Chapter 22

Lion vs Snake

As the weeks passed and the Apparition tests approached, Harry was certain of only one thing: Sirius was positively suffocating. Now that Sirius was back at Hogwarts he wanted to know everything. It was understandable at first but now it was down right annoying. Harry had thought that Sirius couldn't be any more overprotective but he was wrong. Sirius was taking his godfather duties to the extreme and no one could convince him that it wasn't justified.

Care of Magical Creatures class was another headache for Harry. Aragog's health was basically nonexistent leaving Hagrid an emotional wreck. The emotional pain from Hagrid and the physical pain from Aragog had become so overwhelming that Harry was unable to be around them for more than five minutes. Thankfully Hagrid was too distraught to notice Harry sneak away and out of sight from Aragog's eager family.

When the day of the Apparition tests arrived, the majority of the sixth years could be found reading a leaflet from the Ministry of Magic titled: Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. Ron had read the leaflet so many times that he had memorized every word but he still continued to read it, as if additional information would appear on it any moment. Harry and Hermione had opted to refrain from commenting since Ron had already insisted they tell him everything they knew to help for the test. There was really nothing Harry and Hermione could tell him. Apparating relied heavily on mentality. Fear and hesitation resulted in failure. It was as simple as that.

After lunch, Harry and Hermione opted to take a stroll around the grounds for some fresh air while Ron followed them with his face hidden behind the leaflet. They would be leaving for Hogsmeade soon and security would be even tighter than the practice session. Sirius, Remus and Tonks were serving as Harry's protection while nearly a dozen Aurors would be monitoring everyone else. Harry wasn't sure who had requested the tighter security but had a feeling that Sirius had contributed.

"Harry Potter?" Harry quickly turned around to see a dark haired girl hurrying to catch up with him. She couldn't have been older than a third year and had the Hufflepuff crest on her robes. "I was told to give you this," she added as she handed over a small scroll of parchment.

"Thanks," Harry said with a nod. The girl blushed before running off. Harry rolled his eyes at her behavior as he unrolled the scroll. He recognized the untidy handwriting immediately. There were large blotches all over the parchment, causing some of the ink to run.

Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione,

Aragog died last night. I know you tried to prepare me for this Harry but it's still hard to believe he's gone. I'm going to bury him tonight at dusk, that was his favorite time of day. I already asked Sirius if you could come tonight but he said it'd be too dangerous so I just thought I'd let you know.

Thanks for all your help Harry.

Hagrid

"It's from Hagrid," Harry said as he handed the parchment over to Hermione. She read through it and let out a long sigh as she and handed it over to Ron who scanned it quickly. Ron's reaction was nearly comical. He shuddered as a look of disgust appeared on his face as he quickly handed the parchment back to Harry as if touching it would cause spiders to come.

"Well, I'm glad Sirius said you couldn't go," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "We would be in so much trouble if we were caught."

"I can't believe he even thought we'd go," Ron said in disbelief. "That thing ordered his kids to kill us even after he knew we were Hagrid's friends."

Harry let out a long breath and fought the urge to say something he would probably regret. Yes, Hagrid's choice in pets was certainly unorthodox but Hagrid was unorthodox so it worked out. Hagrid had known Aragog for over fifty years. It was understandable that Hagrid would take Aragog's death hard and would want people there to help him tonight. Harry just wished there was someway he could help Hagrid. No one should have to face death alone even if it was the death of a flesh eating giant spider.

The sound of the bell from the castle put an end to the conversation. Sharing a look, they hurried back to the castle to find Sirius, Remus and Tonks waiting for them in the Entrance Hall. They hurried to the back of the line and waited as Filch checked every single student with his Secrecy Sensors. After what felt like an eternity, Harry was out of the castle and stepping in the final carriage with Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Ron and Hermione.

No one said a word for the entire ride. Ron kept bouncing his leg nervously while he quickly scanned over the leaflet. Hermione was rubbing her hands together as she silently repeated the three 'D's' over and over again. Tonks kept her attention outside was she twirled her wand while Sirius was looking out in the opposite direction. Harry was seriously tempted to shout out 'boo', 'surprise' or something of that nature and from the amused look on Remus' face, he wasn't the only one. Being cautious and prepared was one thing. The majority of the occupants in the carriage had passed those traits and moved on to obsessive.

