CHAPTER 14: Always
A/N: Not much to say except without further ado...
1998
January 17
Interior, Potions Classroom, Hogwarts – Morning
The classroom was quiet except for the scratching of quills against parchment and the consistent tapping of shoes against the floor as Severus Snape walked the length of the room down the middle. His gaze was constantly moving from left to right, not one student hidden from his watchful eye.
He turned around and started heading back to the front of the room, his hands folded behind his back, when the door barged open, startling most of the students with some even jumping in their seats, before a figure appeared at the threshold.
Hermione whirled around in her seat with an angry expression to glare at whoever disturbed her peace when her eyes landed on the panting and hunched over form of Harry.
Snape raised an eyebrow and waited patiently as Harry took deep, wheezing breaths. He had one hand placed on his knee while holding the other in the air with his forefinger pointing above. A universal sign of, just a second, or in Harry's case, longer than a second as several seconds passed by as he kept inhaling huge gulps of air.
He returned to a standing position and a second later an echo of gasps followed by whispered murmurs filled the room. His face was marked with angry red scars. There were several small lines littered across his cheeks, forehead and chin but they were all overshadowed by two, long, parallel running scars that started from above the inner side of his right eyebrow and ran diagonally over his nose and ended at his jaw line.
"Professor" he panted, before walking over to him and thrusting a note forward.
Snape dropped his gaze to his outstretched hand before grabbing the note. He unfolded it before reading its contents.
Hermione's eyebrows huddled together and a curious expression overtook her face as she watched Snape's eyes move back and forth before he folded the letter and put it in his pocket.
"Go take your seat" he told Harry.
Harry nodded before heading towards the back of the room and taking his spot at the corner desk. He grimaced as he sat down, placing one hand on his midsection. Hermione's eyes followed his every movement as he briefly closed his eyes and exhaled quick breaths before taking out a parchment and quill.
She turned around when Cormac nudged her shoulder. He raised an eyebrow and she gave him a small smile and shook her head.
…...
The class had ended and students were either putting their stuff back in their bags or walking out of the room. Cormac was leaning against the desk with his hands folded over his chest while Hermione was in the middle of placing the parchment she had been writing on in a book.
"You go ahead. I've something to discuss with Professor Snape for next week's assignment" she said.
"I can wait" he yawned, covering his mouth with his hand.
She stopped in her packing and faced him. "You're tired" she smiled. "Plus, you got training in a few hour's time so go and get some rest. I was gonna head to the library anyway"
He gave her a rueful smile and pulled her in close. "But I want to be with you" he whispered.
"You will be, just not right now" she whispered, before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"Tonight"
"Tonight"
He pulled her in for a chaste kiss.
"I love you"
"I love you, too" she said, and with one final peck gave him a playful shove. He winked before turning around and heading for the door.
She watched him leave with a smile which didn't last long when he stopped next to Harry who was struggling to stand up.
She took a step towards them but stopped when Cormac offered Harry a hand. Harry looked up at him before dropping his eyes to his hand. He stared at it for a few seconds before grabbing it. Cormac put his other hand on his upper right arm before hoisting him up. He steadied Harry who placed both his hands on his shoulder to gather his balance.
He pulled back and nodded. "Thanks"
"Don't mention it" Cormac said.
Harry turned around and picked his bag before placing it on the desk. As he hurriedly stuffed the parchment and quill inside Cormac looked at Hermione who was beaming at him. She blew him a kiss which he caught and brought it to his lips.
She giggled as he did an extravagant bow before walking out of the room. She was about to turn when she caught Harry staring at her with a neutral expression. Her cheeks-tinged pink and she swiftly turned around.
She shut her eyes tightly and muttered "Stupid" A few seconds later she hauled her bag over one shoulder and walked to the front to the front of the room where Snape was working behind a desk.
…...
Interior, Corridor, Hogwarts – Morning
Hermione was walking down the empty corridor, her steps swift and her pace quick. Her curls were bouncing behind her back.
She turned the corner and came to an abrupt halt when her eyes landed on a figure writhing on the ground in the middle of the hallway. She ran over to him and dropped on her knees next to him. He had his back turned to her and was clutching his midsection.
She rolled him on to his back and gasped. It was Harry, and his face was pink as gurgling noises escaped his mouth.
"Hey!" she shook him. "What's wrong!"
He kept rolling on his back and shut his eyes tightly as a pained groan left his mouth.
