*walks in with Snape, who taps his wand on her to relieve her headache only enough to write the story* see how he gets? gah.
Alright! We are drawing to a close, people! This story is almost done.
Right. I wanted to say something, but I forgot, so let's go on with the story. *grabs the brandy, as Snape has started to rub off*
Chapter 20 *hits play*
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Remus looked on Harry's bed in the infirmary, as the boy slept off the effects of the Cruciatus. How had Harry done it? How had it happened so fast, so swiftly, anyway? He shut his eyes. Although he was mad as hell, and close to loathing at Peter, and had been ever since he found out what he had done and caused...
Remus clenched his teeth and looked at the deepest end of the infirmary where the curtains were drawn and charmed to remain shut, allowing nobody to peek or go near that bed. It was where Peter Pettigrew's body had been disposed of for the moment. It was Sirius' ticket to freedom.
It was yet another childhood friend lying there, dead.
Remus' heart bled. He had wanted the bastard alive. To have him live what Sirius had lived through in his place, to suffer for what he had done, not take the easy way out without atoning. Remus swallowed, turning his gaze back to Harry sleeping. Perhaps, if Peter had not died, he still stood a chance for repenting.
Snape had.
"Remus, I need you to talk to all the students from 5th year up."
Dumbledore's voice made Remus straighten up from his thoughts and look at the Headmaster.
"Merlin!"
It really was. Dumbledore was walking straight, eyes terrible to behold, his usual flowing robes replaced with tighter ones-- not entirely dueling robes, but they stayed close to his body and did not hinder movement. Dumbledore is not nearly as out of shape as everyone thinks they are. Does Voldemort work out too? Remus couldn't help thinking. Dumbledore smiled.
"I am glad you approve, Remus. Now, I need you to prepare most students for what will be coming tonight. I do not intend to have them fight," the Headmaster said, "but I do intend them to keep them as far away from panic as possible-- and that can only be achieved if they believe they are not defenseless. Just remember our Harry here."
That made Remus remember to ask while he still had time for questions.
"Headmaster, what happened? How did Peter die?"
Dumbledore sighed.
"I believe he and Harry shared a wizard's bond, in which the one in debt was Peter. In such cases, the indebted wizard cannot in any case inflict bodily harm or death on the wizard he is bonded with. So when Peter casted the Cruciatus on Harry, his spell affected him."
"But Peter was not convulsing or hurting like Harry was."
"Like I said, it affected him. It did not do so in the same way. It just put double the level of strain on his heart that the spell was putting on Harry. Unfortunately, the spell being the Cruciatus..."
Remus nodded. He looked at Harry again. Dumbledore smiled.
"Harry could well have been in Slytherin, I do believe, for that brilliant idea."
"It weakened him."
"Poppy is accomplished enough with Severus' medical history. He will be just fine in an hour."
Remus walked out after that. He had a job to do.
***
Snuffles skidded to a halt at the Shrieking Shack. . He ran all the way to the secret passage into Hogwarts, past Mrs. Norris -he couldn't resist giving that flea infested feline a fright, though- and into the infirmary.
Harry tilted his head at the pitter patter of the dog and smiled, recognising Snuffles. But the swishing of the matron's robes and her exclamations covered that before Harry had a chance to tell Poppy to please allow the dog inside.
"Shoo! If I kept Granger and Weasley out, I will you as well! This is not a place for dogs and when nobody -makes- me have you in here, you won't be in here. Who knows where you have been you filthy AAAARRRRGH!"
The dog looking up at the matron had suddenly disappeared. The Unspeakable of the Order, the Azkaban fugitive Sirius Black stood in the place of the large dog. And he was looking positively murderous. True to her profession, and since it was a convict but surely one she had survived before, she pointed her wand at him.
"I will stun you if you get closer!" she said in a high pitched voice that made Harry laugh.
"Its alright, Madam Pomfrey!"
The nurse would not budge, eyes wild. Sirius' low and commanding voice, full of his authority as a member of the Order was heard.
"Madam Pomfrey, in the name of the Order of the Phoenix I assure you that I am not a threat to Harry and I order you to step aside."
There was a pause, as if non verbal communication was taking place. It irked Harry to no end as he had no way of knowing what was going on. But before long, Poppy's voice murmured in more respect and she withdrew, and Sirius was on his side. His hand engulfed him and held him close against his chest. Harry felt considerably better hearing Sirius' heartbeat.
