Chapter 17: Of Feasts and Farewell
Sweat dripped from Harry's forehead; he clenched his teeth painfully and refused to give up.
"C'mon," Ron muttered. He wouldn't say aloud that Blaise's aura flickered as poorly as a candle in a hurricane. He held Theo's hand and Harry's wrist as tightly as possible, willing all the energy he had left to help Harry. In the corner of his eye he noted Draco's aura unexpectedly flicker–
Hermione's hand shook as she struggled to keep hold; she felt weaker as Harry withdrew so much of her energy.
Would it be enough?
The Guardians didn't realise how silent it was until the best possible sound reached their ears: Blaise drew in a raspy breath.
Tears poured down Hermione's cheeks and Draco choked in response to the wave of relief pouring through the Guardians' joined hands.
Harry opened his eyes. Deep, ugly cuts still marred Blaise's skin in a dozen places, but the holes around his heart were gone and it was beating reassuringly under Harry's fingers. Harry grunted a warning at Ron before falling into him, his vision as blurry as if he weren't wearing his glasses.
Draco didn't release Theo's hand; they watched their friend breathe, hardly daring to breathe themselves.
The Guardians' sounds of relief were heard by their other friends, who immediately joined them. Ginny took Harry's other side and Neville slipped his arm around Hermione to help her up. She managed to tear her eyes from her injured Guardian to glance around in shock at the Stunned werewolves and injured students.
Nothing heals werewolf bites, she recalled in horror. How many students would be turned now because the Darkness wanted her? More tears spilled down her cheeks, and she wished she weren't so selfish. They should've left–
"Hermione," Harry murmured.
Ginny and Ron helped him up. Theo joined them but Draco wouldn't leave Blaise's side, and nobody made him stand. Harry made Hermione look at him with her wet eyes. He knew she carried guilt like the weight of a mountain on her shoulders.
"It's alright, most of them weren't bitten, just scratched. I think we can fix those … 'sides, it's not your fault–"
"Tell us where to go," Neville said firmly before Hermione could argue. He directed their friends to support the exhausted Guardians. Harry nodded towards a Hufflepuff girl nearby, who Professor Sprout leaned over in worry.
The Professor's face lit up in relief as the ugly scratches across the girl's face vanished under Harry's shaky touch. Slowly the Guardians made their way across the lawn. The Professors and uninjured students moved everyone without question at Ron's direction. He and Hermione clutched their best friend tightly to keep their flow of magic steady.
Hermione thought, logically, their energy should be utterly depleted. Perhaps their relief that Blaise survived fuelled their resolve? Or was it sheer stubbornness?
Madam Pomfrey and Professor Gangrous healed cuts and bruises as Professor McGonagall directed several older students to help the newly healed back inside. Everyone clearly had questions but the sharp looks from the Headmistress and Ginny kept the curious students silent.
By the time Hagrid escorted the last student back inside, Harry was ready to pass out. But something caught his eye; three students lay near the castle wall who weren't healed. He squinted at the unmoving figures.
Were they dead? He couldn't detect their auras, although he was so tired–
"Bitten," Neville said quietly. "Madam Pomfrey put them into an enchanted sleep; it's full moon right now. They could turn in a few hours."
Beside him, Harry heard Hermione break into tears and fall into Theo's arms. He knew she'd blame herself, but this should not have happened. Even Ron hadn't predicted the Darkness could possess werewolves, much less that a rogue pack would attack the school.
Harry felt a sharp twinge of rage in his chest he hadn't felt since Voldemort fell; he hated this enemy with a fierce passion. Even Voldemort hadn't specifically targeted innocent children.
A warm hand slipped into Harry's and squeezed; he thought numbly of Hermione, but she was on his other side.
"You've done all you can, Harry," Ginny whispered. "Nobody can heal a werewolf bite; you need to get inside and rest–"
"No," Harry mumbled. He took a step in the direction of the three students and stumbled.
"Harry–"
"I have to … I have to try."
The others recognised Harry's efforts and leaned on Neville, Luna, Terry, and Parvati to cross the lawn. Draco was gently but firmly forced away from Blaise as Madam Pomfrey levitated him toward the hospital wing.
