Author's Notes:
I'm amazed that I didn't whine about how hard the last chapter was. Must have forgotten in the rush. -winks- I mean—no really—I kept on changing things and adding stuff to it. Compared to the last, this one flowed like a fountain. I also enjoyed writing in Ron's POV.
I'll be again short this time around. I'm still working on the last chapter, and haven't finished it. However, I'll try my best to post it on 12th July.
Dedication: I dedicate this chapter to all my forum based readers from last two years. Readers from HPN (The Harry Potter Network), Dark Mark, GH (Godric's Hollow) and FA (Fiction Alley). Thanks are in order for all of you, who saw my potential at such an early age. I wouldn't have been here if it weren't for all the love of adoration that you all showed me. I'm eternally grateful!
Thanks to thephantom114, Green Eyes, yorkvillebird, R-Krulle, Akanksha, Omair, Missy May, Silver Phoenix Fire, Staci, missgranger, Macy. When old readers come back, and the regular readers stay regular. What more could a writer want? Thank you, all!
I will answer ALL your queries and questions in the last chapter of this fic. I can't tell you, how emotionall this is for me. I'll be finishing the fic by tomorrow, and I still can't believe it!
Hope you enjoy this chapter and the upcoming last.
Chapter 32 – Debt Repaid
"Honestly, Ron, it was for our own good!"
"Hermione, how can you even say that!"
"Agh! I hate this waiting!" Hermione threw the spoon she was eating with, that clanged with Neville's pumpkin goblet and splashed the juice all over the table. With one annoying flick of her wand, she cleaned the mess off the table.
Neville, on the other hand, didn't even look reproachful. He was as worried over Harry and Ginny's disappearance as the quarreling duo. There hadn't been any official announcements from Professor Dumbledore. He had found out the whole thing after swearing profusely along Luna that he wouldn't inform another living soul about it.
Neville had missed Ron and Hermione from morning lessons. He wouldn't have batted an eyelid over Ron's disappearance, but he knew for certain that Hermione never missed a class unless she'd been petrified.
When Professor Vidal had failed to show up in his lesson, and Filch had substituted for him—hacking and coughing about the work he had to do around Hogwart—seeing Ron and Hermione coming out of Dumbledore's office entrance without Harry, and wearing identical glum expressions had raised his alarm. Not to mention the strange guests that kept on arriving all day. He distinctly recognized many Aurors and their previous supposed-to-be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad Eye Moody clunking up to Hagrid's cabin.
However, he had only caught up to Ron and Hermione in the evening near the Hogwarts Lake before sunset.
It was almost unbelievable when he thought for the umpteenth time, that there were worlds beyond this one, and Harry and Ginny had been sent to one of them, along some Drifter—
CRASH!
Everyone present in the Great Hall issued a collective gasp, as their heads turned towards the Slytherin table. They were seeing something that had never been recorded in Hogwarts History. Someone dropping in on supper—that is, actually dropping from an unknown destination.
The Great Hall suddenly burst with a chattering buzz. You can't Apparate inside Hogwarts… Do you see any Portkey in his hand…? Who is he…? He's not You-Know-Who, is it…? He's not a Death Eater, right…? Is Peter Pettigrew still alive? WHO IS HE?
If it weren't for such serious circumstances, Ron would have burst out laughing. Draco Malfoy and his cronies, along with Pansy Parkinson covered with their own supper was a treat for his sore eyes. However, as Ron recognized the person sprawled sideways on the table, his stomach turned horribly. As he sprang from the Gryffindor table along Hermione, Dumbledore had already come down from the High Table.
Dumbledore calmed everyone down. "No need to panic, everyone. He's a guest, not an enemy."
Slytherins left their chairs in such a hurry, as though they were expecting Caradoc's limp body to suddenly spring up from its comatose position, and attack them gnashing his teeth. Draco Malfoy looked highly disgruntled and was about to move out of the Hall when Snape stopped him and other Slytherins from doing so. Along with Professor Flitwick, he cleaned the mess that even spattered their House banners.
