A/n: A new chapter! And the end of Book 5.
Kurt could only roll his eyes, he knew that he needed to be explicit if he wanted this pair to behave according to his standards but his OWLs had taken precedence and he'd have to deal with the repercussions. Fred and George flew overhead, creating a spectacular lightshow with the aide of fireworks.
What started out as a laughing matter for all turned to a special moment for Kurt's enjoyment when the fireworks- thanks to some directions from Fred and George- started pursuing members of the inquisitorial squad, this catalysed true chaos. Students got out of their seats and started running around the exam venue while Professor Umbridge called out for order. Kurt ignored everything, getting up to submit his test script; he didn't want to be lumped with any students written up for exam irregularities. Looking around at the chaos that had engulfed the room, Kurt couldn't help the smile that spread across his face; he had just finished writing his last OWL and was now, for all intents and purposes, a NEWT candidate- a sentiment made that much more real by his recent birthday.
"Mr Hummel!" the High Inquisitor screeched at him, "As a prefect, it is your duty to restore order!"
Kurt was pulled from his musings and back to the fallacy of his reality, his smile fell and he feigned shock, "What do I do?"
Professor Umbridge was too distracted by the tiny sparks burning holes in her pink pea coat to answer him, a larger spark knocked her pillbox hat off her head and left her hair singed. Kurt watched on in horror as all the small sparks in the great hall came together to form a Chinese dragon, not unlike one that one would see in a parade. He watched, eyes wide, as the dragon set its sights on Professor Umbridge and pursued her. She attempted to run toward the great hall doors but her stumpy legs could only carry her so fast, when the dragon caught up to her the crescendo of chaos came to its peak when the dragon exploded into a frenzy of sparks which proceeded to fire into the plaques displaying the innumerable educational decrees enacted by the High Inquisitor; this culminated in a flurry of broken glass and an explosion of splinters.
By this point, every student at Hogwarts had reared their head from their designated classrooms and dormitories to see the source of the disturbance. Kurt watched as Fred and George, who had been directing the commotion from above, exchanged a look and a nod of agreement; Kurt stared suspiciously as the pair swooped down such that they were an arm's length above people's heads, collecting high-fives and basking in the attention they were being showered in. They circled back and started to drop small packages; Kurt realised then that this was more than an act of rebellion, this was also a marketing event. He couldn't help smiling as he watched the twins flying off, filling the sky with their logo for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Kurt would never say this out loud to anyone, especially if somebody asked, but he was proud of Fred and George for attempting to turn their defining characteristics into a business for which they had found a niche market.
"Kurt," Hermione shook his shoulders, "it's Harry."
"Isn't it always?" He rolled his eyes as Hermione led him by the hand toward an opening in the crowd, "What about Harry?"
"I think he's having a seizure," her voice was panicked.
"And you came to get me?" Kurt snapped, "Get a teacher!"
"Neville's gone to get Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey," Hermione explained, gesturing to the boy, "but I thought you might also be able to help."
"I'm not a healer," Kurt shook his head, he got on his knees beside Harry's rigid body and looked into his lifeless eyes. Kurt chewed his lip, he knew this was probably a bad idea due to his inexperience but he placed his hand on Harry's forehead and whispered the incantation to himself, "Legilimency."
The world dissolved into a fuzzy image of an unfamiliar room with dark tiles on the wall and shelving all around the spot where he stood.
No, he was moving.
Circling something, someone.
Kurt focused harder on the spell and the image sharpened, the room looked more familiar but he'd never been there, it merely looked like somewhere he'd been before. Kurt felt amorphous as he was carried around the room, a large snake at his feet- Kurt wanted to scream but knew that he was intruding on a private moment, not wanting to be seen. The person whose eyes he was seeing through was eulogising the moment and Kurt had yet to properly see whom they were circling, he was yet to receive clear sound but if he focused any harder he feared that he might fry Harry's mind; the piggyback experiment alone was putting undue strain on the boy.
It was when the snake first moved to bind the figure they had been circling that Kurt first saw Sirius Black's face, with a gasp Kurt withdrew his hand.
~0~
"So, what you're saying is that Voldemort is torturing Sirius for information?" Hermione clarified as Harry retold the story from his hospital cot, Hermione turned to Kurt, "Why didn't you tell us this?"
"Something is not right."
"I saw him," Harry ejaculated, "like I saw Mr Weasley."
"Yes," Hermione nodded, "but Kurt is right, you saw a lot more this time. Doesn't this usually happen in disjointed flashes?"
"Yes-"
"And this time it was a full on vision?"
"Yes," Kurt and Harry chorused.
