In the days that followed, Harry remained shaken after being in Professor Snape's memories. He couldn't believe the things his father had done, that was the kind of behavior he would expect from a Death Eater, or sometimes, from some of his housemates. He could still see his mother defending him and in gratitude he gave her the worst insult that could be said to a Muggleborn, and he also began to wonder how his parents had ended up together since it was obvious that she hated him as much as he did Snape. For a moment he had the crazy theory that his father had cast a curse or love potion on her, but he quickly discarded the idea, since it was crazy and Dumbledore and the others would have noticed it right away.
-¿Harry, are you okay? You feel a little strange, as if something has happened to you ¿Are they nightmares? ¿Another vision? -Asked Ginny who took him out of his thoughts and brought him back to the Slytherin Common Room.
-No, Ginny. It's something else-
-¿Are you bad about Chang? That Marrieta deserves it. If she no longer wanted to be part of the group, she would have let us know and we would gladly remove her from the list and she would no longer be able to continue learning.
-Not Draco, either. To tell the truth, I'm better than I thought. Yes, it bothered me that we argued and I hope to be able to fix things again at some point, but I think we were doing better as classmates and Quidditch rivals... when I was still playing- he said wistfully.
-I see ¿Do you want to talk about that?-
-It's something...complicated. It's related to my parents and Professor Snape.
-¿Why don't you talk to Sirius?-
-Very dangerous, they watch the chimneys and all the mail, especially yours. There is no way to send a message safely- said Malfoy.
-¿Why don't we use Sirius's elf, Kreacher?-
-¿How?-
-His magic is different from ours and can be transported here. They can go almost anywhere since they are usually used by pureblood wizards to run errands and none are considered a threat.
-You're as smart as Hermione ¡Thanks Ginny!" And he ran out of there -"I need to talk to Sirius and Remus. They were there. I want to hear it from them"-
When Malfoy and Ginny were alone, the blonde smiled when he saw the girl's face at Harry's compliment -¿Have you noticed that Potter feels comfortable with smart girls? Granger from Griffindor, who already made it clear that she is his best friend and nothing more, Chang from Ravenclaw, he tried but it didn't work. Maybe he do better with someone smart from Hufflepuff... or Slytherin- he said, gesturing with her eyebrows. And at that comment, the girl turned red as her hair.
-Sometimes you are just as obnoxious as my brother-
-That was a low blow-
Thanks to Ginny's idea, Harry knew what he had to do. First he wrote a letter to give to Sirius and Remus, in which he told them about the memory he had witnessed and had so many questions about how his father could do that and the fact that his mother ended up marrying him. He asked them to answer him loudly, since he could not speak to them, at least he wanted to listen to them and give them her answer.
After a few minutes the elf appeared again -Kreacher has returned with the answer- he told him, handing him an envelope.
-Thank you-
-Kreacher is a good elf who only lives to serve the Black family. My mistress ordered Kreacher to help Harry Potter if she required it- he responded, bowing and began to murmur -The only halfway decent thing that his failed son has brought to the ancestral house of the Blacks-
-You can leave- and the elf disappeared. He hesitated for a moment whether to open it or not. But he had to be brave, he had to listen to everything, even if it was a bitter truth, it would always be better than a sweet lie. When he removed the ribbon, the envelope began to levitate and make sounds.
-"Harry. We are sorry that you had to witness that. Yes, your father made many mistakes during his adolescence, like many young people of that age. Not only him, we were all somewhat idiots. Remus not so much- the voice said and then it was replaced for that of the werewolf.
-"I doubt it, I never told them that what they did to Snape was wrong. Treating someone that way just because they were considered different, or 'weird', I should have known better than anyone that that was wrong. Which It made me a complete hypocrite."
Then his godfather's voice was heard again - You made us feel guilty and that was something. Anyway, your father was my best friend and yes, he could be somewhat arrogant and stupid, but he matured over time. It is true that at the same time At first your mother strongly rejected him but then they started dating in seventh grade, when James had calmed down a bit, in fact he tried to apologize to Snape but to no avail. They both hated each other from the first day they met and that wasn't going to change. Your father may have been a fool during his youth but he spent his adult life trying to do the right thing, fighting for the forces of good alongside Dumbledore and the Order, and, of course, willing to give his life to protect his family. Don't let a teenage mistake erase the image you have of him, he was a good person, always remember that- and the object stopped making sounds.
After thinking for a while about what they had told him, he considered that they were right. Everyone makes mistakes, his father and his godfather were no exception. Sirius's brother was a Death Eater and later regretted it. And he guessed that something similar must have happened with his teacher. Maybe he was only interested in the Dark Arts when he was young and after seeing what Voldemort really was he switched sides. Knowing that his father had changed for the better made him feel better. They always told him that his mother had a big heart and intelligence, so she must have seen something good in him for them to start dating. When he returned to the castle, Professor McGonagall called him along with Headmistress Umbridge, to talk to him about his future professional career.
-I thought I should talk to the Head of my house-
-Professor Snape is busy and he asked me to discuss it with you-
-"¿Is he avoiding me, because of what I saw in the pensieve?" Harry thought. The woman asked him if she had already thought about what he would like to do when he left school.
-Well...I was thinking about being an Auror-
-I see, well you should know that it is a very difficult race. You need high grades, nothing below the "Exceeds Expectations" level. In addition, you are required to go through rigorous character and aptitude tests at the Aurors office and only the best are accepted. In fact, I don't think anyone has entered in the last three years-
-¿Any suggestion you can give me?-
-Well, I wouldn't worry about the grades. You have always excelled in classes, but I warn you that I do not accept students who have not obtained an "Exceeds Expectations" on my class and both Transfiguration and Defense are essential for the Auror career. So I hope you continue at the same pace as now-
The headmistress interrupted her by pretending that she was coughing -Sorry Minerva, but I was wondering if Potter has the aptitude to be an Auror-
-Potter has always been an outstanding student. Professor Flitwick says that he is the best student he has had in years, especially after performing the Grubait Charm, not only effectively, he also was able to alter it so that it freezes instead of burning. Something that hasn't been seen in centuries-
The woman ignored that -Yes...yes...not bad. But still, as you have said, my class is essential to be an Auror and if you saw my grades, you would see that Potter is not the student who would apply for that career - and she handed him a paper with a report on his grades -And if we take into account his criminal past...-
-¡Potter was acquitted of all charges! There is nothing that convinces me that he cannot choose that career-
-¡The Minister of Magic will never employ Harry Potter! -Umbridge said, raising her voice angrily.
-Things may be different when Potter is ready to join them-
-¡Ahá! That's what you want ¿Isn't it Minerva? Fudge being replaced by Dumbledore and you would take my position Senior Secretary to the Minister and headmistress of the school! And with Potter being the link between them to help keep them in power-
-Your lost your mind Umbridge-
-On the contrary, I see things very clearly- and at that moment a loud roar and screams began to be heard. Professor McGonagall told him that the interview was over and they went to see what all the fuss was about. When they left there they saw that the hallway had been turned into a huge swamp and at the end were Fred and George smiling pleased with their work.
