A/N: Well, here's chapter 16! Yay! BTW-Holy-Frick-In-A-Bucket it's long! Longest chapter yet!
Disclaimer: Please don't make me say it again, it was hard enough to say the first time.
Harry and Mr. Weasley arrived back at The Burrow after meeting with Lucius. Mr. Weasley ran inside to tell his wife about everything that they had learned, and Harry ran inside to tell Ron. Harry ran up the stairs, two at a time, excited for Ron to also learn the new information about Hermione's captor. He kept running, but right before Harry reached the door and was about to turn the knob that led to the bedroom that he and Ron shared, Harry remembered that Ron was no longer in the house. He took his hand off of the door knob, and moved toward the stairs and sat down. Harry stared off into space, feeling incredibly alone.
After who knows how long, Ginny came to the stairs and sat down next to Harry. Harry didn't even acknowledge that Ginny had sat down next to him. He was to wrapped up in his own thoughts of his two best friends, and how he had no idea where they are or if they were safe or even alive. Harry put his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. He rubbed his eyes and hunched over, hoping that the tears that were swimming in his eyes won't fall. Ginny put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder, and rubbed his back in circles, hoping to give him some sort of ease.
Harry wanted nothing more than to be able to go out and know exactly where Hermione was, and save her from the horrible place she was probably stuck in. He wanted Ron to come home, or to know where he is, so that he could bring Ron home safe. Harry felt so helpless and useless, and he wished with all his heart that he could help in some way.
Ginny kept rubbing Harry's back, hoping that she could help him somehow. She saw the sadness in his eyes whenever someone mentions Hermione or if he gets a thought about Ron. Ginny hated seeing Harry so sad all the time, but she guessed that's how people felt when your two best friends go missing. Ginny knew how he was feeling because she was feeling the same thing. Her brother had gone missing, and so had the one girl who was like a sister to her. Ginny still thought that Hermione was dead, and that getting everyone's hopes up was useless, but she offered comfort and advice whenever she could.
Then, Harry and Ginny heard the kitchen door open and slam shut. They both slightly jump, and their heads jerked up. The sound of someone running into the house and stomping up the stairs echoed up to where Ginny and Harry were sitting. Then, an out-of-breath ginger appeared from the bottom of the stairs, screaming for everyone to come downstairs to him. Harry's eyes brightened, and realized that his voice was a voice that he would recognize anywhere. Ginny, catching on before Harry, ran ahead and jumped into her brother's arms, giving him a gigantic hug.
"You GIT! We thought that they had take you! That you were dead! You complete fool!" Ginny screamed at Ron when she backed away from the bone-crushing hug. She started hitting and punching Ron, while Ron kept screaming about 'wasting time.' Then, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ran down the stairs, fallowed by George.
"Yea, I'm back. No time to explain anything now. They're attacking Diagon Alley, and we need to go, NOW!" Ron yelled. Everyone looked at each other not needing to ask who the 'they' Ron was referring to was. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and apparated her to Diagon Alley and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley fallowed after them. Only George and Ron were left at The Burrow.
"George, I-"
"No! You promised!" George yelled at Ron. Ron looked into his brother's eyes, and saw that he looked like he had aged a hundred years. His eyes were filled with fury and sadness.
"I know! I just… couldn't handle it anymore!"
"Couldn't handle it? You have GOT to be joking!"
"I'm sorry! I know that I said-"
"I remember. There's no need to repeat your lies."
"George! They weren't lies! I swear!" Ron pleaded.
"Not lies? You promised you wouldn't leave if I didn't! I was ready to end my damn life!"
"I know! I was there! I stopped you!"
"I was freaking there! I know what happened. I was holding my wand, ready to end it easily, without pain, when you came in. You started saying that life was hard for you too, and how you lost a brother and now your soul mate. You said that it was just as difficult, like it was for me."
"And it was! It still is!"
