This is the last chapter and I have now had the sixth book un opened sitting on my desk for three days and I need to read it! If you're looking for the 5th Chapter following the link at the bottom of the 4th Chapter; there were issues with the ratings. I know this one is a little rushed but please read and enjoy. – R
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all to do with Harry Potter, his friends, family and enemies. This story is for fun, not profit.
Where Do I Begin?
Chapter Six
(O)
How long does it last?
Can love be measured by the hours in a day?
I have no answers now but this much I can say;
I know I'll need him 'til the stars all burn away;
And he'll be there.
(O)
It happened in a moment. A quick blink of his eyes. A small hitch of his breath. Two little words: "…he's gone."
Then the world paused before him. Bellatrix' eyes lit up with glorious victory. Harry stopped struggling in his arms. The curtain fell still. His brain felt numb.
Suddenly Kingsley jumped to his side and turned on Bellatrix, blasting her with every spell he knew. Remus went into autopilot and his first priority was to get Harry to safety. He dragged him to where Dumbledore stood over Malfoy; to receive new orders. Harry had stopped struggling and fell limp in his arms. There was no time to heal wounds, everyone must get to safe ground.
Dumbledore flicked his blue eyes to Longbottom sprawled on the stairs, he feet madly trying to escape him. Remus curtly nodded and turned to the boy. "Finite." The boy's feet fell still.
Yet another moment he would never forget. The small boy rested against the stairs, dried blood trailing from his nose, battered and bruised all over. This was something he had never witnessed before; a child with battle wounds. Young Neville Longbottom, once petrified of his Potions Master had fought against the powers of evil, when he should be wrapped up in his bed, warm and asleep. His bravado reminded him of another youngster a long time ago.
He shook his head to rid his angst. Time to grieve would be later; he had responsibilities now. "Let's – Let's find the others. Where are they all, Neville?"
Just as the boy began to explain the condition of the other students and loud bang alerted everyone. Bellatrix made a dash for the entrance and Harry ripped away from Remus' slackened grip. He knew what the boy was going to do; the same thing he would have wanted to, but there was a difference. Remus was an experienced wizard and little Harry was over-emotional. "Harry – no!"
Dumbledore laid a hand on Remus' arm and with a flick of his wand the remaining Death Eaters slammed together and fell to the floor a bundle of bodies. With another flick the Headmaster had disappeared leaving Remus and Neville were alone in the room.
The dust began to settle and he could finally see the destruction that had happened. There was no sound from the pile of black robes and broken masks, so Remus assumed they were unconscious. Not that he would be willing to verify that assumption. The craters in the floor still smoked and the marble columns were chipped and splintered. A soft murmuring broke the silence as across the room the veil began to ripple. Voices calling to him, soft and sweet like beckoning sirens. He closed his eyes and tried to depict the one he wanted to hear; the one gruff and barking. His ears twitched to heighten his hearing but he could not hear him.
"Professor Lubin," he felt a small tug on his robes. "Uh, sir?"
The smell of aftershave tickled his nose; "Yes?"
"Do you wand me do check on de udders?" a small voiced asked. "If you're nod ub do id -"
Remus turned to the boy. His eyes were prickly and his nose itched, but these were no excuse not to get the job done. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small mirror; "Show me Elphias Doge."
The mirror remained dark but a small wheezy voice emanated from the glass. "Remus? Do you realise how late it is?"
"Elphias. We're at the Department with casualties. We need Healers now!" he snapped.
"Whoa, wait!" his face appeared in the mirror, blinking away sleep. "Where's Harry? Is he still alive?"
"I'm not sure. Dumbledore is with him. Contact Smethwyck and get him to bring the brigade down to the Death Chamber," the older wizard blinked at him again. "Now, El!" he yelled.
"Rightyo!" the other wizard wheezed and Remus shoved the mirror back into his pocket. It would probably be ten minutes for Smethwyck to organize everyone with a portkey to the chambers. He had to bring everyone to the room.
"Neville, can you walk?" he asked, helping the boy to his feet.