The rest of the students were almost jumping on their seats to get a better view of Caradoc, to no avail however, as the teachers covered the scene, while Professor McGonagall specifically made everyone sit and wait, her square spectacles glinting dangerously.
Hermione was bobbing with anticipation beside Ron. If it had been up to her, she would have gone and slapped Caradoc, just to find out what had happened to Harry and Ginny. She exchanged dark looks with Ron and Neville, while even Luna forgot her Quibbler and craned her neck to get a better view.
As if summoned, Madam Pomfrey came bustling in the Hall and along with Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall they started for the Hospital Wing. On a stretcher that Dumbledore conjured, Caradoc's body was shifted from the table. He seemed to be totally out cold, with a gash bloodying one of his arms and a trickle of blood escaping his leg, which was clearly visible as they turned to leave the Hall.
"I've had it!" Seeing, nobody paying them any heed, Ron left his seat at the Gryffindor table—closely followed by Hermione—and made to follow McGonagall, when he was interrupted by Snape.
"Where do you think you're going, Weasley?"
"To the Hospital Wing," Ron answered, glaring at Snape.
"Nobody is allowed to leave the Hall yet, Weasley. Are you that thick that you didn't understand?" From the mocking smile that played across Snape's face, it was evident that he was enjoying himself. "Don't want to lose more house points, now would you?"
"Ron—" Hermione tried to calm him by grabbing at his robes, but he went on doggedly.
Lowering his voice, he said, "I—want—to—know—where—my—sister—and—best—mate—are!" He glared at Snape vehemently. "If you want to dock points, be my guest. Take hundred if you like. I'd love to see your explanation to Professor Dumbledore about it though. Now, clear off the way." Ron's hands were balled into fists.
"Are you threatening me, Weasley?" Snape's silky voice seemed to have a touch of concern.
"Try me!" His lips barely moved, but his intentions bounced right off Snape. Hermione hovered in the background uncertainly, not knowing what to do.
Snape seemed to be doing his own calculations. Ron was no mousy boy but a strapping six feet tall adolescent. And even if he was known to be not so good with his wand, his balled fists looked threatening indeed. However, he was saved the trouble of replying when Vidal cut in.
"I think, we should allow them to go, Severus."
"And what will be the impression on other students, Vidal? Slytherins' dinner was disturbed, if anybody should have the permission to go out; it should be they, surely."
"Ron, isn't your leg stinging still?" Vidal asked him, giving him the eye.
"No, Madam Pomfrey patched it—Oh…"—Hermione elbowed him, while he cottoned on—"Oh yes… hurts like knives!" Ron issued a fake moan and leaned heavily on Hermione.
"Let me escort you to the Hospital Wing, we don't need the poison spreading, now do we?" Vidal said loudly, as he departed, throwing a grin at the ashen-faced Snape.
"That was brilliant, Professor!" Ron let go of Hermione and sprinted along him as they climbed the first stairwell.
"I know you two are concerned about Harry and Ginny," Vidal supplied. "Caradoc looked heavily wounded and if I'm not mistaken that was a snake bite on his ankle."
"I wish I had gone with them!" Ron said, screwing up his face.
"Still, we managed to do some official business for the Headmaster," Hermione tried to console him.
"Collecting some herb for stinking Colin? Yeah… loads of fun!" Ron realized late, who he was walking along. "Not that we didn't appreciate the gesture, Professor."
Vidal nodded at him understandingly.
As they went through another corridor, Ron replayed the reasons for his anger. First, he couldn't do a bloody thing about Harry and Ginny being thrown into some crackpot world created by his great-great-grandmother. Second, he didn't get to kick some Death Eater butt swarming local suburbs of London. Who cared, he was not of age? He had more hand-on experience than a Trainee Auror any day!
Nonetheless, seeing their apprehension Professor Vidal had requested Dumbledore to send them along in his journey to a faraway village in Romania, where a special herb was found that would cure Colin's Eternal Sleep. It seemed whoever had worked over Colin—and most of the fingers were pointing towards Michael Corner—had bewitched him to Eternal Sleep before he could reveal something significant. And obviously, being caught red-handed was one of them.
Ron had only agreed on Hermione's insistence. "At least there will be something to occupy our minds. I just can't stand this waiting!"
