparently deciding not, his hand kept going toward his forehead and pressed against his white skin.
Harry gasped as pain ensnared his body, twitching and pounding. His fingers left the wood of the wand and shot up toward his own forehead, which was now throbbing angrily. He fell to his knees, bent over and gasping, his hand clamped over his forehead.
Suddenly, the pain stopped. Harry kept taking short ragged breaths as he looked up and saw that Voldemort had taken his hand off of his head. Voldemort grinned cruelly. Before Harry had a chance to react, he realized that Voldemort's wand was out and pointed straight at him.
"I think that we should end this," Voldemort said as his grin widened, making him look like a maniac.
From there everything happened too quickly.
Just as Voldemort's mouth had opened and he had begun saying, "/Avada Kedavra/", there was a creak of a door from behind Harry and a shout of, "/Expelliarmus/!" Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand and across the room over Harry's head. Harry turned and saw Ron and Hermione, Hermione clutching Voldemort's wand triumphantly in her left hand as well as her own in her right. Ron was clutching a piece of parchment in his hand. He, too, had his wand out and pointed at Voldemort, but looked scared instead of confidant.
"Ron? Hermione?" Harry asked aloud in disbelief.
"D-d-don't m-move . . . you!" Ron said shakily at Voldemort. Voldemort's lips curled into a smile, which soon became roaring laughter. Harry winced as his scar burned at the noise, but struggled to his feet despite the pain. Ron, who was visibly shaking, dropped the parchment – the Marauder's Map – but otherwise didn't move while Hermione walked over and helped Harry up. Still in disbelief, he stared at his two friends while Voldemort's laughter continued.
"Y . . . you think YOU can defeat ME?!" Voldemort managed to say as he kept laughing hysterically, eyes shut and nearly bent over.
This was definitely not helping Ron, who gulped loudly.
"No, let's be serious now," Voldemort said to the trio as he suppressed his laughter. "What makes you two think that a couple of kids can defeat the almighty Lord Voldemort?"
Harry saw Ron flinch at his name.
"You're outnumbered," Hermione informed him as she stepped forward and away from Harry, wand outstretched. "Three to one, and I've got your wand." She held Voldemort's wand in front of her. Harry took the opportunity to take out his own wand, so there were now four wands pointing at the murderer who was armed with only a smile.
"True, but I am also the most powerful sorcerer that ever has been or ever will be," Voldemort said as he drew himself up to full height.
"You're wrong," Hermione said firmly, though she did take a step backward. "Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer - "
"If that Muggle-loving man if so great, than how could it be that I am standing on /his/ school grounds and about to kill /his/ students?"
For the first time in her life, Hermione didn't have an answer.
"Now then, if there are no more objections, I will be taking my wand back," Voldemort said as he stepped forward toward Hermione, whose eyes widened. Her arm, which was holding the wand, stiffened in pure fright.
"Don't come any closer," she warned him, though Harry could see she was only swallowing her fear for the moment.
"Or what?" Voldemort said slowly, taking another step.
Harry's mind told him to attack, to use his wand to keep Voldemort at bay, but his body refused to comply. His mouth wouldn't open. He was literally stiff with fright.
It was Ron who suddenly jumped forward and yelled, "/Rictusempra/!"
A beam of silver light shot out of Ron's wand toward Voldemort. Just as Voldemort's head turned, the light hit him in the stomach, making him double over and gasp.
For a few seconds, there was silence, as everyone anxiously watched Voldemort's still figure. Then Harry heard. "Ah. A-ha. Ahahaha. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Voldemort continued laughing madly, his mouth wide open and eyes beginning to water.
Hermione turned sharply toward Ron, who was staring at Voldemort as he fell to his knees in laughter. Hermione's back was facing Voldemort as she gaped at Ron.
"A . . . Tickling . . . Charm," She said slowly with incredulity. "You . . . used . . . a . . . tickling . . . charm . . . on . . . him?!"
"Hey, it was the first thing that came to my mind!" Ron said, trying to justify his action.
"You couldn't think of anything better to do?!" Hermione exclaimed.
As Ron's eyebrow furrowed and he opened his mouth to argue, Harry sighed and shouted over Voldemort's laughter, "THIS IS NO TIME FOR ONE OF YOUR FIGHTS!" His eyes darted toward Voldemort, and he took in a sharp breath as he realized that Voldemort had gotten to his feet and was making his way toward Hermione.
"HERMIONE, MOVE!"
But it was too late. Before either Ron or Hermione knew, Voldemort had snatched his wand from Hermione's grasp. "/Finite Incantatem/," he muttered between chuckles and stopped laughing immediately. The three jumped backward, not only from the suddenness of his silence but also from the terrifying, murderous look in his blood-red eyes. There was no doubting that he had had enough. Breathing heavily through clenched teeth, he straightened up and glared at them with pure fury. If looks could kill, every one of them would have died instantly.
"I have come here with the intention of killing, and you treat this like a childish game." He said calmly, suppressing the anger that was surely rattling inside.
No one replied.
Without any warning, Voldemort whipped his wand toward Ron and yelled, "/Crucio/!"
Ron's eyes widened and Hermione gasped.
"Ron!"
Harry's heart froze as Ron opened his mouth and let out a blood-curling scream that echoed through the small chamber. He fell to the floor and lay there on his side, writhing, twitching, and screaming the entire time. His screams were soon joined by those of Hermione, who fell to her knees beside him, yelling "oh my god" and trying to hold Ron still. Though she had definitely studied the Crucius Curse in school and on her own, Harry knew how terrifying it was to see it happen before your eyes. And he knew how terrifying it was to be under it. Ron's eyes were shut tightly and fists clenched his robes as he kept twitching and screaming and Hermione planted her hands on his shoulder and arm, leaning over desperately trying to steady him.
Seconds after Ron had fallen, Harry had turned to Voldemort with his wand outstretched and a determination to make it stop. He carefully aimed at Voldemort's hand.
"/Diffindo/!" Harry yelled.
A ray of light hit Voldemort and a magical cut sliced into his hand as if with a knife. Voldemort cursed, almost dropping his wand as blood slowly dripped to the floor. He gripped his hand in an effort to stop the bleeding.
The instant Voldemort's hand was cut and his concentration was broken, the screaming stopped, though a ring resounded in Harry's ear. He looked over and saw that both Ron and Hermione were breathing heavily, Ron blinking and trying to recover. Ron looked up and saw Hermione's hands and her body leaning over him, her hair nearly touching the floor beside him. There was a moment of silence filled with visible awkwardness.
"Hermione?" He said in a questioning tone of voice.
As if recovering herself, she suddenly lifted herself off and jerked her hands away. Harry tried very hard to suppress a chuckle. Though they did fight, Harry couldn't doubt their friendship.
But this was no time to celebrate the joy of friendship, as Voldemort was standing there, fuming. It seemed as though his red eyes had become brighter and his skin whiter as he glared at Harry. He pointed his wand and shouted, "/Stupefy/!"
A red jet of light shot toward Harry, but he easily dodged it and it bounced harmlessly off the wall behind him. Harry glanced to the side and saw that both Ron and Hermione had gotten up and were ready to attack again.
"I've had enough of this game. I'll have to get rid of you one by one," Voldemort said in a tone that sent a chill down Harry's spine. "/Serpensortia/!"
A large, black snake shot out of Voldemort's wand and landed with a thump on the floor. It raised itself, poised and hissing with its long thick fangs bared. "Attack the redhead," Voldemort whispered in a high hiss. The snake darted with amazing speed across the room, jolting around every spell that Ron and Hermione were launching at it.
"Stop! Stop!" Harry hissed at the snake, but to Harry's dismay, it didn't stop. It flashed and appeared on Ron's leg. Harry went cold as Hermione screamed and Ron went rigid. Launching a spell at it now would risk hurting Ron, for the snake was faster than any of their spells. It started to curl up Ron's left arm, who yelped and tried to shake it off.
"Bite him," Voldemort said quietly, egging it on.
"NO! DON'T, STOP!" Harry yelled in a louder hiss. The snake continued up Ron's arm and reached his shoulder. Ron's eyes widened to their full extent as he became face to face with it, the snake's tongue flicking in and out and almost touching Ron's nose. It opened its mouth wide, fangs sharp and poised, ready to sink them into Ron's warm flesh. Its head flashed downward, and Hermione rushed forward -
"I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!!!" Harry screamed desperately.
The snake suddenly dropped to the floor and slithered out of sight, but meanwhile there was a rip of clothing and a scream of pain from Ron. He clapped his hand over his shoulder and swore as warm blood seeped through his fingers and down both his arms, staining his cloak. Hermione gasped, her hand over her mouth, wide eyes tracing the trails of blood down Ron's cloak. "Oh my god, here, let me see it," she said, her wand ready to heal him. Ron squinted his eyes and gritted his teeth as he slowly and reluctantly lifted his hand. Harry took in a sharp breath and Hermione gasped again as they saw the wound. It was a deep slash, about five centimeters deep Harry estimated, as if someone had used a knife to do it. Bleeding profusively and exposed pink flesh drenched in red blood, it looked like something out of a horror movie. Harry stared at it, not able to believe this had happened to Ron. But as Ron let out a short yelp and clutched his shoulder again, making the blood seep faster and more heavily, the realization slowly grasped him and the shock he felt turned into deep anger.
He turned to face Voldemort with defiance and vengeance in his eyes and quickly whipped his wand in front of him threateningly. Voldemort was too busy enjoying Ron's pain to notice Harry's rage. It was as if Voldemort's eyes were feasting upon the blood that had begun to drip upon the floor, and for a moment Harry thought that this was why Voldemort's eyes were so red. Hermione had tried to perform several healing charms, but they weren't working.
"Don't waste your time," Voldemort said to Hermione with a tone of complete satisfaction, ignoring the glare Harry was giving him. "Your petty little charms won't work on magic as strong as mine."
"They are not petty charms!" Hermione answered as if she were talking to an annoying first year.
"I suggest you not use that tone with me," he warned her. "I don't like being treated that way at all. And there are consequences."
Harry realized what he meant just as Voldemort raised his wand and yelled, "/Impedimenta/!"
"HERMIONE!"