"Okay, okay...fuck!" she pushed back a lock that had fallen over her face. She took her wand out and stood up. "I'm going to levitate you to the infirmary, okay...so just hold on" she babbled frantically as she lifted his writhing form into the air.
"AAh!" he let out an animalistic growl and she involuntarily took a step back, a frightened expression taking over her face.
…...
Interior, Infirmary, Hogwarts – Morning
"You did the right thing, Ms. Granger," said the healer, who was running a diagnostic over Harry's sleeping form with her wand. "In matters like this, when one is dealing with an unforgivable spell, time is of the utmost matter"
"Unforgivable" gasped Hermione, tearing her eyes away from Harry. "b-but..." she trailed off as her eyes turned wide. "You think he was hit with the cruciatus curse"
The older woman nodded with a sad expression as she brought her wand down and faced her. "Yes, poor boy."
"But Madam Pomfrey, I remember you telling me that once a person has been tortured by the cruciatus curse, he or she must be admitted and operated within two hours or the spell will reach the verun line"
"Yes" Madam Pomfrey nodded. "The cruciatus curse is the only spell that can cause serious damage to your body and in some cases, depending on the person's magical core, can even kill you long after your body has survived the torture. Sadly, we can't do much about that since it's been more than 10 hours since Mr. Potter was hit with the spell. His verun line has caused some damage, that's a fact. Luckily for him he has the most powerful magical core I've ever seen so the damage won't be life threatening. He will not feel the effects of it until well into the future as he gets older. The immediate effects of the spell will include him battling pain, for weeks. We can subside some of it with potions but not completely diminish it." she sighed. "Healing has not reached a cure for that, yet."
"What about in the future" Hermione asked. "You said he won't feel the effects of it well into the future. What do you mean by that?"
"As the body gets older, it starts to extract more energy from the core to function. That's why wizards and witches live longer than muggle folk. Once our body starts to give out, our magical core starts lending a helping hand to prolong our life." she looked at Harry. 'But, for Mr. Potter that won't be the case. His lifespan won't be that of a wizard or a witch, and maybe not that of a muggle either depending on the type of life he leads and how soon his body starts demanding for extra help. If he continues to live his life the way he is now then he may not even reach forty. The exertion he is putting his body through is..." she shook her head. "I've never seen anyone abuse their own body in such a way"
"What do you mean" frowned Hermione.
Madam Pomfrey turned to her and her eyes shone with sorrow. "Drugs"
Hermione's eyes turned wide. "Drugs" the older woman nodded. "B-but..." she trailed off, turning her gaze down.
"Miss Granger"
Hermione looked up to see the older woman giving her a wry smile. "I know almost all the senior students partake in illegal substances"
Hermione's cheeks turned pink and she avoided her gaze.
"And I'm also aware in the type of drugs they partake in. That's not what I'm referring to"
This time Hermione's mouth opened in shock as she turned her eyes towards Harry.
"The kind of drugs Mr. Potter takes you won't find in a hundred-mile distance of Hogwarts. But, the more worrying thing is the quantity."
"So, you're saying if he keeps up with it..." Hermione trailed off, her eyes boring onto Harry's face.
"He'll be lucky to live past forty. That is if his verun line doesn't get more damaged by another cruciatus curse or something else. Then, well...I'm not even sure I can put a number to it"
Hermione turned back to look at Harry and took a couple of steps towards his bed as Madam Pomfrey walked away.
She stopped next to his bed.
"Who are you?" she whispered, swiping a stray curl from his forehead to reveal his scar. "You've stopped torturing me...but yet I still see you in my dreams every night. What sort of spell have you put on me" she exhaled a long sigh and removed her bag from her shoulder, putting it on the floor before pulling the chair beside the side table and placing it right next to the bed.
She sat on it and leaned back, folding her arms under her chest and simply stared at the boy who was oblivious to what was transpiring at that very moment.
Present time
Interior, St. Bastan's Orphanage, Crawley Lane – Late Afternoon
Harry walked up to the reception desk, where a young lady was sitting behind the desk. She had auburn colored hair that was tied in a ponytail.
"Excuse me" he spoke.
She looked up and immediately her eyes went wide. A loud gasp left her lips as she jumped up from her seat and stared at him, unblinkingly, in amazement.
"I have a meeting with Mrs. Shortstick" he continued in a gruff voice, none too happy with her reaction.
