A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers. One of you said something how Harry was very powerful, enough so to stand against Voldemort. But so powerful that without training he couldn't keep himself from being captured. That is exactly what I'm going for! Basically the way I figure it, there are three basic kinds of power levels among wizards. You have the average wizard, basically the bulk of the population, who has probably never been in a fight outside of hogwarts. Then you have the soldiers, like the Death Eaters and Aurors and Order members that are able to dominate the average wizards, and battle the hell out of each other. Then you have the powerful wizards. In my story that's only Voldemort, Dumbledore, and Harry. And they can dominate the soldiers and the average people, but only they can battle each other. I want Harry to be powerful, but for him to acquire that power without talking about the training and the discipline required for it is just lazy writing and I hate it when other writers rush that.

I won't ever ask for you to review my story, I already said that I don't really do this for the reviews. So I'll never say anything like, "I'll post the next chapter after 20 reviews" or something like that so don't worry. Most of the story is done already, and I do plan to post it regularly, reviews will not have any significant impact on when I update.

Oh yea one more thing . . . I hate it when the author's notes takes up half the story. I mean the story says 20,000 words, but in reality only about 10,000 words are actual story. That is fucking annoying! So let me just say right now that I will try and keep author's notes to a minimum and at no time will I create a list of reviewers at the beginning of a chapter and thank or address every review that I've just gotten. If your only goal by reviewing a story is to get mentioned in the author's notes, then please save yourself the trouble and don't bother reviewing my story. I only want to hear from people that actually have something to say about my story and why they think it's great or sucks ass or why it's not believable or something like that. Enjoy the story!

Cheers - Midnight

Chapter 6

For Cho Chang returning to King's Cross on September 1st was a heart wrenching experience for her. It had been nearly a month since the battle in Diagon Alley. Cho remembered waking up at 12 Grimmauld Place after the attack. She remembered nothing after the initial explosion.

Apparently information on the attack was very sketchy as Remus had arrived just in time to see Harry fall to Voldemort and be taken away. No one was entirely sure what had happened until the next day in the Daily Prophet. Cho will never forget reading the paper that day . . .

Flashback

Cho did not know exactly how she had woken that morning. She did not remember falling asleep last night, all she could think about was the events of yesterday. Harry had been so close to her. They had finally confessed their love for each other only for it to be snatched away so quickly. Cho knew that in her entire life there could never be anyone for her except Harry.

Cho knew this because with all her boyfriends in the past she had not felt even a glimmer of what Harry made her feel like. Every time he would look into her eyes with those incredible emerald eyes she just felt herself fall even more in love with him; and definitely not for his fame. She remembered her fifth year when he had asked her to the Yule Ball. By that time she and Cedric were just starting their relationship and so naturally she was going with him. But when he asked her she was so certain that it was going to be different than what it actually was. I mean it was Harry freaking Potter, quidditch star and school champion, she thought to herself. She would have expected him to come up radiating confidence knowing that almost any girl would give anything just to be seen with him. Cho was not conceited but she knew that she was more attractive than most. She had been asked by several other boys already, none of whom she had ever spoken more than a few words to. All of them only interested in her beauty.

And then there was Harry. She almost smiled remembering how nervous he had been. He had barely been able to get the words out. And when he looked at her she saw such innocence in his eyes. It was in that moment that she knew that it was clearly him who would give anything to be with her. She realized in an instant that she was not just another girl in his eyes, somehow she was special. And when she heard how he had almost not gone when she had said she couldn't go with him she realized that it definitely could not have been because of her beauty.

But thoughts of Harry Potter were not foremost on her mind. She found herself falling for the other school champion. Only to have them both snatched away with only one to return. And even when Harry did return she saw a change in his eyes. Those innocent eyes she had seen asking her to the Yule Ball were gone, replaced by eyes that looked nothing so much as haunted. He had lost his innocence at the age of fourteen.

Getting over Cedric was tough. She poured herself into her studies the following year believing Dumbledore and Harry about the resurrection of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. She wanted to learn everything possible so that one day she might be able fight against Cedric's murderer. But she had not anticipated the academic stagnation of Professor Umbridge. That woman infuriated her. She could not properly learn that which she so desperately needed to.

