A/N: Hi readers. Thank you for your reviews. You all must have realized the unoriginal title of my fic (The movie 'World War Z' was amazing!). It does suit my storyline though. From here on I have decided to write the chapters mostly from Harry's POV. It seems to have rarely been done and it would be rather fun to try it out. However, I am not so sure how it will play out. Your feedback would be appreciated. Anyway, I bring you the second chapter!
The New World
My whole body shuddered as the blood suddenly rushed through my body. Or was it just me regaining consciousness from my sleep?
A tingling sensation ran from the top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes as I slowly began to regain the senses of my whole body. Weird, I must have overslept or something. I didn't remember sleeping though.
There was a buzz in my ears while my skin tingled as I felt the cold air hugging me, chilling me to the bone.
I felt extremely tired and weak and the rumble in my stomach was growing louder by the second. My whole body felt frail as I tried to move. I just couldn't. Even my attempts to open my eyes went in vain.
A cold dread shot through my mind as my futile efforts did nothing to awaken myself. What the hell was going on? I seemed to be suspended in a semi-conscious state where my mind had woken up but not my body.
My breathing became irregular and every breath was agonizing and shallow. Something was making it difficult for me to breath. I felt myself panicking which wasn't helping matters. I needed to control my train of thoughts before they could start to overwhelm me. With a lot of effort I began slowing down my thought process and started to assess my situation.
This pain was real. I was alive, that I was sure of. Taking into account how I felt, I suspected that I must have hit my head or something. It could possibly have been something worse but I was trying to calm myself here, not make the situation worse.
My memories were all fuzzy, like blobs of rain clouds in the dark sky. Arranging them in order seemed impossible at that moment so I just latched onto whatever I could remember.
Slowly but steadily, everything was coming back to me. I felt myself relax as I relived the moments of the last seven years. Yes, I had finally graduated from Hogwarts along with my friends, which seemed highly improbable when I had begun my first year. What with Voldemort breathing down my neck, vying for any chance to take me out.
So how did I end up here? I wandered through the labyrinth of memories inside my head that could give me at least a hint which could explain my current predicament.
The last thing I remembered was leaving the King Cross Station. I just couldn't remember what happened after that. Some sort of accident possibly or had it been a death eater ambush?
Now what? This detached feeling was really grating on my nerves, literally. I could feel my whole body but was unable to move it, even an inch. Wasn't anyone around to notice that I had regained consciousness? Where was I anyway? I prayed it was not in a dungeon, captured by Voldemort or his death eaters pals. I would be better off if they thought I was dead.
Suddenly, a horrible thought came into my mind. Was I paralyzed? Would I ever be able to move again? A strangled feeling of helplessness took over me and I felt my whole body started to shiver. And my eyes flew open! Just like that.
For a moment I couldn't focus on anything and the darkness was not helping matters. Then I remembered that I had changed to lenses recently.
I began testing my mobility by trying to move my fingers and toes, which to my relief, moved obediently even though they were a bit stiff. I felt softness under me and realized that I was on a bed. That ruled out me being in the dungeons thankfully.
As my senses became more alive, gag reflex kicked in as I felt being choked by something. My right arm moved involuntarily and pulled out a long pipe from my throat which painfully grazed the insides of my throat. I began coughing as my chest started to hurt.
My hand brushed against another pipe which alarmingly was going into my nostrils. I hastily pulled it out as well, completely clearing my airway as I took in a deep breath. My chest started to hurt again and I burst into another coughing fit. Damn, this was hurting like hell. And I was only breathing…
I was feeling extremely cold, my flimsy overalls doing nothing to prevent the chill which was freezing my body.
My other arm felt rather heavy and so did my left leg. With painful difficulty, I lifted my head and craned my neck to look down and examine my limbs but a blurry mess was all I could see. Wasn't I a blind mess?
My lenses had to be somewhere nearby. Without them I was not sure whether I would be able to do much. With my moving arm I forced myself up to a sitting position and suddenly a stinging sensation burned the back of my arms and body as it came in contact with the cold air.
I twisted my hand around and brought it close to my eyes. What I saw nearly made me throw up. The skin had decayed and was in a bloody mess. The acrid smell was only making it worse. I figured that the condition would most probably be the same wherever I felt the sting. What could have caused that? I did my best to push what I saw to the back of my mind.
