Harry Potter and the Discovery of the Path

Chapter 6 Every action provokes reaction – Consequences Exists

Poppy sighed inwardly as she tended to yet another, poor, injured wizard. It was starting again, the horrors of the war. Unfortunately, she knew, that was only the beginning. The list of injured would be countless, the list of dead long and heartbreaking.

During the war with Grindewald she had lost two of her older brothers. First rising of You-Know-Who took away her husband and only son.

She herself had witnessed countless of others die on the hospital bed, where even her skills couldn't help them. Even magic has its limitations.

She had finished administrating another batch of seeping potions and looked to the other occupants of the impromptu infirmary. Young Miss Weasley was giving the sleeping draught to all of the still conscious patients. Her hands visibly trembling and her eyes had red rims.

Poppy didn't envy the girl. Her whole family was in the centre of everything and their close proximity with Mr. Potter wasn't anything to be jealous of.

And the boy himself, he was always so unfortunate to be the centre of all recent events. Her most precious patient. Not because he visited her ward so often, but because of who he was. His looks could be deceiving, but he was very little like his father in day to day behavior. Everyone could see it who knew him and James at least a little. Young Mr. Potter was almost an exact replica of his mother. They say that the eyes are the windows of ones soul, in that case, Lily was probably somewhere in there, shielding him, guiding him, giving him strength he needed.

The only thing Poppy could thing that he got from his father, was the ability to find himself in dangerous situations. Unfortunately, the caliber of those situations, from the very beginning, outmatched that of James'.

And now they went to rescue him, again.

"Miss Weasley, I think that we are finished here for now. You can go and lie down for a while. Molly and I will manage. Take Miss Granger and rest."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. But I'll stay and wait." Replied the distraught girl.

"I'm sure Mister Potter will be alright." Poppy hoped that he was alright. The boy had an amazing ability to heal himself. Sometimes she didn't knew how much of a help her spells and potions were.

"Well then, we can go to the other room and check on the others." She finished promptly.

The girl nodded and they started walking towards the second room destined to be a hospital for the day.

They managed to step into the hall when the door slammed open with a loud bang, hitting the wall.

Very hysterical Tonks came, stumbling, into the entrance hall. She had almost lost her footing on the umbrella stand, but fortunately had managed to catch herself.

"Madam Pomfrey, Madam Pomfrey!" The visibly distraught Auror cried into the house.

"Miss Tonks? Are you alright? What is it?"

"It's…" she looked at the people in the hall, Molly Weasley and Hermione Granger were stepping out of one of the rooms, Ginny Weasley and Poppy herself were already there, all of the women looking worriedly at the young Auror, "It's Harry. Remus is carrying him. He's… he's badly hurt."

There was a heavy silence in the room for a few stretching seconds, only the sounds of approaching people could be heard until Molly Weasley broke the trance.

"What about the others?"

"Some are badly hurt, but everyone's alive. But Harry, he is…"

"Molly! Where to put him!" Remus Lupin bustled into the house, dirty, with his robes smoking slightly.

Everyone's attention shifted to the body he was holding in his hands. They could tell it was a body only because of the way the werewolf had been holding it.

"Where!" he roared at the women.

"T…top floor." Molly Weasley said regaining her bearings, "take him to the Master's bedroom."

He didn't wait for them to do anything and dashed up the stairs.

"Molly take care of the others injured," Poppy said briskly, "Miss Granger, you know some healing spells," Hermione nodded tearfully still starring after the spot where Remus had stood, "go help her."

"Miss Weasley," she turned to the youngest girl. But no one was there, then she had noticed the girl was already running up the stairs after Remus. She dashed behind them, holding her bag with potions.

She caught up with them when they were finishing ascending the stairs.

"Miss Weasley!" Poppy shouted in her most authoritative voice.

"I wont leave him." The girl hissed not even turning to the matron.

Poppy grabbed her shoulder to gain her full attention.

"I wont leav…"

"I will need your help!" the girl looked startled for a second, but then incredibly thankful expression passed through her eyes, she nodded and asked shakily.

"What do I do?"

"We will need to clean his wounds. Bring water and lots of clean towels." Ginny Weasley immediately run to do what was asked of her.

Poppy knew, that to cleaning the patient, any patient, they could just conjure water and towels, even if it would disappear after the time, they would surely fulfill its purpose. But she also knew that in situations like this people needed to be able to help. She only hoped that she would manage to help the boy. Miss Tonks was an Auror, after all. And the state of almost panic, she had came in, worried the old healer.
"What do you know? What happened to him Remus?" She asked, examining the body with her wand. It was covered in dust of a falling building, smelled of smoke, and there was lots of blood on his clothes. His head was wet as well, but she didn't know if it was sweat or blood, due to his thick, black hair.

"Remus!"

"I…, er," he looked blankly at her for a moment.

"Do you know about his wounds?" she asked more patiently. Her diagnostic spell had already showed her that Harry had many cuts all over the body. And she was unfortunately sure that his head had been injured as well.

"Part of the building had almost collapsed, there was fire..."

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Ginny rushed to find the towels. She knew there should be whole bunch of them in the bathroom, her mother and she had just made a huge wash-up on the top level, where they had put Harry. A muffled sob had escaped her for the hundredth time. She just had to do something. Harry couldn't die, he just couldn't.

No matter that he would be nothing more than a friend to her, she had had to agree to that, a long time ago. But there just couldn't be no more of him in her life. She didn't know that she felt that strongly about anyone, even him. She had worked so hard to be herself around him. She was be past him, true, but her trembling hands splashing water all around the bucket, indicated that not all the feelings were forgotten. And deep down she knew he would hold a special place in her soul. He looked so horrible; she sobbed again

It didn't help that her brothers were somewhere, fighting. It didn't help that she somehow knew that it would be Harry in the end; Oh, Merlin; How could her mum still function knowing the dangers they were in. Sure she was worried about her family. But it always was not very real; how could one really comprehend that when she had been sitting at the very boring History of Magic almost falling asleep, her family was fighting for their lives somewhere; She knew they were all in danger. But that was rather more surreal than true.

However, not this time. This time it wasn't a bunch of school children fighting with a few Death Eaters. The events in the Ministry were frightening, yes, but attack on Azkaban, on Harry's home? There were probably hundreds of people fighting and there were injured. She had never seen so much blood.

Using her arm she swept the tears from her face.