When Cho heard that Harry was starting an illegal club to oppose Umbridge and teach proper D.A.D.A., she knew what she had to do. What she did not know was that when she started classes and looked into his eyes once again she felt something stir in her that she thought had died the day of the third task. She remembered that innocent boy, now a serious young man teaching them all how to defend themselves from dark wizards. She found herself awe struck at the power he displayed. Harry knew so many curses and hexes and what's more could properly perform all of them. Not once did she see anyone who could even come close to his expertise. That Granger girl did seem to be learning quite quickly though. As did that Weasley friend of his.

And not once did she see him break. Never did he falter or lose his confidence. He knew what had to be done and simply did it. She couldn't help but be fascinated by the person whom every so often she would catch looking at her only to look away quickly.

That night under the mistletoe, that first kiss. For a brief moment that innocent boy who had asked her the Yule Ball, what seemed like a lifetime ago, returned. The kiss was just so gentle and warm. She had kissed boys much deeper and more passionately than that. But none of them, absolutely none could compare to the magic of that one gentle kiss. She felt as though all the grief from Cedric's death had left her. She felt warm, safe, and secure in his arms. She had slept better that night than she had in ages.

And then there was that disastrous day in Hogsmeade. She and Harry had made a date to go to Hogsmeade for their first date. And what would turn out to be their last date. Cho closed her eyes and took a deep breath remembering how disastrous that date had been. She realized now that it was her fault that she had pushed him too quickly. She wanted him to fill the void that Cedric had left in her. It was something that clearly he was not ready for. When her efforts to make him jealous and to get him to kiss her failed she did not know what to do.

No boy had ever rejected her before. She ran out of the tea place feeling like there was something wrong with her. Why did he not want to kiss her like Cedric did? Was she not good enough? She thought that she had found the perfect way to get over Cedric but in reality it had only served to open even more of a void.

It was not soon after that she attempted in desperation to feel better about herself, to prove that she was attractive and that nothing was wrong with her. She hooked up with the nearest available guy, who happened to be Michael Corner. She couldn't believe what a mistake that was. Allowing him to kiss her and feel her. He had no interest in her. He just wanted a pretty face and body that he could use for his own benefits. And she had allowed it just so she could prove to herself that Harry was the fool for not wanting her.

She did not realize until that summer what had really happened. Harry wanted to take it slow. He wanted to really talk and get to know her. He was not interested in merely her body, he wanted to know Cho, the person inside the body. And to think she was now with a guy who was almost the exact opposite. Cho was eternally grateful that she had realized what a prick Corner was before she did something she would truly regret for the rest of her life.

Cho knew that the only person she could ever truly be happy with was someone she had ran away from. She had to make things right. So when the opportunity to go to Surrey arose, the only thought she had was Harry. And then Harry saved her from those muggles. Showing complete selflessness, he had risked everything for a girl that had practically broken his heart. Her feelings for Harry almost doubled at that point.

And then that one morning at breakfast. It was just like everything was finally coming together. The food he made was so delicious, and he had been so understanding about everything. The hug, the kiss, all of it just felt so . . . right. If there was anything Cho was ever sure about in her entire life it was that being with Harry was just a good, right thing.

At Diagon Alley when it seemed like everything just was going so perfectly. When it seemed like nothing could ever interrupt her happiness. The unthinkable happened.

Tears threatened to well up in her eyes again but she pushed them back. For all she knew Harry was still out there trying to get back to her. Cho walked into the kitchen and sat down. Remus was already in the room. He looked like he hadn't slept at all. In a raspy voice he said, "Your parents will be picking you up in a just a few hours." That was all he said. Cho merely nodded. After the muggle incident she knew she was lucky her parents hadn't come back to make sure she was alright. After something like this she knew that there was nothing that could keep her parents away from her now.

She was just about to leave and get changed when an owl swooped in and dropped the Daily Prophet on the table. Remus seemed to spring to life as he snatched the paper and began furiously reading. It did not take long for his jaw to completely fall open. Not waiting for him to finish, she sprang out of her seat and read the paper standing over Remus's shoulder.

