Tales of Singularity

WARNING! This is an Eerie Tale, On the morbid side

Death of Soul

Pt2

Slowly, Harry's mind rejoined the living world. Yet, it wasn't one of his original perspective.

Cold, chilling. However, Harry grinned at Hermione who was openly crying in relief as he awoke.

"What in the world was that thing?" Harry asked.

"It was a dementor." She explained.

"That was a dementor?" Harry gasped in shock.

"Yeah, I was surprised too. I never expected them to be so...so...terrible. I knew they were bad but that was wore than anything I dreamed of." Hermione shuddered as she collapsed beside Harry.

"It was terrible. It was as if the sun was swallowed by an abyss." Harry agreed stiffly.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly as she scanned his face with her concerned eyes.

"I'm feeling surprisingly good actually." Harry grinned.

Save for this deeply seated cold sensation in my bones.

Harry pulled the covers off of him and flipped out of bed.

"As a matter of fact I feel so much better than ever before." Harry grinned.

His body was practically humming with power, and he felt better than ever, his body had no pain, and his mind was clearer than ever before.

"Mister Potter! What are you doing up?" The school nurse gasped in shock as she saw him moving various parts of his body, getting adjusted to how much better he felt.

"I've never felt better!" Harry grinned and while the cold was still there in his bones it lessened and Harry felt simply fantastic.

"I had a feeling that this might happen." A man that Harry had never seen nodded.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Your body had a foreign parasite attached. I didn't mention it sooner, since I felt it was my responsibility to notify yourself first Mr. Potter. Dark Magic leaves a mark, not a stain but more of a 'scar' if you will. While I preformed the scans I detected that your forehead had a soul fragment within. It turns out you were what is called a 'living dead'." The man explained.

"A living dead?" Harry asked.

"Zombie?" Hermione frowned.

"Having someone else's soul acting as a parasite to you would have eventually destroyed you Mr. Potter. You were on borrowed time. It was constantly eating at your strength, mind, emotions, spirit, and even magic. Once it managed to consume you it would have essentially reanimated your dead corpse and used you as a puppet."

Harry swallowed uncomfortably.

"And the strangest thing is...why no one noticed it! I understand why the school healer wouldn't, it's not exactly commonplace. However, at least the potions master* should have noticed. I'll give leeway to the headmaster since he's so busy and I understand that you haven't actually talked to him ever so I suppose that he's innocent too. Anyhow, it's gone now and you will be able to live."

Hermione and Harry made to say something but the obnoxious man didn't notice.

"Be that as it may Mister Potter, I would suggest that you stay on the lookout for that 'Voldemart' fellow that has your society in such a tizzy. He'd be able to sense his soul fragment is gone. Now, as to what we Americans will do...this is England's problem. I just got paid well. Now if you'll excuse me..." With that the man turned and waltzed off in an arrogant fashion.

"That...that disgusting..." Hermione snarled.

"Well, he's not exactly the nicest man I've ever met miss, but he's good at his work." A woman in a knee length skirt, and a white blouse admitted.

"Is it true that Americans see You-know-who as our problem and not anyone elses?" Hermione asked the yank sounding woman.

She frowned thoughtfully.

"Many of us do. But, I do think our government just doesn't want anything to do with your ministry of magic. They're too corrupt, stupid, and just plain pathetic. Of course the radical 'pureblood' fanaticism doesn't do you any favors. Most Amerimages are just waiting for Magical England to destroy itself, and shake their heads in disgust."

"But if it's so bad why doesn't America step in?"

"We've done that for other nations and it just leads to more headaches than it's worth. No, we have no interest in saving a nation that's quite happy in destroying itself." She explained before she politely excused herself.

Harry glanced at Hermione.

Once the woman left Hermione whispered.

"She has a point. Why would others help us if we as a country are unwilling to help ourselves?"

Harry gave a half nod.

"Hermione, I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Why?" She asked curiously.

"I didn't learn about Dementors in time."

"It's okay, as long as you worked your hardest you can rest easy. I'll be proud of you for that. Always." She pulled Harry into her arms gently.

"H-Hermione..." Harry whispered and as she held him he felt the ever present cold abate.

He felt warm, and as he stared into her eyes his heart began to pound.

"I'm sure your parents are proud too." She whispered as she tilted her head back, allowing to see her entire face.

"Thank you Hermione...and...I..." Harry replied in a hushed whisper as his face tilted downwards towards her, his head leaned forward and he could feel her breath on his cheek.

"So, you have nothing to regret..." She added in a breathless voice.

