Chapter Thirty Seven

Harry couldn't sleep that night, rage and confusion and a million other emotions swum through his mind. He wanted his family, his mum and dad and Danica and Sirius and Nikka and everyone else.

He'd told his friends what he had seen, they had been waiting up for him as they always did. It had annoyed him more that he had admitted to Dumbledore, when young Dumbledore had commented that only followers would go out of their way for you, not friends.

Voldemort might not have understood the idea of love and friendship but Harry was becoming more and more convinced that Dumbledore didn't either.

It was strange, when Harry had first started to learn about Tom Riddle he had seen the similarities between them, mostly in the way they looked. He was learning now though that Dumbledore was closer to Voldemort that he was. Every move was calculated and thought out. Harry felt sick, he couldn't think straight.

He wanted Cho.

One more job on the list, Harry thought to himself, turning in his bed to try and get more comfortable. He needed to rewrite the letter to Cho. They were more than friends and maybe something in the future now; every time he thought of the future it had Cho firmly front and centre.

Harry slipped away after their latest apparition lesson, where Harry had finally managed to apparate once at the end of the lesson. Draco was most please as he had won the bet and which left Hermione dreading what she was going to have to wear to the next DA lesson.

Harry found a quiet corner of the library and pulled out his quill and parchment.

Dear Cho…

Where do I begin? I basically woke up one night and thought that I might not make it through all of this, all of everything going on, and I didn't want to just 'go', so I wrote you a letter to say what I'd want you to remember and to say… goodbye.

Goodbye.

There is a lot that I want to tell you and the good news is if you do read this I will be dead and therefore past being embarrassed.

Every time I think of my future it has you in it, I want you to know that. It might sound soppy but I think I'd follow you pretty much anywhere. You want to tour the world as an international Quidditch star I'm right behind you… or at least I would have been.

Maybe it's too early to be thinking about this, but the idea of waking up next to you every morning is all I think I'll ever want.

Dumbledore has shown me a lot of memories these passed few months and the main thing I've learnt from them is that you can't stop loving or you get so very very lost. Doesn't matter who you love but you have to love someone.

If you're reading this, you've lost again and I am so so very sorry that I was a part of it. But don't give up, please.

I wish there was some way I could make you feel better, maybe I should start being mean to you now so you won't miss me as much. In fact take every time I am inevitably not the greatest to you think of it as me trying to be nice!

I know I shouldn't ask it of you, but I do have two things to ask.

Firstly, Danica has never been an only child before. I know she won't be alone, but it's not the same as having a sibling. I think I was always a little bit alone until she came along. Could you look out for her? Just a little bit?

Secondly, find someone else. I know it might take a while and that's OK, but I can't bare the thought of you being alone forever.

I know in my heart that you have such a bright future before you and even if your kids don't have my green eyes, they will have your raven black hair and kindness, and light and they will be very lucky indeed. (63)

I wish there was more to say, but I think if I kept writing all I would be writing would be the same thing over and over again and it would make more sense if you just read the letter on repeat.

So, there is only one thing left to say, the most important bit of all.

I love you.

Goodbye, Cho.

Harry carefully folded the letter and closed it in the envelope, giving it an invisible kiss to seal it.

Gathering his things together, Harry checked his watch. It was nearing dinner time but he hoped Dobby would have a few minutes to spare for him.

He wasn't, however, expecting to run into Gemini. Running into Gemini figuratively was never a pleasant experience anyway. Running into her physically, and causing both of them to crash to the ground, was worse by far.

Harry watched her thick black curls fall around her face as she battled them back into place.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing… Potter!" She growled, picking herself up still looking rather dishevelled.

Harry rolled his eyes, "You weren't exactly looking where you were going either!"

Harry watched as she knelt down, scrabbling for the books she had been carrying when something caught his eye.

"Mater?" his eyes, narrowed.

Gemini's grew wide as she snatched the bit of paper from the ground.