"THEN WHY'D YOU RUN AWAY? I could have helped you, like you helped me! You promised that you wouldn't leave me, and that I wouldn't leave you. But guess what, Ron! YOU LEFT! You left like him…" George whispered the last sentence so quietly that if Ron hadn't been looking right at him, he wouldn't have known that George had said anything.
"I didn't leave! I came back!"
"Save it. We have to go save some people, remember?" George said coldly, right before he apparated away to Diagon Alley.
Ron screamed, and punched the wall next to him, but instantly regretted it once he felt the surge of pain flow through his hand. He swore loudly and quickly healed himself, then apparated to Diagon Alley to join his family.
XxXxXx
When Harry felt air finally enter his lungs after apparating with Ginny, he looked around, noticing the gory scene in front of him. Most of the shops were on fire, with smoke seeping out from the broken windows. There was glass all over the street, and there were people running in every direction. Some of the shops weren't even standing anymore, and Harry suspected that someone had blown them up. There were bodies all over the streets, some alive and some dead. People were screaming and children were crying. Harry looked around, noticing how over-populated it was, and realizing that it was the end of August, when Hogwarts students would be getting their book and supplies for school. He looked closer at the bodies on the ground and saw that most of them were only kids, some as young as 11 years old. It made Harry disgusted and sick, and he felt that he needed to help everyone, but he couldn't move. He was planted in the one spot, unable to tear his eyes away from the traumatic street in front of him and run off to fight. Harry faintly heard Ginny screaming his name from beside him, and someone tugging on his arm. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. Then, someone pushed him down, and he landed on the pavement. Then, he felt someone land on top of him, and saw a flash of green light strike right where he had been standing.
"You- STUPIFY- idiot! You almost- AVIS, OPPUGNO- got yourself- CONFRINDO- killed!" Ginny yelled at Harry, pointing her wand at cloaked Death Eaters and shouting spells at them as she got off of Harry and put her hand out towards him to help him up off of the pavement.
"Thanks," Harry said, grabbing her hand and lifting himself upward. He took out his wand and started helping Ginny with a duel she was in. Then, another Death Eater joined the duel. Harry was fighting with the new Death Eater, and Ginny was fighting the original one. Harry stunned his opponent, but Ginny was still in a heated battle with hers. Harry was stepping in to help Ginny, pointing his wand toward the Death Eater across from her, but Ginny used a spell to make her opponent fly backwards against the brick wall that was behind him.
"Go and start checking the bodies. If anyone's alive, get them somewhere safe and heal them, alright?" Ginny said.
Harry nodded and ran off to a woman who was face-down on the pavement. He kneeled down beside her and gently pulled her to her side. Her eyes were open wide and glazed over. Harry grabbed her wrist, looking for a pulse, and found none. Then, he looked down at her stomach, and noticed the slight bump at her waist-line. Harry's eyes widened with shock when he realized that the poor woman was pregnant. He felt so disgusted that those vicious Death Eaters would kill an innocent by-stander, who not only did nothing to them, but was also with child. They not only killed a soon-to-be mother, but also an unborn child. He felt his hands clench into tight fists, and his nails jabbing his palms. Harry felt so angry and outraged by the Death Eaters. He felt the need to go out and fight them, the need to go out and destroy them.
Harry shook his head, trying to calm himself down. He didn't want to run into some fight, mad with rage, and end up doing something he'll regret. Harry needed to help the people who were laying on the pavement, who were sitting in their own blood, who needed to be saved. Harry wanted to help the people that were trying to cry out for help, but couldn't.
He kept running down the street, stopping at every body, trying to find people who were alive. He didn't find anyone who was still living, though. Harry kept running around, looking for someone who was still alive, but found no one. Then, it hit Harry. No one was alive. There were no survivors. At least from what Harry could see, no one was living. He started running up and down the street, yelling for anyone who was alive to yell out to him, but he heard nothing. Harry kept running up and down, still screaming for anyone who was alive to scream out for help.