I lifted my other arm, which proved to be difficult due to its weight and the weakened state I was in. I noticed my forearm was fixated with an iron brace like thing which coiled around my arm. I had a suspicion that it had something do with broken bones. Upon closer inspection, I found that my left leg had similar braces around it. It seemed likely that I had been in an accident. Just my luck.
My ears caught a whirring sound but I couldn't find it; more like couldn't see the source. I had to do something about my eyes first.
I groped in the darkness as I felt for a draw or a cupboard beside my bed. Luckily enough, I found the handle and pulled it out. I felt for a matchbox sized box and to my surprise, found it in my first attempt. At least something was going right for me.
With great difficulty, I somehow managed to put on my lenses. Instantly, I had to close my eyes as it started to burn with tears of pain.
After a few minutes of discomfort, I finally brought the world into focus. I was in a dimly lit room and my bed was the only one occupied. The other two were empty. I looked around and found various machines some of which were off while some made odd sounds of choking as if on their last breaths. I was in a muggle hospital that much was obvious. What was I doing here?
It was really frustrating to not know what had happened to me to bring me to such a place. It was like a part of my memory had been wiped off. Were my friends looking for me? Did they know where I was? I highly suspected that was case. They wouldn't have left me in a muggle hospital.
As I became aware of my surroundings, I noticed some disturbing facts. It was dark in here; too dark. The layer of dust which I observed over my bed and the floor was making me uneasy. The musty smell in the air indicated poor ventilation in the room. It seemed that my well being was neglected for Merlin knows why. Did they find out that I was a wizard and abandoned me?
Another thought struck me. I quickly pulled out the other drawers and desperately looked everywhere it could be, even under the bed. My wand was missing! I felt naked without my shield, my weapon. Wandless magic had never been my piece of cake.
I warily eyed the dark corners of the room as if expecting a death eater to jump from it.
I tried to feel the magic within me and a warm sensation crept into my chest flowing outwards, throughout my body. It was extremely weak but it was still there. That comfortable feeling helped me regain my bearings.
My eyes went to the windowed door through which I noticed an intermittent flash of light interspersed with total darkness. What was going on? I asked myself, for Merlin knows how many times. There was only one way to find out.
I lifted my legs off the bed and then noticed that a pipe was going into my braced forearm. The pipe was connected to an empty bottle on a stand. The needle at the end was inside my arm and I decided not to mess around with it. Bleeding to death was the last thing I wanted.
My first attempt to get up from the bed only ended up with me painfully falling back.
I gritted my teeth as I fought against my protesting muscles, somehow managing to stand up on my two feet. I took hold of the stand to maintain my balance which was turning out to be quite difficult. It was as if I was learning to walk for the first time. How long had I be been out?
I stood unmoving for a few minutes as my heart pumped blood into my feet. The full force of pain blasted my back as it began to sting everywhere. I felt slightly nauseous and my head began to swoon. I closed my eyes hoping for that queasy feeling to go away. Slowly but steadily I felt the vertigo disappear.
Readying myself, I took the first step with my complete concentration on maintaining my balance. I nearly cheered in victory when my first step was a success. Such was my sorry state.
After I reached the door, I peered through the small window but couldn't make out anything. Was there a power cut or something? I held down the handle and pushed it outwards. The rusted hinges made a loud creak making me cringe at the noise. It seemed as if the door hadn't been used for a long time. That was another disturbing realization for me. Had they left me behind to die?
I moved ahead dragging the stand along with me for support. Stale air assaulted my nose nearly causing me to sneeze. A stench of abandonment floated through the air. And yeah, what the heck was going on?
I was in for a shock. Suddenly, I was blinded by a powerful light as rushing footsteps moved towards me.
"Freeze! You move, you die!" I heard a sharp order coming my way. Death eaters? No, they attacked first before they spoke. Then who?
Raising my hand I blocked the glare from my eyes and noticed that I was surrounded by three men, armed with guns which were shockingly, pointed in my direction. Muggles? What did I do now? There had to be a misunderstanding. After all, I was the most misunderstood person in the whole damn world. Well, I shouldn't be surprised. I was a trouble magnet after all. At least Hermione thought so.
Two more soldiers went past me into the room which I had left. Their fluid and coordinated movements and rigid postures indicated that they were highly trained professionals. What were they doing in an abandoned hospital? Were they here for me? It did seem that way. He highly suspected that anyone else could be in this hospital. So did these muggles know that I was a wizard? What happened with the Statute of Secrecy? And why would the muggles be hunting wizards? Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?
