A/N: I took a break after rewriting this chapter like a gazillion times. I wasn't sure where I wanted this to lead. There were lots of different paths it could have taken, but I think this is the best version I have written. I'm still not sure if I love it, but I hope you do. It is my longest chapter yet (I toyed with making it two). I am now rambling, so I will cut it short. This is the second to last chapter. I am not sure if I will be doing any more Harry Potter work. A few other things have caught my eye, but I do hope that you will still read my stuff! Remember to review and/or message!
SO! Without further ado, the second to last chapter of The Inevitable...
"Hermione?"
She could hear the voice on the edge of her consciousness but the sounds of crying was drowning it out.
"Hermione!"
She forced her tear filled eyes to focus on the hand on her shoulder and followed it up to see Sirius, his face set in grim concern. "Hermione, darling, I need you to calm down and let go of Harry."
"But…but…" When she spoke, she realized that the crying had been coming from her. With more determination, she screwed her mouth shut and felt the tears pour hotly down her cheeks with greater ferocity.
"I need to look at him, Hermione," Sirius said gently, prying her hands from his godson. He had to admit the sight looked gruesome. Harry's forehead was clammy and smeared with blood, not to mention the blossoming bruises. It was the bruises that had drawn his attention away from James in the first place. Prongs was in a similar situation to Hermione-save instead of wailing, he was simply holding the broken form of his wife with the distant look of a man who may never smile again. Unlike with Lily, however, he might have been able to do something for his godson. "Hermione, I think he's still alive."
"What?" Hermione screamed suddenly more aware of the fact that she had been crushing him.
"I AM?" Harry said aloud though no one could hear him.
"Just barely. We need to get him to Saint Mungo's," He grabbed Kingsley's arm as he passed. "We need to see to Harry. Have James meet us?"
"Should he go with you?"
Sirius shot another pained look at James. "No. I will see to Harry. Get Tonks and Diggle to transport the prisoners to Hogwarts. It is the only safe place. You, get to the ministry. There is going to be an uproar and we will need you there."
"And what about the dead?" Kingsley asked.
"Take them to Hogwarts as well. Be sure you send advance notice to Minerva before you head over. She will be expecting attack. We don't need her shooting down any allies." Before turning back to his godson, he added, "Take care of him, Kings."
Nodding Kingsley turned and began shouting out and carrying threw orders.
Sirius took a deep breath. He wasn't used to being the cool headed in charge type person. That had always been James's job. Things do change, he thought. "Okay, Hermione?" he said aloud getting the girl's attention. He waited until her eyes fixed on him. "I am going to aparate straight into the emergency ward. I can't take both of you, so I need you to follow okay?"
She nodded mutely gathering her wand from the ground.
This is so strange, Harry thought as he watched. Do I apparate along with them, or did I just get sucked along-
Mid thought he got his answer as he suddenly found himself standing in the large emergency ward of Saint Mungo's Hospital. Something about the place seemed different to Harry as he followed the panicked doctors wave their wands about his body while others measured potions. The places seemed flat and blurry at the same time almost as if his spirit eyes didn't show him the full picture of what was going on. The fast movement was making him dizzy. So he walked out of the busy room and straight to the seat where Sirius was sitting in a chair next to Hermione. Both were watching, waiting on baited breath for him to awaken.
Hours seemed to pass full of waiting and sitting and hoping. All the time spirit-Harry could feel the blurry flat feeling taking over more and more. It was so bad at one point, he didn't notice his Dad sitting next to Sirius. In fact, he only noticed him when all three stood and to great the medic wizard walking toward them.
"Mr. Potter?" the man said.
"Yes?" James croaked, his face seemed made of stone that would crack if he let any emotion cross it.
"Your son's vitals seem to be stable. There seems to be some sort of residue from a spell on him."
"Residue? What kind of residue?" Sirius interjected.
The Wizard doctor wiped a hand across his forehead, a look of disbelief in his large brown eyes. "Well, that's were it goes a bit funny. You see, the residue is from a killing curse. We know, because it is a trace we usually find on dead bodies. But, you see, Harry is not dead."
"How is that possible?" James asked.