Then, after what seemed like hours that were actually a few short minutes, Harry heard a small whimper. It was so quiet that Harry wasn't sure that he even heard it, but then, the whimper grew slightly louder. As Harry fallowed the groan, he found himself in a dark and creepy alleyway. There was someone laying face-down on the ground, curled up into a tiny ball. He quickly ran toward the person and bent down next to them. Harry turned over the body, to find a little girl, who looked around seven years old. The young girl had tear stains running down her dirty cheeks. Her body was curled up into a tight ball and her black curls were matted to her head with sweat.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked the young girl. She shook her head slightly, then raised her hand to touch her head as she moaned.
"What hurts?" Harry asked as he reached out his arm and put it around the girl's shoulders. Then, he pulled her upward so she was sitting up and leaning against Harry's chest.
"H-head… arm… leg…" she trailed off. The girl's eyes fluttered closed.
Harry took out his wand, ready to heal her if he could.
"Does it feel broken?" He asked.
She nodded.
"Do you remember what happened?" Harry asked, still holding her against his chest, hoping to give her some comfort and trying to take her pain away.
"C-crucio…" She trailed off, her tears falling faster.
Harry gasped, hating the new Death Eaters even more. Voldemort's followers had never tortured a small child, they get the killing over with. Harry stroked the young girl's hair, hoping to soothe her.
"…purple light…"
Harry looked down at the girl. Harry had never heard of a spell with purple light, only purple flames, and that couldn't be it because when Hermione was hit with the spell she couldn't move, yet alone talk.
"What did the purple light feel like?" he asked.
"Elec-rik shock"
"Electric shock?" Harry asked, smiling at the small 6 year old who still sometimes mixed up her words.
The small girl nodded.
Then, Harry remembered what Lucius had told them about Aries: A flash of purple light came toward me, and I felt as if I had been shocked by lightning. I felt the electric shock flow through my veins.
"Do you remember what he looked like?" Harry asked, getting hopeful and excited that she might have seen Aries.
She shook her head.
"Did he do anything else?" Harry asked.
The young child took Harry's hand that was stroking her hair and moved it so that Harry's palm was touching the middle of her back. It was covered with sticky liquid and when Harry pulled back his hand, his palm was red with blood.
"Merlin… what happened?" he asked.
"…Sectumparva."
"Was that the spell?"
She nodded, wincing. The girl opened her eyes and looked up at Harry. Her eyes were so brown that they almost looked black.
Harry started to stand up and trying to bring the small child with him. He wanted to get her to St. Mungo's.
"NO NO- AHHHHHHH!" she screamed out in pain. Harry looked down in shock.
"Is it really that painful?" Harry asked. She answered him by screaming again. Harry was about to sit back down when he heard loud, thundering footsteps coming towards him and the small girl in his arms. He quickly picked her up in his arms, cradling her wedding-style, and she started yelling in pain again.
"I'm sorry," He said as he started running away from the footsteps that were coming towards them. He ran into one of the only shops that were still somewhat standing, and hid behind a wall that was half fallen. Then, he laid the girl down with her head in his lap.
Harry started thinking about how he could possibly get her to St. Mugno's. There was a huge battle going on, so it would be difficult to walk through it, carrying the girl. He can't apparate there, because it would probably hurt her even more, and there was a huge possibility of him splinching the girl. Harry was horrible at healing people, even when he was familiar with the spell that was used to hurt them. Harry had never heard of this Sectumparva spell before, and he had no idea how one would possibly heal it.
The small girl started crying noisily and trying to clutch her back.
"I'm going to turn you over, so I can see your back, alright?" Harry said. She nodded shakily and Harry rolled her on her side so that her back was facing Harry. The back of her shirt was ripped everywhere, yet still hanging onto her body. Harry was able to see her whole back because it was cut so much. There was a large deep cut that started at her neck and trailed all the way down her back, then stopped at the bottom of her spine, at her hips. It was so deep that Harry could see bone in some places. It was still bleeding. Harry looked down at himself, and noticed that he was also drenched in blood.
