Disclaimer: Not mine. Burrowed only from the great JK Rowling – not that you didn't already know.

Through the Furnace

Chapter Eighteen. The End of the Beginning

Something slimy and putrid was sliding down his throat. He thought he was suffocating but could not raise the energy to fight the floating sensation. His world was black, warped by muffled sound and a sky streaked with crimson. He didn't remember who he was or what he had been doing. Only deep crimson eyes, deep cold pools in death flittered in his memory. Long elegant fingers stroked the burning flesh of his throat and he found himself swallowing. No he was choking. He would surely drown on this putrid liquid in his throat.

Panic arose in his chest and he coughed and splattered. His shoulders rose from the ground only to be pushed back down gently. "Easy lad," a voice murmured above him. A red cloaked figure kneeled beside him; dark chocolate eyes searched his own emerald pool for something. "You're safe now. It's over."

He lay back down eye flittering to another man dressed solely in black. His obsidian eyes held nothing for him but disdain and the strongest dislike. Despite this fact he knew he trusted this man even though they held little love for each other. 'Thank you' he mouthed to the figure. This man who had been pulling out vials of strangely coloured liquid tilted his head to the side as if he was some strange creature he could not begin to comprehend.

Two women regarded him solemnly, their long skirts of blue and yellow struck and strange cord with him. It was if they did not belong in this scene. Something was off.

Another man in green and silver stood over a pile of black cloth. With a jolt of horror he realised that under the volumes of black cloak was a body. A dead body to be exact.

"My heir," the man in green stated to himself indigently. "This is my heir…" Stern eyes appraised him critically. "Disgusting, defeated by a child and a Gryffindor child to boot."

He turned over and was immediately vomited over the black man's shoes. The black man snarled at him cursing him for his lack of manners. The audacity of him despoiling his black shiny boots…

He opened his mouth to apologise only to throw up again. He panicked, everything was on fine. He hurt. And unbearably so. His long thin fingers clutched his sides as he retched again.

"Lay him flat Godric," the man in green demanded.

Strong hands wrapped their way around his wrists holding him. "No!" he cried protesting feebly fighting.

The man in black stood making way for the man in green.

"It's this place," the lady in yellow said. "It's making him ill."

"Nonsense," the lady in blue disagreed. "He's just hurt."

"Snape find Godric's wand," the man in green demanded turning his attention to him. "Calm down Harry… slow your breathing… calm…"

He glanced up into the green man's face. Harry… the word seemed to dance in front of him mocking him. Any other time it would have definitely meant something to him. He knew he should have recognised its sound. He knew it was important to him. "Harry," he whispered he reached out a floundering hand.

"He's not lucid is he?" the lady and yellow queried her companion.

"Obviously not, dear Helga."

The man in green grabbed his hand. He knew this was odd, something he normally would not expect from his gentleman. Another hand brushed through his sweaty brow. "Yes Harry, your name, boy…"

"I… Harry…"

"Yes, yes," the man in red said nodding his head. "You know that don't you."

He wasn't so sure. "Yes?" he inquired.

"Yes," the man in green restated for him firmly.

The man in black returned with a long thin stick. "Stun him it's the kindest thing we can do for him."

The man garbed in black seemed gleeful at the moment. He raised his stick and swished and flicked. "Stupfy."

And the world came crashing around him once more.

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'

Godric stood and stretched his legs and turned around to glance about the room. He wasn't sure if it was Lord Voldemort's body or the bodies of the death eaters that had disturbed poor Harry.

After his charge had fainted dead away on the floor after casting the killing curse, Godric had left him in Helga's care as he picked up his wand and started firing cursing, hexes, charms like crazy. In retrospect the death eaters didn't stand a chance… never before had any of them seen anything marginally like Godric's skill with the wand.

Salazar had taken the more violent approach when it came to dispatching Voldemort's minions. Godric had stopped to transfigure a cup into a rather handy morning star and the snake founder was more than happy to assist his friend in culling the death eaters.

The only one that still remained was that pompous idiot Malfoy.

"Bring him here, Snape," Salazar said from his position where he was brooding over Harry.

The light of fear in Malfoy's eyes was worth a thousand words. Snape grabbed the blonde aristocrat and dragged him forwards unceremoniously on his knees.