-¿Do you think what they just did is funny?-
-The truth is yes and it was not easy. It's good to see that our work is appreciated- Fred joked.
-Well that's over, now you'll see what happens to those who break the rules at my school- and at that moment Filch came. Happy because he had obtained permission to give them corrective spankings in a physical form.
-I don't think so, our magical education has concluded and it is time to test our talent in the real world- George added and they both raised their wands -¡Accio brooms!- and the brooms that he had confiscated from them appeared flying from the director's office. towards them, dragging the chains.
-See you soon-
-Don't bother sending us a postcard- and then he addressed the students there -Whoever wants to buy a Portable Swamp, as we have demonstrated on the upper floor, come to ninety-three Diagon Alley, "Wesley Magical Pranks"-
-¡Discounts for those who want to make life impossible for this old Toad face!-
-¡STOP THEM!- Umbridge ordered the students who were part of the inquisitorial brigade but it was useless. Both brothers had already taken flight, causing a huge commotion in the room, in addition to the fireworks they had conjured and throwing lights and explosions everywhere.
-¿Would you do the honor, brother?- Fred said, throwing a thick rocket at him.
-It will be a pleasure- and he threw it up. When the air exploded he was filled with a bunch of colors that formed a huge "W" in the air followed by the image of a lion above the letters. And they both walked away from the school towards the sunset.
-Your brothers are crazy...but they have style- Malfoy said to Ginny who was clapping loudly.
-Howgarts won't be the same without them. But there will be other troublemakers who continue with his legacy-
-It will be difficult to reach their level-
The euphoria caused by the Weasley twins leaving the school behind a barrage of fireworks lasted for several days. Many made comments about following his example and leaving everything behind.
-There is something I wonder: Where did they get the money to rent a place in Diagon Alley? They are near the Ollivanders store. It's not something anyone can afford.
-¿Do you think they got it by doing something illegal?- Hermione suggested.
-They didn't-
-¿How do you know Harry?-
-I gave them the money from the Triwizard Tournament to open their store-
-You didn´t-
-I didn't need it nor did I want it. Plus it was worth it to see the look on Umbridge's face when she saw how she was humiliated in front of the entire school and the portable swamp thing. That was original-
-I'll write to mom to tell her, she'll be relieved to know that they haven't been involved in any shady things with Mundungus Fletcher. Although she'll probably scream to heaven when he finds out that it was you who gave them the money- Ron told him happily before leaving.
-¿Don't you have Occlumency classes today?- His friend asked. Harry didn't tell them what he saw in the pensieve, he told them that the professor thought he was ready to do it on his own, which wasn't true. He still had dreams about the department of mysteries and those shelves full of luminous spheres.
-Well, in that case let's go see Hagrid, he said he wanted to teach us something important-
"Important" was not the word Harry would have used. Not far from his cabin there was a huge being playing with giant rocks as if they were simple pebbles. Hagrid told them that her name was Grawp and she was his brother, half-brother to be more exact, on his mother's side.
-I couldn't leave him alone there. The others make fun of him and mistreat him because he is small.
-¿SMALL?- Malfoy said, amazed at the size of the creature.
-Yes, if we compare it with the majority. He just needs to learn calm down and manners. He already understands signs, soon he will be able to speak. The problem is that I'm not sure if I can keep doing it, things get worse and I would be calmer knowing that there are others taking care of him-
-¿What are you talking about? ¿To feed him like Fang? Harry asked. Hagrid told him that it was not necessary, since he was able to get his own food from him, but at least once or twice a week he would visit him. Talk to him and teach him to be understood.
-We will do our best- he said when he saw the pleading face on his friend's face.
Exam week had arrived and everyone was so anxious and nervous that they spent the time reviewing their notes and practicing the same spells over and over again to make sure they did them correctly. The first exam was Charm Theory, she thought it would be more difficult but fortunately she was able to answer all the questions. Hermione began to go over the answers she had given, but Draco suggested that she better focus on the ones that still remained. Now they had to move on to the practical part.
-Potter, Harry. Your turn- said one of the examiners. When she entered, the man asked her to perform a levitation spell on a teapot, then to alter the colors of a rat's hair, and others, which he performed without problems.
-¡Excellent! You can leave- said the woman named Griselda Marchbanks.
-Wait Griselda, a small question. Professor Flitwick has told us that you can do the Grubait charm, not only to make an object burn completely, but you also know how to alter it to keep said object in a permanently frozen state ¿Is that true? -
-¿Do you want me to do it?-And before the enthusiastic gesture of the adult he pointed his wand towards a chair. He focused and then performed the incantation, just as his Charms teacher had described. Both examiners applauded when they saw the result.
-¡Bravo! / ¡Excellent!-And they made a couple of notes on the paper that had his name on it and told him that he could leave. After Friday's Transfiguration theory and practical exam, they spent most of Saturday and Sunday studying for Monday's Potions exam. He was surprised not to see Professor Snape with the examiners, but the good thing is that when he was not present many were relieved and were able to concentrate on their work without fear of the man saying something to them, especially Neville.
He laughed internally when he read the question "Describe what are the ingredients to make the Polyjuice potion and the effects of said potion" -
His greatest satisfaction was with Defense Against the Dark Arts, when he correctly performed all the defensive and offensive spells asked of him in front of Umbridge who looked at him with contempt but couldn't say anything. And when they asked him if it was true that he could perform the Patronus spell, he once again demonstrated before the adults who applauded loudly at the spectacle and made notes on his papers.
The Care of Magical Creatures exam took place on the grass at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where students were required to correctly identify the Knarl hidden among a dozen hedgehogs (the trick was to offer them all milk in turns, since Knarls are very distrustful creatures, whose feathers had many magical properties; they generally lost their temper because they saw food as an attempt to poison them) They then had to demonstrate the correct handling of a Bowtruckle, feed and clean a fire crab without suffering serious burns, and choose the appropriate food for a sick unicorn.
-Not bad Potter. You gets along well with animals- the examiner told him when he saw how one of them licked his hand and made sounds of pleasure in his presence. The only subjects he had trouble with were Astronomy, Divination, and History of Magic, which he had to admit he found unappealing and never paid as much attention to as the rest.
-You were only wrong on one question about the constellations and as for the other...we already know how useful divination is so don't worry so much. In a while we will go to the astronomy tower and you will surely do better with the practice- Ron told him while Hermione and Draco continued reviewing together. This examination was interrupted when they saw through the telescopes Umbridge being accompanied by a group towards Hagrid's cabin with the intention of arresting him, for some excuse that the headmistress had surely used.
