Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. (Why does all my disclaimers say the
same thing?)
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"She'll be fine, Minerva. She was just stunned," Madam Pomfrey said as she looked over Cho. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall already heard the commotion and found Ian carrying Cho to the infirmary.
"It could have been worse," Professor McGonagall said as she glared at Dumbledore.
"I'll speak to Ian for you, Minerva," the headmaster smiled. "But he did stop the attack before the perpetrator could get to what ever he came after."
"He was looking for the Necronomicon," Ian said as he entered the infirmary dragging a leg. And it was not his.
Professor McGonagall was appalled to see him holding severed leg. Ian paused, hiding from the view of Cho's bed.
"She is asleep, Ian," Dumbledore said bringing the young man to breath in relief.
"What is that?" McGonagall asked pointing at the leg.
"A leg," Ian said.
"She meant to inquire about it," Dumbledore smiled.
"Pettigrew's," Ian smirked. "He left it behind. The ward of the castle had been tampered with. That was a very powerful spell only a few could mimic."
"I'll reinforce them," Dumbledore promised as he smiled at Professor McGonagall. "As you could see Minerva, all is well."
"But how did Peter get that much power?" she asked.
"He had Voldemort's hand integrated into his arm." That statement produced shocked expressions from the two.
"Did he?" Dumbledore seemed nonchalant.
"This is dangerous," McGonagall said. "He might get back into power if this keeps up."
"Where is the arm?" the headmaster asked.
"Severed, but he has it," Ian said. "I'm sorry Professor."
"That's alright," the old wizard said. "You did your best."
"That's a lie and you know it," Ian sighed. "I've got to get rid of this leg, I'll make my report as soon as I'm done."
"Take your time at that report," Dumbledore gave him a meaningful smile. "Better get some rest." Ian growled.
"Begging your pardon sir. But I will not rest until I finally stop this," his head turned towards where Cho lay. "I will not get anyone hurt anymore."
"What will you do?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Whatever it takes," Ian said and turned to dispose of the leg. Professor McGonagall shuddered at his tone as he looked at Dumbledore.
"He's dangerous," she warned.
"So dangerous that he performed a high level spell never heard of by any wizard," he smiled. "He is one of the most powerful mages in the know world. Believe me, that spell was reduced by a limiter that was placed on him. By all accounts he should have destroyed the whole school."
"You let someone like that walk around the school?" McGonagall asked abashed.
"Yes," he simply said. "He will not do anything to misplace my trust in him."
"That's what I'm afraid of," the witch sighed.
"Do not worry, Minerva. He's on our side," Dumbledore assured her.
Sighing, she looked at Cho's unconscious form and shook her head.
"Why does that fact frighten me?"
*** ***
Ian had just disposed of Pettigrew's leg and was now on his way to visit Cho in the infirmary. As he was walking the corridors, he suddenly felt a cold presence pass him like the harsh breeze of winter.
Ian paused and turned around. And faced the cold breeze.
"She was hurt," the ghost of Cedric Diggory accused Ian. "We had an understanding, Dark One."
"A mistake that will not repeat itself," Ian said in irritation. "And who are you to question my motives?"
"I still love her," his voice said sullenly. "I would not want see her in pain."
"Nor I," Ian said as he continued walking. Cedric followed him and glared at the man.
"You don't deserve her," Cedric said making Ian stop.
"You don't either," he said it with much venom that it made Cedric look at him in shock. Satisfied, Ian walked away.
Recovering from his shock, Cedric called out to Ian, "Then who does deserve her?"
"No one," Ian said softly without pausing. Cedric frowned and floated away.
*** ***
Ian stood by Cho's bed as he caressed her hair. He was furious at himself. He had been careless and this was the result of that carelessness.
He cursed his weakness. Had he been able to see he would have beaten Pettigrew in an instant.
His hesitation had cost him plenty.
Smiling, he kissed her forehead and left the infirmary.
He had unfinished business to attend to.
*** ***
Harry Potter paced back and forth waiting nervously. He had been waiting for Ginny in the Leaky Cauldron. She and Hermione were in Diagon Alley for what Hermione termed as "women bonding." In Harry's terminology, that meant shopping.
He was on his third mug of butterbeer when someone sat in front of him and smiled. Looking up, Harry returned the smile.
"Hello Alex," he greeted. Alexander nodded and ordered something from a bar maiden.
"Waiting for thy love to return?" Alex teased. Harry groaned and sipped at his mug.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. Alex smiled and propped his legs on the table as he leaned the chair backwards.
"Just here for a drink," he said. "Shiva gave me the day off."
"That's nice," Harry smiled. "So you only come here to drink?"
"Not today," Alex smirked. "Can I ask a personal question?" Harry blinked and nodded.
"How's the scar?"
"My scar?" Harry asked rather abashed. "It's fine. Why do you ask?"
"Any nightmares?" Alex ignored Harry's question.
"A mild one last night," he admitted. "But surprisingly it became a good dream in the end. What is this about?" Harry asked concerned. But before Alex could answer, Ginny and Hermione came back from the Alley.
"Hello Alex," Ginny greeted and she smiled. She kissed her fiancé before sitting by his side. Hermione was looking at the platinum haired man with scrutiny. Alex noticed this.
"Nothing escapes you, doesn't it?" he smiled at her. Alex then turned to Harry. "I'll talk to you later. Good day," Alex smiled and left.
"What was that all about?" Ginny asked. Harry shrugged but had a pretty good idea what Alex was talking about.