"And it was from Voldemort's point of view instead of the snake?"
"Yes," they exchanged a look this time.
"Something is not right," Hermione shook her head.
Ron nodded, "it's almost like he wanted you to see this."
"That would explain why I passed out afterwards," Harry nodded.
"No, that was my fault," Kurt raised his hand, guilty, "other side-effects might include dizziness, aphasia, nausea and permanent brain damage."
"Did you just say permanent brain damage?"
"Only if I'd concentrated too hard," Kurt brushed off the question, "I couldn't even hear anything, so we're good."
"Well he was asking Sirius for something," Harry explained in a haunted voice, "we have to go help Sirius."
"Don't you think this is a job for the Order?" Kurt quirked a curious brow.
"Fine," Harry nodded, "do your dark magic thing and tell them."
"My dark magic thing?" Kurt's brows shot to his hairline, "I'm going to assume you mean the shadow phasing." He shook his head, "if I were to do that to the nearest member of the Order of the Phoenix I would suffer from permanent brain damage… and I'd have no way of getting back."
"Now what?" Harry groaned.
"We make a floo call," Ron smirked, "to Grimmauld Place, we check if Sirius is there and we alert the Order if he isn't."
"That…" Hermione thought for a moment but her face fell, "would be a great idea if Umbridge and the Ministry weren't monitoring all the fireplaces at Hogwarts."
"Not Umbridge's," he smirked.
"This sounds like a bad idea in the making," Kurt rolled his eyes, "we're going to need another distraction." He pulled out his notepad and scribbled furiously, tapping it with his wand and letting it fly off, "we have twenty minutes, thirty at the most."
Harry smiled broadly, "Venir."
His invisibility cloak appeared in his hands, "let's get moving then."
They all climbed under the cloak and Hermione let out a defeated sigh, "this worked better when we were smaller."
"It has gotten crowded under here," Ron echoed her tone, his voice barely above a whisper, "someone should go on a diet.
"Thank you for volunteering," Hermione bit back, "you have been getting a little chubby, I'm just saying because I love you."
"I expect this from Kurt and Ron," Harry shook his head, "I expect better from you Hermione."
"This is exactly what I expect from Hermione," Kurt scoffed.
"Yes Harry," she giggled, "Lower your expectations of me, I'm only human."
"Are you though?"
"What is that supposed to mean Ronald?"
"Well," he scratched nervously at the back of his neck, "are wizards human?"
"Who the hell knows?" Kurt shook his head.
Ron and Hermione gasped, "I thought you would know."
"Nope," Kurt shook his head, "not my field of specialisation, that's physiology and I'm more into the theory and practice of magic." He seemed to think about it for a moment, "you should ask Mandy, she's going to be a surgeon."
"You three do realise that this cloak doesn't block sound," Harry hissed, "so making noise will attract people's attention."
"Not really," Kurt shook his head, "I have my best person on distraction duty."
"Finn?"
"The castle is basically abandoned because he-" Harry slapped his hand over Kurt's mouth, he pointed to Crabbe and Goyle standing guard at Umbridge's door. Kurt gave a small nod, "Hold on to the cloak."
Kurt produced his wand and pointed it from their end of the corridor to the other, "Veter."
Gail force winds roared through the castle corridors, extinguishing all the sconces and giving them a cover of darkness. The group walked up to Umbridge's office door, "Alohamora." The door was blown open by the wind, "Finite incantatem."
The door slammed shut behind them as the wind died down, Kurt waited to preen in his praises but his friends were focused on the fire place. Kurt moved closer to listen in on the conversation, he saw Kreacher's face in the flames.
"Kreacher," Harry spoke in a rushed tone, "is Sirius around?"
"Around?" Kreacher repeated in a displeased tone.
"Yes," Harry replied, "is he there?"
"Here," Kreacher seemed to give this some thought, "Master Sirius isn't here."
"Who is there?" Harry growled in exacerbation.
"Kreacher is here," the house elf responded.
"Fuck," he pulled his head back, "what do we do now?"
"Now," Ron mused over the question, "we call Charlie, at Kurt's place."
"Hipster Weasley is at work," Kurt rolled his eyes, "try Andromeda, she'll find some way to contact everyone else.
As Harry was throwing floo powder into the fireplace, Professor Umbridge stormed into her office with a malevolent grin on her face, "Not so fast."
"Well," Kurt rolled his eyes, "shit."
"Caught in the act," Professor Umbridge smirked.
"Which act exactly were we caught in?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"You were on your way to Dumbledore," she smirked, "weren't you?"
"And why would we tell you that?" Kurt spoke before the others could contradict her claims, he shot them all a silencing look.