Another soldier rushed past me with a device I had never seen before. I only got a momentary chance to glance at it. From what I saw, it looked like a rectangular metallic box with a depressed plate attached on one side.
I heard the soldier stop at some distance behind me and then heard a clicking sound. Instantly, I began to feel extremely uneasy, as if something was interfering with the flow of magic through my body. I began to feel nauseous again as my magic fought against the interference, thereby draining me of my limited energy.
There was only one solution; to suppress my magic. I had previously learned to do that to avoid detection while training to combat Voldemort and his forces. I never knew that it would come in handy in such a manner.
It wasn't so difficult to do so; hide my magic that is. There was only a fraction of magical reserve which remained in my body. Whatever accident I had been in had certainly taken a heavy toll on me.
I heard urgent whispers coming from the direction of the light followed by another sharp order. "Gray. Use the body scanner."
I couldn't see his face as 'Gray' approached me with a stick which looked similar to the scanners he had seen on airports. I had never been to one but I had seen something like that on the television while I was at my relative's place.
So what was he scanning me for? Weapons? Explosives? Magic...? The latter seemed more likely. However, the reason behind their actions still eluded me. I decided to be on guard from now on. I had nothing on me that could give me away and I was certain there was nothing in the room that could incriminate me. I had searched every draw, every cupboard and had looked under the bed as well.
The scanner moved over me while I held my breath. Luckily, there was no response from it. I had to hold back the sigh of relief as I passed the test.
Now what? Were they going to take me along or just leave me here to die? I was in no condition to do much of anything. My hunger was overpowering me and the thirst was driving me crazy. I didn't remember the last time I had something to eat and drink.
I opened my mouth but no voice came out. The inner walls of my throat were completely dry and my voice box, it seemed, had rusted after the long period of non-usage.
"Take him!" The same voice spoke again. It had to be their leader, I figured through the tone of his voice. The leader walked away leaving me behind with the other soldiers.
A soldier came up to me and began examining my frail body. A red cross on his shoulder eased my mind. He was the medic of the team as I noticed him opening a first aid box to retrieve an... injection. I eyed the syringe warily as I tried to meet the medic's eyes but there was no reassurance, no words of comfort.
With those unfeeling eyes, the medic clutched my arm and unceremoniously jabbed me with the injection. It stung like hell. Wasn't it supposed to have just pricked me? I didn't have any energy to protest.
A gasp left me as the medic pulled the tube out of my arm, surprising me with the sharp pain which shot through my forearm till my shoulder. The medic quickly bandaged the punctured wound the needle left behind to stem the bleeding and they were ready to move. I was not. My head began to swoon again, even that minor blood loss affected me enough to sap me off my strength.
I nearly toppled over if not for the two strong arms which held me in place. I was having real difficulty concentrating on my surroundings as I felt myself leave the floor and on the move.
My eyelids were feeling very heavy as I barely managed to hold onto the last tendrils of my consciousness. I felt myself being lifted into a loud humming vehicle and laid down on a hard surface. Finally losing my battle to stay awake, I fainted.
***B***
My eyes flew open and I found myself breathing into a soft pillow. A comfortable coolness seemed to lick my back causing me to sigh in relief. I was lying on my stomach, my arms resting by my side. My braces had been removed it seemed.
"Oh! You are awake?" A female voice rang in the large white room, lined with steel shelves. Her tone was soft and sweet, causing me to turn my head to look at the source.
I quickly turned back around as my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. The first thing I noticed was her beautiful face which was an amazing combination of smooth and sharp features. She looked to be in early twenties, wearing white nurse overalls which seemed to hug her at the right places. Her amused eyes met my gaze, which I quickly averted only to find myself lying naked, save for the piece of towel covering my behind.
I felt her hand move on my back as she began spreading the gel like stuff, causing me to shiver involuntarily.
"What... are... you..." I managed to gasp out, becoming extremely uncomfortable in this awkward position.
"Just spreading this cream to heal your sores." Her smiling voice responded. "It feels good doesn't it?"
I didn't reply as my head began to swoon again; for an entirely different reason this time.
"There, it's done." She announced and stepped back. I didn't dare turn around to look at her. "The cream would dry up in an hour or so and I would suggest you to not move until then. Your new clothes are in the cupboard over there. I hope they are of your size. Well, I'll be off then."