Neville took and couple of steps, bouncing a bit on each foot; "Yeah?"
"I'll need you to bring the other students to this room. Just leave them close to the doors. The healers should be here soon," Neville nodded. "Once you've done that, I want you to prioritize them. Serious injuries, unconscious ones are to be healed first. Do you understand?" Neville nodded again, frowning with determination. "Off you go." Neville scrambled up the stairs and out the front entrance.
Remus rushed behind the dais and found Kingsley clutching his arm, his wand fallen by his side. "Are you bleeding anywhere?" he asked pulling out a chocolate bar.
Kingsley opened his eyes and they rolled to where Remus crouched beside him. "No, it just my arm." He rolled it over for Remus to examine it. "I think she smashed it into little pieces," he hissed.
Remus broke off a bit of chocolate. "Here," Kingsley popped it in his mouth. "Suck on it slowly. The Healers may be a while," he said and stood up. "Are you going to be okay?" Kinsley nodded. "I'll go and check on the others."
The other two were no longer bleeding from their injuries but he knew he should not move them. Healer Aid had only taught him so much. He spotted Moody's eye on the floor. It had rolled into a small crater, away from the battle. Remus pulled out a handkerchief and scooped the eyeball up, dusting what he could from its dilated pupil.
Suddenly a loud pop echoed through the room and a blonde witch in healer robes appeared before him. "Lupin?"
"Yes. There's some students in the next room various injuries, a broken arm behind the dais, these two with head wounds and –" he stopped himself. "I believe that's it."
The blonde witch scribbled madly on her parchment while other Healers popped into the chamber. "Are you injured?" she asked.
He took a second to check himself and found nothing but a few cuts and bruises. "No, I'm alright."
The witch nodded and turned over the parchment. "If you could leave your name and contact details for record purposes, then you can be on your way," she handed over the parchment.
The first question was easy; it was the others that startled him. He did not have any contact details; now that he no longer lived at his old flat, nor could he put down the address of the Order's Headquarters. An idea sparked in his head and he wrote: c/o Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts.
"Alright Mr Lupin, you're free to go. The patients will be sent to St Mungo's. Should you have any queries contact the welcome witch," she said with a smile and handed him a small card. "Thank-you for your help."
He had nowhere else to go. The door swung on its hinges, left unlocked earlier that evening. He walked into the dark hallway and heard faint sobbing. He headed for the kitchen to comfort whoever was in there, but as he approached he stopped. The crying came from behind him now. He took a few steps back to find the large portrait rocking on its hook. He pulled back the curtain and found the elderly woman, her back turned to him, sniffing and quietly sobbing.
"My poor boys… my poor, poor boys…"
Remus reached out and touched her frame, his mind rushing to find something comforting to say, but his throat had seized up. A cold blue eye glared at him over her shoulder and her curtains drew shut leaving him alone in the hallway.
The house remained still. A few cobwebs fluttered in a slight draft, the odd rodent scurried into a corner and Remus stood there. He could not breathe. The lump in his throat was tightening his esophagus. He coughed to fight it down, fell to knees to try and breathe but still he struggled. Finally it all flowed over him. He burst into tears and the lump began to dissolve.
His mind brought up images of their school days, with the four of them laughing in the halls on the way to class. The day of James and Lily's wedding. New Years Eve so many years ago when Sirius first kissed him. His initiation to the Order when the Prewetts held a huge feast at there home. Sirius trial before the Wizengamot. The day of Harry's birth. The night he found Sirius in the Shrieking Shack under Harry's wand. The week Sirius hid at his flat, while they waited in silence for Dumbledore's orders. That night a few weeks ago when he wrote that Gods-awful poem. Last evening, when Sirius signed Harry's adoption papers.
Tonight when Sirius' blue eyes locked on his, as he fell back from the dais.
Exiled again, no friends or family to comfort him. No Sirius to love him. No one. The wolf could not handle the burning rage and loneliness filled his lungs, rushing through to his brain.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo!" he screamed to the heavens. And as his body left to pieces on the dusty floor he wondered where he would begin.