-¡LEAVE HIM ALONE! ¡HE HAS DONE NOTHING!- Professor McGonagall shouted and, without warning, she received at least four Stunning Spells that had been fired by the figures surrounding the cabin, leaving her unconscious on the ground. The half-giant went crazy and started punching the aurors, knocking out three of them. The only one left was too scared to do anything and the woman unsuccessfully launched an attack towards his friend who was carrying Fang in his arms and running towards the forest.
-¡That harpy! She had her sworn against Hagrid ever since she arrived-
-She Hates demi-humans and hybrids-
-Poor Professor McGonagall. Four stunning spells at the same time and she's not exactly young-
-I am surprised by Hagrid's resistance, he received several attacks and continued attacking-
-It must be because of his Giant blood, it makes them less susceptible to light or moderate magical attacks-
At that moment Harry started to feel bad and had a small faint. He saw Voldemort clearly inside the department of Mysteries, this time torturing Sirius and forcing him to take a glowing sphere on the shelf and when he refused he cast the Imperius Curse on him.
-Harry! ¿Are you ok? ¿What happened?- Hermione asked and told them about her dream. She wanted to go and confirm that it had not been an illusion or a prophecy. He called out to the elf named Kreacher, but this time he didn't show up like the previous time and time was running out. Ginny suggested they use the headmistress's fireplace, while they would have some distraction. He used the knife that his godfather had given him and once inside Umbridge's office he tried to contact Grimmauld Place, when the family elf appeared he noticed that he was acting strange -Kreacher ¿Where is Sirius?-
-The master never tells Kreacher where he is going. After he sent the shouter to Master Potter, Master got very angry and he told me to leave. Kreacher obeys as always... I hope the master never returns... - he said muttering in a low voice and smiling
-¿What did you say? ¿Don't come back from where?
-The master is not going to return from the Department of Mysteries. Kreacher and his mistress are alone again! -He shouted with joy, increasing his fears and when he wanted to continue questioning him he felt a hand that took him out of there.
-¿Do you think he was going to allow someone to breach my security again? I placed Hidden Sensing Charms all over the door frame, foolish boy. Take away his wand and also from his friend- the director said before he could do anything. Both he and Hermione were unarmed -¿Who were you trying to communicate with?-
-With no one- he lied and received a slap in response. He had already received curses and spells in recent years, but that type of Muggle attack reminded him of his time with his cousin and the time his uncle wanted to hurt him, but his snake had hit him. saved.
-¡You lie! You better answer Potter. Dumbledore is gone and it's time for you to realize it once and for all. Bring Professor Snape- she said to a couple of members of the Inquisitorial Squad. And when the adult came in, she asked him to bring him the truth potion to give to Harry. He told her that he had no more left and to prepare another one he would take one lunar cycle, that mean, one more month.
Seeing that there was no turning back, Harry tried to give a message - ¡Voldemort has Padfoot, he's going to kill him! ¡He has it in you-know-where!
-¿Padfoot? V...the Unspeakable? ¿What nonsense are you saying? Or maybe...it's a code...Isn't it? Tell me Professor, it's an order-
-I have no idea what she is talking about, director. Potter's mental stability has been on the decline all year- he said with a shrug and left.
-Well, since neither you nor the head of your house are willing to collaborate, I am forced to take action...Yes...The Cruciatus Curse will have to loosen your tongue- Umbridge stated calmly.
-¡No! You can't do that. It's illegal! ¿What will the Minister say about that? - Hermione shouted.
-What the Minister does not know will not hurt. He never knew that I ordered the Dementors to go after Potter last summer, but either way he was delighted to have the chance to expel him.
-¡It was you!- Ginny screamed, struggling with her captor.
-Someone had to silence him, he was spreading lies and unleashing panic. Everyone was complaining about the situation, but I was the only one who did something about it. Now, are you going to tell me who you were trying to communicate with ¿Or should we do it the hard way?- She asked as she pointed the wand at his face. Before he could respond she Hermione seemed to break and spoke. She told him that she was trying to talk to Dumbledore about a weapon they had hidden near Hagrid's cabin.
-¿A weapon? What kind of weapon? -She asked.
-We don't know, we just left it there-
-Well, you'll take me where it is- And with that pretext they managed to take her there, while she let her lackeys watch over Ginny and Draco.
They walked for a few minutes until they reached the entrance to the forbidden forest -How long until there?- and at that moment they were interrupted by centaurs who shot a couple of arrows as a warning.
-¿What are doing in our forest humans?- asked the leader, who identified himself as Bane.
Far from being intimidated, the woman warned them about the consequences of attacking an official of her rank and insulted them by saying that due to their semi-human intelligence they could be arrested and that they should be grateful that the Ministry let them inhabit their forest.
-What you said was an insult to our race. Which far exceeds yours - and he shot him an arrow that cut off a few strands of her hair. The woman summoned ropes with her wand to immobilize him and when she pointed it at the rest of her Harry took advantage of the situation and took her wand from her and cast a spell on her pushing her to the ground -¿How dare you Potter? ¡You are expelled! ¡And you will be arrested for attacking your director and Vice Minister! -
-¿Do you think so?- He said mockingly and after freeing the leader of the pack from his bonds, he offered him his hand so that he could stand on his legs. The centaur looked at him surprised and suspicious, but he ended up accepting her -I think this woman needs to learn manners and respect, especially when it comes to dealing with magical creatures with more intelligence and wisdom than any fool in the Ministry can imagine-
The centaur smiled and turned to his people -You heard it. Let's give her a quick lesson-and they wrapped her in ropes and dragged her into the forest while she screamed and threatened them in vain.
-Thanks for the help. We are sorry for bringing our problems to the forest, but that horrible woman from the Ministry left us no choice, there are innocent lives at risk-
-¿Are you Harry Potter? You are famous, even among our race. We have met your servant. I mean the huge snake now lives in our forest-
-He is not my servant, he is my friend. It's not his fault that the only humans he's ever spoken to have ordered him to do terrible things. He is happy here and no longer attacks any students and I also think they won't have to worry about the spiders in the forest anymore. Listen, we must go and thank you again for helping us against that horrible woman- he told her, offering his hand.
The centaur hesitated for a moment but ended up reciprocating the gesture -You are a peculiar wizard Harry Potter-
-Yes, they tell me that often-
As they headed back in the direction they tried to think of a plan to free their friends from the inquisitorial brigade. But by the time they arrived their friends were already waiting for them and Umbridge's assistants were unconscious on the floor - We were about to go look for them -
-¿How did they get free?-
-It was thanks to Neville and Luna. They went to look for them too but he was more skillful and disarmed them.
-Luna did almost everything- he replied, blushing. Ginny approached him and handed back her wand.
-Thank you. I used the director's one, but it didn't feel the same. Well, with this we save time, I have to go to the Ministry-
-You won't go alone. It would be too dangerous-
-But...-
-¿Isn't this what the AD was for? We were preparing to fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters ¿Or was it all a lie? -Neville asked and given that logic and Hermione's insistence he understood that it was not smart to go on his own and without any plan.