She had never looked quite as beautiful as she did right then, and unthinkingly Harry leaned forward a bit more and caught her lips in a gentle, and chaste kiss.

Her eyes sparkled in joy before they closed and she clung to him, deepening the kiss.

Harry would never be sure how long he stood there in that white room as he kissed Hermione. It was perfection. He later joked that he was never good at choosing a romantic place but he was happy with the results.

His heart pounded and he had never felt so...alive, or free.

Once their eternal kiss ended Harry pulled back and whispered.

"You have been the most important person to me. I...I know that this is sudden but I...I don't want to lose you. Ever." Harry whispered.

"You won't. As long as you want me...I'll be beside you." Hermione promised as she laid her head upon his shoulder.

They stood there for a long while more before Harry and Hermione made their way out of the hospital wing; ignoring all of the school nurse's shouts.

The week passed, and while Harry felt that abominable cold, that icy feeling within his bones it always faded in Hermione's presence.

He wasn't sure what to make of it, and so just decided to spend as much time as he could holding Hermione, her hand, hugging her, kissing her cheek. He was happy to do that anyway to be certain but that cold just reinforced his desire.

It worked out well, that is, until the school year ended and while his godfather was found innocent, Dumbledore somehow managed to essentially imprison Sirius in St. Mungo's for 'mental trauma'.

Which meant that Harry had to go back to Privet Drive anyway. It was inside their car that Harry began to noticed how much that the coldness had spread, his bones, and flesh all felt chilled, and he felt as though he but death warmed over.

He quickly found out that his appetite had become non-existent, and worse was a terrible desire for...destruction? Harry wasn't sure but it was tearing at him. He tried writing to Hermione, and Sirius, but his letters were returned unopened.

Harry surmised that Dumbledore had interfered again. The headmaster was well on his way to taking over Voldemort's spot for people he hated most.

Harry wasn't in any physical pain, no and he was constantly feeling physically, magically, and even mentally stronger but...he felt as though he was losing himself to whatever this was. Even with his new mental abilities he was having trouble figuring out how could a Dementor do something like this to him.

Whatever was happening to Harry terrified him, and it was only beginning...

*Though the 'Amerimage' never said why he should have noticed was because it takes a potion to tie a soul to someone and it leaves a strange streak through the eye of the victim. It's obvious to a potions master, but most normal wizards and witches wouldn't even notice it. (unless they saw a 'before' and 'after' photo, but they still wouldn't be able to detect it unless they were actively seeking it out and they were extremely knowledgeable about it...

Uh, oh. Dumbledore has severed contact from everyone so Harry can't get help. At the worst time too...

People ask is Dumbledore evil? Well, you might be able to figure it out ;)

What is happening to Harry?

A: Nuh-Uh! I ain't tellin!

Can you add more please?

A: Ask, that's all I can say...I like this idea mucho so...*Hint*

Who gave you this idea?

A: A guy known as The Reaper (friend of mine) suggested an idea and I kinda liked the basic concept and so started playing with ideas for a couple months even as I worked on other fics, and finally the plot and ideas burst and here it is.

Hope you've enjoyed!

Now on a non-fanfic related note...

Personal Note: Defender's Request:

Guys (and girls), a lot has been happening recently and most notably is the fact that I'm working on opening an online business. It's not up quite yet, and I'm still gathering Info, but I want it ready by mid January. My business plan is already well on it's way but, it does need a few last pieces of information (notably expenses...) However, I realize that a lot of logistics are needed to get going. If you have any advice, suggestions, questions, or w/e. I'd be grateful.

I've found myself hating working under someone else who can fire me whenever they feel like it (even if they don't have any intention to do so. Nebraska law pretty much means that I can lose my job for no reason whatsoever...unless it's sexist or racist. 'course it's also illegal to spit in public...) I've been working on getting a company started up so that I can pay my bills, continue to write, and finish up school (college) as well as maybe make life more comfortable (It stinks living on 400-500 bucks a month...Rent's 315...)

If you know about how taxes work for online businesses or what kinds of insurance I'll need to make sure I don't get burned (or a link to read such a thing :) ) I would be grateful.

Oh yes, if you know of a good web host and server (since I don't have a good enough Internet connection to host my own server...) If you let me know about it I'd appreciate that too.

Once I get the website set up and the merchandise ready I'll post a link to the site if anyone's interested.

As to if the company will hire...Well, depends on how big it gets and how fast it grows. (I plan on workin it hard so it should grow accordingly.)

Thanks again for reading this, and I appreciate any and all support, comments, etc.

Sincerely, Defender Paladin.