4. Harry's Curse and Lupin's Promise

Harry's heartbeat raced as he whipped out his wand and pushed through the backdoor. A wizard was stumbling towards him as he leapt down the stone steps.

Harry grabbed the front of his robes and yanked him to his feet.'What's happening?' he asked urgently, but the wizard looked too terrified to speak. Harry released him angrily, running on as flashes of light in the night sky ahead of him were going in every direction. People were rushing passed him away from the noise, screaming women pulling their weeping children behind them. There was a tremendous crash as Harry dived out into the open, taking in the scene before him.

Tables were upturned and broken and chairs littered the lawn. Several bushes that had been hit by stray curses were ablaze and the wreckage of the dome that had just collapsed smouldered in a heap on the ground. Order members were joined by other witches and wizards scattered around the grounds, wands drawn, darting around as they struggled against the many black hooded figures encircling them.

Death Eaters!

Harry bolted towards Neville who was back to back with Luna. Both of them had their wands drawn, pointing them at the four cloaked figures that were closing in around them.

'Expelliarmus!' cried Harry and a wand flew through the air. Two of the Death Eaters turned in surprise while the other dove after his wand.
'Impedimenta!' Neville caught the back of one of the Death Eaters facing Harry. Their body stiffened.
Harry leapt sideways to avoid a curse 'Stupefy!' A red flash from Harry's wand hit the other Death Eater, knocking them off their feet.
Luna was going toe to toe with her assailant and had hit him with a Tarantallegra curse as Neville turned to the Death Eater who was now brandishing his wand again.

'George!' Harry spun round just in time to see Fred throw black powder into the air, then suddenly disappear in darkness along with three Death Eaters. George raced in after him.

Harry searched the area in front of him, everywhere there were mini battles being fought. He spotted Hermione dodging back and forth behind a tree, staving off curses as they flew at her; Ron was rushing towards her firing as he went. He jumped over a fallen Death Eater he had downed and was yelling 'Over Here!' at the two holding Hermione at bay.

Bill had taken on three Death Eaters at once, he had a wild look in his eyes and was dodging their curses with incredible speed, jumping around even leaping into the air in a back flip to escape jets of light as they soared at him. Harry looked away just as Bill's foot connected powerfully with one of them, launching them backwards.

There was an enormous struggle going on in the ruin of the tables so Harry raced into the fray. His curses flew thick and fast as he weaved in and out the wreckage, hitting two Death Eaters almost immediately before they became aware he was behind them. 'Harry, look out!' the instant he heard Mr. Weasleys voice he dove behind an upturned table. A white light flashed over his head, barely missing him. He scurried out from behind the table 'Stupefy!' another Death Eater crumbled as the jet of red light from Harry's wand made contact. All around him Death Eaters were dropping, so he headed back over to Neville and Luna.

They were dodging curses being thrown wildly about by a Death Eater who was laughing maniacally. He quickened his pace as his blood boiled, and when he neared, he raised his wand, but before he could fire off a curse his target suddenly dropped to the ground for no apparent reason.

Harry ran up to the body, lifting it slightly with his foot, it rolled limply. He looked about him and saw two more Death Eaters drop one after the other in mid duel without any obvious cause, but a few others were fighting on, now highly out numbered. His eyes fell on Ginny, her hair was strewn across her face and her dress was covered in grass stains, she fought alongside Ron and Hermione as they downed another Death Eater. He smiled inwardly; he had known she would come, she had probably been right behind him.

With the last Death Eater on the ground, people were starting to file back onto the lawn slowly, looking for family and friends they had been separated from. By some sort of miracle it seemed all of the fallen were Death Eaters, though many of their side displayed signs of the tussle. Lupin and the others were going around the unconscious and cursed, disarming them and placing binds around their bodies.

Then suddenly, Harry was yanked backwards.

'What?' he looked around but stood his ground. A young witch he didn't know had him by the arm and was trying to drag him towards the house.

'Please! … Please help!' Her eyes were wide with fear and swollen with tears. 'Please… you have to come … she needs you!'

Harry frowned 'who? ... where?' he hurried off with the young girl; once again going in the opposite direction to everyone else 'Where are we going?' They didn't go into the house as Harry had expected, instead she led him round to the front. The young witch then let go of Harry's arm as they entered the yard and stood wide-eyed, looking terrified.