-Okay, we'll all go. But we must stay together and we must be discreet-
-¿How will we go? No one knows how to appear and the brooms are confiscated.
-We can go in Threstals- Luna suggested. And everyone was surprised by that idea. It was a pretty strange trip but they made it. When they reached an old, battered telephone booth, he opened the door and pressed the buttons he remembered from when he went to his hearing.
-Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please declare your name and your subject-
-Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Ronald Weasley...- he said shouting the names and so on until he reached Daphne who was the last -We come to save someone. Voldemort...Death Eaters...-
-Thank you- the female voice responded in a calm tone -Visitors, please take the identity plates and stick them on the front of your robes. Have a nice day-
-How nice- Malfoy commented sarcastically. Once inside he could see that the place was very dark compared to when he went before. They went to the elevator and pressed the button that led to the Mysteries department, making a loud noise when it activated. He knew that would attract the guards, but considering what was happening maybe it wasn't a bad idea.
-¿Where now Harry?- Hermione asked. In his dream he had always walked purposefully across the room to the door immediately opposite the entrance and walked through it, but there were about a dozen doors here. While he was thinking about which one was correct, there was a loud crash and the sails began to move sideways. The circular wall was rotating, until it then stopped.
-¿What was all that?-
-I think a security measure to prevent us from finding the exit- Ginny said quietly. She was right, not only did they not know where to go, but they also didn't know where to return. They decided to do it by luck and entered the first door, the place was quite empty except for a few desks and, right in the middle of the room, a huge water tank filled with an intense green liquid, which contained creatures inside. They were surprised to see that they were brains.
-It's not here, let's go back and try another door-
-There are doors here too. This site is huge-
-In my dream I passed through the dark room we came from, and then into the second room. We should go back and try another one-
-Wait, Luna- Hermione said before her friend closed the door and pointed it at her,-¡Flagrate!- And a huge flaming X was marked on the door. When they closed it, the entire room had begun to move, moving the walls and doors. When she stopped they could see one of them, still with the reddish writing.
-Now we will know which one we were already in. Well thought out Herms-
-I got the idea from a movie about a labyrinth-
-¿What's a movie?- Draco and Ron asked.
-Something Muggle, we'll explain later. Let's continue- They passed through other rooms, one similar to the one where he had had his audience, only there was no one there except a huge arch in the middle where there was a veil that moved as if someone had passed through there, he swore he could hear voices. coming out of it, but I didn't have time to check it, then they tried another one but it was closed. They tried the Alohomora spell but it didn't work, then they tried Sirius's knife, which was destroyed when he tried to pass the blade, it was melted, leaving the object completely useless.
-This can't be this, Harry could go through all the doors in his dream- Hermione commented, and although he was frustrated at having broken Sirius' gift he had to admit that she was right. In the end they came to one that was full of shelves, all with hundreds of shiny spheres on them -It's here...Look for row 97- After walking through endless aisles, trying not to separate themselves too much, they continued until I was beginning to consider what Maybe he was wrong, that nothing was real.
-Harry... I think Sirius isn't here- his friend told him and he began to get frustrated ¿Had he been so wrong in making them go there?
-¿Harry, did you see that?- Ron asked and pointed to a small shiny sphere. In spiderweb-like handwriting was written a date from about sixteen years ago, and below that: S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Lord Voldemort and (?) Harry Potter
He was dumbfounded by such a discovery, he had no idea what that was and why it had his name and that of his enemy. He wanted to continue looking for his godfather but his curiosity was stronger than him. He took it thinking that something incredible would happen or that there would be a light and sound show but nothing.
-Okay Potter, turn around and hand that to me- said a voice behind him.
Several dark, hooded figures appeared around the group, blocking the path to the left and right, preventing them from fleeing in any direction. The darkness of the room was replaced by the light of the Death Eaters' wands pointed at them, there were twice as many people as them.
-Give me that, Potter- said the voice that he immediately recognized as Malfoy's.
-Don't do it- said the voice of his friend.
-My dear Draco, it's been a while. I see you're still hanging out with Potter and his...friends- he said when he saw Ginny and Hermione.
-Nice company- said one of the hooded men and the blonde stood between him and the girls.
-Look Lucius, your own blood ready to defend traitors and dirty bloods. You must be very proud- said a shrill little voice.
-Lestrange...- Neville said. The woman responsible for his parents being bedridden in St. Mungo's was finally in front of him.
-Don't do anything Neville, not yet-
-¿DID YOU HEAR? He is telling them when to attack. As if he had any chance against all of us-
-Give us the prophecy Potter- Lucius ordered.
-¿What prophecy? ¿This sphere? ¿It's what Voldemort is looking for, right?
-¿How dare you say his name?! You are not worthy of even thinking about it. Not after the lies you were spreading about him ¡You dirty half-blood - the woman reproached him.
-Muggle blood runs through his veins as well as mine. The difference is that I accept it and am proud of her, while he is so cowardly that he cannot accept reality.
The woman was about to attack him but Malfoy stopped her saying that they wait until they have the prophecy in her hands or they would be punished by her lord if they failed. Harry knew that if he gave it to them they could be presumed dead so he tried to distract them while he thought of some plan to get out of there -¿What is this prophecy? ¿And why does it have our names?-
-¿Did Dumbledore never tell you that the reason why you have that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries? -Asked the father of his friend, laughing. While he was surprised, he gave instructions to Hermione and Draco to prepare and implement the plan that Ron and Draco had put together in one of the DA sessions. Malfoy was still talking through his mask about what her master was looking for and everything he had done to make her come here.
-¿Why didn't you take it and take it away?-
-Because only those whose name appears in a prophecy can take it, as he discovered by sending others to take it-
His mind began to connect the dots - Like Sturgis Podmore and Broderick Bode -
-Smart...well, not so much or you would have learned to differentiate between a false dream and reality-
He felt like an idiot, Voldemort had used him. But there was no way he was going to help his enemy and before any of the hooded men could do anything he was faster - ¡NOW! - And all of his friends cast spells in various directions, on one side conjuring shields and the rest attacking the Death Eaters. . Harry was in charge of the shelves, making them fall along with hundreds of spheres, giving them a chance to get out of there. Dozens of prophecies and colored rays flew through the room, they tried to reach the door but again the walls moved again which caused the group to divide in two.
-¡Grab him! Let him not escape! -And when he had one of them in front of him he did not hesitate to leave him unconscious.
-¡Stupefy!- but the hooded man conjured a shield.
-You'll have to do better than that, Potter-
-¿Something like that?-And without saying a word he cast a non-verbal spell so that he couldn't know how to block it. A small green line came out of his wand at high speed and hit the subject's hand. It seemed like nothing had happened, but after a few seconds his hand began to darken more and more, until it turned to ash, which he then dissolved by dropping the wand.