She vigorously nodded her head and pointed him to the left where an archway led to a staircase.
He nodded once before walking away.
Interior, Main office, First Floor, St. Bastan's Orphanage, Crawley Lane – Late Afternoon
He was sitting in a chair looking around the room when the door to his right opened and an elderly woman walked through. She was carrying a red file. She walked to the other side of the desk and sat in the chair.
"Sorry for the wait, Mr. Potter" she apologized with a smile.
"Please" he lifted a hand.
"Well, here is the file" she leaned over the desk and handed the file to him. "Zoe." She sighed and shook her head. "Poor child. Such a fragile little thing."
"How old was she when she got adopted" asked Harry, as he read through her file.
"Six. The Denly's took an immediate liking to her. To be honest I was a bit surprised that they even noticed her. You see Zoe never spoke. Not that she didn't want to but because she simply couldn't. Even opening her mouth drained her of life. There were days where she would sleep the whole day." A faraway look came over her face as she continued. "It was like they were specifically looking for her."
Harry's head snapped up and his face tensed. "What do you mean"
She blinked and focused her gaze back to him. "Oh, it's just that the moment their eyes landed on her, that was it. They didn't wish to see any more children or even properly hear about Zoe's condition. They were very adamant about adopting her." a small smile stretched her lips. "I was thrilled because to be honest I never thought she would be lucky enough to have the love of a family. We all cared for her of course but we have only ten staff members and over sixty kids which means that sometimes kids can feel being neglected"
"What did they look like" Harry asked, a little too aggressively that made her unbale to answer him right away as she opened and closed her mouth several times with no sound permeating from her lips. "Mrs. Shortstick" Harry said slowly. "What did they look like"
She gulped before speaking. "Umm...they seemed very young. I wasn't even sure if they had graduated yet but they assured me they were working adults who got married young."
"Go on" Harry raised both eyebrows
"The boy had golden blond hair and the girl had black hair. They were both white but the girl was really pale and really thin.
Harry closed his eyes rubbed his face.
"Mr. Potter..." there was fear in her voice. "What's wrong"
He stood up. "Nothing, maam" he said tiredly. "Thank you for your help" he picked up the file and headed for the door.
"I can give you their address if that'll help" she said standing up. He stopped but didn't turn around as he spoke.
"That'll be of no good to me, maam, because I am certain they gave you a hoax address." He opened the door. "Also, they weren't American." he faced her. "You were fooled by two teenagers who right now are the bane of my existence"
He walked out and closed the door behind him.
Exterior, Market Street, Crawley Lane – Late Afternoon
Harry was trudging along the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets. His head was tilted down and his face was devoid of any emotion.
"Oof!" A young girl collided with him and hit the ground on her back. Harry's eyes turned wide as her head hit the pavement.
"Hey, you okay" he bent to lift her up but she got up on her own with an impressive speed.
She barely reached his waist.
"I'm okay, sir. I'm okay" she babbled, grinning up at him before her face contorted into a look of pain and she closed her eyes. She brought her hand up to the back of her head and swayed slightly.
"Hey, hey" Harry crouched down and steadied her by putting his hands on her shoulders. "I got you"
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. A gust of wind blew a lock of Harry's hair away from his forehead and she let out a high-pitched squeal.
He leaned back and his lips curved in amusement at seeing her mouth form a wide 'o'.
"Y-you're Harry Potter" she whispered.
He looked around before leaning closer to her. "Don't tell anyone" he winked.
She nodded before putting her small hand over her mouth. "I won't" she whispered conspiratorially, making him chuckle.
He looked down at attire and frowned. Her frock was tattered and had holes above the hem. His gaze roamed down to her bare feet.
He brought his gaze back to her face. "Where's your mother"
"Oh!" the little girl jumped excitedly. "She's at work. That's where I was going before I smashed right into you" her enthusiasm again brought a smile to his face.
"Come" he stood up. "I'll take you to her"
She looked at him in shock. "Really" He nodded, offering her a smile along with his hand. She looked at his hand before snapping her eyes back to his own. "Yes!" she did a little jump before grabbing onto his hand. "My friends are going to be so jealous when I tell them that I walked with the Harry Potter"
"My friends are going to be jealous too when I tell them I walked with the- what's your name?"
"Lyla"
"Lyla" he smiled. "A very pretty name for a very pretty girl"
Her cheeks turned red and she gave him a toothy grin as she hopped alongside him.