They had Portkeyed to the village, and returned after a long walk over a mountain and back. He had even managed to get himself stung by a Tropical Tentacula, which was patched up afterwards.
Professor Vidal had tried to entice their interest by pointing towards a Romanian Longhorn that had been resting near the village. Ron for one was no Hagrid, so that monstrous thing didn't interest him. Therefore, he just tuned out the whole journey back, along with a scholarly talk with Vidal in which Hermione engaged herself. He noted her continuous fidgeting hands though, which were a clear sign of her anxiety. They hadn't eaten much at the village Tavern either.
Returning to Hogwarts, they had found out that along the Order, the Ministry Auror had handled the Death Eater situation along the memory modification of the local Muggles. Finding nothing to do, they had haunted their usual spot near the lake, where Neville and Luna had caught up to them. By that time, Ron had become surly again. Of course, as always, Hermione had another view altogether.
"A lot of good that did!" Ron had barked at her.
"He's a Gryffindor, Ron…"
"He's a murdering traitor! Just like my stupid pet Scabbers, that Pettigrew," he had barked, furious still, "He's the reason Harry's an orphan. He also has more than a hand in Voldemort's return. AND, he betrayed his friends! Who in their right minds would do such a thing? So, don't tell me I should be nicer to Colin because he's disturbed!"
"I think something happened to him, Ron. He was annoying, but he did admire Harry to death…" Hermione had replied delicately.
"I dunno… I'm just sick of all these backstabbing people all around us... That's all."
After which they had just sat there for a while, silently staring at the starry night sky.
"I just can't put up with the fact that those two are fighting Voldemort by themselves, and we're sitting here, doing no-bloody-thing!" Ron bellowed out loud in frustration, while Hermione gave a dry sob.
Vidal however grabbed his shoulder and steered him to the last corridor, leading to the infirmary, when they saw Dumbledore and McGonagall coming out of there.
Ron's mouth went dry looking at Dumbledore's expression which was more than worried, it was bordering on troubled. He had already been feeling useless the whole day, and now this!
"Professor…?" Hermione started timidly.
"What are you doing here, Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"It's all right, Minerva," Dumbledore said, "They have a right to be here." Turning towards Vidal, he said, "Tarziah, why don't you run ahead, and call Remus Lupin for me?"
Nodding, Professor Vidal turned on his heels, while Ron and Hermione walked beside Dumbledore. They silently made their way to the Headmaster's office.
Hermione was grasping Ron's hand so fiercely that he had lost feeling in it; however, he didn't scold her off. Just as they entered the office, Remus Lupin came out of the fireplace.
"Remus, I must go. There's no other choice. I have to go to Caeli."
"Dumbledore, you can't!" Lupin faltered looking at Dumbledore's worried expression. "Wh-what happened?"
"Caradoc has returned without them… I can't let anything happen to... I will—"
At that exact moment, the whole office shook as if in an earthquake. Ron looked on, gaping at a thin seam appearing on the wall beside the fireplace. A gash of orange material widened, and it was expanding, blinding them with intense light.
-x-
Harry stared at the empty spot, where Caradoc had just been, as if staring at it would materialize him back. Sadly, nothing such happened. He was forced to look up at the satisfied face of Voldemort, which was positively beaming over his triumph.
All around them, the atypical battle continued. The Lighter Side had definitely gained with the blast that Caradoc helped produce. Still, fire was breathed, stings were raised and launched, claws dug and ripped, teeth gnawed and tore, heads banged, roars rent the air, blood spilled, pain was felt and given… The mêlée continued nonetheless, reaching fever pitch with every growl and rumble.
Ginny came running towards him, it seemed that she just realized what had happened. Harry looked at her blankly, expecting the worst. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Caradoc enter Caeli, so he didn't know that he had either vanished to some place, or shapeshifted to it.
"What happened to Caradoc?" Ginny stared at the horrified expression on Harry's face.
"Your savior's gone, little girl," Voldemort hissed approvingly. "You're now left with this useless boy who can't even close his mind from me!"