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" Ron screamed, but it seemed as if Hermione was too frightened as the jet of light raced toward her. Harry saw Ron jump forward and push Hermione away with his wounded shoulder. As she stumbled and fell, he swore and yelped in pain as his wound deepened from the impact. He stood in the way of the spell, eyebrows furrowed, teeth clenched and hand over his shoulder.
"RON!"
The light hit Ron in the stomach and he froze, paralyzed.
"Ron, Ron, you can still breathe, right?" Hermione asked, panicking, as she scrambled to her feet. The only response she got was Ron blinking.
Harry's rage immediately worsened, and he pointed his wand at Voldemort and yelled, "/Reducto/!"
As if he could sense Harry's attack and before light even emerged from Harry's wand, Voldemort had already responded by muttering, "/Repello/." The two beams hit each other and each vanished.
Harry heard Hermione say, "/Caecus/!"* from behind him. A beam of light shot past Harry at great speed, making his robes ruffle. Harry joined in the attack by shouting, "/Petrificus Totalus/!"
Voldemort muttered, "/Contego/,"** while the two spells raced toward him. A transparent bubble blew up from the tip of his wand and engulfed him. Both spells hit the bubble at the same time with a sharp "zap" and disappeared. Voldemort's bubble dissolved instantly.
"Still think you can defeat me?" Voldemort asked in an amused tone.
"He's blocking all our spells! What do we do, Harry?" Hermione asked, panicking.
Harry scanned Voldemort for any weaknesses, but as he was halfway through he heard him say, "/Avada Kedevra/!"
"Dodge it!" Harry yelled as the light sped toward both of them. He jumped to the left while Hermione dived right. They both hit the ground as the spell flew past and hit the opposite wall.
Harry looked up at Voldemort, first at his face and then at his wand. The idea struck him like lightning.
"Hermione - "
"Already on it," she said as she got up and pointed her wand at Voldemort's wand. "/Pepulliarmus/!" ***
Harry saw Voldemort's wand shoot out of his hand and fly through the air and land a couple of feet away from them. Not realizing that he could easily use magic to retrieve it, he instinctively scrambled to his feet and raced to pick it up, and took a sharp breath when he saw Voldemort gaining on it. Harry tried to concentrate on the wand, as if it were a snitch, and he dove just as Voldemort did the same.
"/Accio wand/!" Harry heard Hermione yell. The wand disappeared before Harry's eyes. Voldemort had dived in too closely, and Harry felt his weight push him over. Closing his eyes and bracing himself for the landing, he yelped as his ankle buckled underneath with a loud crack and pain jolted up his leg. Harry's breath was knocked out as Voldemort landed on top of him and his weight pressed against him. Harry looked up and saw Voldemort's face hovering dangerously close above him. Just as Harry opened his mouth to gasp for breath, Voldemort's hands shot up and gripped his neck with a steel grip that tightened by the second. Pain pounded upon Harry's forehead as well as upon his leg, but he had no breath whatsoever left to scream with.
"HARRY!"
"I've . . . had . . . enough . . . of . . . this . . ." Voldemort said through gritted teeth as Harry struggled to breathe. "I'll . . . kill . . . you . . . now . . ."
Harry's mouth opened wider as he fought for breath, but Voldemort's hands did not loosen. Harry could feel his heart slowing down . . .
"GET OFF OF HIM!!" Hermione screamed. She suddenly appeared in Harry's vision above both of them, her hands clenching Voldemort's cloak and trying to yank him off so she could use a spell on him. Voldemort did not respond but continued to choke Harry. Hermione kicked Voldemort repeatedly in the ribs, but he only winced once. Harry closed his eyes, his body yearning for air. He could almost feel his blood slowing down . . .
"Stay . . . out . . . of . . . this . . . Mudblood . . ." Voldemort hissed without looking at her as another blow landed upon his head.
"GET OFF!!!!!!" She screamed more furiously. Harry's pain worsened, feeling as if someone was sticking long, thick nails into him and hammering at his already throbbing head. He could definitely feel his pulse slowing now . . .
"I SAID STAY OUT OF THIS!!!!!" Voldemort screamed with sudden fury as Harry had never seen before. Voldemort suddenly turned and grabbed Hermione. Harry gasped and wheezed, finally able to breathe.
But fear immediately replaced relief when Harry saw Hermione and Voldemort. Voldemort put one hand on her forehead and one right below her neck and pushed her backward headfirst. Hermione shrieked, but her shriek was broken off and Harry screamed, fearing for Hermione, as Voldemort ran and rammed her into the wall right underneath the torch, her skull connecting first with a sickening crack. Blood suddenly spattered everywhere beneath Hermione's head. Her eyes widened and rolled to the back of her head as Voldemort released her, and stepped back breathing heavily. She slowly slid down the wall, leaving behind a wet bloody trail. Voldemort smiled and Harry let out a cry of disbelief as her head fell forward and revealed a bloody mess of red blood tangled with her golden hair. Blood slithered and dripped down her and a pool soon formed beneath where she sat.
As if she had regained consciousness, she screamed and her body twitched and splashed in the blood, sending it flying everywhere. From her grasp Voldemort took his wand and pointed it back at her, grinning. Harry struggled to get to his feet but gasped and winced as another round of pain shot up his leg when he tried to put weight on his ankle. He opened his eyes and looked back up at both of them.
"Shall we end this pain, little girl?" Voldemort said with a little laugh. Hermione twitched again and her head slowly lifted, tears streaking down her face and gasping as her eyes rolled dangerously. She steadied herself slowly and looked straight back at Voldemort with defiance in her eyes that was previously unknown to Harry. Voldemort bent down so his face was level with hers. Meanwhile, Harry fought to stand, struggling while his ankle protested. "What do you say about my power now?"
Hermione took a deep breath and spat a mixture of saliva and blood in his face.
Harry froze, knowing that that was a huge mistake.
Voldemort's face screwed up in unmistakable anger. He quickly drew back his hand and slapped her across the cheek while swearing at her. Hermione let out a short groan. The pool beneath her was rapidly spreading.
Voldemort whipped out his wand, pointed it between her eyes, and said, "You'll get what you deserve."
Harry's eyes widened and he struggled to limp over, eyes on Voldemort's wand.
"/Avada - /"
"NO!!!"
"/Kedevra/!"
Harry flung himself on Voldemort, causing him to stumble, but it was too late. The light hit her and Hermione's body immediately went limp like a rag doll. Harry cried out and fell to his knees before her as Voldemort laughed.
"NO! Hermione, you can't be dead, you just can't . . ." Harry lifted her head off of the ground, shocked to see her eyes a blank white. "You're not dead, you aren't, wake up! WAKE UP!" He screamed as he shook her, but she did not respond. Warm blood spilled onto his hands, but it still didn't sink in. "This must be a dream – a nightmare – I'm going to wake up soon – " He was engulfed with so many emotions; confusion, rage, grief, loneliness
"This is not a dream, Harry," Voldemort said with complete satisfaction. "You killed her."
Harry's head snapped back toward him. "I didn't do anything, you – "
"You're very right Harry. You didn't do anything. You just stood there and stared while I was torturing her. Yes, I was the one who preformed the curse, but you didn't stop me." Voldemort smiled. "So, essentially, you were the one who failed to save her, and therefore you helped me kill her."
Harry's eyes widened as Voldemort's words sunk in. He turned back to Hermione as the realization started to grasp him and tears welled up in his eyes.
"No . . ."
"Yes," Voldemort said. "Yes, it's all your fault, Harry. You could've stopped me but you didn't."
Harry blinked and sent tears sliding down his cheeks.
"This whole situation is giving me a wonderful idea," Voldemort said as he stepped to the wall on Harry's left and muttered a spell. Harry did nothing to stop him, still in shock of Hermione's death. The wall parted with heavy thunderous noises, revealing darkness on the other side. Voldemort stepped through and turned to face Harry's crouched form. The split wall began to reform before him. "Your death can wait. I want to see you suffer, to see you cornered and completely defeated. Therefore, when your foolish headmaster gets here, tell him that thanks to his stupidity all Hogwarts students, especially those close to Harry Potter, are in grave danger." The wall now only left a few centimeters. "Or is it thanks . . . to you?" The wall closed with a loud thud and Harry was left alone.
"No . . . Hermione . . ." He whispered to himself. He looked down at his hand and saw trails of blood trickled down.
Hands like those of a murderer.
Tears now free-flowing, he whispered, "I'm sorry Hermione . . . it is my fault . . . and now . . ."
He brought his body close to her lifeless corpse and hugged her, startled at the lack of warmth. She was very cold.
*Cold and lifeless in death.*
Harry's disbelief did not wear off, and he waited for her to hug back. But she didn't. Her blood soaking his clothes, Harry sat in the darkness, silently crying.
Ron was also silently weeping, though frozen in place, tears streaking down his curved face and slowing down at the chin, where it dropped to the floor with a barely audible splat. The spell on him wore off and he fell on the spot where he lay for a few seconds before lifting his head and looking at Hermione. Not able to walk yet, he forced himself up on his hands and knees and slowly crawled toward her body, his shoulder making him jerk occasionally.
"Hermione . . ." he whispered.
Before he got there he collapsed, fainting in a heap of blood, tears, and misery.
But the snake that was hiding in a corner grinned a fang-baring smile. With a feeling of satisfaction, it slithered off into the night.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ANOTHER PLAY FOR NO REASON:
NOTE: If you don't know who Zelgadis is, you can easily ignore him. He's a character from the anime series Slayers, and here's a small quote to give you an idea of what he's like: "Well, this isn't going to last. Something bad's bound to happen – especially now that we're all relaxed." See? Pessimistic to the max, and a past to match.
*As Harry, Hermione and Ron faced Voldemort, a wind suddenly picked up and Harry's cape billowed out dramatically behind him . . .*
Hermione: Where is that wind coming from? We're in a chamber!
???: Me.
*Zelgadis (from Slayers) crashes through the wall.*
Ron: Who's the stone man?
Zelgadis: *glares at Ron but says nothing*
Voldemort: *eyes widen* YOU!
Zelgadis: Yes, REZO!!!
Harry, Ron and Hermione: Rezo? Who's Rezo?