The atmosphere at Hogsmeade was significantly different than last time. There was no noisy chatter among the students. All of them were too nervous to think of anything but their upcoming examination. The tension was so thick that Harry was having difficulty blocking it all out. He reflexively took a few steps back in hope that the slight distance would help. The movement didn't go unnoticed by Sirius and Remus who followed suit. A shared glance was all they needed to know not to say anything.

Wilkie Twycross was once again standing by the Three Broomsticks with his three co-workers, all of them carrying clipboards and a quill. "Welcome to your Apparition test," Twycross said loudly. "You will be called on alphabetically and be required to Apparate to the edge of Hogsmeade. Once you have Apparated, you will be evaluated to determine success or failure. Failing to Apparate, splinching or appearing outside the acceptable area will constitute as a failure. All students that fail will be required to schedule their next exam through the Ministry. Are there any questions?"

Silence filled the air as everyone slowly worked through what Twycross had said. Several people looked even paler at the mention of splinching even though no on had splinched themselves in quite a while. Ron actually looked like he was about to be sick. Harry didn't understand what the big shock was. Everything Twycross said had been written in the leaflet word for word.

"Very well," Twycross said with a nod. The other three wizards turned on the spot and Apparated to various positions. Mr. Jones appeared at the edge of Hogsmeade, Mr. Langcaster appeared across from Twycross and Mr. McKinnon appeared halfway between Mr. Jones and Mr. Lancaster. "This will be a long process so everyone please wait for your name to be called in the Three Broomsticks."

Everyone slowly filed into the tiny inn. Madam Rosmerta, a curvy woman with a pretty face was waiting for them. Tonks remained outside the door while Sirius and Remus found a spot near the bar. It was a testament to how nervous Ron was when he didn't even notice Madam Rosmerta smiling at them. He had made several attempts in the past just to get her attention although Harry had a feeling that Madam Rosmerta was paying more attention to Sirius than Ron.

When everyone sat down, Twycross looked down at his clipboard before shouting out, "Abbott, Hannah!"

Hannah slowly walked out of the Three Broomsticks. Silence remained as the door closed behind her. Twycross' muffled voice could be heard but no one could make out what he was saying. This was probably harder than the test itself; waiting with no idea of what was happening just outside the door. It was times like this when Harry hated having a last name in the second half of the alphabet and felt sorry for Ron who would have to wait even longer than him.

"This certainly brings back memories," Remus said, breaking the silence. "I seem to remember someone who thought it would be funny to try and land directly on one of the examiners."

Sirius shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "What can I say?" he asked. "James issued a Marauder challenge. I couldn't back down."

"A Marauder Challenge?" Remus asked in disbelief. "That's a laugh. You two were trying to impress a group of girls."

Sirius shrugged again as he leaned back in his chair. "Same thing," he said as he glanced at Harry and winked. "Besides, those examiners needed to loosen up. They probably splinched themselves once or twice and left their sense of humor behind."

"Did you pass?" Seamus asked nervously from a nearby table.

Sirius grinned. "Of course," he said. "I did receive a warning from the examiner I landed on but they did say Apparate to where he was, which I did. I Apparated to exactly where he was standing. It was their own fault for not being more specific."

"Did anyone fail?" Padma Patil asked from across the room.

It was Remus who answered this time. "I think there were a few," he said thoughtfully. "But they ended up passing a few months later. The important thing to remember is to focus and not worry about the outcome. If you're nervous, it's only going to make Apparition more difficult."

The door opened, startling nearly everyone. Wilkie Twycross entered the inn with his eyes fixed on his clipboard. "Bones, Susan!" he announced and waited as she rose from her seat and followed him out of the inn.

"Where's Hannah?" Justin asked curiously.

"I suspect she's waiting in Madam Puddifoot's," Remus said in an amused tone. "This way she won't distract those who still need to go."

Terry Boot followed Susan who was then followed by Mandy Brocklehurst. Lavender followed him and she looked like she was about to collapse. The process was extremely slow. Finally after nearly an hour of waiting, Hermione was called. The entire table wished her luck and watched as she left, trying to calm her nerves with every step. When the door closed, the silence returned and the anxious waiting continued. The group had thinned out considerably already, making those who were still waiting even more nervous.