"How did you convince her?" he asked, still in the hug. Sirius smiled down at the son of his best friend, his godson and the closest he had been to family after Remus in his adult life.
"Because I showed her the Phoenix Mark on the back of my palm."
Harry broke the embrace in his surprise.
"You are in the Order? they got Marks? Like Snape's?"
"Dear me, no. First of all, those black things show all the time-- the Order's Mark has to be activated by wand to become visible. And our Marks are far more elegant, I have to add." Sirius smirked, savouring Harry's delight and surprise.
"That is so neat!"
"What you pulled off with Wormtail was neater. I am so proud of you. Your parents would be even prouder." Sirius said affectionately. Harry's face fell.
"I killed yet another man."
"Peter did it to himself. You did nothing to hurt him, bastard though he was. And who else is on that list of yours?"
Harry swallowed.
"C...Cedric."
Sirius sighed and pulled Harry into his hug again.
"Peter did that too. It is all his fault, not yours. His and Voldemort's. Don't you ever forget that."
Harry bit his lips. He still did not know how he felt about Cedric among the other traumatic moments in his life. Then he frowned.
"How do you know all these things?"
Sirius bit his lip, as he helped Harry get up.
"Some, Remus told me..."
"The rest?"
Sirius smirked wryly, although Harry couldn't see that. His voice, however, bounced suggestively.
"Harry... I can't speak about the rest."
Harry looked troubled for a moment, then he seemed to realise... or at least he looked he had or that someone had stunned him.
***
The Main Hall was full of the 5th, 6th and 7th year classes, all paying attention to their Defence Again the Dark Arts Professor. The room was chilled, even with a few Slytherins smirking.
Draco clenched his teeth, looking straight ahead. Perhaps it was a mistake telling Dumbledore. He was well aware that his father and Professor Snape would be behind those white masks, and while he did not care jack about Voldemort, he did not want to have cause either of the two men's death.
Of course, he knew that both men had an uncanny ability of escaping inevitability.
And once the trouble began, where would Draco himself stand? Sure enough, with Dumbledore we would never suffer as he would with Voldemort's side. But would he have to go against his father? Would he have to look in the eyes of the man he had been struggling for so long to please, and point his wand?
Draco wasn't sure he could do that. It was all so wrong, such a mess. And it was Voldemort's fault.
That snakey bastard, he would point his wand gladly at.
"All the students below your level have been gathered up in a safe place in the castle, and professors Flitwick and Sinistra are going to be with them at all times. You will stay in your dorms, and you will be at the ready, keeping in mind everything I told and showed you. Remember-- strength lies in numbers, but also in faith. And the Headmaster and I have a lot of faith in you."
"That is more than correct." The Headmaster's voice coarsed through the room, and the formidable appearance of the white bearded wizard filled the place where the High Table usually did. It was also accentuated by the cloaked figure and Harry Potter flanking him, tapping ahead, a coral snake visible on his wrist.
Draco snorted in disgust as well as realisation of who was Harry's real aid, by the mere fact that he was only now seeing the real Sasha. (the only Sasha in Hogwarts that was human, was a first year Hufflepuff that didn't know her way to her dorm, much less the greenhouses.)
"I am afraid that in a few minutes, Hogwarts will be under attack. A very reliable source has informed us of such, and the attack will not be done by just wizards. I feel you have a right to know what we will be up against. If everything goes as planned, you will not have to lift a finger, much less a wand."
Nervous laughter permeated the room. Dumbledore lifted his hands again.
"For this reason, you will all remain at your dormitories after this is done."
"What about Harry?" Ron's voice came from the Gryffindor table. Harry smiled towards that side, and he even waved.
"Young Mr. Potter, am afraid has already begun his battle." Dumbledore said sadly, but not pessimistically.
"Before you go, there one more announcement I need to make to you, just in case," Dumbledore said and his eyes twinkled. The whole room fell silent, and Remus saw the all too familiar smirk under the hood. He smiled as well. This was the moment that was late 15 years.
"On my side, I have Sirius Black."
The Oooohs and Aaaahs of the students covered the 'Go Sirius!' from Ron and clapping from Hermione. Sirius dramatically unhooded himself and all his roguish charm. Now that he was not right out of Azkaban, he looked less feral and more dynamic, like he had been before that fateful Halloween.