I breathed a sigh of relief as I dropped my head in the pillow. Was I stuck in a dream? It seemed so unreal that I wouldn't have been surprised if it did turn out to be one. I just needed to wake up.
An hour later, I was in my extra-large clothes as I stood before the closed door. The cream had done wonders to my back; only a numb pain was all that remained. My whole body on the other hand had shocked me. I was mess of wounds and gashes which decorated my thin and frail body. The muscles and strength I had painstakingly developed no longer existed. I just looked like a patient who was on his last legs.
I tried the handle but the door didn't budge. I raised my hand to knock but the door flew open before my knuckles could make any impact. A soldier was standing before me, his eyes looking at me with disinterest. "Enter through that door." The soldier said curtly, pointing to another door opposite the one I was in.
I nodded politely and moved ahead to knock on the door with trepidation. I hoped that the person behind the door wasn't the same nurse I saw earlier.
The door opened to reveal a balding doctor with a stethoscope hanging around his neck. I felt relieved; and a bit disappointed.
The doctor looked at me in a way which indicated that he had many other better things to do. He would have slammed the door in my face if he was allowed to have his way.
After a pause, the doctor grudgingly moved aside to let me in. I took the only chair which was available. The doctor quickly went through the formalities of checking me up, scoffing and sniffing intermittently which was proving to be rather annoying.
Within five minutes, I found myself outside the door, literally thrown out by the doctor. The same soldier who was standing outside walked up to me. "Follow me"
I obeyed and began trailing him. The soldier led me to a door and opened it for me. The instant I stepped in, the door closed behind me with an ominous click. I was locked in a room with one side of the wall housing a large window while the centre of the room was occupied by two chairs opposite each other with a steel table in the middle.
I was in an interrogation room. I was certain of it. But why did they require me here? Did it have something to do with my little secret?
As my eyes moved around the room, I was rather shocked to notice a Firebolt lying against the wall. Now what was it doing here? Was it another test to check who I really was? Was there someone observing me from the other side of the glass?
To hide my surprise, I moved towards the broom and acted as if I was examining it with a neutral expression on my face.
After a moment, I returned to one of the empty chairs, feeling the tiredness creep into my bones. My hunger and thirst somehow seemed to have been sated. The Muggles must have given me something while I was out.
There was nothing much to look around beside my own reflection on the one way glass. I returned my thoughts back to my own body. My magic was still safely concealed into the depths of my body, only my will having the ability to unlock it. Even being unconscious or in a state of sleep could not reveal my hidden prowess. I had truly mastered it as far as I could remember.
I flexed my arms and legs to test my weakened state. There was no doubt that I had become terribly weak, a shadow of my past. I felt as if all my efforts earlier had gone to waste in building a body that I was rather proud of.
My mind worked furiously for ways to escape these Muggles and find someone I knew who could tell me something about what was going on. I might have been knocked out for around a week or so. What all could have happened since then? I wanted to know what Voldemort was doing and had anyone died since then...
My thoughts were interrupted when the door I entered from opened and a medium heighted man walked in, wearing civilian clothes, an air of casualness around him. He had an easy smile on his face and looked almost friendly. Almost.
Behind those amicable eyes, I could perceive a predator ready to pounce on me if given a chance. I suspected that it was my Legilimency at play as I detected a structured mind with chaotic activity in my interrogator's head. However, I didn't push. It would be foolish if I ended up giving myself away.
The interrogator sat in front of me, laying his eyes upon me. And thus began a war of minds and emotions as the interrogator 'Timmy', played out every possible card to unbalance me and make me slip. His expressions and words changed in a flash, going from all friendly and cheerful to cold and harsh.
I was already prepared with a strategy and with my decent enough Occlumency skills, I put up a good enough act which even surprised myself. Well, after a year of deception and covert activities, this shouldn't have surprised me.
I had forgotten who I was and my whole life before the accident; at least that was the lie I told them through my teeth.
I expertly manoeuvred through 'Timmy's fingers, trying to fool the lie detector by momentarily hiding my memories from myself. I was doing a good job until 'Timmy' opened his bag of tricks, literally.
What were Muggles doing with these magical things? How did they get hold of such items? Why did that wand seem familiar? Try as I might, I couldn't remember where I had last seen it.