One of the bitten students was Thomas Lawson, the Manticores' Seeker, and another was a tiny Hufflepuff witch in second or third year. The third–
"Pansy," Draco whispered in horror as he joined them and helped Neville hold Hermione up.
Hermione paled; she disliked the Slytherin witch, but Pansy certainly didn't deserve this. Her face was barely recognizable under deep gouges from two huge paws, one of which cut straight down her left eye, and she was missing a chunk of flesh from the horrid bite mark on the side of her neck. The only thing Madam Pomfrey had been able to do was stop the bleeding.
Harry fell to his knees beside the little Hufflepuff girl and placed his blood-stained fingers on her shoulder where the robes were ripped away. He felt her aura once he touched her; it must've been shielded by the sleep enchantment. He focused on Ron's steady grasp on his right arm and the warm hand holding his left.
Through Ron, Harry felt Draco, Theo, and Hermione's combined energy. It was weak but Draco's relief at his friend's survival seemed to be fuelling him, and he felt stronger than the others … Was it love? Harry would've laughed a year ago if someone told him Malfoy was the Guardian representing love, but now he was pretty sure nothing would surprise him.
The young witch beneath Harry's fingers was ice-cold and he felt unusual cracks in her aura as though someone smashed it with a poisoned mallet. The sleep enchantment prevented her from breathing normally, so Harry focused on his own breath. He imagined each exhale moving the energy through his fingers into her body. He imagined each breath warming her, healing her … logic laughed at him; nothing healed a werewolf bite.
But nothing matched the power of the Elemental Mage.
A loud gasp almost broke Harry's concentration but he focused on the warm hands supporting him and didn't stop. Behind them, tears ran down Professor McGonagall's face as she watched the ugly bite slowly disappear.
Harry knew he was going to pass out, but he didn't care … the girl's aura was nearly whole. He didn't spare a thought to anything but mending the final scars.
He cracked a smile. Trust Harry Potter to find a way to do the impossible again. Maybe this time he'd let McGonagall give him an award.
He let himself fall sideways into warm arms with a sigh as his consciousness finally slipped.
Harry missed the shocked glances exchanged between Hermione and the other Guardians when they realised that he'd drawn strength from a completely unexpected source, the girl who now cradled his unconscious form in her arms: Ginny Weasley.
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Hermione didn't move for a long time. She sat beside Blaise's bed clutching his hand and resting her head against his scarred chest to listen to his heart, the most reassuring sound she could imagine.
Madam Pomfrey mended Blaise's broken ankle but could only clean and bind the rest of his injuries. She couldn't heal damage from a werewolf, and she anxiously watched Harry in the next bed, who was perfectly healthy but magically depleted. He hadn't been able to heal the possessed werewolves before the Aurors came; the Guardians wondered if the wolves would remember what happened when they awoke.
The bitten Hufflepuff girl was released with a clean bill of health. Word flew around the school and Professor Flitwick erected protective enchantments so curious students wouldn't barge into the hospital wing demanding answers. Only Ginny was let in with the Guardians.
Theo kept an eye on the clock in worry; the last bitten students would have to be locked up by sundown if Harry hadn't woken to heal them. Quite apart from not wanting werewolves at Hogwarts, Theo knew how Hermione would feel if they couldn't save them.
Ron and Theo questioned Ginny while she sat faithfully at Harry's side. After Harry passed out Ginny was also exhausted, and Ron insisted that his sister's aura faded a little while Harry healed the bite.
Could Harry have used Ginny's energy, too? Was it because she loved Harry, or could he possibly borrow energy from anyone willing? Could Harry transfer the energy from any healthy person into a sick one? Theo paced as he pondered the implications.
"Can't we try and wake him yet?" Ron asked desperately.
"It's risky," Theo reasoned. "Even if you and I both give him our energy he may not be able to heal anyone. None of us has a fully intact soul right now; I believe Blaise's condition affects us all."
"What about me?" Ginny demanded. Theo shook his head gently.
"I can't see your soul but considering the exhaustion you felt I wouldn't risk it. What if we unintentionally drained all your energy?" The redhead huffed and resumed stroking Harry's messy hair.