At that weak moment, Harry's head split with such searing pain that he had never experienced. His knees gave away from beneath him. He gripped his head; it felt as though it was a melon and would burst if he let go. It seemed that a gigantic hammer was pounding at his brains, while Voldemort clenched his consciousness.
"STOP IT!" Ginny screamed, only to increase Voldemort's laughter.
"Harry! Don't let him through!"
"Giiinnniii—run! Run as far away from me as you can!"
"NO! I won't leave you like this!" she retorted adamantly.
"Harry! You've to accept what you are because unless you do, you'd always have doubts and could never defeat him," Ginny implored. "Ursula told me to accept who I am and call to my watchers, and they came! Don't you see? You only need to accept it that you can overcome Voldemort. Don't hesitate, Harry… please... Do what you know. Do what you know, you can do!"
Even if her words came to him jumbled, Harry got its gist, and such a liberating emotion gripped his heart that the creature which seemed to coil around his mind, loosened its grip, shrinking away from his welling emotions until it was no more.
Harry stood up and looked directly at Voldemort with a new determination, while his mother's voice echoed inside his mind... The protective spell that I used over our house… to protect you, my son… It's the same spell, we deciphered from the Watchgate's core… from the Watchgate's core...
From the Watchgate's core... That's it!
"Ginny, repeat after me. With every bit of concentration in you, just chant with me!" Harry looked at her fiercely, trying to make her understand how important this was.
She grasped his hand, assuring him that she would.
"Let those who rest more deeply sleep,"Harry began as Ginny repeated after him."Let those awake their vigils keep."
"Let those who rest more deeply sleep...Let those awake their vigils keep..." They chanted together.
"What are you two doing?" Voldemort demanded, the first hiss of alarm streaking his voice. He commanded the snake to sting them, but the snake shook its head, recoiling.
Louder still, Harry and Ginny chanted so that their voices mingled into one.
"Let those who rest more deeply sleep,
Let those awake their vigils keep..."
They kept on chanting to Voldemort's dismay, and as soon as he raised his own wand to silence them, an inhuman shriek rang the air. All around them the creatures' profiles were lightening.
"You are freeing us?" Marak came closer to them, the ice-blue fire of his eyes diminishing.
Harry nodded his head, still chanting the spell with Ginny. He had understood that even if the watchers of the temple weren't imprisoned, they were charmed to be sheltered in the Watchgate for perhaps eternity. In freeing them, Voldemort would be left alone.
Harry knew he wasn't exactly ready for dueling Voldemort yet. But, would he ever be? Sybil Trelawney only prophesized that he had to finish Voldemort off or die trying. Even if death wasn't what Harry desired, it was much better than the life he was currently leading. At least he would meet his parents, his godfather. Have a complete family, finally...
Still, would it be worth it? If he had some innate power—a trickle of which he already had experienced this year—would it help in obliterating Voldemort from the wizarding community once and for all? Wouldn't that be something?
What he needed right now, was to understand what kind of debt the Watchers meant when they whispered the riddle to Ginny.
As his mind raced for an answer, the creatures around them lightened and dithered out of sight, the brilliant light of the central basin pulsed with every last screech, roar, howl and snarl. Slowly, but quite clearly, the four scrolls started coming together, while the basin-light pulsed more brilliantly.
"Well, you cleared my path, Harry. I will be eternally grateful." Voldemort stepped towards the basin.
"You can't have it!" Harry yelled with all his might.
"Oh, really?"
"You'll have to go through me," Harry snapped, while drawing his wand in the dueling stance.
"I am not going to repeat my last mistake—"
"Incendio!" Harry incanted, before Voldemort could complete his sentence.
"If you wish." Voldemort flicked out his wand, dodging the spell. "Avada Kedavra!"
"Nooooo!" Ginny cried at the top of her voice, as Harry ducked from the spell.
Everything was blinded by the shooting green light, and he was thrown to one side with the ground trembling beneath him. However, as he got his bearing back and opened his eyes, they widened with surprise.
One of the guardian panthers had come in between the spell and Harry. One of its stone paw had severed, still it stood on the rest three legs, glowering at Voldemort.
"Did you do this?" Harry asked Ginny.
