Even In Death
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter created by JK Rowling and I am not trying to make any profit out of this.
Chapter 3 – Seemingly forgotten
Allanei – one of the darkest spells ever known to the wizardkind, along with the three Unforgivable curses, Horcruxes, Fanhrills and some other spells or curses almost no one dared to talk about. That was all that this book said about the matter, but Harry was sure. This was the spell he was looking for. The spell of evanescent return. This was the solution Malfoy had had in mind when writing him. He knew that all along.
He also knew that although he knew too much about this spell, he would still need some more information. The gentle aspects of its performance and the complicated incantations had to be accurate. It was a difficult spell, of course. But Harry was an excellent wizard, there was no doubt he could master it.
Next day Ginny did not go to her classes, but asked Harry to supply for her, because she felt sick. In the afternoon she didn't feel much better, so Harry said he would go to Hogsmeade to get her a medicine. In fact, he decided this would be a good time to gain more information about the spell he planned to perform.
He left his room, walked along the corridor to the Entrance Hall. Outside he stopped for a while to talk to professor Flitwick, who was curious where Harry was going. After telling him, Harry continued on his way to Hogsmeade. He walked fast, needing to save time. When he got there, he bought the medicine for Ginny and then headed for the Shrieking Shack.
He looked around. There was no one to see. Harry put on a grey hooded cloak, which he carried in his bag before, and disapparated.
Knockturn Alley was as dark and sinister as usual, when a man suddenly apparated in front of the Borgin and Burkes shop. He entered the shop and after a few minutes of talking to the owner, he left the shop with a newly bought item.
Once he left the shop, he disapparated almost immediately. No one could see who he was, for he was wearing a long black cloak with a hood which he pulled over his forehead. They weren't curious, he wasn't the only one who wanted to remain unrecognised when visiting Knockturn Alley. However, if they knew who he was, they would be very, very surprised.
When Harry returned to Hogwarts, he went to Ginny to give her the medicine he bought for her. He stayed with her for a while and then left, saying that he had to correct the students' homework and prepare for his next lessons.
He took his bag and pulled out black hooded cloak and a simple looking black book with silver engraved title. He looked at it for a moment, then put it in a drawer in his desk and started to correct homework of the first year students.
At night he slept badly. He woke up every once in a while, and it took him long time to fall asleep again. Finally, the morning came – the golden rays of sun glided through the window and penetrated the darkness inside his room. It was still quite early, but Harry decided to get up. He started to prepare for the classes he should have taught that day.
On the way to his first class he met Ginny; radiant and vivacious. She obviously felt much better now. They talked for a while, nothing too important, just small talk. Seeing Ginny so happy, so alive, Harry suddenly felt much better. He also felt kind of guilty when he remembered how he neglected her in the last few weeks. 'That will change now,' he promised himself before stepping into the classroom; Hermione forgotten again for some time.
He indeed kept his secret promise. He spent most of the day in Ginny's presence and near the end of the day he took her for a walk around the Hogwarts grounds, watching sunset together, visiting Hagrid, but carefully avoiding the lake.
That night he slept better – he had no sweet dreams about happiness, but at least, this night was also without the usual nightmares.
Next day when he walked into Ginny's office, he found her sitting near the fireplace with a parchment, a letter in her hand. She looked up and upon seeing his face she smiled dearly. "Oh Harry," she said, "I got a letter, and it's – it's from Ron," she said with great amount of happiness in her voice. Harry felt his heart sank at the mention of a man who once used to be his best friend.
They didn't get on well lately, in fact since the Great Battle had taken place, and after one particularly nasty argument Ron stopped writing or visiting Harry, who repaid it the same way. It seemed their friendship was over for good.
They won the war against Voldemort, but since that time, nothing was like before. Even despite their victory. Their lives stayed forever affected by all the dark and painful things that happened.
His years at Hogwarts were wonderful, it all started like a fairy – tale, but in the end, the fairytale had gone bad. It was a story with a sad ending, for everyone. He felt things won't ever be the same. And especially not now, after Hermione...
Ginny however continued, not aware of the fact that Harry's mood sunk so low. "He and Lavender want me to come for few days, to celebrate Easter with them, so I don't have to be alone," she said, obviously very happy that she'd see her brother soon.
"Of course, the invitation is also for you, you have to go with me," she added when she saw the look on his face.
"But Ginny," Harry objected, "you know that Ron and I….aren't on speaking terms anymore...since the war ended...and –"
"Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be different now, after some time passed...and when we're together," she assured him. After some time, they agreed on visiting Ron, Lavender and their children for a week. Harry still didn't have good feeling about that; he just wanted to make Ginny happy.
The Easter came soon, and Harry and Ginny left Hogwarts to spend the Easter Holiday with Ron and his family. Ginny was unusually happy, but that was understandable, and seeing her smile and laugh again made Harry feel good inside. It helped him forget all the bad things that happened, and the ones that were yet waiting for him in his unclear future.
These moments spent with Ginny made him feel lighter, better. For a while he almost felt happy, the constant fear and anxiety disappearing miraculously into a faraway land of unimportance. His dark intentions, the black book on the bottom of the drawer in his office and Hermione – this all was seemingly forgotten. Then they arrived at the point of their destination. The house of Ronald and Lavender Weasley.