They continued on their path with Lyla guiding him every few minutes. She never stopped talking and he patiently listened to her with a smile.
"There it is!" she pointed towards a brown townhouse across the street that had an extravagant sign hanging from the top with lights surrounding every letter.
Slutty Witches Cavern
A small heading under the large banner read, Today's special, for extra three galleons we will transfigure into a witch of your choice.
"Mummy will be out any second now. C'mon, let's go wait by the door" she tugged on his hand but he didn't move. She frowned and looked over her shoulder at him. His jaw was slackened and a mirage of emotion flashed through his eyes.
She tugged on his hand again which made him look down at her. His eyes softened but there was a hidden sadness in them.
"C'mon, Mr. Potter. I want you to meet mummy"
He gave her a small smile and nodded his head.
They crossed the road and stopped before the steps that led to the metal door.
"We have to wait here" she turned to face him. "Mummy's orders. I'm not allowed to go inside, you see. Mummy says children aren't allowed because adults are working and its bad manners."
Harry looked away and chewed the inside of his lip. "She's right" he turned back towards her and smiled. "So, is this the only place mummy work at" he asked nonchalantly.
She nodded before squinting her eyes in concentration. "Well, she sometimes goes to people's houses as well. She brings me sweets from that money."
"What about your dad?"
She shrugged her shoulders and bit her bottom lip. Harry nodded.
Just then the door opened from inside and a woman in her mid to late twenties walked through it.
"Mummy!" Lyla ran up the steps and jumped in her mother's waiting arms.
"Oh, my sweet" she lifted her daughter of the ground and swung her around. Their happy laughter rang out in the street. She put her daughter down and smoothed her hair. "How long have you been waiting for mummy"
"Oh, not long. Plus, I had company. Look"
The woman looked at Harry and gave him a guarded look. He nodded his head and put his hands in his pocket.
She grabbed her daughter's hand and came down the steps.
"Mummy, you won't believe who this is!" Lyla exclaimed.
"I don't know sweetheart" she chuckled nervously. "I've never met this man before" she then looked at Harry. "I haven't have I" she asked with trepidation.
"No" he swiped the hair from his forehead, revealing his scar.
She gasped aloud and brought a hand over her mouth.
Lyla started laughing and jumping. "See, I told you!"
"Lyla, sweety, why don't you go and grab yourself an ice cream from that shop over there" Harry said.
"Really?" she licked her lips when he took out a galleon from his pocket and held it in front of her.
"Yes. Since you've been such a good girl. But remember" he pulled his hand back when she was about to grab the coin. "You come back straight here, okay" she nodded. "And don't go inside. I should be able to see you at all times"
"Okay"
"Here" he handed her the coin and she stormed away. He followed her till she reached the shop before turning his gaze to the woman who still seemed shocked by his presence.
"What's your name"
She broke out of her trance and stammered a response. "Umm, m-my name is Kath-Katharine"
"Is this the only place you work at"
She ducked her head and started fidgeting with the sleeve of her robe. "Yes" she whispered.
Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Did you finish your schooling"
She looked up and there were tears in her eyes. "No" she croaked. "I got pregnant when I was in seventh grade."
"You're not the first"
"I know" she sniffled. "But I couldn't handle the shame, the names..." she scoffed. "Kids can be really mean and I wasn't strong enough to cope with them. Plus, my parents abandoned me. I'm a pureblood you see. He was a muggleborn." she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Where is he"
Her face hardened immediately. "I don't know and I don't care. He was the first to abandon me" she bit out.
Harry nodded and looked to the side. "Do you have a Gringotts account?"
She shook her head. "No sir"
"Alright, c'mon." He grabbed her hand and she was too stunned to move. "Lyla!" He beckoned the little girl who was happily enjoying a vanilla flavored ice cream on a bench. She finished it quickly before dashing over to them. "Lyla, we're going for a little trip"
"Really!"
"Yes" he smiled. "Now, grab on to my hand"
She clasped his hand tightly and the next second he apparated them without a sound.
1998
February 14
Interior, Head girl dormitory – Night
"Cormac, please. I have to go" Hermione gave him a light push but he kept on peppering kisses on her neck and slowly trailing down.
"C'mon baby, it's valentines tonight. You promised, remember" he murmured against her skin as he reached the valley between her breasts.