Nearly another hour passed before Harry's name was called only he wasn't the only person who left. Sirius followed him while Remus remained behind to be of some support for Ron, not that he was aware of anything going on around him. Harry had noticed that Ron had stopped paying attention around the time Hermione left. He wished there was something he could say or do but his mind was completely blank. He was too worried about his own Apparition test at the moment.

Stepping out of the Three Broomsticks and into the sunlight, Harry let out a long breath as he followed Twycross to the center of the street. He spared one final look at Sirius and noticed Tonks moving towards Mr. Jones. Sirius gave Harry a reassuring nod and Harry forced himself to return his attention to Twycross.

"Mr. Potter," Twycross said with a slight smile. "When I give the word, please turn on the spot and Apparate to where Mr. Jones is standing and remain still while we evaluate your Apparition. This may take some time since need to be absolutely sure there was no splinching."

Harry nodded and shifted his gaze to the edge of Hogsmeade, taking in everything. He needed to concentrate. He needed to pass this test. Closing his eyes, Harry pictured the street where Mr. Jones was standing in his mind. That was where he wanted to be, where he needed to be. He opened his eyes and waited as Twycross jotted down a few notes before returning his attention to Harry.

"When you're ready, Mr. Potter," Twycross said.

Closing his eyes again, Harry concentrated completely on his destination, wanting to be there more than anything else. He turned on the spot and immediately felt the familiar sensation of being forced through a tight rubber tube, compressed to an almost unimaginable state. A crack filled his ears and a split second later Harry inhaled deeply as he opened his eyes to see that he was standing beside Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones moved so they were face to face and slowly waved his wand back and forth in front of Harry starting at his head and moving downward. Harry forced himself to remain silent and still which was extremely difficult since all he wanted to do was celebrate. He waited as the examiners checked their area before Apparating to the middle of Hogsmeade and conversing quietly. Harry took that opportunity to glance over Tonks who was smiling proudly at him.

Sirius took that opportunity to Apparate next to Harry and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Congrats kiddo," he said quietly. "I knew you could do it."

Finally, Wilkie Twycross emerged from the group of elderly wizards and approached them. "Congratulations, Mr. Potter," he said with a smile. "You passed. However, you will not receive your license until your seventeenth birthday. Please refrain from Apparating until you receive your license."

"Yes sir," Harry said with a nod and let Sirius usher him towards Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. He could see Hermione and Seamus looking at him hopefully out the window and ginned at them. Hermione and Seamus smiled and cheered before rushing to the door. Sirius gave Harry's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he pushed Harry forward just as the door opened and hands pulled him inside.

"We knew you'd pass!" Seamus exclaimed loudly as he patted Harry on the back.

"Never had a doubt!" Justin Finch-Fletchley said as he shook Harry's hand.

Harry found himself being pushed into a chair while people continued to pat him on the back and shout words of congratulations to him. Slowly, everyone calmed down and sat back down. Hermione took the seat next to him and discretely pointed out how everyone did. Seamus had only just passed since he was nearly out of the allowed Apparition destination. Pansy Parkinson had splinched herself and therefore had failed. Harry couldn't help noticing how bitter Pansy looked as she glared at everyone around her. Then again, he probably would be resentful to if he were the only person to fail.

In was nearly another hour of waiting and congratulating those who entered with smiles on their faces before it was Ron's turn. Harry and Hermione eagerly waited by the window, searching for any sign of Ron. Impatience was the main emotion in Madam Puddifoot's. Those at the beginning of the alphabet had been sitting around for well over two hours while those near the end were exhausted from their nerves being overactive for the past two hours. Everyone just wanted to get back to Hogwarts and either celebrate or forget this afternoon ever happened.

It seemed to take forever for Ron to appear at the end of Hogsmeade and even longer for the Apparition official to check Ron over and converse with his colleagues. Remus appeared beside Ron while the officials were talking and tried to reassure Ron but Ron was too focused on the outcome of his test to notice. Finally, Twycross broke away from the group and slowly approached Ron and Remus. Hermione's hand was gripping Harry's arm so hard that she was cutting off the circulation but Harry was too focused on the scene before them to say anything. They waited eagerly as Twycross spoke to Ron, hoping for some sign of the outcome. Time seemed to stand still. There was no possible way it had taken them that long to find out if they had passed or failed.