"You are a fool, Lucius Malfoy," Slytherin said slowly. "Do you know why?"

Lucius stared up into Salazar's cold determined gaze and flinched.

"No?" Salazar queried looking somewhat disappointed. "Very few wizards survive when I decide to dispatch justice in lieu of their victims."

Malfoy's eyes flittered over to Harry's frozen form.

"Don't worry Harry is fine if a little confused," Godric said deliberately mistaking Lucius' look for one of concern.

"He's a lively lad, isn't he?" Salazar continued sweeping around so that Malfoy could no longer see unconscious Harry. "So noble, carefree so much like Lord Gryffindor here it brings make so many fond memories."

Godric smiled wanly at his mention. Malfoy narrowed his eyes.

"The poor boy would probably ask me to spare you…" Slytherin let the sentence hang suspended and despite himself Malfoy's eyes betrayed his hope that he might go unpunished. "But my monster friend, he is unconscious and would not be able to hear your dying screams."

Malfoy flinched backwards in an attempt to get away from Slytherin who was twirling Godric's wand slowly. Snape grabbed the blonde wizard and threw him at Salazar's feet once more.

"Now how did that delightful spell go?" Salazar asked airily, but his eyes were sparkling maliciously at Malfoy. "I should dearly like to try it…"

"Crucio physicalia," Helga supplied.

"Thank you, dear heart," Salazar replied loftily raising Godric's wand.

'

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'

If there was anything anyone could say about Salazar Slytherin it was that he would soon become bored with the tedious nature of torture and revenge. Malfoy did not last long under the power of the 'crucio physicalia' and was dispatched within minutes.

"We'll have to tell Potter Lucius Malfoy screamed like a school girl," Snape said stepping over the corpse of his one time companion.

"You'll do no such thing," Salazar replied tersely handing the wand once more to Snape. "Gryffindor youngsters have the habit of blaming themselves for justifiable punishment of their enemies."

Snape snorted.

"We need to get Harry away from this place. Is there anywhere we can go that is safe?" Rowena asked from her corner.

"Grimmauld Place… its headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, there would be someone there to welcome us and Harry will be amongst friends."

"Very well make a portkey if you will," Helga said clapping her hands. "I just adore portkeys."

'

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'

Fifteen minutes later the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix was in an uproar…

"Snape!"

"How dare you show your face here again…"

"Who are these people?"

"Traitor!"

"Harry!"

The last cry had come from a bushy haired girl who was bounding down the stairs three at a time. Salazar watched with raised eyebrows. She was then closely followed by a tall red hair boy and a younger red haired girl.

Godric, who had demanded that he be the one who carried Harry, was immediately swamped by people.

"Out of the way people," Salazar snarled. "How is a potions master supposed to work with a crowd?"

"With Potter you have to get used to it," Snape replied dryly. He was looking at the end of a shaking wand held by a very upset Remus Lupin.

"Erm is there anywhere I can put him?" Godric demanded looking over the heads of many teenagers and adults at a stern looking witch at the back. "He is getting a little heavy and he needs attention from Salazar and Snape, if you please."

The stern witched stepped forward, her mouth in one hard line. The sea of peopled melted before her and she merely nodded her head for Godric to follow her up the stairs. Godric followed leaving in his wake an older red hair woman who had burst into fountains of tears.

'

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'

Harry opened one eye slowly wondering why his head felt like someone had taken the liberty of landing their pet Hippogriff on his skull. Lifting one hand feebly he rubbed his temples and moaned lightly.

Godric sat by his bed side seemingly reading his transfiguration text book, McGonagall was hovering nearby. Harry groaned again to alert the adults he was awake.

McGonagall started and stared at Harry making him fell very small. "As your pervious head of house and headmistress, Harry Potter you are lucky the new school year has not started."

Harry retraced his thoughts and blearily looked at her momentarily stunned. "I'm not going back… Voldemort…"

McGonagall looked over him pityingly. But it was Godric who silenced her with a look. Harry watched his founder slowly close the book and lean forward to speak to him. Despite himself Harry found himself leaning closer to hear what Godric had to say.

"You killed him Harry, he's gone," Godric murmured, "don't you remember?"

Harry sighed heavily and closed his eyes. Yes. He remembered and he shuddered with the horrible thought. "I'm a murderer…"

"No," McGonagall whispered. "You're a hero."