My Occlumency was tested to its limits as I fought down my heart beats in attempts to hide my shock and curiosity. From the looks of it, I suspected that I had cleared the interrogation.
The interrogator's expression turned neutral as he relaxed into his chair, his eyes studying me carefully.
I noticed him momentarily glancing in the direction of the glass and then returning his eyes to me. I just raised my eyebrow enquiringly in response, meeting his eyes without blinking. After a bit of a staring match, 'Timmy' pulled out a sheet of a paper and a pen and began writing something on it.
At first I tried to ignore it. Then my inquisitiveness got the better of me as I bent over to read the paper upside down. I found myself getting amused with its contents, or the lack of. Early twenties? Did I look that old? Class: H? What did that mean? Malnourished? It made me hungry after just reading that word. Amnesia? Didn't I tell you that I was a good actor? Lightening Scar? Now even the muggles know... Wasn't I just famous?
As my interrogator looked up, I put up a mask of indifference, examining the sheet nonchalantly. "We need to do something about your name."
"Yeah, being nameless is not my taste." I replied with a hint of sarcasm. However, my name wasn't my concern so I pushed for some answers. "Could you tell me what happened to me? How long have I been out? And why am I here?" I pressed with a firm tone.
'Timmy' examined my messy hair and my eyes, before saying with a neutral look on his face. "Harry Green sounds a good name, what do you think?" He totally disregarded my questions.
I froze, but only for an instant, although I was sure my expression had given me away. I hoped it was just a coincidence. "Very imaginative of you, naming me using my facial features." I said mockingly in efforts to hide my earlier goof up. "How about sleeping beauty? Or scar face?"
'Timmy' gave a dry chuckle. "I think Harry Green suits you better."
I didn't say anything. I looked down at my cuffs. "Can I leave now?"
"Where will you go?" 'Timmy' asked promptly, his eyes studying me closely.
My face went blank. I had walked myself into a trap. I changed my expression and put on a mask of helplessness and gloom. "Where will I go…?" I repeated. "I... What should I do?" I said looking up. Perfect!
The interrogator eyed me suspiciously before saying. "You could stay in our colony for the time being. Till you get your memory back that is." The way he said the last part indicated he didn't really believe my act. "I will arrange for a temporary ID for you." He said with a concluding tone.
I stood up but before I turned around for the door, I thrust my clasped wrists in front of my interrogator. "Care to remove them? They seem to be weighing me down." 'Timmy' just gave me an enquiringly look. "C'mon now. I don't want to be shocked each time I lie."
"Of course!" 'Timmy' exclaimed mockingly. "Lying is a human tendency after all." I only offered a grimace. The clasps clicked and came off by themselves, dropping with a clang on the table. They seemed to be remotely controlled, or at least it looked that way. Muggle technology was not my strongest subject although I was not an ignorant one.
The door behind me clicked as well which indicated that I was free to go. Or was I? With hurried steps I moved towards the door, suddenly finding the air in the room suffocating me.
My hand was on the door when 'Timmy' spoke from behind him. "You might want to speak with Henderson if you need help knowing your way around here." He paused before completing his sentence. "The world has changed a lot in the last four months after all. You might be a bit lost in your current state."
A wave of shock hit me as my knees wobbled and I had to press my palms on the door to stay standing. Four months! I have been sleeping for that long...? My breathing became erratic as a sense of panic gripped me. What was going on in the wizarding world? What would my absence have caused? With Voldemort unopposed what has he been doing? Were his friends still alive?
Unanswered questions began to torment my already weakened mind. I gave a grunted response and somehow managed to slip through the door.
Thankfully there was no one outside to look at my sorry state. I closed the door and slid down in a crouched position with my back against the door. My vain attempt to clear my mind was actually making it worse for me. It was very rare when my Occlumency failed to deliver. This was one such moment.
I heard footsteps moving in my direction but didn't move. I was too tired; too devastated by the time I had lost to make any difference. I had trained relentlessly, forcing my body to work within an inch of death. But it seemed too late now...
"Are you okay?"
I looked up, instantly recognizing the voice. It was slightly dark but the contours of the face were unmistakably of her; the medic. "I am fine."
She chuckled causing me to shiver. I frowned slightly at the effect she was having on me. "Of course you are." She joked with a smiling tone.
To prove my point I rose to my feet, which ended up looking like a furious battle with gravity. Even that small action had left me panting as I laid one hand on the door to maintain my balance. I prepared myself for her mockery as I did my best to not look at her.