Zelgadis: *points at Voldemort* Rezo, you killed my family!
Harry: *eyebrow raise* Me too!
Zelgadis: Are you his grandson too?
Harry: No . . .
Ron: YOU'RE Voldemort's grandson?
Zelgadis: I'm his grandson and great-grandson.
Ron: But wait . . . that means . . . EEEWWWW!!
Zelgadis: *sighs* Yep. But enough about that . . . I WILL KILL YOU REZO!! Voldemort/Rezo: I doubt it . . .
*Another wall crashes in*
Ron: NOW who is it???
*The entire fellowship from The Lord of the Rings walk in*
Everyone (each pointing at someone else): What's up with your costume?
Frodo: *gasp* SAURON!
Harry, Ron, Hermione: Sauron? Who's Sauron?
LOTR cast: *points at Voldemort* SAURON!!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I think I'll be taking my ring back . . .
Harry: Ring? You're into jewelry?
Ron: That's girly stuff . . . and who's the really tall guy?
Legolas: I am an elf.
Harry: He looks kinda big for a house elf . . .
Legolas: I am a divine creature of the forest.
Ron: Concieted, too . . .
*Another wall crashes in*
Everyone: NOW who is it???
*Ringwraiths walk . . . er . . . ride in*
Ron: Dementors?
Harry: That's funny, I always go all weird when Dementors are around . . .
Frodo: *gasp* RINGWRAITHS! *faints*
Sam: He has a thing for black-cloaked monsters.
Ron: So does Harry . . .
Aragorn: *steps forward* I will defeat these Nazgul!
Ron: Naz-ghoul? Aren't they ring-a-whatevers?
Hermione: Ringwraiths, Ron. Nazgul in Elvish.
Ron: How do you know??
Hermione: *cough* Research!
Harry: Anyways, why are they on thesrals?
Ron: WHO DIED? *looks around*
Hermione: They're HORSES!
Harry: Wow, never seen one of THOSE before . . .
*One of the Ringwraiths starts to hiss*
Harry: Really?
*Ringwraith continues to hiss*
Harry: Oh, I see. So, what are you, anyway?
*Ringwraith keeps hissing*
Harry: That must suck.
*Ringwraith hisses some more*
Harry: Thanks, you too!
Ron: What is going ON here???
Harry: Oh, he . . . it . . . was just telling me about how they're creatures that are neither dead nor alive, and they live in a place called Middle Earth which is kinda big, so they use horses . . .
Ron: What the hell?
Ringwraith: *hisses*
Harry: Yeah, Ron.
Ron: ???
Aragorn: What did it say, gifted boy?
Harry: -no comment on 'gifted boy'- It told Ron to shut up.
Aragorn: Oh, and I thought it said, "Give us path, she-elf."
Legolas: Aragorn, that's only in the movie!
Aragorn: Oh, yeah . . .
Hermione: Why am I the only girl here?
Gimli: My perception is that our creator made us in an age where male superiority was dominant, therefore making us the same way.
Hermione: You guys REALLY need a Susan B. Anthony in your world . . .
Legolas: What is this "so sun bee ant honey" you speak of?
Hermione: Never mind.
Harry: So . . . *looks at Voldemort* How –
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I have multiple personality disorder, OKAY?!
Ron: I figured you were a wacko, but this is just ridiculous.
Sam: It must come with the ring. *thinks of Gollum/Smeagol*
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: And there is no way you can defeat me because with the power gained from all three roles I am literally invincible!
Ron, Zelgadis: Damn it!
*Ron and Zelgadis look up at each other and each smile*
Zelgadis: You're okay, kid.
Ron: You're okay, too.
*Another wall crashes in, but somehow the ceiling magically stays up*
Everyone: NOW WHO IS IT???????
*Dumbledore walks in with a staff and a wand*
Harry Potter cast: DUMBLEDORE! *looks at staff* What's with the stick?
LOTR cast: GANDALF! *looks at wand* What's with the stick?
Zelgadis: YOU! Um, though, I've never met you before . . .
Dumbledore/Gandalf: Good evening everyone. I am here to promptly defeat Lord Voldemort and Lord Rezo and Lord Sauron.
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I doubt you will with my Ringwraiths/Dementors on horses, Gandalf! Er, Dumbledore! Whatever!
*ANOTHER wall crashes in*
Hermione: How can this happen? There's only four walls!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: Must be magic.
*J.K. Rowling and JRR Tolkien and the creators of Slayers walks in*
Rowling: So, how is everybody doing?
Everyone: *stares* Who are you?
Tolkien: Oh, we all created you.
Ron: Sorry, but I don't believe in God . . .
Hermione: Ron, J.K. Rowling IS the one that created the cast of Harry Potter! She is the writer that controls our lives!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: If that is so . . . *points at Harry* Kill him.
Rowling: No.
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I SAID KILL HIM!
Rowling: AND I SAID NO!!!!!!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: *cringes* Okay, you've made your point . . . *hides in fear*
Rowling: Good!
Ron: Miss Rowling . . .
Rowling: Mrs. I'm married.
Harry: No wonder there seemed to be a gap in my life . . . ((writer's block))
Ron: MRS. ROWLING, if you really created me, could you make me have green spiked hair?
Rowling: No.
Ron: Damn.
Aragorn: So, how did this girl know of our creation?
Everyone: Yeah!
Hermione: *coughs very loudly* RESEARCH!!! Have you never read the Harry Potter series or the Lord of the Rings series or the Slayers manga?!
Harry: Wait, wait, wait, there's a SERIES named after me??
Ron: Does that mean I'm a star? *smoothes hair*
Sam: And what's the "Lord of the Rings" series about?
Zelgadis: And what EXACTLY do you know about me?
Hermione: *sigh* Yes, there is a series named after you, Harry. Written by J.K. Rowling herself, there are currently five books out though there's a promised seven. The Lord of the Rings series is a series of books written by J.R.R. Tolkien to document his thoughts, an all-powerful ring's journey through a mystical land called Middle Earth. And I know everything about you, Zelgadis. I know how your entire family betrayed you, and you went away and found them all slaughtered by your grandfather/great-grandfather Rezo, including your wife and your child . . .
Zelgadis: SHUT THE DAMN HELL UP!!
Hermione: Touchy, touchy . . .
Rowling: Hermione's a lot smarter than I meant her to be.
Hermione: *glares at J.K. Rowling* Though I was created by you, I am my own person!
Legolas: If this "Tolkien" created me, does this mean . . . I'm not real?
Tolkien: I thought I made you quicker than that.
Legolas: But . . . it can't be!
Tolkien: *sigh* Elves these days . . .
Rowling: Tell me about it . . . *thinks of Dobby*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
* This is real charm, but the incantations are unknown, so we based it off the Latin translation of "blind".
** I had to make up the incantations for the Shield Charm. This time I used the Latin translation of "shield".
*** Real spell, the Banishing Charm, but I based the incantation off of the Latin translation of "banish".
::: Did I fool you with the dream? By the way, I hope you appreciate all the research I did and all the effort it took to write this chapter. Seriously, I /never/ slacked off, I took the ENTIRE time writing it. Yeah, I know I'm crazy. ^-^ Anyway, I've decided to do something about the fact that my updating schedule is very random ((Check the name! ^-^)) so, if you would like to receive email notices when I update, please email me at rollymc123@yahoo.com and I'll make sure to do it. You don't even need to tell me who you are (pen name), just that you want to receive update alerts. But rest assured, I won't use your email address for /anything/ else. I'm not the type of person who stalks others and stuff . . . if I did that, I wouldn't have time for my story, nor would I care about being a writer, so there's the proof you need! Thanks and I hope this idea helps! :::
[TaioraCrazedGirl]: You know, that's the second time you've tried to kill me. I'm starting to think you don't like the fact that I killed Hermione . . . JK! (*cough* Rowling *cough*) ^-^ I'm sorry I took so long, but like I wrote above, I NEVER slacked off . . . and I'm offering an alert system if you're interested. But, anyway, thanks for reviewing, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you!
[Miya-chan]: To answer your questions, Hermione was turned into a ghost, and yes, Harry will most definitely see her again . . . eventually ^_~
[usha88]: So, you think you figured it out? Wow! Hmm . . . I wish I could know your theory, out of curiosity. I gave out some clues in this chapter, did they go along with what you thought? Thank you for reviewing again and I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter! ^-^
[Samilia]: Sorry, but I can't answer your question, because that would give a lot away! Anyways, I'm so glad you liked it . . . and I'm very flattered! Thanks for reviewing! ^-^
[Chelsea]: Thank you so much! I'm so flattered! That'd good advice, I've talked to my co-writer about that and we'll watch out for what words we use from now on! To answer your question, I'm going to continue this story till Hermione finally comes out of the chamber. Thanks for reviewing and I hope I didn't disappoint you!
[Sister 3 and Padfoot]: *NO!* ^-^ Hi! Listen, I've been working on this chapter so much you have no idea! The last time you reviewed I was still working on it! Hey, have you ever written a 37 page chapter? It's HARD! I haven't even thought about the next chapter! Well, actually, I have, but that's not the point. And though you may push and push me, this story is not just Harry/Hermione! And at heart, I'm still a true blue Ron/Hermione fan! Anyways, I haven't seen you for a while. We have to get together at some point. Bye! (and *NO!*) ^-^
[Bakadesu]: You don't seem like a baka to me after that Patronus piece! Thank you for that, and I've added a little note at the top about it. Thanks for your encouragement, and I will bring Hermione back (*shudders at idea of hearing Kenshin's low voice in English*). I love that quote! Where'd you get it from? Or did you make it up? Ttyl! Thanks for reviewing! ^-^
Let's see . . . that makes three threats to kill me, and two attempts to do it, both from someone I don't know. I think I'm getting good at this ^-^
That is all.
Oh yeah, and . . .
I APOLOGIZE!! I did take a long time doing this chapter, but I swear, I NEVER slacked off. I finished it and then my co-writer had to come back from vacation (do I sense a pattern?) so she could revise and approve it. This is my longest and (in my opinion) best chapter yet, and I am fully confident that I gave it all I had. I mean, just the length proves it! It's 40 pages on Microsoft Word! Compare that to my earlier chapters of 4 pages . . . :P Anyway, I also added a little play at the end, so get comfortable because you're gonna be sitting there for a while!