Harry shook his head and his hands were shaking. "I used an unforgivable."

Godric took Harry's hands in his own. "I know how it feels my boy, to make your first kill." Harry blushed and looked away. "The killing curse was a means to an end… nothing more, nothing less."

Harry clamped his eyes shut as if this could stop him from hearing Godric's comforting words.

"Harry look at me…" Harry clamped his eyes even more tightly. "Look at me! Look into your hearts of hearts. Do you think you are evil? Should you have died at Voldemort's hands and let many others perish with you?"

"No," Harry breathed.

"Then you did what you had to do. Being a warrior Harry is a path thwart with ugly decisions and sometimes you have to cross boundaries you never imagined you could or would. But you cannot allow that to change who you essentially are."

Harry nodded and opened his eyes, which he had closed again. In the corner he saw McGonagall's eyes misting up and nodding into her handkerchief.

"You have a chance of completing your education, Potter," she smiled. "It's not too late to enrol all I need is a yes or no."

Harry considered for a moment and then smiled. "Make that a yes."

McGonagall, looking very much the cat that got the cream, victoriously left the room.

Godric watched her go. "Interesting woman; Hogwarts is in good hands."

"You'll be going soon, won't you?" Harry said suddenly feeling regret in his stomach.

"Tomorrow night, need to speak to your Minister for Magic to Vouch for Snape… and of course there is a large celebration for the demise of Voldemort Oh Saviour of the Wizarding World."

Harry groaned it was yet another title to add to his collection.

"Actually what a I want to talk to you about…" Godric shifted, for a moment Harry thought he was nervous but the founder pulled something from out of the folds of his robes. His wand, bent in half, phoenix feather protruding nearly all the way. "It can't be fixed. The death eaters took the liberty of destroying it."

Harry took his mangled wand from Godric and laid it sadly on his lap.

"I haven't got anything much to leave with you before I go," Godric said.

"That's okay, meeting you was brilliant enough for the Boy-Who-Killed," Harry quickly replied.

Godric held out his wand that Harry had used to kill Voldemort. "I would like you to have mine."

"But I…"

"I insist…" Godric placed the wand on Harry lap and Harry gingerly picked it up.

"Go on give it a wave."

Harry beamed and posed, pointing at Hedwig's empty cage. "Swish and Flick…," he murmured glancing with one eye at Godric. "Accio!"

The cage floated through the air and landed on Godric's lap. All Harry could do was laugh and glanced down at Godric's gift. It was long and suppled, its handle was fashioned from gold engraved with tiny griffins.

"Rowan, 12 inches, griffin feather," Godric pronounced.

"Thankyou. I…"

They were interrupted by a soft knock and an opening door.

"Ron," hissed a bushy haired girl. "You wait for them to answer."

Ron went beet red and went to close the door again. Godric however waved them in. Harry however only had eyes for his lovely sister, Ginny.

The three teenagers entered, they of course knew who this individual was but hadn't been introduced as Godric had spent most of his time with an unconscious Harry.

Ron toed the carpet, Hermione looked everywhere but Godric and Ginny was blushing furiously trying not to giggle at the antics of her brother and newly acquired 'girl friend.'

Godric stood regally and extended his hand to Ron first then Hermione. "Godric Gryffindor and you must be Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Heard so much about you." Godric lowered his voice and whispered to Ginny in a conspiratorial tone. "Ginny Weasley, I believe young Harry is head over heals over you."

"I would dearly love to hear some stories from some of my students while Harry ahem rests," Godric continued ushering Hermione and Ron out the door while winking at Ginny.

Ginny stood frozen as the door clicked shut.

"Ginny I…" Harry started.

Ginny crossed the room quickly giving the door a quick glance over her shoulder before coming to an abrupt halt over Harry's bed. "Hush," she said placing her delicate finger against his trembling lips. "You speak too much." Ginny reached down and brushed her pink lips against his.

Harry pulled away a question glinting in his emerald orbs. "So this is a new beginning for us?"

Ginny kissed him again and managed to fall over so that she was draped over Harry. Not that Harry minded. She broke of the kiss and grinned into Harry's chest. "I guess it is the end of the beginning for us and everyone else left behind… So yes, to new beginnings."

FIN