Harry's eyes wandered around the deserted yard, wondering what he was looking for 'Where are you?' he yelled.

The old wooden gate at the end of the long pathway squeaked as it hung loosely off its hinges, it was gaping open to reveal a young girl with silky blonde hair illuminated by the torchlight. Gabrielle? Fleur's younger sister, who idolized Harry, was staring at him, motionless, eyes full of horror and tears streaming down her pale face.

'What is it? … What's wrong?' He walked slowly towards her, his wand hanging at his side. As he made his way up the path a feeling of dread took hold of him. He broke into a run but pulled up suddenly, stunned. A figure was coming into view behind her as it pulled off a silvery cloak.

Bellatrix was standing with a malicious smile twisted across her face and her wand tip at Gabrielle's temple.

The young witch behind Harry whimpered and he felt his stomach drop as panic began to rise in him. The world seemed to stop. Nothing existed outside the three of them. He raised his wand, pointing it at Bellatrix's head.

'Don't' he said quietly.

Laughter trickled out of her cruel mouth, her eyes gleaming in the light. 'You are so predictable, Potter.' She looked amused, shaking her head slightly 'Always the hero. But you never stop to think!' He looked down into Gabrielle's frightened eyes. A wave of nausea surged through him painfully. She was staring at him through watery wide-eyes as tears spilled down her cheek, too terrified to move or speak. Silently pleading. His wand arm began to tremble.

'Don't do it.' His voice came out low and unsteady. Bellatrix glanced down at the girl in front of her.

'You're really not doing them any favours.' she taunted. 'Its because she loved you, you know ... that's why she's going to die.'

Harry felt like his chest was caving in on him. Sounding more like a plea as his eyes stung with hot tears, he urged 'don't … don't do it!' hardly able to breathe.

'Aw, poor little puppy!' she mocked in a babyish voice. 'You knew this would happen. You've got nobody to blame but yourself.' She said it as if he were child. 'You knew you would get somebody killed!' Her wand hand tilted slightly.

'NO!' Two loud cracks rang out. Gabrielle went limp as a red flash soared over her into the darkness. Bellatrix was gone, and Gabrielle crumpled to the ground.

It was as if Harry had sunk into a dream ... a nightmare he could not wake from. Nothing felt real as the world faded around him. He went to Gabrielle, slowing as he neared her, dreading what he would find. 'No'escaped his lips as he struggled to breathe. She was lying at an awkward angle on her back, her head lolled to one side. He knelt down hesitantly, and cupped her small face in his hand. As he turned her gently to him he saw the scorched area on her temple where the wand had touched it. 'No' He was sinking rapidly ... sinking into the very earth with the weight of it.

There were muffled sounds coming from behind him but they seemed to him to be a great distance away as he stared at the lifeless face in his hands. '… Harry… Harry!' Lupins voice was swimming around his head and he was vaguely aware of another figure on the ground opposite him. 'Gabrielle!' It peeled his hand off the expressionless face. Then there were more shapes and more voices. 'Harry … Harry!' He felt himself being drawn up by the arm, still staring at the sleeping face, unable to look away '... take him ... Get him out of here!' A faraway voice spoke. Harry dragged his eyes from her as he was pulled away. He felt sick and wanted to throw up ... 'Get him up to his room!' It sounded like Mrs. Weasley but she was only faint, there was a loud wailing somewhere far off ... 'Open the door!' Hermiones voice came from the distance ... 'This way, mate' Harry felt Ron's hand on his shoulder as he mounted the stairs. When they reached the bathroom he broke away and flung himself over the toilet. He could hear Hermione's sobs behind him as he spluttered and vomited and retched until his whole body ached.