DIAGON ALLEY ATTACKED!

HARRY POTTER DUELS YOU-KNOW-WHO!

The peace and quiet of Diagon Alley was shattered yesterday as masked men appearing to be Death Eaters attacked the defenseless alley. A violent explosion heralded the arrival of these dark wizards yesterday, and they proceeded to create a swath of destruction through the alley. They seemed unstoppable until Harry Potter, who had been shopping in the alley that day stepped forward to confront the dark wizards. As Daily Prophet pictures can exclusively reveal, Harry Potter fought the Death Eaters seemingly without a wand.

It had been thought that wandless magic was almost completely impossible. But as the pictures can reveal without a doubt, Mr. Potter seems to have developed the ability to cast powerful magic without the hindrance of a wand.

Mr. Potter used some unknown spell to quickly defeat the twelve attacking death eaters. It would seem that after that extraordinary display of power that the day would be saved. This was not to be the case however.

The Dark Lord himself appeared in the Alley. He and Potter are said to have exchanged some words before dueling in a manner the likes of which have never been seen before. Although young Mr. Potter showed a greater power than almost any other wizard alive today the day was not to be his. He fell to the killing curse cast by Voldemort and was taken by the Dark Lord just as Ministry Wizards arrived on the scene. It would appear that the Dark Lord had created some kind of anti-apparition field that fell only as he defeated Harry Potter.

The pictures can describe the battle better than any written word could especially as there is so much that happened that is simply impossible to describe.

But the one thing that is sure without a doubt is that Harry Potter has fallen to the Dark Lord. Many had claimed that it would be Harry Potter who would finally defeat the Dark Lord as he was able to vanquish him as a baby. It would seem that those claims will not come to fruition.

All of our respects go out to Harry Potter. The boy-who-lived fought most valiantly against the greatest evil the wizarding world has ever faced. Today is Mr. Potter's birthday and the Minister of Magic has declared the day to be a national day of remembrance for Harry Potter. His life so filled with tragedy was cut short before his time. Let us all take the day to remember the boy-who-lived and will always live on in our hearts.

To Harry Potter: may you find the peace in death that you had so sought after in life. You will be missed.

Cho could not believe her eyes. And sure enough the picture revealed the battle from almost the beginning to the end. Apparently the photographer had been taking pictures throughout the entire thing and they had been combined so that a single picture moved though the whole fifteen minutes of fighting from the death eaters all the way to Harry's fall.

"No!" Cho said, "He's not dead! He could still be alive! He could still be . . ." but could not finish as she broke down into sobs. Remus stood up and enveloped her in a hug, which she clung to with all her might. Crying like she never had for Cedric, she tried to tell herself that Harry could still be alive. But she just knew that is was impossible, as did every one else. When You-Know-Who takes someone away, they do not return.

She returned home with her parents later that day but was never the same. She withdrew into a shell that was infinitely worse than a year ago. She barely ate and talked only when absolutely necessary.

End Flashback

Cho took a deep breath as she left her parents and boarded the Hogwarts Express. She found an empty compartment near the back of the train and sat staring out the window. Over the next half hour some people came in but upon seeing her and the expression on her face quickly left. Just as the train began to move two people walked in. Cho looked to see who it was and for the first time that day her expression actually changed, from her stoic mask to one of slight surprise.

It was that Granger and Weasley.

For Ron the day of September the first not easy for him either. His parents had told him everything that had happened with the muggles and saving Cho Chang. When he was told that he was staying at 12 Grimmauld Place he pleaded with his parents no end that he be allowed to go over there and be with him. Hermione was already staying with him for a few weeks before she was to return home to be with her parents.

Instead of allowing them to go over to Grimmauld Place, his mother had decided that instead since it was Harry's birthday soon they should plan a surprise party for him at the Burrow. Ron and Hermione had instantly agreed, so they began to plan with Remus about how they would get him to the Burrow without tipping him off. Eventually they decided that when he went to Diagon Alley, Remus would let them go off on their own, pretending to be on order business, show up late, and then under the guise that something was amiss get them both to floo over to the burrow where everyone would be waiting. They had even decided to allow Cho to come over as well but they wouldn't tell her. They really didn't know how well she could keep a secret like this.