"That… that said from Mater! That's what you call your mum!" Harry said, his heart pounding.

"No… what are you talking about?" Gemini scoffed.

"I knew it! You're talking to her, aren't you?" Harry demanded.

Gemini smiled sweetly at him, "Oh Harry… you're letting your wild imagination run away with you again."

"No I'm not!" Harry snapped, "Give it here!"

He reached for the slip of paper as Gemini moved fluidly out of his way, "Is it that you want to see me out of the shower again?" she drawled in his ear.

Harry pushed her away, wrinkling his nose, "You're insane. You're fourteen apart from anything else!"

Gemini laughed lightly at him and waved before leaving him, stunned in the hallway. It took a few minutes for Harry's brain to catch up, watching her walk down the corridor.

Harry ran the other way, heading for the study room.

As he predicted Thomas and Corvus were sitting together, heads over their latest homework. Harry raced over to them and grabbed Corvus by the shoulder.

"Harry, what are you playing at?!" Thomas asked, standing up.

"When did you last hear from your parents?" Harry demanded.

"What… Harry… I don't-" Corvus stammered, looking fearfully at Harry.

Harry gave him a rough shake, "Don't play games with me!"

"I… I don't know, a couple of months before the battle of the Ministry?" Corvus gasped out, "They… they never really wrote to me much."

Harry shook his head, "No, no more recently!"

"Harry that would be illegal!" Thomas hissed, shoving Harry off his friend.

Harry took several deep breaths, looking between the shocked Thomas and terrified Corvus, "I just ran into Gemini; she had a note from your Mum that certainly wasn't months old! I need to know if they've contacted you."

"Corvus wouldn't do that!" Thomas insisted.

"Shut up." Harry said sternly, "Tell me the truth!"

Corvus looked confused and then shook his head, "Harry… last summer was the best one I ever had, I would tell you if I'd heard anything but I haven't, I swear!"

Harry breathed deeply, his heart was hammering in his chest, he didn't know what to do. He needed to have gotten that note, to have proof that she was up to no good.

"Are you sure you saw it?" Thomas asked, "Like, sure it was from their parents?"

Harry wasn't sure. He'd only seen the note for a second, "But why would it have said from 'Mater' if it wasn't from your mother?"

Corvus picked at his fingers, causing painful little cuts around his nails, "I… I honestly ha… haven't heard… I…"

Harry felt a crushing sense of guilt crashing down on him, "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't of yelled."

Corvus mumbled something and nodded, making Harry feel somehow worse as Corvus forced a smile.

"No, you shouldn't of!" Thomas glared, "How could you think that Corvus, who has never, NEVER, done anything to suggest that he would break the LAW?!"

Harry nodded, "I know, and I am sorry! But look, if Gemini is contacting her mum this is bad!"

"Harry's right." Corvus said, wiping his eyes quickly and feeling very much like he wanted to hide under his desk, "If Gem or Rod are talking to Mater, it'll be bad. We were told we were allowed zero contact. We've not even had letters from Sir, in Azkaban."

"I should of grabbed it." Harry sighed, rubbing his head.

"You should tell Professor Snape." Thomas said, crossing his arms and glaring at Harry protectively.

Harry flopped down in the nearest chair, waves of sudden exhaustion washing over him, "I can't."

Thomas rolled his eyes.

"Because of Hogsmead?" Corvus asked nervously.

Harry nodded, "You heard about that as well, then?

Corvus nodded, and sat slowly down, "She told everyone. It means you can't go around accusing her again."

"I saw her then and I know she's been talking to her mum!" Harry snapped, causing Corvus to flinch again.

"He never said that you didn't!" Thomas snapped.

Harry was painfully aware they was starting to attract attention from the other students, and even one or two ghosts.

"I'll ask." Corvus said, Harry could see his hands shaking slightly as he clutched at them.

"You… you don't talk to them very often…" Harry said slowly.

"They don't exactly want to talk to me," Corvus spat, "But I'll try."