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Chapter 17: Death Replayed ((I know, I'm HORRIBLE at titles))
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENCE.
Harry suddenly opened his eyes and was met by darkness. As he inhaled he smelled damp dirt, as though the place he was in had not been cleaned for countless ages. Coldness surrounded his body, he crossed his arms, rubbing his sweater against his upper arms, and trying to generate some heat. He stared wide-eyed ahead while his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Confusion welled up inside as he asked himself where he was, what he was doing, and how did he get there. He couldn't find an answer. He listened, only to hear a high-pitched ring in his ear from the lack of noise. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the ringing, and started to make scuffling noises with his feet on the stone floor so he could listen to something. The longer he stood, the more fear replaced confusion. He looked around, but still, only darkness.
"Ah, we have a visitor."
Harry jumped at the high, almost hissing voice that broke the silence. He whipped his head around, but still could see nothing. His heart skipped a beat and his stomach twisted sharply. His scar prickled, and with a small gasp, he realized to whom the voice belonged.
"What do you want?" Harry asked as he let out the breath of his gasp.
"Don't you know?" The voice answered without hesitation.
There was a scraping sound of metal against rock and then an orange glow to his right and when Harry looked he discovered it was a torch embedded in the wall. The room was illuminated a little and Harry could finally see. But there wasn't much to see at all. It was a small room made completely of stone, with a hard stone floor and stone bricks that made up the walls. The room gave Harry a funny feeling, like he had seen it before. There was no furniture whatsoever, but there was a figure, standing about six feet away by the torch and illuminated by the flickering light.
It was an extremely skinny man with skin as white as freshly fallen snow, reminding Harry of a skeleton. He was watching Harry with blood red eyes, his thin lips curled into a cruel smile underneath his flat nose and snake- like slits for nostrils. He wore wrinkle-free black robes that looked new except for the dark stains which covered the sleeves and bottom. With a feeling of disgust, Harry recognized what the stains were. His arms were behind his back and Harry wondered for a moment what he was hiding.
"Welcome," Voldemort said, his bright eyes still fixed on Harry, "I've been expecting you."
Harry ignored the pain growing on his forehead and instead glared at the man. Fists clenched and focusing on Voldemort's eyes, he refused to show any fear toward him. Voldemort's smile widened to a grin and he laughed inwardly. The sound filled Harry's ears and his scar seared. Ignoring the burn, Harry continued to stare at Voldemort. Voldemort laughed again, higher, louder, and Harry's pain escalated. But still Harry denied Voldemort the pleasure of seeing him suffer.
Harry forced the pain back and kept glaring defiantly at the murderer. But for a moment his defiance faltered and his gaze shifted from Voldemort's eyes to the torch nearby.
"Tell me, Harry, does this room seem familiar to you? Do you recognize it?" Harry could tell Voldemort was amused by hiss reaction as Voldemort tilted his head slightly, pointing out their dim surroundings.
Harry didn't bother to look around. Something inside told him that he had been in this room before. But he didn't recall anything.
Voldemort made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. I should expect you to remember this place. Perhaps this will jog your memory." He started to raise his arm and Harry's hand immediately rushed inside his cloak and gripped his wand. Voldemort froze for a moment, grinning.
"Now, now, that's not what I meant. You see . . ." Voldemort opened his clenched, white hand and spread out his long, bony fingers. "No wand."
Harry's eyes darted from Voldemort's hand to his face.
"Why should I trust you?" Harry replied, anger rising inside of him.
Voldemort laughed again and Harry was hit with another round of sharp pain.
"I'm a man of my word, Harry," Voldemort informed him, his arm at his side.
"Your word means less than dirt," Harry said, his rage intensifying.
Voldemort smiled. "Then you'll just have to trust me."
Before Harry could say that trusting him would be the last thing he would do in the world, Voldemort started to raise his long arm again. Harry's fingers tightened their grip on his wand as Voldemort ever so slowly lifted his arm and pointed to the wall. "Look over there," he said with his index finger extended toward a point beneath the torch.
His instinct told him not to look, that it was probably a trap. But as Harry stood there, a soft throbbing on his forehead, something told him that Voldemort was serious.
*Why should I trust that bastard?* Harry asked himself, staring at Voldemort whose smile had disappeared. *He said at the very beginning that he wanted me dead. Why should I make it easy for him?*
And yet he felt a nagging urge to take a quick glimpse. Harry took out his wand, held it ready, and glanced.
There seemed to be nothing unusual at the spot Voldemort was pointing at. No Basilisk, no mark, nothing. Just a wall and a torch right above it. Convinced that a glance wasn't enough, he kept Voldemort in the corner of his eye as he looked closer. Then he saw something, a dark stain on the wall. Still watching Voldemort, he edged toward it. Then he looked back at the wall and was shocked.
He recognized it. He recognized the pool at the top and the streak going downward. He recognized the trail of dripping that led down to the stone floor that, below his feet, was stained with a dark pool. Looking back up at the wall, he hesitantly reached out and touched the surface of a stain with his fingertips.
He touched the dried blood.
Hermione's blood.
Hermione, who died in that same room, at exactly the same spot Harry was standing in.
Harry remembered.
Flooded with the memories, Harry clenched his hand into a fist. Fury, guilt, sadness . . . all the feelings he had felt then came back to him at that moment, and the wound that had started to heal in his heart was wrenched open again.
Harry turned to face Voldemort, newfound fury grasping him. He shook with rage as he glared at the man, who was smiling, and pointed his wand at him.
"You – "
"Don't you think it's a bit rude for the guest to threaten the host?" Voldemort asked, his red eyes on Harry's wand.
"I – Don't – Bloody – Care!" Harry spat, as if every word were dripping with poison.
"You're disturbing your friend," Voldemort tilted his head toward a dark corner, and then said to it, "Come on out, say hello to Harry!"
It was then that Harry noticed a soft sobbing in the background. He looked over to the corner. There was definitely something hiding.
"My patience is wearing thin," Voldemort warned the creature. It still didn't move, but kept crying. Voldemort reached inside his cloak, turned toward the corner, raised his wand, and shouted, "/Crucio/!" Harry suddenly felt as if his skull had been smashed open. He winced and clapped his hand over his forehead, but still watched Voldemort's hand like a hawk.
The creature let out a high-pitched scream. Harry jumped. It, too, sounded familiar. His eyes focused on Voldemort's wand as if it might turn toward him, Harry wondered what the hell the creature was.
"Come!" Voldemort said in a commanding voice.
There was movement, and the creature slowly stepped into the dim light. Harry could now tell it was a human . . . a girl . . . and then he gasped.
The girl was coated in dried blood and tears were running down her caked cheeks. There were rips in her cloak, and her hair was a mess. She only looked at Harry for a fleeting moment, and then looked away, crying even harder. Harry's mouth hung open and his hand fell from his head.
"Aurora?"
When he spoke, she fell to her knees, smacked her hand over her mouth and coughed. Blood seeped through her fingers and down her arm.
Harry tried to take deep breaths to calm himself, but still found that he was drawing short, ragged gasps. He stared at Aurora, and then looked back at Voldemort, who was watching her with his head down.
"What – what did you do to her?" His voice was becoming shaky to his annoyance.
Voldemort smiled corruptly but didn't look up.
"Remember what I said the night your female Mudblood friend died?"
Harry's eyes widened and his wand nearly fell out of his hand. "No . . ."
Voldemort's smile turned into a wide grin.
He quickly looked back at Aurora, still coughing and robes covered with a new coat of blood. "Aurora? AURORA!"
He ran over and went down on his knees. He was already responsible for one death . . .
He quickly dropped his wand into a shallow puddle of blood forming around her and planted one hand on each of her shoulders. "Aurora, what happened? Are you okay?"
She shifted, trying to get away from his grip and shaking her head. Her eyes were shut tightly.
"Must be something in the gene pool . . ." Harry heard Voldemort mutter audibly.
Harry's head quickly whipped around. "What do you mean?" he demanded.
Voldemort's grin widened. "You mean she never told you?"
"Never told me what?" Harry asked, his impatience growing. Aurora was shaking her head more furiously, and he received a light shower of blood. Mastering the impulse to wince as the stench reached his nostrils and liquid slid down his arms, Harry glared at Voldemort, who was clearly pleased with himself, but said nothing.
"Never . . . told . . . me . . . what?" Harry repeated slowly, turning away from Aurora who was still coughing up blood.
"I think your friend should do the honors," He said. "Aurora?"
Harry looked back at Aurora, who flinched when Voldemort had said her name and shook her head even more rapidly. Her head was hung and eyes were shut, blood now covering the floor beneath Harry and Aurora. Harry tried his best to ignore the sickening, metallic smell and the fact that the blood was now seeping into his robes. His knees were already soaked.
"Don't keep him in suspense," Voldemort said with an evil smile.
Aurora started rocking herself back and forth.
"No . . ." Harry heard her whisper between gasps.
Before Harry knew it, Voldemort appeared behind her. His protective instincts flaring, Harry got to his feet with soft splashes, but before he could do anything Voldemort took out his wand just as rapidly and shouted, "/Petrify/!"
Harry froze, unable to move except for the blinking of his eyes. Voldemort was leaning toward Aurora's shuddering body. Harry fought with everything he had, but could not budge. His heart raced as the possibilities of what Voldemort would do flashed through his mind.
Voldemort had grabbed a handful of Aurora's black hair, making her scream and Harry's head split, both from his flaring scar and from fear of what Voldemort was planning. Voldemort wrenched his hand back up, making Aurora's head snap backward and droplets of blood fly everywhere.
"Go ahead, tell him. Tell him what you've been hiding all this time. Open your eyes and tell him."
Voldemort watched Aurora closely, who was gripping his hand and struggling to get it off.
"No," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
"I SAID TELL HIM!" Voldemort screamed at her while shaking her hair, making Harry's heart jump and Aurora let out another short scream.
She opened her puffy eyes and looked at Harry. She winced, as though seeing him was hurting her.
"I – I – I'm sorry, Harry," she whispered, her tears becoming wide rivers flowing down her pale face. She looked away and sobbed.