-¡My hand!- the hooded man screamed-¡Son of...!-
-¡Desmiaus!-
-Harry, that was...- Neville said, surprised at that fact.
-Let's look for the others. We must leave as soon as possible - and she conjured some ropes to ensure that it does not cause any more problems. At the next door were Ron, Daphne and Ginny, along with a couple of Death Eaters fighting the brains that had freed themselves from the tubes and were trying to strangle them with their tentacles.
-¡Diffindo!- Neville shouted, cutting off some tentacles but there were many.
-I feel sorry for them, whatever they are. But we can't take the risk. Trio Fire! - and three of the brains that were there burned in flames, releasing their victims. Before they could react Neville stunned the hooded men.
-¡Merlin! Thanks Harry. Those things are horrendous- They left there as quickly as possible and ended up back in the great hall where the arch with the veil was. Before they could do anything they were surrounded by more Death Eaters. Too many for just five, but they had to try.
-¡Enough!- Malfoy shouted -This is where it all ends, Potter-
-Look who I brought to the party- said Dolohov and Rookwod bringing Neville and Luna while he pointed at them from behind..
-¿And the others?-
-Ah well...this boy gave more problems than we thought. But I managed to finish him off-
-You mean you attacked me from behind, coward- and his companions laughed.
-¡Be quiet! I win. That's what matters. Now put that tongue away if you don't want to lose it-
-That's nothing Dolohov, I have a better trophy- said Bellatrix and behind her two lackeys had Draco and Hermione. A little blood could be seen on her shoulder, but it didn't seem serious -Look Lucius, your precious Draco and the mudblood Graner? Ranger?
-Granger...- said the father of his friend -My own son fighting alongside someone from that lineage. Thank God your grandfather isn't alive to see this-
-Yes Yes. What a family tragedy, now let's go for what we came for-
-Give us the prophecy Potter. Or your friends will pay for it. Here's a small sample - and right there Bellatrix cast the Cruciatus curse on Neville who was screaming in pain on the ground - Poor his grandmother, but she'll be used to losing descendants -
-¡Don't give it to him Harry! ¡For nothing in the world! ...- Neville shouted and he received the same torture again, but despite that. he did not give up -Don´t... don't give her to him Harry...- he repeated, stunned and in pain from the curse.
-You decide Potter. The Dark Lord knows you, he knows that you would never let someone suffer because of you-
Harry was thinking and at that moment he had an idea -Okay, you will have the prophecy. With a condition-
-¡Harry! ¡No!- Ron shouted.
-¿What are you doing Harry?- Hermione asked.
-You are not in a position to negotiate-
-Of course i can, I have something that your master desperately wants. For him this is worth more than all your lifes. I know it's the end of us, so at least I'll have fun before we leave. Here's the deal: the Death Eater who kills Lucius Malfoy gets the prophecy. I imagine that the person who gives it to Voldemort will have the eternal gratitude of his master. So ¿Who wants to be the new favorite? - and at those words many began to look at each other.
-¿What are you idiots doing? ¡It's a trap!- Malfoy shouted, starting to worry, knowing how loyals they were his comrades.
-No. It's not- and he threw his wand to the ground while he held the sphere with the other, implying that he was serious -My offer still stands-
At that moment one of them broke the silence -I don't know about the rest. But I think it's time for me to improve my position. It's time for someone to calm you down Lucius- and he pointed his wand at the guy and suddenly everyone started fighting for the prize. And to make things better, Sirius, Tonks and Kingsley showed up to help them.
-¡Harry! ¡Take your wand and get out of here! - Sirius shouted.
-I never threw it- and he took out another wand from his pocket with which he began to attack the hooded people -That's Umbridge's-
-¡That's my boy! ¡Smart like James! - And they began to fight from all fronts. Sometimes it was difficult to distinguish allies from enemies, but thanks to his skills as a seeker he learned to move in various directions.
-¡Careful!- and a spell grazed the hand with which he was holding the sphere, which fell near Neville's feet, who kicked it hard and smashed it against the wall. It was so fast that he didn't even have time to slow her down with a levitation spell. While they both looked at the place where he had broken, an almost spectral figure, wearing enormous glasses, began to speak. But with all the shouts and blows that surrounded them not a word of the Prophecy could be heard. The figure finished speaking and disappeared into the air in front of his eyes.
"Harry, I'm so sorry!" said his friend, who was wiping the blood stains from his nose from the attack of one of the hooded men. "I didn't want to..."
-It doesn't matter, at least Voldemort will never have it again and his vassals will have to answer for it-
-Harry... ¡Dumbledore!- His friend shouted and upon seeing the director standing behind him, with a look similar to the one he had shown in front of Barty Crouch Jr, he felt great energy and optimism. The victory was already his.
Only two people were still fighting, too busy attacking each other that they didn't see that the battle was already over. Harry watched as Sirius dodged an attack from his cousin and scoffed. The second jet of light hit him in the chest, but he still maintained his smile.
-¡Careful!- everything seemed to move in slow motion. It took forever for the adult to fall on his back through the torn veil that hung from the arch. Harry saw the frightened and surprised look on his godfather's now worn face as he fell through the ancient portal and disappeared behind the veil, which lifted briefly into the air, as if a small breeze had picked up - ¡SIRIUS! ! SIRIUS!
He ran towards the arch but Lupine grabbed him from behind -You can't do anything Harry...-
-We have to help him. He is on the other side of the veil!
-It's too late...he's gone...- said the werewolf.
Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the center of the room, apparently restrained by invisible ropes; Mad-Eye Moody had crawled across the room to where Tonks lay and was trying to wake her. While Kinglsey resumed the fight against Bellatrix. Harry continued to struggle against Lupine as he shouted his godfather's name in vain. He couldn't, he didn't want to believe that he was gone, but when he didn't get any response from Sirius, he had to accept the harsh reality.
Neville went to him as fast as he could, given his state -Harry... I'm so sorry. That man, Sirius Black, was he your friend?-
-He is... he was my godfather... and my father's best friend- he said, almost sobbing. And the sadness was followed by enormous rage and he ran towards the door where Bellatrix Lestrange had gone.
-¡Harry don´t!- Lupine shouted, but it was too late. He couldn't think of anything other than revenge. When he got out of the elevator he managed to see that the woman was almost at the elevator phone at the other end of the lobby, at the moment when he lunged towards her, he cursed at her.
-¡Protego!- she shouted.
-Wow, it's little Harry ¿Are you coming to avenge my dear cousin? Did you want it that much?
Hatred ran through her entire body and without holding back she pointed her wand at him -¡Crucio!-And the woman lay down on the ground, but she did not writhe or scream in pain like most of her did, although the smile on her face had faded -¿Is this the first time you have made an unforgivable rookie? Anger alone doesn't work, you have to want it, Potter, you have to really want to cause pain, enjoy it, otherwise it's useless. I'll show you how it's done- and she returned the same curse, but Harry was able to dodge it.