Finally, Twycross turned and walked away, leaving Ron and Remus alone. Ron slowly turned to Remus, blocking Harry and Hermione's view of his face. It was almost like there was some conspiracy to prevent them from finding out if Ron had passed or failed. It was positively maddening and Harry clearly wasn't the only one feeling this way.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Hermione said in frustration as she released her grip on Harry's arm and hurried towards the door.

The action surprised Harry so much that it took him a moment to realize what Hermione was about to do and hurried after her. She had just opened the door when Harry reached her and looked out to see Ron running towards them with a large grin on his face. That was all Harry and Hermione needed to hurry out of shop and meet Ron halfway.

"I can't believe I passed!" Ron exclaimed happily. "I seriously thought I had splinched myself!"

"And that was your main problem, Ron," Remus said gently as he ushered everyone towards Madam Puddifoot's. Sirius was waiting for them by the door with a stern look on his face. "Apparition isn't necessarily difficult as long as you are determined to reach your destination. You just needed confidence."

Ron instantly turned to Harry. "Not a word," he warned.

Harry grinned. He knew this wasn't the time for a round of 'that's what I've been telling you for two years'. "I wasn't going to say anything," he said simply, "but since you brought it up…"

Ron scowled and stalked into Mada Puddifoot's Tea Shop.

Ron remained in high spirits for the rest of the day and into the night. According to Remus, Harry's departure had pushed Ron over the edge as far as nerves were concerned. It had taken nearly half an hour for Remus to calm Ron down and convince him that passing the test wasn't impossible. Wilkie Twycross had also pointed out that an overabundance of nerves made Apparition difficult but had taken a significant longer time making his point and required Remus serving as interpreter after Twycross had left.

The following day had brought about another welcomed surprise. Katie Bell had returned from St. Mungo's looking as healthy and happy as ever. The moment Katie saw Harry she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, thanking him for everything he had done to help her back in October. Harry had tried to say that he really hadn't done anything but Katie wouldn't listen, claiming that her friends had already told her everything.

The most popular question for Katie had been who had given her the cursed necklace but she remembered nothing after walking into the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks. She never saw who put her under the Imperius curse so the investigation had reached a dead end. The only clue they had was that since Katie was inside the bathroom, it was most likely a woman who had cast the Imperius curse on her but who would do that and why?

Katie's return also meant that Dean was moved back to the 'Reserve Chaser' position, something that was a blessing and a curse for the Quidditch team. Katie was a far better player and there still was some tension between Ginny and Dean. However, Dean knew the vast number of plays that had been devised since Katie left which meant Katie either had a lot to learn in little time or the Gryffindor team needed to change their strategy.

For the next fortnight, the Gryffindor team spent every available moment at the Quidditch pitch trying to help Katie adapt to their new style. Dean proved to be a great help by allowing Katie to see her role in the plays, which kept the practices at a quick pace. Everyone was extremely exhausted most of the time but all of the hard work was paying off. The team was flying better than ever.

The arrival of May brought the warm and sunshine days that meant one thing: physical training had returned. With the intense Quidditch schedule, healing lessons with Madam Pomfrey, the D.A., classes and the overabundance of school work, it was nearly impossible for Harry to commit to designated training schedule. If the pitch, Harry and Sirius were available, Harry and Sirius would duel until someone forfeited. This normally left Harry as physically exhausted as he already was mentally.

As the final game of the Quidditch season drew closer, the entire school was wrapped up in 'Quidditch fever'. The Championship relied on who won this game. This brought about a lot of wanted and unwanted attention towards the team members. Some swallowed up whatever attention they could get while others looked like they were about to be sick. Ginny was one who basked in the attention while Ron was one who was constantly running into the nearest bathroom to get away from it all.

Once again, the majority of the attention centered on Harry and Cho. Many were calling the upcoming game 'The Match Between the Ex's', something that was rather annoying. Harry and Cho had never been anything other than friends even though Cho had wanted to try for something more. Cho still spent time with Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny although now the topic of Quidditch was never brought up. The only significant difference was that Cho, Hermione and Ginny spent more time talking quietly to each other than they did a few weeks ago.