"If you won't tell him now – " Voldemort warned, hissing at her and tightening his grip on her long hair. Her eyes immediately widened and it was then that Harry saw a shining knife in his other white hand.
"TELL ME WHAT?!" Harry screamed in unmistakable fear as the long knife approached Aurora's exposed neck. "NOOOO!"
Then it was pitch black and all he could hear was a high-pitched scream and laughter ringing in his ears along with the agonizing feeling that his head had been split open.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry sat bolt upright in bed, panting heavily with eyes wide open and sweat making his pajamas cling uncomfortably to his already stiff body.
He looked around hurriedly and realized that he was in his dormitory, on his bed. He tried to take deep breaths to calm himself.
He didn't even remember what his dream was. All he remembered was that it was frightening, he remembered being angry and sad at the same time, and one other thing that had stuck out in his mind.
He remembered reaching out and touching Hermione's blood.
Noticing that the sun was just starting to rise and that no one else was up, Harry decided to lay back down.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*He's still not here.*
Aurora looked up and down the faces of the bright, energetic students at the Gryfindor table in the Great Hall that morning and noticed again that Harry had still not shown up.
Beginning to worry, she turned toward Ron, who was sitting at her side and hastily eating his eggs and bacon with less than perfect manners.
"Hey Ron, do you know where Harry is?"
Ron looked up from his food and raised one finger as if telling her to wait. He chewed and gulped down most of his mouthful, and with a bit of toast lodged between his teeth and his cheek, he spoke.
"He said he wasn't feeling well. Didn't say much else. He's probably still in bed."
Something about the way he said that made Aurora think there was more, as if a flash of understanding passed over his eyes and a bit of . . . guilt? Sympathy?
But no sooner than she tried to figure out anything, Fred and George appeared behind Ron.
"Come on little bro, we wanna get good seats," one of the twins said.
"Alright, I'm coming . . ." Ron said as he stuffed his leftover eggs in his mouth and grabbed another piece of toast. Then he got up and followed his brothers out, waving goodbye to Aurora as he did, who smiled back.
The smile immediately disappeared as she watched the Great Hall doors for Harry.
Even after Dumbledore had risen and announced that the Quidditch game would begin soon and the room started to empty, Aurora saw no sign of him.
She got up and exited the Great Hall with the crowd, but she didn't go outside. Instead, she turned and started toward the Gryfindor common room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Deciding that sleep was now impossible, Harry got up and glanced outside the window. He could already see people gathering for the Quidditch game. Just last night he would have been extremely excited. But after that . . .
Besides, Harry had promised Hermione he wouldn't forget her ever again.
He kicked the covers off of himself, knowing that he needed time to think about everything. *I'll do it in the common room. No one's going to be there, they're all at the game.*
After he had changed (he didn't even glance at what clothes he had chosen before putting them on), he started down the stairway and down to the Gryfindor common room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aurora stood in the common room debating in her head whether or not she should go up into the boy's dormitory. Of course it was wrong, and she felt extremely nervous at the thought, but somehow she knew that whatever happened to Harry must've been serious. She had felt it when Ron told her Harry wasn't feeling well.
Looking up the stairs that lead to both the girl's and boy's dormitories, she settled upon waiting at that landing. Maybe he would come down later. If he didn't come down . . . well, that was a bridge she'd cross when she got to it.
Aurora walked up the long staircase, her shoes making quiet knocking noises on the stone that echoed through the empty place. Every slow step she made was done so with much hesitation, as if her will was dragging her barely conscious body toward an unknown, secret area that she shouldn't be in. Very unlike Harry and Ron, she minded getting into trouble.
Reaching the landing, she stood between the two separate staircases, facing toward the one leading to the boy's dormitory and waited again.
A long period of time passed and she was about to gather up her courage and go upstairs herself when she heard another set of footsteps echoing from above.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry climbed down the stairs slowly, not feeling enough energy to exert himself. He felt as though he was in a daze, not completely aware of what was going on around him, as if in a dream, only barely able to control what he's doing. In this state he was not able to notice how quiet it was, nor did he hear when someone called out his name beside him. He just kept walking, a zombie focused only on getting to the common room.
Finally reaching there and vaguely aware that no one was present, he went over to a chair and sat down. He stared at the fire with wide unblinking eyes, then suddenly jumped out of the chair which Hermione used to sit in and started pacing nervously.
"Harry?"
He jumped when his peaceful stupor was sharply interrupted. He spun around, saw Aurora, but did not relax.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Something stirred in his mind . . . something that told him Aurora had something to do with . . .
Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts, thinking there was no way Aurora could have been involved, but Aurora took it as an answer that said 'no, I'm not okay.'
"Harry, what is it?" Her voice showed deep concern, but Harry really didn't care.
"Nothing," he told her as if it settled the matter. He relaxed his muscles and went to sit back down in the nearest chair. Realizing that he was once again sitting in Hermione's chair, he jumped up, walked over to his favorite armchair, and sat down again. Resting each of his arms on the arms of the chair, he sat upright, staring at the fire, his back toward Aurora.
"I know something's bothering you." He could hear her approaching the chair, and mentally wished that she would leave him alone. He didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the fire, red flickers that licked the wood hungrily, yet not eating up the wood from which they sprouted. The deep red reminded him of Voldemort, and for one second he thought he saw a pair of blood red eyes staring back at him. His hands clutched the chair as a wave of anger and guilt lit his insides like the fire before him, licking and burning and never satisfied. He felt like a dam, holding its bottled up burden of gallons of guilt and sadness inside in the form of a salty, red liquid, and the dam never opened its doors but was slowly being filled to the rim.
"You can't keep living like this," a soft voice whispered.
His annoyance toward her grew rapidly. A part of him wanted to vent his rage out on her, ask her what the bloody hell she knew about him and tell her straight out to leave him in peace. He took a broken breath, trying to control the fire within.
"You don't know me," he said in a tone as calm as he could keep it.
There was a silence for a moment, broken only by the crackle and snap of the fire. A roar of a crowd could be heard for a moment in the distance, then faded away.
"True," the quiet voice said, "but I know what you're going through."
His irritation roared, fueled by her words.
"Quit talking as if you know everything. You know nothing. You don't have a clue as to what I'm going through," he spat, a frown growing and teeth starting to clench.
"But I do know what it's like to lose a close friend," Aurora said in a loud voice.
Harry said nothing, glancing at his knees. Part of him was fighting to keep control, while another part was thinking about what she said.
"But you don't know what it's like to have been there," he said.
Silence.
"You didn't do it. You weren't the one with blood staining your hands, the deep stain that will never come out, no matter how many times you wash it. I'm stained for life." Harry lifted his hand and stared at the thin cracks and pale color, remembering the time it had been covered with Hermione's blood.
"You're not a murderer!" Aurora suddenly exclaimed.
Harry was taken by surprise, not expecting Aurora to suddenly become angry.
"You didn't kill Hermione! I know that! And at least you have the satisfaction of knowing what happened to her!"
Harry's eyes widened and he turned in his chair, peering over the side to where Aurora was standing. She stared back, as though surprised herself at her own outburst. She looked down.
"I'm sor – "
"What do you mean?" Harry interrupted, eager to know how Aurora knew Hermione.
She looked up again, meeting his gaze, and sighed. She walked over to the Hermione's chair and sat down, not escaping the scrutiny of Harry's eyes. He had flinched when she had sat down, feeling like she was invading.
"I was a close friend too," Aurora said, now her turn to stare at the fire. "All that I knew was one day she stopped answering my letters. I got worried and asked my parents, and my mom started crying," she sighed again, pausing. "My father told me that she was dead. I couldn't believe it. I kept asking how, but he refused to tell me anything else. Right now I don't even know if it was a brutal murder or if a wild animal trampled her. But I know that you two were best friends and you /couldn't/ kill her."
Harry's eyes went from Aurora to his hand, his body still twisted toward where she was sitting. There was another cheer of a crowd that quickly died down into another awkward silence as both of them thought.
"Was it . . . murder?" Aurora asked nervously, looking at Harry.
He raised his eyes to hers and nodded.
She looked away and gazed into the fire. He heard her take a deep breath and close her eyes. Harry tried to imagine how she felt at this moment . . . how it would feel if he knew Hermione was murdered but no one would tell him more. He looked away too.
"Who would do such a thing?" Aurora whispered to herself.
Harry looked at her face, noticing that she was on the verge of tears.
He didn't expect it. He couldn't control it. But somehow, the dam suddenly burst.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry opened his eyes and was greeted by the vision of a gray, stone ceiling, looming over threateningly. He blinked, staring stupidly at it, and then raised his hand to his scar, which had suddenly started to throb. He could feel the dull pulse pushing in a rhythmic, almost musical pattern as he pressed his middle and index fingers upon it, trying to soothe the pain. He expanded his senses, and noticed that he was lying on a cold, hard floor, legs and arms sprawled out as if he had been dropped there. In the silent dark, his eyes widened, and he quickly pulled himself to a sitting position and looked around. It was very dark, lit only by a torch on his right, its orange glow reflecting upon the blank walls that were made up of stone bricks piled on top of each other.
*Where am I? How did I get here?*
He hastily got to his feet, quickly brushing off the dark layer of dust that clung to his clothes, and when he finished he looked up again and nearly jumped.
The walls weren't the only things that the small, wavering light was illuminating.
He saw a man, a tall one that was pale and thin, his arms crossed over his flat chest and leaning slightly against the wall. Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to the blood-red eyes of the man that watched him closely above the flat nose and slit-like nostrils. Looking like a cross between a human skeleton and a snake, the man smiled at Harry, an evil glint in his bright eyes. Harry furrowed his eyebrows as his hand fell from his head.
*What is HE doing here?* Harry asked himself silently as he surveyed Voldemort, fists starting to clench as the memory of his dead parents came back to him.
His scar suddenly pounded for a few seconds, but just as suddenly as it came, it left.
"I'm here to pay you a little visit," Voldemort answered in his high- pitched voice as if he had heard Harry's thoughts.
Sudden fear grasped Harry like a cold hand around his heart. Could Voldemort read his mind?
Voldemort grinned, delighted by Harry's fright.
