Chapter one: Reunoin of Sorrows
12 GRIMMAULD PLACE
"I...suppose..we tell Dumbledore whats happened?...",said Hermione on the verge of tears. She was sitting on a chair next to the kitchen table at the Orders HQ,apparating there with Ron,Ginny,Fred and McGonagell. Shock was all over her face as she quietly nodded in Hermiones direction.Her left hand over her chest, trying to slow down her rapid breathing,her other hand clutched as if for dear life on her wand. Ginny was silently holding back tears as her oldest brother in the room, Fred, hugged her in a tight embrace,obviously himself not even hiding his already streaming faceful of tears. "Ill do it myself..personally...Dumbledore should know everything...everything."She finished the last "everything" with a heavy heart, and before anyone else could blink,she was gone,disapparting to wherever Dumbledore and the rest of the Order was, wherever they were sent to fight,while the other half had gone to the Ministry. As soon as McGonagell had left, Hermione couldnt take it anymore she stood and flung her arms over her fiancees neck, and cried deeply and noisily into his chest. Ron groped his soon-to-be wife hard,and his tears came down as well,silently landing on top of Hermiones bushy brown hair.
"I can't believe it.., I just cant...you know its not over,even after all of this..this bloodshed and all of these massacres...and sacrifice on our part.." Ginny stopped talking as suddenly as she had started. She let go of Freds embrace and walked over to the fire,staring at it half-crazily, almost as if she wanted to be engulfed by it. Hermione noticed this,and let go of Ron reluctanlty. She strode over to Ginny,still crying salty tears and hugged her friend. Ginny didnt respond to the hug,didnt even continue crying as she stared madly into the fire. It illuminated her features as a young woman quite profoundly. " I know all the pain your going through, Ginny. I myself am feeling every ounce of it as well, so much has been lost to this damn war,so much time...so many lives...and friends." She stopped and then straightened herself. Ron and Fred came over,Fred sitting down on the chair Hermione had sat in minutes before, and buried his face in his hands. Ron came around his sister and gave her a tight embrace. Then suddenly with a loud pop, there was at least 7 people who had just apparated behind them. Tonks and Moody were in the back,of the group while Mundungus Fletcher,Madame Maxime,and Hagrid were to the right of them. McGonagell to the left of the wizard that she went looking for..Albus Dumbledore.in his famous half-moon spectacles his shocking blue eyes looking rather pale and hard as if he had just come back from a rather tiring journey.
"McGonagell has informed me of what has just occured. I have notified the right people and the bodies from both Order parties has just been brought to 12 Grimmauld Place."
Dumbledore said into the silence. Finally,after a few stony moments of silence,Ginny spoke up, "Where are the people from the Order you took to Hogwarts!" Indeed such a few number had returned,even though Dumbledore took so much. "Im afraid to say that there bodies are upstairs...with the others..that were left behind at the Ministry and at Hogwarts."said Dumbledore very sadly as he took out a powdered blue handkercheif and wiped his eyes. The cries from Ron,Hermione,Ginny,and Fred were deafening. "All of them Professor?" cried Hermione. Her big brown eyes tearing up so fast she looked like she had a waterfall built inside of her. "Surely not so many people..." She broke off.
"Im sorry to say but yes,so many people.." Cried McGonagell who had finally willed herself to speak. "Come we must...we must honor our members," She corrected herself." Our friends,our loved ones..come" She led all of them out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the last room,she pushed the door reluctantly and inside the room were many beds,one for each body..for each person.