Then Diagon Alley was attacked. Ron couldn't remember a time when his father was ever so depressed after a day of work. He and Hermione had asked him what had happened. Arthur had only responded that Diagon Alley had been attacked by Death Eaters and You-Know-Who. Ron and Hermione had known that this was the day Harry and Cho had going shopping.

They asked Ron's father about Harry but he refused to say. The next morning the Daily Prophet arrived and their worst fears were confirmed. The pictures showed just how brave Harry had fought. A bittersweet last glimpse at their best friend fighting for a world that had in large turned its back on him last year, when he needed them most.

Ron remembered just holding Hermione for hours as she cried. It was the comfort they sought in each other that probably made them finally realize the feelings they both had for each other. It was their newfound relationship that helped them to get through the rest of the summer.

Although Ron knew that he loved Hermione very much, he would always be saddened that it took the death of his best friend to make him realize how much he truly cared for her. Holding each other's hands they sadly boarded the Hogwarts Express looking for a compartment where they could be left mostly to themselves. Nearing the end he was beginning to think that there weren't any compartments left that were devoid of people.

Finally they came upon a compartment with only a single occupant. They did not realize who it was right away until she looked up to see who they were. It was Cho Chang. The person Harry had spent his final hours with.

"Do you mind if we sit here with you?" Ron asked in a quiet voice.

Cho did not speak at first but she finally said, "I'd like the company."

And so it was that Ron found himself with his new girlfriend, Hermione talking with Cho Chang. At first it was just polite talk but soon they were talking about Harry. Cho told them how Harry had saved her that night from the muggles. Ron and Hermione were amazed that Harry had grown into such power.

Cho told them next everything when he finally woke up and the following morning at breakfast. "And then we just kissed. I can't even begin to say what that was like. It was just so perfect. His kiss was just perfect."

Ron and Hermione were speechless at this. They were under the impression that after the events of last year that Cho and Harry had simply decided that it just wouldn't work out. Especially what with Michael Corner. Ron decided to voice his confusion, "Wow, Cho. I'm really glad that you and Harry were able to share that moment, but we were under the impression that you and Harry . . . well you know after last year that . . . you know."

"And weren't you going out with Michael Corner? I mean what happened with that?" Hermione asked.

Cho sighed and told them all about Michael Corner. They immediately understood why she dumped him. But they were still confused as to how that could still lead up to a kiss.

"Well I admit I couldn't blame Harry for not liking me at the end of last year. I was really horrible to him. But after Michael, it just put things into perspective. I guess I realized that Harry was quite a different person than what I thought he would be." Cho looked down and forced herself to stifle a tear as she continued, "I thought he was going to be just like Cedric was. Obviously he wasn't. I guess I just didn't realize that at the time Harry was so much more interested in actually knowing who I was. He didn't want to just kiss me and be with a pretty girl. He wanted to know me because he liked me."

Cho halfway expected to see surprise on the faces of Ron and Hermione as she talked about Harry, but instead she only saw them nodding as though what she said made perfect sense. "Yeah Harry really was one of those people who really saw what people were really like. I remember with the Yule Ball how jealous I was that he had so many girls asking him to go with them just because he was famous Harry Potter. I thought he had it so great, I mean some of those girls were really hot." As he said this Hermione gave him a look and he quickly recovered by saying, "Of course not nearly as attractive as you pretty, sweet, beautiful, and most of all forgiving, Hermione."

Hermione laughed at the puppy look he was giving her. Soon she was laughing with her and Cho knew right away that they were dating. The way they looked into each other's eyes. Cho knew right away that they were in love.

Just like she was with Harry.

Cho stopped laughing and looked out the window trying not to think of Harry. Trying to block out the horrible sense of loss and despair.

Hermione noticed right away Cho's sudden turn in emotion. Soon the room, which was briefly filled with laughter once again, became somber. "Are you alright Cho?" She asked.