"Merlin…" He whispered.
Harry had no idea how to heal the huge cut the wizard way, so he decided to try using some muggle ways of healing. Harry took off his jacket and pressed it against the girl's back, trying to stop the bleeding, but it was useless. She had already a lot of blood and she looked really pale. It was scaring Harry, because there was nothing he could do but wait for someone to find them.
"I'm going to roll you back over, okay?" Harry said, and when the girl nodded, he rolled her back onto her back, the back of her head back in his lap. Harry started stroking her black hair.
"So, what's your name?" Harry asked with a small smile toward the girl.
"Sutton," she replied, sending a very tiny smile toward Harry.
"It's nice to meet you, Sutton, I'm Harry."
Sutton's eyes widened, realizing who Harry was.
"H-Harry Potter?" she asked in wonder.
Harry nodded with a chuckle.
"Can I see the scar?" Sutton asked.
Harry smiled and nodded again, lifting up the hair that was covering his lightning-bolt scar.
"Woa…" Sutton whispered.
"How old are you, Sutton?" Harry asked.
"Six!" she replied proudly.
"Wow, you're old!"
Sutton smiled loudly, being very proud of her age.
"I'm not that old!" she exclaimed.
"I'm much older. I'm eighteen."
"Woa, y-you're o-old," she said, her teeth chattering. Sutton started to shiver, too.
"Cold?" Harry asked, getting worried. From the little knowledge of healing that he knew, being cold wasn't good. It means that you don't have enough blood. It means that you're dying.
"Y-Yes."
Harry nodded and pulled out his wand, encircling the two of them in a bubble that made the air around them heat up slightly.
"Better?" Harry asked hopefully.
"A little," Sutton answered, still shivering.
"Good."
"It doesn't hurt anymore…" Sutton said dreamily.
"What doesn't hurt?"
"Nothing hurts."
"Oh."
That wasn't good. Harry also knew that when you don't feel the pain anymore, your not going to be living for much longer. He really wanted Sutton to live. She seemed like a sweet, young girl who was way to young to die.
"That's good! I'm better!" Sutton exclaimed happily, trying to sit up. When she did, her face turned chalk-white. "Ow…" she groaned. Harry gently grabbed her small shoulders and pulled her back down so that her head was resting on his lap again.
"Yea… don't do that."
Sutton laughed quietly and closed her seriously dark-brown eyes. "I'm tired," she mumbled after a few minutes.
"No, don't do that. Open your eyes. Keep talking to me." Harry replied, putting his hand gently on her cheek.
"I'm just going to rest them…"
"No, you're not. You're going to keep your eyes open."
"But I want to sleep," Sutton whined.
"Ooooooooor, you can tell me about your parents."
Sutton's eyes fluttered open and a small smile played at her puny lips.
"Mommy works at a book shop. I like books. She reads to me every night."
"And your dad?"
Sutton's smile fell from her face.
"Daddy's mean. He yells at me and Mommy and hurts her." she replied, "Can I sleep now?"
Harry looked down at Sutton. He wanted to hear her talking about a family who loves her, not a great mother and an abusive father. Harry felt a little part of him die, as he thought of how the sweet, innocent girl in his arms might have been getting abused. It scared him, because it reminded him of his own childhood.
"Does your dad hurt you?" Harry asked worriedly.
"Not always. He hurts Mommy more." she said, closing her eyes again.
"When was the last time he hurt you?" he asked.
"Today."
Harry gasped slightly, not expecting that answer. He was hoping for a 'months ago,' or 'years ago,' as an answer.
"What happened?"
"I wanted a toy. Daddy said I couldn't have it, but I really wanted it. I had a fit in the store, and Daddy took me away to the alley."
"Wait, a Death Eater didn't do this? You're father did?" Harry asked, feeling a huge surge of rage wash over him.