Dumbledore went ahead of everybody inside the room and said in a booming voice, "We have sacrificed so much of our time and energy to help rid the world of the dark threats that were facing it. Particularly, an individual, a dark and evil individual, who has plagued not only our world but the Muggle world as well with terrible occurences. They have lost people...as we have lost people." At this Dumbledore strode over to the first bed,and grabbed ahold of the persons right hand and said"Remus Lupin,beloved friend and teacher to many, died tonight while at Hogwarts with me and the rest of the party by the hand of Peter Pettigrew." The gasps from Hermione and McGonagell were very audible."But, before Remus died he killed Peter,before he fell down to the ground,Remus my old friend I will miss you so." Dumbledore let go of his hand and walked over to the next bed,and grabbed ahold of the persons hand in this bed,it was another man,this one particulalry young and at the sight of him,Ron,Fred and Ginny cried profusley. "William Weasley,known to us as Bill, has died along with his wife and mother-to-be Fleur Delacour-Weasley.They were killed by the hands of Irving Bulstrode and her daughter Millicent Bulstrode. We have not caught them yet" As he said Fleurs name he walked around the bed and grabbed ahold of the female who rested soundly on that bed. "May the heavens bless them,as we will miss them." There were four remaining bodies left on the left side of the room,and Hermione noticed that these were the people that had died on the mission with Dumbledore to Hogwarts.
Dumbledore silently walked over to the next bed,in it lay a Black, handsome wizard."Kinsgley Shacklebolt died saving Nymphadora Tonkss life. A curse sent by Theodore Nott aimed at Tonks only missed as Kingsley got in the way of it."" We will miss your bravery Kingsley"Dumbledore was saying more to Kingsley than to the people in the room,"But most of all we shall miss you." Dumbledore stumbled almost woozily as if he were going to faint as he walked away from Kingsley Shacklebolts body and towards the next three beds,all containing 2 men and 1 woman with flaming red hair. "Arthur,Molly and Charlie Weasley died all at once as Antonin Dolohav and Macnair threw a AVADA KEDRAVA curse their way." Dumbledore after saying this said rather weakly as tears overcame him,"May the heavens bless your souls into Elysium and may we always remeber you." Dumbledore looked more horrible and distraught then any of them had ever seen him,his face brimming with tears, and looking slightly mad.
McGonagell went over to him to support him,because he indeed looked as if he were about to collapse. He looked for the first time over at the bodies at the right side of the room,and his face brimmed with tears as he saw so many young people dead... Hermione let go of Ron of who she was desperetly holding onto for she was also about to fall. She stood and went to the right side of the room,and went to the first bed."Neville.."She said quietly at first then,realizing all eyes were on her said very loudly,"Neville was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange who was performing the Cruciatus Curse on him." She added in a low mumble,"...We tried to save him but we were too late..." She shook away the tears that were now aching to spill forth once again. She crossed slowly one by one to each bed. After Neville was Luna Lovegood who had died trying to save Neville.Next to Luna was George Weasley,dying trying to stop Voldemort from killing Ginny and Fred. He suceeded,but only to get the curse put on him,saving Fred and Ginnys life. After George was Angelina Johnson,Dean Thomas,and Seamus Finnigan all dying on their first Order of the Phoenix mission. All got hit with the AVADA KEDAVRA by none other than Draco Malfoy, newly appointed Death Eater.
Hermiones tears were no longer being held back. Her head was throbbing with pain and guilt as she neared the last bed. Suddenly,Ginny flew from the door towards the bed,embraced the body in her arms and cried non-stop. In her arms was the body of the boy who had led them to battle, the boy who on that very same day proposed to Ginny. The boy who defied Voldemort time and time again. The boy who knew he could not kill Voldemort then and there but had the power to do so if only he could blast the same curse that killed his parents in both their directions,weakening the Dark Lord and inevitably killing him after 1 year,on the very same day that the boy was born. The boy who lived,lived no more. He sacrificed himself knowing that Voldemort was connected to him and that Voldemort would not live longer than 1 year if Harry sacrificed himself. He did it. There was no returning from death. Harry,the hero,was gone...