"You might be thirsty, and hungry I guess." She said simply. "Come with me. Let's go look for a nice restaurant."
I just stared back at her with a dumbfounded look on my face. Why was she being so friendly with me? Did she have an ulterior motive? Was she...
"Where are my manners?" She suddenly exclaimed. "My name is Claire. Claire Henderson. I have been asked to assist you in fitting into our colony."
My face suddenly took on a guarded expression. "So you are my handler?"
Claire chuckled again. "Nothing of that sort. You are neither a convict nor a wild animal. I am here just for your assistance."
"What if I say I don't need any help?" I said testily.
I noticed her eyes twinkle in the dark. "Not very social, are you?"
"Can't expect much from a person who has forgotten almost everything of his past. I must be on my guard and be wary of strangers. It is rather unfortunate that all seem strangers to me now." I said.
Claire laughed lightly, her laughs for some unknown reason calming my nerves and bringing a small smile to my face, which I hastily wiped away in attempts to be as unfriendly as possible. What was wrong with her? This feeling was so familiar, as if I had felt it before. However, try as I might I couldn't place it.
"This stranger is here to help." She said with a smile, raising her hand in the air. I had to fight the smile of my face, again. "Come on now. This darkness is not good for your health."
I snorted. Only if she knew about the pitch black darkness which resided in me.
My stomach growled and the parched throat bit me from inside. I sure needed some filling up. I decided to take her help for the moment. I might even get some information out of her. I dropped my hand from the door and tested my footing. All good.
I began walking with Claire at my side. I chose to keep my eyes straight ahead and my expressions neutral.
"You haven't told me your name. Umm.. You do remember your name at least?" She asked with a curious tone as we walked.
I looked at her carefully before answering. "No I don't. Although I have been given a name a few moments ago." I paused as we entered a corridor which was more brightly lit than the previous one. I gulped and looked away from her dazzling face. I was almost certain that something was different about her. "Harry Green. At least that is what your people have decided to call me."
I heard her melodious chuckle from my side as we matched our footsteps, with her slightly in the lead. "Very original of them."
"Just what I thought. Although I like the name." I said more to myself. At least I won't need to adjust myself with a new name.
"Can I call you Harry?" She asked me.
For a moment I didn't respond. I was still suspicious of her. The train of events didn't seem natural. Or was I just being my usual paranoid self? "Why were you chosen to help me out?" I enquired, disregarding her question.
"I was not chosen or anything." She replied without missing a beat. "I am part of the medical corps and our job is to treat the civilians caught in the war."
"War? What war?" I looked at her with genuine worry. I was hoping it was not what I had in my mind even though it seemed to be the only plausible explanation.
"I will tell you but not now." Claire skirted around my question. "You have been through a lot already and you must take your time to swallow it all down."
I glanced at her momentarily before looking back ahead. "So where are we going?"
"To the colony."
There was a bout of silence, the sound of their feet being the only noise in the quiet corridor.
I glimpsed at her, against my better judgment. And she caught me looking at her, flashing her smile at me. I couldn't stop the smile from my face. "Are you this friendly with all of your patients?"
"Not this friendly, no. Your green eyes and that fascinating scar seemed to have enchanted me." She responded with a glint in her eyes.
I chuckled this time. "I am sure you say that to all of your patients. To make them think they are special."
"Aren't you a clever one?"
With great difficulty I pulled my eyes away from her grin. "Where are we?" I asked in an effort to regain my senses which were threatening to spiral out of control.
"In one of the many underground perimeter bases which surround this colony." She replied.
So this colony was being protected from someone that much was apparent. I had an inkling who that someone could be. Why else would the interrogator be questioning him about magical items?
"What are you doing down here then?" I asked looking at her. "Shouldn't the outside world suit you more?" This time she was avoiding my eyes.
"I have my reasons." She replied vaguely with a tone which indicated no further discussion on this topic would be entertained.
"Did you lose someone close to you?" I pressed her, trying to test her character. She didn't respond but I knew I had hit upon the truth as her discomfort and rigidness became apparent. I chose to question her later about it. "So where are we exactly?"
It was after a moment when she answered me. "South London. Sutton to be exact."
We turned into another corridor which seemed to slope upwards. Even though it was not too steep, I was already out of breath.