"Sirius Black is a member of the Order of the Phoenix, as am I. He is innocent of all charges against him-- except traumatizing Mrs. Norris, I should think." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at the laughter that erupted first from the Weasleys in the Gryffindor table, then the rest of that particular table, then the Ravenclaws, the Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs.
Sirius felt a warm feeling of deliverance as Dumbledore relayed exactly what had happened that night, and who the real guilty party was. And when the expressions shifted from hostile or guarded to admiration ones, he felt like he could safely die and feel fulfilled.
He snapped out of it quickly.
***
Snape felt covertly triumphant when Wormtail did not come back with Harry, although he was a rat animagus. He kicked himself mentally for not noticing the sniffler before, for not recognising before that Wormtail was the most disgusting, spineless member of the Marauders, and usually the one that gave them away, too, at least when the prank was on him.
Which meant Black was innocent.
Which meant he could not wish the Kiss on the brat anymore.
Which meant that he should feel bad about judging him in the first place.
Bloody Potters and their friends.
The scowl was enough to not attract attention as Voldemort's impatience grew and grew, and finally it was made clear that Wormtail had bungled up his job and Potter was not coming bound hand and foot. Which was all the better because Snape would have an easier time of keeping his cover.
Voldemort stood.
"We shall not wait any longer. The task must be done tonight. Lucius."
Malfoy senior stepped forward in humble audacity.
"My son will not fail, My Lord." he said with gusto.
"I hope so, for your family's sake, and yours." Voldemort said lazily.
Lucius flinched as he nodded and stepped backwards. Voldemort turned to the rest of the Death Eaters, all gathered around him in a large circle.
"My faithful Death Eaters. Now is the time of Redemption. Now is the time when we tear down Dumbledore and watch the Ministry fall into my hands. Power will be reinstated to the pure and the worthy. Everything is in place... for it to start." he said as Nagini slithered behind him like a king's insignia.
Snape clenched his teeth. That meant that all the critters and creatures that Tom Riddle had allured, created or subjected to his will were now circling Hogwarts, like an orchestra gathered up waiting for the maestro to start playing.
And he had finetuned some of the instruments. The damnation was inescapable.
***
The winter night was still and silent. There was no wind, no dramatic thunder, there was a deadly calm that would not shift, that seemed to have trapped everything in a capsule. The chill was the only ominous element, as the temperature had dropped lower than it did in mid December in anticipation of all the evil gathering around the proud castle that had every window and turret lit brightly. In all respects, Hogwarts was looking festive and celebrating.
And indeed, the first guests arrived, and the doors opened widely to admit the men and women, young and old, that came to uphold the pledge they had to the Order and the side of Good. They were approximately 100 people, filling the Main Hall with people and the hearts with hope as the students filed out under their strong, determined, protecting eyes.
Harry heard everyone and nobody, feeling just giddy with the anticipation of the future events as well as the triumph over his godfather's re-institution to honour, first in his classmates' eyes, now in the eyes of those that would fight alongside them. He shuddered, feeling in the same time preoccupied and eager. Sasha hissed at him, her tongue feeling at his skin affectionately.
"Are you afraid, Harry?"
"Somewhat." he replied with a wry smile.
"Nervous?"
"I'll say."
"Would you rather you were not here then?"
Harry thought about it. It was an important question-- it just about summed up everything he often caught himself complaining about: his fame, the weight of the world on his shoulders, the scorn of a certain Potions Master, because he was who he was. So would he rather not, instead?
But then he would not have Sirius. Or Ron and Hermione. Or Remus. He would not be a wizard. He would not trade that for the world. What about being blind?
Then he would not have had Sasha... and in that respect, he would not have met Severus Snape-- not as the real person he was, unpleasant yet an ally one could rely on. It was his blindness that unlocked that part, made it visible to him.
"Absolutely not, Sasha. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Harry hissed with a small self-assured grin.
He had even done some real Divination now he had become blind. Go figure.
***
From the Forbidden forest, trees shook violently and a dark cloud of birds flew up like ominous smoke signals. Like wraiths, the Dementors seemed to suddenly materialise, making the already cold atmosphere glacial. They spread in a large semi-circle and stood like guards.
Then, the ground shook as 10 towering, lumbering statues of clay marched up ahead, tearing down some of the forbidden forest trees in the process.