Harry will be alright. Professor Dumbledore had told them that he had looked good and was learning fast. He'll be alright.

When she came back with the water and the towels, Madam Pomfrey was scanning some diagrams that were floating in the air, above Harry. Ginny gasped and almost lost hold of the bucket when she saw how he looked. How could he still be alive? All those people she had seen downstairs, and none of them had looked, even close, as bad as Harry was.

"…before we managed to come in, we've heard someone, almost certainly Harry, screaming terribly, so there was probably Cruciatus Curse put on him. We saw some of them down, it…" Remus took a shaky breath, "it means Harry was dueling them."

"Miss Weasley, get the knife or the scissors, we need to remove his clothes," Madam Pomfrey said firmly, "anything else Remus?"

In all her life visiting infirmary Ginny had never heard the matron sound even remotely worried. But when she glanced at her, she noticed that she not only sounded very worried but also looked that.

"Why don't you use magic to vanish his clothes?" Ginny asked.

Remus must had notice the same, "What's wrong Poppy?"

"I…," she hesitated, "I don't know exactly. Miss Weasley, try to be as gentle as you can, but there may be some places where his skin will go off with the clothes," she looked at Ginny worriedly, "you have to remove all the cloths, do you understand?"

Ginny only nodded trying to cut as much clothes as she could, but already some parts of them mended with his skin. Tears were running down her face freely again.

"I've been treating Mr. Potter every time since his first year," Madam Pomfrey continued answering Remus' question, while rummaging through her bag, "the spell I've cast should show us his magical aura." She waved her wand again over Harry's body. Very faint glow emerged from the tip of her wand and hovered above Harry, then disappeared quickly.

"That's not how his aura looks like. Well, not exactly. And that makes me worried."

She pulled out few small phials from her bag and lined them on the nightstand.

"You see his aura is usually rather bright, and all magical means of healing uses mostly what is in the wizard to heal him. But now, he is magically exhausted. Using the spells or most of the potions I have, to heal him, might make him more harm than good." She finished talking while helping Ginny removing Harry's clothes.

"He must've used enormous amounts of magic."

"There were lots of wards on the house that could be erected only be Harry." Remus said worriedly.

"Where is Dumbledore? I think I would need him, Severus as well."

"I don't know. I'll go looking for him."

He rushed from the room in search of the old Headmaster.

Unfortunately Ginny understood what Madam Pomfrey was talking about. She was from a Wizarding Family, after all, and more so, she was from a big family and had to help her mum to mend some of the effects of keeping young wizards in the same place and at the same time, and two of them being Fred and George no less. She remembered when mum had tried explain to them that magic can't heal everything and especially the twins, being young, shouldn't exhaust themselves trying to use it, because their own magic is needed to help them heal.

Her hand toughed something very wet on one of Harry's side and that had brought her back to reality.

"Madam Pomfrey, Harry's bleeding." She said horrified.

"I know Miss Weasley." The Matron replied annoyed. "We need to clean him first before putting some salva and bandaging his wounds. I don't think I should do magi…"

"No! I mean the sheets are soaking." Said frantic Ginny. The dark red stain was emerging from beneath Harry, consuming parts of the white shits every second. "Do something!"

"O my! Quick, turn him over!"

The mattress was soaked with blood. Sheets were almost black with blood. On his lover back Harry had had a deep gash.

"The diagnostic spell didn't show any serious internal damage to his organs. But I think I don't have another choice for now. I'll seal this wound without healing it. We will have to deal with the consequences later."

"Give me clean towel, now!" She added.

They had clean the wound as closely as possible and Madam Pomfrey had closed it with the spell.

"It will have a scar, no doubt, but that's the best a can do for now." The Matron said when they were examining the rest of the visible cuts. "There shouldn't be any surprises for now." She looked impatiently at the door. "I have to go to Hogwarts," she looked intently at Ginny, "I'll leave these two potions with you," she had picked up two vials with dark potions, "they are the weakest I have here. Give him a sip every five minutes. Don't worry, he will swallow them automatically."

Ginny nodded and took the vials.

"I also want you to finish removing his clothes and putting this salva on the wounds. I'll leave the towels and some bandages. Put some more at his burned hand it would help on burns, as well."

She looked at the door again and muttered something to herself that Ginny didn't hear.

"I'm surprised no one came yet. I will send Molly upstairs. If something happens call for help immediately. If he goes into convulsion, stun him. Understood?"

At Ginny's shaky nod Madam Pomfrey hurriedly left the room.

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Remus rushed to find Dumbledore, the old wizard showed himself at Privet Drive just before they had manage to storm the house. Unfortunately he was unable to come back with them to the Headquarter. He was called elsewhere, some other attack.

When Remus neared the ground floor the noise was disturbing. Something was still going on.

"Where is Dumbledore?" he asked when he had trotted into the kitchen, "What's going on?"

"There is another attack on Azkaban." White faced Ron Weasley answered.

He was sitting by the table and with shaking hands was feeling some papers that were usually Molly's domain.

"'Mad Eye' Moody said that Dumbledore went there already, he took those who weren't injured too seriously and went as well."

"Where's your mum?" asked Remus.

"She's taking care of injured, she and Hermione. She told me to fill these. How's… how's Harry?"

"Poppy and Ginny is taking care of him." Remus didn't want to tell Ron anything he would regret later. There was nothing he could do for Harry, except find Dumbledore and Snape. He really couldn't do anything, the was had started.

"Ron, did you see Professor Snape?"

The boy scolded but answered anyway. "No, and mum didn't put him here on this list earlier." He gestured to some parchments. "So he's never showed today."

In the moment Arthur Weasley walked into the kitchen. His robes were in similar state to those of Remus'. He looked worn out but unharmed.

"Ron? Where is Molly?"

"Mum's helping the injured, dad. What's going on?" He scribed something on the parchment.

Arthur clapped his son an the arm and turned to Remus.

"Where's Harry? How is he?" He asked in a firm however worried tone.

"Poppy and Ginny are with him." Remus repeated what he had just said just a minute ago. "But he is magically exhausted."

"From what Bill told me he was probably defending himself for a few hours, it's a miracle he's still alive." Artur said. Ron gasped looking, with wide eyes, at his father.

"Don't worry Ron," Mr. Weasley said reassuringly to his son, "you know that Madam Pomfrey can heal everything, and Harry is a strong man." However, his tone wasn't so sure, but it must be enough to Ron because he relaxed slightly.