Before Harry knew it, the week of the Quidditch game had arrived. It now seemed that there wasn't enough time in the day to prepare regardless of the fact that the Gryffindor team was performing better than ever. Harry knew he was probably overreacting but he couldn't help it. The entire Gryffindor Tower was expecting him to bring about another perfect season. This was certainly one of those times when Harry hated the pressure of being team captain in addition to Seeker. There was only so much pressure one could take.

It was Wednesday evening when Harry was reminded of something he hadn't had the time to think about lately…Hogwarts. He had only just left the Gryffindor Tower for the journey down to the Great Hall for dinner alone. Ron had left for the nearest bathroom once again, Hermione was speaking to Professor Vector and Ginny had left not too long ago to speak with a few of her friends. Powerful waves of concern and nervousness caused Harry to come to an abrupt halt. The last time he had felt something this strong a student had needed his help.

Fearing the worst, Harry allowed Hogwarts to direct him to the staircases. He slowly walked down the stairs, receiving another gentle push after he descended only one flight and continued moving along the passageway. The waves of emotions intensified with each step and before Harry knew it, he was standing outside a bathroom. Gathering his courage, Harry slowly pushed the door opened and was greeted by the sight of Moaning Myrtle trying to console a distraught Draco Malfoy. Malfoy had his back to the door as his hands clutched the sides of a sink with his head bowed but Harry didn't need to see Malfoy's face. Anxiety, dread and fear were pouring off him in tidal waves.

"Don't," Myrtle said sympathetically as she floated towards Malfoy. "Don't…tell me what's wrong…I can help you…"

"No one can help me," Malfoy said miserably as his body began to shake. "I can't do it…I can't…It won't work…and unless I do it soon…he says he'll kill me…"

Harry was at a complete loss. What was he supposed to do about this? How could Hogwarts expect him to be able to help the one person at Hogwarts who hated him more than anything in the world? At least it's not Professor Snape. That would be even more awkward after the pranks we pulled. Harry wanted nothing more than to find a teacher but seriously doubted any teacher would be nearby. Why does it have to be me?

Malfoy raised his head slightly, allowing Harry to see that Malfoy had tears streaming down his face in the mirror attached to the wall. That was something for the record books. Harry had never seen Malfoy ever display any sort of emotion other than hatred and jealousy before. This made him feel even more uncomfortable. You never want your enemy to see you when you're at a low point. Harry knew that much from experience.

It was that moment that Malfoy looked up into the mirror and saw Harry standing in the doorway. Malfoy quickly turned around and pulled out his wand. Their eyes met. Malfoy's hateful glare dueled against Harry's sympathetic stare as Harry resisted the urge to draw his own wand. Arming himself would put an end to any hope of communication. Slowly, Harry raised his hands in a form of surrender, something that seemed to make Malfoy even angrier.

"Pull out your wand!" Malfoy growled through gritted teeth, his wand shaking severely.

"No," Harry said calmly. "I'm not here to fight you, Malfoy. Do you need me to get someone? Professor Snape?" Malfoy's answer was a hex that missed Harry by inches, causing a lamp on the wall beside him to shatter. Harry quickly moved away from the broken fixture, not taking his eyes off of Malfoy. "Hey! I come in peace! I just want to help!"

"No!" Moaning Myrtle cried tearfully, her voice echoing throughout the tiled room. "No! Stop it, please! STOP!"

"I don't need your help, Potter!" Malfoy spat hatefully. "This is all your fault!

And we are how old? Harry couldn't believe Malfoy was still wallowing on Lucius Malfoy's imprisonment and abandonment by Voldemort. Didn't Malfoy see that Harry had done what was right to save lives? Obviously not. How could anyone think that it was perfectly acceptable to kill a little girl in order to get revenge for her father doing his job? "Listen, if it's anyone's fault, its Voldemort's," Harry said as calmly as he could manage. "This is who he is! He uses people as long as they are useful but as soon as they're not, he leaves them to rot!"