"Boys," she called out to the corridor behind her and group of Slytherin boys entered carrying a robed Finn and Neville by the arms. She smirked, "Restrain them. Mr Malfoy, get Professor Snape and tell him to bring the veritaserum."
Kurt peered at Finn and Neville curiously, "Are you two naked under there?"
"We were streaking," Neville giggled excitedly, "you missed it."
"Glad I did," Kurt nodded to himself, "Why were you streaking?"
"Distr-"
"Silence," Professor Umbridge screeched, "The time for talking will come."
"You won't get a word out of me," Harry spat at her feet.
She waddled over to him and slapped him clean across the face, "I said silence Mr Potter." She let out her signature giggle but there was a manic undertone Kurt had never noticed, "Once the veritaserum touches your lips you won't be able to lie to me anymore."
"The use of veritaserum on a student is against school rules," Hermione cautioned her.
"And I make the rules," she giggled once more, unsettling Kurt.
"Your potion may stop me from lying but it doesn't control what I say," Harry smirked, "I'll just keep telling you about how Voldemort is back and how he killed Cedric Diggory."
"Madam Acting Headmistress," Professor Snape appeared at the door, "You called for me?"
"Yes," she nodded, "time to end this once and for all, the potion I asked for."
"Unfortunately," the man's expression remained neutral, "you've exhausted my stores, using the last of it on Cho Chang and I'm yet to receive a new shipment."
"Are you a potions master or not?" she snapped, "brew more."
"Veritaserum is a propriety potion," Professor Snape countered, raising his voice ever so slightly, "I will not break the copyright of a fellow potioneer, even at the request of the Acting Headmaster." He put an emphasis on the 'acting' and crossed his arms challengingly, "So, unless you wish to poison Mr Potter, I cannot be of any help to you."
"He's got Padfoot in the place where it is," Harry exclaimed as the potions master was exiting.
"Padfoot?" Professor Umbridge furrowed her brow, "what is that?"
"No Idea," he shook his head and left.
Professor Umbridge let out a defeated sigh, "very well, I'm forced to use less conventional methods." She moved to her desk and picked up a framed picture of the Minister for Magic, "Perhaps the Cruciatus curse will loosen your tongue."
"That's illegal!" Hermione warned her.
"What Cornelius doesn't know can't hurt him," she placed the picture face down on her desk and turned to Harry with her stubby wand extended in his direction.
"Tell her Harry," Hermione exclaimed.
"Tell me?" Professor Umbridge turned from Harry to Hermione and back again, "tell me what?"
"If you won't tell her I will," Hermione pushed on.
"Tell me now Ms Granger!"
"Dumbledore," she began.
"You know where he is?" she beamed.
"We know where his secret weapon is," she let out a defeated sigh; Kurt kept a neutral look on his face, hiding his confusion at what she was talking about.
"Where is it?" the High Inquisitor demanded, "Take me to it at once."
"The Forbiden forest," she said dejectedly, "it needed to be somewhere students wouldn't come across it by accident."
She held out her hand, "Wands." She took Harry and Hermione's wands, pointing hers to the door, "Lead the way."
Kurt watched in horror as his friends were led out by a mad woman, with no way of defending themselves. He watched the closed door, trying to will them to comeback but it was to no avail, he wished he'd gone with them.
"You're in for it now," Draco grinned, "All of you are off to Azkaban."
"Shut up!" Kurt heard Neville snap, "the last thing any of us want to do is listen to you yapping right now."
"Watch it Longbottom," Draco sneered, "you don't-"
"Seriously," Neville cut him off, "could you not."
"You little-"
"Little what?" Neville smirked, "You can't call me a mudblood, my blood is purer than yours."
"That's nice," Tracey spoke dismissively, her face hard as stone, "I'm in charge now and I'd like silence." She threw clothes at Neville and Finn's feet, "Put some clothes on, we've seen more than enough of you."
"You're in charge?"
"Yes," she rolled her eyes, "Professor Umbridge said so herself."
"When exactly did she say this?"
"Just now," Tracey glared at Draco and it sent chills up Kurt's spine, "I ran into her in the corridor, you could probably still catch up to her if you ran." She gritted her teeth, "but I'm sure she'd hate that you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing."
"And what are we supposed to be doing?"
"Rounding up the remaining members of Dumbledore's Army, she wants to see them all in the Great Hall when she gets back," she produced a list of names, "do it, don't do it. I'm where I'm supposed to be."
"Crabbe, Goyle-"
"All of you," Tracey explained, "there are at least fifty names on that list."
"And you're going to watch these four alone?" Gregory furrowed his brow.