"How did you - "
He heard a quiet laugh as Voldemort's shape shifted, lifting his weight off the wall and cutting off Harry's demand. Voldemort's right arm rose toward his own face, one long, bony finger outstretched, and Harry's hand sneaked inside his robes as he grasped his wand. Voldemort paused for a moment and his eyes narrowed, as if calculating whether Harry's move was a threat. Apparently deciding not, his hand kept going toward his forehead and pressed against his white skin.
Harry gasped as pain ensnared his body, twitching and pounding. His fingers left the wood of the wand and shot up toward his own forehead, which was now throbbing angrily. He fell to his knees, bent over and gasping, his hand clamped over his forehead.
Suddenly, the pain stopped. Harry kept taking short ragged breaths as he looked up and saw that Voldemort had taken his hand off of his head. Voldemort grinned cruelly. Before Harry had a chance to react, he realized that Voldemort's wand was out and pointed straight at him.
"I think that we should end this," Voldemort said as his grin widened, making him look like a maniac.
From there everything happened too quickly.
Just as Voldemort's mouth had opened and he had begun saying, "/Avada Kedavra/", there was a creak of a door from behind Harry and a shout of, "/Expelliarmus/!" Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand and across the room over Harry's head. Harry turned and saw Ron and Hermione, Hermione clutching Voldemort's wand triumphantly in her left hand as well as her own in her right. Ron was clutching a piece of parchment in his hand. He, too, had his wand out and pointed at Voldemort, but looked scared instead of confidant.
"Ron? Hermione?" Harry asked aloud in disbelief.
"D-d-don't m-move . . . you!" Ron said shakily at Voldemort. Voldemort's lips curled into a smile, which soon became roaring laughter. Harry winced as his scar burned at the noise, but struggled to his feet despite the pain. Ron, who was visibly shaking, dropped the parchment – the Marauder's Map – but otherwise didn't move while Hermione walked over and helped Harry up. Still in disbelief, he stared at his two friends while Voldemort's laughter continued.
"Y . . . you think YOU can defeat ME?!" Voldemort managed to say as he kept laughing hysterically, eyes shut and nearly bent over.
This was definitely not helping Ron, who gulped loudly.
"No, let's be serious now," Voldemort said to the trio as he suppressed his laughter. "What makes you two think that a couple of kids can defeat the almighty Lord Voldemort?"
Harry saw Ron flinch at his name.
"You're outnumbered," Hermione informed him as she stepped forward and away from Harry, wand outstretched. "Three to one, and I've got your wand." She held Voldemort's wand in front of her. Harry took the opportunity to take out his own wand, so there were now four wands pointing at the murderer who was armed with only a smile.
"True, but I am also the most powerful sorcerer that ever has been or ever will be," Voldemort said as he drew himself up to full height.
"You're wrong," Hermione said firmly, though she did take a step backward. "Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer - "
"If that Muggle-loving man if so great, than how could it be that I am standing on /his/ school grounds and about to kill /his/ students?"
For the first time in her life, Hermione didn't have an answer.
"Now then, if there are no more objections, I will be taking my wand back," Voldemort said as he stepped forward toward Hermione, whose eyes widened. Her arm, which was holding the wand, stiffened in pure fright.
"Don't come any closer," she warned him, though Harry could see she was only swallowing her fear for the moment.
"Or what?" Voldemort said slowly, taking another step.
Harry's mind told him to attack, to use his wand to keep Voldemort at bay, but his body refused to comply. His mouth wouldn't open. He was literally stiff with fright.
It was Ron who suddenly jumped forward and yelled, "/Rictusempra/!"
A beam of silver light shot out of Ron's wand toward Voldemort. Just as Voldemort's head turned, the light hit him in the stomach, making him double over and gasp.
For a few seconds, there was silence, as everyone anxiously watched Voldemort's still figure. Then Harry heard. "Ah. A-ha. Ahahaha. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Voldemort continued laughing madly, his mouth wide open and eyes beginning to water.
Hermione turned sharply toward Ron, who was staring at Voldemort as he fell to his knees in laughter. Hermione's back was facing Voldemort as she gaped at Ron.
"A . . . Tickling . . . Charm," She said slowly with incredulity. "You . . . used . . . a . . . tickling . . . charm . . . on . . . him?!"
"Hey, it was the first thing that came to my mind!" Ron said, trying to justify his action.
"You couldn't think of anything better to do?!" Hermione exclaimed.
As Ron's eyebrow furrowed and he opened his mouth to argue, Harry sighed and shouted over Voldemort's laughter, "THIS IS NO TIME FOR ONE OF YOUR FIGHTS!" His eyes darted toward Voldemort, and he took in a sharp breath as he realized that Voldemort had gotten to his feet and was making his way toward Hermione.
"HERMIONE, MOVE!"
But it was too late. Before either Ron or Hermione knew, Voldemort had snatched his wand from Hermione's grasp. "/Finite Incantatem/," he muttered between chuckles and stopped laughing immediately. The three jumped backward, not only from the suddenness of his silence but also from the terrifying, murderous look in his blood-red eyes. There was no doubting that he had had enough. Breathing heavily through clenched teeth, he straightened up and glared at them with pure fury. If looks could kill, every one of them would have died instantly.
"I have come here with the intention of killing, and you treat this like a childish game." He said calmly, suppressing the anger that was surely rattling inside.
No one replied.
Without any warning, Voldemort whipped his wand toward Ron and yelled, "/Crucio/!"
Ron's eyes widened and Hermione gasped.
"Ron!"
Harry's heart froze as Ron opened his mouth and let out a blood-curling scream that echoed through the small chamber. He fell to the floor and lay there on his side, writhing, twitching, and screaming the entire time. His screams were soon joined by those of Hermione, who fell to her knees beside him, yelling "oh my god" and trying to hold Ron still. Though she had definitely studied the Crucius Curse in school and on her own, Harry knew how terrifying it was to see it happen before your eyes. And he knew how terrifying it was to be under it. Ron's eyes were shut tightly and fists clenched his robes as he kept twitching and screaming and Hermione planted her hands on his shoulder and arm, leaning over desperately trying to steady him.
Seconds after Ron had fallen, Harry had turned to Voldemort with his wand outstretched and a determination to make it stop. He carefully aimed at Voldemort's hand.
"/Diffindo/!" Harry yelled.
A ray of light hit Voldemort and a magical cut sliced into his hand as if with a knife. Voldemort cursed, almost dropping his wand as blood slowly dripped to the floor. He gripped his hand in an effort to stop the bleeding.
The instant Voldemort's hand was cut and his concentration was broken, the screaming stopped, though a ring resounded in Harry's ear. He looked over and saw that both Ron and Hermione were breathing heavily, Ron blinking and trying to recover. Ron looked up and saw Hermione's hands and her body leaning over him, her hair nearly touching the floor beside him. There was a moment of silence filled with visible awkwardness.
"Hermione?" He said in a questioning tone of voice.
As if recovering herself, she suddenly lifted herself off and jerked her hands away. Harry tried very hard to suppress a chuckle. Though they did fight, Harry couldn't doubt their friendship.
But this was no time to celebrate the joy of friendship, as Voldemort was standing there, fuming. It seemed as though his red eyes had become brighter and his skin whiter as he glared at Harry. He pointed his wand and shouted, "/Stupefy/!"
A red jet of light shot toward Harry, but he easily dodged it and it bounced harmlessly off the wall behind him. Harry glanced to the side and saw that both Ron and Hermione had gotten up and were ready to attack again.
"I've had enough of this game. I'll have to get rid of you one by one," Voldemort said in a tone that sent a chill down Harry's spine. "/Serpensortia/!"
A large, black snake shot out of Voldemort's wand and landed with a thump on the floor. It raised itself, poised and hissing with its long thick fangs bared. "Attack the redhead," Voldemort whispered in a high hiss. The snake darted with amazing speed across the room, jolting around every spell that Ron and Hermione were launching at it.
"Stop! Stop!" Harry hissed at the snake, but to Harry's dismay, it didn't stop. It flashed and appeared on Ron's leg. Harry went cold as Hermione screamed and Ron went rigid. Launching a spell at it now would risk hurting Ron, for the snake was faster than any of their spells. It started to curl up Ron's left arm, who yelped and tried to shake it off.
"Bite him," Voldemort said quietly, egging it on.
"NO! DON'T, STOP!" Harry yelled in a louder hiss. The snake continued up Ron's arm and reached his shoulder. Ron's eyes widened to their full extent as he became face to face with it, the snake's tongue flicking in and out and almost touching Ron's nose. It opened its mouth wide, fangs sharp and poised, ready to sink them into Ron's warm flesh. Its head flashed downward, and Hermione rushed forward -
"I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!!!" Harry screamed desperately.
The snake suddenly dropped to the floor and slithered out of sight, but meanwhile there was a rip of clothing and a scream of pain from Ron. He clapped his hand over his shoulder and swore as warm blood seeped through his fingers and down both his arms, staining his cloak. Hermione gasped, her hand over her mouth, wide eyes tracing the trails of blood down Ron's cloak. "Oh my god, here, let me see it," she said, her wand ready to heal him. Ron squinted his eyes and gritted his teeth as he slowly and reluctantly lifted his hand. Harry took in a sharp breath and Hermione gasped again as they saw the wound. It was a deep slash, about five centimeters deep Harry estimated, as if someone had used a knife to do it. Bleeding profusively and exposed pink flesh drenched in red blood, it looked like something out of a horror movie. Harry stared at it, not able to believe this had happened to Ron. But as Ron let out a short yelp and clutched his shoulder again, making the blood seep faster and more heavily, the realization slowly grasped him and the shock he felt turned into deep anger.
He turned to face Voldemort with defiance and vengeance in his eyes and quickly whipped his wand in front of him threateningly. Voldemort was too busy enjoying Ron's pain to notice Harry's rage. It was as if Voldemort's eyes were feasting upon the blood that had begun to drip upon the floor, and for a moment Harry thought that this was why Voldemort's eyes were so red. Hermione had tried to perform several healing charms, but they weren't working.
"Don't waste your time," Voldemort said to Hermione with a tone of complete satisfaction, ignoring the glare Harry was giving him. "Your petty little charms won't work on magic as strong as mine."
