Ch 2
The Void
AN: I forgot to do a disclaimer on the last chapter so here goes, as much as I wish I could say different I am not the great talent known as JK Rowling. (sobs in corner)
I would like to thank TedEBear who has the dubious honor of being my very first reviewer! Thanks also to artemisfowl107, Bloodless ace and Tom Riddle Charlie, encouragement is a great motivator for getting out chapters!
*****
Albus Dumbledore stood in the middle of the battle field. His trade mark twinkle was long gone as he watched the ministry personnel take care of the bodies. As soon as the investigation was done and the report was written and filed the repairing of the school could commence.
Many of the students had asked for permission to stay over the summer and help with the repair efforts, and many of their families asked if they could come and do the same.
Getting Hogwarts back up and running wouldn't be difficult. He just wished he could say the same for the English wizarding society in general. If Harry died it would be near impossible to put it back together again.
The people in the field could see tears running down the otherwise stoic face of the headmaster.
*****
Nothingness. That is all there was. He was just floating aimlessly through the void. The only thought that entered his head was that he had finally accomplished something, he didn't know what exactly, but it was big and he knew it was the focus of his whole life so far.
"You must go back!" he heard a vaguely familiar voice say. "Please, Harry, it is not yet time for you to go there."
Harry didn't know where there was but he knew it was better than where he left. He was sure of it!
"My entire life has been about Voldemort! Every time things start to look up for me something happens to ruin it, to make me miserable again; I'm an orphan because of him. My whole life has been focused on defeating him! I no longer have a purpose in life, and if I no longer have a purpose for my life anymore, why should I go back to all that pain?" he asked.
"You may not believe me but you have much to live for."
"I don't want to go back." He whispered, "I won't go back!" He continued to drift in the empty nothingness of the void.
*****
Ginny sat just outside the hospital wing sobbing, so many people were dead, and even the ones that were still alive would never be the same.
Arthur Weasley, the beloved father of seven was in critical condition after being attacked by no less then five deatheaters at the same time. Her brother Percy got kissed by a dementor before it was driven off along with seven others. Fred and George got seriously wounded but were expected to make a full recovery. Ron and Hermione somehow managed to get through the fight with scrapes and cuts, but the D.A. was down to less then half.
Of the three groups fighting out there today (ministry, order and D.A.) the D.A. got hit the worst. Michael Corner was dead along with Lavender and Parvati who sacrificed themselves so Ron and Hermione could do their jobs of getting Harry to Voldemort. Of the DA members who had already graduated the worst injury was Fred and George, Fred lost his right ear and George lost his left. People would be pondering for years wondering how that happened, as Fred and George would never say.
So many students got hurt. They all went into the battle knowing that they stood a good chance of getting hurt or even killed but they still went willingly into battle. They willingly took the job that the headmaster had given them.
Help Harry Potter get to Voldemort.
Why did they accept this dangerous job without hesitation? Because they knew Harry. They knew his character and his determination, his loyalty and that is why they believed in him and his ability to rid the world of the evil one once and for all!
And he did, but at a price. Everyone at the battle paid, including a few first years that got caught in the crossfire because they didn't get out of the way in time.
'They died too young' Ginny thought to herself. She knew thinking like this was not good but she couldn't help it! She kept having these horrible flashbacks, scenes of the battle in her head. They kept playing over and over no matter how hard she tried to get them out. But the worst scene was definitely the one that happened at the end.
She kept seeing Harry falling, she saw herself running towards him. She had shaken him and begged whatever deity was listening for him to wake up, he was barely even breathing! Ginny was terrified.
She had realized part way through her fifth year that the reason she was over her crush on Harry was because she had fallen in love with him. She had never actually told him. She was always coming up with excuses for putting it off. 'It's not the right time' and 'he won't feel the same' were the two that cropped up the most.
But now it might be too late.
*****
Hermione sat across from Ron neither one of them was willing to leave Harry's side. They looked at each other over the still form of their best friend.
"What if he doesn't wake up?" Hermione asked.
"Don't say that! He has to wake up!" Ron replied, "He wouldn't give up on us, so we can't give up on him!"
Hermione nodded in agreement, as she looked down at Harry, tears forming in her eyes and sliding down her cheeks. "Harry! Please wake up!"
*****
"Harry! Please, wake up!"
He heard another voice come out of the darkness, "I don't want to go back." Harry whispered to himself.
"You must! You are still needed out there." came that annoyingly familiar voice again. For the life of him, Harry just couldn't figure out where he had heard that voice before, but he did know it from somewhere. "You heard that voice; it is someone who wants you back!"
"Needed for what? To be a weapon and a symbol? They don't want Harry they just want the boy-who-lived!"