-Maybe you meant something like this?- And Harry muttered a spell, which hit the woman's face and she screamed as she felt her face burn. After a second, he could see the red-hot marks on her right cheek, which could be distinguished as "H.P."
The Death Eater was no longer laughing but it was as if she had had a pleasant surprise -You are improving, child, but you still have a lot to learn. I am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant. I learned the Dark Arts from him and I know spells you can't even imagine. Now I will give you one last chance, give me the prophecy and maybe I will let you live-
-Well, it seems that you will have to kill me, because the prophecy has been broken. And he knows it- he responded, smiling as her scar began to burn intensely.
-¡You lie! ¡Accio prophecy! - but nothing happened, since there was nothing to summon. For the first time she was scared -I tried master... ¡I TRIED! ¡DON'T PUNISH ME! PLEASE!-
-Save your breath, he can't hear you from here-
-¿Oh no, Potter?- said a voice behind him and when he turned around, Lord Voldemort himself was there, in front of him -He's telling the truth Bella, I can see it through his pathetic mind, months of preparation, of effort... and my Death Eaters let Harry Potter thwart my plans again- he spoke while the woman pleaded on the ground.
-M...master please...-
-Shut up, I didn't come here to hear your pathetic excuses and as for you Potter...Not only did you ruin my plans, also you spread those horrible lies about me. A pathetic attempt to minimize my greatness-
Harry just smiled -Repeating a lie several times does not make it true...Tom-
The red eyes looked at him with deep hatred. He gave a long sigh and raised his wand -You've been a nuisance for too long already ¡Avada Kedavra!- and a ray of green light came out of it but a statue landed between Harry and the curse, receiving the impact -¿What? ..Dumbledore!-
A second later she reappeared almost at Voldemort's side; He waved his wand at the remains of the fountain and the other figures came to life. The statue of the witch ran towards Bellatrix who screamed and began to cast curses that hit the statue in vain in the chest before it jumped towards her, pinning her to the ground. The fight between the two was spectacular, each one performed spells that he had never seen before and they were very evenly matched.
-Are you going to kill me Dumbledore? No, it's true that you are above those acts-
-There are worse things than dying Tom. And your inability to understand it has always been your weakness, although I admit that it would give me great pleasure to finally finish you off-
-¡There is nothing worse than death!- and they fought again without quarter.
At one point Voldemort cast the Killing Curse while the Headmaster was fighting objects he had summoned, but fortunately Fawkes, the Headmaster's Phoenix, had stepped in and swallowed the beam of green light. Which turned it back into ashes, from which a newborn chick emerged. Then Dumbledore enclosed Voldemort in a bubble of water from the fountain there, it seemed that he was trapped inside the mass of water, until after struggling he disappeared.
-¡Master!- shouted Bellatrix, who was still held by the statue.
Harry escaped from the statue that protected him, but Dumbledore roared -¡Stay where you are!- He seemed worried. And at that moment he felt a presence, at first he thought it was behind him, but then he realized that it was coming from inside him. Everything was going dark, and he felt like he couldn't control his own body, like there was something evil inside controlling him.
I was in a kind of void, there was only darkness. She could hear Voldemort telling Dumbledore that if death was nothing, then he should kill the boy along with him, that way they would die together - It's your destiny, Potter, always was- said the voice of his enemy. Harry wanted to give up, to get it over with. So he could reunite with Sirius and his parents. At that moment he heard Dumbledore's voice -Harry...don't give up...you're not like him. You are stronger, and capable of things that Voldemort will never be able to achieve or understand...-
-You're wasting your time, Dumbledore. This child is weak, just like his dirty Muggle mother and his mediocre father- the voice said.
Despite feeling enormous pain throughout his being, he couldn't avoid think about his parents and Sirius and that made him feel better. Then he began to remember the moments he spent with his friends, the times they managed to escape unscathed from so many dangerous adventures, he saw Hermione, Draco, Ron, Ginny laughing with him, the Weasleys who always treated him like another son, when his parents came out of Voldemort's wand and he was able to talk to them, the times Sirius told him how much he looked like James... -You're wrong, Tom- he said, slowly standing up, facing the Voldemort who had appeared in front of him in that dark place-
-¡You are nothing! Just a pathetic child who has survived by pure luck ¡You are insignificant! -
-You are the weak one. You never had parents who loved you like mine did, you have never had real friends and people who worried or fought for you, not because they were afraid or told them to, but because they wanted to. Even if you gain all the power in the world, you will always be like this place: empty and with no one but yourself. I feel sorry for you- he said, making a face.
-You... You...- he could see that the figure in front of him was shrinking, while it seemed that he was increasing in size.
Despite the pain he felt, he got closer to his enemy -I'll tell you just once, Tom: ¡GET OUT OF MY HEAD!- and he hit his enemy in the face, making him disappear from there and everything turned upside down. dark.
"Harry!" a voice shouted and suddenly he was back in the Ministry. Dumbledore helped him stand up and when he put on his glasses he saw Voldemort come out of a kind of lethargy, he was as surprised as he was and a small trickle of blood came out of the left slit, where his nose was supposed to be. . As if he had really been hit there.
-Impossible...- he said while looking at his own blood.
At that moment the atrium began to fill with people, people came out of the green flames of all the chimneys that were along the wall while Voldemort left there -I just saw it, Mr. Fudge! I can swear to you that it was Who-You- Know, grabbed a woman and disappeared! - one of them shouted.
-I know it, Williamson, I know it, I saw it too! He...he's back- he said almost in shock and when Harry saw Dumbledore he demanded an explanation.
-Cornelius, if you go to the Mysteries department, you will find several of the escaped Death Eaters, locked in the Death Chamber, bound with an Anti-Disappearance spell and awaiting your decision on what to do with them. I'm sure you would like nothing more than to arrest me. But a few seconds ago you saw with your own eyes the proof that I have been telling you the truth for the last year ¡Lord Voldemort is back! And you've been chasing the wrong man for months and it's about time you came to your senses-
-I...¡Dawlish! ¡Williamson! Go down to the Department of Mysteries and take care of that- he ordered his aurors and then noticed that he was also there.
-¿Potter? ¿The Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Here? What is happening?-
-I will explain everything to you Cornelius, but first I must send Harry to Hogwarts- and pointing his wand at a piece of statue that was on the ground -¡Portus!- The object shone blue and trembled against the floor for a few seconds, then he remained motionless again.
-¡Albus, you don't have authorization for that portkey! You can't do these things right in front of the Minister of Magic, you... you...- but seeing the director's expression he remained silent.
-You will give the order to remove Umbridge as headmistress of the school and I want your aurors to stop pursuing Hagrid. It would be better if they focused on searching for the Death Eaters who are still at large. Take it Harry, I'll see you in my office in about twenty, maybe thirty minutes- he told him, handing him the object and as soon as he touched it he disappeared from there.