Suddenly, a wave of weakness washed over me and my body began to fall. Claire threw her arms around me and steadied me.
Blood flowed back through my head and my eyes regained focus. I found Claire looking down at me with concern in her eyes. Her sweet scent assaulted my nose. It tingled wherever her body touched me and her closeness to me brought a hint of reddening to my cheeks. "I think we should switch our positions before my manliness takes a major hit." I managed to say out while trying to hide my embarrassment.
She laughed and her voice rang through my head, activating thoughts and feelings I had buried a long time ago.
"My damsel in distress" She joked as she lifted me off the ground with surprising strength. Or maybe I was too light in weight.
I grinned weakly as we resumed walking with one of Claire's hands on my shoulder. Even that little touch sent shivers down my body. I was not a physical person and shied away from any touch of physical affection. The only exception was Hermione. It seemed natural whenever I was with her along with Ron. I really missed them. What were they doing now? Were they still alive?
I was lost in my thoughts and didn't notice Claire opening the door after she entered the security code.
The door swung outwards and the bright sunlight hit me, the warmth of the sun comfortably hugging me and easing the tension in my muscles. I breathed in deeply as the warm air seemed to cleanse my insides. I squinted as I took in my surroundings.
The sound of car horns and the chatter of people entered my ears as I found myself in a crowded intersection. I turned around to see where we had come from. A crude sign board hung above the door which said 'Tom's pawn shop'. A 'Closed' sign hung around the doorknob of the rather worn out door. Neat!
Its similarity with the entrance to Diagon Alley surprised me slightly. I turned my head to Claire to comment but my words got stuck in my throat.
The sunlight seemed to pronounce her beauty, augmenting the glow on her face. It looked like every feature of her face was sculpted to perfection. But no one could be so perfect. Or were my eyes playing tricks on me?
Claire found me staring at her, a look of amusement on her face. I quickly drew my eyes away and mumbled "Sorry"
I heard Claire's smiling voice as she said "Many guys have ogled at me but none of them had apologized."
"I was not ogling at you!" I protested. "I was just... just appreciating your beauty."
Claire giggled. "You flatter me." There was no awkwardness, no shyness on her face though. I guessed she had a habit of being complimented on her looks.
It was I who was feeling embarrassed by the situation. "So where to?"
"Straight to the point, I see." Claire said raising her right eyebrow. "Not enjoying my company?"
I just gulped and looked around the intersection. This was really getting on my nerves. I had battled the death eaters with ruthlessness and destroyed my enemies with a cold heart and here I was playing a hopeless little pup wearing my emotions on my sleeves. I just wanted to get as far away from her as possible. I wanted to be in control of myself. I wanted to be alone.
"See that restaurant?" Claire said pulling me out of my musings. Her finger was pointed to a joint on the opposite side of the street. "The food is really good there. Let's go." She pulled me along, holding my hand as we crossed the busy street. I didn't even resist as I went along with her.
We reached the pavement on the other side and began moving towards our destination. We walked past a large display of clothes and I found myself looking at our reflection in the glass.
My shabby and large clothing made me a misfit for her company. I didn't know how she was comfortable being around me.
We walked in the restaurant with Claire in the lead. My eyes were on the floor while Claire cheerfully greeted a few people as we walked past them. She led me to a seat which was next to the glass wall overlooking the busy street.
She sat opposite me and began perusing the menu while I studied the people and watched the cars zoom by. My eyes returned to her, watching her eyes flit over the menu. Without looking up she asked me. "So what would you like to have?"
I gave her a blank look. "Umm... anything would do. I don't have any preferences as far as I can remember, which isn't much."
Claire chuckled. "We need to work on your sense of humour which is rather dark and distressing at the moment."
"Good luck with that." I carefully observed the other occupants of this restaurant, flagging them and marking them in terms of potential danger. That ingrained habit of mine was too hard to do away with. It had really helped me in the past.
The waiter walked up to us and Claire gave the order. My focus was still engrossed in reading the people around me as a sense of normalcy came over me. I had trained myself to be the hunter and I was most comfortable when I was in my elements.
Claire cleared her throat bringing my attention to her. Yes, she was still beautiful. "You seem uncomfortable being around so many people."
"Yeah" I grimaced for effect.
We sat in silence as we waited for the food to come. It was time to make her company useful for me. "Tell me Claire, what has been happening for the last four months?" I used her first name to get on her good side and make her more open to me.