"What's going on Arthur? What's the attack?" Remus asked.

Every now and then someone walked into the kitchen took something or used sink and left.

"Albus thinks it was a hoax or maybe some of those who had attacked Harry. But I'm here to gather whoever I can and swept the area of the island to be sure."

"Where's Albus?" Remus asked again.

"He's still on the island but had said that he had to go to the Ministry again and will be here shortly afterwards." He paused and looked thoughtfully at the fireplace.

"The Ministry's reversal squad had said that they will be able to repair the house of Harry's relatives. But they didn't find them yet. There are no bodies so it is possible that they were abducted." He shook his head sadly.

"We had left Bill there with the Ministry," he continued after a moment, "he is a Curse Breaker, after all, he has the right clearance. If we would have to count on the Ministry to find out what happened there it would take weeks."

"Okay Remus, I have to go to the Azkaban again. Can you go?"

"Did you see Severus?" Remus asked his own question. When Arthur shook his head, he continued. "I have to find Albus, if you meet him at Azkaban, tell him that Poppy wanted his help." He didn't added that with Harry, but Arthur and his son probably understood. Ron looked even more scared.

"I'm going to the Ministry, maybe he's there already."

With their goodbyes to Ron they left the kitchen. They walked to the 'infirmary' room, Arthur looking for anyone able to withstand another skirmish, Remus with the hope that maybe Albus or Severus were there.

The beds were line on the both sides of the room. Most of them were occupied by injured, but some were used to take a quick nap. Molly Weasley was moving from one to another administering potions and what not, Hermione Granger was also helping some patients. But unfortunately neither Dumbledore nor Snape was there.

"Remus!" Someone called him from the door to the room. "Dumbledore, Severus where are they?" It was Poppy.

"Severus never showed up, I was just going to call Dumbledore, He's supposed to be at the Ministry. What's wrong?"

She pursed her lips, "Can you send someone else for him? I might need you experience with potions, could you go to Hogwarts with me?"

"I'll go find him." One of the twins appeared next to them. "You go Professor."

"Where's your brother?" The werewolf asked worriedly, the one without the other of them was unheard of.

"George went with dad. How's Harry?" He asked the Matron.

"Your sister is tending to him now Mr. Weasley, but I need some potions from Hogwarts."

"Poppy, good you are here." Molly Weasley walked up to them, "How's Harry? We could use some of your talent here."

"Miss Weasley is tending to his external injures, but I think, she could use some help. Is someone grievously injured here?"

"They were hit pretty hard," Molly said gesturing at Remus. "You alright, dear." She asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Molly."

She looked at him briefly, not totally convinced "Some of those injures are pretty bad," she looked at the room, "Hermione is a dear, she knows a lot of spells, but she is pretty tired by now. Is Harry going to be alright? I don't know when would I be able to go up to him. Where are you going?" She finished looking at Poppy.

"Hogwarts, I need some potions. I'll bring some additional ones as well. Come on then Remus." She said briskly and they left.

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It had been over teen minutes and nobody had came back to check on Harry yet. Ginny had given him two doses of the potion already and was finishing putting some salva on his letft hand when it twitched. She froze looking at it, not sure that it was he or if she had moved it by accident. But after a minute of tensed silence his hand moved again and she clearly heard him groan weakly.

"Harry? Harry do you hear me?" Her voice was trembling with fear and joy that he was awake.

He tried to move and grimaced in pain, then went quiet for a while. When Ginny thought he had lost consciousness again, he rasp quietly.

"Where… who…"

"It's… You're at Grimmauld Place, you are safe," she stammered with relief, "it's Ginny."

It took him some time to ask another question.

"…Dursleys…"

"Who?" She didn't know what was he talking about, and despite what Madam Pomfrey had said didn't want to leave him now and chase to find someone.

After a few more seconds he rasped again.

"Dobby."

Immediately, with a distinctive pop, a house-elf appeared.

"Master Harry?"

She knew that elf, it was the one Harry had saved from the Malfoys, the one she often saw in the kitchens of Hogwarts, always slightly different from the others. She could only look dumbfounded at the conversation grievously injured Harry was having with this strange creature.

"Where's… where's the trunk and th.. the Dursleys?"

"Dobby and Winky had put the bad Durses to sleep. They being very nasty and screaming and wanting to get out when they saw Dobby and Winky." The elf was glancing with a tearful, tennis ball, green eyes at Harry with such a devotion that Ginny was amazed even possible. He looked at Ginny pleadingly when Harry was gathering his strength.

"Dobby and Winky is feeling that Master Harry is very, very weak." He said fearfully.

Yet again Ginny was overwhelmed with emotions and tears started felling from her eyes.

"I…" She couldn't think about anything, she could say to evidently Harry's elf.

"Dob..by, the trunk?" Harry asked again.

"The trunk is been brought into this house, it is been put in one of the rooms. What Master wants Dobby to do?"

"What's going on at..at Privet Drive…?" His voice was getting weak again.

"Dobby go and check, Master Harry sir."

When the elf disappeared with a pop, Harry probably tried to sake his head but managed to move it only slightly before wincing in pain. Ginny remembered suddenly about the potions she had to give him.

"Harry," she said gently, "I have a potion that should help you a little," when he didn't said anything gently she lifted his head and gave him some.

After few seconds she asked hesitantly.

"What's going on Harry?" She didn't know what to think, he was seriously injured and should be resting not talking to 'his' house-elf.

"Please don't tell anyone… I… I have a trunk. I was… training there," he breathed.

"So?" So he had bought a trunk, probably with some room in it, what was the big deal. "I don't think you should worry yourself with this now."

"I don't want for anyone to know." Harry's voice was strengthened a little by the potion, sounded pleading and demanding at the same time.

Ginny stepped to the door, looking if someone was coming yet. She could hear distant commotion but no one showed till then.

"Please…, don't tell…" She looked into his pleading eyes, perplexed. "Gin?"

"I," she said slowly, of course she would agree, but what was going on, "I wont tell anything."

"Thanks…" The relief was visible and he somehow relaxed into the bed, if relaxation was possible in his state.

"Harry what about your family?" She finally realized that the Dursley, was the name of his relatives.

"I've put…" He was interrupted by the returning pop of the elf.