"We don't know. He is the only person in history ever to survive such a curse." He let the news soak in for a moment before pressing on. "We were able to heal his cuts and bruises mostly without scarring, though some of it will be permanent."
"Can we see him?" Hermione asked finally speaking, a look of hope blossoming in her eyes.
"I want you to be prepared for something."
"What? Is he…horribly disfigured?"
"No, however, he is comatose. We haven't been able to wake him. Given that he is the only person ever to come in in this condition, we aren't sure if he will ever wake again."
With this news James turned and walked down the long white corridor.
"Should I-" the med wizard began.
"No, no," Sirius cut off. "I'll take care of this. Hermione?" He cupped the girl's face in his hands and forced her to look at him. "You go in there and be with Harry. I have a few things I have to see to and then I will be back."
She nodded mutely and went through the doors.
#-#-#-#-#
Taking a deep breath Sirius headed down the hall. Pushing through the door at the end of the hall, he found James on the bottom step of the staircase that led to the next floor. His legs were pulled up to his chest with his elbows resting upon them, his fingers tangled in his messy mop. Tears swam in his eyes reflecting off of his spectacles though he defiantly held them back. Sirius could see him trying to be strong as his world crumpled about him and for a moment both just sat there soaking in one anothers comfort.
"I don't know what to do, Padfoot," James began softly. Instead of replying, Sirius simply waited until James took a few more deep breaths. "It was never me doing the hard bits with the kids. It was always her and now…now…" his voice cracked, "she's gone and Harry might be too. I just don't know what to do!" Tears finally began to flood down his face as Sirius pulled him close in a brotherly embrace.
"I know," he offered.
"What do I tell the kids? How do I do this without her? How? How dare someone take her from me? I need her, Sirius! I need her…." he dissolved. "And I never got to tell her I loved her one last time. How will she know?"
For a moment Sirius was at a loss. It had always been James giving him the pep talks as they grew up. It had always been James taking responsibility for their pranks. It had always been James sticking up for him to his crazy muggle hating parents. Now Lily was gone and he had to be there for James. But as he thought about it, and felt the redhot poker of Lily's loss touch his heart for the first time, he realized that this was bigger than any of those times put together. James needed a drive to keep going, keep being strong.
Sirius pulled his friend's chin up to meet his eyes. Tears were beginning to flow freely down his face as he spoke. "Now, listen here. She knew you loved her! And she gave herself in love for the child you two made together. There is nothing more brave that she could have done! And she loved you!"
"But what do I do?" He moaned in absolute anguish. He felt weak for not being able to hold his best mate's gaze. It was too hard because the man reminded him of Lily and even thinking of her brought back images of her broken and bloody body strewn out on the floor. He fought the urge to vomit at the thought. "She always knew, Sirius, always! How do I live with only half a heart…."
"For now, you put all that aside and you be strong!" He said through gritted teeth. "You be strong for Adam and Davie and Kate. But especially for Harry."
"Dear Merlin, Harry!" James moaned, running his hand through his hair once more in preparation for more grief.
"Yes, for Harry. He needs you to be strong."
He wanted to scream at being asked to be strong while his world was crumbling. He wanted to push everything away so it couldn't be close enough to hurt him anymore, but the anguish of the separation—even in his mind—pained him worse than anything. So instead he whispered, "What will happen to him?"
Sirius looked down, fearing what would happen to his friend if he lost his wife and firstborn on the same day. "He will be alright. Just clean up a bit and get to his side." He stood pulling James up with him. "I will go collect the others."
James nodded and turned towards the door stopping just before he opened it. "Thank you."
Without replying, Sirius withdrew his wand and vanished with a loud pop.
#-#-#-#-#
News began to swirl about world like a strong gale of wind breaking up the storm clouds that had polluted the sky for nearly fifty years. Countries all over the world were sending aid to the United Kingdom as efforts to control mass chaos and overly zealous partiers became out of hand. A quarter of the Ministry of Magic's staff was apprehended by the Order while many others disappeared. Many people on the Squad for the Regulation and Control of Muggles and Muggle-borns claimed to be under the Imperius curse when caught. But strangest of all, some of the higher-up Deatheaters simply killed over as if their life force was tied to that of the Dark Lord.