Ginny and everyone cried silent and loud tears. Then most abruptly Dumbledore said,"Yes it is true..our hero is gone forever..but he sacrificed himself in order to destroy Voldemort,even if his demise wasnt tonight it will come soon." Dumbledore walked over to Ginny who didnt let go of her fiancees dead body. Dumbledore smiled a teary smile. He waved his wand in the air and out of nowhere came 12 water goblets with wine in each one. "Lets raise a glass to all of our friends and loved ones." Every one took a glass and drank to them.Then Dumbledore said,"Now a toast of honor to our friend,to the boy who lived..and still keeps on living in our hearts and minds...A toast to Harry Potter..."
MINISTRY OF MAGIC,DEPT.OF MYSTERIES
Down deep in one of the corriders inside the Dept. of Mysteries an epic battle had just taken place. Death Eaters bodies littered the floor,some of them dead but most of them unconscious as each one started stirring. Among them a platinum-sleeked blondes hand just shot forth out of a mountain of concrete and rubble.He pushed his body up from the rubbish,his cloak torn as much as his face. Blood gashes all over in thick masses over his body. His eyes a translucent silvery-gray as he lifted himself to his feet with the help of two of his fellow young Death Eaters,Crabbe and Goyle.
"Wheres..."Draco began,but in no need to finish his sentence for a group of already conscious Death Eaters had just brung into the corrider a black robe that clearly belonged to his lord and master. Silence and understanding went across the room. Their Lord was dead..and they were now going to get caught..and if lucky sent to Azkaban, but most likely their fate was death. Draco walked toward the robes. He picked up the delicate black fabric and let them fall through his fingers. "Potter.." He muttered loudly."Potter did this to you..." Then suddenly,as Draco let the last bit of fabric escape through his fingers, a small glowing orb with words written on it read:
Pureblood and Muggle-born blood shall be mixed. Destiny and
fate will join together enemies of status and blood. The joint-
blood that will be concieved from this union will be an heir.
The heir of pureblood and muggle-blood. The heir of a dark
kingdom and reign. All people will bow to it. The heir will take
over after the Lord dies after a year. A pureblood vessel is needed:
A muggle-born vessel is needed. The heir must be produced before
the Dark Lord falls. Then, only then can the Dark Lords power truly
survive,in his joint-blood heir.In his joint blood child...
As soon as Draco finished reading the Prophecy out loud, a cloud of darkness,vapor and dust took shape from the robe it was now settling into. A body appeared in the robe at once and stood up abruptly. Voldemort was back. He threw his hand out at Dracos wrist."Malfoy..my faithful follower.." Voldemort said, with a sadistic smile on his face. He stood himself up and Malfoy,while he was grabbing firmly onto his wrist. The wrist in which was supporting the hand the Prophecy was in. "Yes master?" Draco quivered,frightened at what just happened. "Do you know what that Prophecy means..." Lord Voldemort said. "Yes.." Said Draco half-truthfully. He understood some of it but most was a complete blank. "Yesssssss."Voldemort said snakily adding emphasis to the ss. "Yes..I know you lie...but you will do." Voldemort said appraisingly.
"What will I do?" said Draco his eyes bulging from the pain of how Voldemort was holding onto his hand. Draco could see traces of red,as if from an indian burn,through Voldemorts fingers. "You...will fufill the destiny on which you put on this earth...you will be my vessel,a most honored and high position..but with risks are you willing to take those risks...for me?" Voldemort questioned half-sneerily,half-mockingly sweet. "Anything for you milord...Anything." Draco said. He liked the fact he would be given a high position among the rest of the Death Eaters..Its where he thought at least he always deserved...!
"GOOOOD." Voldemort said loudly,for all the Death Eaters were listening just as intently.."Now to get a mudblood..a filthy mudblood...COME we will think further at the Malfoy Mansion...COME." Voldemort said booming. And then with a flash all of the Death Eaters(except the dead ones of course) were gone. Off to think where and how they could get a muggle-born girl who was their enemy and could aid in helping the Dark Lord plans..even if she didnt want too...