"I only called for help… Not even said it out aloud…"
"It worked. That's all it matters." Harry spun towards Voldemort. "Reducto!" He shot without waiting for another moment.
Voldemort blocked with a green wisp in front of him. "Why don't you do something above your O.W.Ls, boy!" He shot a violet beam at him.
"Protego!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Again the panther bounded in between, and blocked the spell. This time, however, it crumbled to the ground in a heap.
"Three more to go!" Voldemort said manically. "Why don't we do them some good, and finish them all together?"
Before Harry could do anything, Voldemort shot a spell at the nearest immobile guardian. Bright red sparks appeared on its body as it burst, spraying them with rubble. A red crack flowed towards the second guardian, and it burst too.
Grasping Ginny's hand, Harry stepped forwards, nearer to the central basin. Voldemort however was on a vantage point and could easily reach the basin before any of them would.
"We won't let you have it! My grandmother didn't make it to fulfill your vile purposes!" Ginny said bravely.
"She was a gullible witch. Just like you!" Voldemort retorted spitefully.
Harry stepped backward, seizing along Ginny. From the corner of his eye, he had seen the last guardian leave its position. Perhaps, it had been provoked by Voldemort's words against Ursula.
"Harry, what—"
Just as Voldemort raised his wand at Ginny, the guardian breathed magical fire at Voldemort of such intensity that Harry could have sworn, its range was more than a Hungarian Horntail's.
Voldemort's piercing shriek rang the chamber as he collapsed backwards, while the stone panther burst into smithereens like the others.
Harry was hit rather badly by few of the stones that came their way. Still, he recognized an opportunity when he saw one. The Vita Scroll was almost ready as the last crease fused with a glint and continuous pulsing light.
"This is our chance, Ginny. Go on. Get the Scroll!"
Ginny, ran towards the basin, Harry following suit. In a rush to touch the scroll however, she didn't see a smoking hand, raising a wand.
"No, you can't do this!" Harry yelled—registering Voldemort's intentions—getting ahead of Ginny.
"Aveda Kedavra!" Voldemort's voice croaked.
What happened afterwards seemed to take forever to unfold. Everything slowed down as a lot of things happened simultaneously.
The spell hit Harry square in the chest, and he fell to the floor, his wand shooting out of his hands. In the process of getting ahead of Ginny however, he had touched a part of the scroll as well, which seemed to be the exact time the scroll came in contact with Ginny.
The magnificent light pulsed in the basin and sent a wave through her body. She keeled over beside Harry, who was lying face down. Such an electrifying wave of energy passed through her body that she couldn't even move to reach Harry's limp body that hit the floor along her.
Her eyes rolled up into her head as a power she could only faintly recognize, filled her body; bone to bone, vein to vein, muscle to muscle, and cell to cell. She wanted to open her eyes and see Voldemort's progress, to howl over Harry's pain, to pray that he hadn't died...
Oh please no… please… Oh please… nooooo!
When she was finally able to open her eyes, the first thing that she noticed was the trembling ground beneath her; however, this time it didn't stop after awhile, but continued persistently. She saw the orange globe—Dumbledore's gift to Harry—which must have fluttered out of Harry's robe. She grasped it, and also pocketed his wand. She didn't check Harry's pulse, out of fright of confirmation.
At last, she turned to see Voldemort, who was on his knee, his robe still smoldering, issuing smoke. Her heart turned in her chest, as she looked at the central basin from where the Vita Scroll was gone; only a dull light came off it now.
"You evil pile of muck! You—YOU—"Ginny stopped herself before saying 'killed', as she stood up shakily.
Voldemort seemed to be gathering his bearings, while rocks and rubble showered all around them, and the columns supporting the temple groaned beneath an unknown pressure.
Just as she had felt a wave of energy when she had learned to use the Aqua Scroll, something similar covered her completely, as her anger built to a full flowing rage against Voldemort.
He destroyed the scroll! What was the use of coming here, then? I lost Harry... Harry's lying on the floor... He's not breathing...
The realization finally hit Ginny, and she screamed so loud that it reverberated in the expansive temple as a ghost calling. The destruction of the temple augmented, as if invoked by her tearful voice.