He was back at school, the objects destroyed during the principal's escape had been repaired and everything looked as if nothing had happened. Some people in the paintings were waking up and one asked if Dumbledore was back, Harry just nodded.
-That's good, has been very boring around here without his presence. You know, he really cares of you Harry Potter, he really does-
Harry didn't respond, pain and guilt ran through him. He wanted to get out of there, to be able to erase everything he had witnessed but it was impossible. At that moment the fireplace was lit and the director came out, who was received by his predecessors with applause.
-Thank you- he told them softly -Well Harry, you'll be happy to know that we have found all your friends and none of them have received permanent damage, they are all safe. They won't have to go to St. Mungo's but they will spend the night in the infirmary with Madam Pomfrey-
-Good- he responded almost automatically. As if he were a robot.
-I know how you feel Harry-
-No, you doesn't know- he said angrily.
-You lost your parents and now your godfather. You feel a rage and sadness that you cannot express, you want to destroy everything in your path-
-And you knows all that thanks to Legilimency ¿Right? Well, if you already knows how I feel, then let me go ¡I want to be alone!
-Not until you hear what I have to say. It was my fault Sirius died, not yours-
-¿What?-
-If I had been honest with you, Harry, as I should have been years ago, you would have known that Voldemort would try to trick you into going to the Department of Mysteries, and you would never have gone there looking for Sirius. The same way he was instantly when he discovered that you were there-
-¿Are you saying that my descendant, the last Black, has died?- Phineas Nigellus asked from his side and left. Probably the one he was at Grimmauld Place to make sure it had really happened.
-Take a seat- it was a request, not an order -As you know many years ago when Voldemort gave you that scar it created a unique connection between the two of you. Which allows you to feel when Voldemort was close to you or if he felt great emotions, whether anger or happiness.
-I know, Professor Snape had already told me-
-That connection has been strengthening since last year when he regained his body and his powers and I was worried that Voldemort might have realized the existence of this connection between the two of you. I thought I saw a flash of him in your eyes the night I left school and Sirius told me what you felt shortly after Mr. Weasley's attack, which confirmed my fears. I imagine you wondered why I wasn't the one explaining this to you, why I didn't teach you Occlumency myself, or why I've barely spoken to you these months.
-Yes, that crossed my mind-
-I was sure that if he discovered that our relationship was, or had ever been, closer than that of a director and a student, he would have taken the opportunity to use you as a means to spy on me. That's why I preferred to stay away, to protect you and also the Order - he took a breath and continued - Professor Snape told me that you have been dreaming about the Department of Mysteries and the reason for them is because Voldemort has been obsessed with that place for months. Unfortunately for him, only those whose name appeared on a prophecy could take it, otherwise they ran the risk of going crazy, as happened to my friend Sturgis Podmore after Lucius cast the Imperius curse on him and ordered him to take it-
Harry still thought it was all his fault. Hermione was right when she insisted that he should practice more how to close her mind but he hadn't given it as much importance as the other branches of magic. At that moment a memory came to her mind - ¡I tried to check if Sirius was at his house and Kreacher told me that he was in the Mysteries department!
Dumbledore explained that Kreacher lied to him, since he was not his master she could do so without having to punish herself as elves normally do. He told him that after Sirius got angry and told him to leave, he took it literally and went to look for Bellatrix Lestrange, the last Black he still respected, since Draco's mother Narcissa had been disowned just the same than her sister Andromeda, Tonks' mother, for marrying a Muggle. Not being the guardian of the secrets of the Order and due to the oath of his race, he could not reveal the location of the headquarters or give information about his plans, but he did manage to tell Bellatrix that the person Sirius loved most in the world was Harry. , and that he considered him a kind of father figure and older brother and that both would go to the ends of the world to help the other if he were in danger.
-¿So Sirius...?-
-He had never left Grimmauld Place, he was upstairs, healing Buckbeak who had been injured by Kreacher, following Bellatrix's orders-
-And to think that Hermione said we should treat him better- he said angrily. The headmaster told her that she was right, Kreacher had suffered almost as much as Dobby and that if Sirius had tried to get along better with him he might not have done what he did.
-¡DON'T SPEAK BADLY ABOUT SIRIUS!- He said angrily. And he reproached him to his face that if Professor Snape had stopped giving him Occlumency classes, he could have learned to close his mind and none of that would have happened.
-You're right, I thought Professor Snape had left his feelings for your father and Sirius behind, but unfortunately that wasn't the case-
-¿So thats it? ¿Professor Snape can hate my father, but is it wrong for Sirius to hate Kreacher?-
-Sirius was not a cruel person, in general he was kind to house elves or any other creature. But he was not fond of Kreacher, because he was a living reminder of the home Sirius had hated so much.
-¡Yes, he hated him! And you kept him locked in that place-
-I was just trying to keep him alive-
-¡That was not living! It was simply existing. People don't like to be kept locked up and neither do animals! - he shouted, losing his temper, without realizing that he was talking to the director, he wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, everything except keep talking to him. Far from getting angry, the man nodded and agreed with him, he told him that it was time for him to know the truth and when he finished he could do whatever he wanted.
-Five years ago you arrived at school, safe and sound. Not as happy or as well fed as I hoped, but alive. When you entered Slytherin I admit that I was stunned and when I saw how quickly you progressed in classes compared to your classmates, I realized that you were a gifted student and I was worried that you would go astray like Tom Riddle did at the time.
-You wasn't the only one who believed it- he said, remembering the times they compared him to Voldemort.
-And you proved that we couldn't be more wrong, not only did you forge a great friendship with a Muggle-born, but you also taught Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy that, despite being in rival houses and coming from very different families, they were more similar than they could admit and you tried to get them to leave behind their prejudices towards each other- he said. He explained that the reason he sent him to live with his Muggle uncles, knowing what they were like and that any wizarding family would have been delighted to welcome him and raise him as a son, was because his mother's sacrifice lived so deeply in him. Like his Aunt Petunia and that was why it was, in theory, the safest place for him. But after he left that house he had to take measures to keep him safe, whether during his stay at Malfoy Manor or Grimmauld Place, especially now that Voldemort used his blood to return.
-¿And what does it have to do with me and Voldemort?-
-Maybe you remember that you once asked me why Voldemort tried to kill you when you were just a baby and I told you at the time that you weren't ready to know. After your second and third year you faced great mortal dangers and yet I felt that you were not prepared, my biggest mistake was last year after you faced him and emerged victorious, not having told you. I told myself that it was to protect you, an old man's mistake, we continue to see people as we knew them and not as they are now. Despite having grown up and fighting against horrors that few would have the courage to face, I still saw you as the little boy who once lived in a cupboard.