Like flies to a fresh carcass, reporters from all over the world swarmed Saint Mungo's for a glimpse of the boy they thought had saved the world. All the while, the girl who had actually saved the world sat with the boy's father, making no attempt to claim her fame. Every day, Harry's vital signs became weaker and weaker. Every day Hermione, Sirius, James, Ron, Kate, David and even Adam took turns watching over him, desperately searching for any sign of his recovery.
Every day, they were disappointed. The doctors speculated it was there was a dark hazy spell residue hanging about his body kept his soul from coming back, but there was nothing they could do to help.
Harry himself watched over his family watching him. It was like he was encased in a glass box that got fuzzier and fuzzier by the day, he found his eyelids getting heavier, begging him to give up and rest. He feared the silence of sleep,feared that he may never wake up.
One day, two weeks after the battle, as the the magical community discussed whether or not to block out the past fifteen years from the memories of the muggles, Harry finally lost his battle with sleep. As he drifted off, he felt better than weightless. That is until something wrapped him hard over the back of the head that he wasn't sure he even had anymore.
"Ow!" He yelled, not knowing that he even had the ability until he had done it. As he opened his eyes, shock shook all thoughts of sleep from his mind.
In front of him stood his mother. She was not as she had appeared before she died or even how she appeared before a year before she died. Her hair was as past shoulder length and hung free around her shoulders gently gliding over her magenta robes. Her face was young, maybe his age or younger yet untouched by the lines of age. It took him a moment to realize it was Lily and not Kate. He had never thought before how much the looked alike.
"Harry wake up!" she said, her voice filled with worry that did not fit her appearance.
"Mum?" ha asked rushing forward to hug her like a child.
She cradled him in her arms for a long time, before holding him at arms length. In a very motherly fashion she took a handkerchief from her sleeve and used it to blot tears that were streaming unabashedly down his cheeks. "You must listen to me, son."
"Anything, as long as I get to be here with you."
She smiled sadly at him. "You cannot, my son. It is not your time."
"What do you mean?" he knew he was being whiny, but he couldn't help it. This was the woman he had just watched die and here she was perfectly in tact.
"Look, my dear," she said gently gesturing to her right.
His gaze followed her lead and he noticed for the first time that he was back in the hospital room. The edges of everything was still fuzzy, but he could see it better than he had been able to for a while. It was bright outside, but someone had drawn the shades so only thin strips of light were shining on the neat covers of his bed. Lots of bright flowers wishing him well surrounded his bed making the room look more like a shrine. All of them had encouraging messages to his well being—a few even sang in shrill annoying voices. Candy boxes were stacked haphazardly in the corner half buried in a pile of hippogriffs, unicorns, and dragons all charmed to change colors or flash messages of thanks and love. In the middle of it all, Hermione was curled up against his side breathing regularly. She looked beautiful when she slept, he thought. He contented himself to watch her sleep.
A noise from the door woke Hemione and caused Harry to turn just in time to see his father walk through the door carrying two steaming mugs. A opposed to Lily, James looked the most rundown he Harry had ever seen him. His clothes were disheveled as if he had slept in them more that once and his messy hair was even messier that it had been and was streaked with new patches of gray. If Harry hadn't known better, he would have thought his dad homeless. He had the same hallow look in his eyes that only ultimate loss brought, but as Hermione looked up at him, he tried to smile warmly. "Thought you could use a break," he said handing her a mug.
She took it thankfully and smiled taking a slow sip. "How are the others?"
"Safe at school. Hogwarts is still impenetrable. Thought it might be easier for them to stay there for a bit." A moment later he asked the question that was really on his mind. "How is he?"
She let her tired eyes turn back to Harry's motionless form. "Last night something happened. The nurses weren't sure what to make of it, but it was almost as if he...he...gave up."
James gulped. "Why didn't you send an owl?" he said forcefully grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.
Hermione looked as if she might burst into tears. "I...he...nothing happened!" she stammered. "After a moment, he just went back to how he was."
A moment later his face softened as he realized how much he had just scared her. Squeezing his eyes shut, James hugged Hermione. "I'm sorry, love," he said. "I didn't mean to yell."
She nodded into his shoulder.
"Listen, take a break. Ron is down in the mess hall. I'm sure he could use some company."