"How is he?" Ron asked quietly. Draco looked up at Ron from Blaise's side. He hadn't spoken since they arrived.
"No change," the blond managed to murmur.
Though Madam Pomfrey confirmed Harry's magic healed their friend's heart, Blaise was no closer to consciousness and still sported a dozen deep claw marks. Waist-up, his body was covered so badly in wounds that they couldn't be sure he hadn't also been bitten. Time was running out before sundown and Madam Pomfrey stated firmly that even Harry couldn't save a potential werewolf after they shifted.
Draco stayed beside his best mate but glanced over at Harry and wondered. When they all joined hands to heal each other back at the Manor, Draco knew they loved Hermione and instinctively wanted to protect each other since they shared her soul. They trusted each other enough to share the strength needed to fix what had been broken.
But today, those emotions had been ten times stronger.
Through Theo, Draco was coming to understand that love wasn't just about family or romance. Today Blaise's love for his friends made him wrestle a werewolf, and his friends' love for him literally healed his punctured heart. Turned out Dumbledore was right all along: love was stronger than Dark magic.
Draco's pale eyebrows narrowed as he watched Ginny stroking the head of atrocious black hair. She loved Harry, no question. And she wasn't part of the bond, but …
"I think I felt Ginny's emotions, before."
All conscious members of the room looked at Draco. Even Hermione glanced up from her protective hold on Blaise.
"We all felt the same thing: we wanted to give Harry all our energy so he could heal that girl, and I remember feeling someone reacting to Harry with … with different love. Not like friendship."
Ginny rose from her seat. "So, one of you secretly has designs on Harry … or you think you felt what I felt?"
"Maybe–"
The redhead raced over and grabbed his hand.
"Tell me," she demanded. Behind her, Theo watched curiously. Her soul was invisible to him, but he saw Draco's react momentarily at her touch, like a flicker of light.
A minute passed before Draco slowly shook his head.
"I think you'd have to be touching Harry, 'cause it's not me you care for."
"Or she made a difference because she was actively trying to help?" Theo ventured. "Ginny confirmed earlier that she wished she could share her soul with Harry; I wonder if she was able to because she was so willing."
Ginny pulled at her long hair and started walking the invisible path Ron had been tracing for the last hour.
"If I can share my own soul by choice, does that mean anybody could? What if we went out there and asked more people to help–?"
"I don't know," Theo said carefully. "Probably dangerous; we already know our own souls can recover because they're attached to Hermione's. What if a regular soul was damaged, or completely drained of magic?"
Ron shook his head. "No, Ginny's onto something. We can share our souls because they're all connected to Hermione, but Ginny couldn't've shared her soul with Harry like that – she must've shared her aura! And right now, Ginny's aura's back to normal, which means it didn't hurt her! She recovered! We can't hurt her soul by borrowing her energy!"
Theo was still concerned, but begrudgingly admitted this made sense. He didn't have time to say so, however, because Ron immediately ran for the hospital doors, Ginny on his heels.
"Gryffindors," Theo complained. "Always action before thought."
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A crowd of students milled in the corridor outside the hospital wing. A group of Ravenclaws desperately waited to hear about their bitten friend, and Daphne Greengrass held tightly to Anthony's hand in anticipation of news about Pansy's condition. There was also plenty of chattering from students who simply wanted to know what was going on.
"So, the Elemental Mage can cure werewolves? Maybe they should send her to St. Mungo's so she can heal everybody–"
"It's not that simple, Lewis, they healed a werewolf bite before they'd changed, and then Potter collapsed from exhaustion, so it's not like they could heal anything."
"Didn't one of the Guardians die, though?"
"No, they can't die …"
"I dunno, they just brought everyone up here–"
"Mum says the Mage is a myth, it's impossible to have so much magic unless you're Dark–"
"… seriously think Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are Dark?"
"I mean, they're working with Slytherins …"
"–that's not–"
"Oi!"
All chatter disappeared as Ron stepped easily through the enchantment, holding Ginny's hand so she could follow. Daphne pushed her way to the front of the crowd.
"Pansy, is she–?"