"Yes, and we've already done it three times" she giggled but then gasped when he latched on to a nipple and sucked hard.
"That was in the morning." he tugged on the hardened nub with his teeth before letting it go with a pop. "Now, I need my nightly reward for being the best boyfriend in the world" he licked his way toward the other mound.
"Your ego needs to come down a couple of notches" she smirked, peering down at him.
"Mmm, you love it" he lifted his gaze and gave her a sly wink before flicking the nipple with the tip of his tongue.
"Cormac, please" Hermione pulled him up by his hair and kissed him. She nibbled on his bottom lip which had him groaning. "I don't want to get into trouble because my boyfriend is too horny. Tomorrow, I'll let you put it in my arse" she brought her lips to his ear and sucked the lobe between her lips.
"You promise" he said in a husky voice.
"Yes" she pulled back and they stared into each other's eyes.
He dropped his forehead to hers. "Fine" he grumbled. He kissed her shoulder before off her. "I don't understand why you have to go. You're head girl. Put some prefect on duty!"
He whined when she got off the bed and padded towards the chair near the window. "It's my turn. I've already assigned one of my days to a fifth-year girl from Hufflepuff. I don't want Professor McGonagall on my back on why I'm bullying my power. Plus, I love doing rounds. It's the only time I can clear my head and not think about anything"
"I can make you not think about anything" she gave him a look which made him grin. "Plus, that's a lie. You're always thinking about something. Your brain can't function any other way"
"I meant not think about anything school related or any other stuff that's bothering me"
"Damn babe, your tits look so good in that bra" he groaned, as she put on a black colored bra.
She winked before covering it with a jumper.
"I swear I can play with them all day"
"You almost did on my birthday" she chortled, putting on a pair of trousers.
He sighed happily. "That truly was the best day ever."
She shook her head amusedly. "You're pathetic" she walked over to the bed and leaned down to give him a kiss but he locked her in his arms and pried her mouth open with his tongue.
"Mmm" she squealed, her shoulders shaking with laughter as she tried to break free from his grasp. She finally did by tickling him under his armpits which made him jump away. "That serves you right" she giggled, giving him a light smack on the top of his head.
"You don't play fair" he scowled petulantly.
"Life isn't fair" she stuck her tongue out before heading towards the door.
"Don't be too late"
"I won't"
"Love you"
"Love you back" she opened the door and walked out of the room.
Interior, Corridor, Hogwarts – Night
Hermione was walking down the corridor at a steady pace. She turned at the corner and continued ahead. She was halfway down the middle when she saw Snape come into view and walk towards her. A small smile came over her lips as she slightly quickened her pace.
"Professor" she nodded.
"Miss Granger" he stopped and smiled in return. "It's your turn today, I see"
"Yes" she chuckled. "What about you, sir. Any particular reason to be out this late or just felt like having some fresh air"
"Oh no, it was...well, I won't necessarily call it work but it wasn't because of my own volition either. It was as you put it, a particular reason"
"Oh"
"Yes, as you know Harry is the son of one of my closest friends and as per my duty, I have to make sure he's alright time after time. The brat just came back from another mission with the special squad and is currently brooding at the astronomy tower. That's where I was"
"Oh"
"Yeah, my advice would be to avoid him for the next couple of days. But that shouldn't be a problem for you as I've heard that you two don't get along"
"Yeah" she turned her gaze down. "Not a problem for me"
"Well, I should get going. I still have to prepare for tomorrow's class"
"Good night, professor"
"Goof night, Miss Granger"
They both walked their separate ways.
Hermione reached a spiral staircase and stopped. She put her hand on the rail and seemed to be contemplating something. Having made up her mind she started climbing.
Present time
Exterior, Gringotts, Diagon Alley – Evening
"I don't know what to say" sniffled Katharine as they walked out of the revolving doors with Lyla holding on to her hand. People gave them weird looks but immediately blanched away with one glare from Harry.
"How about this. Don't say anything" Harry said, as he walked them over to the side.
"B-But..." she held the parchment and looked at it in awe. "I don't know what I'm going to do with all this."
Harry put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from trembling. "You passed six grades at Hogwarts" he raised his eyebrows. "And got eight Os in your O.W.L.s. Katharine, your education is not a waist. The money I put into your account is also for you to go and finish your education. There are plenty of private colleges that provide you with the opportunity to do just that and then if you feel like it, go into higher studying into arithmancy since that was your favourite subject. As for your job, starting from next week you'll be working at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."