"There is lots of wizards there, Harry Potter sir. Dobby thinks they is repairing the house. But Dobby don't know sir. They is looking for something also, sir."

"Gin, I've hidden the Dursleys in the trunk. I need to get them away without anyone knowing they were there. Dobby?"

"Yes Harry Potter sir?" Very eager elf asked.

"Can you pop with another person?"

"Dobby is so sorry, but Dobby can't pop with another human."

"Oh…" Harry quieted in defeat.

They were thinking quietly for a while. Ginny gave Harry another dose of the potion, there was left only for one more.

As abstract as it all looked, with her nursing, very injured, Harry, who should be resting by the way, she really wanted to help him somehow. He seemed so desperate to hide that trunk of his.

She realized that when Harry went to sleep again, he would probably sleep for a long time. After some time no one would believe that the Dursleys were out for that long. It would be obvious to everyone that they were kidnapped or dead. As far as she understood they were hidden in his trunk.

"Dobby?" She asked the elf suddenly.

"Yes Misses?"

"Can you apparate or pop, whatever it is you do, with the trunk holding people inside?"

His eyes widen with excitement, "Yes, yes Misses, Dobby can do it! Dobby can pop the trunk and let the bad Durses out. Where should I pop the trunk, Master Harry?"

"Near the Privet Drive, Dobby. You can let them out there."

"Yes sir."

"Wait!" Ginny almost shouted, stopping tiny elf from dissapearing. "That wont do Harry. What would they say when someone asks them what happened?"

"Oh...," Harry sighed the second time in defeat this evening. "Well then," he said after a moment, "Let them out here, there is no other option …"

He was fading into unconsciousness, the adrenaline that kept him awake probably evaporating.

"Wait Harry. Maybe you could ask them not to tell," she looked at him, "or maybe Dobby or I could?"

"Dobby thinks, the bad Durses wouldn't listen to Dobby or Winky. But they may listen to Misses. But Misses wouldn't be allowed to the trunk."

"We could ask them to tell that they were out to the restaurant or something and you didn't want to go with them." Said Ginny excitably, always ready to some mischief.

Harry snorted or rather tried to, it ended with him wincing in pain. She didn't know if he snorted at her idea or something else. But then he looked at her thinking.

"I think it might work." He said excitement and hope again in his voice.

"Dobby would you show Ginny how to enter the trunk, I've just given her the permeation." He said trying to smile, but his cut and swollen face didn't look like.

"What?"

"I think that they wouldn't want to talk about magic if possible, but it would be good if you gave them some money just in case."

"Harry," she started hesitantly, "I don't…"

"Dobby? Could you go to Gringotts and exchange some galleons to a thousand pounds."

The elf vanished with another pop. Harry visibly perked up at the thought that this might to work.

"Gin, tell them that they should demand all the repairs with the house to be made." He quieted for awhile again. "Remind them to ask if I was okay and that sort of things."

Ginny's jaw dropped in shock. How could someone forget about something like that. Harry, if he had noticed, probably would be afraid of the glint that appeared in her eyes. But than she realized something she didn't see in him earlier. Not in that amount anyway. Harry was somewhat sneaky. Little not Gryffindorish of him. On the other hand, maybe not sneaky but smart and protective over his secret. She wondered if Ron and Hermione knew about this trunk of his. Probably. But she wouldn't tell anyone, it was his secret to tell. But then, she wondered if he would trust anyone with what he asked of her. Was she just in a right place at the right time?

Her musings were interrupted by the sounds of the others approaching the room. She looked at Harry but he retreated to sleep again. After talking to him, she had felt somewhat confident that he would be okay, despite what he had looked like right then. Ginny gave him the last part of the potion and smothered his dumped hair from his eyes. His head was already bandaged, thankfully there was no fresh blood visible.

She knew that she did whatever she could. And she had a mission to accomplish, very important to Harry, she had realized. Hopefully, Dobby wouldn't pop when everyone was around.

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Tom must had tapped into the ancient magic. But where did he found the texts, describing the blood protection, that were used on Privet Drive? Nicolas had said that his were the last known scrolls. Ah.., he had said 'probably'.

Very tired Albus Dumbledore was sitting in the armchair, in the Minister's Office. His outer appearance didn't show any of that, of course. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, had been reporting everything that had happened during last day. Headmaster wasn't paying too much attention, he was listening, but his mind was repainting the events on his own. He sighed inwardly, only few hours ago, ten at most, he had been sitting in Harry's small bedroom, admiring the progress of his protégé. And now Harry was probably fighting for his life, he was sure that he will be alright, his belief in Poppy's abilities was unbreakable. The woman could heal anyone. He was still astonished at the amount of magic radiating from Harry's house. It felt much stronger than even the old Black House's with one of the strongest ward, Fidelius Charm. And Grimmauld Place was filled with magical items, Harry's, had them only in his room.

He pat his pocket lightly, Harry's wand was safely hidden there. That could also be a problem. At the Privet Drive the Dark Magic could be felt as well. Of course, it was understandable, considering who had attacked him. But Albus had sensed some of it on Harry's wand. And that was disturbing.

"… and there were twenty one bodies at Mister Potter's house. We had established that five of them were muggles. That leaves sixteen wizards. We know that three died from the killing curse, there will have to be investigation about it." Fudge said a little pompously.

Albus was afraid of something like that. What if Harry did kill them with the killing course. He must have kill at least some of his attacers. And his core wasn't matured yet.

"Three didn't survived their wounds," Minister paused, frowning at the parchment, "and we don't know how the last ten died. They appear to have small holes through their bodies, but the type of magic couldn't be determined." He looked hopefully at Albus. But the Headmaster didn't indicate that he knew anything.

"Well, there will be investigation about that as well." The Minister said. "You were probably right with the second attack on Azkaban, but no one was caught. I think that we sho…"

They were interrupted by some commotion in the hall in front of Minister's office. Someone was arguing. Albus sighed when he saw Cornelius moving closer to the fireplace. He stood up and went to investigate. Nearing the door he heard some of the argument.

"…is very busy and can't…"

"Perce, you moron!" angry voice shouted, "Take those idiots away! I don't want to see the buffoon you suck up to. Tell the Headmaster that he is needed. Madam Po…"

"I don't suck up to…"

But Albus decided that he had heard enough and hearing that Poppy needed something could be disturbing in its own way.

"Mr. Weasley?" He asked from the doorway, looking at the present twin. Scanning him with use of little Legilimency, he had established it was Fred.