"No change yet," Ron answered softly. "But it's not too late; we just need some help."
He stood tall to address the crowd.
"You lot might not believe in the Elemental Mage, the same way you didn't want to believe Harry when he said Voldemort was back, but it's true!" A mix of whispers and murmurs followed.
"If the Mage is so powerful, why she hasn't healed Thomas?" a Ravenclaw boy shouted. Ron raised his wand to his throat to be heard over the angry and contradictory ado that followed.
"Harry already explained this! She's the source of the elemental magic, but the five of us are the ones who channel it! Harry's the healer, but he used so much energy already 'cause he healed around thirty people today–"
"It's true!" a squeaky voice sounded from the back of the crowd. It belonged to a short Hufflepuff wizard. "I got scratched by one of the wolves, and Harry Potter fixed me!"
"He healed loads of people the day of the possessions, too," Neville stepped in. "Don't you think you lot have wasted enough time doubting Harry Potter?"
The corridor fell mostly silent. Ron shot a grateful look at Neville, who took his side next to Ginny.
"Look, we have just 'til sundown to save three people from turning to werewolves," Ron said loudly, trying to keep his voice steady. "Harry's the only one who can heal them. Normally we could share our energy with Harry, but right now we're weaker because one of our own was … he–"
Ron paused; it was suddenly painful to speak. Bonding with Theo had been easy enough, but Ron hadn't made as much of an effort with Malfoy or Zabini. But after watching Blaise fight a werewolf in another students' defense, Ron realised he cared for the other wizard, Slytherin or not. The knowledge that Blaise was so close to death terrified him.
Ron felt a squeeze from his sister's warm hand as she stepped forward to take over.
"Listen up, you lot, they need us! We need to lend them our magical energy so they can heal each other and the other two who got bitten. I don't care if you don't believe in Mages or if you still hate Slytherins; every single one of you owes your life to Harry Potter, and you know it!"
No argument was heard, but a few people looked at Ginny in awe as she pointedly took Ron's hand again.
Neville grasped her other hand and extended his own hopefully towards the crowd. It was promptly taken by Daphne Greengrass.
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Draco was overwhelmed. If it weren't for the steady, familiar flow of magic from Theo and Hermione, the powerful surge of emotions might make him pass out.
Across the bed, a chain of nearly thirty people stood solemnly attached to Harry through Ron's other hand, and Draco felt everything from each of them. They were confused, surprised, and hesitant, but Ginny, Neville, Daphne, Anthony, Terry, and a dozen others along the chain were determined, focused, and open. Love came in different forms, which Draco was still trying to understand, but there was more enough love in that line to fuel their energy.
Draco felt nothing from Harry when he first touched his hand, because the other boy was exhausted beyond emotion, even while dreaming. Now, Harry's green eyes fluttered open, and the best feeling of all flowed through the chain: hope.
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Not since the closing of the Chamber of Secrets had Hogwarts hosted an all-night party.
Barely any students seemed to care about house tables; everyone mingled, ate, laughed, and asked a million questions. Harry patiently answered as many as possible until he yawned mid-sentence, causing raucous laughter, and promptly handed the spotlight to Ron.
Even in the wake of the possessions, some stubborn students wanted to maintain that Slytherins couldn't be trusted. Now, nearly all lingering bias towards the house of snakes vanished thanks to twenty witnesses who swore that Blaise Zabini literally wrestled a full-grown werewolf to save a student from another house. The witch in question tore down the aisle when Blaise entered the Hall and planted a grateful kiss on his cheek.
Even hours later Blaise was pestered with questions and praise nearly as much as Harry. He proudly showed the thin white scars decorating his arms and neck to gushing witches and gestured emphatically with one hand while he retold the story as he persistently kept Hermione pressed into his other side. She'd cried into his shoulder for fifteen minutes after he'd awoken.
Ron joked the most shocking part of the day was Pansy actually thanking them through tears after learning what happened; she'd remembered nothing after the wolves breached the school enchantments. The bashful Slytherin even offered an apology to Hermione. Hermione graciously shook her hand with a light smile and didn't really mind when Draco gave his ex-girlfriend a one-armed hug and said gruffly that he was glad she was alright.