"SHUT UP!" Malfoy roared. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

Before Harry could even think of a reply, he felt something slam into his chest and send him flying backwards into the wall. Pain shot from the back of his head and down his spine. At that moment, it took every ounce of self-control not to attack Malfoy. "I know a lot more than you think," Harry said as he took a few steps towards Malfoy while trying to ignore the pain shooting from his back and ribs. "I may not know what it's like for your family but I know Voldemort. He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"JUST SHUT UP!" Malfoy shouted as he took a step towards Harry. "Crucio!"

Instinct took over any thought of trying to calm Malfoy down. Harry quickly raised his hands as if to block the Unforgivable Curse and was shocked to see a semi-transparent shield form. The curse struck the shield and fought against it as Moaning Myrtle screamed loudly. Harry tried to push more and more of his magic into the shield but could already see the curse breaking through it. His entire body was screaming in pain, pain that was continuing to escalate until it became too much.

A loud BOOM filled the air as the curse and shield seemed to explode. Malfoy was sent flying backwards into the S-bends while Harry was sent flying in the opposite direction through the bathroom wall and into the hallway wall. Pain completely surrounded Harry as he fell to the floor, landing partially on his side and staring straight ahead at where he had just been. He couldn't move…couldn't think…could barely breathe.

Water filled the bathroom from broken sinks and S-bends. Draco Malfoy had been the first to move, carefully prying himself out from the rubble. It was then that he saw what had happened to Harry along with the puddle of blood that was quickly growing around him. Silence filled the air except for the running water and the occasional sound of something broken falling to the floor. Malfoy seemed to be in a state of shock until Myrtle appeared out of the rubble.

"MURDER!" Myrtle screamed as she caught sight of Harry. "MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!"

The entire castle shook as the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard over the now deafening silence. Before anyone could even think of running, a tall figure dressed in black arrived, taking in the scene before him. Harry still hadn't moved and Malfoy was still standing in the middle of the destroyed bathroom, wand in hand. Echoing footsteps filled the air again, alerting them that more people were coming.

Professor Snape was standing in front of Malfoy in a heartbeat, taking hold of Malfoy's wand and pocketing it. "You've gone too far this time, Draco," he said coolly. "Stay where you are." Without waiting for an answer, Snape turned and approached Harry. He was about to kneel down when a loud voice shouted at him.

"Snape!" Sirius yelled. "Stay away from him!"

Snape sneered at Sirius as he stepped back as Remus hurried over to Harry and checked him over. "He's in some sort of shock," Remus said quickly as he turned and caught sight of Malfoy. "What curses did you use, Draco? We need to know in order to counter the affects." Everyone turned to Malfoy who took a few frightened steps backwards, nearly tripping over some debris in the process. When Malfoy showed no signs of answering, Remus pulled out his wand and summoned Malfoy's, surprised to see it coming from Snape's robes. "Sirius, find Poppy, Minerva and Tonks. I have a feeling we'll need them."

Sirius stared at Remus in disbelief. "Moony—"

"—Sirius, go!" Remus said frantically. "Harry needs treatment sooner rather than later!" That was all that was needed for Sirius to take off running. Remus then turned his attention to Malfoy's wand. "Prior Incantato," he said quietly and let out a firm growl at what appeared. "The Cruciatus Curse, Draco? You used an Unforgivable on a fellow student?"

"Say nothing, Draco," Snape said quickly.

"You have no say in this, Severus," Remus countered heatedly as he carefully maneuvered so he could check for where the blood was coming from. "Care to explain why you were hiding Draco's wand in your robes? He used an Unforgivable on another person. You can't protect him anymore. His fate is in the Ministry's hands."

"B—but it didn't even hit him!" Malfoy protested shakily. "Potter created some sort of shield—without a wand—and there was an explosion!"

Remus and Snape stared at Malfoy incredulously. "Are you saying that you attacked an unarmed student?" Remus growled.

"But—"

"—SILENCE, Draco," Professor Snape hissed. "For once in your life use your brain and be quiet!"

The sound of hurried footsteps put an abrupt end to the conversation. Madam Pomfrey had been the first to arrive and immediately demanded that Remus move out of the way. After several charms and spells were cast, the bleeding had stopped and Harry was able to be moved to the hospital wing. By then Sirius had returned with Professor McGonagall, Tonks and another Auror that had been checking the grounds with her. Harry, however, never knew what happened. The moment he had been placed on the stretcher, he had fallen into darkness and the pain had faded away.