"Professor! Madam Pomfrey asked to call you. It's urgent!" He said scowling at his brother.

Albus turned to the Minister who was just entering the hall, "I have to go Cornelius. I will meet you tomorrow. Goodnight gentlemen."

With quiet "Mr. Weasley," directed at Fred they left in the direction of the elevators.

They walked quietly, Albus knew that the Weasley twins were smarter that many gave them credit for. He knew that the boy wouldn't say anything until he was sure that no one could hear them. When they entered the elevator and the enchanted voice announced their location, the boy looked questioningly at his former Headmaster. Albus nodded his approval.

"It's something with Harry. She's said that she needed some potions from Hogwarts, she went there with Remus. She was also looking for Snape," the boy scowled, "but no one saw him yet.

"Did you see Mister Potter? How is he?" Albus asked calmly wondering why no one wanted to understand poor Severus. Probably Remus was the closest.

"I didn't see him, but from what others looks like he must be pretty bad." Fred answered, his voice worried. "Madam Pomfrey said that Ginny was looking after him and asked mum to help her. But mum said she had her hands full." He was probably talking more to himself then to Albus.

The headmaster listening to the boy was already fumbling through his pockets to find a suitable object to change into the portkey.

"I know that Ginny has finally laid her hands on Harry," Fred continued, "but I don't think it is the way she wanted it to happened, with him unconscious and all."

"Hold onto this, Mister Weasley."

When the elevator stopped, Albus handed the boy his package of lemon drops to touch.

They disappeared from the Ministry and reappeared in the hall of the Headquarter of the Order.

"Remus! Mum!" Fred shouted immediately. Unfortunately that had woken up the portrait of Mrs. Black, on the other hand her screaming brought Molly Weasley to the hall quicker than any other shouting could.

"Oh, Albus you're here." She said covering the old painting tightly, "Remus's just flooed in with some potions. He said that Poppy will be in a minute."

"She went to the Library to retrieve some book she's said she needed." Remus said emerging from one of the rooms, a box full of potions in his hands, "Harry's upstairs, I was just going there. Molly said that no one was to check on him since Poppy and I left."

"I was just finishing here and was about to help Ginny." Molly said worriedly. She was visibly very tired, her apron had some blood stains.

"I'm here." Poppy Pomfrey come out from the kitchen. She saw Albus and spoke directly to him. "He's magically exhausted, I mean really exhausted. When he came back from that graveyard last year he was tired, you remember, very tired. But now…" even if her voice was her normal brisk, her eyes were very worried. "I can't heal him using magic, he's suffering from the Crutiatous Curse and that can't be helped by any muggle means. I have brought my weakest potions but I don't know if they would help or the opposite."

Behind her in the doorway to the kitchen Ron stood holding very huge, dusty, old book.

"But lets check on him," she moved to the stairs, everyone following, "Mr. Weasley, take the book please."

"I've left Miss Weasley to bandage his external wounds and put some salve on them. It will only clean all the bacteria but wont add, in any way, to the healing process."

The party moved quickly up the stairs to the Master Bedroom. No one spoke on the way. The upper floor was eerie quiet compared to the activity downstairs. Harry's room was last in a row with dark, heavy, double doors.

"How is he Miss Weasley?" Poppy asked entering the room.

"I've just given him the rest of the potion. There is no additional bleeding." Ginny said looking at Harry. "He woke up some time ago, asked where he was."

"Thank you, Miss Weasley."

Albus noticed that everyone was starring at Harry. The boy was ashen and the occasional, not bandaged, dark bruises stood up rather spectacularly against his almost white complexion.

"Ginny dear, maybe you should lay down for a while. You did a great job. I'm sure Harry will be alright." Molly consoled her daughter, hugging her tightly. "Ron, leave the book and go back to the records. Fred go with him if you are not too tired"

The two male Weasleys nodded, still starring at Harry and then at Ginny's clothes.

"Yes mum." Ron muttered, his eyes wide.

"Tell Hermione to lay down as well," Molly sighed, "at least offer her some tea."

Albus finally realized what were the boys looking at. The youngest Weasley, he had thought, had been wearing a blouse, partly dark red, and partly white. He had imagined that that was of some muggle design and didn't pay any attention to it. However, when their stares didn't waver from the blouse itself, he had realized that originally it was purely white. The rest was blood.

"Miss Weasley," Albus said in his grandfatherly voice, "I believe that you should change into fresh clothes. These are…" for the first time, in many years, he didn't know what to say.

She looked down at herself perplexed and then a small gasp escaped her throat. She looked at the bed where Harry had been resting. Her eyes filling with tears. Albus wondered how many tears would be coming down those children's cheeks. He had tried, so hard, to save them from the war, that had already started. Their lives would be changed forever. Even more that they had been changed already.

Albus was looking at Harry, but from the corner of his eye, he saw, that Molly, once again, rushed to embrace her daughter and after few words leaded her to the door.

And what about Harry? What if the horrors of his life would push him in the wrong directions. His wand was still in the headmaster's pocket.

"Remus could you levitate Mr. Potter. We need to get rid of this sheets." Poppy always amazed Albus with her level head and no nonsense attitude.

Remus did as ordered and Harry's limp body was lifted into the air. Molly rushed in and took off soaked sheets. Poppy put the clean ones on the bed and with a wave of her wand, prepared the bed to be used again.

"Lets check the readings." She waved her wand around her patient, standard diagnostic spell, and basic information about Harry appeared above him.

They were starring at the faintest amount of magic in a wizard Albus had seen in his life. He believed even squibs had more magic in themselves, probably muggles too.

"You see, I can't heal him using normal methods. And I don't know of any muggle facility save enough to host Mr. Potter there long enough, without serious security issues." She said looking questioningly at the old wizard.

He inclined his head, confirming her assumptions.

"Muggle medicine would help him eventually, but I don't know how long would it take," she looked at Harry, "with his wounds it would possibly take no less than three, four months. Then we could take it from there and fix him in few days. But we know that his situation is rather unique. And I am not fond of mixing muggle medicine with wizard's healing"

"So what can we do?" Molly asked worriedly. Albus knew that she regarded Harry like one of her own.

"Well," Poppy said looking at Molly strangely for a moment, "I think that we could have a chance. But there are some consequences." She looked around and with some help of her wand picked the old book, young Mr. Weasley had helped to bring. She put it on the table by the wall.