Just before dawn Ginny sneakily deployed a few dozen Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs to great cheers. She didn't care that house points were taken, because it meant Gryffindor and Slytherin drew for the house cup, a fact that Professor McGonagall likely thought out while calculating Ginny's punishment. The Headmistress murmured to her later that next year – the first year without a Weasley on the grounds in nearly two decades – would be far too quiet.
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Everyone fought back tears as they scrambled to pack the last of their belongings before saying goodbye to the castle for the last time. Even the Slytherins pretended not to be sad about leaving. Hermione finished locking her trunk as Draco slipped his arms around her and quietly reminded her about the parchment in her pocket.
With a start, Hermione withdrew the note he'd slipped her after her last exam only yesterday.
x
A winged beast and a terror true,
Yet one whose heart burns only for you.
x
For the twentieth time that day, tears prickled Hermione's eyes. When the silver dragon charm appeared in her hand, she threw her arms around her boyfriend's neck and kissed him thoroughly.
Neither of them wanted to stop, but they were short on time. Hermione quickly retrieved her other Link charms. Draco held them in his palm and whispered a few spells. When he waved his wand, the silver Links snapped together like magnets in a flawless circle.
Draco slipped the bangle over Hermione's wrist, and it sized itself to fit her perfectly. She leaned up happily to give him another kiss and he murmured, "Look closer."
Hermione looked carefully at her bracelet and discovered "Harry" carved onto the lightning bolt in minute script. She rotated the bracelet and found "Blaise" on the sword, "Theo" on the book, "Draco" on the dragon, and "Ron" on the otter.
"Draco," she breathed. "It's perfect! But why is Ron's name on the otter?"
Draco went slightly pink.
"Well, the other ones fit pretty well, so he was the only one left, but I guess an otter is technically a weasel–"
Hermione sighed. Weasels and otters were indeed in the same family, but later she'd tell Ron it was because he'd given her the Patronus Essence.
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Professor McGonagall insisted on one final meeting with the Gryffindors about the remainder of Harry and Ron's donation.
At Hermione's insistence, efforts would be made in the new year to have Muggle-raised teachers for Muggle Studies, and a budget was added for improved house-elf lodging.
Harry and Ron wanted to upgrade the school brooms and purchase extra sets of Quidditch balls for practice. If they had their way a full second pitch would've been built, but neither Hermione nor Professor McGonagall would allow it. They did, however, fully support building an extension to the library for books on alchemy, old magic, and wizarding folktales.
At the end of the meeting Professor McGonagall's expression became serious.
"I wish I might've brought you this information earlier … Professor Flitwick and I reviewed the cases of all students who'd been possessed this year, and we realised something crucial. When the Beater from Miss Weasley's team knocked the Bludger at the stands, its protective enchantments were altered. Filius and I agree that only a rather powerful wizard could make such an adjustment."
"Like a teacher?" Ron asked sharply.
Professor McGonagall's eyes were sad as she nodded, but quickly added, "I might be mistaken; as you obviously know, students often exceed our expectations. It's possible a particularly intelligent student was possessed, or …"
"Or the Darkness itself is more powerful than we know," Hermione finished.
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"It was GANGROUS," Ron hissed insistently.
"We don't know for sure, Ron–"
"Who else, then!? Gangrous knows I'm good with strategy, he knows Hermione's really powerful, Blaise actually got shocked during his class–"
After leaving the Headmistress' office, the trio ran across the grounds stopping only for a quick goodbye hug with Hagrid and caught the Hogwarts Express just as it pulled away. They found the others quickly and tossed Notice-Me-Not Charms on their compartment door before they could be attacked by adoring fans.
"–Gangrous was in Hogsmeade when Goyle attacked Hermione, he even admitted he'd seen Goyle before, and he's an expert in curse-breaking! Hagrid told us he put the enchantments around the grounds, so he could've rigged them to know when Hermione left the castle, plus he was there when the students were all attacked in the Entrance Hall–"
Hermione bit her lip. It didn't feel right, but she wasn't one to argue based on feelings.