Nodding she left, wiping at her tears as she went.
James waited until he was alone to take a seat next to the bed and pick up his father's hand. Harry shifted uncomfortably feeling as if he were interrupting something. Lily laid a hand on his back, giving him a reassuring look as James opened his mouth and spoke. "Harry, I need you to come back." Harry had never heard such defeat in his Father's voice. "I can't lose both of you. You were so much like her. Always hotheaded and driven. I need that right now. I need you to be the boy that lived. Please, please come home to me, child."
Harry felt tears run down his face as the fuzziness took over the picture once more. He looked back at his mum. "Why did you show me that? I could be at peace! I could be with you and Remus and everyone else." With every word he spoke the bleary scene became darker and darker. He felt the sleep trying to take over him once more.
"Harry NO!" his mum shouted. "You must fight through the darkness! I showed you because I do not need you now, Harry. They do! They need to praise the hero of the hour. The Order needs you to be the hope for this new era. If you aren't there, there can be no balance."
Her insistence that she didn't need him stuck in his mind brightening the hospital scene and making her figure blurry. He forced himself to focus on her even though it made him feel more sleepy. "Why me? Hermione is the one who deserves the honor. She is the one that took him down." His head eyelids were barely open now.
"Fight Harry!" Lily said shaking him.
It was only when he found himself uncurling from the floor that he realized he had succumbed to the sleep once more.
For a moment, he fought and the fog lifted a little more. Lily once again gestured to their right. More flowers were surrounding his bed and some that he had seen on his previous visit were now wilted and molding in their murky water. The charms on some of his gifts were wearing out and the chocolates in the corner were nearly all gone. His own frame was gaunt and sickly. He barely looked like himself. He looked so broken, so weak. "How long has it been?" he asked worriedly.
"Two months."
"Two months!" he shouted alarmed.
"Time passes differently when you give in to the darkness."
"But why?"
"Eh-hem!" Lily cleared her throat, rolling her eyes back to the scene.
Reluctantly, he followed her gaze. Once more Hermione was laying next to him, but this time her eyes were wide open. He felt a surge of love for her that seemed to tug at him, making the hazy picture brighten up and seem almost as real as it had just after he was struck down. Hermione seemed to sense this too because she looked glowingly at his gaunt form with the shadow of a smile on her face. "Harry, love," she said timidly, looking towards the door to make sure that no one was coming in. "I found out some very important news today. I'm not ready to tell anyone else yet, not without you." She had a twinkle in her eyes as she lifted his hand and put it on her stomach. "We are going to have a baby."
"WHAT?" he yelled wide eyed, sure that she would hear it, but of course she didn't.
"I need you here and so does the baby," she pleaded.
All of a sudden the pull to the mortal world was so strong, he turned to see that his mother was now fading into the mists herself. "Wait! Mum!" he said reaching for her grasping her hand causing the scene around him to fade. He cursed loudly. Why was it that he had to let one of them go? Why couldn't he have both?
"Why is this happening?" he asked instead, needing to make sense of it all.
"You were wounded enough that you were given the choice between life and death. I was sent here to tell you that it is okay to let me go so you can live. I am the think that is holding you back Harry, but it would be selfish of me to keep you so I had to keep you hanging on long enough to see this. This is your reason."
"But—but..." he stammered.
"Please, son, don't waste my sacrifice!"
His memory flashed to her death and for the first time, he allowed himself to feel the loss of the dead instead of the living. It hurt more, but as he watched Hermione's shape solidify and the world following in sute things got a little better. He was falling back to where he belonged.
"I will be waiting, but until then I will always be watching over you," she said, though her voice had taken on a strange echo-like quality. "They need you, Harry don't let them down."
"But how will I see you again?"
"When your time comes, I will be ready to welcome you..." With that she was gone.
Harry felt himself settling back into the tight shell of his body and after a brief moment of panic, he realized that the darkness was because his eyes were naturally closed, not glazed with death. With great effort, he lifted his stiff eyelids to an angel.
"Hermione?" he forced out. His voice was scratchy from disuse.
Tears filled her eyes and she leaned in to kiss him. He barely had time to register her lips when she pulled away and looked him straight in the eye and said, "Welcome home, Harry Potter."
~*\/*~