Chapter 28 - My heart didn't break, it shattered and Excess (Prompts)

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The moment Harry entered the Forbidden Forest, he looked around breathlessly, his gaze squinting at every tree suspiciously for the black cloak he had seen only a few seconds ago. When he heard the scrunch of footsteps behind him, he turned around quickly, expecting to find Hermione and Ron at his heels. Instead, he came face to face with two individuals who wore the Auror robes, their wands drawn and their gazes fixed on him curiously.

"I saw someone."

The bigger, burlier man took slow steps so that his back was to Harry. "Where?"

"I'm not sure." He wondered if the person he was chasing had managed to Apparate without any of them hearing the cursory sound, or whether he was hiding somewhere between the thick growth of trees. The accompanying silence only succeeded in proving to him that he had seen the person responsible for the commotion. Or at least his cloak.

The Aurors exchanged a glance, the person who spoke telling the other with a twitch of his head to move closer to Harry. They both stood protectively on either side of him before the other Auror shook his head. "I think it's better if we take you back, Potter."

The Auror who first spoke nodded. "Let's get you some place safe."

Harry felt his lips purse in annoyance. It surprised him that they still treated him like he was their secret weapon when technically he had already done what he had been asked to do. "I saw someone," he said forcefully, wondering if they even believed him.

"Whoever was here, they are gone now," the second Auror said thoughtfully even as he started cautiously nudging Harry out of the Forest.

Harry's mouth was just parting to demand that they search the vicinity when a spine-chilling scream pierced the air. With a quick glance to each toward each other, they moved quickly, their feet scrunching the fallen leaves as they leapt over tree roots and haphazard rocks as they made their way out of the thick growth.

He saw it the moment they were out in the clearing, the green mark floating sinisterly over the very place where he had been with thousands of people. He felt his chest clench in fear, knowing what the Dark Mark meant: Death Eaters. Had there been a death? Was anyone injured? The very thought of seeing Hermione, Ron or anyone else who had been there dead wouldn't just cause his heart to break, but to shatter. Harry didn't think he had it in him to live through another death. He didn't wait for the other two Aurors, he ran quickly towards the space where the Memorial Service had been held, his breath baited in fear. When he saw Ron, then Hermione huddled with all the Weasleys, he felt a thankful breath leave him as he made his way over to them and embraced them immediately, one arm around each of their necks.

"Blimey, where were you?" Ron asked after he pulled away. "One minute you were right next to me, the next, gone." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "We tried to go after you, but they stopped us." Harry followed his best mate's gaze until his eyes landed on two other Aurors who seemed deep in conversation with the two who had followed him earlier.

Harry's gaze then fell on the rest of the people who were there. Some helping people to their feet while others comforted those next to them in any way they could. Hermione seemed to understand his unasked question.

"No one's hurt. Just after you left, someone sent the Dark Mark." She embraced him again, her voice soft against his ear when she whispered, "We were worried it had something to do with you." She pulled back and touched him gently, almost as if she was doing a quick examination to make sure he wasn't hurt. "What happened?"

"I thought I saw someone at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, just before all this happened." His face scrunched up in confusion. "What was that, anyway?"

"No bleeding idea." Ron gestured to the Head of the Auror office who was speaking to Kingsley a few feet away. "But they might know."

It was at that moment that Bill came towards them, his expression sombre. "They want us all to go into the Great Hall. I think they want all of our statements."

Harry heard Ron mumble 'Brilliant' sarcastically under his breath.

Either Bill ignored him or he just didn't hear since he continued without missing a beat. "I'm going to see what I can do to get us to leave early. Mum would have heard about the Mark soon enough; I'd rather she see everyone with her own eyes before she thinks something unnecessary."

They nodded in agreement before they heard the deep voice of Kingsley behind them. "Harry."

Harry nearly jumped in surprise before he turned to face the imposing figure of the former Auror.

"Can we have a word?"

Stoically, he nodded, wondering why that tone of voice made him feel the way he usually did whenever McGonagall called him.

Ron nudged him. "Go on, mate. We'll be here when you get back." Hermione nodded while she shared a small smile with him.

Harry watched them join the rest of the excessive group of people as they made their way to his former school. Turning around, he noticed the small group of Ministry Officials who stood ominously waiting for him.

With a tired sigh, he started walking towards them. This couldn't be good.

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