"I'm going to be top of our year now that Hummel and Granger are going to be expelled," she smirked, "why would I do anything to jeopardise that?"
"Fine," Draco sneered, "Keep a close eye on Hummel, the others are duds."
"Do I look like Goyle to you?" she snapped, "I'm gonna watch them all equally, I know how to do a good job."
Kurt watched the boys file out of the room, heard a chorus of groans and thuds, and then the room was stormed by Luna, Ginny, Padma, Mandy and Lisa stormed into the room. He smirked, "I'm impressed."
"Where is Harry?" Lisa roared.
"Hermione and He are leading Professor Umbridge on a wild goose chase," Kurt pointed toward the window, "they're going to need our help and their wands."
"Then what are we standing around for?" she nodded toward the door, "let's get moving."
Kurt took off after her, catching up he tapped her shoulder, "I like this in charge Lisa, don't do it again in my presence."
As they descended the grand staircase they ran straight into Harry and Hermione, Lisa threw herself into Harry's arms, "Now what?"
"I need to go save Sirius," Harry growled.
"That is a strategic nonstarter," Kurt shook his head, "You don't run into No Man's Land to save one soldier."
"So I should just let Voldemort kill him?"
"If it serves the cause better," Kurt shrugged, "Yes."
"Kurt," the group chorused.
"That's the smart thing to do," Tracey backed him up.
Hermione shrugged and let out a defeated sigh, "Logically, yes."
"But it's Sirius-"
"And it'll always be someone," Kurt spoke impassively.
Harry hugged himself, "So what? I'm just supposed to let him die?" he reached out to Kurt with his eyes, "it's Sirius, Kurt."
"I'm not saying we do nothing," Kurt shook his head, "I'm just telling you that these are the choices you make in leadership."
"Okay then," Hermione nodded to herself, "how do we get to… where are we going?"
"London," Harry and Kurt said at the same time, the boy who lived shot him a confused look.
Kurt shrugged, "I was in your head."
"So we're going to London," Ginny grinned.
"No," Harry shook his head, "I can't ask you to do that for me." He started to back away from the group, "Kurt is right, what if something happens to one of you? I can't put you at risk like that."
"You didn't ask anyone, we're volunteering," Mandy scoffed.
"And it's not for you," Neville continued, "If Dumbledore's afraid of Voldemort getting whatever it is, then it's in all of our best interests that we stop him from getting it."
"Besides," Kurt smirked, "You'll need someone with you who's actually going to pass their Charms OWL."
"So," Luna smiled broadly, "we fly to London."
Tracey shook her head, "that's not very efficient, take the floo."
"Umbridge isn't in her office," Kurt shrugged, "And it has been a while since Harry got his message." He turned to Tracey, "I need you to do something for me," he handed her an envelope, tapping it with his wand as he did so, "I need you to burn this in the fireplace in the Slytherin common room."
"Sure," she flashed him a small smile, "good luck."
"Thanks," they parted ways as they made their way back to Professor Umbridge's office, Kurt threw floo powder into the fire place, "We're going to the Hall of Prophecy, same floor as the court room your case was in."
Kurt herded the group into the fire place stopping Hermione for a quick hug before she went into the unknown, saving himself for last in case something went wrong and they needed cover on his end but nothing came. Kurt was surprised to find the Ministry's main Atrium abandoned, the only sound in the large hall was the churning of the fountain. He lead the group toward the elevators, not encountering a soul as they moved through the government facility.
"Where is everybody?" Luna asked, looking around the deserted corridor.
"The work day is over," Hermione explained, "I guess people have gone home."
"We're missing dinner," Ron and Finn chorused their groans.
Kurt smiled, "I have cereal bars."
The boys looked down at the health snacks in horror, "Never describe these as cereal bars."
"It's very misleading," Ron continued.
"People might think you have rice crispy treats," Finn sulked.
"I could have nothing," Kurt growled, "Like everyone else here."
"I know," Finn nodded, "take what you give me and be grateful."
They rode the elevator down to level nine, Kurt had his wand at the ready as he approached the door he knew from his time at the ministry. Today he would cross that threshold for the first time, he wondered what the Dark Lord had planned for them; they were wilfully entering this trap with no well-defined plan for escape other than brute force. Kurt's hope at presents were all resting on Tracey Davis' instinct for self-preservation and the officials being sent after them, he wasn't ready to die today.
Neville nudged him, "What did you say this place was?"
"The Hall of Prophecy," Kurt spoke in a solemn tone, "every time a prophecy is spoken, a record of it should be placed in this room by whomever speaks or hears it."