-I don't understand sir-
-Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a child because of a prophecy made shortly before your birth. He knew that the prophecy had been made, but he did not know everything he said. He decided to kill you when you were still a baby, believing that he was fulfilling the terms of the prophecy. Unfortunately for him, he found out he was wrong when the curse he tried to kill you with bounced back at him. And so, since you returned to his body, and especially, since your extraordinary escape from him last year, he have been determined to hear the prophecy completely. That was what he was looking for: how to destroy you- he explained. Harry told him that the prophecy had been accidentally broken, but the headmaster told him that only the recording of it was broken, and that it had already been heard by someone else and that person remembers it perfectly.
-¿You?-
-How insightful. That's right, many years ago I had a job interview for the Divination position at, even though I was never interested in continuing to teach that subject. But since she was the great-great-granddaughter of a great sorceress who could really see future events, I decided to give her a chance. After five minutes of talking to her, I noticed that she had no talent for that branch of magic and I was about to leave, but that was when that woman entered in a kind of trance - and he rested his wand on his temple and took a kind of memory which took the form of Professor Trelawney who spoke with that hoarse voice that only Harry had known - The only one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord He approaches... born of those who have defied him three times, born when the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have a power that the Dark Lord does not know... and one must die at the hands of the other since neither can live while the other survives... the only one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord will be born when the seventh month dies...-
Harry was stunned and when he regained his composure he spoke -That means...-
-That the only person who has a chance to defeat Lord Voldemort was born at the end of July, almost sixteen years ago. This child would be born to parents who already challenged Voldemort three times-
-I...?-
-Well, you were one of the possibilities, the other was Neville Longbottom, since they both fulfilled that detail- and at this revelation he was even more surprised and asked him if maybe it could be his friend and not him -Remember the last characteristic that identifies the boy who could defeat Voldemort... Voldemort himself would "mark" him as his equal. And so he did, Harry. He chose you, not Neville. He gave you the scar that has proven to be both, a blessing and a curse, and the irony is that he chose, not a pureblood boy like Neville, who according to his beliefs was the only one worthy of being called a wizard, but the half-blood like he. Instead of destroying you, he gave you gifts and abilities which allowed you to escape him not once, but four times. More times than your parents or Neville's.
-¡But I'm not powerful like him! I cannot possess others or perform magic like he or you displayed during your duel-
-The power I am referring to is the one that resides within you, the one that you possess in large quantities and that Voldemort does not have at all. That power led you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from being possessed by him, because he can't resist being inside a body filled with the force he detests. In the end, it didn't matter that you couldn't close your mind. It was your heart that saved you. The same one Lily Evans had-
-So...in the end we will have to fight against each other, until only one remains-
The man breathed and for a brief moment it seemed to him that he looked older than ever -I'm very afraid so...- and for a long time neither of them spoke. The first rays of the sun were coming through the window and he could hear the sound of some students walking through the hallways towards the Great Hall for breakfast. None of them must have had the slightest idea of what had happened hours before and the pain that both he and his friends went through.
-I guess I owe you another explanation. About why I didn't make you Prefect and give the position to young Malfoy. I figured you already had too many responsibilities, like organizing illegal Defense classes- he said, sketching a small smile while a tear ran down his wrinkled face and into his silver beard. Harry couldn't bite his lip and he couldn't help but tear up a little too and, despite the situation, they both started to laugh, not because something funny had happened, but because it was what they needed to relieve the guilt and pain what they felt at that moment.
The next day he went to the infirmary to see his friends. Despite having slept a lot, he had a hard time getting out of bed and having to face a world where Sirius was no longer there and where his imminent fate awaited him outside. But at that moment he needed to see them and make sure everything were okay. When he arrived he saw the Weasley marriage at the door and as always, Mrs. Weasley ran to hug him until she took the oxygen out of her body.
-¡Oh Harry! Thank goodness that everyone is fine ¿What the hell were they thinking about going to the Ministry?
-Molly, I think the last thing Harry needs is a lecture. I'm sure Dumbledore already gave him the part. The important thing is that none of the boys were seriously injured - said her husband. And they both consoled him for the loss of Sirius and told him that his friends were waiting for him.
As soon as he entered he saw Neville with his grandmother. He thought the woman would be angry about their nighttime excursion but far from that, she seemed very pleased -My grandson was telling me what happened, you were very brave to fight those Death Eaters and the Unspeakable-
-Neville was the toughest, he endured the Cruciatus Curse at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, not once, but twice and still he was not willing to let them get away with it- he told her and at that fact the old woman seemed ready to cry -We Longbottoms don't fall easily- she responded as he wiped away a small tear and telling her grandson that his parents would be proud.
As she headed towards where the others were she heard Luna chatting with Daphne about how well her father was doing thanks to the publication of Harry's interview and that they would be traveling to find a creature called "Snorlack of Crumpled Horns". He then watched as Ron showed Hermione and his sister the marks left by the tentacled brains on his arms.
-¡Bha! That's nothing, look at this cut, Weasley- Draco commented and showed them his shoulder where he had a reddish line that went from above to almost under his armpit. Those brainless people didn't know who they were messing with- Harry smiled when he saw that, even Despite being in the infirmary, neither of them stopped competing with the other.
-Thank you for taking the impact for me, Draco- Hermione said, bringing her hand close to the scar, and as soon as she touched it, the young man settled back on the pillow and walked away.
-Yes... well... You were very busy with the other one, it wouldn't have been fair-
-Modest as always."Oh, wait, I think it's the first time- Ginny commented. And at that moment Fred and George arrived to show them the cover of "The Daily Prophet" where on the front page Fudge was seen admitting the return of Voldemort and vindicating Dumbledore and Harry.
-You're back to being "The Boy-Who-Lived." And to think that recently they called you crazy and a liar-
-¿What are you wearing?- Ron asked when he saw the clothes they were wearing.
-Dragon skin of the finest quality little brother. People go crazy with our products, Zonko even proposed to us to open a stand inside his store in exchange for royalties - Fred responded.
-¿What do you think, mom? ¿Now are you proud of your troublemakers?- He said as he played with a Galleon on his fingers and sent it to her sister.
-If you caused problems despite the lectures and punishments, I don't imagine what would have done if we had been encouraged you for it. But yes, I am proud, because you didn't let anyone tell what to do, they managed to get their way and get your dream job. That's all I would want for you- she replied, smiling and then approached Draco who was talking to his daughter -I'm glad to see that you weren't seriously hurt. Thank you for keep and eye on Ginny and Hermione's, like I asked you. You were really brave- she told him before kissing him on the forehead and then adjusting his pillow so he was more comfortable.
-¿How does he manage to do that?- Ron whispered to Harry when he saw that the blonde was surrounded and being attended to by Ginny, Hermione and even Mrs. Weasley.
-Don't know. Maybe because of the cosmetics he uses- he joked when he saw that despite being in the infirmary, his hair always seemed to be neat and shiny.
Harry's fifth year is ending. The sixth will be the last (for me). I hope you enjoy this fanfic