"He cast a Patronus during the battle with the dark students, but I suppose he could've been possessed another time …"
"Gangrous was pretty excited to make us practice Dark spells and didn't even mind when we hurt each other," Harry admitted slowly. "Erikson said pain and fear feed the Darkness … maybe that's why he was doing it?"
"Yeah, and most of the possessed students knew how to attack because of Gangrous' duels!" Ron insisted. "Him and his obsession could've actually been preparing for that!"
Theo scratched his head. "I don't know. If the Darkness were controlling him to the point of affecting his lesson plans, he would've been possessed all year … surely we would've noticed?"
"Doesn't matter now," Draco said as he pulled Hermione in closer. "Hermione's staying put at the Manor, so she won't be in danger–"
"I'm not going to stay cooped up forever–" Hermione countered.
"She's not gonna stay cooped up in there–" Harry said at the same time. The two grinned at each other.
"Hermione's gotta visit the Burrow," Ron insisted. "Mum'll have kittens anyway when she finds out we're all moving in with the Malfoys, and Hermione's like her daughter. She can't just not visit."
Draco grumbled but Theo smirked. "Did you truly expect Hermione to become the perfect Malfoy housewife who stays at home and adopts perfect ladylike behaviour?"
Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Ron snorted.
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It took a long time to exit platform nine and three-quarters.
Hermione and her Guardians stepped off the train to a massive crowd and thunderous applause. Parents, students, Ministry workers, reporters, and Merlin only knew who else clamored for photos, autographs, handshakes, hugs, and stories.
It was perhaps only due to the residual contentedness from last night's party that her protective wizards allowed Hermione to linger. She refused to answer questions from reporters or have her photo taken – though it was taken many times anyway, right along with Harry – she stayed close to her friends as they worked their way through the crowd saying goodbye to their classmates.
People hugged Hermione and Ginny and clapped the Guardians on their backs from all directions. Draco was overwhelmed quickly but his light smirk indicated that he didn't really mind the attention.
Harry patiently let Ginny cling to his hand and didn't allow anyone but Luna to kiss him goodbye. Blaise and Ron happily took as many hugs and kisses as possible, and Theo blushingly obliged several as well.
Hermione kept Draco firmly at her side and raised an eyebrow at any witch who gave him a smouldering look, but it was unnecessary. As always, Draco had eyes for nobody but Hermione.
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The professor tossed the last of his belongings into his satchel and closed it with a snap. He was annoyed that the Mage and all her Guardians left in one piece, but at least the year hadn't been a waste. He'd long suspected the Mage would be at Hogwarts and had a surprisingly enjoyable time chasing her down and watching her as she remained clueless.
He internally smirked as he recalled the delicious fear she exuded after he fed her more nightmares. It was all too easy to conjure frightening images, and she never suspected the dreams didn't originate from her own subconscious. The silly little witch had no idea of her power … the fear he implanted kept her separated from it – and them – for a nice long while.
Unfortunately, he underestimated the determination of her Mind Guardian, who all but forced them to finalise the bonds. He growled at the memory and how much it hurt when those horrible Light-wielders bonded, resulting in him actually being ejected from his host. He lost control of the professor's body for the first time in months, and the bastard almost managed to take his wand before he lost control again.
He fastened his cloak and determined he needed to lie low now that the year was over. Hogwarts professors often travelled during the summer anyway and he needed some temporary distance. He couldn't risk losing this host again; he'd gained the trust of too many.
But there was so much left to do. He couldn't attack the Mage directly … He needed to get one of her Guardians out of the running. Unfortunately, the wolf attack hadn't proved as useful as he hoped. He drank in a healthy amount of fear but caused no lasting damage, and he hadn't managed to kill the Warrior. That wizard was a nuisance.
The professor left his classroom with a subtle smirk. No matter. They couldn't stay hidden forever; they were far too righteous to hide away and let the rest of the world deal with the havoc he was preparing to unleash.
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End of Volume III: Acceptance
Look for VOL IV: Conflict, coming soon!
So many questions remain unanswered. The Guardians struggle to remain united as the enemy learns their weaknesses and threatens to tear them apart. Before long they will face the most difficult decision of all.