Cho now had tears flowing freely down her face. She turned to them and said in a whisper that was barely audible. "I remember when Harry looked at me like that. Later that day in Diagon Alley, he told me that he loved me. I told him that I loved him. I could never in my life hope to have someone better than him. He was just so sincere, so meaningful. And when we kissed it was like everything else that had ever happened all of a sudden didn't seem so important."

Cho paused for a second before she managed to say, "And then they came, and he . . . he left my life." She broke down and started crying. Ron and Hermione both had tears flowing freely on them as well. They crossed over to her seat and pulled her into a three-way hug.

They sat like that just holding onto each other until they lost track of the time. Finally Cho stopped crying and let go of the other two. "Harry was truly lucky to have you as his friends," she said to them.

Ron shook his head and said, "It was we who were lucky to have him. Harry showed us all what kind of people we could be. I owe him something that I can never repay him even if he was here. A friend like that is never truly gone. I know that I'll never forget. I'll never forget what he taught me, 'Don't try and be a great man. Just be a man and let history make it's own judgements'. He told me that before a quidditch match once, when I said that I could never be as great as he was regardless of how hard I tried."

The rest of the train ride was spent with Ron and Hermione telling Cho about the adventures they had shared the last five years. Not leaving anything out, although it was tough explaining to Cho about Sirius's innocence. Cho's respect for Harry only grew as she realized exactly what he had been through in his life. She broke down again when they told her everything about the Department of Mysteries and how Sirius had died. Cho said that she understood now why Harry seemed so sad, she couldn't imagine what he must have been feeling. Losing someone that meant so much to you after knowing him so briefly. Someone who had a hard life like he had deserved better than that.

Cho was almost sad when the train finally arrived at Hogwarts. She was finally starting to come to terms with Harry's death. Ron and Hermione assured her that they would always be there for her. As Cho walked into the Great Hall and sat at her table she felt for the first time since the attack that things might, just might, be alright.

Hermione sat quietly holding Ron's hand as the Sorting placed all of the new students. She knew that it wasn't just her imagination but the applause from every table except the Slytherin table was very subdued. Harry's death had affected everyone much deeper than anyone could have thought. For her own part Hermione tried to do her best to look happy and applaud the new Gryffindors. But after the first two she just dropped the mask and simply rested her head on Ron's chest as he put her arm around her holding her close.

Hermione could not form the exact words to express how much she truly appreciated Ron at this time. He had been so wonderful to her, always there for her whenever she needed to talk or just cry. She had known for some time that he had a small crush on her. What had surprised her was she realized that she returned those feelings. When Harry had died she turned to the only person she could truly relate his death to. Her best friend who soon became her boyfriend as they admitted how they felt for each other.

She knew Harry wouldn't have begrudged them for getting together in the aftermath of his death. But she couldn't help but feel guilty that it had taken something that shocking and terrible to make them realize that life was short and best not wasted.

The sorting had now ended but Hermione didn't bother to move from her position. She just needed to be close to Ron. Sensations of memory washed over her being back at school where the three of them had so many adventures. It was only the comforting embrace of her boyfriend that kept her from simply bursting into tears. She did shift her position so she could see Dumbledore make his speech.

Ron's arm gave her a reassuring squeeze as Dumbledore began to speak. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. As many of you know we are facing dark times ahead of us. One of our number has fallen to greatest evil the world had seen in many centuries. I am talking of Harry Potter. Many of you were privileged to know him, as was I. Harry stood for many things, but none of them more strongly than simply to do what is right and not what is easy. Many of you now wonder how we might continue on with Harry gone. I cannot say what the future holds, but what I can tell you is that we must have hope. Hope that people will follow Harry in doing that which is right. There are dark times ahead of us. But with hope, we can all do our parts to see these dark times end. Do not forget what Harry stood for. To Harry Potter," Dumbledore said raising his glass.

The entire school with some small pockets in the Slytherin section raised their glasses. Hermione had tears streaming down her cheeks as she replaced her glass on the table. As she did so she noticed that Draco, who had not interrupted them once on the train ride seemed unusually smug at the Slytherin table. Almost as though he was enjoying some kind of private, inside joke. But she didn't bother to wonder about it as the food appeared and the feast began.