Voldemort pointed his wand at her, his lips, unmoving.
Still, she didn't feel any foreboding. It was as if she didn't want to be alive anymore. She didn't want to be the heir anymore, either. There, I said it. I don't want the bloody scroll! I would've been better off if I hadn't come here!
"Give me the scroll, girl!" Voldemort's hood was off, and his bald head still smoked.
"I don't have it!"
"Liar! You were touching it. You have it, so give me the scroll, or I will kill you too!" His face looked grotesque than ever, as he looked wildly at her.
"Why don't you then, Voldemort!" she mocked. "You're nothing but a pathetic wanker. Your teenage-self was as greedy as you! I wish you would just DIE!" An angry sob escaped her. And, without even realizing what she was doing, she hovered an inch off the floor.
Before Voldemort could curse her, an energy beam shot out of the hand she had been pointing towards him—while grasping the orb with the other. A sizable hole appeared on the fabric of Voldemort's robe, as his own widening eyes followed the progress of the energy beam.
His livid eyes dilated with shock as he stared at her calculatingly. At that exact moment, the spectacular glass dome burst in, showering them with pointed bits of glass. A huge marble piece, which seemed to have been the part of the roof-design smashed to the floor in front of Voldemort, blocking him from view.
Ginny, along shock, realized what she had been doing, and toppled to the floor, surprised.
What's—
"Run, child! You don't have much time!" A specter of a woman had appeared above the central basin. Looking closely, Ginny recognized her as Ursula Weasley.
She opened her mouth to speak, when she was again brandished.
"GO! There's not much time."
"But, I—" The weight of the orb suddenly became heavier in her hand, as if it was trying to remind her of its existence.
"Use it when there's no way out," Ginny repeated and kneeled beside Harry. "I hope I'm doing this right, Harry." She wanted him to answer her, but he remained still.
More rubble fell all around her, while the ground shook beneath her more violently. She grabbed Harry with her left hand, while leaning over him she pressed the orb tightly in her right hand. "Help us! Please, help us!"
With a distant roar of, "You've done enough! Be gone, you worthless refuse!" Ginny lurched into an orange inferno, which revolved around her without harm. She could guess that the departing words of Ursula weren't for herbut Voldemort.
I hope the temple buried him! She closed her eyes, leaning heavily on Harry, whose body shook along her—still clutching the orb. The journey reminded her of the travel to Caeli. The tumultuous wind was almost the same except for the orange light.
In another heartbeat she was falling headlong towards some destination.
I'm going to crash. Harry's going to be hurt—don't think that he won't be hurt, Ginny!—Please, let him live. Let him be alive! Let him live! PLEASE!
With a phoenix song ringing in her ear, she toppled to a solid floor.
"GINNY!"
"HARRY!"
The familiar shouts made her open her eyes. Don't let it be a dream, she thought, as the orb in her hand vanished in a wisp of smoke
"Ginny!"
Ron stood her up and hugged her close. She opened her eyes in the crook of his collar, tears streaming down her face. With a blurred vision, she saw Hermione clutch her sleeve, staring at the unmoving mass of Harry's body.
"Harry!" A strangled murmur escaped Dumbledore.
"This can't be!" Remus Lupin kneeled beside him, and shifted him on his back.
What they all saw made them gasp even louder. Harry's forehead was bloodied as if bludgeoned; his spectacles were cracked; eyes, unmoving; his skin, becoming paler by the second.
"I have failed you, my boy…" Dumbledore took off his half-moon spectacles, and rubbed his eyes, while Professor McGonagall, Hermione and Ginny all started crying quite loudly.
"You're joking! Tell me you're joking, Professor! Harry can't die…" A single tear escaped Ron's eye as he clutched the shaking bodies of Ginny and Hermione quite fiercely.
He's the bloody Boy-Who-Lived for Merlin's sake, isn't he? How can he just… die?
-x-X-x-
This is not the last chapter, but the second last. Sadly, the fic would end with the upcoming one. -sigh- However, you'd get a BONUS Epilogue after some time. So, set your alerts for that one.