"You won't believe me."
"Depends on what you have to say. I might give you the benefit of the doubt." I said giving her a look.
Claire eyed me carefully before she began. "Around three months ago the world we knew was turned upside down. What we thought as fantasy had become a reality. We were living a dream with eyes wide open. Wait, let me correct that. It was a nightmare, something unimaginable. The unthinkable had happened. The world we knew no longer existed." She paused in her poetic description. I patiently waited for her to continue. "A part of our population which has lived amongst us is very different from us even though they look like humans."
"You mean aliens?" I gave her a perfect dubious look. I already had a good enough idea who they were. I was just testing her.
"No. Not aliens." Claire seemed a bit miffed at my interruption. "Mages"
"Mages?" I repeated, exaggerating the disbelieving look on my face. "You mean people who could do magic tricks?"
"No. Real magic" She said, giving me a mysterious smile. "I have seen it with my own eyes." Her features hardened for a second and I got a glimpse of her real face behind that happy mask she had put on.
"So what you are saying is we are at war with the mages?" I asked with doubt in my eyes. She nodded. "Really difficult to believe I must say." I looked out through the glass. "Then why is everything so normal here as if nothing has happened?"
"It is only a facade." She explained. "Look at their wary eyes and you will see the truth. All this military presence is not just for show. It was our Minister who had first come out in the open and took control of the chaos that had broken out. Without him our situation would have been far worse."
"The Minister?" I asked with genuine curiosity.
"Yes" She nodded. "He was the only one of us who was aware of their presence. At first we thought he had gone loony and was just playing a political gimmick. However, he gave proof to the public and his explanations really fit in with all the mysterious and unexplained killing and destruction that was tormenting our lives. He also explained why no one was aware of it and the secrecy which had been maintained until now. Initially, it seemed rather farfetched but you know what people say, seeing is believing."
"What happened?" I asked carefully, noticing the sadness marring her beautiful face.
She kept quiet and I thought she wouldn't answer me. However, before I could say anything, she responded. "I was with my little brother along with my parents who were driving the car to this new shopping mall which had opened. And then it happened. There were lots of green flashes... One of them hit my dad... and another hit my... mother... and another... my brother. Our car crashed but I survived. No one else did..." The grief in her eyes unsettled me. A tear trailed down her cheek as she looked lost in thought. I gently placed my hand on hers and held it reassuringly. However, it seemed that she didn't feel it. "My world had died that day. My reason to live had vanished before my eyes." She looked up in my eyes, the intensity in them bored down mine causing me to flinch but I managed to hold her gaze.
I gave her hand a squeeze. I didn't say anything to her. I actually didn't know what to say to console her. I was usually useless with such kind of emotional stuff.
Our food arrived, serving as a good distraction for us. I drank the cold juice which was rather welcomed by my throat. The sandwich had a much more difficult time going down.
Claire seemed alright so I pushed on with my questions. "So what is this colony you have been talking about?"
She swallowed her bite before saying. "Our country has been divided into small but densely populated colonies making it easier to protect with the available military force."
"Can't we get help from other countries or something?" I posed the question which has been bugging me for a while.
"Well, the same thing is happening all over the world, not just our country. The whole world is at war with these mages."
I looked at her with wide eyes. I didn't expect the situation could snowball throughout the world. Could so much happen in just three months? What other surprises were in store for me?
The whole thing had gone far beyond my control. The prophecy held little meaning at the moment. Everything would remain unchanged even if I somehow managed to take out Voldemort. Why did it turn out to be like this? What was I supposed to do now? There was no one to guide me anymore. Dumbledore was the only person I could have relied upon in situations like this in spite of all the manipulations I had suffered at his hand. Too bad he was dead, murdered by the person the headmaster had trusted above others.
I squeezed my eyes shut as a sharp headache began to spin my head. I had forgotten this kind of pain and it sent alarm bells ringing as I suddenly realized what it meant. My scar was on fire!
"Are you alright?" Claire said with concern as she noticed me clutching my forehead.
"Headache" I managed to voice out. Suddenly the pain worsened and then as suddenly as it had come, it vanished entirely. I lifted my head to look at her but before I could say anything disaster had struck the street outside the restaurant.
Death eaters had appeared all over the place with a green glow already forming at the end of their wands.
Didn't I say that I was trouble magnet? This was proof enough.