No sooner did Dumbledore sit down then the doors burst open. Many of the students dropped their jaw at the sight. Hermione recognized the mangled form of Mad-Eye Moody as he made his way as quickly as he possibly could to the staff table. He whispered something into Dumbledore's ear. The headmaster's head shot up and he said loudly enough for the entire hall to hear, "No! Are you certain, Alastor?"

"Of course I am! Do you think I would joke about something like this?"

And without another word the Headmaster and Moody left the great hall leaving the entire school wondering what had just happened. Rapid conversations broke out everywhere as everyone tried to figure out what had just happened.

Hermione looked at Ron and asked, "Do you have any idea what that was all about?"

Ron looked at her and said, "Are you seriously asking me if I know something? Hermione, you know that I know even less than you. If you knew nothing about this I would still know less than you."

Hermione raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Well if it's anything important I'm sure we'll know about it soon enough."

"Yea, now let's get back to the food."

Hermione laughed at her boyfriend's complete obsession with eating. Looking across the Great Hall to see how Cho was managing she was a little more than surprised to see her talking with a guy sitting next to her. She recognized him as Stan Cooper, a seventh year Ravenclaw. "Hey Ron, what does that look like to you?" she asked her boyfriend gesturing towaards Cho.

Ron followed her gesture and saw Cho laughing at something Stan must have said, "It looks like they're talking," before taking another bite of food.

Hermione sighed and asked, "Look at the way she's blushed slightly, look at how he's looking at her."

Ron seemed to look much closer this time before saying as though he couldn't quite believe it himself, "They're flirting."

Cho sighed contently as the remaining deserts vanished from the table signaling the end of the feast.

"It's kind of sad, you know this is going to be the last welcoming feast for us."

Cho looked to her right to the teenager sitting next to her. Stan Cooper had always been someone she got along well with. They weren't really good friends but they had many conversations in the past. Cho was glad when he started to talking to her as the feast began. Not once did he mention the attack or . . . Harry. Instead he just talked to her as he always did. She couldn't help but be put at ease with his semi-pointless conversational topics.

Cho smiled at him and replied, "It is indeed the last welcoming feast, but I'm not really saddened by it. I guess to be sad over such a thing is almost pointless when you consider everything else that's happened . . ." Cho fell silent for a moment before continuing, "I guess I'm just trying to look forward and not concentrate all to much on the past."

"Yea I know what you mean. It's been a good six years here, one more and then bam! We're out there on our own. It's going to be a good last year."

Cho didn't reply right away, "Yea, Stan. I think you're right." Cho smiled at him again and he returned the smile.

Cho and Stan walked back to the Ravenclaw common room along with all their housemates chatting about little or nothing. Finally they were inside the common room, Cho turned to face Stan and said, "Well just like every year, after the welcoming feast all I want to do is sleep."

"Yea I know what you mean. Well, goodnight then," he said to her.

"Good night, Stan." Cho meant to turn away and head up the stairs to her dorm but before she had a chance Stan wrapped his arms around her and enveloped her in a hug. She didn't realize she was hugging him back until the shock wore off.

The hug didn't last for long, only a few seconds. But it was enough. Cho backed away from Stan staring at him lost for words. Before he could say anything she turned and ran up the stairs to her dorm where she immediately climbed into her bed and pulled the curtains shut. Casting a silencing charm around her bed was the last thing she did before breaking down into tears and sobbing.

Cho felt like she had just done something completely horrible and disgusting. It felt like she had completely disregarded Harry's memory. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she wept until she finally fell asleep too tired to even change out of her clothes.

A/N: we find out about what happens to Harry next chapter, but hopefully you caught on that Draco and Narcisa weren't around when Harry burned the Malfoy Manor to the ground. This chapter really wasn't that great, and it wasn't much fun to write, but it's one of things that just need to be done. However, because I don't like this chapter, and I don't much expect that anyone else would like it much, I'll make it up to everyone by posting the next chapter very quickly. But before you get excited, that chapter is really much more of the same . . . transitions and such . . . sorry but it has to get done. I promise that after the next chapter it starts to get interesting once more.