Draco clenched his teeth inside the castle as the hour turned mindnight. He entered in a room full of aurors, men and women only too eager to shut his whole family in Azkaban. He swallowed. he was now going to ocnsciously help these men and Harry Potter. He was openly allying himself with him. He did not feel fine about it.
But he would feel worse with the Dark Mark.
He raised him wand to the dome in the Main Hall, and as Dumbledore nodded to him, in the midst of all the fighters of Good, he said:
"Morsmodre!"
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and that's it!!! wish me good luck on my midterm on tuesday! If I feel I've done well I will also have a chapter for you on that same day. *Snape dares you not to do so*
As for my reviewers:
Rei: Eeeepp! I am not sure I will have the stamina... and I have neglected Full Circle to keep my promise to you people.
Mika: I am glad you like it! I am also very glad you decided to let me know. It helps me so much to know my style is popular. You did not overlook any part-- I explained it, or hope I did, today. ;)
shakiya: I only wish I could update daily. *chuckles* but it's not possible.
Barbara: Snape does not need saving. *chuckles* he saves himself when he pleases.
NocturnalFerri: Ubab Ubab Ee?
two2blue: Is Peter's death clearer now?
Nagini: eh... thanks, I think.
Izzy: It was something I had scheduled for explaining today. Did it become clear now? I am sorry for the length of the chapters-- I can't make them longer. They just seem to say 'stop here' every time I write them.
Jarvey: he kinda tricked Peter.
Lord R: I am glad you like! I wanted a new scary thing for this, Dementor like. I searched to find it!
Arizosa: I never forget anyone-- I just did not know what to tell you. *small s*
enahma: well this was more or less a preparation for next one. Hope you weren't bored.
candledot: *blushes* thank you so much! Hope you still think so.
Teigra: Draco is one really messed up boy. But he goes by 'what displeases me the least' at the moment. And Snape... I think he likes to feel he's to be blamed. *dodges flying candlestick from Snape*
white owl: thanks!
fyre: I think that Wormtail has few chances of turning to the light after all that has transpired. *s* and I bet everything can be dangerous in Harry's world. I bet the Order will be cool in the books too, because JK prolly knows full well just what it is, and so can weave it safely into the story. I am glad you approve of Draco! I was rather apprehensive of him. As for Harry having a turn around, my concept of him is that he flares up easily, and diffuses equally easily and then has time to ponder. Unlike Ron who just flares up and stays that way. :p
Myk: by the end of the story you will know openly, even if the answer IS hidden in the previous chapter. I am glad you liked the story so far. *s*
Lee Lee Potter: um, I hope this chapter went by normally and not too slowly... cos it was a preparation one for the next one.
chips challenge: well, there will be rain before sunshine.
katy999: yes, story has 2 chapters left to go. *s* Sorry.
Goldenfire: you make me blush! But I like it. Thank you.
phreakreader: yeah, he seems batty enough to welcome martyrdom, no? He does have something evry austere about him. As for using God instead of gods, I figured, why would they even HAVE christmas as we do if they do not have the concept of one God. After all, miracles are still standing for them too ;)
Kaat Shadow Lover: eh well. *chuckles* hope you like the ending of the story.
Angel Baby: thanks! will do. Have done!
t.a.g.: Peter was supposed to retrieve Harry so Voldemort could parade into Hogwarts with his head on a pole, more or less. Draco went to Dumbledore with his letter. The rest is for Inquiring Minds to know in later episodes. *chuckles*
hp lovar: Harry did not kill him. So he's in the clear ;)
Mikee: *smiles* I like happy endings too. Thing is, what is your definition of one?
Jaimynsfire: *just sics Snape on you* hee hee
jaycee: I am glad! nobody else seems to! An you figred out Peter's death without me! *hands you golden star* *chuckles* I did not know it would take Sirius Black to prove my profession. But yes. I am a teacher. Which is why I secretly envy Snape at times. hee hee.
Marie: No, I know pretty well how this is going to be resolved. *grins* but I do fine tune it as I go along. I hope your questions around the debt are answered?
Vivian Marie: *eyes you warily and nods quickly in case you are prepared to open fire the mafia way if she says humbly, no* hee. Thanks.
Kemenran: Harry might be more inclined to openly admit something like that to SNape. Snape... I don't know. With actions, maybe. With words... tough.
Someone Reading: I am trying my best. But I am a working, studying girl. Have mercy. *chuckles*
LoMaRiBa: hope you like this one!