They all scattered closer to see what her plan involved.

"When I was young," Poppy started, "my father had told me a story once. The events of which had supposedly happened in the times of my great-great-grandparents. It was about using some bonding ritual to help heal grievously injured. He had said that that was very unorthodox method, it still would be, but he had said that the outcome was more than satisfying."

"But how would it help? And what type of bonding are you talking about?" Remus asked.

"The basic idea was to heal one of the bonded with the magic taken, through the bond, from the other. I'm not even sure that it would work." She finished looking at Harry with a frown.

"I'll do it." Remus said immediately.

Poppy smiled at him, "We will have to check, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be possible. I don't think you would be compatible."

"Ah.., of course." He sighed sadly.

"It has nothing to do with you being a werewolf Remus. As I remember correctly what my father had said, there were some requirements to be met."

"What are they?"

"In order for the bond to be functional the magic of the two must be compiling."

"So?" Asked Molly.

"I believe that Poppy is saying that the parties of the bond must be of opposite sex." Albus said, smiling, he had an idea of what the bond might be.

Poppy opened the thick book on already marked page, "Come, have a look, before we decide on something. But that's the only thing I came up with."

xxxxxxxxxx

Ginny had been looking at herself in the mirror in horror. Her clothes were laying in a heap in the corner of the bathroom. Her blouse, her jeans, were black with blood, Harry's blood. She had looked like bloody monster. Her hands still had the reddish color, the blood was hard to clean.

She had been standing there for quite a while. It was all Tom's doing. She had remembered him well. He was a very intelligent, smart boy. He was funny. She couldn't deny that he was handsome. But even at the age of sixteen, he was so twisted, and cruel. So full of himself; filled with hate; and yet he had deceived everyone. He must had been deceiving everyone for many years, until he became too powerful to be stopped.

And everything pointed towards Harry. Surely Dumbledore would finish Tom if he was able to.

But Harry was injured. She looked at the blooded clothes. How did he still manage to survive was beyond her.

And he had asked her for help.

"Dobby are you there?" She asked in a whisper.

The house-elf popped into existence. "Dobby is been waiting for when Miss calls."

"Do you have the money? Where is the trunk, Dobby?"

"Yes, Miss." The elf handed her a band of rolled parchments. She had remembered seeing muggle money before her third year, on the World Quidditch Cup. "The trunk is downstairs, Miss."

"Could you pop with it, here? I'll pretend to take a bath while we will go to deal with the Dursleys ."

"Yes Miss."

"Dobby could you call me Ginny and not that Miss nonsense?"

"Yes Miss Ginny." The elf vanished.

Ginny snorted. "Better stay quiet next time." She muttered to herself.

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Bill was hungry, cold and terribly sleepy, but someone had to check the house. And better him than anyone else.

It'd been few hours since they took Harry. The Ministry squad had started repairing the house immediately after the first scans of the building were made.

The wards were his field of expertise. His beloved work required of him erecting or destroying them almost daily. He was a curse breaker. And looking at what magic had been used at Privet Drive made him almost jealous. The aptitude, synchronization and precision of that attack was extraordinary. Not that Bill liked what he saw when they had arrived, actually, it made him sick. But to manage to avoid detection for so long with a full scale attack? In the middle of muggle neighborhood? Few hours earlier he would say – impossible. The wards cast by the Death Eaters had to be cast simultaneously, from many directions.

Preparing to retrieve Harry, the Order, only adjusted some of the wards, to allow them entrance without notice. That wasn't easy, those wards were put permanently, with the use of Runes.

Knowing that You-Know-Who had people capable of doing such a thing was terrifying.

He looked from one of the windows, from upper bedroom, on the backyard and smiled. He smirked, actually. All those powerful, brilliant witches and wizards, and Harry had managed to hold them off for more than the duration of the attack on Azkaban; Bill actually snorted attracting attention of few people from the Ministry's Reversal Squad. One young man.

And what he did with the house. Bill looked at his readings, practically every object had been somehow enchanted. Furniture made unbreakable; sealed to the floor; some even disillusioned. Windows, doors, all had been enchanted as well. Hell, Harry had charmed walls and ceilings in the rooms.

Bill didn't think any other sixteen years old wizard could ward himself better than Harry did. He could be a hell of a curse breaker if he wanted. Bill was sure that after Goblins hear about what had happened they would try to recruit him. Someone who could product such amounts of magic in such a short time would be able to create damn good shield, if properly trained.

Bill would fill pretty confident with Harry by his side when exploring some of the Ancient Temples and Tombs. But unfortunately they had many things to do before there would by any chance of coming back to his profession. What he had seen earlier on the Azkaban island made his skin crawl.

His job was dangerous that was true. He had been in danger many times in the past; sometimes escaped relying only on intuition and luck; But he had never been in the midst of the full fledged battle; not duel, not some little skirmish; They were fighting for their lives, for the lives of their families. It was horrible, he didn't know how he survived; intuition and luck; and lots of others helping you.

And here, in the centre of muggle neighborhood, without any support and knowledge of help, one wizard had fought few dozens of evil attackers - unbelievable.

He could see only one mistake Harry had made. That was not commonly known, but creating a ward, without establishing it permanently, was harder and in a long run more draining. Any ward erected without adding a Rune would last for a few hours, depending on the wizard's power. It would however, still drain said wizard. The Runes used to stabilize wards, knitted its magic and cut it from the wizard; creating so many wards, without it must had drain Harry enormously.

Some shouting outside brought him back from his thoughts. Some people were screaming bloody end of the world.

When he came down the stairs he spotted very red faced Dursleys shouting something at poor Kingsley. It was good that the man was rather intimidating on the first contact.

"What are you doing here! Leave my home immediately you freaks!" Read faced Vernon Dursley were leaving marks of his spit on the Auror.

"What happened here? You will pay every costs!" Bill noticed that he was actually getting purple on the face.

Kingsley was trying to answer some of the man's questions.

Harry's aunt was looking up the stairs from time to time. Bill decided to tell her about Harry, to ease her worry.

"Harry was injured but we had managed to rescue him." He told her gently.

"What?" She shrieked taking her son by the arm and hiding him behind her; if anyone looked from behind, he would see that it was she hiding in front of the big boy, Bill mused distractedly.

"Harry is alright?" He tried again.