"That is not true and you know it!" the voice replied. "Just listen to the voices of the people who love you. They are calling for you to come back!"
"I won't go back, and you can't make me!" Harry screamed at the disembodied voice and went back to floating in the ever present and soothing void.
*****
Ron Weasley sat by the bed looking at the still form of his best friend. Throughout all of their adventures Harry had always pulled through, he had always triumphed, and Ron refused to believe that this time would be any different and he would be there when Harry woke up. Harry would do the same for him if there roles were reversed, that was the kind of guy he was.
Ron looked up at his other best friend, the girl he was falling in love with. Hermione had cried herself to sleep after yelling at Harry to wake up and was now lying with her head pillowed on her arms with one of Harry's hands in her own. They would help him. They would make Harry wake up and then they would help him recover. "I am not giving up on you mate."
*****
"I'm not giving up on you mate."
"Ron…." Harry paused in his floating, (a.n. brownie points to whoever can tell me how one could pause in their floating lol!) as the face of the young man who had always been there for him when the chips were down flashed through his mind. He curled up as tightly as he could into a ball, "I'm sorry, Ron. I just can't do it!"
*****
The rest of the Weasleys were not only worried about there unofficially adopted son but also for there youngest son. He always ate enough to feed a small army, even when he was sick, and now they practically had to force feed him.
Not that the rest of them were any better off. Harry was so much a part of their family and lives that the very thought of losing him was tearing them all apart inside. He just had to be ok!
*****
The final battle against Voldemort had been won, but up in Dumbledore's office there was a new battle raging.
"Albus, the boy is in a coma and St. Mungo's has an entire staff trained to deal with things like this! He must be moved!"
"Cornelius, I understand that you want what is best for Harry that is why I am keeping him here where he will have his friends nearby. He will need his friends if he is to get through this."
Minerva and the other three heads of house just sat in their chairs looking back and forth, as if they were watching a tennis match.
"That is ridiculous, they can visit him at St Mungo's he must….."
"Don't think I don't know what you are really doing Minister."
"What do you mean, Albus?"
"You just want Harry at St Mungo's because it will be easier for you to take control of him and use him the anchor your dieing political career."
"Is that true Minister?" Rita asked as she waltzed into the office in time to hear the headmaster's accusation. "Are you more concerned for any potential political gain on your part than the wellbeing of the Boy-Who-Lived-To-conquer?"
Snape snorted at this 'Just what the brat needs, more hyphens! He will be unbearable after this."
Seeing that he was fighting a loosing battle the Minister of Magic for not much longer, left the room stuttering excuses to Rita along the way.
"Are you sure it wouldn't be better for Harry to go to St. Mungo's, Albus?" Minerva asked, the concern for her favorite lion shining in her eyes while Filius nodded agreement with her question.
"If he were to go to hospital it would be harder to protect him from those who would seek to manipulate him for their own gain. He needs to stay here."
The four heads exchanged looks then Pomona spoke up.
"We have trusted you thus far and see no reason not to continue to do so. We will support your decision Albus."
******
"I will do everything in my power to make you see the light Harry James Potter!" the voice vowed. "The bond must be fully activated, but how to do it? It must be done delicately so as not to arouse suspicion."
Suddenly the form of Lily Potter came into being. "I did not sacrifice myself so that my son could be taken by depression!" She raised her hands and her entire being glowed. "And I know just how to do it!"
"What little power in the world of the living I have left guide them so that they can use their bond of friendship to help my son!" she then looked at her son one last time, "I love you Harry, never forget that."
*****
Ron continued to look at Hermione thinking about how beautiful she was.
The desire to touch her suddenly overwhelmed him. It just grew and grew until he just couldn't resist. He reached out and smoothed her hair, it wasn't enough. She started to wake up and Ron kept his hand on her. He just had to keep touching her! It was vitally important but he didn't know why.
"What's going on?" She asked.
"I just couldn't resist touching you." Ron looked down at Harry as Hermione took his hand with one of hers and Harry's with the other. "I'm just so afraid that we're going to loose him Hermione." He said with tears in his eyes.
Hermione squeezed Ron's hand as Ron reached down to take Harry's other hand. The moment the circle was completed the three of them started to glow as power flew in between the friends completing the connection they had unwittingly started and pulling Ron and Hermione into the void.
A.N. next chapter will be Ron and Hermione confronting Harry. There will also be a little more of the outside world and we will be checking in on other people.
If there is anyone in particular that you want me to 'check up on' or any thoughts on what should befall who let me know.
And if you are reading this then thank you so much for taking the time to read my fic! The only way I could be more thankful is if you review, especially if you see a place where I could improve the story.