"Why are we here?" Mandy followed up as they navigated the maze of tall shelves that was the Hall of Prophecy.
"This is where Sirius is," Harry answered, looking around frantically, "he should be here."
"He isn't here," Hermione shook her hand, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Where is he?"
"They must have moved him," Ginny suggested, "they knew we were coming."
"Or he was never here," Hermione let out a tired sigh, "And you merely saw what he wanted you to see."
"Then why are we here?" Harry asked with tears in his eyes.
"I don't know," Kurt shook his head, "there's no reason for Voldemort to want us here, he knows the prophecy, he's acted on it before."
"Maybe there's another newer one," Ron suggested, "maybe there's more to the original than what he knows."
"Maybe he knows we know he wants it and thinks we'll come defend it," Luna suggested, "luring us out of Hogwarts."
"But why here?" Kurt shook his head.
Hermione shrugged, "Shouldn't we get it so he can't get it?"
Kurt nodded, "check the labels, we're looking for a prophecy told by Sybil Trelawney to Albus Dumbledore."
"I thought Professor Trelawney was a dud," Ron questioned.
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Kurt countered as he started searching the labels.
"What do we do when we find it?"
"Well, here it is," Finn called out from where he'd climbed onto the shelf, "I can't get it lose."
"Of course not," a voice came from the shadows, drawing their attention and from the darkness emerged Lucius Malfoy, "Prophecies can only be retrieved by those whom they are about."
"How long have you been skulking back there?" Finn furrowed his brow, jumping down from the shelf.
"That is a great question," Kurt followed up, "have you just been waiting for us there? Because it's been a while since we got the hint that we should come here, have you been standing there all this time?"
"Silence," the man demanded of them.
"I think they have been standing there," Finn nodded to himself.
"I can barely get you guys to look for a stupid prophecy and the other side can get their people to spend hours skulking in the dark waiting for a fifteen year old," Kurt threw his hands up in defeat.
Kurt and Finn continue to argue and complain, drawing attention away from Harry, who moved to retrieve the prophecy. The group of Death Eaters moved closer, Lucius Malfoy was the only one whose face wasn't hidden behind a silver mask. He extended his hand toward the group, "Now that Mr Potter has retrieved the prophecy, hand it to me."
"Give me the prophecy boy," Lucius Malfoy demanded, his hand extended toward the group expectantly.
"No," Hermione interjected, "destroy it Harry."
"If you destroy it then you'll never know what connects you to the Dark Lord," Mr Malfoy tempted Harry, as so many had tried to before, with the promise of answers.
"Destroy it," Hermione repeated, "So that Voldemort can't get his hands on it."
"You dare speak his name," the woman he knew to be his mother stepped forward and removed her mask. Her beauty had long faded, her face aged by sadness and corrupted by madness, "Mudblood!"
"Bellatrix LeStrange," Neville stepped past Kurt, wand extended and seething at the sight of the diminutive woman; Kurt made a mental note to check if Neville had grown.
"Neville Longbottom," she smiled, her teeth rotten from neglect, "How are mummy and daddy?"
"Better now that they're about to be avenged," he level his wand to her face, a challenge.
Kurt brought his hands together in a clapping motion, "finite incantatem." The lights in the Hall of Prophecy went dark, "run."
The group scattered, all going the way they believed the exit to be. It wasn't long before the room was lit by small balls of light on the tips of wands, Kurt was left standing alone before the group of Death Eaters, "Incendio."
Mr Malfoy raised his cane and deflected the plume of flames from the group, "get them, you fools." The group exploded into pillars of black smoke until it was just Kurt and Lucius Malfoy left behind, "I've been told that I don't scare you."
"The only thing scary about you are your cheap extentions," the man's eyes moved upward to check his hair and Kurt went on the offensive, "expilliarmus, stupify." As Mr Malfoy was thrown back Kurt took off after his friends, uncertain as to whether his prowess could stand up against an older and more experienced dark wizard. All around him Kurt could hear spell casting and the grunts of exertion, making it difficult for him to focus on any single person. Then, by chance, he came across Mandy and Hermione; they were standing back-to-back and facing off against Rebastan LeStrange and someone he didn't recognise.
Rebastan's youth and beauty too had been ravaged by Azkaban, behind his eyes there was no madness but instead there was a darkness; the man looked so much like Kurt but Kurt saw so little of himself in him. Catching the men unawares, Kurt was able to stun them, "Let's keep moving, we need to get out of here."
"I know this isn't the time to tell us you told us so," Hermione shook her head.
Kurt smirked, "I can always make time to be right."
"Where the hell is the exit?" Mandy looked around as she spoke, "Where is Neville?"