Then somehow he was in his room, sitting on the bed flanked by Hermione and Ron. He was weakened and shaking uncontrollably. 'I killed her...' He said in a voice that didn't seem to belong to him. Hermione whimpered softly as he stared at the floor, Gabrielle's lifeless face burned into his mind. 'It was my fault…'

'No ... no Harry… don't say that!' Hermiones voice was raw with emotion.
'It wasn't your fault mate …' Ron's calming voice echoed in his ear 'it was a trap …' his hand was on the back of Harry's shoulder

'It was because of me...' that strange voice again 'she's dead ... because of me...'
'Harry … you couldn't have done anything … it wasn't you...' Hermione put her arm on his back

'I knew this would happen … I knew …'
'It was a trap … they weren't Death Eaters we were fighting in the backyard Harry … it wasn't your fault … they set you up' Ron's voice was quiet.

Harry lifted his head slowly and looked at Ron 'what are you ... talking ...?'

'Those people out there are not Death Eaters. They were just witches and wizards … must have been under the imperious curse.'

'What?' Harry felt lost, alone ... and angry, so very angry.

'That's why we were able to defeat them so easily.' Hermione said as he turned to her 'they weren't Death Eaters Harry. It was a trap … they were setting you up.' Her eyes were red and swollen.

Harry felt the hatred swell in him 'Why? ... So I could watch them murder an innocent young girl?' his voice was laced with loathing as his eyes prickled with angry tears.

'I-I don't know wh-why…' fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Harry hung his head unable to think straight. Staring at the floor he rubbed his hand over his messy hair, he was shaking as the anger coursed through his body.

A figure emerged through the doorway and Harry knew who it was without looking up. 'Get out.' He said quietly not raising his head. There was a sharp intake of breath and he knew he had struck her deeply. He closed his eyes painfully 'GO!'

In a flurry of chiffon she was gone. Hermione leapt off the bed sobbing and chased after Ginny.

'C'mon mate,' Ron said hoarsely. 'I think you should lay down for a bit.'

Harry stayed where he was. He did not move. He would not sleep. His body ached and his mind was numb and he had never felt as angry or as sad, or as guilty in his entire life.

Harry stared out of the bedroom window. The morning's rays shone harshly down on the scene before him. Everyone had long gone, the fake Death Eaters had been taken to St Mungos under guard and all that was left of the nights events were a few burn patches and some shrapnel strewn across the lawn. Several Order members and aurors from the ministry were planted around the grounds.

The ministry's aurors had been conspicuously absent until now, probably because Harry had not agreed to Scrimgeour's request to be the "face" of the ministry. As Harry unconsciously counted them he saw Moody emerge from the side of the house, looking up at his window. He should've known Lupin would put Moody on him. Harry felt a stab of anger; Lupin would know what he was thinking.

Realizing it was pointless trying to leave, he turned away from the window and sat on the bed. Gabrielle's lifeless face haunted him. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in an effort to push the image from his mind. He was in no doubt what he had to do. One thought had overtaken him from the moment Ron had left the room. He had to leave. He endangered everyone around him; everyone he cared about. Voldemort would kill all of them, one by one, to get to him.

Harry could hear movement somewhere down stairs; Mrs. Weasley would be fixing breakfast for the guard. She had come to him during the night with a potion for sleep, though she had not tried to soothe him or hug him, for which Harry was thankful. She had looked at him pityingly and told him he should sleep, placing the potion by the bed before she left. And there the potion still sat, untouched. It would not have been right to sleep peacefully, to spend the night as if nothing had happened. He had seen Gabrielle's torment and knew she deserved better than that.

There was a small knock at the door. Harry sat silently, not wanting to see anyone, his body was weary and he felt the lowest he had ever felt. The door creaked open and Harry looked up into Lupins tired face. He looked away quickly as the anger in him rose. Lupin closed the door behind him and walked across the room, pulling up a chair. Harry avoided looking at him; he did not want to hear what Lupin would say. He would tell Harry it wasn't his fault. He would try to convince Harry that staying here was best. But Lupin did not know what Harry knew, he did not know about the Horcruxes, he had not been privy to the memories Dumbledore had shown Harry. He did not know that Dumbledore had expected Harry to go on alone.

He would not understand.

Lupin sat for a moment in silence, and then finally he spoke. 'I wont pretend to know what you must be feeling, Harry.' Lupin said quietly 'And I don't suppose anything I can say, will make you feel any better.' He sighed deeply 'No one should have to go through what you did last night…'

'It was nothing to what Gabrielle went through.' Harry said bitterly.
Lupin bowed his head. 'I know this is the last thing you want to hear right now, but-'
'Then don't say it!' Harry said sharply, looking at the top of Lupins head, his anger brewing inside him.