"They are not petty charms!" Hermione answered as if she were talking to an annoying first year.
"I suggest you not use that tone with me," he warned her. "I don't like being treated that way at all. And there are consequences."
Harry realized what he meant just as Voldemort raised his wand and yelled, "/Impedimenta/!"
"HERMIONE!"
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" Ron screamed, but it seemed as if Hermione was too frightened as the jet of light raced toward her. Harry saw Ron jump forward and push Hermione away with his wounded shoulder. As she stumbled and fell, he swore and yelped in pain as his wound deepened from the impact. He stood in the way of the spell, eyebrows furrowed, teeth clenched and hand over his shoulder.
"RON!"
The light hit Ron in the stomach and he froze, paralyzed.
"Ron, Ron, you can still breathe, right?" Hermione asked, panicking, as she scrambled to her feet. The only response she got was Ron blinking.
Harry's rage immediately worsened, and he pointed his wand at Voldemort and yelled, "/Reducto/!"
As if he could sense Harry's attack and before light even emerged from Harry's wand, Voldemort had already responded by muttering, "/Repello/." The two beams hit each other and each vanished.
Harry heard Hermione say, "/Caecus/!"* from behind him. A beam of light shot past Harry at great speed, making his robes ruffle. Harry joined in the attack by shouting, "/Petrificus Totalus/!"
Voldemort muttered, "/Contego/,"** while the two spells raced toward him. A transparent bubble blew up from the tip of his wand and engulfed him. Both spells hit the bubble at the same time with a sharp "zap" and disappeared. Voldemort's bubble dissolved instantly.
"Still think you can defeat me?" Voldemort asked in an amused tone.
"He's blocking all our spells! What do we do, Harry?" Hermione asked, panicking.
Harry scanned Voldemort for any weaknesses, but as he was halfway through he heard him say, "/Avada Kedevra/!"
"Dodge it!" Harry yelled as the light sped toward both of them. He jumped to the left while Hermione dived right. They both hit the ground as the spell flew past and hit the opposite wall.
Harry looked up at Voldemort, first at his face and then at his wand. The idea struck him like lightning.
"Hermione - "
"Already on it," she said as she got up and pointed her wand at Voldemort's wand. "/Pepulliarmus/!" ***
Harry saw Voldemort's wand shoot out of his hand and fly through the air and land a couple of feet away from them. Not realizing that he could easily use magic to retrieve it, he instinctively scrambled to his feet and raced to pick it up, and took a sharp breath when he saw Voldemort gaining on it. Harry tried to concentrate on the wand, as if it were a snitch, and he dove just as Voldemort did the same.
"/Accio wand/!" Harry heard Hermione yell. The wand disappeared before Harry's eyes. Voldemort had dived in too closely, and Harry felt his weight push him over. Closing his eyes and bracing himself for the landing, he yelped as his ankle buckled underneath with a loud crack and pain jolted up his leg. Harry's breath was knocked out as Voldemort landed on top of him and his weight pressed against him. Harry looked up and saw Voldemort's face hovering dangerously close above him. Just as Harry opened his mouth to gasp for breath, Voldemort's hands shot up and gripped his neck with a steel grip that tightened by the second. Pain pounded upon Harry's forehead as well as upon his leg, but he had no breath whatsoever left to scream with.
"HARRY!"
"I've . . . had . . . enough . . . of . . . this . . ." Voldemort said through gritted teeth as Harry struggled to breathe. "I'll . . . kill . . . you . . . now . . ."
Harry's mouth opened wider as he fought for breath, but Voldemort's hands did not loosen. Harry could feel his heart slowing down . . .
"GET OFF OF HIM!!" Hermione screamed. She suddenly appeared in Harry's vision above both of them, her hands clenching Voldemort's cloak and trying to yank him off so she could use a spell on him. Voldemort did not respond but continued to choke Harry. Hermione kicked Voldemort repeatedly in the ribs, but he only winced once. Harry closed his eyes, his body yearning for air. He could almost feel his blood slowing down . . .
"Stay . . . out . . . of . . . this . . . Mudblood . . ." Voldemort hissed without looking at her as another blow landed upon his head.
"GET OFF!!!!!!" She screamed more furiously. Harry's pain worsened, feeling as if someone was sticking long, thick nails into him and hammering at his already throbbing head. He could definitely feel his pulse slowing now . . .
"I SAID STAY OUT OF THIS!!!!!" Voldemort screamed with sudden fury as Harry had never seen before. Voldemort suddenly turned and grabbed Hermione. Harry gasped and wheezed, finally able to breathe.
But fear immediately replaced relief when Harry saw Hermione and Voldemort. Voldemort put one hand on her forehead and one right below her neck and pushed her backward headfirst. Hermione shrieked, but her shriek was broken off and Harry screamed, fearing for Hermione, as Voldemort ran and rammed her into the wall right underneath the torch, her skull connecting first with a sickening crack. Blood suddenly spattered everywhere beneath Hermione's head. Her eyes widened and rolled to the back of her head as Voldemort released her, and stepped back breathing heavily. She slowly slid down the wall, leaving behind a wet bloody trail. Voldemort smiled and Harry let out a cry of disbelief as her head fell forward and revealed a bloody mess of red blood tangled with her golden hair. Blood slithered and dripped down her and a pool soon formed beneath where she sat.
As if she had regained consciousness, she screamed and her body twitched and splashed in the blood, sending it flying everywhere. From her grasp Voldemort took his wand and pointed it back at her, grinning. Harry struggled to get to his feet but gasped and winced as another round of pain shot up his leg when he tried to put weight on his ankle. He opened his eyes and looked back up at both of them.
"Shall we end this pain, little girl?" Voldemort said with a little laugh. Hermione twitched again and her head slowly lifted, tears streaking down her face and gasping as her eyes rolled dangerously. She steadied herself slowly and looked straight back at Voldemort with defiance in her eyes that was previously unknown to Harry. Voldemort bent down so his face was level with hers. Meanwhile, Harry fought to stand, struggling while his ankle protested. "What do you say about my power now?"
Hermione took a deep breath and spat a mixture of saliva and blood in his face.
Harry froze, knowing that that was a huge mistake.
Voldemort's face screwed up in unmistakable anger. He quickly drew back his hand and slapped her across the cheek while swearing at her. Hermione let out a short groan. The pool beneath her was rapidly spreading.
Voldemort whipped out his wand, pointed it between her eyes, and said, "You'll get what you deserve."
Harry's eyes widened and he struggled to limp over, eyes on Voldemort's wand.
"/Avada - /"
"NO!!!"
"/Kedevra/!"
Harry flung himself on Voldemort, causing him to stumble, but it was too late. The light hit her and Hermione's body immediately went limp like a rag doll. Harry cried out and fell to his knees before her as Voldemort laughed.
"NO! Hermione, you can't be dead, you just can't . . ." Harry lifted her head off of the ground, shocked to see her eyes a blank white. "You're not dead, you aren't, wake up! WAKE UP!" He screamed as he shook her, but she did not respond. Warm blood spilled onto his hands, but it still didn't sink in. "This must be a dream – a nightmare – I'm going to wake up soon – " He was engulfed with so many emotions; confusion, rage, grief, loneliness
"This is not a dream, Harry," Voldemort said with complete satisfaction. "You killed her."
Harry's head snapped back toward him. "I didn't do anything, you – "
"You're very right Harry. You didn't do anything. You just stood there and stared while I was torturing her. Yes, I was the one who preformed the curse, but you didn't stop me." Voldemort smiled. "So, essentially, you were the one who failed to save her, and therefore you helped me kill her."
Harry's eyes widened as Voldemort's words sunk in. He turned back to Hermione as the realization started to grasp him and tears welled up in his eyes.
"No . . ."
"Yes," Voldemort said. "Yes, it's all your fault, Harry. You could've stopped me but you didn't."
Harry blinked and sent tears sliding down his cheeks.
"This whole situation is giving me a wonderful idea," Voldemort said as he stepped to the wall on Harry's left and muttered a spell. Harry did nothing to stop him, still in shock of Hermione's death. The wall parted with heavy thunderous noises, revealing darkness on the other side. Voldemort stepped through and turned to face Harry's crouched form. The split wall began to reform before him. "Your death can wait. I want to see you suffer, to see you cornered and completely defeated. Therefore, when your foolish headmaster gets here, tell him that thanks to his stupidity all Hogwarts students, especially those close to Harry Potter, are in grave danger." The wall now only left a few centimeters. "Or is it thanks . . . to you?" The wall closed with a loud thud and Harry was left alone.
"No . . . Hermione . . ." He whispered to himself. He looked down at his hand and saw trails of blood trickled down.
Hands like those of a murderer.
Tears now free-flowing, he whispered, "I'm sorry Hermione . . . it is my fault . . . and now . . ."
He brought his body close to her lifeless corpse and hugged her, startled at the lack of warmth. She was very cold.
*Cold and lifeless in death.*
Harry's disbelief did not wear off, and he waited for her to hug back. But she didn't. Her blood soaking his clothes, Harry sat in the darkness, silently crying.
Ron was also silently weeping, though frozen in place, tears streaking down his curved face and slowing down at the chin, where it dropped to the floor with a barely audible splat. The spell on him wore off and he fell on the spot where he lay for a few seconds before lifting his head and looking at Hermione. Not able to walk yet, he forced himself up on his hands and knees and slowly crawled toward her body, his shoulder making him jerk occasionally.
"Hermione . . ." he whispered.
Before he got there he collapsed, fainting in a heap of blood, tears, and misery.
But the snake that was hiding in a corner grinned a fang-baring smile. With a feeling of satisfaction, it slithered off into the night.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ANOTHER PLAY FOR NO REASON:
NOTE: If you don't know who Zelgadis is, you can easily ignore him. He's a character from the anime series Slayers, and here's a small quote to give you an idea of what he's like: "Well, this isn't going to last. Something bad's bound to happen – especially now that we're all relaxed." See? Pessimistic to the max, and a past to match.
*As Harry, Hermione and Ron faced Voldemort, a wind suddenly picked up and Harry's cape billowed out dramatically behind him . . .*
Hermione: Where is that wind coming from? We're in a chamber!