Sutton nodded slightly, with her eyes still closed.
"What's his name?" Harry asked. He wanted to make sure that this evil man paid for what he did to Sutton.
"…Daddy…"
Harry laughed slightly, thinking about how adorable it is that young kids can't remember their parents' names besides 'mom' and 'dad.'
"What's your last name?" he asked.
"…McLaughlin…"
"That's a nice last name, Sutton."
Sutton's smile grew across her small, soft face again as she nodded slightly.
"Can I sleep now?" she asked, still nodding slightly, as if nodding off to sleep.
"No no no no no no no, open your eyes, Sutton," Harry commanded.
"Okay," she said dreamily, but barely opening her eyes.
"Tell me a story." Harry commanded, trying to strain his neck from around the wall to see if it was safe to leave, but he still heard the sound of spells being casted.
"Can you tell me one?" she asked.
"No. That'll make you fall asleep."
"But I'm tired." Sutton whined again.
"Sucks. I wanna hear a story." Harry said.
"You're very nice, Harry. You've been very nice to me," Sutton said as she closed her eyes agin.
"That's not a very good story."
"Thank you, for finding me."
"When is the story coming in? And Sutton, open your eyes, please!" Harry exclaimed. What she was saying sounded an awful like a goodbye, and Harry didn't want her to say goodbye. He wanted Sutton to live, and live a happy long life. She was way to young to die.
"You're very kind. I'll remember that."
"Sutton, open your eyes." Harry commanded.
But she didn't open her eyes.
"Sutton? Please, Sutton, open your eyes. Please!" Harry started to plead.
But she didn't respond.
"No no no no no! You are not being murdered by your father!" Harry exclaimed, taking out his wand and making water pour on her face.
But she didn't open her eyes.
"NO! OPEN YOUR EYES!" He screamed.
Harry kept staring down at Sutton, feeling tears starting to fall from his face and onto Sutton's. Then, he heard footsteps come up behind him. Harry kept staring down at Sutton, and half covered her body with his own. He bended over his head, which was still laying on his lap. The footsteps stopped at Harry's side, but he didn't look up, he kept covering Sutton, hoping to protect her.
"Harry?" asked a familiar voice.
Harry still didn't look up at the familiar voice beside him. He wanted to keep Sutton safe, for at least a little while longer.
"Harry? Who's this?" they asked, kneeling down beside Harry. He felt a hand reach out and touch his shoulder. Harry finally turned his head and looked up at Ron, who was looking at him with a worried expression. Harry quickly turned away, trying to hide the tears that won't stop falling.
"Are you okay?" Ron asked.
"She won't open her eyes," Harry said, sitting up strait and resting his head on the wall behind him.
Ron looked down at Sutton, confused and worried. "What do you mean?"
"She won't open her damn eyes!" Harry exclaimed.
Ron looked closer at Sutton, and saw all the bruises and scratches all over her. Then, he noticed that Harry's jacket was tied tightly around her stomach, and was soaked in blood. Ron touched her wrist, feeling for a pulse, but found none.
"Harry, what happened?"
"Her dad… he killed her."
"Was he a Death Eater?" Ron asked in shock.
"No."
Ron's eyes widened with surprise. He felt anger wash over him. Ron was disappointed that a father would harm his child, when there was a huge fight going on.
Ron took a quick glance around the wall that Harry was leaning against, and saw that there were still many people fighting. Ron tired to think of a way that he could get him and Harry through the battle without getting hurt.
"Harry! We have to apparate to St. Mungo's, that's were everyone probably is."
"No. I'm not leaving Sutton." Harry said firmly as he stroked Sutton's hair.
"Alright, we'll take her with us."
Harry nodded slightly, and Ron grabbed on to Harry's and Sutton's arm. He then apparated away to St. Mungo's Hospital.
A/N: Here's the end of the chapter! It was supposed to be MUCH longer, but I split it into two different chapters.
Review and all that jazz, please