"He wont be coming back will he?" She asked hopefully. Bills jaw opened slack.

"Excuse me?" he managed.

"He will stay with you, right?" she asked again.

"Yes." Bill said looking at them horrified.

"Good." She nodded to herself. "You could make us forget this happened, don't you?" She asked after looking around the house.

Bill looked questioningly at Kingsley. He and Mr. Dursley had stooped talking some time ago. Or was it Kingsley, putting a silencing charm on the fat man? The Auror nodded his confirmation.

"Good." She said again. "Make us forget." She finished not looking at her husband.

xxxxxxxxxx

"But what would they have to do with the bond?" Very upset Molly Weasley asked the group.

"What do you mean, Molly?

"Well, look at this," she motioned the book frantically, "they have to be unsullied for the bond to work! Harry is still a child. And who do you want to bond him with!" Her eyes were narrowed to slits.

"It is nothing like the Marriage Bond, Molly." Albus said peacefully, "It doesn't say anything about sharing bed."

"It doesn't say anything about not sharing one Albus." She said glaring at him.

She looked like she finally found one to blame for that. And Albus knew that by many means he was the one to blame the most, apart from the actual attackers. That thought was squashed immediately, before it could form completely.

"It doesn't say much, does it?" she said angrily tapping the passage describing the ritual. "and what do we know about this part, eh? …the bestowed will share much and hard they will be pressed to maintain their valor…," she hissed the part. "'Bestowed and share' is pretty clear to me! And you want my Ginny to be part of.. of this!" It wasn't a question.

"Molly, we have only two options with making this bond working." Albus said in his most grandfatherly voice he could muster. "Miss Tonks has already said that she doesn't meet requirements."

Molly only harrumph.

"We don't have too much choice," he continued, "you know that there are only two young witches who could help heal Harry. We even can't be sure if both of them could participate."

"How dare you, Albus!" Molly shouted, "Ginny's just turned sixteen! Arthur say something."

Arthur Weasley put a smoothing arm around his distressed wife. He had joined them as soon as he came back from Azkaban.

"Molly, I'm sure the girls could participate in this bond." She glared at him. "The description in the book says that the participants of this bond may share their magic to aid each other."

"That's what I'm talking about," she said adamantly, "it doesn't say almost anything else! How can we agree to this!"

"To save Harry!" Everyone jumped when Remus growled in a very wolfish way. "Look at him, Molly!"

Molly looked at the bed where Harry had been sleeping. Her face twisted in the combination of worry, love and uncertainty.

"Did you come up with anything else?" He asked snidely. Everyone in the room looked at Remus surprised at his outburst. "You can't shield your children forever." He sighed tiredly. Molly, don't you think that Hermione or Ginny have the right to decide for themselves. They have been involved in this war as much as we are, maybe more. They have been fighting the group of Voldemort's Inner Circle only a month ago, did you forget?" He didn't stop to gave them the time to shudder at using the Dark Lord's name, "And Harry! He's just fought Merlin knows how many Death Eaters, for Merlin knows how long, and lived. You know as well as I that he can't be tied to bed for half of the year.

Remus finished his rent and stalked to the bed sitting in the chair next to it. The silence he had left was very uncomfortable for them all.

"We wont lie to the girls, Molly." Albus started again, "We wont make them do anything. But I think that they have the right to help him if they choose."

"I know." Molly mumbled and started crying on her husband shoulder.

Albus wondered if it was the first time that someone just made her consider her children adults. He looked at Remus then, and decided that his loyalty would probably stay with Harry, after what the old wizard would have to say on the next Order meeting. He thought he knew Molly's reaction and knew that he should tell them about his suspicions and worries of Harry's using Dark Arts. But had decided that if he told them, helping him would be impossible.

"Remus?" He called the werewolf.

"Hmm?" the man didn't looked up from Harry.

"Could you find Miss Granger and Miss Weasley?" Abus finished looking at the Weasleys elders for permission. They nodded albeit Molly shakily.

"I saw Ginny in the kitchen, she was talking to Bill and Kingsley." Mr. Weasley paused for a second, "And I think Ron was bringing Hermione some tea to the library. He said, she was taking a nap there."

"Remus," Headmaster started, "I believe we shouldn't tell anyone about the bonding?" he finished with a question, looking at everyone. They all nodded and Remus left to find the girls.

xxxxxxxxxx

"I'll do it." Were Ginny's words as she entered the bedroom where Harry had been laying.

"Ginny?" Molly asked worriedly.

"Professor Remus has said about some bonding that could help Harry. I said, I'll do it." Ginny insisted.

"Ginny, dear," Molly started again, looking between her daughter and her husband, "I'm sure there is no need for your involvement…" She trailed off glancing at the door, where Hermione had just entered.

"Professor Dumbledore?" She asked worriedly, skimming the room and biting her trembling lip when she had spotted Harry. She had been to see him with Ron, a little while earlier, but the adults had shushed them away, well, madam Pomfrey did.

Remus and Ron entered the room.

"Ronald what are you doing here!" Molly admonished her son. "I told you to stay in the kitchen with the records!" Arthur Weasley put his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to have a calming effect, because she had quieted down.

"Tonks said that she will stay." He said. "What's going on? It's about Harry, isn't it?" He looked at his mum, then at Madam Pomfrey.

"Remus, I thought that we agreed…" started Dumbledore.

"I told Tonks to keep it quiet." Remus said. "Ron here insisted on coming."

"Very well, close the door, please."

"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, I am positive that you know about Harry's condition." Dumbledore began, looking at the two girls, "Due to his recent use of very huge amounts of magic for the long duration he had become magically exhausted. He wasn't used to channel that amounts of magic. As I am sure you all know during the holidays underage wizards are not allowed to use magic." He paused looking if they were listening, "Long absence of using magic, for a witch and wizard, diminish, to some extend, the ability to do so."

"Then, isn't it unwise to forbid using magic?" Hermione cut in.

"An excellent question Miss Granger." He beamed at the young witch. "The break, however, doesn't make the wizard or witch weaker, it only demand more work to come back to the form before it. The rule itself had been installed for safety reasons. It prevents untrained, young children from hurting themselves or others unintentionally." He smiled at her with his grandfatherly smile. "I believe, the law itself, had been proposed in the twenties of the fifteenth century by the…"

"Albus!" Poppy Pomfrey reprimanded the old wizard, "I don't think that they are waiting for the history of magical law!"