Her mouth opened in shock and she stifled a sob.
"You can bring Lyla at work and be with her all day. College will only be for 3 days so you can work the rest of the days if you feel like it. My advice would be to leave a day free so you can relax and spend it just at home with your daughter, and speaking of home, I bought a flat long ago in Diagon Alley. It's only two streets across from Gringotts. It's yours now"
Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she hid them with her hands. Harry looked at Lyla and saw that she was crying too. "Hey" he picked her up and settled her on his hip. "Don't cry. Never cry unless it's happy tears" he said with a smile.
"I don't like seeing mummy crying"
"That's alright, sweetie. Mummy's crying happy tears"
"Really?" she asked innocently.
"Yeah" he nodded. "Tell her mummy"
Katharine pulled her hands down and smiled through her tears at her daughter. "Yes baby" she pulled her into her arms. "They are happy tears"
She cradled her daughter's head into her shoulder as Lyla put her arms around her neck.
"How can I ever repay you. 20,000 galleons...I've never seen money like that in my life, and now with the house and the job-"
Harry lifted a hand. "It's all yours. You won't ever have to pay me. I've also opened a private account for Lyla. Call it an assurance. Only she can open it. But not until she is seventeen. If circumstances change and you want to access it beforehand for emergency purposes talk to Griphook. He'll help you with it. Every month it'll receive 1000 galleons. It's my gift for her when she becomes an adult."
A harsh gasp made them turn to look at Lyla who pulled back from her mother's embrace "That means I'll have 108000 galleons when I'm seventeen" she exclaimed.
Katharine's mouth opened in shock and Harry burst into laughter as he pinched her cheek. "Wow, seems like you've inherited your mother's gift in arithmancy"
"Yay!"
"Lyla!" Katharine reprimanded, but there was a smile on her lips.
"But it's true mummy. We're going to be rich now. You won't have to go to those men's houses for extra money. I'll take care of you"
A fresh set of tears settled gathered behind Katharine's eyes as she hugged her daughter and kissed the top of her head. She turned to Harry. "I'm forever grateful to you"
Harry bowed his head with a polite smile.
"I always thought of you as the savior of the world, like others" she sniffled and wiped under nose. "But now you've become my savior too"
"And mine!" Lyla broke free of her mother's hold and hugged Harry's leg.
"Hey!" Harry lifted her up kissed her cheek, making her giggle. He pulled back and looked at her eyes. "You remind me so much of him" he said with a faraway look.
"Who?" she frowned, biting her bottom lip.
Harry blinked and broke out of his trance. He smiled "Just someone I knew. He would've love you"
"I'm sure I would've loved him too" she grinned.
"Yeah" he whispered in a hoarse voice. "I'm sure"
He frowned and put her down before taking out his Halfway mirror. It was glowing red. His face tensed immediately.
He swiped his finger up and John's face appeared. He looked disheveled.
"Sir!"
"John, what's the matter"
"Something terrible has happened" he said in a panicked filled voice.
"What"
John took a big gulp. "The minister is missing"
Interior, Level 1, Minister for Magic and Support Staff, Ministry of Magic – Evening
Harry's robe was billowing behind him as he took long strides. There was a cluster of aurors in an open area ahead of him, who were standing before a glass door that led to the office of the Minister of Magic.
John, Dave, Chris and Rebecca came running towards him the moment they saw him.
"Explain, now" he growled.
The jogged to keep up with him as he continued his pace towards the door. The remaining aurors spread apart and made room for him.
"We don't know what happened, sir" John began.
"I don't like the start" snapped Harry.
"We were all sitting right here" he motioned at the little sitting area to the side that had two couches facing each other and a couple of chairs with a glass table in the middle. "It was just us"
"Except Roman" Dave cut in, making Harry stop and turn to him.
"He had gone to get us all a cup of coffee"
"Yeah" said John. "But then he came running and shouting that he saw a group dressed as dark wizards with masks covering their faces in the atrium. So, we all left to see except Roman who offered to stay behind just in case someone got through. We got to the atrium..." John shook his head. "There was no one. So, we ran back here as quickly as possible and saw the door open."
"The door could've only been open from the inside by the minister once we said the word. Chicky. It was the minster's pet name that his grandmother used to call him with. He said no one in the world knew it beside him, not even his wife and kids. We were the only ones he told." said Chris.