Harry nodded, "Well… thanks."

He felt very awkward walking from the room, the groups of students whispering and staring at him.

Harry could see a detention with Severus in his future.

Thomas followed him from the hall, "What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at?!"

Harry turned to face him and took a deep breath, "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry I had a panic moment but-"

"There is no but!" Thomas snapped, "You had no right to have a go at him like that!"

"I know and I am sorry it's just-"

"Just what? You might have seen something? MIGHT? Something that had nothing to do with Corvus?! Do you not think he's been through enough for gods sake?!" Thomas said breathing heavily.

Harry felt another wave of guilt wash over him.

"What would your mum say?" Thomas spat.

"I get it." Harry spat back, through gritted teeth, "I messed up! I'm sorry!"

Thomas looked at him worriedly, "I'm afraid about what Gemini might do if he pushes for information."

Harry hadn't thought about it. Here he was warning his friends not to push Gemini if they didn't need to while sending Corvus, who was years younger than him, into the lion's den.

"He'll be fine." Harry shrugged, forcing a smile.

"He better be." Thomas said, there was little threat in his voice however, it was all worry.

Harry trudged back to the common room and found his friends, brushing off their questions about where he had been and burying his mind in his homework. The fact he needed to change the letter to Cho over long forgotten.

He wasn't in the least bit surprised when a note arrived that evening summoning him to his father's office.

It hadn't changed much, apart from being a different room. The same jars still covered the walls, the same pictures and bookshelves.

Severus was sitting behind his desk, marking that days potions when Harry arrived, a rather guilty smile on his lips.

"Would you like to explain?" Severus said calmly.

"I lost my calm a bit." Harry shrugged, "I didn't mean to upset Corvus, honestly."

"You made quite a scene." Severus said, his voice still almost annoyingly calm, "I had reports from several students and The Bloody Barron saying you all but attacked Corvus."

"I saw Gemini with a note from her mother." Harry said frankly.

Severus looked up sharply, carefully placing the rather lumpy looking potion down, "Are you sure?"

Harry nodded.

"And it couldn't have been an old note?" Severus questioned, "She must be missing her parents and it would make sense for her to carry around some memory, she lost nearly everything last summer."

Harry gritted his teeth. He knew the questions had to be asked but it didn't make it any less frustrating, "No. There is no way this note was months and months old! I swear dad, I don't know how, but Gemini is talking to her mother, just like she was in Hogsmead."

Severus looked at Harry, considering him for a moment before giving him a sharp nod, "I believe you, of course I do Harry. I will inform Dumbledore at once. I must say though that a public argument with Corvus was most unwise. Needless to say once Gemini and Rodolphus found out through their… friends that you had had a go at him they both put in a formal complaint."

Harry flopped back in his chair, cursing himself for his temper.

"You need to stay away from her, Harry." Severus said simply.

Harry sat up quickly, "I know I messed up dad but she's-"

Severus shook his head, "No, Harry, I mean it! This is the second time you have… accosted the family. Once more and I will have no choice but to examine your place here."

"Dad…" Harry looked at him shocked, unable to process what he was hearing.

"I don't want to of course. But the Lestranges are in Ministry custody currently and they will press for action if Gemini complains further. Leave them alone."

Harry nodded begrudgingly, "All right."

Severus let out a deep breath and nodded, "I will look into her having contact with her parents I promise." he said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and looking deep into his eyes, "You didn't see anything else that the note said?"

Harry sighed, "No, I only saw it for a second and I was so shocked seeing who it was from. It was in Bellatrix's handwriting as well."

"Nothing?" Severus asked, "It's not a lot to go on…"

"A date, maybe or some numbers at least… but that's it…" Harry was cursing himself again, wishing his mind would sometimes think a little quicker.

"I'll see what we can do." Severus assured him, "Now please pretend you're writing lines for me for the next half an hour."

Harry grinned and curled himself up in the comfortable armchair to read while his father worked.