Hermione, however, looked like she could disagree with the Matron.

"Oh, I apologize, of course, let as back to the matter at hand," he smiled at them again. "Mr. Potter is exhausted to the point where his magic is too weak to heal him." He looked at Harry, "Unfortunately we don't have the luxury to wait for his magical energies to replenish itself because his injures are too grave. We were considering of using the muggle medicine to help Mr. Potter, but as I am sure you know Miss Granger," he inclined his head to her, "the process of restoring Harry to full health would take a very long time." Hermione nodded looking at Harry.

"So what can we do, Professor?" She asked.

"I can help him!" Ginny said firmly.

"Ginevra!"

"Mum!"

"Well, as Miss Weasley had mentioned," his eyes twinkled at Ginny, "there is a way that we could remedy Mr. Potter's temporary loss of magical energy. And we believe, that only the two of you may meet the requirements, and more importantly, could be trusted to do it."

"What do you mean Professor?" Hermione asked.

"Madam Pomfrey had found the very old magical bond that would allow one of the bonded to provide the other with magical energy, that can be used like his own to heal him." He finished looking at the girls.

Hermione had a thoughtful expression, like every time she had had some puzzle to solve. Ginny's eyes showed only determination.

"Are there any side effects and what will it do to the one who will give the magic?" Hermione asked after a while of thinking.

"The one, who would give some of hers magic, would feel drained for some time." Madam Pomfrey answered primly. "But it the magic replenish itself like it always does."

"And why Ginny or I are the only ones who could do it?"

"Well," Madam Pomfrey actually looked unsure, the others were clearly embarrass, except for Ron who only looked confused, "we assumed…," Molly Weasley scolded at the Matron, "Yes," the nurse continued more primly, "Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, come over to this book. It describes the bond."

The girls read the page quietly for some time, everyone waiting as well.

"Ah.." Hermione muttered, pointing something to Ginny and they both blushed deeply.

"We assumed that Mr. Potter meets the conditions of the bonding?" Madam Pomfrey said.

Hermione blushed even deeper but she answered not looking at anyone, "as far as I know I think he does."

After few more minutes Hermione finally said. "The bond is permanent. But there isn't anything more about other effects."

"There could be no more effects than the sharing of magic." Maddam Pomfrey said hesitantly.

"Poppy! We don't know that!" Molly Weasley reprimanded again.

"Do you think it's safe Professor." Hermione asked Dumbledore looking at Harry, then briefly at Ron and settling with the Headmaster's blue, twinkling kindly, eyes.

"There should be always caution in using any Ancient rituals, however, I believe that the danger is minimum."

She didn't see Ginny's scowl, when she started, "Well, if you think it's safe and that it would help Harry, I think, I coul…"

"No!" Ron said angrily. Everyone turned to look at him. He gulped realizing that he had said that aloud.

"Can I talk to you Hermione? Alone." Ginny said before anyone could comment.

"Ginevra, I don't t…" Molly started, but Ginny had grabbed Hermione's hand and leaded her out of the room.

Ginny leaded her to the next available room.

"Ginny I know that you cared about Harry, but maybe I should…" Hermione started hesitantly.

"I'll do it Hermione!" Ginny said strongly. She sighed then and sat at the chair near the small coffee table in the room. "I need to do it Hermione. Don't you understand? It can be the only way to repay Harry for what he did in my first year."

"Ginny, You know that Harry would do it for anyone." Hermione stopped when she realized how that had sounded, "I mean.."

"I know what you mean." Ginny said exasperated, a small part of Ginny will always scowl at that knowledge, but she would always knew that that was a part of Harry that made him Harry.

She took a deep breath, "But he did what he did. And doing so, he had rescued me, not anyone else, but me." She closed her eyes for a moment. "I owe him the life depth Hermione. I can feel it inside me. I.." She paused to gather her thoughts.

"I would never be able to be his true friend if I have this burden," she looked at her friend and smiled, "even if it's only in my mind. I don't want to feel that I owe him."

"Can you understand it?" She asked pleadingly.

"Okay." Hermione smiled with tears in her eyes, "I only hope that this bonding wont do any harm to the two of you. That text was rather vague about anything else than the sharing of magic. I'll look into this when back at Hogwarts." The girls hugged each other tightly and returned to the elders.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Did you adminisster the potion?" Angry voice hissed.

"Yes M..master, we did that, just before Dumbledore's people took him." Came the weak reply.

Voldemort was scrutinizing his servants, debating within himself if he should punish them now or wait to hear their excuses.

But the corners of his twisted mouth lifted slightly creating a frightening view. They gave him the potion.

"Tell me, how one little ssson of a mudblood managed to keep you from entering that houssse?"

He was sitting on a throne, in the back of the dark chamber lit by few torches. He felt disgusted with them, petty creatures.

"With the sspell" here his voice hardened, "I Taught you, you should be in that hole, that old fool created for him, in lesss than half an hour. How could he hold you offf the whole time I've been attacking Asskaban. You didn't come when you were ordered."

And without waiting he hissed.

"Crutio!"

Fifteen Death Eaters collapsed to the floor trashing and screaming.

Others stepped back in shock. They had never seen him performing the spell on more than one at a time. It shouldn't be possible.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Miss Weasley? Ginny?" Someone said.

"Ginny? How do you feel?" another voice asked, this one more familiar.

"Mum?" Ginny asked weakly.

"Oh.., my baby, How do you feel?" Molly asked worriedly.

Ginny opened her eyes slowly, securitizing them at the bright light "How long was I out?"

"Only few minutes." Madam Pomfrey said, "How do you feel, Miss Weasley?"

"Tired," Ginny whispered, "Head hurts."

"Drink this, it will help you sleep."

"Did it work?"

"Yes dear, we think it worked." Her mum said, "Now, sleep. You'll feel better tomorrow."

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AN:

Chapter's finished. Review, but please, don't complain about the updates, I know how terribly long it took me to post it. I am ashamed, but I couldn't do it earlier.

I am very curious to your reactions to this chapter – Review.

Now, how many of you don't like the way it is going? I hope you'll keep reading. You really don't know what will happen yet. I have crystallized plans. I don't remember reading anything that would resemble my plot. I hope I'm original.

I also hope that everyone's reactions are believable.

Every detail is important.

Next chapter should be sooner, I have some of the scenes written.