"When we got back, he wasn't in. It was just Roman standing. We asked him what happened and he said that a group of aurors came and told him that a fight had broken through and that I ordered them to transfer the minister to his house." John shook his head. "He's new and I understand he could've been fooled but he should've known that I told each of us to not trust anyone outside of the group"
"We've looked everywhere sir" said Rebecca in a desperate voice. "He's nowhere to be found which means-"
"Those aurors were them" finished Dave. "Bastards"
Harry's face hardened and his jaw cracked under pressure.
"Where is Roman" he gritted out.
"He's inside sir," said John. "He thinks it's all his fault"
Harry smiled darkly. "Good. He and I agree on something" he stormed inside the room and saw Roman sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.
He whipped his head up and there were tear stains on his cheeks.
"S-sir"
In a flash Harry was standing right before him and the next second Roman hit the ground as Harry punched him in the jaw.
"You MOTHERFUCKER!" He hauled him up by his collar and threw him against the wall. He let out a high-pitched scream as his head collided with the wall.
"Sir!" John and Dave entered the room and grabbed Harry from behind. "Sir please"
Harry shrugged them off and punched Roman in the stomach. The young auror spat blood from his mouth and doubled over as he howled in pain.
Harry
Harry closed his eyes as a vision of pure white flashed through his eyes.
"Sir, it wasn't me" Roman choked out.
He growled and grabbed him by the neck. He lifted him up against the wall, Roman's feet leaving the ground.
Harry
Again, something flashed before his eyes but this time it was an image. He saw long, bony fingers scraping the floor.
Harry
This time he saw long white beard and wrinkled eyes.
Harry
He saw his grandfather's bloodied face and behind him a silhouette of a man.
Harry gasped and backed away, almost tripping over his feet. Roman dropped to his knees and started coughing loudly.
"No"
Harry walked towards the fireplace.
"Sir"
"No"
He grabbed the pouch hanging from the shelf and emptied it onto his hand.
"No"
"Sir!"
He stepped inside the floo and shouted as he threw the powder. "Lemon Drop!"
Interior, Lemon Drop, Ottery St. Catchpole – Evening
He stepped out of the floo and came to an abrupt halt. Before him Dumbledore was crawling on his elbows toward him and behind him stood a man with golden blond hair swept to the side. He was quite tall, almost as tall as him and was muscular in stature.
There was a moment of surprise in his eyes with a hint of fear but it was soon replaced by an evil smirk. He didn't seem much better than Dumbledore except that he was still standing on two feet. Blood was running down his face from a large gash on his forehead.
He was clutching his midsection that was painted red in blood. His left-hand was dangling from his arm by a single tissue of skin and his right leg had a massive cut that ran the length of his thigh.
Harry's knuckles turned white from the hold he had on his wand and the next second he had it pointed straight.
"Avada Kedavra"
The green light shot through his wand and headed straight for the wounded man but before it could reach him, he disappeared with a loud pop.
The spell collided with the wall and blow a hole through it.
"Harry"
Harry ran over to Dumbledore and knelt before him. He turned him onto his back and cradled his head under his arms. His neck was slashed open and blood was seeping from his chest. Harry put pressure on his neck with one hand and pressed the other above his torso.
Dumbledore chuckled, spurting blood from his mouth.
"I-" He grimaced before continuing. "I gave him a run for his money. Not bad for a disabled old man right"
"Right" smiled Harry, nodding his head. "Now, c'mon get up"
He tried to lift him up but stopped at the gut-wrenching scream that left Dumbledore's mouth.
"C'mon you old bastard. Don't you do this to me now" Harry gritted out.
Dumbledore let out another chuckle. "I have overstayed my visit, son. It's time for me now to join your grandmother"
"No!" yelled Harry before whispering. "Not yet. You were going to help me, remember. You promised."
Dumbledore's smile turned sad and a tear escaped his eye. "I'm sorry" he croaked out as he inhaled a sharp breath. "But I have full faith in you"
"No"
"Listen to me-"
"No!"
"Listen to me!" He lifted his hand and grazed Harry's cheek. "You're the strongest person I've ever seen and I'm not just talking about this" he touched his arm. "But this" he placed his hand above his heart. "You're going to defeat him; of that I have no doubt. Just keep following your gut and remember it gets hard before it gets easy"
"I'm a coward" whispered Harry.