Lupin got up and walked over to the window, he stood looking out at the wreckage below. 'I don't know what to do anymore, Harry.' Looking at him, Harry thought his face appeared pasty in the early grey light.
'If anyone is to blame it's me.' Lupin did not turn to look at Harry as he spoke sombrely. 'I was responsible for the safety of everyone here last night Harry, not you. I should have seen it was a trap as soon as they attacked. It made no sense for them to wait until there were so many people around. If Voldemort wanted to kill you he would have tried when there were fewer of us to fight.

'Instead he sent unwilling servants in under the imperious curse to fight a battle they could not win. Voldemort would not lose any of hisvaluable Death Eaters in the process of drawing you out. An extraordinarily elaborate scheme which must have involved a lot of man power and heavy planning.' Harry searched the floor in front of him, taking in everything Lupin said 'I spoke to the young girl who led you to the front garden. She told how a woman at the wedding had approached her and Gabrielle, asking whom they were … whether they knew you. She was another one under the imperious curse of course, except that she was a guest at the wedding. Gabrielle was only too eager to talk about you.

'She told the woman how you saved her from the merpeople more than two years ago, and how she had been very much looking forward to seeing you again at the wedding.' Harry closed his eyes and sucked in his pain. 'I found out later the woman had approached others, but after speaking with Gabrielle, she had found what she was looking for. When we were attacked, she lured the two young girls to the front of the house, and then all she had to do was wait until people returned to the back yard. She told Gabrielle that Harry Potter was hurt, that he was lying on the road in need of help. Gabrielle rushed out of the gate to find you and that is when a real Death Eater grabbed her-'

'It was Bellatrix LeStrange.' Harry said hatefully.

Lupin lowered his head, and after a moment he continued 'She sent the other young girl to find you, she was told to go only to Harry Potter or she would kill Gabrielle.' Lupin turned to look at Harry now. He looked sicklier than Harry had ever seen him 'I made a mistake Harry … a mistake that cost a young girl her life.'

'Bellatrix did it. Not you …' Harry swallowed 'and not me.' It felt strange to say it, but Harry was beginning to understand as Lupin recounted the nights events, that there was no way either of them could have known what would unfold. It didn't dull his pain, but it helped to clear his head. 'She did it … she's the murderer … and she's the one who'll pay for it!' Harry was seething inside as he looked up at Lupin 'I'm going after her.' he said flatly 'She sent Sirius to his death, she put Neville's parents in St Mungos and now …' he looked at his feet 'now this. She has to be stopped,' he looked back at Lupin 'before she gets the opportunity to destroy someone else's life.' Harry was ready for an argument; his barely suppressed rage would be unleashed upon Lupin any minute.

'She wont be easy to get to,' Lupin said as he crossed the floor and sat himself down 'we've being trying for months. I've got a personal score to settle with her myself.' Harry had not expected this. 'Harry, I realize that you come of age next week, and I'm fully aware that you have no intentions of staying here after that.' Lupin held up a hand 'I understand why,' he rushed on before Harry could speak 'and I wont try to stop you, but you should be aware that everything that happened last night was to push you to make this choice.' Harry frowned at Lupin as he continued 'Voldemort knows what sort of person you are. He has seen the lengths you will go to, to protect others. The trap was laid with the express purpose of convincing you to go it alone. Why? I can only guess that he feels it will make it easier for him to get to you. But Harry,' Lupin held Harry's gaze 'you do not need to do this alone. I will be there every step of the way to help you with this. And if you must face Voldemort … then I will have your back. That I promise you.'

Harry felt a surge of gratitude to the weary figure before him, though he would have no more willingly put Lupin in danger than he would have Sirius. But knowing that Lupin felt this way lightened Harry's heart a little, and he managed to let go of the anger that was threatening to consume him. Mrs. Weasley came in and left a tray of toast and pumpkin juice on the cabinet next to the old black chest. She looked as worn out as Lupin.