"Neville can take care of himself," Kurt assured him, "he'll be fine." Kurt led them through the maze of shelves, "we need to find Luna and Ginny, they are probably together and the least experienced of the group."
"You can always count on Kurt to care about the children," Hermione chuckled.
Mandy grabbed the pair of them and stopped them as they were turning onto the main passage between the floor to ceiling glass shelves, the shelves started to shake and then in the distance- the way they were headed- started to collapse. Kurt let out a deep breath, "I don't choose to go there."
"Me neither," Mandy shook her head, "other way."
"Look," Hermione exclaimed jovially, "there's the exit."
They ran toward the ornate doors as all the shelves in the room collapsed to the floor some ways behind them, filling the room with a chorus of shattering glass. Giving the air a distinct oderlessness of neon, the gas Kurt assumed had been glowing in some of the orbs. Hermione opened the door and the three of them came to a dead stop, looking into the sheer drop into the seemingly endless abyss of darkness.
"Do we jump?"
"Either that or death by a thousand cuts," Mandy shook her head, "I'll take my chances with Gravity."
Kurt and Hermione watched Mandy jump, "Do you want to-" before they could finish the thought, a group of bodies collided with them and gave them the nudge they needed to cross the threshold into the unknown.
The drop was only a few stories, the darkness a trick. Mandy was standing in front of a stone arch with her wand pointed at them, "Aresto momentum."
Their fall was slowed to stop inches above the cavernous floor, before releasing them to touch down on the ground gently. Kurt had only heard of the Chamber of Death, it was one of those know secrets that some people insisted on pretending to merely be legend. The veil stood broad and imposing in the centre, filling the chamber through sheer presence and the faint whispering that came from beyond the threshold; a threshold Kurt knew to be a one way trip. Plumes of black smoke descended from the ceiling like a polluted fog and where it touched the floor, a Death Eater appeared. Their group got to their feet and stood shoulder to shoulder, in a circle formation with their wands ready for the defensive.
Harry produced the orb containing his prophecy, white smoke swirling as he held it up. He threw it to the ground with all his strength but before it could connect with the black rock, Lucius Malfoy pointed his cane toward it and redirected its descent to destruction to his waiting palm. He lifted the orb toward the light and smirked, once more fog rained down on the chamber but it appeared to catch the Death Eaters by surprise. Where it touched the ground appeared Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks and Charlie Weasley.
"How?" Harry looked around the room with wonder in his eyes.
"Broken down telephone," Kurt smirked, "I'm really good at it."
"You are brilliant."
"Professor Snape played his part too," Kurt shook his head modestly, "I'm but a small cog."
Lucius Malfoy nodded to his colleagues and they moved to attack; Kurt and Harry did the same, their group dispersing. The signal was to take cover but Kurt ran straight for Mr Malfoy and the orb, he was struck by a curse that knocked him off his course- forcing him to tuck and roll.
"Aceleus," Kurt pointed his wand at the point from which the curse had originated as he rolled into a kneeling position. Facing him was Rudolphus LeStrange, "This is going to be fun."
The broad man smirked, his movements proud, proper and gentlemanly just as they had been in the memory of his trial. He stepped toward Kurt and pointed his wand at him once more "Confrigo."
"Protego Maximus," Kurt swiped his wand, blocking the blasting curse. He twirling on the spot and producing his second wand, "Aro Maximus." Kurt sent a stream of blue flames in the man's direction and he easily blocked them but Kurt had his primary wand at the ready, "Expulso."
The curse his father's shielding charm and knocked him across the room from sheer inertia alone, Kurt made quick work of following up, "Verdimilious." Green sparks shot from both wands, causing the man to writhe on the ground, Kurt's advantage was taken from him by the intense shooting pain of the cruciatus curse hitting him from behind. He fell to his knees, then onto his stomach, writhing on the ground as burning pain shot through every nerve in his body.
Standing over him was Rebastan, the same smirk that had been on his father's face on his, "he's not half bad."
"He might actually be good at this," Rudolphus agreed as he came to stand beside his brother. And there they were, a complete set of LeStrange men, "Looks too much like Bellatrix."
"Yes, he does," Rebastan licked his lips, his smirk growing. Kurt was powerless to do anything, say anything as all his muscles had stiffened beyond mobility. The man stepped toward him but was struck by a knockback jinx, releasing Kurt from the torture curse.
Kurt took a deep breath and got to his feet, there was no time for fragility or gratitude. Kurt pointed his wand at the man who had been torturing him a moment earlier, "prerušovač kostí." The man screamed as Kurt calmly spoke the words over and over again. He stepped toward him, "you lack creativity." Kurt smirked to himself, speaking the words for a fourth time.