.
End of 16
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"She'll be fine, Minerva. She was just stunned," Madam Pomfrey said as she looked over Cho. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall already heard the commotion and found Ian carrying Cho to the infirmary.
"It could have been worse," Professor McGonagall said as she glared at Dumbledore.
"I'll speak to Ian for you, Minerva," the headmaster smiled. "But he did stop the attack before the perpetrator could get to what ever he came after."
"He was looking for the Necronomicon," Ian said as he entered the infirmary dragging a leg. And it was not his.
Professor McGonagall was appalled to see him holding severed leg. Ian paused, hiding from the view of Cho's bed.
"She is asleep, Ian," Dumbledore said bringing the young man to breath in relief.
"What is that?" McGonagall asked pointing at the leg.
"A leg," Ian said.
"She meant to inquire about it," Dumbledore smiled.
"Pettigrew's," Ian smirked. "He left it behind. The ward of the castle had been tampered with. That was a very powerful spell only a few could mimic."
"I'll reinforce them," Dumbledore promised as he smiled at Professor McGonagall. "As you could see Minerva, all is well."
"But how did Peter get that much power?" she asked.
"He had Voldemort's hand integrated into his arm." That statement produced shocked expressions from the two.
"Did he?" Dumbledore seemed nonchalant.
"This is dangerous," McGonagall said. "He might get back into power if this keeps up."
"Where is the arm?" the headmaster asked.
"Severed, but he has it," Ian said. "I'm sorry Professor."
"That's alright," the old wizard said. "You did your best."
"That's a lie and you know it," Ian sighed. "I've got to get rid of this leg, I'll make my report as soon as I'm done."
"Take your time at that report," Dumbledore gave him a meaningful smile. "Better get some rest." Ian growled.
"Begging your pardon sir. But I will not rest until I finally stop this," his head turned towards where Cho lay. "I will not get anyone hurt anymore."
"What will you do?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Whatever it takes," Ian said and turned to dispose of the leg. Professor McGonagall shuddered at his tone as he looked at Dumbledore.
"He's dangerous," she warned.
"So dangerous that he performed a high level spell never heard of by any wizard," he smiled. "He is one of the most powerful mages in the know world. Believe me, that spell was reduced by a limiter that was placed on him. By all accounts he should have destroyed the whole school."
"You let someone like that walk around the school?" McGonagall asked abashed.
"Yes," he simply said. "He will not do anything to misplace my trust in him."
"That's what I'm afraid of," the witch sighed.
"Do not worry, Minerva. He's on our side," Dumbledore assured her.
Sighing, she looked at Cho's unconscious form and shook her head.
"Why does that fact frighten me?"
*** ***
Ian had just disposed of Pettigrew's leg and was now on his way to visit Cho in the infirmary. As he was walking the corridors, he suddenly felt a cold presence pass him like the harsh breeze of winter.
Ian paused and turned around. And faced the cold breeze.
"She was hurt," the ghost of Cedric Diggory accused Ian. "We had an understanding, Dark One."
"A mistake that will not repeat itself," Ian said in irritation. "And who are you to question my motives?"
"I still love her," his voice said sullenly. "I would not want see her in pain."
"Nor I," Ian said as he continued walking. Cedric followed him and glared at the man.
"You don't deserve her," Cedric said making Ian stop.
"You don't either," he said it with much venom that it made Cedric look at him in shock. Satisfied, Ian walked away.
Recovering from his shock, Cedric called out to Ian, "Then who does deserve her?"
"No one," Ian said softly without pausing. Cedric frowned and floated away.
*** ***
Ian stood by Cho's bed as he caressed her hair. He was furious at himself. He had been careless and this was the result of that carelessness.
He cursed his weakness. Had he been able to see he would have beaten Pettigrew in an instant.
His hesitation had cost him plenty.
Smiling, he kissed her forehead and left the infirmary.
He had unfinished business to attend to.
*** ***
Harry Potter paced back and forth waiting nervously. He had been waiting for Ginny in the Leaky Cauldron. She and Hermione were in Diagon Alley for what Hermione termed as "women bonding." In Harry's terminology, that meant shopping.
He was on his third mug of butterbeer when someone sat in front of him and smiled. Looking up, Harry returned the smile.
"Hello Alex," he greeted. Alexander nodded and ordered something from a bar maiden.
"Waiting for thy love to return?" Alex teased. Harry groaned and sipped at his mug.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. Alex smiled and propped his legs on the table as he leaned the chair backwards.
"Just here for a drink," he said. "Shiva gave me the day off."
"That's nice," Harry smiled. "So you only come here to drink?"
"Not today," Alex smirked. "Can I ask a personal question?" Harry blinked and nodded.
"How's the scar?"
"My scar?" Harry asked rather abashed. "It's fine. Why do you ask?"
"Any nightmares?" Alex ignored Harry's question.
"A mild one last night," he admitted. "But surprisingly it became a good dream in the end. What is this about?" Harry asked concerned. But before Alex could answer, Ginny and Hermione came back from the Alley.
"Hello Alex," Ginny greeted and she smiled. She kissed her fiancé before sitting by his side. Hermione was looking at the platinum haired man with scrutiny. Alex noticed this.
"Nothing escapes you, doesn't it?" he smiled at her. Alex then turned to Harry. "I'll talk to you later. Good day," Alex smiled and left.
"What was that all about?" Ginny asked. Harry shrugged but had a pretty good idea what Alex was talking about.
.
End of 16