"No!" Dumbledore slapped him. It didn't have the resounding effect as it was just a brush of his hand. "Never say that. Never believe that"
Harry turned his head away.
"Don't do that, don't look away" he put his hand on his chin and turned his head back to him. "Let me see those eyes." he smiled. "Just like your grandmother. Forest green. The eyes I fell in love with"
"I can't cry" whispered Harry. "I don't know how to."
"I know" smiled Dumbledore. "It's because you're not ready. That day will come"
"You've been saying that for a long time"
"Just trust me on this. That day will come and you just make sure that you're not alone when it does"
Harry scoffed. "I'm already alone"
"No" Dumbledore shook his head. "You're never alone. Anytime you feel that just close your eyes and look inside your heart and we'll all be there"
"You promise" whispered Harry.
Dumbledore winked. "Always"
He took a shuddering breath and life slowly left his eyes as his lips parted and he breathed no more.
Harry stared at his lifeless body for so long that dusk turned into night.
Interior, somewhere in London – Night
"AAAH!" Martin's screamed echoed long after it left his lips. "Please" he whimpered. He was hanging mid-air, upside down.
"Please" the man with golden blond hair chuckled. He was kneeling on the ground. His face was still bloodied but his left hand was now separated from his arm. Infact, it was lying right next to his knee on the floor. "Please" he mocked him before his eyes turned dark and he glared down at him. "PLEASE!"
He slashed his wand through the air and chopped Martin's dick off.
"AAAH!"
"YES! SCREAM! LET THE WORLD KNOW WHAT THE MINISTER OF MAGIC SOUNDS LIKE WHEN HE SEES HIS DEATH FLASHING BEFORE HIS EYES! SCREAM!"
He made an upward motion of his wand, decapitating Martin. His head hit the floor with a thump.
"Charles!" a woman appeared at the door. It was Christina, only in her human form. She was thin as a pencil and paler than the moonlight.
She dropped next to him and embraced him just in time before his face hit the ground.
"Charles!" she gently laid his head on the floor. He smiled up at her.
"Hey you" he lifted his hand and touched her cheek.
"Hey" she smiled, teary eyed. "You're hurt"
"I know. The old bastard really did a number on me. I wasn't expecting him to put up that much of a fight." he chuckled. "Guess I forgot he's still Albus Dumbledore...or was"
She gasped. "He's dead"
He nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure of that"
Tears escaped her eyes as she smiled at him before hugging him. "You did it"
"No, we did it. I'm nothing without you. Never forget that"
"I'm nothing without you too."
He kissed the side of her head and stared up at the ceiling.
"I can't believe it's all done" she said into his shoulder.
"Only half done, my love" His eyes narrowed. "Only half done. I've avenged mum's death. I still have to avenge dad"
1998
February 14
Interior, Astronomy tower, Hogwarts- Night
Hermione pushed open the door and stepped through. She closed the door behind her and turned around to see Harry staring right at her. A fag was stuck between his lips. A few seconds later he turned around.
She didn't move and simply watched him for a moment. He was leaning against the railing and staring at the waterfall.
She folded her arms across her chest and walked till she reached the railing. There was at least a five metre distance between them but there was a sudden shift in the air.
Harry took a large puff before he threw the blunt.
He closed his eyes and tilted his neck back. Hermione watched him from the corner of her eye.
He rolled his neck a couple of times before opening his eyes and inhaling a long breath.
He turned his head at the same point Hermione turned hers and their eyes locked.
He shifted slightly so he was facing her and rested his weight on one elbow.
They kept staring at each other and after a while his lips quirked upwards. Hers did too.
He took a step towards her. She took a step towards him. They repeated this motion till the gap separating them shortened to less than a foot.
"Hi" he whispered.
"Hi" she whispered.
"I'm Harry Potter" he stuck his hand between them.
"I'm Hermione Granger" she smiled, clasping his hand. They shook it before pulling their hands back.
Her lips parted into a grin and she giggled.
His smile turned roguish as they kept staring into each other's eyes.
She gave him a confusing look when he started nodding his head.
"What" she breathed.
He leaned forward and she tensed but didn't move. He stopped when their noses were almost touching. "It's started"
"What" she gulped.
"Our love story"
He winked before walking away, leaving her with shock written all over her face. She whipped her head around just in time to see him disappear into darkness.
A/N: You know the drill. Comment below, let me know your thoughts and I'll catch you on the flip side.