A hand gripped him around the waste, "That's enough." A gruff voice growled in his ear as he was carried away from where the puddle that had been Rebastan LeStrange lay clutching his hand, his fingers bent out of sorts.
"Put me down or so help me god," Kurt struggled against his captor's grip.
Charlie put him down and looked him dead in the eye, "take five minute, you don't have to become them to beat them."
He walked away from Kurt, leaving him introspective of his actions; his words had been just as Barty Crouch Jr had recounted the LeStrange brothers' had been the night they discovered Bellatrix's pregnancy, he had broken his uncle's fingers just as the man had broken Argyris Mopsus' fingers. Kurt took a deep breath, he didn't want to become them but he had to defeat them.
Kurt got to his feet and charged straight for where Kingsley and Sirius were battling Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix, he pointed his wand to the floor between them, "confrigo." A large crater was blown into the ground, knocking all four parties back and forcing the prophecy out of Mr Malfoy's hands. The orb shattered upon contact with the ground, Kurt knew then that he could never become like the Death Eaters because he had long evolved past them; the first this he would have done if he wanted the prophecy to survive would have been to enchant it with indestructability. He helped Kingsley to his feet, as he was to helping Sirius to his feet the man was struck with a hex from behind Kurt; this time the laws of physics worked against their side, the inertia pushing Sirius through the veil.
Kurt watched as the man's eyes turned dark and his body dissolved into the archway. His instincts turned him before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed Harry- who was running toward where Sirius had been standing. The room was still as Kurt held Harry for a moment as he sobbed; the Death Eaters no longer had purpose, with the orb shattered, and the Order was mourning their loss; over the boy's shoulder Kurt could see Bellatrix LeStrange grinning at him. She blew him a kiss and cackled loudly, "I killed Sirius Black."
Harry's body went stiff, he fought his way out of Kurt's grasp and took off in pursuit of Bellatrix; This reignited the battle, both sides energised by the kill. Kurt followed Harry, Bellatrix was a formidable witch that Harry couldn't take on alone and he didn't trust her instinct to flee. Kurt chased the pair down a corridor and up countless flights of stairs, Bellatrix kept singing her twisted song in a childlike fashion, "I killed Sirius Black."
They climbed the stairs till they spilled out onto the main atrium, Kurt had forgotten how fast Harry's short little legs were, he was impressed by what good shape Bellatrix was in- especially at her age. Kurt was winded but was able to catch up to Harry, the boy had stunned Bellatrix but stopped dead- unmoving- beside where she lay waiting for him to do his worst; Kurt had to admire how dedicated Voldemort's followers were to him.
Harry turned toward Kurt with his wand extended but it was knocked out of his hands as Voldemort became corporeal between them, this would be the first time Harry faced off against the Dark Lord and Kurt's second time in the man's presence. Lord Voldemort shook his head, "You're weak Harry."
"I may be weak," he spoke between gritted teeth, "but I'm not alone."
He nodded toward Kurt, he responded the only way he knew how- a polite curtsey and brandishing of both his wands; showing the man that he was ready for a fight. Before Voldemort could respond, the fireplace nearest Harry blazed the distinct green of the floo network, and from the flames emerged Professor Dumbledore, "You were a fool to come here tonight Tom."
"You're not alone indeed," the Dark Lord bowed to Professor Dumbledore.
"The Aurors are on their way," Professor Dumbledore spoke in an impassive monotone.
"Yes, but by the time they arrive I will be long gone," Voldemort matched the suspended headmaster's tone, "and you, old friend, will be dead."
"We are not friends," Professor Dumbledore snapped. He produced his wand and bowed, Voldemort reciprocated and they were off. Their spell casting was entirely silent and, in part, wandless as they used everything at their disposal to attack each other; Voldemort shattered all the windows that lined the atrium and sent the glass hurdling toward Professor Dumbledore, who put up a shielding charm that turned the glass into a fine powder and robbed them of all their momentum. Kurt spied Bellatrix moving toward an expecting Harry, he melted into the shadows behind him and appeared behind her, dragging her into the darkness with him.
She shook him of as they reappeared in the shadow of a fireplace across the room from Harry, "Why you little!"
Kurt wrestled her out into the open, she kicked him off easily and stood over him. Kurt moved quickly, pointing his wand at her, "Flipendo." She was knocked back into a fireplace of green flames, "Le Châtaue d'Hiver de la Famille Noire!"