???: Me.
*Zelgadis (from Slayers) crashes through the wall.*
Ron: Who's the stone man?
Zelgadis: *glares at Ron but says nothing*
Voldemort: *eyes widen* YOU!
Zelgadis: Yes, REZO!!!
Harry, Ron and Hermione: Rezo? Who's Rezo?
Zelgadis: *points at Voldemort* Rezo, you killed my family!
Harry: *eyebrow raise* Me too!
Zelgadis: Are you his grandson too?
Harry: No . . .
Ron: YOU'RE Voldemort's grandson?
Zelgadis: I'm his grandson and great-grandson.
Ron: But wait . . . that means . . . EEEWWWW!!
Zelgadis: *sighs* Yep. But enough about that . . . I WILL KILL YOU REZO!! Voldemort/Rezo: I doubt it . . .
*Another wall crashes in*
Ron: NOW who is it???
*The entire fellowship from The Lord of the Rings walk in*
Everyone (each pointing at someone else): What's up with your costume?
Frodo: *gasp* SAURON!
Harry, Ron, Hermione: Sauron? Who's Sauron?
LOTR cast: *points at Voldemort* SAURON!!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I think I'll be taking my ring back . . .
Harry: Ring? You're into jewelry?
Ron: That's girly stuff . . . and who's the really tall guy?
Legolas: I am an elf.
Harry: He looks kinda big for a house elf . . .
Legolas: I am a divine creature of the forest.
Ron: Concieted, too . . .
*Another wall crashes in*
Everyone: NOW who is it???
*Ringwraiths walk . . . er . . . ride in*
Ron: Dementors?
Harry: That's funny, I always go all weird when Dementors are around . . .
Frodo: *gasp* RINGWRAITHS! *faints*
Sam: He has a thing for black-cloaked monsters.
Ron: So does Harry . . .
Aragorn: *steps forward* I will defeat these Nazgul!
Ron: Naz-ghoul? Aren't they ring-a-whatevers?
Hermione: Ringwraiths, Ron. Nazgul in Elvish.
Ron: How do you know??
Hermione: *cough* Research!
Harry: Anyways, why are they on thesrals?
Ron: WHO DIED? *looks around*
Hermione: They're HORSES!
Harry: Wow, never seen one of THOSE before . . .
*One of the Ringwraiths starts to hiss*
Harry: Really?
*Ringwraith continues to hiss*
Harry: Oh, I see. So, what are you, anyway?
*Ringwraith keeps hissing*
Harry: That must suck.
*Ringwraith hisses some more*
Harry: Thanks, you too!
Ron: What is going ON here???
Harry: Oh, he . . . it . . . was just telling me about how they're creatures that are neither dead nor alive, and they live in a place called Middle Earth which is kinda big, so they use horses . . .
Ron: What the hell?
Ringwraith: *hisses*
Harry: Yeah, Ron.
Ron: ???
Aragorn: What did it say, gifted boy?
Harry: -no comment on 'gifted boy'- It told Ron to shut up.
Aragorn: Oh, and I thought it said, "Give us path, she-elf."
Legolas: Aragorn, that's only in the movie!
Aragorn: Oh, yeah . . .
Hermione: Why am I the only girl here?
Gimli: My perception is that our creator made us in an age where male superiority was dominant, therefore making us the same way.
Hermione: You guys REALLY need a Susan B. Anthony in your world . . .
Legolas: What is this "so sun bee ant honey" you speak of?
Hermione: Never mind.
Harry: So . . . *looks at Voldemort* How –
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I have multiple personality disorder, OKAY?!
Ron: I figured you were a wacko, but this is just ridiculous.
Sam: It must come with the ring. *thinks of Gollum/Smeagol*
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: And there is no way you can defeat me because with the power gained from all three roles I am literally invincible!
Ron, Zelgadis: Damn it!
*Ron and Zelgadis look up at each other and each smile*
Zelgadis: You're okay, kid.
Ron: You're okay, too.
*Another wall crashes in, but somehow the ceiling magically stays up*
Everyone: NOW WHO IS IT???????
*Dumbledore walks in with a staff and a wand*
Harry Potter cast: DUMBLEDORE! *looks at staff* What's with the stick?
LOTR cast: GANDALF! *looks at wand* What's with the stick?
Zelgadis: YOU! Um, though, I've never met you before . . .
Dumbledore/Gandalf: Good evening everyone. I am here to promptly defeat Lord Voldemort and Lord Rezo and Lord Sauron.
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I doubt you will with my Ringwraiths/Dementors on horses, Gandalf! Er, Dumbledore! Whatever!
*ANOTHER wall crashes in*
Hermione: How can this happen? There's only four walls!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: Must be magic.
*J.K. Rowling and JRR Tolkien and the creators of Slayers walks in*
Rowling: So, how is everybody doing?
Everyone: *stares* Who are you?
Tolkien: Oh, we all created you.
Ron: Sorry, but I don't believe in God . . .
Hermione: Ron, J.K. Rowling IS the one that created the cast of Harry Potter! She is the writer that controls our lives!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: If that is so . . . *points at Harry* Kill him.
Rowling: No.
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: I SAID KILL HIM!
Rowling: AND I SAID NO!!!!!!
Voldemort/Rezo/Sauron: *cringes* Okay, you've made your point . . . *hides in fear*
Rowling: Good!
Ron: Miss Rowling . . .
Rowling: Mrs. I'm married.
Harry: No wonder there seemed to be a gap in my life . . . ((writer's block))
Ron: MRS. ROWLING, if you really created me, could you make me have green spiked hair?
Rowling: No.
Ron: Damn.
Aragorn: So, how did this girl know of our creation?
Everyone: Yeah!
Hermione: *coughs very loudly* RESEARCH!!! Have you never read the Harry Potter series or the Lord of the Rings series or the Slayers manga?!
Harry: Wait, wait, wait, there's a SERIES named after me??
Ron: Does that mean I'm a star? *smoothes hair*
Sam: And what's the "Lord of the Rings" series about?
Zelgadis: And what EXACTLY do you know about me?
Hermione: *sigh* Yes, there is a series named after you, Harry. Written by J.K. Rowling herself, there are currently five books out though there's a promised seven. The Lord of the Rings series is a series of books written by J.R.R. Tolkien to document his thoughts, an all-powerful ring's journey through a mystical land called Middle Earth. And I know everything about you, Zelgadis. I know how your entire family betrayed you, and you went away and found them all slaughtered by your grandfather/great-grandfather Rezo, including your wife and your child . . .
Zelgadis: SHUT THE DAMN HELL UP!!
Hermione: Touchy, touchy . . .
Rowling: Hermione's a lot smarter than I meant her to be.
Hermione: *glares at J.K. Rowling* Though I was created by you, I am my own person!
Legolas: If this "Tolkien" created me, does this mean . . . I'm not real?
Tolkien: I thought I made you quicker than that.
Legolas: But . . . it can't be!
Tolkien: *sigh* Elves these days . . .
Rowling: Tell me about it . . . *thinks of Dobby*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
* This is real charm, but the incantations are unknown, so we based it off the Latin translation of "blind".
** I had to make up the incantations for the Shield Charm. This time I used the Latin translation of "shield".
*** Real spell, the Banishing Charm, but I based the incantation off of the Latin translation of "banish".
::: Did I fool you with the dream? By the way, I hope you appreciate all the research I did and all the effort it took to write this chapter. Seriously, I /never/ slacked off, I took the ENTIRE time writing it. Yeah, I know I'm crazy. ^-^ Anyway, I've decided to do something about the fact that my updating schedule is very random ((Check the name! ^-^)) so, if you would like to receive email notices when I update, please email me at rollymc123@yahoo.com and I'll make sure to do it. You don't even need to tell me who you are (pen name), just that you want to receive update alerts. But rest assured, I won't use your email address for /anything/ else. I'm not the type of person who stalks others and stuff . . . if I did that, I wouldn't have time for my story, nor would I care about being a writer, so there's the proof you need! Thanks and I hope this idea helps! :::
[TaioraCrazedGirl]: You know, that's the second time you've tried to kill me. I'm starting to think you don't like the fact that I killed Hermione . . . JK! (*cough* Rowling *cough*) ^-^ I'm sorry I took so long, but like I wrote above, I NEVER slacked off . . . and I'm offering an alert system if you're interested. But, anyway, thanks for reviewing, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you!
[Miya-chan]: To answer your questions, Hermione was turned into a ghost, and yes, Harry will most definitely see her again . . . eventually ^_~
[usha88]: So, you think you figured it out? Wow! Hmm . . . I wish I could know your theory, out of curiosity. I gave out some clues in this chapter, did they go along with what you thought? Thank you for reviewing again and I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter! ^-^
[Samilia]: Sorry, but I can't answer your question, because that would give a lot away! Anyways, I'm so glad you liked it . . . and I'm very flattered! Thanks for reviewing! ^-^
[Chelsea]: Thank you so much! I'm so flattered! That'd good advice, I've talked to my co-writer about that and we'll watch out for what words we use from now on! To answer your question, I'm going to continue this story till Hermione finally comes out of the chamber. Thanks for reviewing and I hope I didn't disappoint you!
[Sister 3 and Padfoot]: *NO!* ^-^ Hi! Listen, I've been working on this chapter so much you have no idea! The last time you reviewed I was still working on it! Hey, have you ever written a 37 page chapter? It's HARD! I haven't even thought about the next chapter! Well, actually, I have, but that's not the point. And though you may push and push me, this story is not just Harry/Hermione! And at heart, I'm still a true blue Ron/Hermione fan! Anyways, I haven't seen you for a while. We have to get together at some point. Bye! (and *NO!*) ^-^
[Bakadesu]: You don't seem like a baka to me after that Patronus piece! Thank you for that, and I've added a little note at the top about it. Thanks for your encouragement, and I will bring Hermione back (*shudders at idea of hearing Kenshin's low voice in English*). I love that quote! Where'd you get it from? Or did you make it up? Ttyl! Thanks for reviewing! ^-^
Let's see . . . that makes three threats to kill me, and two attempts to do it, both from someone I don't know. I think I'm getting good at this ^-^