'How's Fleur's family?' Harry asked her quietly. She looked at him as if she were pondering whether to answer or not. He could see her eyes were unusually watery and he thought that she might burst into tears; he immediately regretted asking.

'I don't think you need worry about anyone else for the moment.' There was that look of pity again. 'People get through these things … they always do.' Her voice was the softest he had ever heard it. 'I want you to stay in here for today … you need your rest.' Her eye's flickered over the cup that sat on his cabinet 'And I see you haven't taken your potion, so you wont have slept.' A tear spilled down her cheek and she brushed it away hastily, embarrassed. 'You can't go on punishing yourself for something you had no control over.' Her voice was decidedly shaky so Harry, fearing she would start crying, looked down at his feet. Lupin got up and put his hand on Harry's shoulder 'Get some rest,' then he turned and left with Mrs. Weasley.

Harry looked at the breakfast tray and felt sick all over again, so he threw a t-shirt over the food. He lay back on the bed, his hands behind his head and thought about what Lupin had said. Voldemort may have wanted Harry to leave everyone behind, but he was unaware Harry knew his secret. He didn't know that Harry's best chance of destroying him was to be out there alone. Pain washed through him as he thought of Gabrielle. It sickened him as he thought of Fleur, it had been her wedding day and he couldn't have imagined a worse ending.

There was a soft knock and Harry saw Ron's face peer round the door. 'You want some company?' Harry nodded slightly, anything to stave off those terrified eyes that crept into his thoughts. Ron walked over and sat on the chair Lupin had vacated.

'Mum said you looked terrible' he said in agreement 'I suppose Lupin told you what happened last night.' Ron was frowning as if not sure he should be asking about it.
'Yeah'

Ron nodded and sighed 'He was wasting his time going to all that effort when you were leaving anyway.' Ron spoke quietly as he stared off into space. Harry knew Ron meant well, but he was beginning to wish he hadn't told him to come in. 'Have some toast, mate' he said as he pulled the t-shirt off and lifted the tray down. Harry sat up and looked at the dry bread again. If it meant he didn't have to talk about last night and still have Ron's company then he would eat. He couldn't bare the thought of putting anything on the toast so he nibbled at the small cardboard like pieces uninterestedly.

Hermione came in while he was chewing a particularly stubborn piece of toast. It didn't seem to want to go down at all so Harry gave up trying to eat anymore. Hermione regarded Harry closely and went to say something, but then seemed to think the better of it and sat gingerly on his bed instead. 'You should try to eat more Harry.' She was looking at the pathetically nibbled edges of his toast.

'I've had enough' he said and put the tray down. 'So how's Fleur?'
Hermione's frown deepened.
'Mrs. Weasley spent all night with her. Mrs. Delacour was taken to St Mungos, Fleur's dad went with her, she was in pretty bad shape … she kept saying over and over that her baby was dead, and no matter what Ron's mum said, she couldn't calm her…' her voice trailed off as she saw the effect of her answer in Harry's face.

He could feel the nausea building as he jumped off the bed and flew down to the bathroom, only just making it in time. There wasn't much to purge so he spent most of his time dry retching. Ron was waiting outside the bathroom when he emerged 'S'okay mate,' he said sombrely. Harry was feeling slightly embarrassed and avoided looking Ron in the face, but Ron put his hand on Harry's back and followed him up to the room.

Hermione had her face in her hands, she looked up when they came in 'I'm sorry … that was so stupid of me,' Her eyes were leaking fresh tears.
'Don't worry about it,' Harry ached from the convulsions so he sat back down on the bed, he was feeling so weak his body shook.

'I wish there was something I could do for you, mate, but I don't think it's gonna be that easy.' Ron looked extremely sober.
'There is something you can do,' said Hermione in an unsteady tone 'get him to drink that.' She gestured to the potion on the bedside cabinet.
Ron looked over at the cup and then at Harry 'How 'bout it?' he said quietly

Harry looked at the cup and thought about what it held. Sleep … Peace. He took the cup and placed it to his lips, looking down at the purple contents. Peace, he thought as he tipped it back and swallowed it down. He pulled off his glasses and placed them on the cabinet as he lay back on the pillow and closed his eyes, within seconds he felt the drowsiness of sleep envelope him.

Nothingness.