Kurt turned his attention back to the battle between Lord Voldemort and Professor Dumbledore, there was a Fiendfyre in the form of a serpent and a wall of water rising from the fountain. Kurt searched the atrium for Harry, finding him laying on the ground beside the fountain. Kurt melted into the shadows once more, his migraine was at a point where he thought he might pass out from pain but he had to get to Harry and check if he'd been struck by one of the deflecting spells. He emerged from the shadows in time to watch the Dark Lord melting away, as bars a group of aurors led by the Minister for Magic entered the Atrium.
Kurt held a writhing Harry, his muscles were taut and his teeth gritted. He seemed to be whispering to himself but his words weren't clear enough for Kurt to hear, what he did hear was Cornelius Fudge.
"He's back."
~0~
Kurt sat on the Headmaster's desk with his feet swinging under him, quite a bit had happened in the days since the clash of good and evil that had taken place at the Ministry for Magic; Professor Dumbledore had been reinstated as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, Professor Umbridge had been recalled by the ministry, The Daily Prophet had printed a retraction of their slander of Harry and Professor Dumbledore, Rita Skeeter's interview had been reprinted and Cornilius Fudge had been dismissed from his position as Minister for Magic; Kurt's favourite part had been when Percy had been forced to apologise to his siblings.
Harry entered the room, his face the picture of sorrow; Sirius would be the first person that Harry could truly grieve, this was the first time that someone he had personally loved had died. He had mourned Cedric's death because Kurt had lost, and it was part of the memories Kurt had shared with him from the graveyard; he would never stop mourning the loss of his parents but he had no memories of them, they are an abstract loss; in Sirius he had loss the only father-figure he could call his own. Kurt extended a welcoming hand, the boy took it, "My beloved."
"I know," he let out a tired sigh, "he's in a better place, or whatever."
"Not what I was going to say," Kurt shook his head, "he could be in fucking paradise for all I care." Kurt pulled him into a tight hug, "but the shadow that remains will hurt for so much longer, the mark he left in your life will take to heal and you'll carry the scars for so much longer."
"Does it still hurt?" he leaned his head on Kurt's shoulder, "losing Cedric."
"So much," Kurt chuckled, "I can't even sustain a functional relationship with any form of suitor, I dedicated a year of my life to a series of broken and incomplete relationships that didn't begin to fill the void he left in my life."
"I'm sure you're worth waiting for," Harry grinned, releasing his grip on Kurt and taking his seat, "You and Goyle may still make this work, and I can get my money back from Mandy."
"This-"
"I know," Harry rolled his eyes, "this is why I lived under the stairs."
"Not where I was going with that," Kurt smirked, "I was going to say this too shall pass, someday you will be something that resembles a person."
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, "If you're quite done."
"Oh yes," Kurt nodded to himself, "we called you here because I now know why Voldemort was after the prophecy." Kurt directed a chastising stare at Professor Dumbledore, "it turns out he never heard the whole thing and wanted to hear the rest."
"I would like share the prophecy with both of you."
"Only if you want to hear it," Kurt cautioned his friend.
"So many people have been hurt by this stupid prophecy," Harry nodded to himself, "the least I can do is give it a quick listen."
"The prophecy was told to me by Professor Trelawney when she was interviewing for her job," Professor Dumbledore explained to the pair, "I was thinking of removing Divination from the Hogwarts Curriculum following the death of Professor Mopsus."
"Which was before you were even born," Kurt pointed out.
"Yes," Professor Dumbledore nodded to himself, "she delivered the prophecy that altered the course of your life, and it was overhead- in part- by one of his followers, who reported what little they had heard back to him."
"What does it say?"
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies," Professor recounted the prophecy, then went silent, waiting for a response.
"That's it?" Kurt quirked a curious brow as he listened to his friend, "that's the prophecy that fucked up my whole life? That's some bullshit!" Harry got to his feet, vibrating as Kurt often did, "it doesn't even rhyme!"
"I don't think they are supposed to rhyme," Kurt shrugged.
Harry shook his head, "They always rhyme in books and stuff."
"But this is real life," Kurt countered.
Harry shook his head once more and took his seat, "I guess Kurt was right, as always."
"I beg your pardon?" Professor Dumbledore gaped at him.
"That it had something to do with my birthday," Harry shook his head, "that it could have just easily been someone else, it could have been Neville."
"I- I don't-" Professor Dumbledore gaped at him.
"I'm perceptive," Kurt shrugged.
Harry got to his feet, "I have to go, I thought I could do this- not right now."
"Harry," Professor Dumbledore called out after him but that did not deter Harry from leaving.
A silence settled over the room and Kurt turned to the Headmaster, "I think it's time we discussed Tom Riddle's Diary."
Thank you for reading, let me know what you think with a review.